On February 10, 1851, Richard Taylor married Louise Marie Myrthe Bringier (d. 1875), a native of Louisiana and daughter of wealthy French Creole matriarch Aglae Bringier and her husband. Steadily Taylor added acreage to the plantation and improved its sugar works at considerable expense; he also expanded its labor force to nearly 200 slaves. He became one of the wealthiest men in Louisiana for his holdings. The freeze of 1856 ruined his crop, forcing him into debt with a large mortgage on the plantation. His mother-in-law Aglae Bringier financially aided Taylor and his wife.