MCHF & WHC
Edmund N. “Neil” Taylor
District One
Submitted by
Jodi Benson
DuWayne Wilson
CONTACT:
Daughter, Fae (Taylor) Phillips
616 7th Ave North
Lewistown, MT 59487
406-535-9715
Grandchildren: Wes Phillips, Jim Phillips of Lewistown. Julie Hansemann of Helena
Edmund N. “Neil” Taylor (1897-1964)
2014 Legacy Inductee District 1
Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center
Edmund Neil Taylor known as Neil throughout his life was born on September 7, 1897 at Mount
Moriah, Missouri. He was the third, but second living son of Charles Denver “CD” and Essie
Louise (Schooler) Taylor. The family farmed near Mount Moriah until 1907 when they sold out
and purchased a small dairy farm near Unionville, Missouri. Neil received his elementary and
high school education in Unionville. He and his brother Reid had to milk cows and deliver milk
with a team and wagon every morning before going to school. His public education did not
extend beyond his sophomore year.
CD decided to explore the possibilities of claiming a homestead in Montana. In the spring of
1914 when Neil was 16, CD and his sons Neil and Reid traveled by train to northeast Montana.
They came as far as Culbertson on the train bringing only the bare necessities to establish a place
to live which included a couple of milk cows and a team of horses. The remainder of the Taylor
family stayed in Missouri until CD was ready to move them north. Neil’s first job that summer
was riding for Charlie Evans on his established ranch south of the Missouri River. He gained
cowboy experience riding and handling range horses. Horses were a valuable commodity at the
time, as well as plentiful, so the family began to buy, break, and sell horses to the other
newcomers. Neil’s Dad, CD also returned to Missouri and brought back carloads of dairy cows
to sell. During this time, CD and the boys filed a homestead claim on the western edge of the
Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The two brothers and their Dad began working to fulfill the
requirements of the U.S. Government’s “Homestead Act” to “stake their claim” on the land.
Always looking to expand C.D. found an opportunity west of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. A large
wheat farm was available for lease in a productive area. The whole family, including those still
in Missouri located there. However, the weather didn’t cooperate, so when the lease expired in
1919, most of the family returned to the homestead in Montana. While in Saskatchewan, to
supplement the family income in winter, Neil and his brother kept busy using their many horses
freighting for the Hudson’s Bay Company. They established a headquarters near Big River.
They freighted using sleds and teams of horses to haul food and supplies to the fishing and
trapping camps along 200 miles of the Canadian countryside. Even after returning to Montana
some of the Taylors returned to Canada to freight during the winters.
Neil Taylor recorded some of his favorite memories including the Reservation Roundup: It was
the spring of 1919 when I was privileged to ride on that big Indian “horse roundup” for the
first time. It is hard to believe now, but at that time we would handle 20,000 to 40,000 horses
during the roundup. For the roundup the Indian Agency would supply the chuck wagon, the
boss, the grub and the wranglers to herd the saddle horses. The ranchers who wanted to
gather their own branded horses would send riders or “reps” to do most of the riding to round
up those usually wild range horses. I was always the rep for our ranch. On my first day of my
first roundup my horse, Morgan, after bucking me off at Kirn’s Corral, settled down and
began to establish his reputation, and my own.” Morgan was known to be a challenge as a
horse. One time Neil’s Dad asked him, “Why don’t you sell that mean bronc before he kills
you?” And Neil replied, “Well if I did, some other cowboy would be better mounted than I
am”.
Neil married Florence Kennedy on June 26, 1923 in Saskatoon. The honeymoon for the happy
couple was a train trip to Scobey, the county seat of Daniels County in northeastern Montana.
From there they made their way to a place that Neil had rented the fall before. In early 1925 Neil
and Florence rented a place in the Line Coulee community. In 1925 their first daughter Margaret
Louise (Taylor) Gebhardt was born and in 1927 their second daughter Florence “Fae” (Taylor)
Phillips (a 2013 Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center inductee) was born.
Neil then built his ranch by leasing Indian Lands near his place and buying land as it became
available. Neil’s dream of raising white faced cattle and good horses became a reality.
Neil was an innovator and during the dirty 30’s it became necessary to figure out ways to
survive. Using his experience from his early day freighting with horses he adapted. Neil and his
brother built themselves semi-trailers for their trucks to do long distance hauling. They would
haul their cattle to Minnesota and then return with commodities that they could buy and resell at
a more reasonable price at home.
Neil believed in giving to his community. He was a member of many organizations such as the
Montana Stock Grower’s Association and the Farm Bureau. He helped organize the Big Muddy
Hereford Association and the Scobey Saddle Club. In 1955 Neil began the Taylor Calf Chain in
Daniels County. He gave away two heifer calves to 4-H members with the understanding they in
turn would give their first heifer calf to another member. This chain ran for over 50 years.
In 1945 Neil ran for and was elected to the Montana Legislature. He served six 2-year terms. His
house colleagues called him the “Iron Duke” for standing on his convictions that expenses be cut
and the budget balanced and presented him with a meat cleaver.
Neil passed away on May 2, 1964 at age 67 after suffering a severe heart attack while tending
cattle with two neighbors. He is buried at the Scobey Cemetery. Neil spoke fondly of the horses
he owned throughout his life and his days as a cowboy: “When I was a kid in Missouri I had a
pony—half thoroughbred and half Shetland. I was broken hearted when I had to leave her
behind when I went to Montana with my Dad. However, in 1914 that first summer I was out
here in Montana I got a wonderful two year old, broke him and spent all my affection on him.
Over the years I have ridden literally hundreds of horses. A few of them were tops.” Neil
would later buy a Horse named Champagne II who was the 1945 Denver Stock Show Grand
Champion Stallion in 1945. He was a great Grandson of Peter McCue II and a Steel Dust
mare. Old timers in the community still talk about Neil Taylor’s Champagne. Neil Taylor was
truly a Montana Cowboy.
References: (Taylor) Phillips, Fae. A Determined Destiny Determined by the Flight of a Wild
Filly - A Family History by Fae Taylor Phillips