Early Years in Pennsylvania

Margaret Eliza Taylor was the first child of Joseph and Nancy Taylor. She was born 8 Sep 1818 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.[1] The family was living in the Derry Township, Westmoreland County Pennsylvania at the time of the 1820 census.[2] While in Pennsylvania, three siblings were born: James on 23 Jan 1820[3], Rebecca on 14 Jan 1822[4], and Joseph on 21 Feb 1824[5].

Derry Township was established in 1775, making it the first new township created by the recently formed Westmoreland County. The first settlement in this area was in 1762 by some of the soldiers in the Forbes' army. The first pioneers came as early as 1763. Some of the early settlers of this township include Alexander Taylor and Andrew Dixon.[6] It will be interesting to find if they are related in some way to Margaret Eliza's grandparents, Adam Taylor and Margaret Dixon.

For an interesting history on Derry Township visit the Living Places website. Wikipedia has a map showing both the location of Derry Township in

Westmoreland County and Westmoreland County in relationship to Pennsylvania. And finally, a photo of the countryside of Derry Township is found on the Derry Township Website.

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1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Temple Records Index Bureau, Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register: 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1985), 223, entry 4, FHL Book 977.343/N1 K29.

2 The 1820 Census lists Joseph Taylor by name and the rest by tally marks under age categories. The tally marks show 1 male under 5 (James born 1820), 1 male 20-29 (Joseph born 1796), 1 female under 5 (Margaret Eliza born 1818), 1 female 15-19 (Nancy born about 1804), as well as 1 female 40-49 (unknown, possibly a mother of Nancy or Joseph). 1820 U.S. Census, Derry Twp., Westmoreland, Pennsylvania population schedule, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives microfilm publication M3, 142 roll, record group 29; Washington, D.C., accessed 10 Nov 2009.

3 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Endowments for the Dead, 1884-1970 (Salt Lake City: filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958-1971), 339 entry 12400, FHL Film 177,960.

4 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 1884-1943 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of utah, 1959, 1974), 97 entry 3560, FHL Film 177,853.

5 Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 98 entry 3583, FHL Film 177,853.

6 John N. Boucher, History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, Volume 1 (New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Westmoreland_County/ Derry_Township.html, accessed 29 Nov 2009.