The Story of Little Robert Taylor
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).]Close