John Taylor

1808–1887 (78 years)

Hometown: Milnthorpe, England

Biography

John Taylor was the third President of the LDS Church, serving from 1880 until his death in 1887. Born in England, Taylor was a skilled woodworker who converted to Mormonism in 1836 in Canada after extensive investigation of the religion. He quickly rose to prominence, becoming an apostle in 1838.

Taylor was present at Carthage Jail when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed, and was himself shot five times but survived, earning him the title “Champion of Liberty.” A pocket watch in his vest reportedly deflected a bullet that would have killed him. He served missions to England and France and was a prolific writer and editor, including editing the church newspaper Times and Seasons.

As president, Taylor staunchly defended polygamy against increasing federal pressure. He had nine wives. When Congress passed the Edmunds Act (1882) and Edmunds-Tucker Act (1887) criminalizing polygamy, Taylor went into hiding rather than abandon the practice, spending his final years “on the underground.” He died while in hiding in Kaysville, Utah, never having surrendered to authorities. His defiant stance against the federal government delayed the eventual abandonment of polygamy until his successor, Wilford Woodruff, issued the 1890 Manifesto.

Served Under

Church presidents during this leader's apostolic service:

Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Brigham Young
Brigham Young

Apostles Who Served During This Presidency

Apostles who served under this leader during their presidency:

John F. Boynton
John F. Boynton 1811–1890 (79 years)
William E. McLellin
William E. McLellin 1806–1883 (77 years)
William Smith
William Smith 1811–1893 (82 years)
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt 1811–1881 (70 years)
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff 1807–1898 (91 years)
Charles C. Rich
Charles C. Rich 1809–1883 (74 years)
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow 1814–1901 (87 years)
Erastus Snow
Erastus Snow 1818–1888 (69 years)
Franklin D. Richards
Franklin D. Richards 1821–1899 (78 years)
John Willard Young
John Willard Young 1844–1924 (79 years)
Daniel H. Wells
Daniel H. Wells 1814–1891 (76 years)
George Q. Cannon
George Q. Cannon 1827–1901 (74 years)
Brigham Young Jr.
Brigham Young Jr. 1836–1903 (66 years)
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith 1838–1918 (80 years)
Albert Carrington
Albert Carrington 1813–1889 (76 years)
Moses Thatcher
Moses Thatcher 1842–1909 (67 years)
Francis M. Lyman
Francis M. Lyman 1840–1916 (76 years)
John Henry Smith
John Henry Smith 1848–1911 (63 years)
Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant 1856–1945 (88 years)
George Teasdale
George Teasdale 1831–1907 (75 years)
John W. Taylor
John W. Taylor 1858–1916 (58 years)

Wives (16)

John Taylor was a polygamist with 16 wives. Note these are simultaneous marriages — married to multiple living spouses at the same time.

16 wives · Lifespan: 1808–1887

Leonora Cannon
1833–1868 (35 yrs)
Elizabeth Kaighin
1843–1887 (44 yrs)
Jane Ballantyne
1844–1887 (43 yrs)
Mary Ann Oakley
1845–1887 (42 yrs)
Mary Amanda Utley
1846–1887 (41 yrs)
Mary Ramsbottom
1846–1887 (41 yrs)
Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson
1846–1887 (41 yrs)
Ann Hughlings
1846–1846 (0 yrs)
Lydia Dibble Granger
1846–1861 (15 yrs)
Sarah Thornton
1846–1887 (41 yrs)
Annie Ballantyne
1847–1887 (40 yrs)
Sophia Whitaker
1847–1887 (40 yrs)
Harriett Whitaker
1847–1882 (35 yrs)
Caroline Hooper Saunders
1852–1874 (22 yrs)
Margaret Young
1856–1887 (31 yrs)
Josephine Elizabeth Roueche
1886–1887 (1 yrs)
1808 (born) 1828 1848 1868 1887 (died)
Wife

