In an earlier article in this blog series I described the life of Robert Nurse.  He married Ann Jane Taylor at St. Michael, Two Mile Hill on 30^th May 1854, two months after his father Robert Nurse died. [1]

Ann Jane Taylor, Robert Nurse’s wife, was a descendent of John Taylor, the Landscape Painter. He was my 5th great grandfather.

In the previous article in this series I described the life of John Taylor’s father Abraham Taylor, who was a Merchant Venturer and involved heavily in the politics of Colonial Philadelphia in the 1730’s and 1740’s. In 1733 he was married to Philadelphia Gordon, daughter of Major General Patrick Gordon [2], Deputy Governor and effective head of the Province of Pennsylvania from 1726 until his death in 1736.

Abraham and Philadelphia Taylor had at least three children, one son and two daughters, as their baptisms are documented in the baptismal records of Christ Church, Philadelphia.[3]

Both daughters died during childhood, Isabella before her first birthday and Jane at the age of four, their burials also being recorded in the records of Christ Church. However, their son John survived to become quite a well-known Landscape Painter.[4]

Although John Taylor was an artist of considerable repute during his lifetime - Benjamin Franklin called him the best Landscape Painter in England in a letter he wrote in 1783 complaining that all of America's best painters went to Europe[5] [6] - very little of his early life can be learned today. We do know that he didn't attend the Academy, of which his father was an eminent patron - at least he is not listed in the rolls. Instead, he was most likely tutored privately, probably in Philadelphia, but he may have been sent to school in England. At any rate, he was still living with his parents when they returned to England in 1762, and it was to their house in the Circus, that he apparently brought his bride Rebecca Luther, after his marriage at Clifton on 4th June 1763.

Figure 1 - Paddlers among Ruins (Tate Gallery) attributed to John Taylor of Bath

Rebecca Luther was the daughter of Richard Luther, esq. of Myles's in Essex, and she was the last survivor of that family. Her sister Charlotte had married Henry Fane esq. of Wormsley, Essex in 1748, becoming his third wife, and after having two sons, John and Francis, died in 1758. When her brother John, who had represented the county of Essex in parliament, died she became, with her sister's sons, co-heir of the Luther estates in Essex.

There is some confusion about John Taylor's life during the decade of the 1760's. This is no doubt due to the fact that there were at that time two other artists with the name John Taylor, a miniaturist and a John Taylor, actually "Old Taylor" who did Drawing at the Academy in St. Martin's Lane.

However, he apparently lived at least part of his life in Bath and moved fairly freely in Bath's high society. This is borne out by a number of published letters dating from that time.

Tobias Smollett, in his book Humphrey Clinker, writes through the letters from Bath of his creation, Squire Matthew Bramble:[7]

"In the course of coffeehouse conversation, I had often heard very extraordinary encomiums passed on the performances of Mr. T----, a gentleman residing in this place, who paints landscapes for his amusement. As I have no great confidence in the taste and judgment of coffeehouse connoisseurs, and never received much pleasure from this type of art, those general praises made no impression at all on my curiosity; but at the request of a particular friend, I went yesterday to see the pieces, which had been so warmly commended -- I must own I am no judge of painting, though very fond of pictures .........If I am not totally devoid of taste, however this gentleman of Bath is the best landscape-painter now living."

These letters, while supposedly those of the fictitious Squire Matthew Bramble, are based on Smollett's experiences in Bath during 1766. While John Taylor is identified by initial only, others were more explicit in identifying him. James Boswell, who was in Bath on April 30th, 1776 noted in his journal:[8]

"Pump Room, gay. Breakfasted at Gould's, called on Sharpe and the Sharplings. Then to John Taylor's to see his pictures. Then to William Hoare's."

and Mrs. Thrale in a letter to Dr. Johnson of April 28th, 1780 wrote:[9]

"This morning it was all connoisseurship; we went to see some pictures painted by the gentleman-artist, Mr. Taylor, of this place."

The actor David Garrick also recorded his appreciation of John Taylor's abilities in a poem entitled, "Upon seeing Mr. Taylor's pictures of Bath and hearing a Connoisseur swear that 'they were fairly painted for a gentleman' ":[10]

Tell me the meaning you who can,

Of "finely for a gentleman!"

