Person:Richard Taylor (8)

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Origins

Who was Richard Taylor of Sudbury?

Based on his 1677 marriage year, Richard is estimated to have been born about 1650-1655. But no birth record has been found for him.

As described in Taylor in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States, it has been proven that he was NOT the same man as Richard Taylor b 1652 in Yarmouth, son of another Richard Taylor (the "Rock" of Yarmouth).

Richard Taylor of Sudbury is much more likely to have hailed from a closer town than Yarmouth, and there were Taylors in Boston and Concord in the 1640s who could have been his father or older brothers.

Clue: His involvement in King Philip's War

The History of Concord, MA (Chapter XLIII, List of Names of Concord Soldiers in King Philip's War., p. 452) includes:

"... for services performed under Capt. Joseph Sill in 1675-76: ... Richard Taylor... In 1675, Captain Sill was engaged in service from Sudbury westward toward Wachusett Hill; and subsequently by order of Major Simon Willard he was employed in guarding supplies and in guard duty about the various garrison houses."

This is the strongest evidence of a town of origin for Richard later of Sudbury-- i.e., that he was of Concord. But other descriptions of the service of Capt. Joseph Sill indicate he pulled together soldiers from Charlestown, Watertown and Cambridge, as well; all of which had Taylor families in their records. ^{Citation needed}

Clue: Concord Vital Records

The Concord Vital Records describes several Taylor families, including that of potential brothers James (b abt 1608; m. Isabel/Elizabeth Tompkins) and William (married to a Mary some-say-Merriam). Some of James' and William's children are named in the VR-- but no Richard. (Note: Concord VR has missing records from the time period that Richard is likely to have been born.)

Concord William Taylor's Feb 1692/3 will is dated a good year before Richard's 1694 death and the will mentions by name his children. Richard is not listed among them.

A will for Concord James Taylor has not been found. However, a 1686 land deed of his refers to "my only son Samuel." See FHL #0554003, Land Deeds - Middlesex County, Volume (Book 10), page # illegible, dated 26 Nov 1686.

Clue: Taylors on the 1635 True Love

The 1635 passenger list of the True Love contains the names of James, William, Richard and Ann Taylor.

Clue: Taylors in Marlborough

In the late 1600s, there were several TAYLOR families in nearby Marlborough-- James, William and Ebenezer. A William Taylor is named in the distribution of Sudbury Richard Taylor's estate, but no relationship is given. This William is likely William of Marlborough married (sequentially) to four different women, and possibly son of William and Mary (____) Taylor of Concord.

Timeline

1675-6: Served under Capt. Joseph Sill in King Philip's War, and specifically in/near Sudbury. It is likely that during this time, he met Hannah (Rice) Ward, pregnant and recent widow of Eleazar Ward, killed shortly before Richard's stint in Sudbury. [Source: The History of Concord, MA, p. 452; Chapter XLIII, List of Names of Concord Soldiers in King Philip's War... ... for services performed under Capt. Joseph Sill in 1675-76: ... Richard Taylor... In 1675, Captain Sill was engaged in service from Sudbury westward toward Wachusett Hill.]

1677: He marries the widow Hannah (Rice) Ward.

1685: Paid a tax to support improvements to the Sudbury meeting house, along with many other Sudbury residents. (Town Clerk's Office, Town Records, Book 1.)

3 Feb 1687/8: A meeting of the selectmen: Srgt Joseph Freeman and Corpl Richard Taylor are chosen surveyors for the new grant fences for this year and till others will be chosen. (Town Clerk's Office, Town Records, Book 1.)

21 May 1688: Town Meeting: Corpl. Richard Tailor was one of many Sudbury residents disbursed money to in order to purchase "constable staves." (Town Clerk's Office, Town Records, Book 1.) This is also described in The History of Sudbury, Massachusetts 1638-1889 by Alfred Sereno Hudson (available on books.google.com), p. 269-270: "It is recorded in the town book, that, in 1688, there was a distribution of the stock of ammunition. The following statement is accompanied by a list of persons who took the stock in charge:-- 'The names of those persons as have taken the public stock of ammunition into their hands, and have agreed to respond for the same in case that it be not spent in real service in the resistance of the enemy are as followeth... Corp. Richard Taylor."

