GEORGE TAYLOR- 1716-1781

We are about half way through these little vignettes on our founders.  Some would say, "How boring is this guy!".  That is they would say thus if they were reading them.  Only the faithful few who take the time to read these words will realize how much they do not know---as I did!  Oh yes, we know all about the Declaration of Independence and the importance of it and the results that led to the greatest Republic ever but now have learned a little about the stalwarts who actually put it in motion.  Read on.
George Taylor was born in Ireland in 1716 to a clergyman and came to America when he was about twenty years of age.  He arrived a poor man (well educated) and had to perform menial labor to get by (young people take note).  After a time he took the job of clerk in an iron works in Durham, Pennsylvania.  The owner of the business died and after a period of time George married the widow of the owner.  Being a good businessman he soon became wealthy. He then bought an estate on the Lehigh and built an Iron works in Northumberland County.
Because of his wealth, education and business abilities he was elected to the Colonial Assembly in 1764 and became an important player in decision making.  When Massachusetts proposed a General Colonial Congress be formed in 1765 in New York, Mr. Taylor was one of the delegates from Pennsylvania and on the committee to write the rules.
Finding his business interests suffering from his absence he left the Assembly after five years.  He was called back in 1775 and helped draw up the instructions for the delegates to the Colonial Congress meeting in November, instructions that forbade any proposition for independence.  However that changed in the spring of 1776.  when some of the members from Pennsylvania resigned from the Assembly and stayed loyal to the crown Taylor took a seat and made it in time to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776....Medicineman!