George Edwin Grove Taylor
PHOTO ALBUM
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SPOUSE: ANN WICKS
Marriage: February
1830
Place: England
SPOUSE: (2)JANE
BAXTER
Birth Date:
5 June 1810
Birth Place: Harefield, Middlesex, England
Death Date:
6 August 1874
Burial: Salt
Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
CHILDREN
Joseph
Edward Taylor
Margaret Ann Taylor
Martha Taylor
Maria Taylor
George Grove Taylor (w-2)
Mary Grove Taylor (w-2)
Edward Taylor (w-2)
Jane Taylor (w-2) |
1830-1913
1841-1926
1843-1924
1845-1901
1852-1904
1853-1882
1855-
1861-1928 |
OCCUPATION(S): Tailor
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FAMILY
Father: JOSEPH TAYLOR
Mother: MARTHA
GROVE
SIBLINGS
Joseph Grove Taylor
George
Edward Grove Taylor
INDEX TO HISTORY |
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Joseph Edward Taylor (son of George E.G. Taylor)
Utah's
pioneer undertaker, and the sexton of Salt Lake City for nearly
a quarter of a century, the subject of this sketch, now one of
the presidency of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, was born at Horsham,
Sussex County, England, December 11, 1830. He was a convert to
Mormonism in 1846, and a settler in Utah in 1852. Few men are
better known in these parts. His bright and penetrating mind,
his zealous and energetic labors, with an honorable course through
life, have given him a goodly reputation and established him
in the confidence of his fellow citizens.
Joseph E. Taylor is the son
of George Edward Grove Taylor and his wife Ann Wickes, who were
also the parents of three daughters. He was but an infant of
nine months when the family moved from his birthplace to that
of his mother, Tetbury, in Gloucestershire, where he remained
until nearly ten and a half years old. They then removed to Spilsby
in Lincolnshire, the father, who carried on the tailoring and
clothing business, having accepted the superintendency of a large
clothing house at that place. They resided there until 1846,
when they removed to Hull in Yorkshire. Though possessed of only
moderate means, the family were in comfortable circumstances.
Joseph received a good common education.
His early training was of a rigid Christian character. His mother,
like her ancestors, was a devout Calvinist of the old school,
a firm believer in its extreme doctrines of predestination, fore-ordination,
etc., more simply expressed in the saying, "If you are born
to be saved, you will be saved, and if you are born to be damned,
you will be damned." His father was a "Free Salvationist,"
and consequently more liberal in his opinions. He established
a church in Hull, and became its minister; also a noted temperance
lecturer.
From early
boyhood Joseph manifested independence of character, with a disposition
to choose for himself in the matter of churches and religions,
that was quite alarming to his pious, well-meaning mother, whom
he seriously offended many times by calling in question her religious
views. She would often say to him in reply, "What does such
a boy understand about religion?" "You had better wait
until you grow up before expressing opinions in opposition to
the true Christian faith." He was only about twelve when
he thus began to revolt against the doctrines of Calvin. It was
his independence of thought and familiarity with the scriptures—which
he had studied from childhood—that prepared him to intelligently
investigate the claims and tenets of the Latter-day Saints, to
which he was introduced almost accidentally soon after the family
settled in Hull. He was baptized by an Elder named Beecroft.
When he made known to his
parents his conversion to Mormonism both were greatly surprised,
and his mother terribly shocked. The news affected her so severely
that she became hysterical and remained for some time in that
condition. The more stoical father contented himself with declaring
that he could overthrow the Mormon doctrines with scriptural
texts alone. Soon after, however, they both joined the Church
of which their son had become a live and active member, and were
devoted to it during the remainder of their lives.
At the age of seventeen
Joseph was ordained a Priest and sent to travel in the Lincolnshire
conference. Many of his experiences were remarkable, and his
success in some places phenomenal. At eighteen he was ordained
an Elder, and as such diligently continued his labors in the
ministry, opening new fields in many towns and villages. In the
larger cities on the Sabbath he would often hold four or five
meetings in and out of doors, in as many public places, doing
his own singing, besides preaching and praying, as he was generally
alone. In the early part of 1850 a minister of the Campbellite
Church challenged him to a public discussion. He accepted the
challenge, and gave the free use of a large hall he had rented
for the purpose. The discussion continued during eleven successive
Sabbath afternoons, and was attended by crowds of people. At
the close the decision was in the young Elder's favor, though
the reverend gentleman with whom he debated—a gentleman
indeed, full of fairness and courtesy—was a man of more
than ordinary ability. Says Mr. Taylor: "While I give God
the glory for my signal success in this discussion, I have often
thought that sympathy for the beardless stripling, standing alone
against a venerable divine, prompted a decision on the part of
the unbelieving in my favor. Several ministers who attended kept
a marked silence during the proceedings, perhaps out of sympathy
also." As a result of the discussion the hall was also filled
to overflowing at the evening meetings, where he preached. At
the end of three months a large branch of the Church was organized
in that town. While performing these labors he received very
liberal donations from strangers. The money that came to him
from members of his Church amounted to only about sixty-five
dollars, during a period of over two years spent in missionary
labor.