Is genius, rarest gift of heaven,

To the hir'd artist only given?

Or. like the Catholic salvation,

Pal'd in for any class or station?

Is it bound 'prentice to the trade,

Which works, and as it works, is paid?

Is there no skill to build, invent,

Unless inspired by five per cent?

And shalt thou, Taylor, paint in vain,

Unless impell'd by hopes of gain?

Be wise, my friend, and take thy fee,

That Claud Loraine may yield to thee.

David Garrick, who first visited Bath in 1766 and returned occasionally in later years, appears to have been one of John Taylor's closest friends, until the actor's death on January 20th, 1779. [11], [12], [13]

The American Revolution of 1776 and the ensuing Revolutionary War would probably have caused a period of relative hardship for the Taylor family. The bulk of John Taylor's estate, which he inherited from his father, was in investments in the American colonies. Exactly how much he was affected financially is difficult to assess, as the necessary documentation no longer exists. However, there are indications that he was concerned for his financial security.

In two letters to Benjamin Franklin in the early part of the decade, he expresses concern that land that he owned should not be forfeited to the newly independent government. He concludes one letter with the statement: "be assur'd good Sir not a thought ever enter'd my heart which could give a shadow to suspect my warmest attachment and sincerest good wishes to that country",[14] the country he had left some twenty years earlier and to which, he saw it, various unavoidable circumstances had prevented his ever returning. He also put several of his paintings up for sale, no doubt in an effort to improve his financial position.

Figure 2 – Duke Street Bath

During the late 1780's John Taylor moved away from Bath, living at least for a short time in Hotwells, in the parish of Clifton, Bristol. Around 1790 the family appears to have moved to London, with the exception of his mother who stayed in Bath, where she died in 1793. The family stayed in London until the turn of the century when they returned to Duke Street in Bath, where his name appears in the Bath directory. He died at his residence in Bath on November 8th, 1806, at the age of 72, and his death was recorded in the Bath Chronicle.

"On Saturday died at his house in this city John Taylor, esq. Upon subjects of science and literature few men were better informed, but his excellence as a landscape painter will long be known to the world, from the beautiful engravings taken from some of his celebrated pictures. His house in this city, some years since, was resorted to by all persons distinguished for talent and genius."

Figure 3 – The Family of John and Rebecca Taylor

John and Rebecca had seven children, three sons – John, Richard and Henry – and four daughters Harriott, Charlotte, Frances and Lucy.[15],[16], [17], [18] My grandfather's notes on the family tree indicate that Henry Taylor was the grandfather of Ann Jane Taylor, who married Robert Nurse, youngest son of Robert and Salley Nurse, and my great-great-grandfather.  I will describe the case for this conclusion in a later article in this series.

Apparently, two of John and Rebecca's sons became physicians. The eldest son, John practiced primarily in Dorsetshire, while Richard practiced in Bath.[19] John inherited from his maternal grandfather, Richard Luther, the estate of Vicar's Hill in Hampshire, together with a half share in the Alderton Hall and Hinton Hall estates in Suffolk.[20]

John also was adopted by his maternal uncle, John Luther, but after a dispute with his uncle, John Luther having no children of his own bequeathed most of the Luther estates to the children of his other sister, Charlotte, i.e. Francis and John Fane.[21]

Bibliography and Notes

[1] I have a copy of the Marriage Certificate for Robert and Ann.

[2] Chronicles of Pennsylvania, vol II, Charles P. Keith, Philadelphia, 1917, p686.

[3] "Records of Christ Church, Philadelphia, Baptisms, 1709-1760," Charles R. Hildeburn, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XVII, (1893), p357.

[4] An Eighteenth-Century American Landscape Painter Rediscovered: John Taylor of Bath, A. S. Marks, The American Art Journal, Nov 1978, pp. 81ff.

