During Cass County's restless early years, the area's outstanding political figure did a lot of moving without really changing his residence. Dr. M. D. K . Taylor, a former member of the Alabama Legislature, moved to Jefferson, Cass County, Texas in 1847 when he was 29 years old. Two years later he was elected to represent Cass County in the 3rd Texas Legislature's House of Representatives. He moved to the Senate for the next for several sessions ( and the county seat moved to Linden).

Elected back to the House of Representatives in 1859, Dr. Taylor was chosen to be the Speaker of the House. That started a unique career as presiding officer. He was not in the legislature the next term - perhaps, because of the death of his fist wife, mother of his 10 children. (Somewhere during this time he "moved" from Cass to Davis County, and then to Marion County, all this without leaving his house. Cass County was re-named Davis; then the county line was re-drawn.)   At any rate he was back for the 10th Legislature- and again was chosen Speaker.

To top it all , he went to Austin four years later and was elected Speaker of  the house for the 3rd time .  Dr. Taylor was the 1st man to be Speaker of the Texas House more that once, and the only man who ever served three terms. As a final touch, he was in the House for one more term - 1879-80. The Speaker that session was John H. Cochan of Dallas, was coincidentally was re-elected to that post 14 years later and thus became the 2nd two -time Speaker . There have been five more two-term Speakers since:  Coke Stevenson, Kimble County  ( the 1st to win two consecutive trems); Waggoner Carr, Lubbock; Ben Barnes, DeLeon;  "Mad" Gus Mustcher, Brenham.

Of Dr. Taylor, Frank Brown wrote about 1875 in his unpublished but still -quoted " Annals Of Travis County and the City of Austin ".  "Dr Taylor was recognized as the ablest parlimentarian who, to his time , had presided over deliberative bodies in Texas, and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives as often as he would consent to the office.  If he has had an equal since, he has certainly had no superior..."