Supercentenarian. He was known as one of the oldest living human's in recorded history. He was born in 1633 near alston in cumbria. He was a miner’s son. He spent most of his 105 years of working life in scotland and he must have been at least 15 when he began his career as that was the youngest people were allowed to work underground in the lead mines in islay. And he later moved to oversee mines in strontian, argyll. He then struggled as a glasgow laborer for 3 years. Then he moved to gold scars near leadhills, lanarkshire at the age of 95 to work in the local lead mine. He continued working for a further 19 years, before finally retiring in 1751 at the age of 117. What is amazing is he was about 137 years old when he died and locals marked his grave with a stone saying he was in fact 137 years old - an apparent typographical error. 3 years earlier, a paper submitted to the society of antiquaries in london reported that he was alive and well at the age of 130. It says on his gravestone that he lived until the age of 137. People are now quite sure that he was in fact actually 133. They know this because john could recall being called above ground to see the great solar eclipse, mirk monday, in 1652 when he was 15, not 19. John was the father of 9 children. And he died around 100 years before birth certificates were introduced. So it will be difficult to prove his age. Because even the church records don’t go back that far. His gravestone stands in the shadow of a monument to another leadhills hero, william symington who invented the paddle steam engine with the help of john taylor’s grandson, james watt. There is an absence of sign post's in the graveyard but at the entrance gates there is a story about him along with a small map that points out where you are in relation to where his gravestone is. His gravestone is large and flat with it's inscription aiming skyward's. (bio by: rememberingancestors and graves enthusiast)