John Tayloe III
John Tayloe III (September 2, 1770 – March 23, 1828), of Richmond County, Virginia, was the premier Virginia planter; a politician, businessman, and tidewater gentry scion. He was prominent in elite social circles. A highly successful planter and early Thoroughbred horse breeder, he was considered the "wealthiest man of his day". A military officer, he also served in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia for nine years.
John Tayloe III | |
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John Tayloe III by Gilbert Stuart on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art | |
| Born | September 2, 1770 Mount Airy, Richmond County, Virginia |
| Died | March 23, 1828 (aged 57) Mount Airy, Richmond County, Virginia |
| Resting place | Mount Airy, Richmond County, Virginia |
| Nationality | British/American |
| Education | Eton College, Cambridge University |
| Occupation(s) | Planter, agent |
| Known for | Virginia Planter, Builder of The Octagon House, Founder of the Washington Jockey Club, Founder St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square |
| Spouse | Ann Ogle (m. 1792) |
| Children | 15, including Benjamin, William, Edward, George, and Henry |
| Relatives | William Tayloe (planter) (great-great-granduncle) William Tayloe (the nephew) (great-grandfather) John Tayloe I (paternal grandfather) John Tayloe II (father) Benjamin Ogle (father-in-law) |
The Tayloe family of Richmond County, including his father, John Tayloe II, and grandfather, John Tayloe I, exemplified gentry entrepreneurship by the diversifying business interests utilizing agriculture to begin vertically integrating their supply chain including shipbuilding and iron production to satisfy transportation needs.