Taylor, Moses

Taylor, Moses

(1806–82) banker; born in New York City. He began as a clerk at an importing house in the City and by 1832, with $15,000, opened his own business handling the Cuban sugar trade. In 1855 he became president of City Bank in New York where his policy was to hold large cash reserves. He dabbled in railroads, public utilities, and helped the Lincoln administration finance the Civil War. He also joined with Cyrus W. Field in the first Atlantic cable venture and supported the project until it saw success.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.