BIOGRAPHY: J. Swan TAYLOR, M.D., Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 288-91
____________________________________________________________

J. SWAN TAYLOR, M. D., is the third in descent from James Taylor, who came with 
his wife Elizabeth, soon after their marriage, to America, in 1780, from County 
Armagh, Ireland. They landed at Baltimore, and settled at Greensburg, 
Pennsylvania, but soon after moved upon a farm near Harvey's Five Points, in 
Westmoreland county. James Taylor was born in 1760; died in 1842, and is buried 
in Ebenezer church-yard. Elizabeth Taylor died in 1823, and is buried in 
Congruity church-yard. They had three children, two sons and a daughter; the 
daughter died young, and is buried by the side of her mother. They were 
Presbyterians of the most strict type. James Taylor had two brothers in the 
Revolutionary war. His father came to America to visit him before 1790, but 
returned to Ireland.
     James Taylor, the elder son of James Taylor, Sr., was in the War of 1812, 
and afterwards died in Pittsburg, while in active service as a soldier in the 
United States regular army.
     John Taylor, the youngest son, was born in 1788; was a soldier in the War 
of 1812, and died in 1853. He married Eleanor Miller, a daughter of Samuel 
Miller. She was born in Ireland, November 10, 1794, and died January 26, 1879. 
When she was but six weeks old her parents came to America, landing in Baltimore 
after a voyage of thirteen weeks upon the ocean. The Millers settled near 
Alters, north of New Alexandria, Westmoreland county, on what was afterwards 
known as the Rev. Milligan farm, but they soon removed to Indiana.
     John and Eleanor Miller Taylor removed to Indiana county in 1838; the deed 
for their land bearing the date of December 22, 1838. They had six children who 
lived to maturity, viz.: John M. Taylor, who died May 5, 1886; Samuel Taylor, 
who died February 23, 1895; Dr. James Taylor, father of subject; David Taylor, 
still living. David Taylor and wife celebrated their golden wedding on January 
11, 1894, Hugh M. Taylor, who died March 25, 1881, and William B. Taylor, still 
living. William B. Taylor and wife celebrated their golden wedding on February 
26, 1896.
     Dr. James Taylor, father, was educated in the common subscription schools, 
Blairsville academy, Franklin Medical college and Jefferson Medical college. 
Previous to entering the medical school he had read medicine with Dr. Edward 
Emerson, of Blairsville. True to the Irish and Scotch idea that every boy must 
have a trade, Dr. Taylor became a weaver, and there are still to be seen 
articles woven by him when a young man.
     He represented the district composed of Westmoreland and Armstrong counties 
in the legislature of Pennsylvania during the sessions of 1860 and 1861, and 
served on three of the important committees of that body.
     The history of Westmoreland county (1882) says, "One who served creditably 
in the legislature of Pennsylvania at a time when the commonwealth was menaced 
by many dangers, and the Union was threatened with destruction, was Dr. James 
Taylor, who is the most prominent physician in Ligonier valley." He is at this 
time (September, 1896) the oldest physician in the continuous practice of 
medicine in Pennsylvania, west of Huntingdon.
     Dr. James Taylor was twice married, first to Mary Matthews, daughter of 
Archibald and Elizabeth Matthews, by whom there were two sons; the elder died in 
infancy, and the younger, John Taylor, served through the late rebellion in 
company E, Eleventh regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer cavalry, and was discharged 
from the hospital in Alexandria. His second marriage was with Susan Mary Ogden, 
daughter of Colonel Amos Ogden, and occurred January 10, 1849, and by this 
marriage there were five sons, viz.: a son who died in infancy; Dr. Amos O. 
Taylor of Altoona, Pennsylvania; Jeffery W. Taylor, Esq., attorney-at-law, 
Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Dr. J. Swan Taylor, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and 
Dr. Joseph M. Taylor, of West Fairfield, Pennsylvania.
     Dr. J. Swan Taylor, by this mother is fifth in lineal descent from Dr. 
Joseph Ogden, who had been a surgeon on a British man-of-war, and is of that 
celebrated Scotch-Irish Ogden family of New Jersey. David Ogden, the eminent 
jurist, was born in 1707, and graduated from Yale college in 1728. He was judge 
of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and died in 1800. Judge Ogden's son, Hon. 
Abraham Ogden, was the founder of Ogdensburg, New York, and ranked as one of the 
great lawyers of his day. He was the father of Thomas Ludlow Ogden, who was the 
law partner of Alexander Hamilton, and the legal adviser of the great "Holland 
Land company."
     Major-General Aaron Ogden, LL.D., served with Washington in the 
Revolutionary war, was governor of New Jersey, and president-general of the 
"Society of the Cincinnati," from 1829 to 1839, up to the time of his death, 
April 19, 1839, aged eighty-three years.
     John Ogden married Judith Budd. He died in 1683, leaving to survive him 
four children, viz.: David, Joseph, Richard, and John. David Ogden died in New 
Jersey in 1767, and his will is probated at Morristown, Morris county, New 
Jersey. He had eleven children: Gilbert, Elizabeth, Nancy, Mary, Gabriel, David, 
John, Abigail, Dr. Joseph, Amos, and Nathan. Of David's children, Captain Amos 
Ogden was in command of the Pennamites in the Wyoming valley. Nathan, David and 
Gilbert were there also with their brother, Captain Ogden. Nathan was killed. 
