The prominent Baptist, Rev Daniel Taylor, was born at Sour Milk Hall, Halifax, the son of Azor Taylor.
At the age of 5, he went to work in the coal mines beneath Beacon Hill.
He was influenced by John Wesley and joined the Methodists. He preached his first sermon at Hipperholme in September 1761.
He disagreed with the Methodists on points of doctrine and was frustrated by the dictatorial attitude of John Wesley. He left the Methodists and was first attracted to the Particular Baptists.
In 1763, on his way to Boston, Lincolnshire, where he could be baptised, he stopped at the village of Gamston and stayed with a group of General Baptists who changed his views and baptised him. Returning to Yorkshire, he preached in the open-air at Far Nook, Wadsworth. He, John Slater, John Parker, William Crossley, and an unnamed lady formed an independent society. In 1763, they held their first meeting at Far Nook, Wadsworth. Within a few weeks, they met at Higher Needless, Wadsworth Lanes.
During the week, he held a school at the cottage.
He and his brother, Rev John Taylor, founded several Baptist chapels at Queensbury, Haley Hill, Shore, and at Burnley.
He set up an independent dissenting group – the Birchcliffe Baptists. In 1764, he acquired the land and is said to have done much of the construction of Birchcliffe Chapel himself – including quarrying and building. He was first pastor of the Chapel.
In 1769, he co-founded the Heptonstall Book Society.
In 1770, he founded the New Connexion of General Baptists.
He was a part-time farmer and teacher, taking in as many as 14 boarding pupils at his home at Hirst Farm, Wadsworth.
He wrote a number of works including various tracts and verses, an elegy on Grimshaw and two Dissertations on Singing in the Worship of God,
He stayed at Birchcliffe until 1783. He then became Pastor at General Baptist Church, Haley Hill. In 1785, he moved to Whitechapel, London.
On 10th November 1764, he married (1) Elizabeth Saltonstall [17??-1793] at Heptonstall.
On 12th August 1794, he married (2) Elizabeth Newton [17??-1809].
On 24th March 1811, he married (3) a widow, Mrs Mary Toplis [17??-1812].
On 21st October 1816, shortly before his death, he married (4) a widow, Mrs Sarah Saunders/
He collapsed and died in London [26th November 1816].
He was buried at Halifax Parish Church
In 1910, his tombstone there was in a bad condition and the congregation of Birchcliffe Baptist Church, Hebden Bridge replaced it with a new stone bearing the old inscription.
He has been described as
The Wesley of the Baptist movement
Adam Taylor wrote a book of
Memoirs with extracts from his diary, correspondence and unpublished manuscripts
Page Ref: WW_29
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