Colonel John Powell Taylor was an American politician and officer who served as a representative to the North Carolina Provincial Congress and also worked financing the American Revolution in North Carolina and supplying the local soldiers with provisions.
John Powell Taylor was born to Col. James Taylor (1633-1698) and Mary Gregory (1665-1698) in Virginia. His maternal great-grandfather was Sir Rodger Gregory (1571-1629).
In 1776, Taylor represented Granville County in the North Carolina Provincial Congress. He took the Oath of Allegiance to the Patriot cause in 1778 and began co-signing bills of credit issued by the state to the fund the American Revolutionary War in 1779. In 1780 he supplied provision to the Continental forces, helping troops in North Carolina and being repaid for it by the state.
Col. Taylor died in 1780 at aged 83. He was a community leader and early settler of North Carolina, being the progenitor of many hundreds of descendants. His 4th great-granddaughter is Elizabeth Taylor.