Lt. Colonel Richard Lee Taylor

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of LIEUTENANT COLONEL. DAR Ancestor #: A112823

Richard Lee Taylor was an officer in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He was the father of the 12th President of the United States, Zachary Taylor.

Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1744 to Zachary and Elizabeth (Lee) Taylor. He was a graduate of the College of William and Mary. In 1769 he explored the Ohio River and Mississippi River with his older brother, Hancock Taylor, travelling from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. When the American Revolution began, Taylor became an officer in the Virginia Continental forces, and fought in the battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, Trenton, and White Plains. He was discharged as a lieutenant colonel.

Taylor married Sarah Dabney Strother in 1779. They lived first at his plantation, "Hare Forest". However, he had acquired 8,000 acres (32 km2) throughout Kentucky, and with the return of peace in 1783, he started clearing the land to move his family there. They did so in 1785, and by 1790 he had built his home "Springfield", known today as the Zachary Taylor House.

By 1800, Taylor had enlarged "Springfield" to 700 acres by 1800. He remained active for the remainder of his life in Kentucky politics. He donated 60 acres for the creation of Taylorsville, Kentucky, which was named in his honor.

Richard Taylor died in 1829 at the age of 85. He was buried in the family cemetery, now part of the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

Children:

1. Hancock Taylor 1781-1841
2. William Dabney Strother Taylor 1782-1808
3. Zachary Taylor (President) 1784-1850
4. George Taylor 1789-1878
5. Elizabeth Lee Taylor 1792-1845
6. Joseph Pannill Taylor 1796-1864
7. Sarah Bailey Taylor 1799-1851
8. Emily Richard Taylor 1801-1841

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Served under General George Washington in his company of Rangers. Came to settle at 'Falls of the Ohio' (Louisville) in 1785. Served as a Colonel in the First Regiment of Virginia in the Continental Line. He was a member in the Convention in Kentucky, 1792-99. He helped frame the first and second constitutions of the State.

Born: 3 Apr 1744, Lexington, Fayette, KY 660 Marriage: Sarah Pannill Dabney Strother on 20 Aug 1779 660 Died: 19 Jan 1829, Louisville, Jefferson, KY at age 84 660

Richard married Sarah Pannill Dabney Strother, daughter of William Dabney Strother and Sarah Bayley, on 20 Aug 1779.660 (Sarah Pannill Dabney Strother was born on 11 Dec 1760 in Rapidan, Orange, VA,660 died on 13 Dec 1822 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY 660 and was buried in 1822 in National Cemetery, Jefferson, KY 660.)

Richard TAYLOR [Parents] was born on 12 Apr 1741 in Rapidan, Orange Co, Va. He was christened in Grandson, Hancock, Lee, Sally. He died on 10 Jan 1821 in Near, Louisville, Ky. He was buried in Jan 1821 in National Cem., Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. He married Sarah Pannill Dabney STROTHER on 20 Aug 1779 in Rapidan, Orange Co, Va.

Sarah Pannill Dabney STROTHER was born on 11 Dec 1760 in Rapidan, Orange Co, Va. She died on 13 Dec 1822 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. She was buried in Dec 1822 in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. S married Richard TAYLOR on 20 Aug 1779 in Rapidan, Orange Co, Va.

They had the following children: President Zachary TAYLOR was born on 24 Nov 1784. He died on 9 Jul 1850. William Dabney Strother TAYLOR was born in 1782 in Rapidan, Orange Co, Va. He died on 3 Jun 1808 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. He was buried in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. William Dabney TAYLOR was born in 1788 in Fairfax, Fairfax, Va.. He died in 1808 in Unk. He was buried in 1808. Sarah TAYLOR was born about 1792 in Possibly, Orange, Va. William TAYLOR was born about 1786 in <, , Jefferson, Kentucky>. Hancock TAYLOR was born on 29 Jan 1781 in Possibly, Orange, Va. He died on 29 Mar 1841 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. He was buri after 29 Mar 1841 in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. George TAYLOR was born on 24 Sep 1789 in Possibly, Orange, Va. He died on 22 Sep 1878 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. He was buried in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. Elizabeth Lee TAYLOR was born on 14 Jan 1792 in Possibly, Orange, Va. She died on 22 Apr 1845 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. She was buried after 22 Apr 1845 in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. Richard Strother TAYLOR was born on 24 Sep 1794 in Lousiville, Jefferson, Kentucky. He died on 6 Sep 1829 in Unk. He was buried after 6 Sep 1829. Joseph Pannill TAYLOR was born on 4 May 1796 in Nr Louisville, Bear Creek, Jefferson, Kentucky. He died on 29 Jun 1864 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. He was buried after 29 Jun 1864 in Nation Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. Sarah Strother TAYLOR was born on 11 Jun 1799 in Nr Louisville, Bear Creek, Jefferson, Kentucky. She died on 6 Sep 1851 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. She was buried after 6 Sep 1851 in Nation Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. Emily Richard TAYLOR was born on 30 Jun 1801 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. She died on 30 Nov 1841 in Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky. She was buried after 30 Nov 1841 in National Cem, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky.

