John Taylor b abt 1810 - 1877 India H.E.I.C.S

[Lizw]

Hello

I have a Gt Gt Gt Grandfather John Taylor (1788-1841)who was Lt Col in India before retiring to Scotland. He was a cadet in 1804, made Lt. 1806, Capt in 1823 then 6 days later married Sarah Falconar Graham in Bombay. Sarah and John went on to have 7 children between 1824-1839.

There was however another much older adopted son  who died 21 Jun 1877 in Kasauli, Bengal a retired extra assistant commissioner. Going from John Taylor jnr's gravestone he would have been born abt 1810 when the senior John Taylor was a Lieutenant of abt 22 years old. He married a Tristiana Squire in Oct 1842 in India DumDum, Calcutta
Tristiana's sister wrote a memoir and said that they had met a young JohnTaylor when they were travelling from South Africa to India in 1826-1827 but I'm not sure if these dates are accurate. Lt Col John Taylor's mother mentions the jnr John Taylor in her will as the adopted son of Lt Col Taylor in 1826.

Is there any way to find proof of who the jnr John Taylor's parents were? I'm guessing he is the son of Lt Col John Taylor but have no idea who his mother might be but I can't find any John Taylors born around this time in India.

I would be very grateful for any hints or pointers .

Liz

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
Here  are possibles
John Taylor born 5 July 1809 Bapt 5 Aug 1809 s of John Taylor Private 69 th Regiment and wife Louisa.Madras
John Taylor born 18 Sep 1812 s of John Taylor and Chinnamah a native woman was bapt 13.1.1813
34 Regiment Madras

Ciderdrinker

[ShaunJ]

According to a footnote in this version of the sister's memoir "John Taylor later married Tristiana Squire, was a JP, assistant commissioner and cantonment magistrate, Punjab. John Taylor came from Edinburgh, where his father was provost of Edin. University. "

http://www.speedy.co.nz/recollections/Mrs%20Livingstone%20I%20Presume/07%20Memoirs.doc

The 1842 marriage register does show his father as "John Taylor".

[Lizw]

Thank you so much for your help.

Great to know John Taylor is listed as John jnr's Father in the marriage certficate.

Sarah Speedys memoirs have a few inaccuracies but make fascinating reading.
Lt Col Taylor's father was John Taylor rector of the Musselburgh grammar school - not provost at Edinburgh University.

Does anyone know if and how I can get a death certificate for John Taylor who died 21 Jun 1877 in Kasauli, Bengal? Would this perhaps give a more accurate birth date, time in India, etc?

many thanks again
Liz

[ShaunJ]

Lt Col Taylor's father was John Taylor rector of the Musselburgh grammar school - not provost at Edinburgh University.

It was the Assistant Commissioner John Taylor's father who was said to be provost at Edinburgh University, not the Lt Col. Yet another John Taylor? Or is that one of the inaccuracies?

Does anyone know if and how I can get a death certificate for John Taylor who died 21 Jun 1877 in Kasauli, Bengal? Would this perhaps give a more accurate birth date, time in India, etc?

FindMyPast has a a death record ("Return of death of a European Uncovenanted Pensioner") showing that he died on 21 June 1887 aged 77 and that he was a native of Musselburgh, Scotland. Son of Col Taylor (!).

[Lizw]

Thank you so much! I'd been concentrating my search in India not Scotland as the other children were born there.
It seems very likely Asst. Commissioner John Taylor was Lt Col John Taylor's son - No John Taylors born around that time in or around Musselburgh that I can see though who have a father called John Taylor. I wondered if he was the son of Lt Col Tyalors brother Alexander as a John Taylor was b. abt. that time in Musselburgh to an Alexander but his brother Alexander died in 1807.

I haven't found any evidence that Lt Col John Taylor was provost at Edin. University (or any other John Taylor's for that matter). I think this was an exaggeration perhaps stemming from John Taylor M.A. the Rector of Musselburgh Grammar.

[ShaunJ]

As an adopted son his birth name may not have been Taylor.

[Lizw]

oh goodness yes of course and I don't like my chances of searching through all the Johns born in Scotland during that period...
It may just have to remain a mystery.

John the future Asst Magistrate would have been about 13 when Lt Col John Taylor (he was a Capt then) married Sarah Falconar Graham in 1823 in Bombay

It was in Feb 1827 that the "young John Taylor" was travelling out from South Africa to India on the same ship as his future wife Tristiana and the rest of the Squire family.

It sounds a fascinating story I wish we could manage to find out who John's mother was.

many thanks again for all your help.

[ShaunJ]

You've probable seen these mentions of John Taylor junior, intervening to prevent a bloodbath in Kasauli and Simla during the Mutiny:

https://www.facebook.com/shimlagoodandbad/posts/1073075856091010/

https://amolak.in/web/a-treasure-trove-in-kasauli/

"from papers in possession of Mrs Tristiana Taylor"