Dr. Silas Taylor and Unknown

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Husband Dr. Silas Taylor ^{1 2}

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           Born: 18 Feb 1787 - Massachusetts 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 29 Jun 1875 - Batavia, Genesee Co, NY
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 

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   Other Spouse: Sarah Ann Scowden (Abt 1791-1883) 2 4 - 1836 3

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• Note: This may be the same person as : Dr. Silas Taylor.

• Note: This may be the same person as : Silas Taylor.

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Wife Unknown

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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• Note: This may be the same person as : [Unk] Sherwood.

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Children

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1 F Dorcas Taylor ⁵

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Dr. Silas Taylor

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He was a prominent pioneer of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and settled about 1820 on the tract which John Smith, the Irish refugee, had inhabited. He was born in Massachusetts, of Puritan ancestry, and left Genesee County, New York, where he had been engaged in the practice of medicine, to settle in the northern part of Athens township. While still following his profession in his new home he also took up the labor of clearing the land. His practice called him over a field which included Athens, Bloomfield, Rockdale, Sparta, Richmond, Rome, Stueben and Troy, as he was the pioneer physician of this portion of the county. He made his way on horseback over indistinct and rugged bridle paths, and his journeys were often protracted until late into the night or continued during several days, yet the proceeds of his practice yielded scarcely more than a bare subsistence.
Dr. Taylor was a useful citizen, taking an interest in local public affairs, and did much to improve the roads and schools of his township. The absence of roads of any kind was one of the first difficulties which demanded the attention of these brave and sturdy yeomen. By an act of the Legislature a State Road had been authorized and had been cut out, but the underwood had obtained a vigorous growth and obstructed the passage. Steep hills needed leveling, deep morasses making passable, and streams bridging, while the dense forests which covered all the lands seemed to deny them subsistence. Nothing daunted, they set themselves to the task of removing these obstacles. Dr. Taylor and John Brown (the same John Brown who terminated his remarkable career at Harper's Ferry in his effort to arm the slaves, and who had settled in the adjoining township of Richmond) were active in opening the State Road through their respective townships, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing a serviceable highway which was well adapted to its purpose and laid the foundations for more permanent improvements.

Dr. Taylor resided most of his life in Athens, rearing a large family.

1 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 784.

2 Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Our County and Its People, A Historical and Memorial Record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (W. A. Fergusson & Co., 1899), Pg 476.

3 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 496.

4 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 496, 784.

5 Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Our County and Its People, A Historical and Memorial Record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (W. A. Fergusson & Co., 1899), Pg 489.