January 1689: List of persons as have taken the public stock of ammunition into their handsand have engaged to respond for the same in case that it be not spent in real service in the resistance of the enemy.... Corpl. Richard Tailor.

16 Apr 1690: The selectmen of Sudbury received a warrant from the selectmen of Watertown to go on parambulation and accordingly our selectmen chose forthwith... For our norwest line nest Stow ... Corp. Richard Tailor.

2 Mar 1693: Sudbury Freeholders meeting. Ser. Richard Tailor was selected constable for the west side of the river.

30 Mar 1693: Selectmen's Meeting: It was voted and ordered and agreed that the present after named we chosen to serve in their respective places appointed... For the norwest line next Stow: Srgt Rich. Taylor... And for the norwest corner of the town: Sart. Tailor...

6 Apr 1693: Selectman's meeting: The King tax was made and transmitted to the Constables: Sart. Tailor and Mr. Rice; warrant granted by the Clerk by order of the selectment to constables Tailor to warn Mary Pope out of town.

16 Jun 1693: Tax receipts Sudbury to Province: Charlestown: Then received of Richard Tailor, constable of Sudbury, the sum of thirty pounds, in part of said Town last assessment.

5 Jul 1693: Tax Receipts - Sudbury to County: Received the 5 of July 1693 of Richard Taylor, Constable for Sudbury, forty six shilings and six pence in money and Rec'd...

16 Oct 1693: Town Meeting: [he was still Seargeant Tailor and constable of Sudbury.]

18 Jan 1694: Selectman's meeting. Sargeant Richard Taylor was ordered to pay unto Sart. Joseph Freeman forty shillings in money for his semis [?] at the same time with Deacon Haines. [RT was also still constable as referenced later in this same document.]

10 Mar 1694: Among many other residents of Sudbury, contributed a tax to pay for repair of bridges - Sartt Richard Tailor

30 Mar 1694: Tax receipts to province: Received of Mr. Samuel Howe, Constable of Sudbury, by the hands of Mr. Richard Taylor, sixteen pounds by discount of orders... pt of sd town assessments. Rec'd for Mr. James Taylor, Treas.: Jeremiah Allen.

9 July 1694: He dies.

Legacy

Excerpted from: Bullard and Allied Families, p. 122:
Richard Taylor, among the first of the name in America, was an early settler in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where he died, July 9, 1694... He died intestate, and in the settlement of his estate the Probate records (Middlesex, Vol. 8, p. 785) show a division of "the widow's thirds of ye movable estate" and to "Richard Taylor, his double portion," but "to our best judgment, the children being numerous, if ye lands should be divided into so many shares it would tend to ye spoiling of the whole, and the two eldest sons, Richard Taylor and John Taylor, being willing, with the consent of ye mother and ye rest of the children, to take the two thirds of ye land and housing into their hands, paying ye rest of the children legacies as ye law directs." The children of Richard and Hannah (Rice) Ward Taylor who shared in the estate were:

1. Hannah, b. 1676, the posthumous daughter of Eleazer Ward, first husband of Hannah Rice, but brought up with her half brothers and sisters and shared in her stepfather's estate. She married John Cobleigh, b. Jan 4. 1672-3, son of John and Mary Cobleigh of Swansea, Mass. (V.R., Littleton, Mass.)
2. Richard, b. Aug 15, 1678
3. John, b. Apr 27, 1680; d. in Medfield, Mass, 1745; m. Sept 8, 1725 Hannah Ellis
4. Anna, b. May 1, 1684
5. Lydia, b. Jun 11, 1686
6. Elizabeth, b. ...
7. Caleb, b. ...
8. Jonathan, b. .... ; mentioned in the settlement of the estate.

[end excerpt from Bullard and Allied Families, p. 122.]

See Transcription of the Settlement of Richard Taylor's Estate

From History of Westminster, Massachusetts, pp. 53-54: Chapter V - Narragansatt No. 2 Names of grantees... [Apparently the original grantees were soldiers who fought in King Phillip's war-- or at least those with a star by their name engaged in the "Swamp Fight" of Dec. 19, 1675.] Sudbury: Home Lot #67. Richard Taylor, for his father, Richard.[no star]