J O H N T A Y L O R A S C O T T I S H M E R C H A N T O F G L A S G O W AN D N E W Y O R K 1 7 5 2 — 1 8 3 3

A S C O T T I S H M E R C H A N T

A FAM I LY NARRAT I V E WRI T T EN F O R H I S D E S C E N DA NT S

E M I L Y JO H N S T O N D E F O R E S T

’ Still o er these scenes my memory wakes. And fondly broods with miser care ; Time but the impres S IOD deepe r ma kes r am r ann r r st e s thei ch els deepe we a .

Y O R K P R I V A T E L Y P R I N T E D M C M X V I I

1 7 7 5 3 06

ILL! STRATIONS

JOHN TAYLOR

rom a a n n owne his r - nd C arl s F p i ti g d by g eat gra son , h e

Austin Sherman . F P S INTRY ARISH , TIRLINGSHIRE .

rom a m a u l s oh m br F p p b i hed by J n Tho son Co. , Edin u gh,

1820.

BIBLE OF MARGARET SCOTT

G n to her on her e n d r ive w ddi g ay, Octobe

wn d Em ohn on r R . de O e by ily J st de Fo est (Mrs . obert W

Forest) .

JOHN TAYLOR AND MARGARET SCOTT

r m a n n wn d h r r - r dd r F o p i ti gs o e by t ei g eat g an aughte ,

Emily Johnston de Forest.

’ JOHN TAYLOR S THREE DA! GHTERS

MARGARET, MRS . JOHN JOHNS TON

m d h r Fro a paintin g owned by her grand aug te , d John ston e Forest.

ELI! A , MRS . THADDE! S SHERMAN

m m r ndd r Fro a inia ture owned by her g a aughte ,

m . R c rd G. n Sher an Stevens (Mrs. i ha Steve s)

E MRS . S E JAN T, CHARLE SH RMAN

r m m n ur h r r nd r F o a i iat e owned by e g a daughte ,

m . r D. r Sher an P ratt (Mrs . Geo ge P att) BLOOMINGDALE FARM

- The coun r om f l r 17 6 1 33. t yh e o John T ay o , 9 8 ILL! STRATIONS

ROBERT LENOX

rom m n ur wn his r n dau h r F a i ia t e o ed by g a d g te ,

Lenox Varnum .

B F 1834 OF LOOMINGDALE ARM , f f Loca ted sou th o the site o the New York P u blic Library . FAMILY CHART

The Anc r f l est y o John T ay or .

J O H N T A Y L O R

I

CAIRNOCH- ON- CARRON- WATER

- OHN TAYLOR m 3. , y great grandfather , was

Scot . He was born in Stirlingshire , which in a

sense is the core of Scotland , holding as it does

- Of the Palace Fortress all its kings , Stirling Castle , and the chief battleground in its history , Bannockburn .

Of his forbears but little is known . My cousin ,

m JOhn ston e John Hu phreys , who is well versed in

m O m genealogical atters , btained recently fro the Regis

Edinborou h m ter House in g , through a cursory exa ination m m f m by a e ber of its sta f , so e copies of m docu ents in the way of Wills , deeds relating to land , and extracts from parish registers . It is to be regretted that parish registers at that period were very irregularly kept , blanks constantly occurring , while at earlier periods they were not kept at all . Therefore the m aterials collected in this experimental search are fragmentary . The subject has not been looked into hl m thoroug y , nor have other possible sources of infor a m m tion been drawn upon . These docu ents for , how f ever , the only collection o facts which is available

n alo i for the early period of our study , and the ge e g [3] T JOHN AYLOR , OF GLASGOW AND NEW YORK cal data derived from them are embodied in the chart which accompanies this paper . T o tell the story of my great- grandfather we m ust 1 700 begin with his ancestors . About the year there lived in Stirlingshire three brothers : Andrew Taylor “ ” m “ in Lag of Fintry , Willia Taylor in Craigtown ” m “ of Fintry , and Ja es Taylor of Easter The Andrew Taylor named above was the grand father of John Taylor of New York and the other

- brothers were his great uncles . m Ja es , the third of these brothers , was portioner of Easter Cringate and at an early period— certainly 1750 before , but we do not know just how early

- was also portioner Of the property in St . Ninians Parish called In 1 750 he owned a portion of this land , which was then known , and “ l i ” Ho e cra . perhaps still is , as g In the year just m m entioned he bought another portion , na ely, Ashen h ilhi trees , and later , still another, S e ll. The entire tract which he then held comprised about five hundred

. Cairnoch Crin ate acres Since adjoins g on the south , m it is quite understandable that Ja es Taylor , who

rin a owned land at Easter C g te , should have wished

For n orma on r ar n ar n a of r r i f ti eg di g the p e t ge these b othe s , see the chart at end of the this pa mphlet . “ ” ” It m u st be u nderstood tha t the word in a s in Lag indica ted tena ncy “ ” “ ” in om a a La of as of Ea r ri a e s e pl ce c lled g, while , ste C ng t , indica ted o n r . or on r m an o n r of a ar w e ship P ti e e t w e p t .

J ohn T ayl or of New York sp oke in his Will of C arn och ne ar the ” ar of n r F . r a was u a in a o n n ar of P ish i t y It e lly sit ted the dj i i g P ish St . n an Ni i s .

r u n old a nd new m a and all the a a a ma r a Afte st dyi g ps v il ble te i l , it is ” n t o me a Cairnoch IS ro r n f evide t th t the p pe spelli g o this name , th ou gh

r ro a ron u r it is ve y p b bly p o nced C a noch . [4]

T JOHN AYLOR , OF GLASGOW AND NEW YORK cal data derived from them are embodied in the chart which accompanies this paper . T o tell the story of my great- grandfather we m ust 1 700 begin with his ancestors . About the year there lived in Stirlingshire three brothers : Andrew Taylor “ ” m “ in Lag of Fintry , Willia Taylor in Craigtown ” “ Of m Fintry , and Ja es Taylor of Easter The Andrew Taylor named above was the grand father Of John Taylor of New York and the other

- brothers were his great uncles . m Ja es , the third of these brothers , was portioner Of Easter Cringate and at an early period— certainly 1 750 before , but we do not know just how early — was also portioner of the property in St . Ninians Parish called In 1 750 he owned a portion of this land , which was then known , and “ i ” Holecra . perhaps still is , as g In the year just m m entioned he bought another portion , na ely, Ashen

h ilhill. trees , and later , still another, S e The entire tract which he then held comprised about five hundred

. airn h rin at acres Since C oc adjoins C g e on the south , m it is quite understandable that Ja es Taylor , who

rin ate owned land at Easter C g , should have wished

For n orma on r ar r n a of r r ar i f ti eg ding the pa e t ge these b othe s , see the ch t at e nd of the this pa mphlet . “ “ ” It mu st be understood tha t the word in as in Lag indica ted tena ncy “ ” “ ” in om a a La of a s of Ea r rin a te n a s e pl ce c lled g, while , ste C g , i dic ted

o n r . or on r m an o n r of a ar w e ship P ti e e t w e p t .

John T ayl or of New Y ork sp oke in his Will of C arnoch ne ar the ” ar of n r r a w as u a in a o n n ar of P ish Fi t y . It e lly sit ted the dj i i g P ish St . n an Ni i s .

r u n old and new m a a nd all the a a a m a r a Afte st dyi g ps v il ble te i l , it is ” n t o me a Cairnoch ro r n of na m ou evide t th t is the p pe spelli g this e , th gh

r ro a ron u r it is ve y p b bly p o nced C a noch . [4] 9 z

8m m m u m J O W OS

BM IIm no seq pus ] mops atn qooun e' o aqi saaqm qmos sq; OI pmmumop sedols qox qm 1 91m sq; SI 41 “IR qooumzo auo Almi sem aq‘; pm? “1 ‘ ‘ a“ q q 19 9 ; 003 1 moqe' 1108 9 ssje ad “e ms om; qnm 9 8pm B sas ud ux oo SII‘H 39 11111331e pe nce) OI aq Houm ap sq; amp moqs sde m 1119 09 1 1 ‘ om summ o sam nos a 0 se um s omre O a e e' a Sur l un 811mm ‘um s mm ‘9 5119 4 prom mp 9 . a q qg N as ; q m m 1 q q p g J pl g m q qL p us p N 3S q p o g ’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ' m reg qooun 1 3 188 3 I OIBM Ip u pua no Ka ma ;o (1a An mg 1° HM OL em osre su emrN as pt Ka ma go se qsrmJ sq) smous duu

‘ fim 0 1 “0 9 mm “ “ a‘fi n 058! q q H 0 ? “. P r 1 P l llq d QIHIHSDNI’RIILS cIO JYN

’ ‘ S II’ IH LSINN VDIVHO HGLVM XDM Q NI‘I GLVONIKO M I NA N0

HDGIHH NOKKVD BGISHHJA’M HGI S VGI 3 0 0 513 17 0 Hom o mu m 91 0 611 01 CARRON BRIDGE

JOHN TAYLOR , OF GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

rin ate James Taylor of Easter C g , portioner of 1 752 Cairnoch , died , apparently in , soon after he ilhill had purchased Ashentrees and She . His Will m m was proved in 1 755 , and fro it uch corroborative evidence has been derived regarding the direct an cestors of our John Taylor . In the Will the testator appointed five tutors (guardians) for his eldest son Crin ate and heir , John Taylor in Easter g The

‘ ’ first tutor named was the testator s brother , Andrew

Taylor in Lag of Fintry ; the second , his nephew , m m Ja es Taylor , son of his deceased brother, Willia in Craigtown of Fintry ; and the other three , Benny

m Berriehil of Dru , Buchanan of , and Bruce , portioner

airnoch m m en m of C , ust have been of so e consequence , for they were all property owners in the vicinity .

m Of By the ter s the Will , John Taylor in Easter ’ Crin ate Cairn och g inherited his father s land , but he m m see s not to have valued it very highly , for at so e

subsequent date he sold it to his cousins , sons of his m uncle Andrew , who were na ed respectively James “ and Andrew in Lag of Fintry . By the purchase of this hillside property these brothers became joint i owners and portioners of Ca rnoch .

m Of Of Ja es Taylor , in Lag Fintry , who was prob ! m ably the elder son , we know al ost nothing , save that his wife was Jean Kay and that they had a son m . Cairn och na ed Robert As to the lands , for some reason James did not rem ain in undisputed possession Of . m his portion Ja es , Duke of Montrose , evidently m m held so e kind of clai against it , which , however ,

A son of John T a ylor of New York said in 184 1 tha t he thou ght his ran a r n r was not g df the , A d ew, the elder brothe r. [6] CAIRNOCH - ON - CARRON - WATER 28 1 795 m was finally settled , for on April , , Ja es Taylor received from the Duke a “ Charter of confirmation ” “ and resignation for his half Of the land of Ke rnoch

h ilhill A h ntr H l r i s e o e c a . now called S e , e es and g It was presumably in 1 81 0 that James Taylor

Of 3rd in Lag Fintry , died , for on July of that year his son and heir , Robert , took possession of the land 1 0th m and on August of the sa e year , with the con

of m Ka m m sent his other , Jean y , ortgaged it to a fa ily m m ’ na ed Blair . Possibly Ja es s undivided half never m ca e back into the hands of the Taylor fam ily .

In Fintry Parish Andrew found his bride . Those parish records , which are still extant , show that in 1 749 the marriage of Janet Buchan and Andrew “ ” Taylor was listed , and a wedding naturally fol “ lowed soon after the inte ntion had been listed . It is rather strange that Janet Buchan ’s m arriage was

- b listed in Fintry , for she belonged in the near y par

m m a ish of Kippen . Her na e y have really been

Buchanan instead of Buchan , for the Taylors not m m long afterwards had relatives of that na e , and any l such clerical m istakes occur in the O d parish registers . m mm The na e of Buchan , however , was not unco on

in Scotland . After the marriage Andrew took his bride to the m house which was to be her ho e , at any rate for a m ti e . This was a stone house with a thatched roof

Fintr in the little town of y, where , according to true i Scotch fashion , all the houses were bu lt in exactly the m ’ sa e style . In this house Andrew s son John (John 2 Taylor Of New York) was born in 1 75 . ’ To little John his father s ownership of Cairnoch [7] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

meant much . He always loved it and in later years had a great deal of sentim ent regarding its possession . Of While he was a boy , however , he never thought m in sentiment , never knew that he would so e day ’ herit his father s share of the land , but just played , m care free , a ong the rocks on that beloved hillside or fished in the turbulent waters Of the little stream or perhaps watched his father ’s sheep lest they should stray . well a s He possibly Spent his youth as . his child hood with his father at Fintry . We know that he m u n later crossed the seas , but before that ti e he doubtedly tried his fortunes in Glasgow , for we find “ him recorded after his arrival in New York as from

Glasgow , in North Britain , Merchant . It is indeed quite possible that he came to this country as the m agent Of a Glasgow erchant , John Burnside , who was his life long friend and who some years after ’ m m him John s arrival in A erica ade his partner . 1 777 In the Revolutionary War was in progress , the British had been in possession Of New York for

r about a year , and everything indicated that the e bellion of the Colonies would soon be quelled . There fore this m ay have seemed an auspicious m oment for an ambitious young Scotchman to cross the seas and m m ff ake the ost of the new opportunities O ered . When m he sailed for A erica , we do not know , but in May ,

1 777 - five Old when twenty years , we unexpectedly

find young John carrying on a well - established business m under his own na e in New York . As the first New York directory was not pub lished 1 786 until , we gain no information from that [8] CAIRNOCH - ON - CARRON - WATER source regarding John Taylor ’s early days in this country , but fortunately for us , newspapers antedating ’ Rivin ton s the directory ( g Royal Gazette , the New

York Mercury , the New York Packet , etc . ) contain m ’ advertise ents of John Taylor s business , so that we are able to follow his career quite clearly from the ! time of his arrival in this country . For some years before this date Whitehead Hicks had been Mayor of the city and had lived at 1 84

Queen Street (later called 192 Pearl Street) . This house was on the south side of the street , about twenty feet west of Maiden Lane and very near the so- called “ ” 1 776 Fly Market . In Mayor Hicks had resigned his Office to become a judge Of the Supreme Court m and had gone to live on his Long Island far . His Queen Street house was then rented to John Taylor and becam e what was apparently his first “ vendue store — for John Taylor in his earliest New York m days was an auctioneer . Indeed at that period ost business m en who were afterwards identified with the dry goods trade began as “ vendue masters and ’ comm ission m en . Such was evidently John Taylor s start in his new home . The newspaper notices sometimes referred to 1 84 Queen Street as a dwelling house and sometimes as “ ’ V ” John Taylor s endue Store , but that is easily m understood , for in those days a erchant conducted his business on the ground floor of a building and lived m in the upper part of it . The earliest advertise ent of

We learn s ome of the foll owing det ails (all of which it has been p ossible ’ t o r ro m a of o n T a or r n ran on o n ve ify) , f sketch J h yl s life , w itte by his g ds , J h T a or o n on for r ra on R or of Yor am r of yl J h st , the A bit ti ec ds the New k Ch be

mm r 1 - 1 o 779 79 2 . C e ce , F A JOHN TAYLOR , O GL SGOW AND NEW YORK “ a vendue at this store appears In the New York Mer ”

1 2 1 777 . cury of May ,

“ Fi ne old ai nti n s a ro r of Mr. orn Low p g , l te the p pe ty C elius , ’ orro at o deceased will be sold at 1 2 O clock tom w , the h use

f a n ar F ar r H o Mr . John T ylor, e the ly M ket whe e Judge icks lately lived an d where the pa in tings m ay be seen in the mean ” time . How interesting it would be if we could now see ’ “ Mr . Cornelius Low s collection of Fine old paintings “ At his store our John sold broadcloths , forrest

m swanikin s duffle s cloths , Ger an serges , , fearnoughts , , 3 2% and point Indian Blankets , lawn handkerchiefs , d m mm threa laces , ivory co bs , durants , ta ies , Dutch ” “ hats , and a variety of other articles too tedious to m enu erate . Thus m atters continued until 1 780 and then on June 3 rd we findour friend at the same address on QueenSt . but now a full fledged merchant and a member of the fi rm m O . m of Burnside , Taylor C , the senior e ber of the

firm being his Glasgow friend , John Burnside . The

fi rm m 5 8 next year the oved to a store at Water Street ,

m Of and there , in addition to the usual assort ent dry “ Of goods , they fered for sale , soap and candles , Irish

f ca e ttin butter , Scotch snu f , pieces of p g, cut soles , dresses , calfskins , saddlery , needlework lawn aprons , m ’ m m ’ Morea gown patterns , en s ilitary shoes , wo en s callim anco an d French heel ditto , best death head and basket buttons [whatever kinds of buttons these ” m a f ewelr e tc . O y have been] , j y , They fered to accept in payment “ potash and timber or plank fit for ship building . All these for the British m arket . The records of the New York Chamber of Com [1 0] CAIRNOCH - ON - CARRON - WATER m m erce , which had been organized so e years before m John Taylor ca e to the city , show that he was duly m m 3 1 779 elected a e ber on August , , and for the next three years his nam e was frequently mentioned as one of a committee of seven “ to hear and determ ine disputes between parties who shall leave such to this ” Chamber . Meanwhile the Revolutionary War was drawing 1 9 1 781 to an end . On October , , Cornwallis sur mm 1 782 m rendered , and in the su er of the preli inary treaty of peace was about to be signed . Evidently John Taylor felt that it was now high time to bestir himself and to do all he could further to advance him self and his business . He had been in New York for over five years and had probably done well financially , but since he needed m ore capital with which to en large his business , he decided to cross the ocean once m more and seek to procure it . There ay have been another and very important reason which tugged at his heart - strings and m ade him long for a return m to his native land , but that is erely a supposition . ’ Rivin ton s 29 1 782 g Royal Gazette of June , , announced the dissolution of partnership ” of the

rm O . m 1 fi of Burnside , Taylor C , and on Septe ber 8th “ Of m the sa e year John Taylor , then intendn for ” mm m m Britain , asked i ediate pay ent fro those in debted to the fi rm . Apparently he sailed soon after this , leaving whatever goods were still unsold to be 1 783 disposed of at auction in January , , after he had return ed to Scotland . It must have been in the early days Of 1 783 that r m m John Taylo found hi self once ore in Glasgow , [1 1] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK but our first inform ation as to his presence there re m lates to his marriage the following autu n . Where “ ” did he meet his bride— his dear Margaret Scott ?

It seem s probable that it was in Glasgow , for it was there that he had lived for some time before he first left Scotland , and there , at any rate , that on October

1 783 m . 27 , , he and Margaret were arried One of Margaret ’s wedding presents is still extant a tiny Bible in two volumes . It was printed in Edin ’ ” in 1 788 burgh by His Majesty s printer , and besides the text of the Bible it contains “ The P SALMS of DAVID ” in Metre as then sung in the churches . The dark leather binding is covered with fine gold tooling in a quaint old pattern , and on the inside of each front cover is a slip Of red morocco on which in gold letters

W6 SOC MARGARET o SCOTT October 0 27 0 1782 I wish we could know whose loving hand gave her

. this precious token Probably her father or mother . The only mementoes of Margaret Scott which have u s— descended to her portrait , her Bible , and the letters

m - — fro her step brother , Andrew Thompson were all

- owned by her daughter Margaret . The much prized me m Bible has just been given to by y cousin , John m Ohnston Hu phreys J e . I well remember that The P SALMS Of DAVID in Metre were sung in the old

Scotch Church when I was a tiny child . Of Margaret ’s early life we know even less than we do about that of her husband . There is the following reason for believing her father ’s name to have been m Ja es . It was an old Scottish custom to name a first [12]

CAIRNOCH - ON - CARRON - WATER

son after his paternal grandfather , while the second boywas usually named for his father or for his m aternal ’ grandfather . Thus Margaret s first son was named ’ Andrew after her husband s father , and her second m m m was na ed Ja es Scott , presu ably after her own m father . But both these sons ca e to her after she m went to live in A erica . Although love of Margaret m ay have been one of the reasons which brought John Taylor back to Scot

a m land , we know that there was co pelling one

His the need of capital . father , Andrew Taylor in

1 783 . T o him Lag of Fintry , was still living in the son applied , and Andrew treated his boy with the m utmost generosity . We can i agine Andrew saying “ to himself : There is Cairnoch— it will belong to m him John so e day . Why not give it to now , when m ?” its possession will be of so uch advantage And so , 8 1 784 on January , , before John returned to New

Cairnoch him reserv York , his father deeded to , m ing for hi self only a life interest in it . On January 14th m , John in turn deeded the land to his for er m — partner , John Burnside , the Glasgow erchant pre sum ably a business arrangem ent by which the property could be used for their mutual benefit . Some time during the year 1 784 John returned to

New York . One indication of this is given in the ’ books of the St . Andrew s Society , which tell us that m m m it was in this year that he beca e a e ber (as was ,

Of m of course , the bounden duty every loyal Scotch an) , and the records show that in after years he held Office m more than once . Another proof that he ca e back at “ ” m a d this ti e is found in the New York Packet , an [1 3] O F JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK m 1 784 ve rtiseme nt in which says that in Septe ber , , he

was established in his new store at 225 Queen Street . m Margaret , his wife , did not co e to New York with him but stayed in her Glasgow hom e until after the

birth of her little daughter , Margaret . (This little girl it was whom I so dearly loved m any years later as “ Whe ther the Grandma . young husband returned to Scotland to get his family or whether Margaret had to take the responsibility Of the voyage k m alone , we do not now , but fa ily tradition tells us that the baby was six m onths Old when she was

brought to New York , and as she was born on Sep 1 784 m tember , she ust have sailed in the spring of 1 785 . ’ m John s father and other, as well as his sister

— - in . (or sister law) Mrs Buchanan , continued to live m ! in Glasgow after John and his fa ily had left . Mar ’

r t s . ga e father , too , Mr Scott , was living when she

m - went to A erica , also a half brother (probably a son m m m of Mrs . Scott by a for er arriage) na ed Andrew m Thom son . Mr . Tho son was the pastor of a church Of m at Newton Mearns , Scotland , and a arried m an m with a wife and a large fa ily of children . Thus both of our travelers left ties behind them in the

Old country .

