In 1891 the McKendrick/Taylor family were living at Blackhill Farm House, Moneydie, Perthshire.

Head of the household was James McKendrick, a farmer who'd been born around 1838 in Kinclaven, Perthshire. His wife was Annie McKendrick who was also born in Kinclaven, at some time around 1832. Uncle Alexander McKendrick - a retired farmer who'd been born around 1805 also lived with them. Uncle Alexander was born in Kinclaven too.

James and Annie's one son was a shepherd - his name was Andrew McKendrick, he'd been born around 1873 in Kinclaven; their two daughters were Lizzie McKendrick, who was born around 1870 and Mary Ann Taylor, who was born around 1869. Both girls were also born in Kinclaven.

The family was completed by grandson, James McK. Taylor who'd been born around 1890 in Moneydie and son-in-law Thomas Taylor, a farm servant who was born around 1865 in Monzie, Perthshire.

Also living at Blackhill Farm House was the family's general domestic servant, Annie Gorrie. Annie was born around 1876 in Redgorton, Perthshire. 

James Taylor was born on the 3rd of July 1890, and was admitted to Moneydie School on the 5th of December 1898 when his father was living at Blackhill, and his parents were the proprietors of the Conservative Club, Bankfoot.

James served in the 1/2nd Scottish Horse, part of the Scottish Mounted Brigade.

On the 17th of August 1915, the Brigade boarded S.S. Transylvania at Devonport and sailed to Gallipoli where it landed at Suvla on the 2nd of September. It joined the 2nd Mounted Division and remained with it until evacuated on the night of 19th/ 20th December 1915.

The Scottish Mounted Brigade left the 2nd Mounted Division on the 22nd of December. It was transported to Alexandria via Imbros (20th-24th December), arriving on the 28th of December and went to Sidi Bishr Camp.

Some of the wounded may have been evacuated to Egypt prior to this date, as James Taylor died in the 19th General Hospital in Alexandria on the 4th of November, he was 25 years old.

James Taylor is buried in the Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery, Egypt - he is also commemorated on the Auchtergaven Parish War Memorial.