Sarum 105 Stoney Bank Road Thornbury Township HRP # 006
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Sarum 105 Stoney Bank Road Thornbury Township HRP # 006 Complied by Mary Sue Boyle and company LLC West Chester, PA 2014 Sarum Genealogy John Taylor was born December 22nd, 1639 in Seend, Wiltshire, England. He married Hannah Osborn in Alderton, England. John was first noted in the colonies surveying Cape Henolpen (Whorekill) in July of 1679; prior to the arrival of William Penn. In July of 1684, Thomas Callohill, the father of William Penn’s second wife, hired Taylor to survey 5500 acres he had bought from Penn. He received 18 British pounds from Callohill for the Taylor family to come to Philadelphia. Taylor received 400 acres as well and served as Callohill’s agent in the colonies collecting rents. John, wife Hannah and daughter Elizabeth and sons Isaac and Jacob arrived and settled on Tinicum Island with relative Christopher Taylor, owner of the Island. Christopher Taylor immigrated with William Penn on the ship Welcome in 1682, having received a grant from Penn as well and an appointed member of the first Provincial Council 12.14.1682. Christopher was President Judge of Chester County which he held until death. Upon arrival Taylor rented a parcel in 1685 and soon after moved to 63 acres in Middletown Township. There is no record of his completion of the Callowhill survey. He and his heirs paid quit rent annually until 1686. He also received 16 shillings 4p annually as agent and kept 5% of all rent collected on lands he surveyed. In 1686 John Taylor died and Hannah moved to Thornbury with daughter Elizabeth and son Isaac. Elizabeth married Hugh Duborow 1686, who was the first constable of Thornbury in 1687. They later moved to Philadelphia. 1687 a Joint petition was presented at Concord Meeting transferring membership from Philadelphia Meeting for John, Hugh Duborow and wife, and sons Isaac and Jacob Taylor. Isaac and Jacob were educated by Christopher Taylor, as he had run a classical school of great renown in Wiltshire, England and upon arrival, a school on Tinicum Island. Christopher also trained under George Fox and in 1652 became a Quaker and was a preacher of the doctrine as well, which led to his persecution and imprisonment in England and subsequent immigration. Isaac and Jacob were well schooled in astronomy, astrology, science and literature. Both were schooled as surveyors as their father had been. Isaac was educated as a physician as well and Jacob was a teacher. Jacob never married. At age 16 he was taught by Thomas Holme, the Surveyor General in 1689. Jacob spent many years teaching in Abington and later spent much time in Philadelphia teaching and in close relations with Ben Franklin and James Logan and the Penns. 1702 the Surveyor General of the province died of small pox and Jacob filled his position and was officially commissioned in 1706. The same year Jacob authored the almanac: Ephemeris Sideralis. The almanac was printed in Philadelphia and published annually until 1724. Jacob was a close associate of Ben Franklin and when Ben published his first Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1735, he credits Jacob for his years of dedication. Probably the only two books found in homes at the time were the Bible and the Almanac. Jacob surveyed the streets of Philadelphia. 1733 Jacob moved back to Thornbury to his nephew, John’s house that he always noted as home. He stayed in contact with his dearest friend, James Logan, Receiver General for the Proprietor. Jacob could have taught family members during the last years of his life however no records remain to indicate such. He took his life March 2nd, 1746. Brother, Isaac Taylor stayed in Thornbury and 1694 married Martha Roman and was first taxed in Thornbury 1696. He was a subscriber to Concord Meeting house erection in 1697. Martha and Isaac had 5 children: John b. 1697; Jacob b. 1700; Phillip b.1702; Ann b. 1705 and Mary b. 1706. His great-great- granddaughter, in 1783, noted Isaac’s High living in a superior house with a separate house for servants and his wife kept a dressing maid. His farm was the east side of Chester Creek. 1701 he was Deputy Surveyor of Chester County with brother, Surveyor General Jacob. He practiced medicine Lancaster to Philadelphia. Isaac surveyed the curved boundary that separated Delaware from Pennsylvania with the Delaware Surveyor General Pierson. 1701 he was jailed for 24 days attempting to lay out the controversial line between Maryland and Pennsylvania. He was appointed 1704-11 For Quit Rent Collections by James Logan and 1704-1722 was a member of PA Assembly. 