Taylor I. Record
Taylor I. Record | |
|---|---|
 An 1897 political cartoon mocking Record's bill | |
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives for Posey County | |
| In office November 4, 1896 – November 9, 1898 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 12, 1846 St. Joseph County, Indiana |
| Died | November 20, 1912 (aged 66) Posey County, Indiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | New Harmony, Indiana |
Taylor I. Record (also spelled Irven Records, 1846-1912) was an American politician who served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing Posey County. He is best known for his introduction of the Indiana pi bill, which attempted to define Pi as 3.2, through "squaring the circle". A constituent and amateur mathematician, Edward J. Goodwin, approached Record to put his idea into law, so it could be incorporated into education. When a visiting professor heard of the bill, it stalled in the Senate and was not passed.[1] Record, a part time farmer, admitted he did not understand what the bill meant "as I have had only a common school education," but submitted it anyway under the urgings of Goodwin. Record also served as a member of the Posey county council.[2][3][4][5]
Biography
[edit]Taylor I. Record was born on October 12, 1846 to Alfred Records (1820-1889) and Rebecca Jane Gibson (1822-1853), the fourth of six children. He moved to Posey county from St. Joseph County at the age of 9, where he spent the rest of his lfie. He married Sarah "Sally" Ann Cox (1849-1882) on August 4, 1867 and had four children with her: Clara E., Thomas Edgar, Emma Ethel, and Ella Viola. After Sally's 1882 death, Record married Mary Ann Yeager (1850-1896) on April 5, 1883 and had a son, Lester Edmund with her. After Mary's death, Record married Medaline Bigelow on October 25, 1898. Record died after a year of disease on November 20, 1912. He was a Regular Baptist.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Did a state legislature once pass a law saying pi equals 3?". The Straight Dope. February 22, 1991. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ "'It would have been a laughingstock': Hoosier lawmakers nearly passed the Indiana Pi Bill in 1897". WRTV Indianapolis. March 14, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ "Taylor I. Record Archives". The Saturday Evening Post. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ IARA (June 21, 2024). "Vault: Pi Bill". IARA. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ "Information on Taylor I. Record « Capitol & Washington". Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ "Taylor Record: Indiana Death Index, 1882-1920".
External Links
[edit]Taylor I. Record at Find a Grave
 | This article about an Indiana politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |