William Taylor senior, of Troqueerholm

Profile & Legacies Summary

1763 - 16^th Jul 1831

Biography

London-based partner of Hibbert, Taylors and Simpson until 1814. It was probably his eldest son William who was then associated 1816-1827 with Simpsons & Co. of Jamaica.
Married Margaret Cunningham, daughter of Hon. John Cunningham (q.v.) and had a son William junior born 1799 and baptised that same year in Kingston, Jamaica. A daughter, Elizabeth had died by 1831.
Remarried, to Mary Burnside, in Dumfries in 1811. Mary was the daughter of the late Rev. William Burnside, minister of St Michael's, Dumfries. They had at least five children baptised in Scotland: Mary Burnside (1815, Dumfries); George (1817, Dumfries); Ann Burnside (1820, Dumfries); Henry (1821, Troqueer); and James (1825, Troqueer).
Died 16/07/1831 and was buried at Dumfries 22/07/1831 age 68 years.

Sources

London Gazette 17014 20/05/1815 p. 951; London Gazette 17386 8/8/1818 p. 1424; London Gazette 19160 3/6/1834 p. 1006.
Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].
Marriage: GROS OPR Marriages 821 50 186 Dumfries. Baptisms of children: GROS OPR Births 821 30 280 Dumfries (Mary Burnside); 821 30 296 Dumfries (George); 821 80 8 Dumfries (Ann Burnside); 882 30 29 Troqueer (Henry); 882 30 67 Troqueer (James).
SC16/41/7 Dumfries Sherrif Court; GROS OPR Deaths 821/ 90 285 Dumfries; Findagrave.com memorial ID 185830649.

We are grateful to Oliver Fowler for his assistance with compiling this entry.

Further Information

Spouse

[1] Margaret Cunningham [2] Mary Burnside

Children

[With 1] William (1799-1845), Elizabeth. [With 2] Mary Burnside, George, Ann Burnside, Henry, James

Will

Inventory and deeds of testament of William Taylor of Troqueerholm, SC16/41/7 - notes.

Sum in promisary note granted by the agent of the British Linen Company at Dumfries dated 01/01/1831 and bearing interest at 2% from that date, plus interest acquired since, £4043 3s 6d.

Balance due by the British Linen Company on account current, including interest, £2442 4s 10d.

Promissory note by John Irving Henderson, advocate, dated 18/03/1818 plus interest due, £293 5s 9d.

Balance of principal sum in promissary note by Patrick McKay, merchant in Edinburgh, dated 07/01/1817 and interest on balance, £1641 12s 10d.

[Various other debts and investments.]

Note the deceased had advanced to William Taylor, merchant in Kingston, Jamaica, his eldest son, £1500 which the executors conceive to fall properly within the inventory of the deceased's personal estate.

Total personal estate given at £9979 1s 9d.

The deceased also died possessed of £40,000 of 3% consolidated annuities valued at the selling price of £32,750.

Executors: Robert Taylor Esquire of Broomland in the parish of Troqueer, his brothers; Mrs Mary Burnside or Taylor, widow of the deceased; William Taylor of Kingston, Jamaica, his son; and William Burnside of London, merchant, his brother-in-law.

General disposition and deed of settlement executed by William Taylor 11/09/1829 and codicil executed by him 05/02/1830. Also a private memorandum of instructions addressed by the deceased to his said wife and mentioned in the deed of settlement.

All personable, heritable and moveable estate conveyed to executors in trust for the following purposes.

Payment of all just and lawful debts, sickbed and funeral expenses.

To his sister Margaret Taylor an annuity of £42 sterling per annum for life, being William Taylor's proportion of an annuity settled on her by William Taylor and his brother Robert Taylor.

[Mention of his deceased father-in-law Rev. William Burnside, a life-rent owned by Burnside's widow, William Taylor's sister-in-law Miss Janet Burnside and her sister Mrs Ann Dunbar.]

To his wife, lands of Troqueerholm not disposed by him during his own lifetime, plus all household furniture, bed and table linen, plate, china, crystal, books, liquors, horses and carriages.

Sums to be given to each servant suitable to the length of service and general conduct of each individual.

All other property real and personal to his trustees, the profits and dividends to his children at their majorities. [Later amended to them at the age of 25 years.]

The late John Cunningham Esquire of Jamaica made payment of £1500 to William Taylor to be paid to Taylor's children William Taylor junior and Elizabeth. Elizabeth now being dead, the whole benefit of Mr Cunningham's legacy to be passed to William Taylor junior. William Taylor made payment of £3000 to his son William Taylor junior "when he commenced his business some years ago". The balance of this sum is therefore to be £1500 after Mr Cunningham's legacy is taken into account and this balance is to be deducted from the share of Taylor's estate received by his son William junior: "This will put all my children on an equal footing as to the division of my own fortune."

"In consequence of the alteration made some years since in the rate of interest on the public funds in which the principal part of my fortune is invested and the diminution of my income that has taken place by this and other circumstances I find that in justice to my children I must restrict the legacy which I intended for several dear friends to a much smaller amount than I had at one time contemplated..."

To my brother Robert and his wife Jane 10 guineas each.

To my sisters Margaret, Sarah and Ann, 20 guineas each.

To the children of my late sister Mercy Cock 10 guineas each.

To my mother-in-law Mrs Burnside and to my kind friend and sister Jess Burnside 10 guineas each.

To William Dunbar, a full acquittance of any debts due to me from him.

Should my daughter Ann marry then one half of her inheritance to be settled on herself during her life and thereafter to be invested for her children.

Robert Hibbert Taylor, my second son to also become one of my trustees as well as curator for my minor children at age 25. [Further provision for Rev. William Dunbar and Dr Henry Duncan to be trustees and executors after the decease of Robert Taylor.]