“He succeeded to the largest estate in Virginia" upon his return to the United States in 1790; as he was the only surviving son after his father's death in 1779.
Tayloe was named in his father's will to receive most of his slaves, personal property, land and business interests.
When his inheritance was turned over to him, the income was US$60,000; within a few years, he increased this to US$75,000.
He owned or purchased Gwinfield in Essex County; Douge, Hopyard, and Oaken Brow in King George County; Deep Hole, Neabsco, and Windsor in Prince William County; Doctor's Hall, Forkland, Marske, Menokin, Mount Airy, and Old House in Richmond County, and Nanjemoy in Charles County, Md. 
His father's iron and shipbuilding interests were conserved and enlarged by Tayloe.
His master shipbuilder at Occoquan was his slave, Reuben.
 Of Tayloe's other slaves, he reportedly sold 50 of them, mostly young girls, during the period of 1809 through 1828.
In addition to shipbuilding at Neabsco Iron Works, Tayloe had other dealings in Prince William County, Virginia.
 In 1814, he purchased lots in Occoquan, and on the one that fronted Mill Street, he built the Occoquan Hotel.
 He served as a county postmaster for a time, and his stagecoach lines stopped in Occoquan, giving passengers a chance to disembark here.

During his residence at his summer home, "Mount Airy", the mansion was enlarged, having originally been built by his father.
Among his guests were men of the American Revolution.
Tayloe was a member of the Federalist Party, and he was a personal friend of General George Washington.
He built the Octagon House in Washington, D. C. in 1799, residing there in the winter.
The Octagon was designed by Dr. William Thornton, the first architect of the U.S. Capitol.

While a resident of Washington, he was elected to the board of directors at the Washington Branch of the First Bank of the United States on February 2, 1808, replacing Joseph Carleton, and later served as its president.
This bank's board consisted of such men as John Van Ness, Joseph Nourse, and Benjamin Shreve Jr. of Shreve, Crump & Low.
Tayloe himself chartered The Central Bank of Georgetown and Washington on March 3, 1817.
On March 25, 1812, at the Davis Hotel, he founded "The Produce Bank of the Potomac" with again John Van Ness, Charles Carroll of Bellevue, Elias B. Caldwell, Tench Ringgold, C.W. Goldsborough, and John Graham (diplomat), and later added Roger C. Weightman, and James H. Blake.
He was also a director at Bank of Alexandria (Alexandria, Virginia), the Bank of Metropolis and owned shares in the Washington Bridge Company, Potomac Steamboat Company, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.


He helped organize and founded St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square in 1814, served as a trustee in 1816 during its construction and upon completion served on the vestry and donated to the parish a communion service of silver, which Bishop William Meade, in his work on the old Churches of Virginia, says had been purchased by Col.
Tayloe at a sale of the effects of the Lunenburg Parish Church, Farnham Church, in Richmond County, VA.,
to prevent its desecration for secular use.

As Captain of Dragoons, he went to Western Pennsylvania, to help put down the Whiskey Rebellion.
In 1799, he was appointed Major of Light Dragoons, U. S. A. by President John Adams.
When General Washington wrote to Tayloe a warm letter of congratulation, Tayloe hesitated to accept the commission as he had just been elected as a Federalist to the Virginia Senate, and he feared, as he wrote to Washington, that if he resigned his seat, the place would be filled by an opponent of the administration.
On February 12, 1799, Washington replied that he was inclined to believe his civil service would be more important than military service.
Tayloe served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia, as Delegate and Senator.
On the breaking out of the War of 1812, Tayloe was made lieutenant colonel of the cavalry of the District of Columbia and saw active service.

Killian K. Van Rensselaer, American lawyer and
“He succeeded to the largest estate in Virginia" upon his return to the United States in 1790; as he was the only surviving son after his father's death in 1779. Tayloe was named in his father's will to receive most of his slaves, personal property, land and business interests. When his inheritance was turned over to him, the income was US$60,000; within a few years, he increased this to US$75,000. He owned or purchased Gwinfield in Essex County; Douge, Hopyard, and Oaken Brow in King George County; Deep Hole, Neabsco, and Windsor in Prince William County; Doctor's Hall, Forkland, Marske, Menokin, Mount Airy, and Old House in Richmond County, and Nanjemoy in Charles County, Md. 
His father's iron and shipbuilding interests were conserved and enlarged by Tayloe. His master shipbuilder at Occoquan was his slave, Reuben.  Of Tayloe's other slaves, he reportedly sold 50 of them, mostly young girls, during the period of 1809 through 1828. In addition to shipbuilding at Neabsco Iron Works, Tayloe had other dealings in Prince William County, Virginia.  In 1814, he purchased lots in Occoquan, and on the one that fronted Mill Street, he built the Occoquan Hotel.  He served as a county postmaster for a time, and his stagecoach lines stopped in Occoquan, giving passengers a chance to disembark here.
During his residence at his summer home, "Mount Airy", the mansion was enlarged, having originally been built by his father. Among his guests were men of the American Revolution. Tayloe was a member of the Federalist Party, and he was a personal friend of General George Washington. He built the Octagon House in Washington, D. C. in 1799, residing there in the winter. The Octagon was designed by Dr. William Thornton, the first architect of the U.S. Capitol.
While a resident of Washington, he was elected to the board of directors at the Washington Branch of the First Bank of the United States on February 2, 1808, replacing Joseph Carleton, and later served as its president. This bank's board consisted of such men as John Van Ness, Joseph Nourse, and Benjamin Shreve Jr. of Shreve, Crump & Low. Tayloe himself chartered The Central Bank of Georgetown and Washington on March 3, 1817. On March 25, 1812, at the Davis Hotel, he founded "The Produce Bank of the Potomac" with again John Van Ness, Charles Carroll of Bellevue, Elias B. Caldwell, Tench Ringgold, C.W. Goldsborough, and John Graham (diplomat), and later added Roger C. Weightman, and James H. Blake. He was also a director at Bank of Alexandria (Alexandria, Virginia), the Bank of Metropolis and owned shares in the Washington Bridge Company, Potomac Steamboat Company, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

He helped organize and founded St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square in 1814, served as a trustee in 1816 during its construction and upon completion served on the vestry and donated to the parish a communion service of silver, which Bishop William Meade, in his work on the old Churches of Virginia, says had been purchased by Col. Tayloe at a sale of the effects of the Lunenburg Parish Church, Farnham Church, in Richmond County, VA., to prevent its desecration for secular use. 
As Captain of Dragoons, he went to Western Pennsylvania, to help put down the Whiskey Rebellion. In 1799, he was appointed Major of Light Dragoons, U. S. A. by President John Adams. When General Washington wrote to Tayloe a warm letter of congratulation, Tayloe hesitated to accept the commission as he had just been elected as a Federalist to the Virginia Senate, and he feared, as he wrote to Washington, that if he resigned his seat, the place would be filled by an opponent of the administration. On February 12, 1799, Washington replied that he was inclined to believe his civil service would be more important than military service. Tayloe served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia, as Delegate and Senator. On the breaking out of the War of 1812, Tayloe was made lieutenant colonel of the cavalry of the District of Columbia and saw active service.
Killian K. Van Rensselaer, American lawyer and
John Tayloe III