Introduction to: THE JACOB TAYLOR
FAMILY OF CRAVEN COUNTY
By Gloria Taylor - [email protected]
Maryland Eastern Shore Vital Records 1648-1725, 2nd edition,
by F. Edward Wright list a John and Jacob Taylor, sons of
John Taylor and Rosanna Crouch of Somerset County. Jacob
Taylor, son of John Taylor planter and Rosanna his wife, was
born 20 June 1688. John Taylor, son of John Taylor, planter,
and Rosanna his wife, was born 13 Nov 1685. It is entirely
possible the son Jacob Taylor is our ancestor. More research
is needed to establish proof, but for now, we will go under
this assumption. We know John with wife Rosanna would be too
old to be the ones in Craven County, but the son Jacob would
be of age. The first Jacob Taylor in Craven County died in
1754, making him 69 years old when he died, leaving two
sons, Jacob and John Taylor.
Jacob Taylor, gentleman, of Craven County entered 100 acres
on 4 April 1745 on the head of Slocumbs (sic) Creek, across
the swamp to mouth of Black Swamp. He died sometime around
1754, intestate, leaving at least two sons, identified
indirectly by the deeds as Jacob II and John Taylor I.
Jacob Taylor II's wife may have been Abrigail and they had
at least one son named Joshua. Jacob II lived along Otter
Creek, Slocums Creek and Brice's Creek. He died in 1768. Son
Joshua also lived in the same area as his father. An estate
file could not be located in Craven Co, for Joshua, so we
can only assume he either moved to another County or to
another State. Further research of surrounding counties
needs to be compiled to determine this assumption. One clue
may be that he moved to Georgia along with some other Taylor
cousins after 1795 and before 1800. Joshua's wife was Affie
Roe, daughter of Thomas Roe, as named in Thomas Roe and Luke
Roe's Wills. They had as least two sons, Thomas and
Jacob.
John Taylor, planter, left a Will naming his two sons:
Absalom I, and John II. He named three daughters: Violator
Guard, Tammer Taylor and Courtney Reed; grandson, John III
and granddaughter Alse Guard.
Absalom Taylor married twice. First to Elizabeth (last name
unknown), and second to Rebecca Davis, daughter of Littleton
Davis. A Georgia DAR application shows Elizabeth was the
mother of son John III, named in John and Absalom Taylor's
Wills. The DAR application noted there is a Bible Record of
John Taylor in Georgia, naming his mother as Elizabeth, (we
have not obtained access to this record). "Creasy" named in
Absaloms Will of 1791 may have been the daughter of
Elizabeth. Absalom and Rececca had a daughter named Rebecca
and a son named Davis. Both Rebecca and Davis died young,
were never married and Wills. Absalom's son John III,
married Hannah Styron in 1787 in Craven County and moved to
Georgia between 1795 and 1800. He has descendents living in
Georgia and Alabama.
Violator Guard married David Guard/Gard and had Phereby
Taylor Gard, James Gard, Joshua Guard, and Alse Gard. Joshua
Gard married in Craven County, had at least one son Joshua
who also married in Craven and left a family. We lost this
family around 1834 and do not have further information.
Tammer Taylor married William Ives in Craven County. He died
in 1783 and named three daughters in his Will: Elizabeth,
Mary, and Sarah. No further information on this family.
Courtney Reed married James Reed (died 1782) and had
children James Reed Jr., John Reed, Abner Reed, and Fanny
Reed. Courtney Reed married a second time to John Reeves.
John died in 1790, left a will naming children Elizabeth,
Jean, Mary, Jessie Tinion, Francis and "child my wife is big
with". This child was Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Reeves.
Between 1795 and 1800, Courtney moved with her family to
Baldwin County, Ga and applied for the land lottery of 1805.
It is through this land she won, we were able to locate her
descendants. A book, recently published by her Reeves
descendants, is available in NC State Library.
John Taylor II married Lucretia Yarborough, daughter of
Moses (or William) Yarborough. John died intestate in 1804.
One son, James Taylor married Peggy and had one son, Asa.
According to the 1790 Census, there were other children, but
James is the only one we can prove at this time. There is
very little information about John II in the deeds and he
probably lived on some of his father's land. He may also
have been a shoemaker. We were able to locate more on the
Yarborough family. The Yarboroughs, from Virginia, were Sea
Captains and sailed for Samuel Cornell, Esq. the Polly
& Sukey, transporting wine and other sundries, as
well as immigrants from England.
Asa Taylor, a farmer, married Gatsy Riden from Pamlico
County, daughter of Benjamin Riden and Elizabeth Hyman and
had two sons: James R. and Benjamin R. and daughter Mary
Ann.
Mary Ann married Stephen F. Hardison in 1836. She died
before 1850 leaving sons George W. Hardison, Gabriel
Hardison, Charles Wilson Hardison and Alexander Benjamin
Hardison. Their descendants continue to live in Craven
County in the Riverdale area.
James R Taylor, age 43, married Sarah Harrison in 1859 in
Jones County. They had several children, one of that was
Virginia Caroline who married Nathan Gilbert. James's family
line is incomplete and we are still researching his
descendents.
Benjamin R. Taylor married Nancy Tolson, daughter of Thomas
George Tolson, Jr. in 1853 in Craven Co. Both Benjamin and
Nancy died young leaving several orphan children. This is
the family through whom we descend and their descendants
continue to live in Craven County today.
This Taylor line had small families compared to other
families of their time. Further information on this family
will be posted a little later on this site. We welcome
anyone with additional information to contact us.
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