Biographical Sketch of Abiah TAYLOR (Arrived in PA 1701); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Lew <smedley.george@att.net>

Copyright.  All Rights Reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
*********************************************************

Abiah Taylor, yeoman, son of Abiah Taylor, of Didcot, in Berkshire, and Deborah 
Gearing, spinster, daughter of John Gearing, of Stanford in the Vale, in the 
same county, were married at Farringdon in the County of Berks, aforesaid, on 
the 18th of the Second Month, called April, 1694. The bride signed her maiden 
name to the certificate of marriage. Tradition says that Abiah Taylor Jr., made 
some voyages to Virginia for tobacco, prior to his settlement in Pennsylvania.
Deeds of lease and release, dated March 4 and 5, 1701, between John Toovey, of 
Henley upon Thames, Oxford, citizen and grocer, of London, and Abiah Taylor, of 
Harwell in Berks, mercer, show that Abiah Taylor, having a reversionary interest 
in the estate of Joane Dew, consisting of a messuage or tenement in Stanford in 
the Vale, heretofore in the possession of Thomas Langley, and John Toovey, 
having 1250 acres of land in Pennsylvania, they made an exchange. Abiah Taylor 
arrived here in 1702, and obtained a warrant, dated 1-19-1702-3, to take up 500 
acres in Chester County. Another warrant was granted 2-6-1703, for 475 acres, 
the remainder of Toovey's purchase after deducting 25 acres for "Liberty Land" 
in Philadelphia. He had perhaps sold 250 acres unlocated, or otherwise obtained 
a warrant for that amount which has not been noticed. Accompanying the second 
warrant the following letter was sent to the surveyor:

letter (too many ligatures and strange fonts to copy), see page 80

In pursuance of the above a tract of 430 acres was laid out in what is now East 
Bradford township, through which the east branch of the Brandywine flows, from 
a little above "Deborah's Rocks" to a point about a mile and one-eighth below.
Near the upper end of this, on a pretty mound, Abiah Taylor erected, in 1724, a 
brick house which is still standing with its quaint narrow windows, which 
formerly contained lead sash and small panes of glass. A branch of the Brandywine,
from the eastward, flows close by and has been known as Taylor's Run, but recently 
the name of Lady Creek has become more popular. Abiah Taylor erected a mill upon 
this as early as 1722, of which the ruins only remain. His brother Joseph came 
from England in 1708, and built a mill on Pocopson Creek about 1724.

Abiah and Deborah Taylor had children: Ann, who m. Richard Barnard; Abiah, who 
died unmarried; Alice, m. to Daniel Hoopes Jr.; Deborah, m. to Jonathan Parke, and 
Samuel. The father died about October, 1747, and Samuel inherited the homestead,
which by his will, dated 1-24-1759, he directed to be divided between his sons.


This file is located at:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/chester/bios/t/taylor-a.txt