by David Jackson » Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:04 pm
Dear Sunnyland,
I just recently joined the forum.'
One of my ancestors is also a Taylor from Skipness. I will share with you my findings, including one visit to Skipness about 20 years ago!
No Duncan, but good luck anyway!
D.J.
TAYLOR FAMILIES in Skipness
Marion/Mary Taylor, the wife of Neill McCook, came from an old Kintyre family called the Taylors. Their family name was derived from an ancient native Gaelic surname Macintaillyeor or Mcintailer, which occurs in a local name list of 1636, and is still well known in Kintyre.
As mentioned above, her personal name is variously given in the Skipness baptism register as Marrion, Mary, More, and Merrand Taylor, and even once as Christian Taylor. Judging from the names of her children, her parents may well have been named Malcolm Taylor and Janet (or even Katherine?), since these were the names given to the second known son and first two recorded daughters. There was in fact a couple in the Skipness parish in the 1780s with the names Malcolm Taylor and Kathren MacMillan. They were the parents of Donald Taylor, bapt. 8 July 1787. Marion/Mary Taylor probably was born ca. 1770–1780, and thus it is possible that Donald was her younger brother.
There were two or three other families in Skipness parish during the 1780s and 1790s headed by a man named Macolm Taylor. One was that of Malcolm Taylor and his wife Christian Mac Jlehere (?). They were parents of the following children:
Elspey (Glespy?), bapt. 14 Oct. 1786, Skipness.
Mary, bapt. 23 Sept. 1788, Skipness.
Kathren, bapt. 19 Sept. 1792, Skipness.
James, bapt. 12 Aug. 1796, Skipness.
The name Malcom Taylor may be otherwise significant in our genealogy, for as Mr. Ian MacDonald has informed me:
There is [in Skipness] a stone erected by Malcom Taylor farmer (tenant in Oragaig) aged 94 years in memory of his spouse Christian Thomson [ca. 1741–1781] who died 1781 aged 40 years and he is in the hope of resting in her grave in peace. This stone is erected before 1792 as it uses the old Scots "f" for the letter "s."
This Malcolm Taylor (b. late 1600s–d. late 1700s) is thus one of the earliest Taylors I have found reference to at Oragaig farm in Skipness parish, and he may have been an early ancestor. The others mentioned in gravestone inscriptions at Skipness are:
John Taylor (ca. 1721–1791), tenant in Oragaig, d. 9 Jan. 1791, age 70.
Mary Taylor (ca. 1720–1772), wife of Archibald Hill, Hammersm., d. 25 June 1772, age 52
John Taylor (ca. 1729?–1793?), late farmer in Monneback and Skipness Estate, d. 6? June 179(3?), in 64th year. Monument erected by son John Taylor?
Mary Taylor (b. 1730s?), wife of William Cook (ca. 1733–1765), tacksman at Clonaig
Catherine Taylor (ca. 1734–1832), d. 8 June 1832, age 88
Mary Taylor (ca. 1738–1762), daughter of Duncan Taylor and Margaret Hill at Colphin, d. 23 May 1762, age 24
John Taylor (ca. 1750–1823), late tenant Cloanig, d. 21 March 1823, age 73
Barbara McMillan, d. 20 Sept. 1823, age 65.
Christina Taylor (ca. 1760–1801), d. 28 Mar. 1801, age 41, wife of Peter McMillan
Angus Taylor (ca. 1777–1854), father of Capt. John Taylor, died Feb. 14, 1854, aged 77. (Four children:)
Gilbert (ca. 1824–1852), d. Jan. 16, 1852, age 28
Archibald (ca. 1830–1856), drowned at sea Feb. 1856, age 26.
Jean (dau.) (ca. 1831/2–1859), d. Greenock, Jan. 5 1859, age 37
Capt. John Taylor (ca. 1819–1882), d. 11 Aug. 1882, age 63
Barbara Cook (ca. 1820–1884), wife of Capt. John, d. 23 Dec. 1884, age 64. John and Barbara's children:
Angus Taylor, d. 5 June 1909, age 51
William Cook Taylor, d. Edinburgh, 1 Dec. 1911.
Archibald Taylor (ca. 1780–1843), late groundkeeper, Skipness Estate, father of John and Angus Taylor, d. 30 Jan. 1843, age 63
Donald Taylor (ca. 1799?–1817?), boatman in Skipness, d. 1817?, age 18?
Donald's widow, Christina McKinnon
Donald's father: Archibald Taylor, croftsman in Skipness
John Taylor (b. 1820s?), farmer, Laccan, husband of Mary Cook (1825–1869)