Biographical Sketch (1893):1316, p. 648. "David Stewart Taylor, Sr., was born August 10, 1803, on the Taylor homestead in South Strabane Township, and received a fairly liberal education at the subscription schools of the vicinity, although much of his early boyhood time was passed on the farm. When yet a lad, he followed teaming over the mountains, driving six horses and hauling loads of as much as six thousand pounds, consisting of flour and farm produce, which were exchanged for various articles of merchandise. This business he followed thirteen years, during which time but two days were lost, when all travel was stopped on account of the deep snow. On March 14, 1833, he was married to Sarah Oliver, who was born August 20, 1812, in Westmoreland county, Penn., a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Pinkerton) Oliver, of Sewickley township, in that county, of Scotch-Irish descent. Andrew Oliver (grandfather of Mrs. D. S. Taylor, Sr.) was married to Margaret Madole. He took up 500 acres under the "tomahawk claim" in Hempfield township, Westmoreland Co., Penn. Samuel Oliver, father of Mrs. David S. Taylor, Sr., was a son of Andrew Oliver, who was born in the "old country," where he married. From there they emigrated to the shores of Columbia, settling finally in Westmoreland county, Penn., where he took a "tomahawk claim," and here they died. Their children were Joseph, Samuel, James, Sarah (married to Thomas McCune, in Pittsburgh), Elizabeth (married to James Peoples, near Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland county), and Jane (wife of William Hunter, in Westmoreland county). Samuel Oliver was born on his father's farm in Westmoreland county, where his entire life was passed. He was three times married, first time to Nancy Henderson, by whom he had two daughters: Mary and Margaret; his second wife was Mary Pinkerton, who bore him two children: Jane and Sarah (wife of David S. Taylor, Sr.); his third wife was Salome Markle, by whom there was one daughter, Elizabeth. Of these five children all are now deceased except Jane and Sarah. The father, who had been a lifelong agriculturist, died in Westmoreland county, September 10, 1855, aged eventy-seven years; the mother of Jane and Sarah had passed away several years previously.

At the time of his marriage David S. Taylor, Sr., in company with his brother Henry, was conducting a flourmill at Madison, Westmoreland county, and also managing a hotel. In 1834 he came to what is now South Strabane township, this county, remaining there until 1849, when he moved to Adams county, Ohio. The ague being prevalent there, he soon returned to Washington county, locating about one mile north of Raccoon Station on Big Raccoon creek, Smith township, and purchased a farm. The following children were born to him: Mary Ann, born December 29, 1833 (married to J. F. Cooke, and living in Florence, this county); Joseph, born December 25, 1835 (in 1859 he went to Michigan Bluff, Cal., in order to dig for gold, taking the overland route, and he is now a butcher in San Jose); Samuel Oliver, Born April 4, 1838 (a lawyer in Wheeling, W. Va.); Henry G., born November 9, 1840 (a farmer in Smith township); William P., born January 7, 1843 (a physician in Noblestown, Allegheny Co., Penn.); Jane O., born February 22, 1845 (living on the old homestead); David S., born October 7, 1847; James Buchanan, born March 30, 1851 (a carpenter of Smith township), and Matthew, born January 5, 1854 (died March 28, 1857). The father died March 11, 1888. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown, having joined it, along with his wife, in 1855, and in his political affiliations he was a leading member of the Democratic party. In business he was very successful, accumulating by earnest and patient toil a considerable amount of property. In height Mr. Taylor stood five feet eleven inches, his weight being 180 pounds, and all his life he enjoyed splendid health until sixteen years prior to his decease, when he received a slight stroke of paralysis, from which he suffered more or less up to the day of his death. His widow, still hale and remarkably active for her years, more like a woman of sixty than one who has seen over four score and one summers and winters, is at the home of her sons David S. and J. B., and an unmarried daughter, calmly awaiting the summons that will call her hence."