In many ways Henry Taylor is a pivotal player in my Family Tree research. In my article on the life of Francis Fane Taylor I mentioned that he was born in Farley, nr Salisbury and his father was Henry Taylor. I have also shown in my article on John Taylor - the landscape painter - that Henry Taylor was the youngest child of John and Rebecca Taylor. But how do we know that this was the same Henry Taylor. After all Henry and Taylor are both common names today and were also common names in early 19th century England.

Ann Jane Taylor was the eldest daughter of Francis Fane Taylor of Winsley in Wiltshire. In this article I will describe the life of Francis Fane Taylor, who was a farmer nr Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. Francis was my 3rd Great Grandfather.

Ann Jane Taylor, Robert Nurse’s wife, and my great great grandmother was a descendent of John Taylor, the Landscape Painter, so he was my 5th great grandfather. John was the only son of Abraham Taylor and Philadelphia Gordon - the daughter of Major General Patrick Gordon2, Deputy Governor and effective head of the Province of Pennsylvania from 1726 until his death in 1736.

Abraham Taylor was a prosperous Philadelphia merchant and friend of Benjamin Franklin, before the American Revolution. He was my 6th great grandfather