He arrived in Sheboygan by boat, on the same ship that brought Harrison Carroll Hobart—the two men would establish the first legal firms in the city.

During the 1855 session of the legislature, Taylor made an inquiry into the meaning of a number of disbursement payments to the then-Governor William A. Barstow.

As a result, and possibly as an attempt to deter or embarrass Taylor, the Democratic majority offered to make him a committee of one to investigate the matter.

At the 1857 Republican State Convention, his name was placed in nomination for Governor of Wisconsin, amidst the rivalry between Edward D. Holton and Walter D. McIndoe.

[12] Taylor's defeat was considered a major upset, as McLean was a lawyer of little significance who had served a term in the Assembly.

[15] By far, Taylor's most significant legislative achievement of this term was his leadership in the passage of two resolutions, which led to the abolition of the grand jury system in Wisconsin.

[16] Taylor did not seek re-election in 1870 and instead set to work on a new compilation of the statutes of Wisconsin with annotations relating to relevant judicial case law.

When the state found it necessary to produce an updated version in 1875, the Wisconsin Supreme Court chose Judge Taylor as president of the commission managing the new compilation.

[17][18] In the meantime, Judge Taylor relocated from Sheboygan to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and formed a new law partnership, first with J. M. Gillet, and then with George Eaton Sutherland.

He died of a sudden heart attack on April 3, 1891, after eating dinner at his home on West Wilson Street in Madison, Wisconsin.