Robert Taylor was born on May 29, 1804, in Pennsylvania, to Matthew S. Taylor. The family moved to Lawrence County, Indiana, by 1820, and he married Nancy Lakey there on September 25, 1828. They had at least seven children: John, born around 1832; Sarah, born around 1834; William, born around 1838; James, born around 1839; Joseph, born around 1841; George, born around 1846; and David, born around 1852.
By 1850, he was working as a farmer in Clear Creek, Indiana, and Taylor owned $2,000 of real estate. His wife died in the 1850s, and he married Sarah Grimes soon afterward. Their son Irvin was born around 1859. By 1860, he owned $4,500 of real estate and $1,200 of personal property. A decade later, his wealth had grown to $13,150 of real estate and $2,875 of personal property. He died in Indiana on December 13, 1885.