Fort Ogden, at Wilkesbarre, was named in honor of Captain Amos Ogden. The name 
Joseph Ogden, as one of the slain in battle, is inscribed on one of the slabs of 
the monument erected at Wyoming to commemorate the terrible Wyoming massacre.
     Dr. Joseph Ogden was born in 1716, and died in 1768. He married a Miss 
Garrabrant, who died December 26, 1815, and Joseph (great-grandfather), who was 
born in New Jersey, and died in Ligonier valley, April 12, 1815.
     Joseph Ogden and Susannah, his wife, who died April 6, 1829, were among the 
first settlers west of the Allegheny mountains, locating in Ligonier valley, 
Fairfield township, Westmoreland county, then Bedford county. Joseph Ogden 
obtained his title papers from George Wood. Wood street, Pittsburg [sic], was 
called for George Wood, who laid out Pittsburg for the Penns. Wood was surveyor 
for Juniata and Bedford counties, was captive in Fort Duquesne, and bought his 
own ransom.
     Joseph Ogden built the first stone house which is still standing in 
Ligonier valley. He was one of the first ruling elders in old Fairfield 
Presbyterian church, and his name frequently appears in the published "minutes 
of Redstone Presbytery," and in the "History of Blairsville Presbyters." The 
history of Westmoreland county says of Joseph Ogden inter alia," Joseph Ogden 
was one who would not suffer persons to pass his house on Sunday on secular 
business without having them brought before a justice of the peace for violation 
of the law."
     Joseph and Susannah Ogden had ten children, viz.: Joseph, Jr., John, James, 
George, Armstrong, Col. Amos, William, Elizabeth, Mary, and Susannah. They are 
all dead. Elizabeth married Jamison Hendricks, uncle of the late Vice-President 
Hendricks, and died in 1857, and was buried at Madison, Indiana.
     The doctor is, on his mother's maternal side a direct descendant of John 
Barnett, who came with his family from Londonderry, Ireland, to Hanover 
township, then Lancaster, now Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, prior to 1730. 
Elizabeth Barnett, the third in direct line from John Barnett, married William 
Moorhead, and had twelve children, of whom the second was Samuel Moorhead, who 
was born March 28, 1769, and died March 1, 1853. He married Nancy Craig, who was 
the seventh child of Capt. Samuel Craig, Sr., a commissary in the Revolutionary 
War, having come from New Jersey to Westmoreland county about 1770. Nancy Craig 
Moorhead's brothers were General Alexander Craig, Capt. John Craig, and Samuel 
Craig, Jr., all soldiers in the Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812. Samuel 
Craig, Jr., was one of the few who returned from Col. Archibald Lochry's ill-
fated expedition in 1781. Capt. Samuel Craig, Sr., was killed by the Indians on 
Saturday, November 1, 1777, while in pursuit of his official duties at a point 
on the Chestnut Ridge in Fairfield township, about half way between Fort 
Ligonier and Pack Saddle station on the Pennsylvania railroad.
     Samuel and Nancy Craig Moorhead had nine children, of whom Elizabeth, born 
July 18, 1801, married Col. Amos Ogden, and died March 26, 1884. Col. Amos Ogden 
was born April 17, 1797, and died March 22, 1867. He was married December 24, 
1818, and had eleven children, one of whom, Susan Mary, married Dr. James 
Taylor.
     Col. Ogden lived and died upon the same farm, and in the same house where 
he was born. He was a remarkable man, an ideal of the old-school gentleman; as a 
husband and father, kind and indulgent; as a citizen, esteemed, respected and 
honored by all; and while no seeker after office, yet he was the recipient of 
responsible civic appointments; the first common school inspector in 
Westmoreland county appointed by the Court November 3, 1834, under the Act of 
Assembly of April 1, 1834, and the Republican candidate for associate judge of 
the several Courts of Westmoreland county, at the general election held October 
14, 1856; and as a military officer he was firm and decided, kind and 
forbearing, appreciating the responsibility of his position; yet he never shrank 
from the discharge of his duty.
     Dr. Taylor, the subject of our sketch, was born at West Fairfield, 
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and was educated at Fairfield academy, 
Elder's Ridge academy, Western Reserve college, Ohio, Jefferson Medical college, 
and the Eclectic Medical institute of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a member of 
Westmoreland Lodge, No. 518, F. and A. M., Urania Chapter, No. 192, Royal Arch 
Masons, Kedron Commandery, No. 17, Knights Templar, and Pennsylvania Grand 
Consistory, thirty-second Regular Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Mason. He 
was chairman of the Republican County committee of Cambria county. He located in 
Johnstown immediately after the flood of May 31, 1889, having previously 
practiced medicine at West Fairfield and Larimer station.
     On June 27, 1889, he celebrated his marriage to Miss Ella P. Gore, a 
daughter of Thomas Gore. To this union one child has been born, Amanda Mary 
Taylor.
     Dr. Taylor has been eminently successful as a physician by reason of his 
experience under peculiarly favorable circumstances, aided by his natural 
ability and skill and kindly disposition.