We no of ano r T a or in G a o at i r k w the yl l sg w th s pe iod . He was na med

o a nd was v n r a m in 1 9 J seph li i g the e with his f ily 7 7 . He was apparently a rel ation of Andrew T a ylor and may have been a brother of the Rober t

T a or ho a of Cairnoch to B a r yl w deeded his h lf the l i s . “ ” A o n T a or in Cairnoch m arr a n a H n r J h yl ied Is bel e d y late r, a nd their

r on Jo n n r and x an r r orn in 1 809 181 1 a nd 1814 th ee s s , h , A d ew Ale de , we e b , .

o a was a son of Ro r a a s - It is p ssible th t he be t, especi lly he was tenant p or ” tione r of Cairnoch .

T u o on a nno as ro hese s pp siti s c t yet be p ved . [14] C AIRNO CH - ON - CARRON - WATER Apparently John Taylor did not bring with him m a Fa ily Bible , for although he afterwards owned two , m in which the entries are al ost identical , the earlier

one was not printed until 1 793 . But long years

afterwards , Margaret (the baby of the voyage) used to tell her grandchildren that her cradle was brought ’ over with her, as was also her father s beautiful tall clock— the only articles of furniture that she m en

m O tione d . The roo y cradle , which I have ften seen , f m m m was a solid a fair ade of the handso est ahogany ,

with a big wooden hood and heavy low rockers . In m com this , Baby Margaret ust surely have been fortable m during the long voyage and , in fact, for any

days and nights after she reached her new home . Several succeeding generations of babies were rocked “ — m in this cradle , but alas when y eldest son , Mar ’ ” - m garet s first great grandson , ade his appearance and I asked for the cradle— lo and behold —in a fit of generosity she had given it away to some poor woman ! m “ m As for the handso e grandfather clock , y eight

day clock , as John Taylor called it , that still ticks on as it did in his day . It has now been handed down to the fourth generation and stands in an honored

- place on the stairway in the house of his great grandson , m y brother , John Herbert Johnston . II

BLOOMINGDALE FARM

1 794 LTHO! GH it was not until February , , that “ m John Taylor fro Glasgow , in North Britain , m ! Merchant , beca e a citizen of the nited him States , we find definitely established in New

York ten years earlier . Then he was preparing the comfortable hom e which he had ready for his wife and baby when they arrived in the spring of 1 785 .

NO . 225 This was the house , Queen Street , of which we have already heard . In a store on the ” ground floor all the business of John Taylor CO . was transacted , but in the upper part of the house m the fam ily had their cozy dwelling place . The sa e arrangement as to business and residence continued

— - 1 829 for forty three years that is , until , when the m 1 794 property was conde ned by the city . About the name of the street was changed and the build ing became known as 1 83 and 1 85 Pearl Street . 29 Even then it was a large building feet wide , but 1 804 it was further enlarged in , when Mr . Taylor

. 1 87 him bought No , giving a total frontage of forty five feet and a depth Of one hundred and forty feet Naturally the first thing to be attended to after m m arrival fro a foreign land was to find a ho e , but [1 6]

F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

of his first choice ; for thither h e and his wife went every Sunday and there his children were taken to

be baptized . As all the early records kept by the Session of the

Scotch Church have unfortunately disappeared , we m nf m cannot depend on the for i or ation , but the records in the Taylor Bible give us many fam ily ’ Of items , including the birthdates all of John Taylor s

children .

Many children were born to John and Margaret .

MARGARE T (in Scotlan d) in 1 784 .

ELI! ABE TH (Eliz a) in 1 786. ’ ANDREW (named after John s fa ther) in 1 788 . ’ 8 JAM ES SCOTT (named a fter Margaret s father) in 17 9 . ’ a r n in 1791 JOH N B! RNS IDE (named after John s Gl sgow f ie d) .

ANDREW (the Second) in 1 793 . ’ JANE T (Jessie) (named a fter John s m other) in 1794 .

n a a R r n in 1 96 ROB ERT LENox ( med fter the elder obe t Le ox) 7 . SCOTT in 1 797

Little Andrew , the First , lived to be only five years “ Of DrO se old and then he died a p y in the head , but

another son , appearing opportunely only four days mm ’ m . later , was i ediately given his brother s na e With all these children the parents felt the ne cessity of having som e country hom e where they could mm spend their su ers , especially as there were frequent epidemics of yellow fever or cholera in town during

mm m . 1 6 1 796 the su er ti e Therefore on October ,

(when Robert Lenox Taylor was a baby) , the father bought a farm far out in the country from the estate m ] of Sa uel Nicol . This farm faced on the Bloomingdale Road (Broad [1 8]

BLOOMINGDALE FARM way) and had a rear entrance on the Bowery Road m (Middle Road) , which ran parallel with the Bloo ing dale Road m idway between the streets afterwards laid m out and called Fifth and Madison Avenues . Bloo in gdale Farm was as long as two crosstown blocks and on Fifth Avenue extended from 39th Street to 40th Street , a plot about two hundred and twenty seven feet wide . It contained nearly ten acres and 5 m a for it John Taylor paid £ 157 . The p of the prop e rty shows that it was just south of the land where the Publi c Library now stands . m Here the Taylor children had a glorious ti e . m Their other , too , was very happy in her country

1 796 - home . She wrote in to her Scotch half brother ,

m him . the Rev . Andrew Tho son , and told all about it She invited him and his wife to visit her at Blooming dale the first tim e he had a holiday and added that she would gladly take one of his numerous children , as was so often done in those days , and bring it up in with her own . Then in her letter she spoke feel gly of “ the distress we are in for servants ” ' ’ 1 796 Margaret s father , Mr . Scott , had that year ( )

- m gone to live with his step son , Andrew Tho son , who in answering Margaret ’s letter said of the old gentle “ m an : We will be children to him so long as we have anything to ourselves [he is] a blessing about our m house and appears to be happy , diverting hi self ” m by walking about and reading . Mr . Tho son went on to say that America was too far away for a short visit and that none of his children could be spared , m especially the eldest daughter, na ed Margaret , who was old enough to be a great help to her mother . [ 19] OF JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

As to the servant question , he suggested that Peggy Crockett would be willing to go if her passage out were paid , but he warned Margaret that Peggy “ ” had a temper of her own and a gay spice of pride . I wonder if Margaret ever sent for Peggy ! Probably m not , for she did not live long to enjoy Bloo ingdale

Farm . Old Her youngest child , Scott , was but two weeks m 29 1 797 when on Nove ber , , Margaret Scott , probably worn out by having borne nine children in thirteen “ years , died with a pleasant countenance . Her m husband m ade entries in his Fa ily Bible , first the “ ” death Of dear Andrew Taylor the First and then “ ” that of the still dearer Margaret Scott . He told of

re si her illness , which she bore with truly christian g “ m nation and patience , and added , She knew in who mm she had believed , was willing to die , and reco ended ” resignation to the Divine Will . The memorial tablet which was put in the Cedar “ Street Church tells us that After faithfully discharg ing the duties of conjugal and maternal affection . the bright example of domestic virtue and unaffected

m l . piety , eek y resigned her soul into the hands ” of her Creator . Thus Margaret Scott die d when she was only thirty

Old m seven years and left all her children otherless . No wonder that their father soon sought another m m . 27 1 799 help eet Nineteen onths later , on June , m m he arried a widow , Jane Davis by na e . She brought m O m with her to Bloo ingdale an nly child , Tho as

Davis , who was then a boy of eight but only lived

until his seventeenth year . BLOOMINGDALE FARM

The new Mrs . Taylor turned out to be rather an invalid and not much to be depended on for the care m ’ of the children . In any of John Taylor s letters he “ speaks of her as ailing and in one he says : l\I rs . Taylor has been worse since you left but is now con siderably better tho still confined to Bed and likely to recover if it is not the forerunner of some other ” m ’ disorder . As a consequence of her step other s ill health young Margaret had early to assume the re sp on sibilit y of her younger brothers and sisters , and through out her life was very conscious Of her duties as eldest

Of the children . m m m As to Bloo ingdale Far , I have any interesting m tales to tell about it . It was a long way fro the m m city , about four iles fro Wall Street , and even when

Of m the rest the fa ily were living there , the father was able to take the long stage ride only twice a week . That was when both houses were kept open in summer m “ and when the fa ily lived , as Margaret said , part ” 1 81 1 in town and part in country , but after they closed the Pearl Street house in summer and all took up their abode at Bloomingdale . When the long drive was over and the farm was m reached , it was a really lovely spot . There were any m m fine large trees , and a ong the , near the present location of Sixth Avenue , stood the house , painted

- - m white , and with two story high colu ns across the ’ front . Truly a gentleman s country seat . In the rear Of the farm all kinds Of produce were raised and sent regularly to be sold at Fulton Market . Near the farm gate on the Bowery Road was a large stagnant pool covered with green scum . A grandson [21] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

m e of Mr . Taylor told that he once rode out on horse back to visit his grandfather and that his horse shied violently just in the gateway and threw him headlong into the m iddle of the green pond . This the youngster m m did not at all relish , and it is no wonder his e ory of the pond rem ained vivid . His Aunt Jessie had “a similar experience years m before . She was riding with a party of friends fro Pearl Street to Bloomingdale Farm when her horse fell or shied and tossed her into this pond . She wrote a lively and am using letter about it but evidently enjoyed her ducking not a whit more than her nephew did his . Perhaps it was the presence Of the green pond that m gave them all chills and fever . Not quite all of the , however , for although John Taylor loved to lie on the m dewy grass , he never contracted this troubleso e ill f m ness . Margaret su fered greatly fro it , but her usual

m — a - re edy was a novel one counter irritant , as it m m were . When she felt the first sy pto s of a chill , she would get a han dbru sh and wax from the servant ff and rub the big dining table till the chill passed O .

But notwithstanding the chills , Margaret loved the m ” far ; to her it was Sweet Bloomingdale . Her father also was very fond of it and liked to entertain his friends there and it is said that he always saw to it personally that there should be plenty to

eat and to drink . He had a slave , Anthony Jay , who him always helped at such times . John Taylor was “ ” devoted to Tony and in one of his early wills , that 1 815 “ of , he directed his executors to m ake free and release forever from servitude my Servant Man [993]

F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK and kept it hanging over her dressing table in place

of a mirror .

Of Another picture her , which has disappeared , was thus described by one Of her grand - daughters “ It represented a young wom an dressed in a pale green

hu com gown with ruffled fi c . She had a very fair plexion , blue eyes and thick light hair , which even a hideous heavy cap , tied under her chin , could not

conceal . Hardly handsomer than the earlier one is the later portrait of Mr . Taylor which appears as a frontis piece . Of this , replicas are owned by several of his descendants . None of these paintings are real works him of art . Those of John Taylor show to have been

m an . t Of an austere looking In fac , one his descend “ ants said of him : His portrait rem inds m e of the description of the schoolm aster in Gray ’s ‘ Elegy ‘ ’ m an A severe he was , and strange to view .

He was undoubtedly severe . When his daughter Of m Margaret was thinking arrying , she wrote in her “ diary — What would I give for a kind indulgent m Mother to y father I dare not speak , yet , until I know his will I scarce dare have one of my own

m m a If I ever should be blessed with a fa ily , y I teach ” m love ear m the to as well as f e . m m His grandson , Howard Sher an , told e a char a cteristi c story .

I did not see Grandpa Taylor very often . I went around to his house in Cliff Street perhaps once a

m . onth He had Scotch blood and was overbearing , him and I did not take a fancy to . He hit me once [24] BLOOMINGDALE FARM with a gold - headed cane and I never quite forgave im m h for it . I had been sent to Bloo ingdale Farm on account of the cholera which was then raging in New m York , but I ca e in to the city on the produce wagon because I wanted some of the splendid peaches which grew in our yard at 5 1 Maiden Lane . I was inside the gate and was enjoying a peach when I suddenly felt som e one hit m e on the back of the head with a ‘ cane (a pretty hard rap) and he said , I thought you ’ m m e were safe at Bloo ingdale Farm . He whirled ” around and sent m e back .

Notwithstanding his severity Mr . Taylor had a m great deal of kindliness and a certain sense of hu or , as will be seen in som e of his letters to his daughter

Margaret and her husband . Som e of his intimate friends lived not far from the m far . There was Robert Lenox ; his city house was in Pearl Street but his farm was at the Five Mile ” 72d m Stone ( Street and Fifth Avenue) , only a ile f and a half away . He was a close friend O John Taylor , m who , as we know , na ed one of his sons for the elder

Robert Lenox . There were also John and Peter

Goele t . Go l ts The e e lived in Pearl Street too , and the

Goelet m 1 9 h far , at what is now t Street and Broad m m m way , was not far fro Bloo ingdale Far , so that the Goelet and Taylor children were constant play mates . The Grinnells and Minturns lived in Pearl

Street only a door or two away from the Taylors . m m John Tho son , Willia Wallace and Lynde Catlin were intimate enough with John Taylor to be m e n

tioned 1 8 as executors of the unproved will of 15 . There [25] L OF S JOHN TAY OR , GLA GOW AND NEW YORK

was one Scotch name in this list of executors , Dr . John

Burnside , son of the early Glasgow friend , who had

died ere this . And while we speak of Scotch friends ,

we m ust not forget the MacGregors . They were

connected with Mr . Taylor both by friendship and

business , first in Scotland , then in Liverpool , and later

MacGre or in New York , where Peter g was Margaret ’ Taylor s next door neighbor after her m arriage .

All this time I have told you but little Of John ’ 1784 Taylor s business . In the New York directory of 225 we find the record of John Taylor Co . at Queen m 1 829 mm Street , and fro that date to all his co ercial

undertakings were conducted from this address . As

we know , he was at first an auctioneer , and it was his custom to have “ public vendues ” of his well ” known goods on the last Friday of each month . These vendues continued long after he himself ceased “ ” to be the Crier . m m m He was , further ore , a erchant and an i porter , m l m largely of woolen goods , which ca e principa ly fro

Manchester , England , where he had interests in sev

eral factories . There were then fortnightly packets m sailing fro Liverpool , and his goods were forwarded “ by every second packet . One of his sons , either m Ja es Scott or Andrew , usually resided at Man chester or Liverpool and attended to the purchase m of goods and to their ship ent . In 1 81 2 or possibly earlier James Scott had gone for this purpose to live

in Manchester .

During the War of 1 812 all trans - Atlantic c om m erce was of course at a standstill , but our canny [26] BLO OMINGDALE FARM m m m Scot knew that the war ust end so eti e , and when peace was declared , he already had large stores of goods purchased and prepared for shipment . He m wrote to Ja es to divide these goods , for additional “ m safety , and to ship by first two good A erican ves m him sels that Offer . He also re inded that the arti cles to be forwarded now were all for spring sales and that winter goods should be ordered without “ ” “ m delay . But , said he , I do suppose that the arkets m m will be very uch overstocked , in that case I ean m ” to purchase here rather than i port much . ’ Mr . Taylor s son Andrew was then a clerk in his ’ Offi 1 815 father s New York ce , and it was in February , , mm i ediately after the close of the war , that John m Taylor took his two sons , Ja es Scott and Andrew , m m into partnership , pro ising to give each of the one third Of his profits and to allow each one to do a com m fi rm m ission business On his own account . The na e m “ ” was at this ti e changed to John Taylor Sons . 1 818 Andrew went to England in , when he was twenty

fi ve Old m m years , to ake his ho e there and attend to

f firm m the a fairs of the , and his brother , Ja es Scott , returned to America . The year 1 830 found the fi rm established in a store 72 which John Taylor had purchased at South Street , and his business was conducted there until the time ff of his death in 1833 . After that the a airs of John

Taylor Sons were closed up . It was one of his peculiarities to charge for his m erchandise sixty per cent over the foreign cost . This m a ount , he said , represented the duty , freight , all expenses and his own profit . SO invariable was this [27] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK rule that he came to be known among his business “ ” - - associates as Old sax ty per cent . Another peculiar ity was that he never insured any shipment— and for

nearly forty years he never had a single loss . Then the “ ” Minerva went down with twenty - two of his cases

on board . They were valued at and there was

no insurance , but th e owner was undoubtedly still

t . satisfied that his way was the bes , as perhaps it was For his accounts he used large ledgers of beautiful

- hand m ade paper waterm arked J . Taylor Many of these are still in existence and treasured by

his descen dants .

m ’ Having said this uch of Mr . Taylor s business m m m f . a fairs , we ust return to fa ily atters The earliest letter of his known to be in existence is not dated but “ ” it was written to his Dear Girls , Margaret and

Eliza , while they were in Glasgow visiting their grand

m . . m other , old Mrs Andrew Taylor The letter ust have been written after 1 797 ; in it the father asked his daughters to bring him a “ good hot press Bible n m (alluding to a kind of bi ding then uch in vogue) , and the Bible they brought was bought in Glasgow 9 and had been printed in 1 7 7 . The letter was prob mm 1 808 ably sent in the su er of , for it is obvious that Margaret was not married when it was written

— 1 809 . nor was she , indeed , until June , Besides that ,

- - the girls , who were aged twenty four and twenty two 1 808 in , were evidently travelling alone , which would r ha dly have been possible had they been younger .

It is interesting to learn by this letter that Mr . “ Taylor had asked Dr . Burnside to purchase a Piano [9 8] BLOOMINGDALE FARM

Forte in Glasgow for his girls . Pianos were not at all usual luxuries in those early days . ’ From John Taylor s letters and from other sources we are able to glean a few contemporary items of m ’ fa ily news . The girls grandfather , Andrew Taylor, m m had died so eti e before they went to Glasgow . 9 m In 1 7 7 the Rev . Mr . Tho son had written that the “ ” Old m m gentle an was dying of a consu ption , that he had a bad cough and was much attenuated . SO

in intr airno h Andrew Taylor Lag of F y, portioner of C c , had evidently been gathered to his fathers before the ’ girls visit , and they never saw their grandfather .

Aunt Buchanan , his daughter , was still living , also ! ncle Thom son ” (Margaret Scott ’s brother) and his ‘ m m wife . One of the Tho son daughters was arried to a Mr . Wilson .

Soon after the Dear Girls returned to their New m m York ho e , it beca e apparent to their father that m the family circle was not long to re ain unbroken .

m . Margaret , the eldest child , was the first to arry

m Of I wish we knew ore her husband , Rhesa Howard , m i but very little infor ation is ava lable , save that he m belonged to a good fa ily , that the wedding took 1 809 m m place in June , , presu ably at Bloo ingdale , and ’ that the marriage was a happy one . Margaret s hap

in ss p e was , alas , of short duration , for Rhesa How ard developed consumption and the young couple were obliged to spend their winters in the West Indies on his account . There he died , probably in the winter of 1 81 2 . One little daughter was born and named ’ Elizabeth , after Margaret s favorite sister , but she [9 9] O F JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

m m her e too died , apparently about the sa e ti e as fath r , and Margaret returned to her father ’s hom e a child ’ less widow . Thus was ended Margaret s first and short lived rom ance . ’ Long years afterwards , after Margaret s death , a little pink muslin frock was found all neatly packed “ away and on it a label saying , My little Eliza died ” m m m in this dress . At the sa e ti e a iniature of a very handsome and distinguished looking m an was discovered in the secret drawer of a desk which Mar garet always kept closed and locked . Perhaps the portrait of Rhesa Howard . At Bloomingdale she once m ore occupied her position as housekeeper and again assum ed the loving care and oversight of her brothers and sisters .

In 1813 her sister Eliza was married . The New ” York Gazette September 22nd contains a notice of the wedding .

t oom n a on on a n n a Re ar A Bl i gd le M d y eve i g l st , by the v . G

n r n r . T a rman of o o ma di er Sp i g , M h ddeus She , the h use f Sher n

Nor on New Ha n to E z a T a or a r o o n t , ve , Miss li yl , d ughte f J h ”

T a or Es . of . yl , q , this city

The house with the tall white columns was as gay m and bright that night as candles could ake it , but to poor Margaret the merrymaking must have recalled

m m S O - sad e ories of her own recent wedding . When the young people started for their New m ! m Haven ho e , Janet Taylor acco panied them and until the time of her own m arriage m ade her home with Eliza and Thaddeus .