He was a Colonel of a Virginia regiment in the Revolutionary War and removed to Kentucky in 1785, where he purchased a large plantation near Louisville and became an influential citizen; he was a member of the convention that framed the Constitution of Kentucky; served in both branches of the legislature; was Collector of the port of Louisville under President George Washington; as a Presidential elector, voted for Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Clay. August 1st, 1792:

I set out to visit my friends and relatives near Louisville, to-wit, Colonel Richard Taylor, father of Major General Zachary Taylor, old Captain Clark, father of General George Rogers Clark, Gov. William, General Jonathan, and Colonel Richard C. Anderson, Surveyor of the Virginia Con. Army Lands, Colonel William Croghan, Surveyor of the Virginia State line lands, all these families I visited:- they lived East and Southeast of Louisville from 6 to 12 miles. Also Col. John Thruston whom I accompanied to Kentucky. The late Gov. William Clark, my travelling companion, was attached to the garrison of Ft. Jefferson opposite to Louisville. Commanded by Major Doyle, where I spent several days. A treaty was about to be held at Vincennes. General Rufus Putnam had taken an Indian prisoner from Ft. Washington and had descended the Ohio, and was encamped near the fort, the river was low and one of the flat-boats was wrecked in getting over the falls and some of the feeble squaws had to be taken from the boat on the backs of men. Among the invited guests of Major Doyle was Col. John Thruston as well as General Putnam, at dinner a warm dispute arose between General P. and Col. T.- the former asserted that the Kentuckians were more to blame for the Indian depredations on the frontier than the Indians were. Col. T. warmly resented the charge, and the altercation became so warm that General P. left the table without finishing his dinner and went to his camp. Louisville at this time was a small village, and I have no doubt I could have purchased the best unimproved lot in the town for $50. In coming to Louisville I had come via Danville, and Bardstown, the route via Frankfurt, Floydsfork, etc., being on a horse path and quite dangerous from Indians. Indeed about the time I got to Kentucky they broke up most of the settlements on Elkhorn near Frankfurt, four at least in number killed, negro man of Judge Junis's taken prisoner and carried off some of his horses. The prisoner was delivered about the time of Wayne's treaty. I saw him some years afterwards near the Judge's and conversed with him. About this time Robert Todd, one of Col. Anderson's surveyors of the Virginia Military Lands in Ohio was killed on his way to Col. A's office near Middletown in Jefferson Co. The report of the rifle was heard at Frankfurt, not a mile off; his horse came to the stable in the fort with his saddle bags, there was blood on his flanks. A party went to look for Todd. They found him dead in the bushes, a shot through the breast, about 200 yards from where it appeared from the horse's tracks, he had been shot. The Indians had supposed that they had not killed him as he did not fall:, he was not found by the Indians, he was brought in by the party and interred at Frankfurt, or more likely Lexington, as that was his residence. He was not of the family of Col. John, Robert, and Lewis Todd,- his wife was the sister of General William Lytle. Todd's Fork, a branch of the Little Miami was named for him. General Lytle succeeded him as surveyor and he and I became engaged in locating and securing lands in the Virginia Military District in 1795, and could for many years locate and survey lands in that district between the Little Miami and the Scioto for at least 7 years.

Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1744 to Zachary Taylor and Elizabeth Lee. He was a graduate of the College of William and Mary. In 1769 he explored the Ohio River and Mississippi River with his older brother, Hancock Taylor, travelling from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.

When the American Revolution began, Taylor became a 2nd lieutenant in the Virginia Continental forces on February 12, 1775, and fought in the battles of White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine, and Monmouth. He was discharged as a lieutenant colonel on September 12, 1781.

After the war, Taylor became an Original Member of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati.

Taylor married Sarah Dabney Strother in 1779. They lived first at his plantation, "Hare Forest". However, he had acquired 8,000 acres throughout Kentucky, and with the return of peace in 1783, he started clearing the land to move his family there. They did so in 1785, and by 1790 he had built his home "Springfield", known today as the Zachary Taylor House. Richard Taylor's grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery

Taylor was also involved with the Valley Forge Campaign. In the Fall of 1777 Thomas Shoemaker's Gwynedd township house was first plundered by Washington's army, then occupied by Taylor and other officers who kept the foragers away. The troops commandeered livestock and hay for the army. The troops did not even leave a milk cow for the family with small children and when they bought a new one it was taken too. However, this was stopped by Capt.Richard Taylor, Capt. William Cunningham and Capt. Francis Taylor (all from Virginia and part of Greene's Corp). They had the prime offender arrested on 24 October 1777, and made him run the gauntlet after which the families in the neighborhood were no longer bothered. Richard Taylor told Thomas Shoemaker, he had "been in nine battles and would be in ninety-nine more before the British gained the day." Thomas Shoemaker's land was the southwest corner of the intersection of present-day North Wales Rd. and Welsh Rd, just outside Lansdale Pa. (currently owned by Tom and Wendy Tracy)

During the Northwest Indian War, Taylor served as a volunteer in the Kentucky militia under Major John Adair. He was injured in a disastrous 1792 battle with Indians under Little Turtle near Fort St. Clair, site of the present Eaton, Ohio.

By 1800, Taylor had enlarged "Springfield" to 700 acres by 1800. He remained active for the remainder of his life in Kentucky politics. He donated 60 acres for the creation of Taylorsville, Kentucky, which was named in his honor.

Richard Taylor died in 1829 at the age of 85. He was buried in the family cemetery, now part of the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

References

• Wood, Trist. “Taylor and Jones Families.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 4, 1921, pp. 287–289. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1915338. Accessed 23 Apr. 2021

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Feb 25 2023, 18:56:02 UTC