37 children from 7 wives · Lifespan: 1808–1887

Leonora Cannon
4 children
Elizabeth Kaighin
3 children
Jane Ballantyne
4 children
Mary Ann Oakley
5 children
Sophia Whitaker
8 children
Harriett Whitaker
4 children
Margaret Young
9 children
1808 (born) 1828 1848 1868 1887 (died)
Wife Child born

16 wives · Ages at marriage

Her age His age Teenage bride (<18)
# Name Born Died Married Her Age His Age Age Diff Children
1
Leonora Cannon Leonora Cannon
Oct 6, 1796 Dec 9, 1868 Jan 28, 1833 36 24 12 4
2
Elizabeth Kaighin Elizabeth Kaighin
Sep 11, 1811 Aug 31, 1895 Dec 12, 1843 32 35 3 3
3
Jane Ballantyne Jane Ballantyne
Apr 11, 1813 Dec 26, 1900 Feb 25, 1844 30 35 5 4
4
Mary Ann Oakley Mary Ann Oakley
Mar 20, 1826 Aug 30, 1911 c. Apr 1, 1845 c. 19 36 17 5
5
Mary Amanda Utley
Nov 17, 1821 ● Jan 17, 1846 c. 24 37 13 0
6
Mary Ramsbottom
Jul 15, 1826 ● Jan 23, 1846 c. 19 37 18 0
7
Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson
Jun 15, 1807 Sep 15, 1893 Jan 23, 1846 c. 38 37 1 0
8
Ann Hughlings Ann Hughlings
Jan 30, 1801 Oct 26, 1846 Jan 30, 1846 c. 45 37 8 0
9
Lydia Dibble Granger
Nov 19, 1790 Jan 23, 1861 Jan 30, 1846 c. 55 37 18 0
10
Sarah Thornton Sarah Thornton
Jun 11, 1806 Mar 1, 1892 Jan 30, 1846 c. 39 37 2 0
11
Annie Ballantyne
Sep 2, 1819 Mar 16, 1908 c. Jan 1, 1847 c. 27 38 11 0
12
Sophia Whitaker Sophia Whitaker
Apr 21, 1825 Feb 28, 1887 Apr 23, 1847 22 38 16 8
13
Harriett Whitaker Harriett Whitaker
Jul 30, 1816 Jul 17, 1882 Dec 4, 1847 31 39 8 4
14
Caroline Hooper Saunders
Jan 3, 1813 Feb 7, 1874 Dec 9, 1852 c. 39 44 5 0
15
Margaret Young Margaret Young
Apr 24, 1837 May 3, 1919 Sep 27, 1856 19 47 28 9
16
Josephine Elizabeth Roueche Josephine Elizabeth Roueche
Mar 3, 1860 Nov 27, 1943 Dec 19, 1886 26 78 52 0

Children (37)

With Leonora Cannon Leonora Cannon  (4 children)

  1. George John Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1834)
  2. Mary Ann Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1836)
  3. Joseph James Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1838)
  4. Leonora Agnes Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1840)

With Elizabeth Kaighin Elizabeth Kaighin  (3 children)

  1. Josephine Kain Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1846)
  2. Thomas Edward Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1849)
  3. Arthur Bruce Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1853)

With Jane Ballantyne Jane Ballantyne  (4 children)

  1. Richard James Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1848)
  2. Annie Maria Ballantyne Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1849)
  3. Timothy Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1850)
  4. David John Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1853)

With Mary Ann Oakley Mary Ann Oakley  (5 children)

  1. Henry Edgar Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1849)
  2. Mary Elizabeth Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1856)
  3. Brigham Oakley Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1858)
  4. Ida Oakley Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1860)
  5. Ezra Oakley Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1863)

With Sophia Whitaker Sophia Whitaker  (8 children)

  1. Harriet Ann Whitaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1847)
  2. James Whittaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1850)
  3. Hyrum Whittaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1854)
  4. John Whittaker Taylor John Whittaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1858)
  5. Helena Whitaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1860)
  6. Moses Whitaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1862)
  7. Jeanette Jones (b. Jan 1, 1864)
  8. Frederick Whitaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1866)

With Harriett Whitaker Harriett Whitaker  (4 children)