[5] Benjamin Franklin wrote in a reply to the Dutch Painter Jan Ingenhousz, who had written to him regarding the opportunities for employment in the newly independent United States - "Our geniuses all go to Europe. In England at present, the best History Painter, West; the best Portrait Painter, Copley; and the best Landscape Painter, Taylor, at Bath are all American.” [6]

[6] The Writings of Benjamin Franklin, A.H. Smyth, ed., IX, pp. 44ff.

[7] The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker, T. Smollett, Knapp, ed. pp. 75ff.

[8] Private Papers of James Boswell from Malahide Castle, Geoffrey Scott and Frederick A. Pottle, eds. (New York, 1929-36), XI, p. 267.

[9] Boswell's Life of Johnson, L. F. Powell, ed. (Oxford, 1934-50), III, p. 422.

[10] The Poetical Works of David Garrick (London, 1785), II, p516

[11] A number of letters between John Taylor and David Garrick have been published, and they demonstrate a deep friendship between the two men. [12], [13]

[12] The Correspondence of David Garrick.

[13] Other Letters of David Garrick.

[14] The Franklin Papers, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, Pa.

[15] The Will of Rebecca Taylor, dated 29 August 1821; Consistory Court of Canterbury Wills, Public Record Office.

[16] The Will of Jane Luther, dated 9 February 1787; Consistory Court of Canterbury Wills, Public Record Office.

[17] The Parish Register of St. Swithen, Walcot, Bath. Transcribed and Indexed by FreeReg (www.freereg.org.uk).

[18] Personal Notes of William Richmond Nurse, 1882-1937.

[19] Richard Taylor, M.D. lived for some time at 40 Green Park, Bath. He was interred in Clifton, 19/3/1860.25

[20] The Will of Richard Luther, dated 27 January 1768; Consistory Court of Canterbury Wills, Public Record Office.

[21] Burke's Commoners of England and Wales, Vol 4., p7.

In a previous article in this blog series I described the life of Robert Nurse.  He married Ann Jane Taylor at St. Michael, Two Mile Hill on 30^th May 1854, two months after his father Robert Nurse died. [1]

Ann Jane Taylor, Robert Nurse’s wife, was a descendent of John Taylor, the Landscape Painter. John Taylor's father, Abraham Taylor was a prosperous Philadelphia merchant and friend of Benjamin Franklin, before the American Revolution.  He was my 6th great grandfather.

It is through the Taylors that the Nurse family is linked to the Gordons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- a junior branch of the Scottish Gordon clan, and the Luther family of Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, an important family of that county.[2]

Burke's Commoners states that Colonel Abraham Taylor “was the lineal descendent of George Taylor esq. of Derbyshire”. George Taylor was a magistrate for the county of Derbyshire and an East India merchant. However, no other information is given concerning the ancestry of Colonel Taylor.

Abraham was born in 1702 or 1703 in England, and immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Bristol, entering into partnership in 1724 with John White as “Merchant-Adventurer" in the North Atlantic trade.[3]

The business was very profitable but in 1741, White, wishing to return to England sold his interest to Taylor for £7000 sterling.[4]

After John White had returned to England and established himself first at Bristol and afterwards, when he retired, at Croydon, Surrey, Abram maintained communications with his erstwhile partner and friend. In these letters there are a couple of references to the Swifts, who were the in-laws of John White. [5] In 1737 or 1738 John Swift had sent his children to Philadelphia and had then returned leaving them in the care of their maternal uncle, John White. When John White returned to England he left his nephews and nieces in the care of his partner and friend.

Abram Taylor moved freely in the colony's high society, aided no doubt by his wealth, but also by his marriage in 1733 to Philadelphia Gordon, daughter of Major General Patrick Gordon [6], Deputy Governor and effective head of the Province of Pennsylvania from 1726 until his death in 1736.

Burke, [7] states that Philadelphia Gordon was the only surviving child of Governor Patrick Gordon, but Keith [5] mentions that in 1726, when Patrick Gordon arrived to take up the governorship, he brought “five of at least six children then living” with him to Philadelphia. I have a copy of Governor Gordon’s Will and Administration, in which 6 Gordons are mentioned by name, Captain Charles Gordon, Archibald Gordon, Elizabeth Gordon, Henrietta Gordon, the wife of Robert Charles, Agatha Harriet Gordon and Philadelphia Gordon, wife of Abraham Taylor. It is not expressly stated that they are all children although both Robert Charles and Abraham Taylor are referred to as “my son”.

