Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, George Taylor quintessentially exemplifies the hopes realized of America’s founding document. The groundbreaking resolution contained existential realities beating in every heart of mankind. Those given by Providence. Recognized and protected by a nascent government. 

George Taylor was born in 1716, the Irishman came to the colonies penniless as an indentured servant who had exchanged his labor at a forge for passage. Upon arriving in Pennsylvania, he worked for the man who had paid for his travel, Samuel Savage, Jr., an ironmaster at Coventry Forge near Philadelphia. He started out shoveling coal into the furnace. But soon, his intelligence was noticed and he was moved to the counting room and worked as a clerk. In time, he became the manager of Warnick Furnace and the business prospered until his stepson came of age and assumed managerial duties.

Mr. Taylor would involve himself heavily in the public life of his new homeland throughout his life. His first known instance of public service was serving as captain of a militia group formed by Benjamin Franklin, the Chester County Associators. He also assisted in constructing a new courthouse in Easton, Pennsylvania. As well, he served as the justice of the peace for Bucks County from 1757 to 1763. He then served as justice of the peace for Northampton County (1764-65) and its representative to the colonial legislature (1764-70).

He arrived in Philadelphia as a delegate in July 1776 and served until 1777. He did not vote for Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence, but he did sign the resulting declaration of the colonies’ new relationship with Great Britain on August 2. He finished his life serving the new Supreme Council of his state. His service was cut short due to illness though. He only served six weeks. It is assumed, at this point, he retired from public life for there is no other record of public service. 

On February 23, 1781, Mr. Taylor died. The Irishman had come to America with hopes of a better life and had achieved it not only for himself, but also for his generation of Americans and the many to come. One of his admirers said, “George Taylor was one of the brilliant and forceful men of his time, an earnest and ardent patriot in the trying times of his adopted country’s needs, a fearless and able legislator seasoning every act of his long public career, by hard robust, conservative common sense.”

George Taylor lived to be 65 years of age.