William Taylor was born in Virginia May 2, 1821. Reared on a farm, he
learned the tanning business. He entered the Methodist ministry in
1842. Going to California with the “Forty-niners” as a missionary, he
remained there until 1856. He next spent a number of years traveling in
Canada, New England and Europe. After conducting missionary services
in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, he visited South Africa and
converted many Kaffirs to Christianity. From 1872 to 1876 he organized
a number of churches in India and in South America. He also established
mission stations on the Congo and elsewhere in Africa. He has written
a number of books, the most interesting of which is, without doubt, The
Story of My Life. In 1884 he was made missionary bishop for Africa.