Taylor, Joseph

The Reverend Joseph Taylor served as pastor of the Tenth Street Baptist Church from 1901-1903. During his brief ministry, both his wife and daughter died. Afterward, Rev. Taylor decided to enter the mission field and left Columbus to bring the message to the people of China.

Abigail Bartlett Cass Bunker was a strong advocate of Rev. Taylor’s work in China and raised financial support through the church’s Women’s Union (forerunner of today’s Women’s Society). On September 27, 1913 Abigail Bunker died. So it was that Reverend Taylor returned from China to honor his dear old friend. He suggested to the Women’s Union the creation of the Bunker Memorial Scholarship Fund to assist missionary work with nursing student scholarships in China. Political changes in China in 1949 brought about the redirection of the fund to the nursing program at the Central Philippine University. As of late, the Fund was also used to support the Christian Medical College & Hospital in Vellore, India.