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Taylor, John, 1808-1887

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1808 - 1887

Biographical History

John Taylor (1808-1887) was the third president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

John Taylor was born November 1, 1808 in Milnthorpe, England to James Taylor and Agnes Taylor. John immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1832, where he met and married Leonora Cannon on January 28, 1833. On May 9, 1836 he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P. Pratt and 2 short years later joined the saints in Far West, Missouri. That year, on December 19, 1838 in Far West, John Taylor was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. John served a proselytizing mission to the British Isles from 1839–1841 and then again from 1846–1847. He worked to translate the Book of Mormon into French and German. Following death of Brigham Young, he presided over the church from 1877 to 1887 and was ordained president of church on October 10, 1880. He served in that position until his death on July 25, 1887 in Kaysville, Utah Territory. He was buried in Salt Lake City.

Citation:
Rasmussen, D.M. The illustrated story of President John Taylor, c1982 (1983 printing): p. 6, etc. (b. 11-1-1808; d. 7-25-1887; third president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1992: p.1648(Taylor, John b.Nov 1, 1808, Milnthorpe, England; d. July 25, 1887, Kaysville, Utah; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Oct. 10, 1880-July 25, 1887; made an Apostle Dec. 19, 1838; occupation: farmer) p.1438-1439 (migrates with parents from England to Canada in 1832; baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1836; moves to Far West, Missouri 1838; misison to British Isles 1839; Nauvoo City Councilman; Nauvoo Legion; newspaper editor of Times and Seasons (1842-1846) and the Nauvoo Neighbor (1843-1846); pioneer-arrived Salt Lake Valley 1847; Utah territorial legislature, 1853-1876; Probate judge Utah County, 1868-1870; Territorial superintendent of schools, 1876; preside over missionary work in Fance and Germany, 1849; author; founded Deseret Manufacturing Company while in Europe)

Joseph Smith Papers, via WWW, March 21, 2018 (1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887; Preacher, editor, publisher, politician; Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England; Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor; Migrated from England to Upper Canada, 1832; Married Leonora Cannon, 28 Jan. 1833, at York; Baptized into LDS church by Parley P. Pratt, 9 May 1836; Moved to Kirtland Ohio; Moved to Far West, Missouri, 1838; Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, 19 Dec. 1838, at Far West; Served mission to England, 1839–1841, 1846–1847; worked on translations of the Book of Mormon into French and German; Following death of Brigham Young, presided over church from 1877 to 1887; Ordained president of church, 10 Oct. 1880; Died at Kaysville, Davis Co., Utah Territory; Buried in Salt Lake City)

Found in 17 Collections and/or Records:

Jesse O. Ballenger letters

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31179230305408]
Identifier: MSS SC 795
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of typescripts of four letters by Ballenger, three addressed to President Brigham Young and one to Apostle John Taylor outlining conditions in the settlement at Sunset Crossing, Arizona. Content includes relationship with local Native American tribes. Dated 1876-1877.

Dates: 1876-1877

Samuel Bateman papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 128
Scope and Contents Contains materials documenting Samuel Bateman's personal and family life. Included are some of Bateman's handwritten diaries for the years 1886-1888, 1899-1901, and 1901-1909. Also included are typescripts, microfilm, and scanned copies of these diaries, and typescripts of some correspondence to and from Samuel Bateman, dated 1868-1886. His correspondence discusses guarding John Taylor and his friendship with Wilford Woodruff, who were both Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of...
Dates: 1868-2016

Letter from Hermann to his parents

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197233616355]
Identifier: MSS 8870
Content Description Contains a handwritten letter in German by Hermann from Salt Lake City, Utah, to his parents in Germany. Hermann was a German tourist who was interested in Mormon irrigation systems and who attached himself to a small group of German diplomats who were touring Salt Lake City and the West. He writes of his experiences while in Salt Lake City, including visiting with President John Taylor, and discusses the Mormon religion, including the Book of Mormon. Dated June 27, 1884.Includes...
Dates: 1884 June 27

Ann Pitchforth collection

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197223103133]
Identifier: MSS 1374
Scope and Contents Collection includes correspondence of Samuel Jackson (born 1764) of Providence Green, Yorkshire, England; of his brothers, Richard and James; and of his son, Samuel (born circa 1803). Also includes letters by Ann Pitchforth, sister-in-law of the latter Samuel Jackson, and by others, mostly members of the Jackson family. The correspondence relates primarily to family and business concerns. Several of the Richard Jackson letters were written from Staten Island, New York, between 1810 and...
Dates: 1793-1930

F. D. Richards letter

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230348036]
Identifier: MSS 1340
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a handwritten and signed letter, dated 26 Dec. 1883, and addressed to John Taylor, president of the Mormon Church. Richards urges Taylor to begin keeping a "Book of the Law of the Lord" and gives examples of possible entries.

Dates: 1883 December 26

Katharine Smith Salisbury correspondence

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230321272]
Identifier: MSS SC 2287
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of handwritten letters and typed copies of correspondence. Salisbury writes to the Mormon Church leaders Brigham Young (1801-1877), Orson Pratt (1811-1881), and John Taylor (1808-1887) requesting funds. One letter in the collection is from Brigham Young. Two of the items were written by Salisbury to her "Dear Sister" (probably her sister-in-law, Samantha) in 1853 and 1854 lamenting the death of a family member, "Jenkins."

Dates: 1853-1879

John Smith papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Vault MSS 803
Scope and Contents

Collection contains papers related to Smith's mission to Denmark, life in Utah with family, and his position as Presiding Patriarch of the LDS Church. Includes diaries, letters, articles containing references to John, his personal patriarchal blessing, sheep accounts, family history notes, and copies of patriarchal blessings pronounced by himself. Dated 1848-1962.

Dates: 1848-1962

Joseph F. Smith letters

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 2497
Scope and Contents Handwritten and typewritten letters dated 6 May 1881 and 17 Dec. 1914. The handwritten item is addressed to Charles Coulson Rich of Paris, Idaho. Smith tells Rich about the activities of John Taylor, third president of the Mormon Church, and about financial matters. The typewritten item is addressed to Francis W. Kirkham who is called to be the president of the New Zealand Mission for the Mormon Church. This letter is signed by Smith and the other two members of the First Presidency of the...
Dates: 1914 December 17; 1881 May 6

Erastus Fairbanks Snow papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1419
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of handwritten diaries from about 1836 to 1857, a notebook from 1848, correspondence from 1847 to 1888, financial papers from 1855 to 1883, miscellaneous items from 1840 to 1879, and copy of a revelation given in 1836 which is now found in Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 111. The materials relate to Snow's finances and activities.

Dates: 1836-1888

John Taylor correspondence

 Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197233287082]
Identifier: Vault MSS 158
Scope and Contents

Two handwritten and signed letters addressed to John Taylor's son-in-law, Daniel Harrington, dated 31 July and 8 Sept. 1886. Also included is a letter from Harrington dated 1 Nov. 1886 congratulating Taylor on his 78th birthday. The items deal largely with personal matters.

Dates: 1886