The Genealogical Forum of Portland, Oregon, is the largest genealogical library in the Pacific Northwest.  They offer 52,000 books, newspapers and other items, along with an amazing number of digital records.  If you are a member, you can search their online records.  They also sell items in their surplus and used books store.  As with many other bookstores, I found them through Abe Books – an online bookstore that I use quite often to find genealogy books from Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and other areas.  The gentleman emailed me to say they would mail my items in two boxes so as not to damage any of the books.  He was very nice and suggested I come to their library if I was ever in the area.  And since Linton lives in Seattle, I think that might be a possibility – one day.  With Covid all possibilities are off at this time!

One of the books purchased was Virginia Genealogies, A Genealogy of the Glassell Family of Scotland and Virginia, Also of the Families of Ball, Brown, Bryan, Conway, Daniel, Ewell, Holladay, Lewis, Littlepage, Moncure, Peyton, Robinson, Scott, Taylor, Wallace, and Other of Virginia and Maryland.  Quite a title!  The book was written by Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden, and published in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1891.  I have wanted this book for some time. 

The book is not in great shape, but if I were to be around for 131 years, I wouldn’t be either.  I love used books; they have a story to tell.  And this one is no different. 

On one of the pages before the title page is the name Virginia Knox Maddox, San Francisco, in beautiful, old writing. 

In a more modern hand, on the inside cover, is written ‘Mrs. G. W. Stanard, Richmond, Virginia, 317 W. Cary Street.  She has written Effingham House Page 193.  There is some underlining and a few notes written throughout, but it’s still a treasure to me.  This book was owned by genealogists, just like me, that loved research and loved their ancestors.

From the Taylor section of the book, I would like to tell you about Colonel Richard Taylor, son of Zachary, grandson of the original James Taylor who came from Carlisle, England, and settled on the Chesapeake Bay between the York and North Rivers in the late 1600’s, dying there in 1698.  Richard Taylor was born in Virginia March 22, 1744, and married Sarah Strother, daughter of William Strother of Stafford County, Virginia.  He moved to Jefferson County, Kentucky, after the Revolutionary War.

Colonel Taylor, with his brother Hancock, made the first recorded trading voyage down the Ohio and Mississippi, from Pittsburg to New Orleans, 1769, returning home by sea.  He served in the Revolutionary War.  He entered the service as Captain, VA. State Line; promoted February 4, 1778, Major of the Ninth Va. Reg., and December 7, 1779, Lieutenant Colonel.  (Hamersly). He received, September 8, 1783, from Virginia, 6,000 acres of land for three years’ service; April 20, 1799, 1,000 acres for the seventh year; August 1, 1799, 1,000 acres for the eighth year and February 12, 1808, 166 2/3 acres for two months service. (Va. Doc. 30).  Land warrant 7628 for 2,000 acres for his services as Captain was issued to his heirs in 1834. (Doc. 4, 23d Cong., 1834, p. 63).  Major Richard Taylor, Jefferson County, Kentucky, of the 1^st Reg. Va. Line, was placed on the U.S. pension rolls July 29, 1838, at $600 per annum, to commence March 3, 182.  In 1835 the amount of the pension paid him or his heirs was $5,400.  (U.S. Pension Rolls, III., Ky., p. 149).  In the Fourteenth Congress he petitioned for the fourth time for compensation for his Revolutionary services.  In the Nineteenth Congress, 2d Session, 1826-7, his heirs applied for the arrears of pension due him, which claim was granted March 2, 1827.  He died there before 1827.  (List of Private Claims, III., 453.).

Colonel Taylor’s civil record was equal to his military record.  He removed to Jefferson County, Kentucky, near Louisville, in 1785.  He was elected a member of the Kentucky Convention, May, 1785, and the Constitutional Convention of 1792; also of the second Constitutional Convention, August 17, 1799.  He was a member of the Kentucky Legislature, 1792, under the first Constitution, and was elected one of the Judges of his county.  He was a Presidential Elector for Kentucky in 1813, 1817, 1821 and 1825.  He was also U. S. Collector for Kentucky.  After his removal to Kentucky, he was engaged in many of the conflicts between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and was severely wounded, 1792, near Eton, Ohio, in the battle between General Adair’s command and the Indians under Little Turtle.

‘Col. Taylor was engaged in many of the most fiercely contested and bloody battles of the Revolutionary War, and particularly at Trenton, where he rendered distinguished and valuable aid to Washington in that brilliant achievement.’  (Montgomery’s Life of Zachary Taylor).

‘He was distinguished for his intrepid courage and imperturbable coolness in battle, and possessed the faculty, so invaluable in a military leader, of inspiring his followers with the same dauntless spirit that animated his own terrible and resistless charge.’  (Collins’ Kentucky)

Children of Colonel Richard Taylor and Sarah Strother:

1. Hancock Taylor married Elizabeth Hoard, second a Lewis.
2. George Taylor
3. Zachary Taylor, born September 24, 1784, died July 9, 1850, marriage Margaret Smith.
4. William Taylor
5. Elizabeth Taylor
6. Joseph Pannell Taylor, born May 4, 1796, died June 29, 1864, married a Miss McLean
7. Sarah Taylor married a Mr. Grey
8. Emily Taylor married a Mr. Allison

Next time we will explore the will of Colonel Richard Taylor