George Taylor (delegate)

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George Taylor (c. 1716 – February 23, 1781), was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Pennsylvania.

He was born in Ireland, the son of a respected Protestant clergyman (denomination uncertain, although some believe his father was a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian clergyman from Ulster), Taylor immigrated to America while in his early twenties as an indentured servant, becoming an ironworker at Warwick Furnace and Coventry Forge under a Mr. Savage. It is believed that when Mr. Savage discovered that Taylor had a certain degree of education, Taylor was promoted to the position of clerk. He was elected to the provincial Assembly in 1764, and was a member of the Committee of Correspondence and the Committee of Safety.

John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration. What the painting actually depicts is the five-man drafting committee presenting their work to the Congress. Trumbull's painting can also be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill.^[1]

He was appointed a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775 to replace a member of the Pennsylvania delegation who refused to support independence. He arrived too late to vote for independence, but in time to sign the Declaration of Independence. He returned to Pennsylvania in March of 1777 to serve as Supreme Council, but retired due to ill health after only six weeks in the office.

Taylor married Savage's widow, Anne Savage, when the man died. He had two legitimate children and also five others in affairs with Naomi Smith, his housekeeper.

He is buried in Easton Cemetery, Easton, Pennsylvania.

Taylor was elected a Colonelcy in the Bucks County Militia, but he never saw active service.