During his life, Abraham Taylor was to play a considerable role in the life of the colony and in particular the city of Philadelphia. At the time of the dissolution of his partnership with John White he was a member of the City Corporation, and on December 29, 1741, qualified as a member of the Governor’s Council, although he apparently looked forward to an early departure from the colony, complaining that its climate was ill suited to his constitution, and the place afforded “little of what is either entertaining or amusing”.

In the latter half of 1744, the position of collector of the Customs became vacant by the death of Mr. Alexander and having a deputation from Grosvenor Bedford Esq. (the titular Collector of Customs) he assumed the duties, “rather than a friend should suffer by the office being depreciated and undervalued since the commencement of the French War.” He held the position for most of the next 15 years [8].

In 1745 he was elected Mayor of Philadelphia, although he declined to serve his term, and was subsequently fined. He was one of the most active Councillors when, under Palmer’s presidency, the Council acted as Governor of the Province.

Figure 1 – The Family of Abraham and Philadelphia Taylor

Through these activities he formed a strong and lasting relationship with Benjamin Franklin. He was made colonel of the regiment of Associates for Defence that Franklin formed during the latter part of 1747 for the protection of Philadelphia during the Seven Years War,[9] he was a member of the subscription Library that Franklin founded with others in 1731[10] and he was one of the original trustees of the Academy, now the University of Pennsylvania, which was established by Franklin and some friends in 1750-1751.[11]

Abraham and Philadelphia Taylor had at least three children, one son and two daughters, as their baptisms are documented in the baptismal records of Christ Church, Philadelphia.[12]

Figure 2 – Christ Church Philadelphia

Both daughters died during childhood, Isabella before her first birthday and Jane at the age of four, their burials also being recorded in the records of Christ Church. However, their son John survived to become quite a well-known Landscape Painter.[13]

In the early 1750’s Abraham Taylor was in dispute with the Proprietaries (the descendents of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania) over some land, which he had obtained, when he had dissolved his partnership with John White.[14]

White had purchased 2147 acres from the Crispin family. William Crispin had been one of the original Commissioners appointed by William Penn to represent him when the province of Pennsylvania was founded, and upon his death Penn gave 3000 acres to his seven children. In 1733, a warrant to White authorized him to locate his land where he found a desirable place.

White had surveys made and patents were issued to him for 300 acres adjoining Richard Penn’s Manor. Later, for some unexplained reason, the Proprietaries granted the 300-acre tract to Peter Klop, Conrad Sharp and Henry Sellars. White was on good terms with Thomas Penn and made an amicable arrangement with him that White should have 300 acres of as good land in some other place.

When White and Taylor dissolved their partnership in 1741, the patent for this land fell to Abraham Taylor, as did a further 478 acres that White had purchased from the Crispin family. Taylor requested that the 300 acres as well as the 478 acres be located on a strip of land cut off from the manor of Andolhea, giving as his reason, that Conrad Weiser and Surveyor-General Parsons had assured him that he could get a good price for it. Thomas Penn refused to allow him to have more than the original 300 acres at that location, and Abraham Taylor refused to take any of it if he could not have it all there. This controversy went on for a number of years.

Taylor went to London in 1750, with the intent of selling his right to the land. While there he presented an elaborate argument to show that the southern boundary of Pennsylvania should not be south of Latitude 40º, and that Virginia and Maryland had a right to all the land below this line. He threatened to give this information to the buyer.

The Proprietaries declared this a dishonest attempt to force them to accede to Abraham’s wishes and wrote to Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton, ordering him to strike Taylor’s name from the list of the Council and to be deprived of all powers in the provincial government.

The Proprietaries had also discovered that Taylor had signed an agreement with Lord Baltimore to the effect that if the information to be furnished by Taylor was sufficient to establish Maryland’s territorial claims, he was to receive one-seventh of all the land thus recovered from Pennsylvania or equivalent compensation. Although the Proprietaries’ letter was to be forwarded to the City Corporation, Taylor continued as one of its members from his return to Philadelphia until his final departure from the Province.

