James TAYLOR

                   Notes:
1. James b. 1656 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, Virginia, d. January 18, 1719, m. Elizabeth August 11, 1705 (Rud Let and St. Peter's Vestry Book and Parish Registry hereinafter cited as SP PR).  the Parish of St. Peter's in which James and his wife Elizabeth lived and brought up their family was established April 29, 1697 from the old Parish of Blisland.  St. Paul's Parish was established in 1704 from the upper or Northwestern portion of St. Peter's.  When Hanover County was created in 1720, the boundry line between St. Peter's and St. Paul's become the boundry line between Hanover and New Kent counties.  Thus many Taylor family members probably did not move but becamse residents of Hanover County by virtue of the area in which they lived.  
2. James was active in the activities of the Parish.  The vestry voted to make him a lay reader and their Clerk at a meeting held February 4, 1707/1708.  He was paid for his services always in pounds of tobacco which was the most common means of payment in his day.  He held the position of Clerk and Lay Reader until 1718, a year before his death.  Several times during his tenure, the vestry met at his home.  He was granted 1433 acres of land in New Kent County on August 16, 1715 by Alexander Spotswood, "His Majesty's Lieut.  Governor and Commander -in-Chief of this Dominion". (SP PR) (Land Grant found in English duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, compiled by Louis Des Cogents, Jr. )