A note from the family: We wish Dad, who was a writer, had pre-written his own obituary. Since he did not, we worked together to summarize the highlights of his amazing journey. He was the best father and we know we will see him again in the Kingdom to come. – David, Andrea & Amy … Continue reading An Extended Obituary: Karl K. Taylor, PhD 12/2/1938 – 9/5/2024
Knox College
Remembering David McCullough
Dear Mr. Taylor Thank you very much for taking the time to write and for sending me your essay on Nelson Dean Jay. It was extremely thoughtful of you. Years ago, when I was beginning work on my first book, I had the mistaken idea in my head that I must not talk about what I was doing because someone might steal my idea. I found out soon enough what foolishness that was – that, in fact, I should tell as many as possible about what I was up to, on the chance that some unexpected someone would have information of a kind I might never come across otherwise. And that has been exactly what has happened time and again with each and every project I’ve undertaken, and your material on Mr. Jay is a perfect example. If, as time goes by, you have more you think I should see, I’ll be very pleased to hear from you. In the meantime, I’d love to know whether there are any Jay papers – letter, diaries, and the like – and if so, are they at Knox College? Many thanks and best wishes, David McCullough
Chapter One Galesburg, Illinois – June 6, 1960 Graduation Day at Knox College
On June 6, 1960, we seniors were thinking about our future, but Jay may well have been remembering moments from his past. There were certainly memorable ones.
Preface: Lunch with Friends at 58 Avenue Foch
An obituary is not a biography; however, an obituary is about the most we can expect when we are gone. After examining the Jays’ lives, I had to decide whether an obituary was sufficient or not for the time they spent on this earth. It was not.
Miss Roma Shively: A Short Woman in a Tall World
Miss Shively loved Elmwood, the town where she was born, where she spent most of her life, and it and the surrounding area were the subjects of her research. Her master’s thesis was called Jubilee – a Pioneer College, the story of an early experiment in higher education on the prairie, supported by the Episcopalian Church.
Why Central Illinois Needs to Learn about Nelson Dean Jay
I wrote Rockefeller, telling him about my research, asking whether he ever knew Jay, whether the research was worth the effort. Rockefeller did. He sent me a list of the occasions when they had lunch, or cocktails, or dinner. As to the value of the search, Rockefeller said, “Dean Jay is important, if for no other reason, because he was one of the ten Americans to be invited to the first Bilderberg Conference.”
Stories From Small Town Illinois 