Calvin B. Taylor

In the record (4)

1. 1896

   Four names for the Maryland beach's life-saving establishment in 1896: surfman William Taylor at Ocean City, Al. Watson at Green Run, Capt. J. T. Tracey resigning after twenty years at Assateague, and Dr. Edward J. Dirickson examining recruits.

   The county paper does not print a station roster, but four 1896 items add names to one the campaign has never had. (1) On 19 December: "Mr. William Taylor, of Ocean City Life Saving Station, purchased the Sinepuxent House and lot, also the livery stable and lot, each 40x80 feet, at Ocean City of Calvin B. Taylor at public sale last Saturday. He paid $2470 for the two lots, which was considered a good price." That places a serving surfman of the Ocean City station as a substantial Ocean City property owner — and it is the same William Taylor whom the 1894 column shows off duty with a sore foot in January and moving his family down from Berlin in December "so long as he stays in the Life saving service." (2) On 22 August: "Mr. Al. Watson, of Green Row [Green Run] Life Saving Station, spent last Friday with his family in Girdletree." (3) On 11 January, from the Chincoteague correspondent: "Capt. J. T. Tracey for twenty years the faithful and efficient Keeper of Assateague Life Saving Station has recently resigned on account of physical disability. This is to be regretted as Capt. Tracy has been one of the best officers in the service on the whole Atlantic coast." His wife died at Salisbury of paralysis on Tuesday 14 April, the paper reported on 18 April. Assateague Beach station is in Virginia, not Maryland, and Tracey is recorded here as an adjacent officer, not as part of the Maryland establishment. (4) On 5 December: "Dr. Edward J. Dirickson examined men for the Life Saving Service while at Chincoteague one day last week" — the district's medical examinations were held at Chincoteague, as they had been in 1895 [fact:1895-surfmen-examined-at-chincoteague].

   United States Life-Saving ServiceWilliam Taylor

   Source · checked 2026-08-11

2. 1902 · 1902-08-04

   On 4 August 1902 Ocean City elected John F. Waggaman — owner of the Atlantic Hotel and most of the plat — mayor of the town he already owned.

   The Democratic Messenger's Ocean City column of 26 July announced the first election under the new charter: "On Monday, the 4th of August, we will have an election for Mayor and City Council, and there is already considerable interest and feeling being manifested in the matter. One ticket has been placed in the field headed by John F. Waggaman, for Mayor, with Captain Ludlum, James Z. Powell, John D. Showell, Calvin B. Taylor and Thomas Crow[ell] ..." — five councilmen, exactly as Ch. 569 required. The paper's state-news column of 9 August reported the result in one line: "An election for mayor and city council of Ocean City was carried by the ticket headed by Mr. John F. Waggaman for mayor." The Maryland Manual dates his term 1902-1903 and gives Clayton J. Purnell 1900-1902; Purnell was still being called mayor in the county paper in late May 1902, which fits.

   A proprietor-mayor. Waggaman had owned the ocean front since 1897, driven the town's first jetties in 1898 and been credited with beautifying the place in 1901; in 1902 the legislature widened the franchise to non-resident property owners and the property owner took the chair.

   John F. WaggamanClayton J. PurnellJames Z. PowellJohn D. ShowellChristopher Ludlam

   Source · checked 2026-08-06

3. 1905 · 1905-10-16

   Pile-driving for the Ocean City pier starts on 16 October 1905 — 900 feet of hickory piles, a 120-by-70-foot convention and dancing hall at the shore end, and a pavilion at the far end.

   "Building Ocean City Pier. Active operations began Monday, the 16th instant, on the construction of the pier at Ocean City, giving employment to a great number of workmen. The beach in the neighborhood of the [locality] where the pier is being constructed is strewn with stout timbers, including hickory piles for the structure. The builders claim that hickory trees cut at the season of the year when the bark will remain are more durable than iron or steel in salt water. The building of the pier will be continued throughout the winter … The plans call for a pier 900 feet long and 130 feet wide. At the shore end there will be a hall for conventions and dancing, 120 feet long by 70 feet wide. At the other end of the pier will be another pavilion. From the shore the pier will extend over the outer bar into deep water." Robert Lee Purnell was promoter and general manager. At the company's annual stockholders' meeting, reported 16 December, Capt. Christopher Ludlam was re-elected president, Calvin B. Taylor treasurer and R. Lee Purnell secretary, with Taylor and John W. Staton as counsel, and "the pier will be completed for the opening of the coming season."

   Ocean City Pier and Improvement CompanyRobert Lee PurnellChristopher LudlamWilliam T. TaberThomas J. CropperJohn L. JohnsonJoseph SchaeferCapt. Joshua J. DuntonDavid J. AdkinsCol. L. L. Dirickson

   Source · checked 2026-08-06

4. 1909 · 1909-06-24

   The pier survives, is advertised for rent by its own company in January, and reopens on 24 June under a five-year lease to Harry R. Ayres.

   "FOR RENT. The Ocean City Pier and Improvement Company of Ocean City, Maryland, will rent their Pier for one or five years. Bids to be in hands of Secretary by February 1st, 1909. CALVIN B. TAYLOR, Sect'y, Berlin, Maryland" — *Democratic Messenger*, 30 January 1909. By 12 June the paper reported that "Mr. Harry R. Ayres, who has leased the Ocean City Pier for five years, is making great improvements to the pier and has arranged for new amusements, a splendid orchestra and other attractions," and his own advertisement ran the same week: "THE OCEAN CITY PIER OPENS JUNE 24th. Under new management. With new amusements. Full orchestra in attendance afternoon and evening. Fine dancing pavilion. H. R. AYRES, Manager." In May the pier was "being put in fine shape for the coming season"; in July it was described as "entirely remodeled … now the equal, as an amusement feature, of any pier on the coast." The pier built in 1906–07 therefore stood through 1909, and the company that built it had become a landlord rather than an operator.

   Ocean City's pier answered the question every pier on this coast eventually answers — it was still there — and promptly stopped being run by the men who built it.

   Ocean City Pier and Improvement CompanyHarry R. Ayres

   Source · checked 2026-08-06