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Meet the American who was the 'working man' Founding Father, Irish ironsmith George Taylor
George Taylor was the Founding Father who earned his keep in America by sweating over hot coals.
He arrived in Pennsylvania from Ireland in 1736, an indentured servant to an iron foundry owner who paid for his passage to America.
He shoveled coal into a blast furnace, melting the abundant ore of the Lehigh Valley into pig, wrought and cast iron – later into musket and cannon shot, an arsenal of independence.
“Hard, dirty work,” said historian and author Tim Betz, curator of exhibitions at the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society in Easton, Pennsylvania.
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Taylor rose to become a wealthy foundry owner himself. In 1776, he joined a short list of just 56 men who propelled humanity out of darkness when he inked his name upon the Declaration of Independence.
Three of those men — Taylor, James Smith and Matthew Thornton — were born in Ireland, according to the National Archives.
George Taylor (1716-1781), circa 1765. A continental politician born in Ireland, he came to the American colonies in 1736 and became a member of the Pennsylvania provincial assembly and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
The Irish are the most represented people, other than those born in America, on the daring but triumphant call for a new world order.
Eminent historian Joseph Ellis, himself of Irish descent, told Fox News Digital that Ireland’s imprint on the foundational document of the United States is no surprise.
“The Irish were already committed to American independence.”
“The Irish already had hatred for Britain and King George III,” said Ellis, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning historical account, “Founding Brothers,” among other books.
“Their own country had been overtaken and destroyed by the British. They didn’t have to read Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense.’ The Irish were already committed to American independence.”
Arrived in America ‘destitute’
George Taylor was born around 1716, most likely in the province of Ulster, in what is now Northern Ireland. Some accounts say he was born in Dublin, now the capital of the Republic of Ireland.
“He was the son of a responsible clergyman,” the Rev. Charles A. Goodrich wrote in an 1840 tome, “The Signers to the Declaration of Independence.”
View of the City of Philadelphia in the 18th century. Artist: George Heap (1714–1752). (Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Taylor planned to study medicine, Goodrich writes, but instead arrived in America “destitute.”
He went to work for Samuel Savage Jr., who owned the Durham iron works on the Delaware River, near Easton, and who paid for Taylor’s journey to America. The Irishman, like other newcomers of the era, was an indentured servant.
“Exploitative labor,” said historian Betz.
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Taylor began at the bottom, fueling fires hot enough to melt iron.
“He worked his way up from furnace filler, to clerk, and then manager as the owner became aware of his education and aptitudes,” writes the Durham Historical Society.
Durham Iron Works, where Taylor oversaw production of cannon shot and shells for the Continental Army. (“History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania,” William Watts Hunt Davis, 1876, Public Domain)
Taylor’s aptitudes apparently caught the attention of another Savage: the owner’s wife.
Samuel Savage died in 1742. Taylor married his widow, Ann, in 1743.
The circumstances of their relationship are unknown, said Betz.
Goodrich writes only, “Upon the death of Mr. Savage, [Taylor] became connected in marriage with his widow.”
“He worked his way up from furnace filler, to clerk, then manager as the owner became aware of his education and aptitudes.”
One circumstance is known. “In a few years the fortune of Mr. Taylor was considerably farther increased.”
The indentured servant who shoveled coal spent much of his time running the business of ironmaking.
The Pennsylvania Regiment, 1760. Corporal. One of a collection of 12 watercolors of American Colonial militia uniforms, 1756-1761. Figure in blue, orange and white with rifle facing right. Artist Herbert Knotel, 1949. (Pierce Archive LLC/Buyenlarge via Getty Images)
He also served as a captain in the Pennsylvania militia, and became a vocal member of both the Pennsylvania assembly and its Committee of Correspondence.
Those same colonial committees eventually served as a shadow government that pushed the American colonies toward independence from Britain.
His ‘sacred honor’
The Founding Fathers are widely portrayed as triumphantly signing the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 — Independence Day in America.
The reality is quite convoluted and procedural. Most notably, “nothing really happened on July 4th,” said Ellis.
A feather quill and inkwell sitting on top of the American Declaration of Independence. The quill and inkwell sit next to the scribing of one of the most famous dates in world history, July 4, 1776. (iStock)
The Second Continental Congress voted for independence two days earlier. Twelve of the 13 colonies voted in favor; New York abstained.
“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America,” John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail in Massachusetts the following day.
