Peter Taylor (abt. 1745 - 1812)

Born about 1745 in Orange, Virginia

Husband of Nancy Brockman (Crossthwaite) Taylor — married 25 Dec 1785 in , Fayette, Kentucky, USA

Descendants

Died 10 Jul 1812 at about age 67 in Madison, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Peter Taylor was born about 1745/46 the son of unknown parents. He enlisted in the continental army in Orange, Virginia from Jan 10, 1777 - November of 1779. He was a private in Captain Gustavous Brown's company in the 8th Virginia Regiment and was in the Jersey campaign and was at Valley Forge.

He married Nancy Crosthwait about 1785, the daughter of Jacob Crosthwait and Mary Brockman. They had at least nine children. Nancy's father Jacob, a Revolutionary War soldier and his brother Isaac Crosthwait took part in the campaign to capture Fort Duquesne in 1758 at Three Rivers - Pittsburg, PA. Both were under Col. George Washington who was in command of Virginia troops, his own regiment and that of Col. Byrd's. Isaac was in Capt. Hogg's Rangers and Jacob in Col. Wm. Byrd's Regiment. ^[1]

In Katherine Cobb Phelps Caperton's 1926 manuscript about her ancestors, ,she writes that her great grandmother, Nancy Crosthwait Taylor was said to have been a "very beautiful woman" of "much personal dignity and very devout" with brown eyes and fair skin. In old age her hair was snow white. Her great-grandfather, Peter allegedly was 6'2", very blonde and had "China blue eyes." ^[2]

On July 24, 1787 Peter and Nancy bought 114 acres in what is now Madison Co., Kentucky (then VA) by right of treasury warrant on Otter Creek, which pours into the Kentucky river near Boonesborough.

About 1790 Peter and Nancy were living on a farm they bought about 4 miles out of Richmond, the county seat of Madison Co. Their farm was between Tate's Creek and Taylor's Fork, a tributary of Tate's Creek which was named for Hancock Taylor. The Taylor's property adjoined that of their friends the Turners and the Stones. Seven of their nine children were born there. Their daughter Mary "Polly" Brockman Taylor (1790-1834) married John Turner born 1788 the son of Thomas Turner and Catherine Patterson

In 1812, Peter died at home of a stroke at the age of 67. Katherine writes that at the time of his stroke he had been seated in his vegetable garden watching slaves work.

Peter's will, dated 10 June 1807 names Mathew Markland, William Williams, and Daniel Holman as witnesses. Executors were William Irvine and Hale Talbott. The will was probated in court on Tuesday, 4 Aug. 1812. 26 slaves were named in the will.

After his death, Nancy had a new house built on the property. It was on a high hill and, counting the protruding basement with windows, was three stories high. Nancy had extensive gardens on the southern end of the house. At the end of the garden the family graveyard was on the brow of the hill. It had sarcophagus or table-type monuments on stone foundations about two feet high. The graves were in two rows, east to west with a walk in between. Their son, Brockman, who died in 1794 at the age of 6 was the first buried there. His father, Peter, was buried in 1812 next to him. Nancy was later buried next to Peter after she died in 1835. There are ten graves total.

The inscriptions on the tombstones and memorial markers of the Peter Taylor graveyard read as as follows:

In Memory of Brockman Taylor

Son of Peter and Nancy Taylor

Died 1794, Aged 6 years

In Memory of Peter Taylor

Died July 10, 1812

In the 67th year of his age

In Memory of Mrs. Nancy Taylor

Consort of Peter Taylor, Sr.

Died May 26, 1835

In the 70th Year of her age

In Memory of Nancy Turner

Daughter of Peter Taylor and Nancy Taylor

Wife of Barnett Turner

Born Nov 7, 1795

Died March 18, 1831

Talton Turner

Son of Barnett and Nancy Turner

Sept 8, 1835 in the 23rd Year of his age

John Turner

Son of Barnett and Nancy Turner

Aged 10 Years

In Memory of Creed H. Taylor

Born February 25, 1808

Died April 1832

In Memory of Peter W. Taylor

Died Nov 8, 1836, in the 42nd Year of his age

Born 1794.

Sources

1. ↑ W.W. Scott. A History of Orange County, Virginia. Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018.
2. ↑ 'Keeper of the Family, Peter Taylor of Madison County - Kentucky 1746-1812. Based on Katherine Cobb Phelps Caperton 1926 manuscript. https://keeperofthefamily.com/stories/peter_taylor_of_madison_co/

• Caperton, Katherine Cobb Phelps. An Accumulation of Evidence: Estil, Rodes, Taylor, Crossthwaite, Cobb, Park, Dillingham, Harris, Mills, Simmons, Van Swearingen. https://digitalcollections.eku.edu/items/show/86549#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-1126%2C-95%2C3566%2C1862
• Keeper of the Family, Peter Taylor of Madison County - Kentucky 1746-1812. Based on Katherine Cobb Phelps Caperton 1926 manuscript. https://keeperofthefamily.com/stories/peter_taylor_of_madison_co/
• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2P-8XL : accessed 4 November 2022), Peter Taylor, Madison, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 227, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 7; FHL microfilm 181,352.
• "United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGXT-7KNM : 15 March 2018), Peter Taylor, Dec 1777; citing Dec 1777, Virginia, United States, citing NARA microfilm publication M246. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1980. FHL microfilm 830,390.
• "United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL65-MG65 : 20 February 2021), Peter Taylor, 12 Jun 1778; citing 12 Jun 1778, Virginia, United States, citing NARA microfilm publication M246. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1980. FHL microfilm 830,379.
• "United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL6T-13MF : 20 February 2021), Peter Taylor, Jun 1779; citing Apr 1779, Virginia, United States, citing NARA microfilm publication M246. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1980. FHL microfilm 830,386. Name: Peter Taylor. Gender: Male. Military Date: Apr 1779. Military Place: Virginia, USA. State or Army Served: Virginia. Regiment. 8th Regiment. Rank: Private