Biography of Nathan Taylor

Contributed by Carol Blohm.

Nathan Taylor was one of thirteen children born to Daniel Taylor and an unknown mother. My 4x grandfather Obediah Taylor was one of Nathan's brothers. Nathan was born in either Virginia or Tennessee and lived for a time in Garrard County KY. He had two marriages in Garrard County, the first to Peggy Graham 20 September 1811 and the second to Charity Crandall 1 July 1819.

Nathan appeared in Garrard County tax lists for 1810-1811, 1813, 1814, 1818, and 1819 where he was taxed on horses and a slave in each of these years. In the 1820 census for Garrard County there are two men in the 26-44 age group in addition to other family members. By 1830, Nathan lived in Daviess County IN (county seat Washington) and was in the 40-49 age group, making his birth date circa 1788. Nathan was on the 1832 Daviess County tax list for 160 acres of land located in Veale Township.

Nathan died 14 August 1834 in Daviess County where there is a probate record for him in the courthouse. There are no records in the county to show a place of burial for him or any wife. Abstracted probate records at the Washington Carnegie Public Library state that he left three heirs at his death: Jane, Samuel, and John, all over age 14. There was no indication if Jane was a wife or daughter.

Seaton Taylor, a brother ot Nathan, also lived in Garrard County KY for a time. In censuses, Seaton always gives his place of birth as Tennessee. He married Sally Bourne in Garrard County 13 October 1814. His second marriage was in Perry County IN 1 May 1834 to Sarah Saltmarsh.

Seaton's children were from his marriage to Sally Bourne: Elizabeth, Louisa, Daniel, Margaret, Seaton. The three oldest children were born in Kentucky; Margaret and Seaton in Indiana, Spencer or Perry County.

Seaton appeared in the 1814 and 1816 tax lists for Garrard County. He was taxed on horses and a slave. The 1820 Census placed Seaton in Lincoln County KY. By 1826, based on circuit court records, Seaton was living in Perry County IN and appeared in the 1830 Perry County IN census.

By the 1850 census, Seaton was living in Appanoose County Iowa and identified as 60 years old and working as a blacksmith. The last census Seaton and Sarah appear in was 1870 Iowa. Seaton died 2 March 1865 and was buried in the Moravia cemetery in Moravia, Iowa. His gravestone gives his birth year as 1789.