Nathaniel Taylor (bef. 1684 - abt. 1710)

Born before 1684 in Scotland

Died about 1710 after about age 26 in Prince George's County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

1684 Birth

Rev. Nathaniel Taylor was born before 1684. ^[1]

1704 Presbyterian Church Leadership

On November 20, 1704, Col. Ninian Beall deeded a half acre of land out of a tract called Meddows located on the Western Branch of the Patuxent River in Prince George's County, to Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, Presbyterian Minister, for erection of a church. ^[2]

Trustees named in the deed include Alexander Beall and a James Beall, believed to be Alexander's brother. The deed was witnessed by Samuel Magruder. ^[2]

The presence of a Church of Scotland minister and the publicly recorded deed of Ninian Beall for a Presbyterian church identifying several Presbyterians by name, evidence relaxation of the religious intolerance of the Maryland Assembly of 1692 which restricted religious worship to the Anglican Church. As a consequence of that Assembly Act there were few Presbyterians in Maryland, and they self-restrained in open worship. ^[2]

Prince George's County Land Records, Folio 116b: Deed of Gift, 20 Dec 1704

• From: Ninian Beall, Sr. of Prince George's County
• To: Nath'Il Taylor, Minister of Gospel
• For a piece of money called a sixpence "I freely" give a half-acre of land being *part of a tract called The Meaddows on the Western Branch of the Patuxent River in Prince George's County to Nathaniel Taylor, to Robert Bradly, James Stoddart, John Battie, Archibald Edmundson, Thomas Beall, Sr., Thomas Beall, Jr., Ninian Beall, Jr., Charles Beall, Christopher Thompson, Joshua Hall, John Browne, John Henry, James Beall, Alexander Beall, William Offett, John Soaper and to their successors
• Signed: Ninlan Beall
• Witnessed: John Wight and Samll Magruder ^[1]

1706 Organization of Presbyterian Church in America

In December, 1706, Alexander Beall accompanied his minister, Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, to a meeting attended by six other ministers from Maryland, Philadelphia and Delaware. The purpose of the meeting was to establish an organized Church from among the independent congregations. That meeting was the beginning of the Presbyterian Church in America. Presbyterian Elder Alexander Beall attended annual meetings of the Presbytery in the years 1708, 1709 and 1714, and in 1718 attended the general Synod, successor to the general Presbytery. On October 11, 1709, Alexander Beall was again named Trustee for a Presbyterian Church when Dr. Mordecai Moore of Anne Arundel County deeded to Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, Alexander Beall, James Beall and others, as Trustees, a half acre of land on the Eastern Branch of the Potomac for a Church. That new site was more convenient to Alexander Beall, who as earlier related "lived halfway between Marlborough and the Eastern Branch," than the Patuxent River Church initiated by Ninian Beall in 1704. In November, 1716, Alexander Beall continued his missionary work and brought worship still closer to his home by Court registration of his residence on the Eastern Branch as a Presbyterian meeting-house. ^[2]

The church history of Alexander Beall establishes him as an early Elder and Trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and as a founder of the national Presbyterian Church in America.^[2]

See also Francis Makemie

"In December 1706...accompanied by his minister, Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, to a meeting attended by six other ministers from Maryland, Philadelphia and Delaware...to establish an organized Church from among the independent congregations. That meeting was the beginning of the Presbyterian Church in America....^[2]

1707 Beneficiary of John Smith, Planter

Smith, John (planter), Mattapany Landing, Prince George's County, Maryland 3rd Sept., 1707; 23rd Sept., 1707.

• To Rev. Nathaniel Taylor and to Mary, dau. of James Mullikin., personalty.
• To Ellen Mullikin, dau. of same, part of 110 A., "Thropland," bought of Capt. *James Keech; she dying without issue, to pass to Mary afsd. and hrs.
• To eld. and young. daus. of Richard Chaffy, personalty.
• To John, son of Jonathan Prather, and his hrs., 1/2 of 500 A., "Hope Yard," and 154 A., "Hope's Addition," both tracts on eastern branch Potomac R.
• To nephew John Bowie, land bought of Robert Brooke, part of "Brooke Wood," house and lot at Nottingham Town on Patuxent R. and personalty, including Scotch boy Robert Maconaugh.
• To wife Jane, dwelling plantation, 350 A., part of Brookfield," during life, land to pass to sd. nephew John Bowie and hrs, at her decease. He dying without issue., to pass to brother Thomas Prather,
• To wife and nephew afsd., joint exs., and their hrs., residue of personalty, including Betty Gard, Jane Gallary., Thomas Daniell and George Dunbarr.
• No bequest to sd. John Bowie to be sold without consent of Robert Bradly or James Stoddard.
• Test: Robt. Bradley,, Wm. Conly, Geo, Dunbar. 12, 150. ^[1]

1709 New Site for Church

On Oct 11, 1709 Alexander Beall was again named Trustee for a Presbyterian Church when Dr. Mordecai Moore of Anne Arundel County deeded to Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, Alexander Beall, James Beall and others, as Trustees, a half acre of land on the Eastern Branch of the Potomac for a Church. That new site was more convenient to Alexander Beall, who...lived halfway between Marlborough and the Eastern Branch, than the Patuxent River Church initiated by Ninian Beall in 1704.^[2]

1710 Death

He died 10 Feb 1709/10 in Prince George's County, Maryland -- death date based on his inventory. ^[1]

The appraisal of Rev. Mr. Nathaniel' Taylor ^[3] Includes a citation, by name, of 504 books. The appraisers were Robert Owen and Patrick Hepburn. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. Rev. Nathaniel Taylor. http://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I044345&tree=tree1. Accessed October 20, 2016
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} William Hunter McLean. Alexander Beall -- 1649-1744 -- of Maryland: One Line of Descent in America. Fort Worth: Fort Worth Genealogical Society, 1977, pp 10-14
3. ↑ 32C.159 I PG £72.17.10 Feb 10 1709