The Taylors of Shanrod, Co Down
[The Story of Little Robert
In 1858 Robert and Susanna Taylor are living at the farm in
Shanrod, Co Down with their unmarried children Nathaniel and
Eliza. Robert is 65, Susanna 56. Their son John has qualified
in medicine at Glasgow. He may have practised for a time in
Banbridge, Co Down. He has emigrated to Hartford, Connecticut.
He is married to Mary Anne Bradley and they have two children.
Little Robert is 9.
In the Hartford Daily Times, Saturday evening, August 21, 1858
the following notice appeared;
In Portland, Aug 21st, of dysentery, John Taylor M.D. aged 31.
His remains will arrive in Hartford for interment in Zions Hill
Cemetery, at half past 12 tomorrow (Sunday).
Nine months later the following letter was written by Dr Moses
White (he is presumably married to a sister of Mary Anne.]
[Page 1]
Mr Bradbury Hartford May 15th 1859
Dear Sir I received your letter of
Jany 14th I would have written to you Sooner but for the
verry [very?] unsettled State of my Sisters affairs. At
the time the Dr died he was then living in Portland a
distance from here of 14 miles. I attended him during his
Sickness & near to the time he breathed his last. We then
had his remains brought up here & placed in the family
burying ground, & in a few days after we had my Sister &
the Children brought up here to the city. They were left
in a poor miserable way not having one dollar in the house
the time he died. She loosed her youngest child in the
winter . So that left her but one of the two she had to
the Dr, with little Robert who is a fine boy. his
Grandfather Mr Taylor had written to my Sister to Send
Robert home. My Sister concluded it was better for Some of
his relations here to take that responsibility on them &
she would be willing to give him over to them. As your purpose
[propose?] to take charge of him or keep him to Some arrangement
is made with his Grandfather. I could if you wish give him
in Charge of the Captain of one of the Steam propellers going
weekly to your city who would take good care of him &
deliver him safe to you, he has been living with me for the
last two or three weeks, as my Sister was obliged to give up
housekeeping & is now boarding out. She is obliged to work
in a store to support the other child. you will please write
[Page 2]
me when convenient what you would wish to have
me do in the matter poor Taylor could have
done well here but he was rather foolish for himself
& [worse?] for his family.
With kind regards to your family
I remain truly yours
Moses White MD
PS I understand Mr Taylor has written to Mr
Wallace of Philadelphia to have Robert there as it
be more convenient to have him sent home there
being no direct way of doing so here. you might speak
with Mr Wallace on the subject perhaps he
had some more communication from Mr Taylor.
M.W. [Moses White?]
[Mr Wallace is probably a relative-Susannas maiden name was
Wallace.
A second letter a few days later concerns details of the arrangements for the boys passage.]
For
Robert Taylor
[Stamped]
[HAR---?]
[GU---?]
Mr Samuel Bradbury
Care
Mr David Graham & Co
Philadelphia
Co
[Page 1]
Hartford May 23 59
Mr Bradbury
Dear Sir my Sister
Mrs Taylor has received a letter from
Mr Robert Taylor, Ireland enclosed is
a Certificate of Passage for little
Robert home in The Steam Ship Vigo,
Capt Maguigan to sail on the 28th
from Philadelphia. Mr Taylor is very
anxious to have the boy home where
he will bring him up. My Sister &
I are willing he should go at his
request. we consider it better to forward
him to you on account of the vessel
leaving there, & in particular there
is in Philadelphia a young man who
is stopping at Mr John Wallaces no
846 Leonard below 9th who is going
straight home to the door with Mr
Taylor he has written to him from Ireland
already to take the Boy in charge
[Page 2]
The young man [sic] name is Hugh Simpson
as we cannot have Robert in Philadelphia
in Season for the Vigo, he will [sic] by
next Steamer, as the certificate states
as you will see we intend to send
Robert on Board of the propeller
leaving here on Thursday next and he
will arrive in Philadelphia Sunday
morning he will be in charge of
the Captain you will be kind
enough to See to him & have him
Shipped in the Steamer for Ireland.
I have already written to Mr
Wallace to have Simpson in
readiness enclosed is the Certificate
which you be kind to See to &
give the regular notice of 10 days
to secure berths &c. I think
it better to send you a copy of
Mr Taylors letter Respecting the
boy we are making all
preparation to have him
[Page 3]
off on Thursday his cloths &c
are nearly all in readiness
he will want but little but your
attention to he sails. You will
please meet him at the Hartford
Steam Propeller & do not presently
know her name however if you
make a little enquiry on the docks
you will find where her wharf is.
I intend to write you again
before he sails & by your
droping [dropping?] me a few lines by
return mail acknowledging the receipt
of this.
You will much oblige
Yours &c
Moses White M.D.
84 Arch St
Hartford Con
PS Since I enclosed the above I thought it
better detain the certificate to I hear from
you I will then forward it by Mail or
by little Robert this is for fear
[Page 4]
the letter may not reach you
However I expect to hear from
you in a few days.
[Page 5]
Copy
enclosed is a ticket
for Robert Passage to Belfast
engaged in the Steam Ship Vigo
to sail about the 28th inst. Capt
Maguigan when he comes to Belfast
will convey him to 103 Victoria Street
the [they?] will convey him to 60 Ann
St to Mr John Watts where his cousin
Wm [William?] John Wallace who
lives there and he will send me
word & put him to Lodging untill
I go to Belfast for him. You
will be so kind as to put him
on board and give him charge of the
Captain. the 3rd officer Mr
Robert Skelly has promised to take
care of him. You can provide any
little thing you think he needs on
the passage, his bedding is to be
provided for by the Agent so you
need not trouble yourself about it
I will write to a freind [friend?]
of mine
[Page 6]
named Hugh Simpson who is
coming home [a?] expects to
come if he is not away when
my letter goes to him he will
call [&?] with you & take charge
of Robert his father lives next
door to me when you have
him shipped please give me
the name of the Ship by
first mail.
This is about all the
particulars of Mr Taylors
letter you might
call with Mr Wallace & see this
[young?] man Simpson.
[Hugh Simpson is probably a relative too.
The farmhouse next door (now derelict) was
built when the original farm was divided
and eventually passed to a Taylor daughter
who married a Simpson.
We do not know what became of Anne; it is said
that she remarried. Back in Shanrod, a record was
added to the family bible: Robert Taylor came home
to Shanrod on Saturday July 16th, aged 9 years.
He attended Carnew school; the appropriate pages
in his geography book marked in childish writing
Old World and New World.
Robert grew up and married his cousin Susan Kelly.
Robert and Susan eventually took over the farm from
their unmarried uncle Nathaniel. They had 7 children;
only the youngest (another Robert) married.
Their situation was very like that of Robert and
Susanna sixty years earlier-nothing changes in Shanrod.
Robert died, aged 87, three months after the birth of
his first grandchild Robert William (Robin).]
