The Wives and Children of Colonial Poet Edward Taylor (1642-1729)
Edward Taylor was born in 1642. It is thought that Edward was born in Sketchley, Leicestershire (just north of Coventry, Warwickshire at the county borders) based on his obituary. The Poetry Foundation claims his parents were William (d. 1658, a yeoman farmer) and Margaret (d. 1657). Edward was a schoolteacher in Bagworth, Leicestershire, England, before escaping to Massachusetts in 1668 due to his Congregationalist philosophy. He graduated from Harvard in 1671 and is considered by some to be the foremost colonial poet.
I descend from Edward Taylor’s daughter Naomi. Because of how common his name was at the time, I haven’t learned any more about his parents, but here is a listing of his known marriages and children (the references are available in My Lineage from the Roots Up, vol. 1):
Edward married (1st) Elizabeth Fitch (1652-1689) September 5, 1674, in Westfield, Massachusetts, where Edward was minister. He had studied under her father Rev. James Fitch of Norwich, Connecticut. Edward and Elizabeth had eight children:
1. Samuel Francis born August 27, 1675, in Westfield, Massachusetts. He married Margaret Mosely (1683-1708) January 5, 1704, in Westfield, Massachusetts. He died about 1709 and is buried in Old Burying Ground, Westfield.
2. Elizabeth born December 27, 1676. She died December 25, 1677.
3. James born October 12, 1678, in Westfield, Massachusetts. He appears to have died about 1701.
4. Abigail born August 6, 1681, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She died August 22, 1682, in Westfield.
5. Bathsheba (or Bathshua) born January 17, 1683, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married John Pynchon (1674-1742) February 18, 1701/2, in Springfield, Massachusetts. She died June 20, 1710, and is buried in Springfield Cemetery, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
6. Elizabeth born February 5, 1684, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She died July 26, 1685, in Westfield.
7. Mary born July 3, 1686, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She died May 5, 1687, in Westfield.
8. Hezekiah born February 18, 1687, in Westfield, Massachusetts. He died March 3, 1688, in Westfield.
Edward married (2nd) Ruth Wyllis (1656/7-1729) June 2, 1692, in Westfield, Massachusetts. They had six children:
1. Ruth born April 16, 1693, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married Benjamin Cotton/Colton (1690-1759) December 3, 1713, in Hartford, Connecticut. She died May 30, 1725, and is buried as “Mrs Ruth wife of Rev Benjamin Colten” in Old Center Cemetery, West Hartford, Connecticut.
2. Naomi born March 30, 1695, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married Rev. Ebenezer Devotion (1684-1741) in the early 1720s as his second wife. She died August 6, 1739, in Suffield, Connecticut.
3. Ann born July 7, 1697, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married Benjamin Lord (1694-1784) May 14, 1720, in Westfield. She died July 5, 1748, and is buried as “Mrs. Ann Lord” in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, Connecticut.
4. Mehitable born August 14, 1699, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married Rev. William Gager (1704-1769) June 1, 1731, in Lebanon, Connecticut. She died May 5, 1736, in Lebanon, Connecticut. She is buried as “Mrs Mehitable Gager” in Old Yard Cemetery, Columbia, Connecticut.
5. Keziah (or Casiah) born April 4, 1702, in Westfield, Massachusetts. She married Rev. Isaac Stiles (1697-1760) June 1, 1725, in New Haven, Connecticut. She died after giving birth December 1727. Keziah is buried in Old Cemetery, North Haven, Connecticut.
6. Eldad born April 10, 1708, in Westfield, Massachusetts. He married (1st) Rhoda Dewey (1712-1740) November 1, 1732. He married (2nd) Thankful Day (1721-1803) December 1742. He died while attending court in Boston, May 21, 1777. He was interred in the tomb of Hon. John Wendell Esq. A stone plaque memorializes this in Old Burying Ground, Westfield, Massachusetts.
Edward died June 24, 1729, and was buried in the Mechanic Street Cemetery (Old Burying Ground), Westfield, Massachusetts.