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“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.”
Congress approved the language and sent it to the printer two days later. Splashed in bold across the top of the document was this: “In Congress, July 4, 1776.”
The Declaration of Independence that we picture today, headlined by the dramatic signature of John Hancock, was not signed until Aug. 2.
George Taylor’s signature, as featured on the Declaration of Independence. (Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (DSDI))
It was the moment of truth, the day the revolutionaries publicly declared their opposition to King George — and, in the eyes of the crown, declared themselves traitors to suffer death by hanging.
“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor,” reads the last sentence of the most influential and politically radical document in human history.
“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
John Hancock added his oversized splash of ink below those words first; 49 of 56 signatories followed, Taylor among them. The remaining six followed at later dates.
“I would say that of all the people who are in that room,” said Betz, “he was the one we might say was a regular guy. Just a working guy.”
The working man Taylor’s labor in support of the American Revolution was not over.
George Taylor discussed the iron forge business in a 1780 letter while the American Revolution was still being fought. Taylor arrived in America as an indentured servant from Ireland in 1736, later signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. (Paul Frasier/Paul Frasier Collectibles)
“Taylor transformed the ironworks into a munitions factory for the Continental Army. Durham produced cannon, cannonballs, shot, and other military equipment, probably at a financial loss,” writes ExploreHistoryPA.com.
“Taylor’s commitment to an independent United States took precedence over financial gain.”
A ‘promise for future generations’
George Taylor died on Feb. 23, 1781 in Easton, around age 65.
He had been stricken with illness in 1777 and ended his public service, according to the Pennsylvania Center for the Book.
He’s buried at Easton Cemetery, beneath a monument erected in his honor in 1854.
George Taylor, as he appeared in a document, circa 1876, of portraits and autographs of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. (HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Taylor did not himself live up to the standards set forth in the Declaration of Independence, most notably the ideal that “all men are created equal.” He owned two slaves.
But the power of the Declaration of Independence is that it gave humanity, for the first time in its history, political standards and ideals.
“Abraham Lincoln called those words the most important in American history,” said Ellis. “He said they were not for immediate effect, but were a promise — a promise that we in future generations need to live up to.”
The Declaration of Independence “helped to inspire countless movements for independence, self-determination and revolution after 1776.”
Ireland’s impact on the Declaration of Independence ran deeper than just its three signatories, each of whom represented Pennsylvania.
Charles Thomson, the secretary of the Continental Congress, assigned among other duties to revising the final Declaration, was born in Ireland.
So, too, was printer John Dunlap, the man who put the July 4th date on the document.
The signatures to the American Declaration of Independence. Illustration from “Story of the British Nation, Volume III,” Walter Hutchinson (London, c1920s). (The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)
They came from what’s now both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
“The people of the United States and of Northern Ireland remain closely bound by these deep, historic ties and by the values we share,” James Applegate, Consul General for the U.S. Consulate General Belfast, said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital requested comment from the Embassy of the Republic of Ireland in Washington, D.C.
Signers Thomas McKean, George Reed and Edward Rutledge were the children of Irish immigrants. Lt. Col. John Nixon, the first man to read the Declaration of Independence in public in Philadelphia on July 8, was also the son of an Irish immigrant.
George Taylor was born in Ireland, arrived in America as an indentured servant and signed the Declaration of Independence, with U.S. flag and Declaration composite. (Hulton Archive and H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock both via Getty Images)
The statement of purpose and revolt was “the first successful declaration of independence in world history,” historian and author David Armitage wrote for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
“Its example helped to inspire countless movements for independence, self-determination, and revolution after 1776.”
Ireland in 1776 had already lived under British subjugation for 500 years.
George Taylor and the Irish in America “carried in their hearts and souls and memories a history of the kind of horrid treatment that their country and their countrymen and their ancestors had received from the Brits,” said author and historian Ellis.
“They didn’t need to be convinced at all to support American Independence.”
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As 2026 begins, Connecticut is gearing up another busy news year. The legislature is in session beginning next month, with numerous items up for consideration that could have an impact on residents. Also, Gov. Ned Lamont is seeking a third term and the entire General Assembly is up for election, which could alter the balance of power in Connecticut.
Also in 2026, new laws on housing, cancer screening, absentee ballots and more went into effect January 1.
