William Taylor1

(circa March 1749 - after 1799)
FatherWilliam Taylor (say 1725 - aft. Dec 1771); this assumes that William the cautioner for the man at the marriage of William and Isabella Finlayson is William's father, as he is highly unlikely to be his brother!2,3
MotherJanet Smith2 (say 1725 - )
Relationship5th great-grandfather of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     William Taylor was born cir. Mar 1749 Wester Watten, CAI, SCT.3,2 He was baptized on 19 Mar 1749 Watten, Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT; entry reads: Watten 19 Mar 1749 William Taylor in Wester Watten presented a child to be baptized begotten in lawful wedlock betwixt him and Janet Smith his spouse, called William witnesses are Archibald Cormack and John Sutherland (?younger?) in Wester Watten (igi has both birth and chr same date.)2,4
     William Taylor married Isabella Finlayson, daughter of James Finlayson, on 8 Dec 1771 Par. of Bower, CAI, SCT, entry reads: Dec 8th 1771.William Taylor & Isobel Finlayson both of Clayach gave in their names as matrimonially contracted in order to have proclamation of banns. As cautioners William Taylor for the man and James Finlayson for the woman (assumed to be respective fathers given the naming pattern of the subsequent children.)5
     William Taylor and Margaret Campbell were assumed not be be married as their daughter Margaret was described as their "natural daughter" on her baptism in 1799, and William had a later daughter (Christina, 1804) whose death cert gave her mother as Isabella Finlayson, his wife since 1771.6
     William Taylor died aft. 1799 ?Clayock, Par. of Bower, CAI, SCT; (ie shown as deceased when son William died, which isn't surprising as he would be well over a hundred by then.)1
     Having been recently prompted to re-visit this family by Jocelyn in search of her ancestor, Henderson Taylor, I have checked a few more marriages and baptisms, and come to the conclusion that Jean & William Taylor children of William Taylor and Janet Smith of Wester Watten, are indeed the ones who marr. David McBeath, and Isabella Finlayson respectively. This is based on assorted events being recorded in Clayoch, each family being witnesses and cautioners for assorted family baptisms and marriages, and naming pattern for children.7

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Fr Oct 1772 - Mar 1784 William Taylor and Isabella Finlayson were living Clayach, Par. of Bower, CAI, SCT, where Clayock is variously spelt Clayach, Clayack, Cleog and Clayock.8 William Taylor was described as a "farmer, dec" on his son William's dth cert in 1860 CAI, SCT.1

All the other info

     William Taylor and Donald Taylor Bower, CAI, SCT, in 1776 were possibly related as Donald was witness to chr of William's son Donald.9 William Taylor witnessed the baptism of George McBeath on 24 Jun 1776 Par. of Bower, CAI, SCT; entry reads: Jun 24th 1776 David McBeth in Cleog had by Jane Taylor his wife a child, baptised his name George. Wit. James McBeth and William Taylor (assumed by location to be the one mar. to Isabella Finlayson.10) William Taylor witnessed the baptism of James McBeath on 15 May 1783 Par. of Bower, CAI; entry reads: 1783 May 15th David Mackbeath in Clayock had by his wife Jean Taylor a child baptized named James the witnesses .... and William Taylor in Clayock.9
     Clayock is derived from (Gaelic) Cliathach = slope; or (Norse) hlith-akr = hillside field. Also reported as Claok 1561, Cloak 1561-6.11

External links

     Click here to see William's page on WikiTree, a (free) collaborative on-line tree.12

Family 1

Isabella Finlayson (say 1751 - aft. 1784)
Children
  • William Taylor1 (Oct 1772 - Feb 1860)
  • James Taylor13,14 (cir. May 1774 - bet. 1810 - 1841)
  • Donald Taylor15,16,17 (cir. Aug 1776 - Jul 1861)
  • male Taylor (Jul 1781 - )
  • Elizabeth Taylor (Mar 1784 - )

Family 2

Margaret Campbell (bef. 1779 - )
Child
ChartsMy pedigree chart
Paternal ancestors of Lorna
Paternal timeline
TAYLOR

My Caithness ancestors

Last Edited28 Jul 2018

Citations

  1. William TAYLOR, DC TAYLOR, William 1860 Halkirk.
  2. Birth baptism marriage: Watten, CAI Dist 43/2, Bap 1749 William TAYLOR, extracted Nov 2003.
  3. Births marriages deaths: Wick, CAI, SCT, Mar. 1771 William TAYLOR Isabella FINLAYSON, extracted Sep/Oct 1994/5.
  4. TAYLOR, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Batch 7333228-94-934267 (TAYLER) and Batch 447912-?-67281 (TAYLOR).
  5. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Marr. 1771 William TAYLOR Isabella FINLAYSON, extracted Sep/Oct 1994/5.
  6. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Baptism 1799 Margaret TAYLOR, transcr. Sep 1994.
  7. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Aug 2008.
  8. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, TAYLOR/FINLAYSON baptisms, trans. by L McIntosh 1994.
  9. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, transcribed L McIntosh 1994 in srceuk.doc.
  10. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Bap. 24 Jun 1776 George s/o David McBETH & Jane TAYLOR, Cleog, transcribed L McIntosh 1994 (in srceuk.doc).
  11. Misc. corres. and web searches, CAI, SCT Origins of Caithness Placenames: http://www.btinternet.com/~murray.groat/Sinclair/…, extracted Aug 2003.
  12. WikiTree online at http://WikiTree.com/, Oct 2011.
  13. J ROSE, "EM TAYLOR, Wm Henderson," e-mail to L McIntosh, Jan 1999, Rcvd Aug 2008.
  14. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Bap. 26 May 1774 James s/o William TAYLOR & Isobel FINLASYON, of Clayoch, Bower, CAI, transcribed L McIntosh 1994.
  15. TAYLOR, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Bap. 1776 Donald to William TAYLOR & Isobel FINLAYSON, batch C110342, Bower, extracted c 1993.
  16. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Bap. 1776 Donald to William TAYLOR & Isobel FINLAYSON, extracted c 1993.
  17. BDM: CAI, 1861 Film 224395, Dth 1861 Donald TAYLOR, extracted Apr 1994.
  18. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Baptism 1799 Margaret TAYLOR, natural daughter of William Taylor (Cleag) & Margaret Campbell, transcr. Sep 1994.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.