1719 He was appointed as a Justice until death in 1728 and was also a Chester County Commissioner 1726-28. Page 2 Isaac and Martha’s oldest son John Taylor was the capitalist lightning strike of the family. We will refer to him as Dr. John Taylor to avoid future confusion in the genealogy. Born in 1697, he married Mary Worrilow Baker 1718. His father Isaac was executor with Joseph Baker’s widow of the estate and John became fond of her during the probate process. He was well educated and he also was a physician and surveyor. John moved into Mary’s house and remained there until his death. The Patent Map explains the dynamic of the area at the time. Dr. John Taylor resurveyed and bought all of Mary’s family (Worrilow) and Joseph Baker’s land in 1718 at the time of their marriage. In 1725 John surveyed 400 acres south east of this parcel. This may have been grandfather John Taylor’s parcel cut from the Simcock parcel, as there was no record of purchase for this parcel. This is the parcel that holds our Sarum Farm house and tract. He also buys in 1724, 180 acres along both sides of Chester Creek. These lands held the forge that was noted as producing product in 1721.These lands were all originally part of the John Simcock patent of 1,500 acres surveyed in 1684. Part of the Simcock patent total hold of 5000 acres that comprised most of Thornbury Township. If you notice on the north east corner of the map, there is another Joseph Baker large parcel, and John Taylor purchased this as well from Mary’s family in adjoining township. His brother Jacob also married Grace Worrilow, sister of Mary in 1728. During this time 1689 to 1720, it was most likely the time of the erection of the core structure for use by a family member or a tenant farmer on the 400 acre parcel. John and Mary had 6 children: Martha b.1719; Isaac b. 1720; John b. 1721; Phillip no date recorded, Jacob no date recorded and Mary, who died young. His home farm comprised 1,200 acres. 1720-1731 he was Sheriff of Chester County. 1730 to 31 a Member of the PA Assembly. 1741 to 45 Justice of the Peace. Mary Worrilow Baker Taylor died and in 1734 John married Elizabeth Moore, also a widow with land in Birmingham. John surveyed the southern boundary of the state and most of the lands in Chester County as a resurvey was started during Isaac’s term and carried through to John’s term as Surveyor General. He bought and sold choice pieces of land as he performed his trade. Dr. John’s main focus apart from Surveyor was Sarum Forge. Located along the Chester Creek near the intersection of Forge Rd. and Stoney Bank Rd. 1721 was the first record of the forge transaction for a pair of old plow irons and a pair of shoes. John Taylor surveyed the lands of Nutt and Branson, the iron forgers to the north in Chester County and later Potts (1736) and becomes engaged with Nutt and Branson. They all worked together to devise transport of pig iron to Thornbury to be processed into bar iron and cut these bars to suitable lengths for transport to market at Marcus Hook. 1742 the forge was functioning and the slitting mill was added around the same time. The first slitting mill in Pennsylvania, and possibly the colonies. 1743 a Tavern license was granted at the location as the route was heavily traveled. 1745 was the first use of the name Sarum, derived from Taylor ancestry in Wiltshire England. Son Isaac operated the family store at the site and later was the Merchant at Chichester, Marcus Hook’s port. For a mile along the Chester Creek there were “three stacks” of forges and slitting mills; a grist mill and saw mill in operation. Remnants remain today in the National Register District to the north of Sarum Farm. Initially Dr. John accepted barter for his iron for molasses and other food staples. While he was building his industrial operation on the creek he was also cultivating 1,200 acres of his home farm and produced export of flour, beef and pork. Sarum Farm was a contributor to this agricultural export. John lent money to Taylor and Worrilow Family members; he employed family members but he never subdivided his land. His marriage to Elizabeth was horrid from the get go. John was known to have a temper and chastised his wife publically for her extravagance and neglect of his interests and the childrens’ interest. They were both disowned in 1745 for these actions. John worked onward and at age 59 died suddenly in 1756; without a will. He had created a complex of agricultural and iron industry along Chester Creek that was key to the success of our early colonies. Elizabeth held his estate together until her death in 1771.