George Taylor was an American Patriot and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
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Early Life
George Taylor was born on Ireland sometime in the year 1716. He immigrated to Philadelphia in 1736. He started out working for an ironsmith in Philadelphia, however when his master discovered how intelligent Taylor was, he promoted him to bookkeeper.
His master died in the year 1732, and that very same year Taylor married his master’s widow and took over his iron business. In 1752, the ironworker’s son reached legal age, and took command of the iron business.
Beginning Politics
In 1755, he agreed to enter into a partnership with two of the wealthiest ironworkers in the country, and moved to Bucks County. In 1757, George was elected Justice of the Peace in Bucks County. This was his first public role.
In 1764, George Taylor was elected to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. During this time, he purchased land near Allentown, where he built a beautiful house. Shortly after, his wife, Ann, passed away. George never remarried.
Continental Army
When the war came about, Taylor joined the Third Battalion of the Pennsylvania Militia. In 1775, Taylor signed a contract with an iron company and started making ammunition for the Continental Army.
Signing the Declaration of Independence
In 1776, before the voting of the Declaration of Independence, five Pennsylvania loyalists were asked to resign from the Continental Congress, so that the vote for Independence would be unanimous. When these five men were being replaced, Congress asked George Taylor to be one of the replacements. Later that year, he was among the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Final Years
In 1777, Taylor was elected to the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. During his service there, he became extremely sick and could not leave his bed. His illness effectively ended his career. Through the end of the war, his iron business continued to make ammunition for the army, but Taylor’s public role in the revolution was over.
George Taylor died on February 23, 1781.