  1. Sophia Elizabeth Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1849)
  2. William Whitaker Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1853)
  3. John Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1855)
  4. John Taylor Jr. (b. Jan 1, 1855)

With Margaret Young Margaret Young  (9 children)

  1. Ebenezer Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1859)
  2. Frank Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1861)
  3. Leonora Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1864)
  4. Robert Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1866)
  5. Margaret Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1870)
  6. Nephi Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1872)
  7. Mary Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1874)
  8. Abraham Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1878)
  9. Samuel Young Taylor (b. Jan 1, 1881)

Posts Related to John Taylor

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“As to this pretended revelation it should be said that the archives of the Church contain no such revelation; the archives contain no record of any such revelation, nor any evidence justifying a belief that any such revelation was ever given. From the personal knowledge of some of us, from the uniform and common recollection of the presiding quorums of the Church, from the absence in the Church archives of any evidence whatsoever justifying any belief that such a revelation was given, we are justified in affirming that no such revelation exists.” - Official Statement from the First Presidency (Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, J. Reuben Clark) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deseret News, June 17, 1933. | wasmormon.org “My father received a revelation which, however, was never presented to the Church, and I refer to this not because it is a revelation to my father, I don't think a revelation because it came through him was any greater than one received through any other president of the Church, but because it seems to pertain to this question... This revelation is either true or it is false. Assuming that it is true, it seems to me that it would be better to offer leniency on the side of the Lord” - John W. Taylor, Son of President John Taylor, Resigned LDS Apostle, Excommunication Trial 1911 for continued opposition to ending polygamy. | wasmormon.org “The revelation is clear in its purpose... President Taylor’s God declares, when “my everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with.” All who wish to enter into God’s highest glory “must and shall obey my law.” ... it raises thorny issues for Latter-day Saints. Was Taylor’s revelation true, and were the prophets who followed him traitors? And what does it mean for Latter-day Saint authority if revelations — and revelators — are fallible?” - Benjamin Park, Teacher, Author, President of the Mormon History Association | wasmormon.org “My son John, you have asked me concerning the New and Everlasting Covenant how far it is binding upon my people. Thus saith the Lord: All commandments that I give must be obeyed by those calling themselves by my name unless they are revoked by me or by my authority, and how can I revoke an everlasting covenant, for I the Lord am everlasting and my everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with, but they stand forever. ... I have not revoked this law, nor will I, for it is everlasting, and those who will enter into my glory must obey the conditions thereof; even so, Amen.” - John Taylor, LDS Church President, 1886 Revelation | wasmormon.org Church leaders prayerfully sought guidance from the Lord and struggled to understand what they should do. Both President John Taylor and President Wilford Woodruff felt the Lord directing them to stay the course and not renounce plural marriage. This inspiration came when paths for legal redress were still open. The last of the paths closed in May 1890... President Woodruff saw that the Church’s temples and its ordinances were now at risk. Burdened by this threat, he prayed intensely over the matter. “The Lord showed me by vision and revelation,” he later said, “exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice,” referring to plural marriage. “All the temples [would] go out of our hands.” God “has told me exactly what to do, and what the result would be if we did not do it.” - LDS Church Website > Gospel Topics Essay > The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage | wasmormon.org “Sister Emma came to me & asked me how I would like to be adopted to them as a child. I did not comprehend her & she came again. I was so green I did not give her a decided answer & Joseph died & I remain as I am. If I could be adopted to him as a child my soul would be satisfied.” - Jane Manning James, Letter to John Taylor, December 27, 1884 | wasmormon.org “I realize my race & color & can't expect my endowments as others who are white. My race was handed down through the flood & God promised Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed & as this is the fullness of all dispensations. Is there no blessing for me?” - Jane Manning James, Letter to John Taylor, December 27, 1884 | wasmormon.org "Brother Joseph snapped the pistol six successive times. Two or three were wounded by these discharges, two of whom died."- John Taylor. "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter" - Joseph Smith. wasmormon.org We want nothing secret nor underhanded, and for one I want no association with things that cannot be talked about and will not bear investigation." John Taylor, President of Mormon Church, As President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles