Edward Taylor

Warning about parents (from Wikitree)

Disconnected from father John Taylor, of London as per the following notes from http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/1999-12/0946489028 :

... ought to add that the occasional identification of Edward Taylor "of Brigge House, Gent." as both Edward Taylor of Middletown, (New) Jersey (cattlemark 1678) and as brother of the Matthew of Shadockhurst previously mentioned are altogether wrong. The latter claim was patently so, but I confess to having done substantial research in records at the Borthwick before I could establish that the former wasn't conceivably correct, since I'd found a contemporaneous Edward Taylor of Brighouse (Yorks), son of leading Quaker Thomas Taylor (and hence carrying an air of credibility). Archival evidence of this Edward's continued presence and death in Yorks and total mismatch of his children with those of the E.T. of Middletown (East Jersey) wound things up.

I need to say that I've not managed to trace the movements of the E.T. of Burlington [West Jersey]), and he may indeed have returned to England. But he fails to show up in the East Jersey Quaker Monthly Meetings, thus dispelling one of the few justifications for his serious consideration. And the claim (made by Christina Taylor Bass and Frank Nelson Bass, _Genealogy Taylor-Snow_, 1935) concerning Edward "of Brigge House, Gent." was specifically that he was the Edward Taylor of Middletown (East Jersey), and this is wrong for the reasons I've given. This is all of course without prejudice to Virginia claims, but I feel at ease saying that I'd be extremely doubtful about a Shadockhurst connection, at least on the merits of the published bumph I've seen.

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Taylor-2794

[Editorial note: Edward's sons, however, were all practicing Quakers. It is therefore likely that Edward was himself. But if so, as stated, he did not attend monthly meetings.]

DNA

Matthew Taylor was a direct-line male relative of many of the Taylors who settled Virginia. So what does DNA say about any relationship between Virginia Taylors and Edward Taylor, d. 1710?

Edward's direct male descendants have the following closely-related groups:

• G-M201
• G-M3302

Descendants of the Virginia Taylors, on the other hand, are quite different:

• I-M253
• E-M35

In fact, Edward's Y-DNA is pretty much unique among Taylors who settled North America. The only other place it is found seems to be in Wales. This argues strongly that Edward had a Welsh origin. See:

• https://www.familytreedna.com/public/taylorfamilygenes/default.aspx...

Life

The following presents some details about Edward:

• http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Edward_Taylor_%288%29

Probably married Catherine (de Carteret?) in New Jersey. His sons all lived as Quakers, so it's a good guess that he did too. But he may have not originally been Quaker, since the birth of none of his children were recorded in any Monthly Meeting. He grew wealthy and powerful; possibly he was recruited later in life.

Sources for the above:

1. Family Records
2. Manuscript of Edward Taylor is in his own hand
3. 1984 IGI N.J. N-0470

NOTE: Edward bought land in 1692 at Garret's Hill, N.Jersey. This is not, however, an immigration record. Edward also bought land in 1685 and 1686. Edward's immigration, if recorded, went to New York, Boston, or Maryland, not directly to New Jersey.

Biography (from WikiTree)

Among those who very early followed the original Patentees and Associates, in the settlement of Middletown, was Edward Taylor, whose name immediately proclaims him an Englishman. His parentage, whatever may have been claimed to the contrary, is yet unknown, as likewise his English home.

His descendant, the late Asher Taylor, Esq., was a most industrious, conscientious and well-informed antiquary and genealogist, and perhaps, the pioneer in this field in Monmouth County. Boasting, as he did, that he descended from the best of Monmouth stock, it is not surprising that he rescued many interesting facts concerning his progenitors. In tracing out his immediate family, he claimed that Edward Taylor, the founder of the American family, was the son of John, and the brother of Matthew Taylor, a New Jersey Proprietor. That he, Edward Taylor, through this ancestor, John Taylor, was the direct descendant of Baron Taillefer, a follower of William, the Conqueror, who died on the battle-field of Hastings, 1066, and that between the said John Taylor, his supposed father, and the Baron Taillefer, there were eight generations.

The claim to this ancient pedigree rests upon the fact that Matthew Taylor, who died in New York, in 1688, was thought to be the descendant of this family, and supposed to be the brother of Edward Taylor, who settled in Middletown. It is not disputed that Matthew Taylor was of the family above alluded to, but it is impossible to find any evidence that he was in any way related to Edward Taylor, of Middletown. The worthy Asher Taylor cites, in evidence of the kinship of these parties, a will recorded, in New York, that of Matthew Taylor, dated Feb. 20, 1687/8. He claims that after appropriating ten guineas to buy his friend Manning a mourning ring, he, Matthew Taylor, wills the residue of his property to his brother, Edward, residing in London, with reversion to Edward's son George. As a matter of fact, the will states, that, after appropriating twenty shillings for Capt. Manning to buy a mourning ring, and the sum of £20 for his two executors, he leaves the residue of his property to his loving brother Samuel Taylor, residing in London, with reversion to Samuel's son George.

