by Gayle Hix

Introduction

The information that follows was retrieved from our Norfolk tithables database of Taylor families. The information in the database was extracted from a three-volume transcription of the originals by Elizabeth B. Wingo. This database should cover all Taylor families in Norfolk County, Virginia during the period 1730 to 1780 with a thirteen-year blank spot between 1736 and 1750. Sons were reported out at age sixteen by their father or by their widowed mother. This database will give us a tremendous amount of family information provided we analyze it very carefully and thoroughly.

A recent query of the database for James Taylor produced forty-eight hits. The results of this computer study are grouped by primary area where these Taylor families lived. Some comments and questions have been added to this report.

Great Bridge Area #

There was a James Taylor in the 1750 Norfolk tithables living in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River (bk. 1, p. 214).

This James Taylor was still living in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1751 (bk. 2, p.1).

This James Taylor was shown next to Thomas Taylor, Sr. in an alphabetized listing of the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1753 (bk. 2, p. 58).

This James Taylor was shown near Thomas Taylor, Sr. and John Taylor in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1754 (bk. 2, p. 79).

This James Taylor was living in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1757 (bk. 2, p. 96).

This James Taylor was living in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1759 next to Thomas Taylor, Sr. and Thomas Taylor, Jr. (bk. 2, p. 154).

This James Taylor was still living in the Great Bridge area of the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River in 1761 next to Thomas Taylor, Sr. and Thomas Taylor, Jr. (bk. 2, p. 162).

This James Taylor was living in an area called Edmund’s Bridge to Upper Inhabitants in 1765 in the same household with a Solomon Green (bk. 2, p. 196).

This James Taylor was still living in the Great Bridge to Edmund’s Bridge to new Mill Creek area in 1765 next to Faith Taylor “for negro Sam” (bk. 2, p. 200).

This James Taylor was living in St. Bride’s Parish in 1767 “for Solomon Green” and had 260 acres. He was living near Faith Taylor “for negro Sam” (bk. 3, p. 30).

Taylor, (blank) and Taylor, (blank) were living in St. Bride’s Parish in 1774 (bk. 3, p. 226). One of these was probably James Taylor and the other was probably _______ Taylor.

This James Taylor was living in St. Bride’s Parish in 1778 with son Solomon Taylor (bk. 3, p. 250). He was living near “Sarah Taylor for Thomas Taylor” who had the negro Sam.

This James Taylor was living in St. Bride’s Parish in 1780 with son Solomon Taylor (bk. 3, p. 282). He was living near Thomas Taylor.

Note – The Great Bridge area was settled by the descendants of Theodore Taylor. His will, though largely unreadable, names at least two sons, William and Thomas.

Western Branch #

The (blank)es Taylor living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1750 was probably James Taylor. He was living between a Joseph Taylor and a Peter Taylor (bk.1, p. 203).

This James Taylor was still living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1751. He was living near Joseph Taylor, Peter Taylor, and Jonas Taylor (bk. 2, p. 22).

A new James Taylor was reported out by his mother, Mary Taylor, in the Western Branch Precinct in 1751. A Richard Taylor was also reported out by Mary Taylor (bk. 2, p. 21). Did James and Richard both reach age sixteen in 1751?

This new James Taylor was again reported out by his mother, Mary Taylor, in the Western Branch Precinct in 1752 (bk. 2, p. 44).

The previous James Taylor was still living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1752. He was living between Joseph Taylor and Bethiah Davis for David Davis (bk. 2, p. 43).

A James Taylor, Jr. was living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1753. He was not living close to any Taylor family (bk. 2, p. 60).

There were two other James Taylors living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1753. Both were living in the same neighborhood (bk. 2, p. 62). One of these would have been James Taylor, Sr.

There were only two James Taylors living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1754. Both were living in the same neighborhood with the other Taylor families (bk. 2, pp. 86-87). One James Taylor was living in the same household with Richard Bacon, Jr. and Esaw Dickason.

There were still two James Taylors living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1757. One was referred to as Senior (bk. 2, pp. 103-104).

There were still two James Taylors living in the Western Branch Precinct in 1759. One was referred to as Junior (bk. 2, p. 136).

There were two James Taylors living along the road from Portsmouth to the Western Branch in 1761. One was living in the same household with William Powell and the other was living in a household of his own (bk. 2, pp. 170-171).

There was a James Taylor living on the West side of the Western Branch in 1767 (bk. 3, p.18). He had a negro, Pattey, and 140 acres of land. One James Taylor had left.

This James Taylor was living on the West side of the Western Branch in 1768 (bk. 3, p. 69). He still had a negro, Pattey, and he still had 140 acres of land.

This James Taylor was living on the North side of the Western Branch in 1770 (bk. 3, p. 109). He still had 140 acres of land.

This was most likely the location for the James Taylor listed in the index along with four other Taylors in the 1771 tithables of Norfolk County (bk. 3, p. 153). Unfortunately, this page of the transcription is blank.

This James Taylor was living in the same household with a William Taylor on the North side of the Western Branch in 1773 (bk. 3, p. 198).

This James Taylor was living in the same household with an Isaac Taylor on the North side of the Western Branch in 1778 (bk. 3, p. 264).

Note – The Taylors at this location in 1778 were Thomas, James, Isaac, Arthur, William, and John.

Borough of Norfolk #

The first James Taylor found living in the Borough of Norfolk was in 1757 (bk. 2, p. 123). He was living next to Margaret Taylor who had negroes Sam, Whan, Violet, Jenny, Phebe, and Belinda.

There were two James Taylors in the Borough of Norfolk in 1759 (bk. 2, p. 146). One was referred to as “Mr.” And had four negroes. The other James Taylor was in the same house with four other individuals and three negroes.

There was a James Taylor living in his own household in the Borough of Norfolk in 1761 (bk. 2, p. 164). He had three negroes and was living between Margaret Taylor and John Taylor.

There was a James Taylor living in his own household between Church St. and the Town Bridge in the Borough of Norfolk in 1761 (bk. 2, p. 183).

There was a James Taylor living in the same household with Andrew Martin and eight negroes in the East division of the Borough of Norfolk in 1765 (bk. 2, p. 218). This James Taylor was on the list of carriages, chariots, and chairs for the year 1765 (bk. 2, p. 219).

This James Taylor was living in the same household with Andrew Martin, William Fousee, and ten negroes in the East division of the Borough of Norfolk in 1767 (bk. 3, p. 39).

This James Taylor was living in the same household with Andrew Martin, William Foushie, and nine negroes in the East division of the Borough of Norfolk in 1768 (bk. 3, p. 85). This James Taylor had one carriage in 1768 (bk. 3, p. 127).

This James Taylor was living in the same household with William Foushee, in the East division of the Borough of Norfolk in 1770 (bk. 3, p. 115). He had five negroes and one carriage.

This James Taylor was living in a household of his own in the East division of the Borough of Norfolk in 1771 (bk. 3, p. 148). He had six negroes and one carriage.

This James Taylor was living in a household with John Read on the East side of Church St. in the Borough of Norfolk in 1774 (bk. 3, p. 232). He had seven negroes and one chair.

A James Taylor was living on the South side of Tanner’s Creek in 1778 (bk. 3, p. 261). He had thirteen negroes.

This James Taylor was living on the South side of Tanner’s Creek in 1780 (bk. 3, p. 272). He had eleven negroes.