Ja net always signed herself Jennet but her bro thers and sisters c alled r he Jessie . [30]

BLOOMINGDALE FARM

This was not for very long . There was a certain m Charles Sher an , a cousin of Thaddeus , who also lived m in New Haven and presented any attractions . He

m m an Of was a handso e young with the title Major , which he had acquired by serving in the Connecticut 1 1 2 m militia during the War of 8 . What was even ore

m . i portant , he was a grandson of the Hon Roger m Sher an , who , as every one knows , was one of the ’ signers of the Declaration of Independence . Janet s brother James had written to her to beware of the

m . New Haven beaux , but the letter ca e too late Janet had already succumbed ! So she went back to her ’ father s home to be married . The wedding took place at Bloomingdale on the m 20 1 814 m orning of May , , and the bride and groo

L od m . . e were ade one by the Rev Robert B M c , who had recently become pastor Of the Cedar Street Church .

m off After the cere ony , the wedding party set (as was the custom then) for the hom e of the newly wedded m m pair . This party co prised the bride and groo , the ’ m n brides aid , Jen et Wilson (the bride s Scotch cousin) m m ’ and the groo s an , Andrew Taylor (the bride s brother) . They all went together , either on horseback or in a carriage , and when Janet reached New Haven , she found her new home furnished and ready for her .

It was not fully furnished , however , until she received the wedding present which her brother James m sent to her fro England . When it arrived it proved to be a very handsome Hepplewhite sideboard m ade f O the finest mahogany with beautiful inlay . This

m Irs l\ . sideboard , which belonged at one ti e to Charles m ’ m Sher an s daughter Janet , has after so e wandering [31] OF JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK m been given to e , and it is needless to say that I treasure it . The m arriage of her two sisters left Margaret very m m— in uch alone at the far fact , she and Andrew were m usually the only children living at home . Ja es

Scott , her eldest brother , had gone to live in Man chester . After that her second brother , John Burn

m . side , had beco e restive and had wished to go to sea This is not surprising when we think Of the narrowness of a young man ’s life at home then and realize that the only way for an adventurous young fellow to see m the world was for him to follow the sea . At so e date prior to 1 813 John had evidently had words with his father on the subject and , not having received the m m m desired per ission , had run away fro ho e . In 1 81 3 m March , , Margaret wrote to Ja es that they had heard nothing of John for a long time and said that him she was very uneasy about . She alluded to his “ corrupt heart ” and hoped that God would open i ” his eyes to see his errors and restore h m to his friends . Yet the poor boy had probably been only wayward and , as we shall see later , he paid dearly for his folly . 1 81 2 t ’ It was in hat Margaret s third brother , m m Robert , beca e a sailor . He was a handso e young Of fellow , one the two youngest brothers , and Mar w m i garet had al ays ade rather a pet of h m . She embroidered wonderful waistcoats for him and saw “ ” that his long silk stockings never developed ladders , for Robert was in those days somewhat of a dandy “ ” N and could not endure ladders . ow he wanted to sail before the m ast ! Margaret tried her best to him dissuade , but in vain . All she could get from him [32] wouldopen

ROB E RT LE NOX T AYLOR

B LOOMINGDALE FARM was a promise that if he did not enjoy his first voyage he would give up all thoughts of following the sea and settle down at home . Then Robert sailed for Lisbon when he was only sixteen years Old ! He re m turned before long , ore than ever infatuated with a ’ m sailor s life . Poor Margaret wrote to Ja es about it and said that her father , discouraged probably by his lack of success in disciplining John , had declared , “ m ” Robert ust follow his own inclination , and Mar garet added , Indeed it would be no use to restrain him , for a boy who has once taken a notion for the sea is seldom to be brought to think of any other ” business .

Nor was this all . The next year Scott , John Tay ’ lor s youngest child , sailed away when he too was but mm “ m f sixteen , and Janet co ented , What a fa ily O Sailors ! It will be well if the daughters do not turn i sa loresse s . 1 814 The following winter , , Margaret , worrying as ever about her brother John , was hoping that he m “ ” ight yet return to the path of duty , but poor m John was destined never again to see fa ily or home . The War Of 1 812 was still in progress and he was even then confined on an English prison ship ! He

1 3 1 814 MacGre or wrote on March , , to Alexander g , ’ him his father s agent at Liverpool , telling of his plight . He had embarked as a sailor on the merchant “ m m ship , Fair A erican , bound fro Boston to Bor m deaux . When the ship was within thirty iles of its

al destination , it was captured by the British , and on all though bound a peaceable errand , on board [33] OF S JOHN TAYLOR , GLA GOW AND NEW YORK m m were re oved to Ply outh , Devonshire , where they

Of Old were , as prisoners war , placed on board an

- - French line Of battle ship named Le Brave . This f was one O two captured ships which , no longer fit for

off m active service , lay at anchor Ply outh and were used as prison ships . Each m an was given by way of equipment a h am m a ock , thin bed sack containing three or four pounds

fl . of ock , or chopped rags , and a thin coarse blanket m him These , he was told , ust last for a year and a half . ’ - One of John Taylor s fellow prisoners , Charles

Andrews , has left us a description of the clothes given to these poor wretches .

“ By the regulations , the prisoners were to receive m for clothing every eighteen onths , one yellow round

Of about jacket , one pair pantaloons , and a waist

a coat , also woollen cap , one pair of shoes and m one shirt , every nine onths “ The jacket was not large enough to meet around m the s allest of us , although reduced to mere skeletons by such continued fasting ; the sleeves came about

arm half way down the , and the hand stuck out like a spade ; the waistcoat was short ; it would not m eet before , nor down to the pantaloons ; thus leaving a space of three or four inches ; the pantaloons which were m as tight as our skin itself, ca e down to the m iddle of the shin . The shoes , which formed the pedestal m m for all the orna ents above , were ade of list , inter woven and fastened to pieces of wood an inch and a half thick . The figure we m ade in this dress was no mm ” co on one . [34]

O F S JOHN TAYLOR , GLA GOW AND NEW YORK

Dartm oor— a prison whose very name filled the bearer with horror . Dartmoor Prison was situated two thousand feet above the sea on an easterly slope and in the middle

of a bleak m oor . As it was about on a level with the

clouds , the rain was well nigh incessant ; the rough m m stone walls constantly dripped fro da pness , and water stood in pools on the stone or dirt floor . N 4 m In Prison o . were confined the French ale factors— those who had comm itted crim es such as m m . urder , robbery of other prisoners , etc A ong these crim inals the two hundred and fifty wretched Amer

icans . , including John Burnside Taylor , were placed The hamm ocks hung one above the other four or

five deep and there was no other furniture whatsoever . m m About the ti e when John arrived at Dart oor , the ! nited States Agent wrote to his imprisoned “ ” fellow - citizens that the Government had decided to allow them each one penny half - penny per day

, for soap and tobacco . This , as Charles Andrews said i would procure three chews of tobacco . The rec pients “ were delighted , although , as they said , Without ” clothes we do not need soap . John wrote to his brother Jam es to tell him of his new abode .

Since writing to you all the American Prisoners have been m oved to this place which m ust be an excuse for my not answering yours of the 1 9th of m April which ca e safe to hand . You can hardly be lieve what a cold place this is Situated in the Midle of a Moor exactly like the place where we used to [36] BLOOMINGDALE FARM

Fish in the Mearns of Scotland , nothing but cold Stone m m Walls and a da p earth Floor . It looks ore like a i m Stable than for people to live n . I ust contrive some way to get this letter out of the gate for if it was seen by any one belonging to the prison they would not let it pass your letters or any thing you m ay send to m e will come safe altho they will be opened and examined you must be very particular in not writing any thing about the prison . Money in letters always comes safe altho it takes some time before they reach m this . I wish Dear Ja es if convenient you would

m e m m send a little ore oney , as it is so very cold here that I have been obliged to lay out all my Money ” in clothing Bedding .

John ended this letter with the significant and “ m rO hetic s al ost p p word , I do not know what we ” shall do if they keep us here another winter . In October rumors of peace were rife and all was m excite ent , yet days and days went by and nothing m definite was heard . Meanwhile the weather beca e ever colder and the sufferings of the almost naked prisoners were very great . Added to their other woes , m m s allpox and easles broke out , which largely increased m m the mortality . This was ore than hu an patience could bear and many Americans who until then had stood fi rm j oined the British ranks . From time to tim e James sent John letters and m oney , which were always received though after long delays . At the end of Oct ober the prisoner asked m m m his brother for war clothing , and if we re e ber m m the cold da p winds of Dart oor, the ever open [37] OF JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

windows and the lack of fires , we cannot think the request excessive .

1 P ea j acket or Great coa t 2 suits Jacket trousers and waistcoat 2 pairs worsted stockings 2 striped cotton shirts 2 re d flann el shirts 2 Guernsey Frocks 2 pair shoes This list came in the last letter extant from the poor young fellow , and we cannot tell if the Guernsey m im Frocks or the other articles ever ca e to h . It m took a long ti e for such things to reach the prison , the distress was very present ; he probably despaired of ever receiving the clothes for which he had hoped ’ and without them felt unable to face the su flering of m m ff the co ing winter . Peace see ed as far O as ever and there was no talk of an exchange Of prisoners . m 1 1 814 Whatever the reason , on Dece ber , , poor

r - John Burnside Taylo , aged only twenty three , hanged m m hi self in Dart oor Prison . Charles Andrews tells ! us Of his death . “ A native of New York by the nam e of John Taylor put an end to his life on the first of this m onth We kn ow of no other cause than that despair had given him less courage to live than to ' die

and I procured a large slate , engraved on it the ut following inscription , which I p at the head of his grave on the moor .

“ ’ The r on r M mo r of ar moor r o om rom P is e s e i s D t P is n . C piled f the ourna of Charles n r 1 81 5 J l A d ews . . [38] BLOOMINGDALE FARM HERE LIES

JOHN TAYLOR ,

! O F T H E OF N EW A NATIV E CITI EN CITY YORK ,

! B Y I WH O COMMITTED S ICIDE , HANGING H M

I P S NO . 5 T H E SELF N RI ON , ON EV ENING

F T HE O F O FIRST DECEMBER ,

And there on the bleak Devon moor back Of the “ ” prison enclosure the [ generous youth lies to this day . It was a pity that he could not have endured

- a a little longer . Only twenty eight days fter his death the peace treaty was signed at Ghent , but too late to save poor John Burnside Taylor !

a r r m Mr . M cG e go sent Ja es a full account of the tragedy but advised him to conceal the details from his father , who perhaps never knew the whole truth . I have written thus fully about John ’s imprison ment because his life was so tragic and because so i little else is known about h m .

