Edward Taylor

 Edward Taylor

By: Jordain Taylor

Edward Taylor was an American poet, born in Leicestershire, England, that lived from 1642-1729.  Taylor was born to a yeoman farmer and his wife and about ten years after the death of his mother and father, Taylor sailed to Boston to find religious freedom.  Once he arrived in Boston, Taylor was accepted into Harvard University, with the help of Puritan minister, Increase Mather.  In 1671 Edward Taylor became a minister in Westfield, Massachusetts, and remained a pastor until his death almost 50 years later.  In 1674, Taylor married Elizabeth Fitch.  The couple had eight children during their marrige,however, five of them died during infancy.  After the death of his first wife, Edward Taylor married a woman named Ruth Wyllys and had six more children. 

    Nearly 200 years after Taylor's death, his works and poems were found in the Yale College library.  In 1939, "The Poetical Works of Edward Taylor" was finally published. Some of Taylor's poems are Huswifery, Upon a Spider Cathcing a Fly,Ebb and Flow,Upon a Wasp Chilled With Cold, and The Preface.  Many of Taylor poems were based on the spiritual side of life, his beliefs, and convictions.  Taylor's poems are examples of great spiritual devotion and give readers of his poems great insite into his thoughts, heart, and beliefs.

Follow these links to find a list of many of Taylor's works,www.puritansermons.com/poetry/taylor.htm and www.poemhunter.com/edward-taylor/poems/.

Works Cited

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/edward-taylor

https://www.puritansermons.com/poetry/taylor.htm

https://www.poemhunter.com/edward-taylor/poems/