Thomas Taylor b. abt. 1755 and his wife, Milly Markham b. abt 1765 appear to have moved from Cumberland Co, Virginia sometime after their marriage in 1785; but, prior to their first son's marriage in 1811 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Thomas is believed to be the son of Samuel Taylor and Sophia Creed. Milly's parentage is currently unknown. Although it is uncertain as to the exact date of their removal from Virginia to Tennessee, it is clear by the dates of several of their sons that they make the journey while their children were still quite young.

John M. Taylor, the first child, married Rachel West on the September 21, 1811 in Sumner County, Tennessee

Mary "Polly" Taylor, the second child appears not have to have ever married and died sometime after 1850.

In addition to raising their own children, they would raise their grandson Samuel Charlton Taylor; son of James Taylor (their third child) and Sarah "Sally" Charlton , daughter of Samuel Charlton and Frances ?, who died on 20 September 1820 only seven days after the birth of her first child. James and Sarah Taylor were married in Sumner Co, Tennessee on 1 December 1819. Although James would remarry Rebecca Phillips on 16 January 1821 in Sumner County, Tennessee, Samuel C. Taylor would remain with his paternal grandparents until adulthood. Records indicate that Samuel C. Taylor married Mary Clay Hodges on September 5, 1840 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Court records indicate that he became a school teacher in Sumner Co, TN which is documented in court records of 1848 (Enoch Simpson vs. Nelson B. Turner, Source: TSL&A Microfilm #A5171, #13461-13692, Lawsuit #13467). From this union my great-great grandmother Edna Mildred Taylor was born. Interestingly enough, she too would become a school teacher and one of her siblings, John Alfred Miles Taylor would attend Missouri Medical College becoming a Professor of Gynecology at the University of California and later founded the Taylor Sanitarium in Oakland, California. Although this family lived in what was considered the new frontier during the early 1800's, education played a major role in their lives.

Thomas M. Taylor, the fourth child, died in 1813 and information regarding his will states: Sumner Co, Tn Wills (book from Willard Library, Evansville, IN) pg.104 Taylor, Thomas, 7 Nov. 1813;May 1814- nuncupative will at Fort Strother- Nathan Holloway swore that he was a soldier with Thomas Taylor at Fort Coffee? & that he wanted all his property to go to his brother John's son Bledsoe. Wt: West, David; Holloway, Nathan (wb,1-187).

Elizabeth "Betsy" Taylor, their fifth child, is believed to have married a James Flowers In addition, their son Pleasant Gerard Taylor married Margaret "Peggy" Flowers March 16, 1838 in Sumner County, Tennessee .

Anney Taylor, their sixth child, appears never to have married and died after 1860.

Pleasant Gerard Taylor, their seventh child, married Margaret "Peggy" Curry on March 16, 1838 in Sumner County, Tennessee.

David Taylor, their eighth child, is believed to have married a Frances Taylor. This child is not mention in the pension records; however, he is mentioned in Thomas Taylor's will: Source: Will Book 2, page 226. Original Will Number 296, Sumner Co. Archives

Jonathan Taylor, their ninth child, is believed to have married a Mary Ann Hall on December 23, 1833.

William Taylor, their youngest child, married Lurana Neely December 2, 1837, Sumner County, Tennessee.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION RECORD W873, TAYLOR, THOMAS

The following records were transcribed to the best of my ability. I have tried to leave the spelling and punctuation (or lack of) intact. Please note that some records had areas that were illegible. I have placed lines (___ ) to indicate document/page breaks. All of the information (unless other wise noted was received from the National Archives upon request for the Pension records of Thomas Taylor.