1 1 1 815 Of On February , , the news peace reached

New York and there was great rejoicing in the city . A wonderful illumination was planned for February 1 ’ 2 st , and on that night everybody s Windows , those 1 85 at Pearl Street as well as the rest , blazed with candles . m As the ending of the war eant new prosperity , John Taylor wrote immediately to James to send over all reserves of merchandise and it was at this time that he took his sons James and Andrew into partnership . [39] OF JOHN TAYLOR, GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

Of m 1 815 A letter Dece ber, , shows that John Taylor and his wife Jane were just about to sail for England . m m Mr . Taylor was to ake a long desired visit to Ja es in Manchester and afterwards to his family in Scot in land . When he reached Glasgow May , he found

m - in - all the family in uch distress ; his brother law , m the Rev . Andrew Tho son , was very ill , in fact , in “ a dying condition . As we have already heard , ! ncle ” m Thomson had a wife and a large fa ily of children , who were now about to be left fatherless . John Taylor had arrived very opportunely and was no doubt able m to be of much assistance . The inister of a country m parish in Scotland could not have laid by uch , and

- n - financially , as well as in other ways , his brother i law probably was helpful . f Personal a fairs had evidently brought Mr . Taylor to Glasgow . His father , Andrew Taylor , had been

m . Ol dead for so e years John Burnside , too , the d

. m friend , had passed away It had therefore beco e necessary for our New York merchant to return to m m Scotland and attend to several i portant atters .

airnoch C , which he had deeded to the elder John 1784 Burnside before leaving Glasgow in , had now descended to the son and heir , Dr . John Burnside ,

. m 2 1 15 a Glasgow surgeon The latter on Nove ber , 8 , “ ” m Of ade disposition it to John Taylor, who again “ took possession ( sasine of Cairnoch on January

1 1 , 1 81 6.

’ There is no menti on In the letters of John Taylor s return to New York but it is evident that he was once m m m ore at Bloo ingdale Far in the summer of 1817 . During his absence Margare t had often been alone [40] BLOOMINGDALE FARM m m m at ho e or with only Andrew as co panion , but so e m m ti es both her sisters ca e to visit her , Eliza with two sons and Jessie with her little daughter , Margaret “ Scott . Then , as the fond aunt said , it was a lively ! house . Margaret was nevertheless lonely She longed for a little child to take the place of mm 1 814 the one she had lost . In the su er of a son , m John Taylor Sher an , had been born to her sister m 1 81 5 Eliza . Septe ber , , had brought another little m m boy , who Eliza na ed Rhesa Howard after Mar ’ garet s husband . She then allowed Margaret to take him the elder child and bring up as her own , which was evidently a keen pleasure to the young widow .

But before this time . a new actor in our drama had appeared on the scene— a young Scotchm an m na ed John Johnston . He had arrived in New York in 1 804 and had become a clerk in the counting house ’

m . of John Taylor s friend , Ja es Lenox Being a fellow

- m m . erchant as well as a fellow country an , he and Mr m Taylor speedily beca e friends , and when John John ston was compelled to leave the ! nited States in 1 81 3 becaus e he had not yet been naturalized and was “ m ” therefore Considered an alien ene y , he took with him a letter from John Taylor to his son James in

England , asking the latter to help the bearer in every “ way and to accord him his warm est friendship . We shall now see that Jam e s was not the only member of the fam ily to treat the young Scotchman with 1 815 cordiality . He returned to New York in and soon beca me very devoted in his attentions to Mar

m him . garet Howard , finally asking her to arry That she was in love with him is perfectly evident [4 1] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

— ! from her diary . But she hesitated What would her father say ? Although she had been m arried once

- l and was now thirty three years O d , she dared not

give an affirm ative answer till she knew his wishes . 1 7 1 81 7 m m m On June , , the fa ily oved to Bloo ingdale “ ” — m i — Sweet Bloo ingdale , as Margaret called t and “ ” : a week later she said Yes . In her diary she wrote “

My father has given his consent and cheerfully too , ” as I can judge from his behavior . Then she did a strange thing— she tore out of her

diary all the pages except the last one , the one which ’ tells Of John Johnston s courtship . She gave up all ’ m intercourse with Rhesa Howard s fa ily , and , even in after years , she never tolerated an allusion to her m m little Eliza . She wiped out , as it were , all e ories m connected with her first arriage . m 2 1 81 7 On Septe ber , , John Johnston and Margaret Taylor Howard were m arried at Bloomingdale Farm

d Off and rove to Hartford for their wedding trip . When m m 16 they returned , they ade their ho e at Greenwich

e Str et , a house which Mr . Johnston had rented for his bride . It was then considered a very pretty house m and though now so ewhat dilapidated , it still shows pretty details . Naturally it is not as delightful as it 1 81 7 was in , when its garden ran down to the river and furnished a fascin atin g playground for little m an m m John Taylor Sher , who still ade his ho e with

Margaret . In the spring of 1 818 they went to Scotland to visit Margaret ’s earliest h ome and to see her relatives m t in Glasgow . Her Grand o her Taylor had evidently died but the young people immediately called on [42]

O F S JOHN TAYLOR , GLA GOW AND NEW YORK

exchange m uch needed candles . Soon afterward they stood in toward Gay ’s Head to land a passenger ! 1 81 9 When in June , , John and Margaret reached m m New York , they again ade their ho e in Greenwich i 1 820 ’ Street , and there in Apr l , , Margaret s eldest son m was born . I ust not be led on indefinitely to tell of

Of Margaret , for after all , this is the story John Taylor , and details concerning his children are given primarily because Of their connection with him and in order m to m ake the picture Of his home life ore vivid . As he prospered in business affairs he m ade various purchases of real estate . As I have said , he lived during his earliest years in New York in the vicinity of the Fly Market near the foot of Maiden Lane , and he seem s to have purchased property in that m . m neighborhood In the early orning of Dece ber 9 , 1 796 , a terrible fire broke out in this vicinity and con “ “ tinu ed with its impetuous rage to baffle all human skill ” until forty buildings on or near Front Street between the lower end of Wall Street and Maiden Lane

had been consumed . It is rather interesting to notice

that of all these forty buildings , only one was built

of brick . Three of the houses destroyed are said to

have belonged to John Taylor . As early as 1 784 his home was at 225 Queen Street (known later as 1 83 and 1 85 Pearl Street) but he does not seem to have received a deed for the property 1 9 1 7 5 . 804 until In he bought the adjoining lot , NO . 1 87 m but , according to a custo which he followed m in other instances , he had the deed ade out to his

daughter Elizabeth and his sons Robert and Scott .

1 829 O In the city decided to pen a new thoroughfare , [44] BLOOMINGDALE FARM m Cedar Street , between Pearl and Willia Streets , and this new highway exactly covered the site Of Mr . ’

NO . 1 8 Taylor s three lots . For 7 the three children received from the city mm m m m His su er ho e , Bloo ingdale Far , was a c quired in 1 796. 1 805 In he bought a house in Maiden Lane , NO . 51 (deed taken in the name of his five sons) and for a number of years he gave the use of it to his daughter

Eliza and her family . In addition he was the possessor of a building at 1 2 72 Warren Street and a large store at South Street , to which he m oved his business in 1 829 . (The deed m Of m for this store was taken in the na es his sons Ja es , m John and Andrew . ) It was in the sa e year that he bought a house and stable at 23 Cliff Street . n We k ow that he owned , besides , two pieces of

ff . property at Su ield , Conn Here he purchased a well stocked farm w ith a house and household fur niture m , which he let his daughter Janet and her fa ily m occupy . In the sa e way he allowed his son Scott the use of a farm and mills which he owned near

Sufli eld . The Suffield home of Charles and Janet Sherman was the rallying place for all the nephews and nieces . My father (Margaret ’s eldest son) left m any records of m m m his good ti es there , but the ost char ing description ’ Of it was written by Thaddeus , son of Janet s sister Eliza

Their home was heaven upon earth . Photo graphed On my heart is the picture of the dear Old [45] F JOHN TAYLOR , O GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

K m n itchen , that , with its ho ely belo gings , ever held m m m for us a hearty welco e . But the sweetest e ories

Old fl are of the dear Aunty , who trod that kitchen oor

— usually with her hands full of dough , for in those

days doughnuts and milk were the chief of our diet . “ m Dear blessed Aunty , with her war loving nature , m her heart full of sunshine , her heavenly s ile and lovely

silvering hair , and a face that was ever a benediction . m m m If there is any good in us all , it ca e not so uch fro ’ Dominic s m the good old preaching , as fro our lovely ’ little Aunty s practicing . “ m In the winter, far labor being suspended , we had

always the merriest time of all the year . Then was the m m m ti e for weddings , the ti e for social enj oy ents , the m m m ti e for skates and erry sleigh bells , the ti e for the

quilting bee , the apple , nut and husking frolics and for

a thousand other country delights . “ Old In those good winter evenings , prohibition was

ru m unknown and not only cider , but spiced was very

O ru m freely discussed and speaking f cider and , how vividly I recall that when our consistent Puritan uncle (who then had the finest orchard in all Connecticut) m m beca e a strong te perance advocate , he destroyed his

e - m cid r ill , and cut down his splendid apple trees , lest he should be the means of m aking his neighbor to ” Offend .

m m Family tradition says that Mrs . Sher an ade all

the bread and cake with her own hands , and that when

O the house was very full , she ften used up a barrel of flour in two weeks ! Her sister Eliza lived at 51 Maiden Lane from 1822 [46] BLOOMINGDALE FARM ” m n until the ti e of the Great Fire in 1 835 . The Thaddeus Sherm an ’s linen warehouses were destroyed and after such a serious loss he decided to m ake his m m ho e once ore in New Haven , where he and his wife m had any friends and relations . ! ntil after her hus ’ m band s death Mrs . Sher an lived at 20 High Street and there , in her parlor , she was always proud to show the quaint little “ Piano Forte ” which had come so m m any years before fro Glasgow .

