Maria[h] Man was born on 29 April 1760 at Croydon, Surrey, the youngest daughter of John and Mary (Balchen) Man, and was baptized on 11 May at St John the Baptist, Croydon.  She married The Rev. James Taylor on 25 June 1796 at Tilehurst, Berkshire.  Witnesses to the marriage were her brother John and sister Frances.  (The marriage record indicates that Maria was from Tilehurst, near Reading, and James from Reading.)  Maria died on 21 June 1797 at Reading, Berkshire, and was buried on 27 June at St Mary the Virgin, Reading.  An Admon exists for Maria which can be read HERE. No other information is available at this time on James Taylor.

Maria and James belong to Generation Three. There was no issue.

[References: Mariah's birth date and baptism - FHL Film # 0994331; her marriage - FHL Film # 0088445; her burial - FHL Film # 1040614.]

NOTES: Maria's death notice has been found in the Reading Mercury for June 26 1897.  It reads as follows: 'Last Wednesday [ie 21 June] died, Mrs. Taylor, of Castle-Street: most sincerely and justly regretted by all that knew her.' (Our thanks to Adam Sowan for providing this information).

ADMON - A person who dies without leaving a WILL is said to have died 'interstate'. If there was property or money involved, an application for probate had to be made, and 'letters of administration' [ADMON] were granted to enable the heir(s) (in this case, James Taylor) to sell the property or obtain the money.

The reason for the brackets [ ] around Maria[h]'s name is because her baptismal record shows 'Mariah', but her marriage and burial records show 'Maria'.  In the summer of 1795 John Man, Maria's brother, retired from his position of schoolmaster and let the school to his brother in law James Taylor. James Taylor is said to have been a cousin of Eleanor Thompson who married Maria's brother Henry Man.