Ron, I do not know if I contacted you before but I want to clarify the following information that I found in 1850 Census. I realize that the surname does not match but with errors from Census takers in past ...who knows what gremlins were involved? Happy Holiday to all! Jerry TAYLOR, Miriday? (Meridy?) (cannot read clearly) 33 years old White (born 1817 abt) TAYLOR, Amy 30 years old Black (born 1820 abt) TAYLOR, Sally 14 years old Mixed color (born 1836 abt) Found in 1850 Census Dover, Hundred De. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/e/r/Ronald-H-Merideth/GENE4-0001. html Descendants of Taylor Merideth Generation No. 1 1. TAYLOR1 MERIDETH was born Abt. 1780 in Kent Co., Delaware1,2,3,4,5,6, and died Abt. 1849 in Kent Co., Delaware7. He married (1) UNKNOWN Abt. 1800 in Del. She died Bef. 1818 in Delaware. He married (2) UNKNOWN Abt. March 26, 1818 in Delaware. She died Bef. 1830 in Kent Co., Delaware. He married (3) NANCY8,9 Aft. 1820 in Kent Co., Delaware10. She died Abt. June 13, 1846 in Kent Co., Delaware11. Notes for TAYLOR MERIDETH: The earliest record I have found of Taylor Merideth is the 1802 Tax List for Kent Co., Delaware. Based on this record he probably became 21 in 1801 or 1802. This would make his d.o.b. about 1780. The following census records for Mispillion 100, Kent Co., Delaware indicate a date of birth of: Year Age Date of Birth Range 1810 26-45 1765-1784 1820 26-45 1775-1794 1830 40-50 1780-1790 1840 60-70 1770-1780 If all of these census records are correct his d.o.b. would have to be 1780. Other clues to Taylor's date of birth are found in records of the Kent Co. Poor House. On three occassions Taylor was admitted to the poor house. The first time was on Nov 6, 1818 until 12 Nov 1818. His age was given as 35. The second time from 2 Oct 1826 until 1 Nov 1826 his age was given as 38. (This age does not track with any other source I have found and is probably in error). Taylor's final appearance in the poor house records was 26 Sept 1845 when his age was listed as 65 and cripple. With the one exception noted above all these records point to a d.o.b. between 1780 - 1783. Taylor was apparently married about 1800. His first wife's name is unknown to me. Taylor appeared in census records in 1810 with a family of 4 males under 10, one female under ten and one female 26-45. His first wife is aged 26-45. His first wife appears to have died ca 1818, as a marriage bond from Sussex Co. DE dated 26 Mar 1818 was issued to Taylor but with the prospective bride not named. The 1820 census lists Taylor with 2 males under 10, 2 females under 10, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 16-26 and 1 female 26-45. His 4 sons listed in 1810 are either dead or on their own. His second wife is aged 26-45. The 1830 census lists Taylor with 2 males under 5 and 1 female 20-30. His children and wife from 1820 have either died or left home. Indenture records indicate that most of them were bound out as apprentices. His third wife was aged 20-30. She was apparently named Nancy as evidenced by a poor house record of her death in 1846. The 1840 census records Taylor with 3 males under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 female 30-40. Again the earlier children are gone. Most of them were indentured out to learn a trade. Some of Taylors sons can be identified from Kent Co., DE tax records. The tax assessor recorded John Meredith (of Taylor) and Henry Meredeth (of Taylor) in several tax lists indicating they were sons of Taylor not to be confused with other John's & Henry's on the same list. Indenture records have been used to identify most of Taylor's younger children. These records named Taylor as the father or Nancy as the mother and they are cited in the notes for each child. For an estimate of Taylors date of death the tax records were used. Taylor last appeared in the Kent Co., DE tax records in 1849 but his name was scratched out. He also does not appear in the 1850 census nor the 1850 Mortality schedule, so I believe he probably died early in 1849.