On July 1st 1762, Abraham Taylor was guest of honour at a dinner arranged by more than a hundred of the most prominent residents of Philadelphia.[15] Soon afterward he returned "home" to England, like many others who had prospered in the North Atlantic trade. By this time, he was quite a wealthy man, and he settled down in Bath to live out his remaining years as the gentleman of means, he had become. The family occupied a townhouse in the Circus, which at that time was still under construction.

In 1765, the long drawn out controversy over Taylor’s 778 acres was finally settled. That year Penn agreed that Taylor should have the entire 778 acres where he had first requested it, but now Taylor refused to accept it and demanded money with interest. Two years more went by and the Proprietary, weary of the struggle finally capitulated and agreed to pay Taylor the sum of £788 4sh., for the 778 acres, and the long dispute was over.

Within 10 years of the family's return to England Abraham Taylor was dead.[16] His estate with the exception of a small annuity for his wife, passed to his son.[17][18] Although, he had suffered some financial setbacks after his return to England, his estates were still considerable.

Thus, his son John Taylor was a man of sufficient substance that he was able to continue his life as the amateur gentlemen artist, without any financial worries.

Bibliography and Notes

[1] I have a copy of the Marriage Certificate for Robert and Ann.

[2] I will go into more detail on the Luther, Taylor and Gordon history in future blog articles.

[3] The Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania, 1733-1776, Charles P. Keith, Philadelphia, 1863, p219.

[4] In a deed, dated at Philadelphia the 27th day of July, 1741, John White of the City of Philadelphia Merchant of the first and Abram Taylor of the said City Merchant of the second part agreed “WHEREAS, a copartnership and Joint-trade was entered into by and between the said parties to these presents in the year of our Lord 1724 as Merchant Adventurers, which they, the said parties, have ever since until the date hereof carried on by the name and title of White and Taylor, ..... And the said John White being minded shortly to remove out of the said Province into the part of Great Britain,” &c., &. John White for a consideration of £7000 stirling conveyed to Abram Taylor all his rights &c. to all lands goods &c. purchased with funds arising from his said copartnership.
Recorder of Deeds, Philadelphia, “Book G 2” page 463. 

The Swift Family of Philadelphia, Thomas Willing Balch, Pennsylvania Magazine of History, XXX, (1906), 129

[5] Extracts from letters of Abram Taylor to John White

Oct 20, 1741 to John White at Bristol: “Everything here is just as it used to be at this season of the year and the generality appear much the same as when you left us. But to one who has parted with an acquaintance, with whom he has had the strictest Intimacy, and the most sincere Friendship for so great a number of years, things appear with a different face. Pray remember us all in the kindest manner to Jack Swift.”

Oct 30, 1741 to John White at Bristol: “Thank God we are at present, well, which I know will give you pleasure to hear, as I assure you, it would afford the greatest to me to have the same account from you and that your voyage has been agreeable to you.”

Aug 11, 1744 to John White, in London: Dear Sir. My last was by Peter Reeve, wherein I inclosed you a bill of Lading for Pistoles and 8/8 to the value of about four hundred pounds, but to my great mortification I hear he is since taken by the French. This is not so great a loss but it might be bourne, had not a much greater immediately succeeded; two days after that bad news, the Tartar, a Privateer, a fine new ship in which I was interested 3/20ths overset in Our Bay, and is irrecoverably lost, together with eighty odd men who were all drowned, and upwards of a thousand pounds of mine along with her.

Mr Allen has just buried a fine child, which is a loss that sits very heavy upon him, and has prevented my knowing his thought about the proposal of selling your Land to him.

I have spoke to Mr. Peters about the Land in Right of Samuel Lee, and will take care to do what is necessary in it, of which I will write in my next, for at this time, I am too much mortified to say any thing more, except that I am Messrs Swifts and Dear Sir, Your most affectionate humble servant, Abram Taylor .

Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XXVII, (1903), p125

[6] Chronicles of Pennsylvania, vol II, Charles P. Keith, Philadelphia, 1917, p686.

[7] Burke's Commoners of England and Wales, Vol 4., p7..