But before we get too far into 2026, let’s take a look back at CTNewsJunkie’s biggest stories of 2025, as determined by our readers. In scanning the list of top 10 most-read stories, transportation, elections, new laws, a new state holiday and clean energy emerged as popular reads.
Credit: Olga Maksimava / Shutterstock
Transportation
It is easy to see what weighs most on readers’ minds, as transportation-related stories made up fully half of the 10 most popular stories list.
Four of the top 10 stories (#s 2, 3, 8 and 10 on the list) dealt with traffic cameras. What towns have been approved for them? What towns are applying? What are the rules for using them to enforce speed? How much revenue do they generate? These were all questions on the minds of readers.
The fifth transit-related story, and sixth-most popular overall, dealt with the construction of the new Naugatuck Metro-North train station and overhaul of the surrounding area into a mixed-use community.
New laws
Two of CTNewsJunkie’s top 10 stories of 2025 dealt with new state laws. Our Dec. 19 story about new laws taking effect January 1 came in at #7, and a similar story in June about new laws taking effect July 1 ranked #9 for the year.
Offshore wind
CTNewsJunkie’s coverage of the Revolution Wind project proved popular with readers, but only one story on that topic cracked the annual top 10. Published on Dec. 26, traditionally a slow news day, the story about four northeastern governors demanding a briefing on the alleged national security concerns of offshore wind generation drew enough interest to rank #5 on the annual list.
Light overcomes darkness
Connecticut gained a new state holiday in 2025, and readers made the story about the announcement the fourth-most popular story of the year.
Public Act 25-59 established Diwali as a state holiday. Connecticut is only the second state to recognize the Southeast Asian holiday celebrating the victory of light over darkness. The state holiday officially is the 15th day of the month Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar. In the Gregorian calendar the holiday typically falls in September or October.
Democrats roll in municipal elections
CTNewsJunkie’s most-read story of 2025, by far, was the Nov. 5 story detailing the results of the Nov. 4 municipal elections. Connecticut’s political landscape changed dramatically in one day, with 27 towns flipping from Republican to Democratic leadership. In contrast, one town — Easton — flipped the other way, with a Republican replacing an incumbent Democrat who did not seek reelection.
At just over 36%, voter turnout was about 10% higher than average for an odd-numbered year.
Costs are up. It’s all around.
Nationally, inflation charted 2.7% in November, according to the latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure was slightly higher in the northeast region, where prices rose about 3.1% in November compared to the same month last year.
The latest inflation numbers were better than some had expected, but many Americans say they still feel the pinch of high prices.
James Myall, an analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank, said that disconnect between “high-level” economic data and consumer sentiment is likely driven by the price of essentials, which carry more weight than other expenses.
“Probably, the things that people are feeling the most are those costs that feel unavoidable: rent, groceries,” Myall said.
Myall noted that the rate of price increases has slowed since its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic, from about 2021 to 2023, but wage growth also appears to be losing steam, which can further weaken Mainers’ spending power in the face of rising prices.
All told, Myall said the economy appears to be on a better trajectory than he expected in early 2025. But Trump administration policies like tariffs and mass deportations, which could shrink the labor pool, still leave things on shaky ground.
“I feel like we’ve gone from a generally strong and growing economy, especially for workers, (a year ago) to one that’s like plateauing and maybe teetering on the edge a little bit,” Myall said.
In preparation for the new year, we reviewed the cost of essentials to see how prices changed in 2025, and where things stand at the beginning of 2026.
Groceries
In January 2025, the average price for a gallon of 2% milk was $4.91, a pound of 80/20 ground beef was $5.70, and a dozen large, brown eggs cost $5.50. That’s according to data collected by Maine Public, which surveyed four grocers across the state.
On Tuesday, the average price of eggs at Whole Foods, Hannaford, Shaw’s and Walmart locations in Greater Portland was $3.03. That marks a 44.9% decrease — though prices were anomalously high at the beginning of last year, driven up by a surge in avian flu.
For a pound of ground beef, the average price was $6.23, a 9.3% rise. And the average milk price was $4.49 — down 8.6% from January.
Vehicles
Overall, Mainers paid less for new cars and more for used cars in 2025 than in 2024, according to data aggregated by Cox Automotive Group, operator of Kelley Blue Book.
The average sale price for a new car in Maine was $46,289 at the beginning of December 2025, down about 5.1% from $48,756 at the same time in 2024.
