Disclaimer & Bowles DNA Project |
The Carlow Family Lists 1649-1815, p. 101 (which are bound within the Births
and Burials book; ref: Mm I M1 Ireland, Society of Friends (Quakers) Deaths)
state that Adam Taylor, son of Allen Taylor of Slamannan parish in Stirling,
Scotland, married Susanna Thacker, daughter of John Thacker of Castledermot,
co. Kildare on May 20, 1719 at Baltiboys, co. Wicklow and settled at
Ballinclay, co. Wexford where they had three children (John in 1720, Jane in
Jan. 1723 and Hannah in Jan. 1724) prior to moving to Ballickmoyler.
Allan Taillyor m. Jonet Adam of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland on 26 Nov 1676 at Falkirk (ref. findmypast.com) (note: Allan’s wife’s maiden name, Adam, further supports the possibility of their connection to our Adam Taylor)
Falkirk is close to Slamannan. The absence of that specific reference from the established church registers does indicate a strong likelihood that the family were non-Conformists. They were not likely Quakers at that point though as a comprehensive ledger of Quaker marriages in Scotland was kept during that period and there is no mention of any Taylors in Stirlingshire in it. The only Taylors listed were in Aberdeenshire which is far to the north. Likely Adam was convinced (i.e. converted to the Quaker faith) through some contact with a Quaker from the Edinburgh meeting. Why he left for Ireland around 1710 I can't even speculate.
I have no absolute proof of their connection but a William Taylor, a member of the Friends in Wexford, also produced a certificate from Scotland to the Carlow meeting to document his clearness to marry.
Adam and William's connection begins with the Thacker family of
Castledermot, co. Carlow. John
Thacker of Huntington, Worcestershire came to Ireland with his parents in
1657 at age 9. On Feb. 3 (3rd
12mos), 1677 he married Margery Sparrow in the Quaker faith and settled at
Castledermot. Amongst their
many children born there were Hannah born Nov. 30 (30th 9mos),
1683; John Jr born July 24 (24th 5mos), 1685 and Susannah born
Jan. 9 (9th 11mos) 1687/88. In
1711 John Jr married Hannah Barker, the daughter of one of the Quaker elders
involved in the wool industry at Balteboys, co. Wicklow and settled there.
After their mother Margery died at Castledermot in 1711 and John Sr
died in July 1714, Hannah and Susannah joined their brother in Balteboys.
In February and April 1716 William Taylor and Hannah Thacker appeared before the Carlow Meeting to declare their intention to marry. The minutes note that letters confirming William's clearness to marry had been received from the Wexford Men's Meeting as well as from Scotland and that William and Hannah were instructed to present themselves before the next provincial meeting. The marriage records of the Newgarden, Carlow Meeting show that on April 25, 1716 William Taylor of the Forest (Lambstown) Meeting and Hannah Thacker, daughter of John Thacker of Castledermot in the county of Kildare deceased, of the Newgarden (Carlow) Meeting, 'appeared at the publick assembly of the People called Quakers and others mett together to worship God in their publick meeting place att Newgarden and in a solemn manner he the said William Taylor takeing the said Hannah Thacker by ye hand did openly declare as followeth ... '. The witnesses to the marriage signed below their declarations. Edward Cooper was the first to sign followed by several members of the two Mens Meetings in one column, members of the two Womens Meeting in a second column and relatives and guests of the couple in a third column including Adam Taylor, Hannah's sister Susannah (who would marry Adam Taylor three years later), her brother John and his wife Hannah, a Mary Thacker, several members of the Sparrow family (their mother Margery Sparrow's family), etc. This is a very interesting document which can be viewed on the Quaker Source References for this page.
William and Hannah then settled at Ballinclay, co Wexford (about 5 miles north of Lambstown) where four children, Susanna, John, William and Mary, were born between 1717 and 1723. A Tutelage bond was issued by or on behalf of William Taylor of Ballinclay, co. Wexford in 1729. Typically this would mean that William had died and that there had been a provision in his Will for the creation of a bond to finance the guardianship of his children. However I can't find any reference to this or any other reference at all for him in the Quaker records so he may have left the faith after daughter Mary's birth in 1723. They may have had other children before his death.
So William Taylor from Scotland and then of Lambstown, co. Wexford married Hannah Thacker, daughter of John Thacker of Castledermot, co. Kildare at the Newgarden Meeting in 1716 and settled at Ballinclay. Adam Taylor from Scotland and then of Lambstown married Hannah’s sister at Balteboys in 1719 and also settled at Ballinclay. Edward Cooper was the first witness to sign William Taylor's marriage record (which was also signed by Adam Taylor) and it was Edward Cooper who gave Adam Taylor the opportunity to move from Ballinclay to Ballickmoyler in 1724.
However convincing this may be, a contemporary source record actually stating their connection has yet to be found. After that we enter into absolute speculation. For other ideas for their family connections to explore which could potentially add to this family history see Other Taylor Lines with Potential Connections to the Taylors from Scotland