John W. Taylor... Abolitionist

John W. Taylor (1784-1854)

3rd Cousin

Common 9th Great Grandfather: Edward Taylor "the Emigrant"

John served as Representative from New York for ten consecutive Congresses-from 1813 to 1833-and as Speaker of the House for the sixteenth and nineteenth Congresses (1819-1821 and 1825-1827, respectively). Taylor was a noted anti-slavery leader, arguing against allowing the introduction of slavery in the new territories of Missouri and Arkansas, eventually pushing for the exclusion of slavery in all new territories.

Taylor was born to Judge John Taylor and Chloe Cox on March 26, 1784, in Charlton, New York. He was descended from Edward Taylor, an immigrant from England who settled on a property known as "Garret's Hill" in Monmouth County, New Jersey in 1692.

Taylor received his early education at home. He graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1803, studied law for several years, and was admitted to the bar in 1807, at which time he established a private practice with Samuel Cook in Ballston Spa, New York. Over the course of his career, he served as Justice of the Peace, a member of the State assembly, Representative from New York, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and member of the State Senate from 1840 to 1841. In 1806 he was married to Jane Hodge, with whom he had eight children over the next 18 years: Sarah, James, Elizabeth, Malvina, John, Charles, Oscar and Edgar. His wife Jane passed away in 1838.

 John W. Taylor distinguished himself in the House with his anti-slavery actions, including support of the amendment of James Tallmadge to the Missouri bill, submitting a similar amendment to the bill organizing the Arkansas Territory, and delivering some of the first anti-slavery speeches in Congress.

After failing in his bid for reelection in 1832-a failure he later credited to his anti-slavery efforts-Taylor returned home to private practice and the responsibility of serving as a member of the State Senate from 1840 to 1841. In that year he suffered a paralytic stroke, forcing his resignation. In 1843 he moved to live with his daughter in Cleveland, Ohio, where he died on September 18, 1854. He lies buried in the City Cemetery in Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, New York.