James Taylor

James IV was born on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in Accomack County to James Taylor III. His daughter stated that he was born 20 miles from where she got married in Belle Haven. 20 miles south is Northampton County, to the east is the Ocean and to the west is the Bay. To the North is Parksley and Metompkin. 30 miles North is Miona.

James Taylor IV moved with the Colliers to the frontier in Pittsylvania County, He claimed land on Cherry Stone Creek, Pittsylvania County on 3 Jan 1767. It would later become Pittsylvania County. Later, he owned 3,000 acres in Pittsylvania County. 16 Feb 1774 he sold a land Patent in Pittsylvania County. He purchased another patent on White Thorne Creek in Pittsylvania County.
Patented 422 acres of land 1 Jul 1781 on the South fork of No Business fork of Mayo River, Henry County, VA.

James served in Lt. Col. Thomas Gaskins, Jr. Regiment on the Virginia Continental Line. Lt. Col. Thomas Gaskins, Jr.. was also from the Eastern Shore and may have known James personally. He was one of the 600 men who were recruited out of the Piedmont area of Virginia in 1781 to serve an 18 month enlistment. He, like a majority of Lt. Col. Gaskin's Regiment were land owners. The other previous 2 Regiments from the Virginia Continental Line were wiped out and most of the men imprisoned by the British. Gaskin's Regiment was under the command of Marquis de Lafayette and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. They finished their tour victoriously after the Siege of Yorktown. In 1782 he is listed in Henry County Tax records. Patented 142 acres North Fork of Spoon Creek and No Business Mountain 29 Jan 1784. This is on or near land patented by Thomas Benjamin Gassaway who's land claim was made 28 Dec 1769. 

Thomas was the father of Frances who married William Taylor, son of Theophilus Taylor who is in the same Taylor family as James. He received an invalid's Pension in 1787.

13 Jun 1791 Appointed Security for the Clerk of Patrick County Court. Donated 1 acre of land March 19, 1792 to the Methodist Episcopal Church and listed his son's James and David as benefactors of this land. Estate settled in 1814 (Edited by-Matt Taylor-01Nov2023) History of Patrick County, Virginia; by the Patrick County Historical Society. 1999 pages 59, 73, 253, 474

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Dec 30 2016, 2:24:19 UTC