He was just past twenty
when he left England for America, sailing on the ship "Ellen,"
bound for New Orleans; James W. Cummings being president of the
company of Saints in which he emigrated. He embarked on the 4th
of January, and landed on the 15th of March, 1851. The voyage
was prosperous, except for an accident that occurred the second
night out from Liverpool, when the "Ellen" ran foul
of a schooner, breaking her own main yard-arm, her jib-boom and
other parts of the rigging; compelling her to go into Cardigan
Bay for repairs. She remained there until the 23rd of January,
when she again set sail. From New Orleans Mr. Taylor and his
fellow emigrants steamed up to St. Louis, where he was delayed
a whole season by a severe spell of sickness. At the opening
of 1852 he proceeded to Council Bluffs, and from that point crossed
the plains to Utah, paying his passage by driving team. It was
the 6th of September when he arrived at Salt Lake City.
He settled first
in the Eleventh Ward. On the 21st of September, 1853, he married
his first wife, Louisa Rebecca Capener, who became the mother
of ten children. During the first six years of his residence
in Utah he engaged in various avocations, necessary in those
days, after which he entered into partnership with his wife's
father, William Capener, in the furniture business. This partnership
continued until 1866, by which time [p.450] he was serving as
sexton of Salt Lake City, and conducting an undertaking establishment,
which has continued unto the present time.
As early as 1853 Elder Taylor was
ordained to the office of a Seventy, and part of the next two
years he was one of the presidency of the Thirty-first quorum.
In 1855 he was ordained a High Priest and chosen as counselor
to Bishop John Lytle, of the Eleventh Ward; afterwards serving
as counselor to Bishop Alexander McRae. In the fall of 1875 he
went upon a mission to Iowa and Nebraska, laboring zealously
among the "Josephites," until April, 1876, when he
was called home by President Brigham Young to be set apart as
one of the presidency of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. He was
second counselor to President Angus M. Cannon, until the death
of his first counselor, David O. Calder, in July, 1884, when
he succeeded to that position; Charles W. Penrose being selected
as second counselor. His secular offices comprise those of captain
of infantry in the Territorial militia, June 1857; city sexton
from 1864 to 1888; and representative in the State Legislature
during the session of 1897.
Mr. Taylor is
the husband and father of several families. By his plural wives
he has had twelve children, or twenty-two in all. His eldest
son, Joseph William, as well as his sons Samuel and Alma, have
adopted their sire's vocation, the undertaking business. Alma,
one of the sons of his second wife, Lisadore Williams, is a natural
orator, and a young man of much promise. He was one of the Elders
who assisted to open the Japanese mission in 1901. During the
anti-polygamy crusade the father spent five years in exile, and
after his return was arrested on an indictment found during his
absence, charging him with unlawful cohabitation. The indictment
contained eight counts, his being one of the "segregated"
cases. The count selected by the prosecution upon which to try
him failed to convict; the jury returned a verdict of not guilty;
and the defendant was discharged.
He has always been
active in the social and political life of the commonwealth,
and is no less zealous and wide-awake in religious and benevolent
movements. He is a pillar of strength in the cause of education.
The valiant and successful service rendered by him in support
of the Latter-day Saints' College (now University) when that
noble institution was about to collapse for want of means for
its continuance, will be an enduring monument to his memory.
When all hope was lost he declared that heaven would be displeased
with the Saints if they abandoned the school, and he gave the
positive assurance that the necessary means would be forthcoming
if prudent steps were taken in that direction. He agreed to solicit
subscriptions, donated a thousand dollars himself, and succeeded
in raising some eleven thousand dollars besides. Others, inspired
by his example and stirring words, came also to the rescue, and
the present prosperous condition of the Latter-day Saints' University
includes the result.
Mr. Taylor is an original
thinker, an able speaker and writer, and has a clear and incisive
manner of expression. His perceptions are keen, his judgment
sound, and his sense of justice such that he is recognized as
a worthy and proper incumbent of the sacred position he occupies.
He still conducts his undertaking establishment—one of the
largest and best equipped in this region—near his residence
in the Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake City. |
REFERENCES:
Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol.
4, p.448-450 |
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