[8] Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XXV, (1901), p576.

[9] The Pennsylvania Men of the American Regiment, William A. Foote, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LXXXVII, (1963), p35.

[10] John Dickinson, Historical Revolutionary, H. Trevor Colbourn, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LXXXIII, (1959), p278.

[11] The Papers of Benjamin Franklin," Leonard W. Larabee, ed. III, pp. 422ff.; V, pp. 8ff., 437, 513; VI, pp. 29ff., 71ff.

[12] "Records of Christ Church, Philadelphia, Baptisms, 1709-1760," Charles R. Hildeburn, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XVII, (1893), p357.

[13] An Eighteenth-Century American Landscape Painter Rediscovered: John Taylor of Bath, A. S. Marks, The American Art Journal, Nov 1978, pp. 81ff.

[14] Richard Penn’s Manor of Andolhea, George Wheeler, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LVII, (1934), p209.

[15] In an except from the Pennsylvania Gazette “An elegant Entertainment was prepared in the State House by a number of the principal Gentlemen of this City to bid adieu and to take their final farewell of Abraham Taylor Esq. late one of the Council; an Alderman of the City, and Deputy Collector of Customs in this Port, now going to reside in England. Upwards of One Hundred Gentlemen attended.” ²

[16] Obituary in The Bath Chronicle, February 27, 1772.

[17] The Will of Abraham Taylor, dated 10 Mar 1772; Consistory Court of Canterbury Wills, Public Record Office. (see Appendix A on Page 64)

[18] Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XXXI, (1907), pp. 480ff.

In the previous article in this blog series I described the life of Robert Nurse (my great-great-grandfather).  Robert was the youngest child and his older brother Samuel, was also my great-great-grandfather, as Robert’s son Robert Francis Nurse married Samuel’s daughter Sarah Elizabeth Nurse.

Samuel married Dinah Willis on Christmas Day 1848.

Figure 1 – Samuel Nurse (c 1860)		Figure 2 – Dinah Nurse

Dinah was the eldest of six children (5 daughters and one son) of Robert Willis and Dinah Leonard.[1],[2]

Willis [3] is quite a popular name in Hanham, most of the Willises being labourers or quarrymen. [5] Robert however, was quite well off, being classified, as a Yeoman in both the 1851 and 1861 [5], [6], [7] censuses and his will,[8] where he leaves most of his estate to his daughter Dinah Willis, Samuel Nurse’s wife.

Figure 3 – The Family of Samuel and Dinah Nurse

While both Samuel and his brother Robert had inherited the family malting business, it was Samuel who operated the business. Samuel and Dinah had three children a boy Robert Willis and two daughters Sarah Elizabeth and Frances Willis.

Bibliography and Notes

[1] Personal Notes of William Richmond Nurse, 1882-1937.

[2] Parish Register of St. Nicholas Church, City of Bristol, 1754-1812. Microfiched by the Bristol Record Office, Bristol.

[3] Due to the number of Willis families in the Hanham/Bitton area it has proven quite difficult to trace the Willis line back very far. Robert Willis and Dinah Leonard were married 24 Jun 1810 at St. Nicholas Church in the city of Bristol.

Robert, born 28 Feb 1777, was the one of eleven children (6 boys and 5 girls) of Samuel Willis and Sarah Rawbone, who were married on 1 May 1774 at St. Mary, Bitton. [4]

Samuel Willis was the son of Thomas Willis and Elizabeth Hicks and Sarah Rawbone was the daughter of John and Jane Rawbone (and the sister of Betty Rawbone who married John Couch and was the mother of Salley Couch).

[4] Parish Register for the Parish of St. Mary, Bitton, including the chapelries of Hanham and Oldland, 1571 - 1934. Microfiched by the Bristol Record Office, Bristol.

[5] 1851 National Census. Microfiche copy held at the Bristol Reference Library.

[6] 1841 National Census. Microfiche copy held at the Bristol Reference Library.

[7] 1861 National Census. Microfiche copy held at the Bristol Reference Library.

[8] The Will of Robert Willis, dated 19 Jun 1863; Bristol Wills, vol. 26, Bristol Record Office.