General Notes

[Vinson.FTW]



ATTENTION: The ancestors of James Taylor is a subject that has raised alot of questions. Most of the information seems to have originated from the book, "From Log Cabins to the White House: a History of the Taylor Family" by Mary Taylor Brewer (Wooton, Kentucky, 1985). Brewer cites as sources John Foxe's  "Book of Martyrs"  (a.k.a. Acts and Monuments, first pub. in English 1563; for the best ed. of which the 8-vol. version, 4th rev. ed. [1877] of the Religious Tract Society serves well: Taylor's martyrdom is reprinted in full [with some notes], 6:676-703) and William James Brown, "The Life of Rowland Taylor"  (London: Epworth Press, 1959: Brown was Dr. Taylor's distant successor as rector of Hadleigh at that time). After these sources have been examined, they do not contain much information to verify the claimed relationships. To date, I'm unaware of any records to backup the claimed ancestry.

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He first appeared in the records of New Kent Co., VA.  as a land owner in 1675. Between 1686 to 1695 he received 7 land patents in New Kent Co./King & Queen Co., VA, totalling 11,593 acres for the transportation of people to Virginia (50 acres per person) in St. Stephens Parish on the north side of the Mattaponi River.  One 209 acres land grant was jointly with John Neal.  One 9,150 acres land grant was jointly with Joshua Story and Jonathan Fisher.  In 1687 he also received two land patents in Old Rappahannock Co., VA totaling
1,254 acres for the transportation of people to VA (50 acres per person) on the south side of the Rappahannock River.

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James Taylor of New Kent Co.
10/21/1687, 744 acres, Rappahanock Co.
Virginia Land Patents   Book 7, page 625

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South side of the Rappahanock River, 480 acres granted to Mr. Henry Abery, who sold to Mr. Robert Bishopp, who bequeathed to John Gregory, who gave to his sister Mary, now wife of said James Taylor; said land in danger of being lost was petitioned for by said Taylor the 1st day of the last Genrll. Court -04/15/1687 & granted by the Gov'r; beg. by the Indian Path alias Mr. Abrey's path, to fork of Gregory's Creek, on Richard Gregory's lyne, in sight of John Gatewood's plantation, to the Rowleing Roade. 246 acres for the transport of 5 persons: James Taylor, Hanna Martin, Robert Jones, Ursula Collis, Hanna Collier.