a genealogist's sketchbook

Well, the second half of my article on the possible English origin of my Taylor family has come to my mailbox in the latest issue of The American Genealogist, so having duly waited I’m happy to trot out the speculation that lies at the heart of it. My earliest known male ancestor, Richard¹ Taylor (d. 1679), left three minor children when he died in Virginia in 1679: Constance, Richard and Simon — Constance and Simon being rather uncommon given names. As a young man, in 1662-1663, he first appeared as a servant to Colonel Moore Fauntleroy, at a large plantation on the Rappahannock. Colonel Fauntleroy had patented much of this tract back in 1650, based on 107 headrights including another Simon Taylor, who might be reasonably conjectured to be connected to the later Richard who named a son Simon—perhaps his father. Looking at the IGI to gauge the number of people named ‘Simon Taylor’ in England in the early 17th century turned up a tantalizing coincidence, the record of a marriage license between a Simon Taylor and a Constance Berryson (recte Berrington, as it turns out) in Stanford-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire, in 1641. My article explores the possibility that this Simon & Constance Taylor might be parents of Richard Taylor of Virginia, and reviews the genealogy of the family in Virginia. But here on my blog I will share Simon and Constance’s original marriage license (Diocese of York: Archdeaconry of Nottingham: Marriage Allegations, 1641-1665, FHL film 0592745), which I have transcribed (leaving the bond in Latin) below. Click the document to get a full-sized blowup. Anyone who can fill in the two uncertain words, and the name / title of the scribe at the bottom, please let me know!

Noverint universi per presentes nos Symonem Taylor parochie de Stanford
in comitatu Nottinghamie yeoman et Thomam Bradford parochie Sancte
Marie in villa Nottingham [….? an occupational term I cannot recognize]
teneri et firmiter obligari venerabili viro Willelmo Robinson sacre
theologie professori A[….?] Archidiaconatus Nottinghamie in centum libros
bone et legalis monete Angliae solvendi eidem venerabili viro aut suo
certo attornato executori heredibus sive assignatis suis aliquam
quidem solutionem bene et fideliter faciendi obligamus nos et per
utrumque nostrum per se pro toto et in solidum heredes executores et administratores
nostros firmiter per presentes sigillis nostris sigillat. Datum xiiii ^mo die
mensis Junii anno regni domini nostri Caroli Dei gratia et
Anglie Scotie Ffrancie et Hibernie Regis Fidei Defensor etc
decimo septimo Annoque domini 1641.

The Condicion of this present obligacion is suche that if hereafter there
shall not appeare any lawfull let or impediment by reason of any
precontract consanguinity affinity or any other lawfull let or impediment
whatsoever but that the abovebounden Symon Taylor and Constance
Berryson of the same parishe of Stanforde spinster
may lawfully be joyned together in wedlocke & in the same afterwards
lawfully remaine & continue like man & wife, and if there bee not at
this present time any action suit complaint querell or demand moved or
depending before any judge Ecclesiasticall or Civil for or concerninge any
suche let or impediment betweene the said parties, moreover if they
shall not proceede to the solemnizacion of their marriage without the
consente of their parents or governors, and lastly if the said marriage bee
openly solemnized in the parishe churche in the licence specific betweene
the houres of eight & twelve in the forenoone & accordinge to the Booke of
Common Prayers, then this obligacion to bee voyd & of none effect or else
to remaine & abyde in full force strength & virtue.

Sigillat et deliberat
in presentia mei

Coombe [?] Reg[…] [?]

Simon Tailer [autograph]

Signum dicti
Thome ( T ) Bradforde

One fascinating thing is that Simon Taylor here signed his own name, which I give here blown up a bit (Thomas Bradford, below him, just signed by mark, a ‘T’):