Maine’s prices were lower than the national average: $49,913 in December 2024 and $47,042 in December 2025, according to preliminary data shared with the Press Herald. Nationally, the average price for new cars hit an all-time record of $50,080 in September, Kelley Blue Book announced.
But it was a different story for used vehicles. The average sale price for used cars in Maine rose about 7.1%, from $28,813 in December 2024 to $30,868 a year later. Nationally, used car sale prices went from $29,570 to $30,383 — a 2.7% increase, according to the Cox data.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics meanwhile reported a 3.6% increase in used car prices from November 2024 to 2025.
Vehicle retailer CarGurus, which also tracks used car prices nationally, reported a smaller change. Its average price was $27,570 at the beginning of December, up about $112 or 0.4% from a year earlier.
But prices rose more sharply for SUVs and crossovers (1.3%), sedans (2.3%) and pickup trucks (3.7%), according to CarGurus.
Gas
The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline fell about 10 cents between the beginning of 2025 and the same time in 2026, according to data aggregated by AAA.
On average, a gallon of gas ran about $2.93 on Friday, a 3.3% drop since the same date in 2025, when the price was about $3.03. Premium gas fell from about $4.01 to $3.97 a gallon, or about 1%.
The price of diesel, however, rose about 5% in that time frame, from about $3.79 to $3.98 per gallon.
Electricity
Energy costs continue to grow faster than the pace of inflation. In the northeast, energy prices rose 6.3% year-over-year in November — more than double the overall rate of inflation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In Maine, rising electricity costs are a key concern for ratepayers and public officials. The state’s electricity costs are largely reliant on the price of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity, and customers also have to pay their utility to deliver that power to their homes and businesses.
For customers of Central Maine Power Co., the state’s largest electrical utility, the average bill will be 12.4% higher this month than it was a year prior.
That translates to a charge of $168.41 this month, compared to $149.76 in January 2025 for households using the typical 550 kilowatt-hours, according to the state Department of Energy Resources and Public Utilities Commission. Exact amounts vary based on customers’ usage.
Heating oil
Roughly half of Mainers rely on oil as their primary home heating source — the most of any state.
Statewide, the average cost for a gallon of heating oil was $3.47 last week, according to the latest available data from the Maine Department of Energy Resources.
That’s about eight cents higher, or 2.4%, than it was at the end of 2024, according to an archive of the state’s website. Back then, the statewide average clocked in at $3.39.
During that same window, a gallon of propane fell from $3.32 to $3.29 and the average cost of kerosene rose from $4.18 to $4.40 per gallon. About 16% of Mainers rely on propane and other tank-stored fuels for heat, according to data from the American Community Survey.
All of Massachusetts is predicted to see some snowfall in the latter half of the day on Monday, with most of the state getting 1 to 2 inches of accumulation, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to dip into the teens overnight on Sunday before rising into the mid to high 20s on Monday, the weather service said. Clouds are predicted to increase throughout the day before the snow begins in the afternoon.
Berkshire County could see some light snow Sunday night and Monday morning, but heavier precipitation is expected to begin by 1 p.m. Monday, according to the weather service. Most of the rest of the state is predicted to start seeing snow between 3 and 6 p.m., first in western Massachusetts, then spreading across the state.
The snowfall is expected to stop between 10 p.m. Monday and 1 a.m. Tuesday in most of Massachusetts, according to the weather service. Much of the state may also experience patchy fog Monday night.
The northwestern half of Worcester County and most of Berkshire County is expected to get the most snow — up to 3 inches, according to the weather service. The Cape, Islands and South Coast are predicted to get less than an inch, and the rest of the state is expected to get 1 to 2 inches.
Overnight lows on Monday are predicted to drop into the low to mid 20s, according to the weather service. Temperatures on Tuesday are expected to be warmer, reaching the mid 30s to low 40s.
There is a chance of rain in most of Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon, with precipitation more likely after 4 p.m., according to the weather service. Tuesday night is predicted to be rainy across the state, though the precipitation may come down as freezing rain or snow at higher elevations.
Temperatures overnight on Tuesday are expected to dip into the high 20s and low 30s before rising into the mid 40s on Wednesday, according to the weather service. Communities in the central and western parts of the state are predicted to see the rain cease by 10 a.m., while Eastern Massachusetts can expect to experience rain until midday.
Sunny skies are predicted across the state following the rain on Wednesday, according to the weather service.
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