John Whittaker Taylor
Encyclopedia
John Whittaker Taylor was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was the son of John Taylor, the third president of the church. While he was an apostle, he was excommunicated from the LDS Church for opposing the church's abandonment of plural marriage
.
, Utah Territory
while his parents John Taylor and Sophia Whittaker were taking shelter there, along with other church members, during the Utah War
. He married May Leona Rich (daughter of John Taylor Rich & Agnes Young) on 19 October 1882 and moved to Cassia County
in Idaho
, to ranch. As a practitioner of plural marriage
, he later married Nellie Todd, Janet Maria Wolley, Eliza Roxie Welling, Rhoda Welling and Ellen Georgina Sandberg. He also worked as a county clerk, and a newspaper editor, among many other things.
His son Samuel W. Taylor
became his biographer, and a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction.
around 1872 and as a teacher in 1874. He also served as missionary
in the United States
, Canada
and England
. Taylor was asked to be an apostle
and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church by his father. He was ordained on May 15, 1884, his 26th birthday.
Taylor was a staunch believer in the doctrine of plural marriage
, and had six wives and thirty-six children. Although the church officially forbade the practice with the 1890 Manifesto
, Taylor continued to privately marry additional wives and consequently resigned from the Quorum of the Twelve in October 1905. Matthias F. Cowley
also resigned from the Quorum over the plural marriage dispute. The following February, Marriner W. Merrill
died. The three new vacancies were filled in the April 1906 General Conference by George F. Richards
, Orson F. Whitney
, and David O. McKay
.
Taylor disputed with the Quorum of the Twelve often after his resignation. He was finally excommunicated from the church in 1911, but he remained a believer up to his death. He died of stomach cancer
at his home in Forest Dale, Salt Lake County, Utah
, at 58 years of age. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
.
In August 1916, Taylor was posthumously baptized by proxy and reinstated into the church by two stake presidents. However, a year later, the First Presidency
officially stated that the reinstatement was null and void. He was later officially rebaptized
and on May 21, 1965 received the ordinance of Restoration of Blessings (and Priesthood) by proxy under the hands of Joseph Fielding Smith
, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with the unanimous approval of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
, was named in Taylor's honor. As an apostle, Taylor had made considerable efforts to assist the Mormon settlers in Canada
. The Taylor Stake was renamed the Raymond Alberta Stake in the 1970s.
In the 2000s, the town of Raymond built a street named Taylor Street in his honor. An LDS Church chapel was built on the street, and it is named the Taylor Street Chapel.
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
.
Family and occupation
John W. Taylor was born in ProvoProvo, 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 Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
while his parents John Taylor and Sophia Whittaker were taking shelter there, along with other church members, during the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
. He married May Leona Rich (daughter of John Taylor Rich & Agnes Young) on 19 October 1882 and moved to Cassia County
Cassia County, Idaho
Cassia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 22,952. The county seat and largest city is Burley.-History:...
in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, to ranch. As a practitioner of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, he later married Nellie Todd, Janet Maria Wolley, Eliza Roxie Welling, Rhoda Welling and Ellen Georgina Sandberg. He also worked as a county clerk, and a newspaper editor, among many other things.
His son Samuel W. Taylor
Samuel W. Taylor
Samuel Woolley Taylor was an American novelist, scriptwriter and historian.- Biography :Taylor was born in Provo, Utah to Janet "Nettie" Maria Woolley and John W. Taylor, the son of John Taylor, the late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
became his biographer, and a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction.
Church service and conflict
Taylor was ordained as a deaconPriesthood (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God, including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform ordinances, and the power to perform miracles. A body of priesthood holders is referred to as a quorum.Priesthood denotes elements...
around 1872 and as a teacher in 1874. He also served as 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Taylor was asked to be an apostle
Apostle (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, an Apostle is a "special witness of the name of Jesus Christ who is sent to teach the principles of salvation to others." In many Latter Day Saint churches, an Apostle is a priesthood office of high authority within the church hierarchy. In many churches, apostles...
and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church by his father. He was ordained on May 15, 1884, his 26th birthday.
Taylor was a staunch believer in the doctrine of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, and had six wives and thirty-six children. Although the church officially forbade the practice with the 1890 Manifesto
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, Taylor continued to privately marry additional wives and consequently resigned from the Quorum of the Twelve in October 1905. Matthias F. Cowley
Matthias F. Cowley
Matthias Foss Cowley , born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1897 until 1905. The town of Cowley in Wyoming is named after him. He was the father of Apostle Matthew Cowley by Abbie Hyde. ...
also resigned from the Quorum over the plural marriage dispute. The following February, Marriner W. Merrill
Marriner W. Merrill
Marriner Wood Merrill born in Sackville, New Brunswick, was a pioneering settler of Cache Valley and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
died. The three new vacancies were filled in the April 1906 General Conference by George F. Richards
George F. Richards
George Franklin Richards was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 9, 1906 until his death...
, Orson F. Whitney
Orson F. Whitney
Orson Ferguson Whitney born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 9, 1906 until his death.-Early life:...
, and David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
.
Taylor disputed with the Quorum of the Twelve often after his resignation. He was finally excommunicated from the church in 1911, but he remained a believer up to his death. He died of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
at his home in Forest Dale, Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
, at 58 years of age. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
.
In August 1916, Taylor was posthumously baptized by proxy and reinstated into the church by two stake presidents. However, a year later, the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
officially stated that the reinstatement was null and void. He was later officially rebaptized
Rebaptism (Mormonism)
Rebaptism is a practice in some denominations of the Latter Day Saint or Mormonism movement.The Latter Day Saints were headquartered in Nauvoo, Illinois. Many who were already baptized members of the church, were rebaptised either to show a renewal of their commitment to the movement or as part of...
and on May 21, 1965 received the ordinance of Restoration of Blessings (and Priesthood) by proxy under the hands of Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church...
, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with the unanimous approval of the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Honors
The Taylor Stake of the LDS Church, which was headquartered in Raymond, AlbertaRaymond, Alberta
Raymond is a town in Warner County, Alberta, Canada. It is located in southern Alberta south of Lethbridge on Highway 52. Raymond is known for its annual rodeo and its large Mormon population...
, was named in Taylor's honor. As an apostle, Taylor had made considerable efforts to assist the Mormon settlers in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Taylor Stake was renamed the Raymond Alberta Stake in the 1970s.
In the 2000s, the town of Raymond built a street named Taylor Street in his honor. An LDS Church chapel was built on the street, and it is named the Taylor Street Chapel.
See also
- Second ManifestoSecond ManifestoThe "Second Manifesto" was a 1904 declaration made by Joseph F. Smith, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , in which Smith stated the church was no longer sanctioning marriages that violated the laws of the land and set down the principle that those entering into or...
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in CanadaThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in CanadaSince its organization in New York in 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a presence in Canada. The first Latter Day Saint missionaries to preach outside of the United States preached in Upper Canada; the first stake to be established outside of the U.S...
- Reed Smoot hearings