This is a monthly American history educational moment of those who made a difference during the Revolutionary War era and how they served our country.
There is little information about George Taylor, known as the “Mystery Man.” George was born into poverty in 1716 in Ireland. At age 20, he traveled to America as an indentured servant to Samuel Savage.
When Mr. Savage died, George took over Savage’s furnace business and married his widow, Anne. The Warwick Furnace Company thrived in making war materiels, and the couple had two children.
Taylor was his own person, as he demonstrated when he openly censured Benjamin Franklin. Taylor believed Franklin did not rebuke Britain strongly enough at the beginning of the trans-Atlantic problems.
Starting in 1764, Taylor held many public positions. George was consecutively elected to Pennsylvania’s provincial assembly and helped draft the guidelines for Pennsylvania delegates to the First Continental Congress. Later, he was appointed to replace a Pennsylvania delegate who refused to support Independence. He also served in Congress through 1777.
Taylor did not arrive in time to vote for Independence; he did sign the Declaration of Independence on Aug. 2, 1776.
Later, George was voted to the Supreme Council of Pennsylvania and served only six weeks as he became ill and died in 1781.
Ironically, Mr. Taylor was one of three from Ireland to sign the Declaration of Independence and one of two Declaration signers who are hardly known. This is unfortunate, as there are historical clues that George Taylor had “one of the most interesting lives of the 56 signers.”
Visit the Murphy setting
Please visit your local Charters of Freedom setting on Valley River Avenue in downtown Murphy. A Charters of Freedom setting consists of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. They are on permanent display analogous to the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives in Washington. Visit our website, FoundationForward.com, to learn more about our existing settings.
All teachers are encouraged to contact me for information and complementary student education materials to enhance experiential field trips to a Charter of Freedom settings. Everyone is welcome and urged to obtain a personalized engraved legacy paver for placement at their local Charters of Freedom setting.
Please email david.streater@gmail.com for engraved legacy paver information and paired educational materials.
Dr. David Streater is director of education for Foundation Forward, 501(c)3. He is a retired college instructor/administrator and a retired probation and parole officer/administrator. In addition, David is a criminologist who has an acute history interest, served in the U.S. Navy and is a resident of Burke County.