John Taylor (abt. 1796 - 1871)

Born about 1796 in County Down, Ireland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 25 Dec 1871 at about age 75 in Kilmore, County Down, Ireland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Eric Bain [send private message]

Biography

John Taylor was born in Ireland.

John was a weaver

Birth
John Taylor was born about 1796, likely in County Down, Ireland. He was a weaver by trade.

Marriage
John’s wife was named Mary (last name unknown). They wed in about 1820. They would have at least five children together in County Down between the years 1825 to 1835:

1. David Taylor, born in 1825 ^[1]
2. Mary Ann Taylor, born in 1827 ^[2]
3. Margaret Taylor, born in 1829 ^[3]
4. Robert Taylor, born about 1831
5. Anne Taylor, born about 1835

The Famine Years (1845-1852)
John and his wife were raising a family during the years of the Irish Potato Famine. We cannot know for sure how they were affected by the famine. Their daughter Anne and her husband would leave Ireland in 1860, likely as a result of the economic downturn in the years after the famine.

The years after the famine were ones of economic decline in much of Ireland, as the population continued to contract. As an example, Crossgar’s population (in the parish of Kilmore) in 1851 was 860 persons, but this would be a high mark. It would not surpass this number until 1971. ^[4] John’s son Robert was working as a labourer in Crossgar at the time of his marriage in 1855.

Kilmore
John lived in Kilmore parish (likely in the village of Kilmore) where he worked as a weaver. This according to marriage records for his son Robert and daughter Anne, as well as John's own death record.

There are two John Taylor in Kilmore village in the "Griffith's Valuation" which surveyed County Down in 1863-64. Both are on the same Griffith's record sheet for Kilmore village:

• One land record shows a John Taylor renting land (house and small garden) from Anne Taylor in Kilmore, Village of Kilmore (parcel 12), valued at £2 annual rent. ^[5]
• The second land record shows a John Taylor renting land (house) from Robert Brown in Kilmore Townland (parcel 9B, house f), valued at £1, 10s. annual rent. ^[6]

The next generation
On the 28th of December 1855, John's son Robert Taylor, a 24-year-old bachelor weaver from Crossgar, married 20-year-old Margaret Robinson from Kilmore. They were wed in the Kilmore Parish Church by Rev. John Mussen according to the rites and ceremonies of the United Church of England and Ireland. Robert's father is listed as John Taylor, a weaver. Margaret's father is listed as George Robinson, also a weaver. Their marriage was registered in the Downpatrick registration district. ^[7] Robert and Margaret would have eleven children together over the next 25 years. They lived in Kilmore where Robert worked as a labourer.

On the 24th of October 1857, John's daughter Anne Taylor, a 22-year-old spinster from Kilmore, married 24-year-old James Lowry, a labourer from Carnacally townland in the parish of Kilmore. They were also wed in the Kilmore Parish Church by Rev. John Mussen. Anne's father was listed as John Taylor, a weaver. James' father was listed as Thomas Lowry, a labourer. Their marriage was registered in the Downpatrick registration district. ^[8] Anne and her husband had two daughters together before moving to England in about 1860.

Death
John passed away from heart disease at Christmas in 1871. His death record states that he was a 75-year-old widower and weaver from Kilmore. Margaret Taylor of Kilmore, was the informant, present at death. This could have been a daughter or his daughter-in-law, Margaret (Robinson) Taylor, wife of his son Robert Taylor. John's death was registered in the Downpatrick registration district on 10 January 1872. ^[9]

Research Notes

The Famine Years (1845-1852)
The Great Famine or the Irish Potato Famine began in 1845 and was caused by a blight which attacked and destroyed the potato crop, the main staple of Ireland's peasantry. The potatoes rotted in the fields, leaving millions with nothing to eat and unable to pay their yearly rents to the landlords. Relief measures were introduced, but when the crop failed the following year, the crises became a catastrophe. Between 1845-1850 the population of Ireland fell from around eight million to about five million. As many as one million died from hunger and disease. Another two million were forced to emigrate.

The north of Ireland didn't suffer as badly from the Great famine as did the south and south west of Ireland because they were sheltered by the textile industry. But they still suffered. The effect of the famine in County Down can be seen from census records. Between 1841 and 1851 County Down's population declined by almost 44,000. Ulster’s population declined by 15%, all of Ireland’s by 20%. ^{[10] [11]}

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism of son David Taylor: "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007729399; FHL microfilm: 823636
   FamilySearch Record: F51Q-4Y1 (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor's son David Taylor baptism on 4 Dec 1825 in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland.
2. ↑ Baptism of daughter Mary Ann Taylor: "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007729399; FHL microfilm: 823636
   FamilySearch Record: F513-GG8 (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor's daughter Mary Ann Taylor baptism on 18 Feb 1827 in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland.
3. ↑ Baptism of daughter Margaret Taylor: "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007729399; FHL microfilm: 823636
   FamilySearch Record: F513-52J (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor's daughter Margaret Taylor baptism on 25 Jan 1829 in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland.
4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Crossgar," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crossgar&oldid=1088397281 (accessed July 11, 2022).
5. ↑ Griffith's Valuation Record - Village of Kilmore (parcel 12): Ask about Ireland (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation); Tenant: JOHN TAYLOR, Landlord: ANNE TAYLOR, County: DOWN, Barony: CASTLEREAGH, UPPER, Union: DOWNPATRICK, Parish: KILMORE, Townland: KILMORE, Position on Page: 39, Printing Date: 1863, Act: 15&16, Sheet Number: 30, Map Reference: 12 4.
6. ↑ Griffith's Valuation Record - Kilmore Townland (parcel 9B, house f): Ask about Ireland (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation); Tenant: JOHN TAYLOR, Landlord: ROBERT BROWN, County: DOWN, Barony: CASTLEREAGH, UPPER, Union: DOWNPATRICK, Parish: KILMORE, Townland: KILMORE, Position on Page: 32, Printing Date: 1863, Act: 15&16, Sheet Number: 30, Map Reference: 9.
7. ↑ Marriage of son Robert: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 3254310; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor, father of the groom in entry for Robert Taylor marriage to Margaret Robinson on 28 Dec 1855 in the Downpatrick registration area.
8. ↑ Marriage of daughter Anne: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 3271903; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor, father of the bride in entry for James Lowry marriage to Anne Taylor on 24 Oct 1857 in the Downpatrick registration area.
9. ↑ Death Registration: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 7199894; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 2 November 2023)
   John Taylor death 1872 (age 75) in the Downpatrick Superintendent Registrar's District.
10. ↑ ”The Famine in Co. Down, Ireland 1845-1850”, Rootsweb, Ros Davies' Co. Down, Northern Ireland Family History Research Site, https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/WORDS/Famine.htm
11. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Great Famine (Ireland)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Famine_(Ireland)&oldid=1097436696 (accessed July 11, 2022).

See also

• FamilySearch Person: G6WQ-R6G
• The Irish Potato Famine, YouTube video by Geographics, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKh71EHGXwI