How this error could have occurred it is idle to speculate, and while it destroys the claim to an English pedigree, it still leaves the American family a record rich in fullness, historic interest, and one of which they may well be proud.
If any further evidence is wanting that it was a mistake to assign Edward Taylor as the heir of Matthew, and that it was following Matthew's decease, and in the year 1692 that he came to America, it may be found, in the old Town Book, of Middletown, which records his, (Edward's), cattle-mark, in 1684, and in the Book of Land Patents, at Perth Amboy, in which are recorded grants, Jan. 13, 1692, of two tracts of land of one hundred acres, in Middletown; another tract of one hundred acres, Dec. 28, 1685; another tract of one hundred and sixty acres, July 27, 1686, in Middletown; and in 1687, of still another tract ot one hundred and fifty acres.

It also follows that most of his children were born here, and not in the mother country. Of the life ot Edward Taylor, the First, little if anything is known. He died in the year 1710, after having accumulated a large estate, principally in lands, which were divided among his children. They were started in life prosperously, and each and all improved his condition, so that the family at once became prominent and opulent. The few writings of the first comer, that are in existence, prove that he was intelligent and educated, and that he belonged to the highest class that migrated to our shores in the early days of its colonization.

Edward Taylor married Catharine [unknown]. Issue:

1. Edward Taylor born Aug. 8, 1678, about 10 at night.
2. Hannah Taylor born Jan. 16, 1680, about 5 A.M.
3. George Taylor born Dec. 16, 1684, about ^^ P.M.
4. William Taylor born Oct. 26, 1688, about 9 P.M.
5. John Taylor born June 19, 16—, about 10 P.M.
6. Joseph Taylor

Many years ago, during the last decade of his life, Asher Taylor, No. 285 of this pedigree, allowed me to copy his notes on the Taylor family. These constitute a large portion of this Taylor genealogy, subjected to corrections, additions and rearrangement. Mr. Hiram F. Deats likewise published this Asher Tayior genealogy. with memoranda of the Taylor intermarriages, in his magazine, Th: "Jerseyman, Vol. VIII, No. 1 , and succeeding numbers."

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Taylor-2794

[Editorial note: Edward immigrated prior to 1684. It is not clear, however, that this is sufficient to entirely dismiss the relationship with Matthew Taylor d. 1688 in New York. Stories of this kind do get embellished over the centuries; this may be one such. So I've left the parentage intact, as well as the marriage to Catharine de Carteret.]

Immigration

Edward likely arrived in New Jersey prior to his marriage to Catharine (possibly de Carteret) in 1678, and his first son was born late that same year. Based on Edward's year of birth, we can presume this immigration took place between 1666 and 1677, but we have no record of it.

The alternative is that he married Catherine de Carteret in London prior to taking ship.

Pedigree

An excellent resource for Edward and his descendants can be found here:

• https://www.ourfamtree.org/descend.php/Edward-Taylor/432394

Alternate history

• This is the New Jersey immigrant Taylor
• Was of the Brigge House, York County, residing in London

Matthew Taylor, said to have been a distant connection of Sir George Carteret, came to New Jersey to speculate in lands, and dying in New York in 1687 without issue devised his lands to his brother Edward, then living in London. The latter came to America in 1692, and bought an additional tract of about 1,000 acres at Garret's Hill, Middletown, and settled on it. He died in 1710, leaving four sons and one daughter. George, one of his sons, resided at Garret's Hill, and died there, leaving three sons--George, Edward and John.

• Hist. Monmouth Co., by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 1885, 524.

The John Taylor just mentioned, son of George, son of Richard, was born in 1716, and was known as 'Squire John'. He lived at Upper Freehold, Monmouth, New Jersey. There was a John Taylor High Sheriff of Monmouth County in 1753, doubtless the same man, although the writer just quoted says the Sheriff was the son of Edward, and nephew of 'Squire John, which is obviously improbable. In 1754 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Assembly.--N. J. Archives, XIX., 382. Being a man of large wealth, and presumably of influence in the community, he was selected by Lord Howe, when he came to America to offer terms to those in arms, to be "His Majesty's Lord High Commissioner of New Jersey." This arrayed his patriotic neighbors against him, and he was compelled to join his British friends in New York, while his property was applied to the uses of the Continental forces. His lands in Monmouth County were advertised to be sold in 1779. After the war he returned to New Jersey. He died at Perth Amboy, aged 82 years. His daughter Mary married Dr. Absalom Bainbridge, and two of her sons distinguished themselves in the War of 1812, in the United States Navy--Commodore William Bainbridge, and Post-Captain Joseph Bainbridge. The early education of the future Commodore was superintended by his maternal grandfather, John Taylor.

• Old Times in Old Monmouth, 48; Life of Commodore Bainbridge, 3.
• Stillwell's Miscellany.