We have seen that John Taylor was generous to

- his children . He was public spirited as well , and as m 1 8 an instance of this we note that he beca e , in 20, one of the original shareholders of the Mercantile Li ’ brary Association for the use of Merchants Clerks and others . Another evidence of his generosity is interest 1 812 ing . During the War Of it was with the greatest difli u lt 181 3 c y that money could be had . Congress in authorized the borrowing of and toward this issue of bonds Mr . Taylor subscribed no um mean s in those days . John Taylor was destined to become for the second

m . 2 1 823 ti e a widower On February , , Jane Davis ,

fift - then in her y fourth year, died , after having been

- his wife for over twenty three years . I do not know

m m m me if it be y i agination , but it does not see to that he felt as tenderly toward her as he had toward “ ” AS his still dearer Margaret Scott . an indication m 1 815 of this I note that in an unproved will ade in , just before he and Jane sailed for England , he directed “ ” if that his Wife Jane should receive , she continued to be his widow , five hundred dollars annually , but [47] OF JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK that if she remarried she was to have but two hundred and fifty dollars and that this was to be considered “ ”

. m in lieu of dower But , he added , with what see s “ m Jane disatis undue severity , should y said Wife be fi ed with the provisions m ade for her and claim her Third part of Income Of my real Estate all payments Of annuity shall forever cease to be m ade to her by my Executors and her annuity be settled as the Law m ay direct for Ali en Widows; no compromise shall be m ade m ” by y Executors in that case . (How could she have been considered an “ Alien Widow ”inasmuch as John Taylor had been a citizen of the ! nited States since For three years after Jane ’s death John Taylor m m re ained a widower , but he ust have been lonely , as none of his children were then living at home . m w Margaret was arried , as e know ; Eliza and Thaddeus were at New Haven ; Janet and Charles Sherm an were living at Suffield ; James was about to m arry and settle down in Elizabeth , New Jersey ; Andrew was doing well in Liverpool , and it was said that he too “ mm m m was about to co it atri ony Scott , the m youngest of the all , was living on a farm just outside u ffi l of S e d . Robert was the only on e who was some m ti es with his father , but he was a sea captain by m m m this ti e and seldo at ho e . John Taylor was surely lonely . More than one of his children have told me the tale Of his third courtship and I give it as it has been nar m rated to e . The old gentleman was a regular at tendant at the Scotch Church in Cedar Street . It m see s that he had often noticed there a little lady, [48] BLOOMINGDALE FARM m i a dress aker , who sat in the side aisle near h m . She was a dressy little person , and one night when the service was over , he found her at the church door in great distress Of mind because it was raining and

m . ff she had no u brella He gallantly o ered his , and m m his ar as well , and escorted her ho e , but before “ leaving her on her doorstep asked , Wad ye like to ’ ” m O ? hae a ha e yer ain She was quite willing , and 1 1 826 ’ so , on May , , three years after Jane s death , and when the bridegroom was seventy - four years of

m . age , they were duly arried By way of parenthesis I m ust say that any one who notices the wording of this wooing will realize that John Taylor never lost his strong Scotch accent !

The new Mrs . Taylor was far younger than any ’

. m m of her husband s daughters I re e ber her well . When I was a child I was often taken to see my bustling

- m m little great grand other , who was so uch younger than my grandmother and who wore such gay and fl a m m yaw y cap ribbons , and I still re e ber one object in her house which was of the greatest interest and fascination for m e— a little stuffed dog which lay always asleep under her piano ! i Mr . Taylor was very happy with his third w fe “ and called her my beloved Eliza Over a year m after their arriage a daughter was born , but to the

o . great grief of Mrs . Taylor , lived n ly five days They had been married but three years when the m m city turned the out of their Pearl Street ho e , and it was then that Mr . Taylor bought a house and 3 f u stable at 2 Cli f Street . Here he and his wife lived n ’ m Of Ofl . til the ti e his death , which was now not far [49] OF Y O JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW 1 832 In May , , Margaret with her husband wo little sons went to Europe to travel for r m he ore , and it was during this absence that assed away . After a lingering illness he died

- m m oriz 0 1833 fi rst . e , , in his eighty year His l the Scotch Presbyterian Church tells us thai “ m an of incorruptible integrity and distiI ” m robity , which was probably ore strictly

m se [Ian such tablets someti es are . It also “ e had been a m ember of this church for alf a century . His grandson , John Taylor J “ l ll S wrote of him : He was a m an Of ear giou s convictions and the infl uence of his f! isible in all the relations and doings of life i mil - y , t he co unting house , and in his gener ” ourse with society . He was at first buried in his own vault u I

Iu rra l y Street Church , but after his son Ro ! cured a vault in Greenwood he rem oved the f m e his father and of his own other , Margar

this burial plot . Those of Jane Davis ap] ere left under the Murray Street Church ! ’ h e . d au te ars afterwards , Robert L Taylor s g Van aret Taylor Nest , wrote the following f her visit to this vault

My grandfather , John Taylor , I never

1 872 r¢ fe , but in when the Taylor vault in G f m t r f e e e y was opened I saw his co fin . i llen to pieces The face was w onderfu rve d and the thick silver hair combed

r ack (showing a fine forehead , both broad a [50]

O F JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

They left his sister, Mrs . Buchanan , and his sister — m m in . law , Mrs Tho son , living in Glasgow , the for er “ ” still in the Old place in the Dry Gate . Both old

ladies were then very feeble .

It was absolutely necessary for Mr . Johnston to m m m co e home im ediately . He was the first na ed of ’ Mr . Taylor s executors , and it was soon discovered that

ac the accounts of John Taylor Sons , as well as the m counts of the any trust funds in his care , were in well

nigh hopeless confusion . The heirs agreed to leave the ’ whole matter in Mr . Johnston s hands , but even the

handsome ledgers of hand - m ade paper had not sufficed ’ to keep John Taylor s accounts intelligible , and not ff it 1 840 withstanding strenuous e orts , was not until

that John Johnston succeeded in settling up the estate . Then the heirs in grateful appreciation of his arduous and tactful services presented him with a handsom e

pair of silver pitchers , which to this day are valued

heirlooms in the Johnston family . ffi One di cult question had to be settled . What was to be done with the Bloomingdale Farm ? A m fa ily council was held , none of the children wanted “ it , and it was decided that it should be sold , as there was no possibility of the city growing out to it for a century or m ore ” ! In 1 834 the executors sold the ten acres , with a block of frontage on both sides of i m F fth Avenue , for What would the fa ily m have said , or , ore startling still , what would John

Taylor have said , had he known that only eighty years later a twenty story skyscraper would stand on the green lawns of Bloom ingdale Farm ! Before I close this sketch you will want to know [52]

BLOOMINGDALE FARM

f airnoch the fate O C , the dear Scotch hillside which

John Taylor had loved ever since his boyhood . This , m as I have said , was bequeathed to Ja es and Andrew .

The land was in the care of Dr . John Burnside , who had always sent half of the income from it to John Taylor and the other half to the heirs of his brother m James . There was no encu brance on the property 1 0 except an annuity of £ a year which Mr . Taylor Of had been in the habit giving to his sister , Mrs .

Buchanan . She , poor old lady , died only a year after m her brother , but Ja es and Andrew agreed to continue m the annuity to her two daughters , of who one was named Margaret . ’ m m ir h— As for inco e fro Ca noc after Mr . Taylor s death there did not seem to be any ! Dr . Burnside died about a year after his friend , and the new agent appears to have been un reliable . James had perforce to leave the management of the property to his brother in

England, but Andrew was crotchety and hated to be bothered about it . He also hated to write letters i and did not even answer those which James wrote h m . John Taylor had left his undivided half of Cairnoch to his sons “ on the express condition that the said farm shall neither be sold mortgaged or encumbered in any way through the natural life of James and m ” 1 840 Andrew or either of the , and yet in Andrew sent word that he had “ never yet received a dollar on account of the Farm and that he should “ dispose of it as soon as an opportunity occurred of making m “ m sale . Ja es wrote back : I a not aware of ever having seen any title deeds of this property and am very doubtful if our fa ther held them in his possession . [53] O F JOHN TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

My supposition is that his title was derived , like ours ,

. through the will Of his father . I think he was not ” the eldest son . n 1 846 It was not u til , when thirteen years back m r m m rent was due , that Ja es eceived any inco e fro

this Scotch property , and it was probably sold soon 90 m afterwards . In 1 8 Ja es Scott Taylor or his son of the same name entered into a correspondence with i a Glasgow firm regarding Ca rnoch . They answered

that it had been sold long , long ago and was now the

M Gre or Of . c property D g , Solicitor , Glasgow , who m ay have been a descendant Of the M acGregors who ld were O family friends of the Taylors .

Here I com e to the end of my tale . It has been a labor of love to write it , but I have now told you

m - everything I know about y great grandfather , John

Taylor , about his three wives and his nine children , about Bloom ingdale Farm and the business of John m Taylor Sons , and , as you see , y little story ends

— a air h - - - where it began t C n oc on Carron Water .

YLOR OF NEW YORK

STON DE FOREST

i sti an Adam

P ARIS H RECORDS OF FINTRY

S DS F T S P ARI H RECOR O S . NINIAN

b . 1707 1 Fin lay James I Isobel T h omson

portioner of Easter Cringate “ d r f i an po tioner o Ca rnoch . I m Will prove d 1755 . t na es tu tors for his son John— An “ ” dre w in Lag Of Fin try (his ro er : ames son of de b th ) J ,

e se Wm . an e r ro c a d ( oth b ther) , d r an three othe s .

In Easter Cringa te or one r of Ca irn ch p ti o , which he sold to two ou sin s ro r c , b the s , T ay “ ” lors in La Of g Fin try .

17 7 b . 6 b . 1768 1 James William e le in am W S a a . I . ( tt d J ic , )

John (Carronbridge)

1793 l1879 1794 1843 1796 | 187E An d re w (2) Janet Rober t Lem m 1828 Fran ce s ! M In 181 Ch e s S m . 1 1835 e en , 4 , arl herman ( ) , H l Children : Childr en : Children : M argare S co M ar are S co 181 5—95 e en M arI a 1 836 t tt g t tt , H l , — 8 8 So h enr 1 81 7 88 m . 2 1 3 a E H y , ( ) , p i Jame s Ta or 1819 -4 907 hi ld ren : f yl , — ' — An re w Ta or 182 1 1 Susan 1 838 77 d yl , 9 , Jan e T — e 1 843—43 aylor , 1 823 96 Rob rt , arri e 1825- M ar are 1848- 19 H t , 89 g t , Eh z T - a a ylor , 1 827 87 J ane Ta or 1 82 — 1 0 t yl , 9 9 3 — John Taylor 1 831 1906 , Rob er Ta r 1 — t ylo , 834 9 1 — Roger , 1 837 4 6 W1lh am Wa 18 — tt , 39 7 5 Wa e r 1 84 3— 80 lt , Cha r les S herma n had two chi ld r en by a f or mer wif e [ y u n r a n a re ce t i ty in i talics . ” i town of n r a n d a m T a or of Ea r r e a ‘ g Fi t y, J es yl ste C ingat , wa s J ou n in r or of n r a r T r n o r or of an be f d the ec ds Fi t y P ish . he e is ec d A h T he . bi rth da tes a nd a ri ou s othe r deta ils seem t o oint t o the v ’p n and an m a T r his wife , J et Aik n . hei records a ppea r a m on g those 0

“ fi r u or na m in of ro r a r r f st t t ed the will his b the J mes , p o ti one o AP P ENDIX

LETTERS

D REV. AN W T MS N N W N A NS FROM RE HO O , E TO OF ME R ,

S AND T O HIS HAL - SIS A A S COTL , F TER , M RG RET COTT (MRS . K JOHN TAYLOR) , NEW YOR .

