Correspondence, legal and financial documents, printed material, creative works and ephemera (1850-1948) created and collected by John Shackelford Taylor document the life of an early Sonoma County pioneer. Legal and financial documents form the largest portion of the collection. Approximately one third of the collection consists of Taylor's creative works, printed materials and various documents about pioneer life in the west and in Sonoma County. Correspondence between Taylor and other family members relate to the genealogy of the Taylor family.

John Shackelford Taylor (1828-1927), an original California forty-niner, is identified with the stock-raising and business development in Sonoma County. In 1853, he settled on 1,400 acres of land near Santa Rosa. The land included White Sulpher Springs, a favorite Northern California resort. He also owned a valuable lot on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa where he erected one of the finest and most substantial business sections of the city. It was known as the Taylor block.

The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary property.

Access Collection is open for research by appointment.