      Original Claim County of Sumner State of Tennessee on this 18th day of august 1829 personally appeared before me William M. Carter as acting Justices of the Peace for the county of Sumner Thomas Taylor resident in said County aged 74 years who being duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provisions made by the act of congref after the 18th march 1818 and the 7th of May 1820 that he the said Thomas Taylor enlisted for the term of two year on the ___ day of February in the year 1776 in the State of Virginia in the Company commanded by Captain Everett Mud in the regiment commanded by Colonel Alexander Spottswood in the (illegible) of the State of Virginia n the Continental establishment that he continued to serve in the said Corp until the 14th of February 1778 when he was discharged from the service in Valley Forge in the state of Pennsylvania that he hereby when quishioning claim whatever to a pension incept the present that his name is not on the pension role of any state and that he following are the reason for not making earlier application for a pension that he had a parsel of sons being with him from whom labored together with his own he could make out to live without applying to his government that his sons have all left him with the exception of one and that he will do so in a short time and that he himself owing to __ and the infirmity incident to it is unable to support his family and in pursuance of the act of May 1820 I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any other manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it so as to being myself within the provisions of an act of Congref initiated an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the law and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war (illegible) on the 18th day March 1818 and that I have nor has any person purchased for me any property or piece (approximately eight words are illegible) days to me. Nor have I any income other than what is contained in the (illegible) hereto annexed and by me subscribed the following is a schedule of my property one hundred acres of land two horses eight head of sheep nineteen (illegible) shoots one bedstead and furniture five pieces of cupboard furniture his occupation is that of a farmer and that he is unable to pursue it he has in his family a wife 63 years of age two daughter unmarried Polly and Anna the first about 30 years of age the latter about 27 and son William 19 years of age a grandson whom he has reared from about nine days to and who is now about eight years of a age that since the 18th day of March 1818 there has been no change in his property whether by deed gift sale or otherwise.

Thomas Taylor (note; this is a signature and there is no mark)

State of Tennessee}
Sumner County }     Personally approved before me William M Carter an acting Justice of the peace for said county. Thomas Taylor who made oath that the (illegible) and things: contains in the (illegible) petition and has sworn to subscribed before me this 18th day of August 1829.
William M. Carter, JP             Thomas Taylor

State of Tennessee}
Sumner County } Personally appeared before me Thomas Taylor who made oath that he will be unable to attend the court at its next sefsion from a due case called the palsy sworn to before me this 18th day of August 1829.
William M. Carter, JP             Thomas Taylor

State of Tennessee Sumner County
I Thomas Gilmore one of the acting Justices of the Peace (illegible) aforesaid do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Milly Taylor widow of Thomas Taylor deceased and have been for several years. That she is a woman of truth and veracity and that full faith and credit are due and of right ought to be given to her statements. I further certify that from old age and bodily infirmity and having recently exposed herself in handling to Gallatin She cannot appear in officer court to make this declaration.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 26th day of May 1840. Thomas Gilmore
Justice of the Peace

State of Tennessee
Sumner County
On this day personally appears Samuel C. Taylor before me Thomas Gilmore and of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid and made oath in due form of law that the annexed record taken out of the bible containing the ages of Thomas and Milly Taylor's children was cut out of the family Bible in his presence and that the said record is in the genuine hand writing of him the said Thomas Taylor deceased who was a Pensioner of the United States before his death as mentioned in the foregoing declaration of Milly Taylor, widow of said Thomas Taylor deceased and that he recollects to have seen the same in the family for the span of twelve years past.

Sworn to and Subscribed before me this 26th day of may 1840
Thomas Gilmore
Justice of the Peace

Samuel C. Taylor (this was a signature not an "X")

State of Tennessee Sumner County

On this 26th day of May 1846 personally appears (this area is again whited out of not copied well) being Justices of the Peace in and for said County Milly Taylor a resident of the county and sate aforesaid aged seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to law oath on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Provision made by the act of congrefs (illegible) July 7 1838 entitles an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows. That she is the widow of Thomas Taylor who was a Pensioner of the United States at the rate of $96.00 dollars for annum and (illegible) his pension at Nashville State of Tennessee and a resident of the county of Sumner and State of Tennessee up to the day of his death. The further declares that she was married to the said Thomas Taylor on the 10th day of November Seventeen Hundred and Eighty five. That her husband the aforesaid Thomas Taylor died on the Seventeenth day of December 1839. That she was not married to him pervious to the Service performed by him in the War of The Revolution, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January Seventeen hundred and Ninety four to wit at the time above stated. She was married to the said Thomas Taylor in Cumberland County Virginia by a minister of the Protestant Church called McClerarry under authority of license from the clerk of that county.

      Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year first above written.

            Milly "X" Taylor (her mark)

Thomas Gilmore
Justice of the Peace

Intermarried by the Revd Chas. McRae on the 29th day of Dec. 1785 (twenty ninth day of December Seventeen hundred and eighty five) Thomas Taylor and Milla Markham.

State of Virginia}
Cumberland County to wit} I Blake B Woodson Clerk of Cumberland in the state of Virginia do hereby certify that the above is a true copy of the record of the marriage of Thomas Taylor and Milla Markham with the exception of the date written which is in fair and legible figures.

(a seal appears here)      In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and
            affixed my seal of the said county, this 7th day of August 1844.
B.B. Woodson Clk

Cumberland (Illegible) 7th August 1844

Dr. Sir.
      I received a letter from you last year dated 11th Oct. 1843 requesting the copy of the record of the marriage of Thomas Taylor and Milla Markham. The copy I believe must have been forwarded to you in some short time after the receipts of your letter.
Yours Respectfully B.B. Woodson

A. Ferguson, Esq.}

(This page contained a Xeroxed of a handwritten note)

John Taylor son of Thomas & Milly Taylor was borne September 27 Day 1786.
Polly Taylor was born March 3 Day 178
James Taylor was born August 18 Day 1789
Thomas Taylor was born March 7 Day 1791
Betsey Taylor was born March 16 Day 1794
Anney Taylor was born August 6 Day 1797
Gerard Taylor was born May 14 Day 1800
Jonathan Taylor was born July 16 Day 1803

A separate typed sheet included the above dates and the following:

William born __________, 1810
Samuel C. Taylor a grandson, was about eight years old in 1829.
Very Respectfully,
(illegible) Commissioner

The following appears to be a page from two separate receipt books:

20.101
West Tennessee
Thomas Taylor of Sumner Co. in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Mudd of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Spottswood in the Virginia line, for the term of two years from February 1776 to February 1778. Inscribed on the roll of West Tennessee at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence the 11 day of February 1830.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15th of February 1830 and sent to Hon. R. (illegible) H.R.

Arrears to 4th of March 1830 $6.17
Sem8I-annu'l all'ce ending
$6.17
{Revolutionary Claim, Acts March 18, 1818, and May 1, 1820}
Rec. Book D.
Vol. 9 for 161

(The second appears to have been from Milly's claim)

5921
Nashville Tennessee
Milly Taylor widow of Thomas Taylor who was a Private in the Virginia Line.

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of pension issued the 3 day of August (illegible year) and sent to A Ferguson, Carthage, Tenn.

Act of March 3, 1843
Recorded in Book A Vol. (appears to be "11" ) Page 222

Below is a typed letter that was evidently sent to someone who had inquired regarding Thomas Taylor's file:
Rev. War Section
June 22, 1915
Mrs. G. G. Bradley
32 East Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia

Madam:
      In reply to your letter dated the 31 "ultimo", you are advised that from the papers in the claim of Thomas Taylor. Wid. File No. 873, Rev. War, it appears that the solider enlisted in Virginia, in February 1776, in Captain Everard Meade's Company. Colonel Alexander Spotswoods' regiment, and was discharged February 14, 1778, at Valley Forge. He was allowed pension on an application executed August 18, 1829, while a resident of Sumner County, Tennessee, aged seventy-four years.
     He married, December 29, 1785, in Cumberland County, Virginia, Mildred or Milly Markham, and died December 17, 1839.
      Se was allowed pension on an application executed May 26, 1840, while a resident of Sumner County, Tennessee, aged seventy-five years.