F 20 eb . , 1796. [T he beginning of this letter is missing ]

r n to him so on a s a an n to o r child e , l g we h ve ythi g u selves ,

a or o m an a n such w thy g dly will be blessi g about our house ,

o was a n to am r n J seph blessi g the f ilies whe e he we t, so I believe

Mr o . Sc tt will be .

a a on to arn r m Mr a n It gives us the highest S tisf cti le f o . J mieso

a ou am are all s a r th t y f ily o h ppy , p ovidence smiling so m on ou as to o ar n u n h a uch up y utw d thi gs , but yo k ow w o h th

a I — I ri ches i ncrease set not ou r heart u on them . s id , f , y p believe n r n M d ou or r . T a or are her s or a ou eithe y yl Of the W ld , but th t y

o a f m a r a — Y a o b th t ke the use o it , ke othe s h ppy ou h ve b th the highest rea son to bless God for his kindness in hitherto carry ing you so comfortably through as to temporal concerns — We

n r n a o r a on r a an u de sta d also from Mr . J . th t y u situ ti is ve y ple s t in n n n ar o r e . n a ar o o y u w house Buyi g such de h use , gives us e

A lan i ro f n T a or ou on t t ck . p spect o seei g Mr . yl y this side the

ne Min t r a for m e a a a r n m O r . I wrote to o p e ch S bb th du i g y

n n a n a s m n a o ra r I te ded bse ce , w rote m e his i d , th t I sh uld the

a a k n n on ro t ke voyage to Ny as a Jau t to Lo d , I liked his p o a a am to M an p s l ve ry well , but how could I leave such f ily the agement of my poor Wife for such a space of time as that would r r so on ?— I ar sa ou l equi e , also leave my Congr . l g d e y y wil [57 ] H OF JO N TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

m e n sa a o a m on a to k believe whe I y , th t c uld th t ke us Ny

a a a n m o a a ou a V in o r b ck g i , y Wife I w uld gl dly p y y isit y u own o an r a n n h use , but the dist ce is too g e t the expe se beyo d what we can afford

me in af a a on t Mr . T a or & o n . o ou 0 My wife j i s fe s lut ti s y yl . I rem ain My Dear Sister

r r Your m ost Affe . B othe

Aw . T HOMS ON .

F b 2 th 1 e y . 7 , 797 . MY DEAR SIS TER I suppose you do not recollect how long you had been

n for m a r f a n ar a n t n sile t, the C o ple t pe iod o lo g ye , we h d o o e

ra of a en rom ou a m or r r n n r sc pe p f y ; wh t is still e su p isi g , eithe in a o r r M . me o ou m a A y u Lette s to r Scott or , d y ke the le st pology .

n o r r as ou had ro on la st Wednesda but begi y u Lette s if y w te the y, as you were wont to do when in Glasgow I believe this shall m ake m e careless whether I wr ite you any news or not : because rom n am a t to a all r ou f this Sile ce I p Judge , th t I w ite y is little ’ r ar d — I ar m a r a n ow a Scott s eg de he y De r Siste s yi g , N th t

P ar n — so in a D d e a a n P et. a a n o is u g on , he h s t ke the S y , h ve I t ’ oo ro n h a n arm n f m e o re g d g u d , d I you withi s le gth o , w uld su ly m ake you beg P ardon — So much for an Introduction We wish you Joy in the Addition of a n Alderman to your

amil an ar a a a ou a f y, d e h ppy to he r th t you recovered well ; y h ve now got a large family M r . n ar t Scott e j oys his health remarkably well , appe s o be

r a n a n a an R a n ve y h ppy, diverti g himself with w lki g bout d e di g You very kindly propose to take one of our Children out if they would go to you : we are greatly obliged to you for the p ro — n a r posal . But ot one of them are any way inclined to such j ou ne ou no P r m r in a o y, y k w eggy is too useful to he othe , h use

r onl n r an to ar her on a whe e we keep y o e Se v t, p t with , Jessie ce s id

o The r ou av a ar she w uld go, but soon rued . t uth is y h e l ge

am l of o r o n t m ana r a a o n r f i y y u w o ge , pe h ps if little C usi we e to o out am on an re g g them, they would agree worse th if they we no way related [58] AP P ENDIX

An T a or dr . yl I think is also dying of a consumption he has a bad o an C ugh , d is much extenuated

I have just now learned from my Wife that your P apa has wrote you o r mo afl Y u s st y . A w . T S HOM ON .

22 July , 1797 . DEAR SIS TER

Mr n . Fulto (who will be the Bearer Of this) is a young

r m an o n out as a onar to K n Cle gy , g i g Missi y e tucky , sent out

our no o ou n n a n n i by Sy d , I h pe y will shew ki d ess tte tio to h m , r in k — N or . He was on a while he esides y l g bout Glasgow, I

o a a n Mr supp se well cq u i ted with . J0 8 . T aylers family Your fa ther all our family are well all o n in n M o to ou r . T a r We j i ki d l ve y yle family . Dear r Siste , ’ o r Y u s Most Afly .

Aw . T HOMSON .

K O THE FROM JOHN TAYLOR , NEW YOR , T MISSES MAR I! GARET EL A TAYLOR , GLASGOW .

[P ossibly summer of DEAR GIRLS I wrote you both fully p r the ship Francis on the 30th ulto since which nothing m aterial have occurred I think the Francis will be the best Opportunity for you to return if she does not s ail too early in the season for you if James prefers coming out

M r am n n n as r a not with . J eso I have o Objectio s he will p ob bly

m e Mr . a on like to come with Mr . Wilson I suppose J s will

l — n a o ur chuse a different vess also I wrote Mr . Bur side b ut yo

! T his letter m u st have been written a fter the hot press Bible was printed (1797) a nd before M argaret was m arried M argaret was

r i 1 79 a n n - e i 1 809 The r m a a n r n thi teen n 7 d twe ty fi v n . lette y h ve bee w itte r f 8 8 in the su mme o 1 0 . ’

f T a or ro r . Mrs . James T a ylor was the widow o John yl s b the [59] H OF JO N TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

P iano Forte I wish you to brin g me a good hot press Bible with the Ap y P s alms— and a few P salm B ooks for the church &c You must m ake my best respects to your Grandmother

Mrs ana two Aunts tell . Buch n that I have sent the paper

r to Mr . rn m an t under cove Bu side , I e if possible o write Mrs . James T aylor by this Opty but in case I do not you must supply

n all nf rm a a its place by givi g the i o tion w nted . I shall write you again before your leave Glasgow— possibly Oftener than once I am

JOHN TAYLOR MARGARET ELI! A TAYLOR

N A N W K TO N NS N FROM JOH T YLOR , E YOR , JOH JOH TO ,

GLASGOW .

1st n 81 Ju e, 1 8. DEAR SIR

a r r f 2 ff With much ple su e I eceived yours o 7th ulto. o the Hook : I now write agreeable to Your desire tho I h ave nothing ! mm n a M rs a r as n new to co u ic te . . T ylo h bee worse since You ’ ail now on ra r tho onfi n to s d but is c side bly bette still c ed Bed , and likley to recover if it is not the forerunner of some other

r m on can n disorde , this ti e ly disclose . She se ds her love to Margaret desires me to say that she is a little better than she

z n l was at last Interview . Eli a also se ds her respects . Al friends are well .

Yours Si ncerely ,

JOHN TAYLOR .

2 1 1 Sept . 3, 8 8. D EAR SIR Your Sundry favors from Glasgow I duly received and I am happy to fi nd that You Margaret is well— but I supose her funds are by this time pretty low therefore I Enclose a Bank

of a n ote the B ank of England for Fifty pounds Stg . which ple se

her hand to with my best wishes .

on Mrs T a or ane a . The sec d . yl (J D vis) [60]

H OF JO N TAYLOR , GLASGOW AND NEW YORK

21 Dec . , 1818. DEAR SIR Enclosed is two sm all bills Of Exchange value £71 78 Stg for the use of Margaret who I suppose by this time is not strong in funds unless You have lent your aid

o r n r Y u s si ce ely,

JOHN TAYLOR .

8 Jan . , 1819 . D EAR SIR I wrote You a few days ago p er the Ship Fanny for Greenock

n t m a f r ar ar n n o enclosi g wo s ll bills o M g et . the seco ds I se t t

r ar i a f n m a r Andrew to be fo w ded n c se o eed . I have just co e c oss

44 r n for her . another sm all bill of £ Stg . which I he e e close use

ar n h n n m I dare say you e wishi g er at home agai , bei g the ost expensive part Of your Luggage Business extremely dull money scarce Several failours

D n a and s ome ry Goods Scou drels by whom we get she ved .

This is all the n onsence I have to tell you at P resent . Re

ar member m e to M garet .

o r Y u s ,

JOHN TAYLOR .

IN B HANAN H N S FROM FLEM G ! C , 26 P ORT E RY TREET, I TO D 2 0 B D ST RLING, E WIN M . WIGHT, SOLICITOR , 8 ROA Y K WAY, NEW OR .

n 1890. 17 Ju e , DEAR SIR m ill h f n Mr . Se p as handed to us your letter to him o the 2 d

as r a a n a inst . desi ed we h ve m ade inq uiries reg rdi g the Est te i Of Ca rnock the T aylors who were at one time proprietors .

a n - r We h ve see several people from the C arron water dist ict,

r Cairnock a an a on n r whe e is situ ted , d tod y had a l g i te view with

o n T a or arron r a r arron J h yl , C b idge , D avid T aylor, W te side , C

r who are ran on f r E a r Crin at b idge , g ds s o the late John T aylo , ste g , who was at one m ro to ti e p prietor of Cairnock . He sold it the [62] AP P ENDIX

T a or of a a o 100 ar a T he a yl s the L gg b ut ye s go . T ylors of the

a r o n of o r T a r L gg we e c usi s the the ylo s . The T aylors we m et

o a are not a ar r a n r a on i A t d y w e Of thei h vi g el ti s n merica . T hey h ad two uncles who went out to Jam a ica but they cannot say

a am of m . Old T a or wa s marr h wh t bec e the yl twice ied . T e gentlemen we saw today are descendants of the secon d m arriage while the two uncles who went out to Jam aica were of the fi rst m arriage . We have not yet been able to get much information regarding the T aylors of the Lagg but expect to have a call on an early day

a are from a relation when we wi ll write to you ag in . We told however that there were two of them and that they purchased

Can you tell us to which of the fami lies your clients are related ? Where and when Andrew T aylor lived and died in this country ?

a on a a If you can also give us further inf orm ti we sh ll be ple sed . n w ro r or P . . Mc re or o or o . S D G g , S licit , p p iet

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