Henry D. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Henry Dixon Taylor was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1958 until his death.
Taylor was born in Provo
, Utah
. As a young man, he was a missionary
for the LDS Church in the church's Eastern States Mission
. During his mission, Taylor was the president of the Connecticut
District
of the church.
Taylor received a bachelor's degree
from Brigham Young University
(BYU) and a master's degree
from New York University
. For most of his life he was employed by his family's mercantile business, Dixon–Taylor–Russell Home Furnishers in Utah County
.
From 1944 to 1946, Taylor was the bishop of the Pleasant View Ward in Provo, Utah
. He then served as president of the Sharon Stake and then the Sharon East Stake after the Sharon Stake was split. The Sharon Stake covered a large part of Orem
as well as all of Provo
north of the BYU campus. The Sharon East Stake was essentially the Provo part of the old Sharon Stake. Taylor served as a stake president until he was called as president
of the California Mission
in 1955. On 6 April 1958, Taylor became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
of the LDS Church. In 1976, when this position was abolished, Taylor became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He acted in this capacity until 30 September 1978, when he was granted general authority emeritus
status.
Taylor was married to Alta Hansen on December 26, 1929 and was the father of four sons. In 1986 after his wife had died, he married Ethelyn Peterson. Taylor died in Salt Lake City, Utah
and was buried in Provo.
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1958 until his death.
Taylor was born in Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. As a young man, he was a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church in the church's Eastern States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. During his mission, Taylor was the president of the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
District
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
of the church.
Taylor received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. For most of his life he was employed by his family's mercantile business, Dixon–Taylor–Russell Home Furnishers in Utah County
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
.
From 1944 to 1946, Taylor was the bishop of the Pleasant View Ward in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
. He then served as president of the Sharon Stake and then the Sharon East Stake after the Sharon Stake was split. The Sharon Stake covered a large part of Orem
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
as well as all of Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
north of the BYU campus. The Sharon East Stake was essentially the Provo part of the old Sharon Stake. Taylor served as a stake president until he was called as president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the California Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
in 1955. On 6 April 1958, Taylor became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976...
of the LDS Church. In 1976, when this position was abolished, Taylor became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He acted in this capacity until 30 September 1978, when he was granted general authority emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
status.
Taylor was married to Alta Hansen on December 26, 1929 and was the father of four sons. In 1986 after his wife had died, he married Ethelyn Peterson. Taylor died in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and was buried in Provo.