John Taylor (abt. 1744 - 1811)

Born about 1744 in Bath, England

Husband of Lydia (Kerr) Taylor — married about 1762 in Freehold, Monmouth, New Jersey

Husband of Mary Wallace (Miller) Taylor — married about 1797 in Lindley, Steuben, New York, United States [uncertain]

Died 14 Dec 1811 at about age 67 in Bath, Steuben, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Albert Taylor [send private message]

John Taylor is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A112870.

Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor served with 4th Regiment, Hunterdon Militia, New Jersey Militia during the American Revolution.

Biography

Military Career

After the end of the war, he was promoted to Brigadier General of the Hunterdon Brigade in 1793. He resigned from the Hunterdon Brigade in 1796, and moved to Bath, New York, where he died December 4, 1811. So by an interesting coincidence, Taylor was born and died in towns that were both called Bath, an ocean apart.[1]^[1]

Daughters of the American Revolution TAYLOR, JOHN Ancestor #: A112870 Service: NEW JERSEY Rank(s): COLONEL Birth: CIRCA 1744 BATH ENGLAND Death: 12-4-1811 BATH STEUBEN CO NEW YORK Service Source: STRYKER, REG OF OFFICERS & MEN OF NJ IN THE REV, P 343. Service Description: 1) ALSO CAPT, MAJ, LCOL. THE PATRIOT'S GRAVE IS MARKED. Residence: 1) County: HUNTERDON CO - State: NEW JERSEY. Spouse: 1) LYDIA KERR Spouse: 2) X X LINDLEY ^[2]

From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, 27 July 1779 To Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, Head Quarters West Point July 27th 1779 Sir, I have rec’d your letter of the 20th & am much obliged to you for the intelligence it contains. You cannot promote the service more than by continuing your exertions to get information of whatever passes with the enemy, particularly at New York & in the river. It is of great importance that we should get immediate notice of any embarkation—the sailing of any troops out of the harbour or the arrival of any in it, or the departure or arrival of any Vessels, whether they have troops on Board or not—Besides sending proper persons into their lines for these purposes, it would be extremely useful to have look outs in Monmouth county & at the town of Amboy, to keep an exact account of all Vessels coming in & going out & make dayly reports to be transmitted to me. I wish also to know from time to time what naval force the enemy have at New York—in ships of the line frigates & armed Vessels the names & force of the principal ones.1

Could you employ trusty spies to go into the enemy, I would chearfully enable you to pay the expence & if a little hard money should be necessary it shall not be wanting2—But you must be careful in the choice of them, that they may not go merely to serve a private interest or to serve the enemy more than us—We have not heretofore, for want of caution derived all the advantages from our Spies which might have been expected.

We are told that Lord Cornwallis is arrived at New York. some accounts say with troops others without—Tis very interesting to ascertain the truth, and if he has brought a reinforcement, the number & particular corps.3 I am Sr Yr Mo. Obet hume Servt

G.W.

Df, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

1. Taylor became an important intelligence conduit for British operations around New York City.

2. For “hard money” provided Taylor for spies, see GW to Taylor, 8 and 19 Sept. (DLC:GW); see also GW to Taylor, 12 Aug. (DLC:GW).

3. For the arrival of Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis at New York, without troops, on 21 July, see William Heath to GW, 28 July, and n.4. to that document; see also Henry Lee, Jr., to GW, 21 June.

Settling in Steuben County, New York

"In November 1796, John Taylor submitted his resignation as General of the Hunterdon Brigade and left NJ for Steuben County NY near the end of April of 1797, arriving in Bath probably in the mid-summer of the same year, with his 13 year old son George Washington Taylor, 15 year old daughter Elizabeth Ann Taylor, and possibly another son Joseph and his family, either bringing or joining several other NJ families, some of whom served with him in the Hunterdon Brigade. Their names are recognized on the August 2nd, 1797 Militia Muster Rolls which were discovered in the archive of Steuben County yesterday by a member of this research team."^[3]

In 1800, the household of John Taylor is in Lindley, Steuben County, New York.^[4] By 1800 [daughter] Elizabeth Ann Taylor is married to Dugald Cameron, and John Taylor is remarried to Mary Miller Lindsley, widow of Lt. Col. Eleazer Lindsley of Painted Post, an officer that John Taylor had served with in the NJ Militia.^[5]

Slaves

In the 1800 census, there are 5 enslaved people in the Taylor household in Lindley.^[6] NY. John probably acquired them via marriage to the widow Mary Miller Lindsley, whose 1st husband (Eleazor Lindsley) had six enslaved people in 1790.

Death

The December 24th edition [1811] of the Geneva Gazette carried the following Obituary: "Died at Bath the 4th instant, General John Taylor aged 67, a distinguished Patriot and Revolutionary officer."^[7]

Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill[2]^[8]

Oldwick in Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Site of Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill c.1760

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1760.

Location. 40° 39.709′ N, 74° 45.996′ W. Marker is in Oldwick, New Jersey, in Hunterdon County. Marker is at the intersection of Taylor's Mill Road and Rockaway Road, on the left when traveling east on Taylor's Mill Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Oldwick NJ 08858, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Taylor's Mill Historic District (approx. 0.7 miles away); New Germantown (approx. 1.2 miles away); Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); a different marker also named Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Village of Bissell (approx. 1.4 miles away); Site of Colonel John Mehelm House (approx. 1.7 miles away); Potterstown (approx. 2.1 miles away); Leake - Stillwell Mills (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oldwick.

Photos:[3]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/readington_township_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm
2. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/), "Record of John Taylor", Ancestor # A112870.
3. ↑ Timothy F. Taylor, Lindley Historical Society Blog, 20 October 2012 online http://lindleypreshohistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2016/03/brigadier-general-john-taylor-2nd.html
4. ↑ Year: 1800; Census Place: Lindley, Steuben, New York; Series: M32; Roll: 24; Page: 200,201; Image: 211; Family History Library Film: 193712
5. ↑ Timothy F. Taylor, Lindley Historical Society Blog, 20 October 2012 online http://lindleypreshohistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2016/03/brigadier-general-john-taylor-2nd.html
6. ↑ Year: 1800; Census Place: Lindley, Steuben, New York; Series: M32; Roll: 24; Page: 200,201; Image: 211; Family History Library Film: 193712
7. ↑ Timothy F. Taylor, Lindley Historical Society Blog, 20 October 2012 online http://lindleypreshohistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2016/03/brigadier-general-john-taylor-2nd.html
8. ↑ https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=16708

• https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-21-02-0569
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L78Y-X45