Joseph Edward Taylor

From Hanksplace

Joseph Edward Taylor

Vitals

Born: (11 Dec 1830) (, Horsham, Sussex, England)
Died: (17 Feb 1913) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Buried: (21 Feb 1913) (Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)

Spouses

Louisa Rebecca Capener m. (25 Sep 1853) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Jane Maria Capener m. (9 Jul 1875) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Lisadore Williams m. (11 Oct 1876) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA
Clara Ann Sudbury m. (1 Apr 1884) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)

Parents

George Edward Grove Taylor b. (5 Jun 1810) (Harefield, Middlesex, England)
Ann Wicks b. (7 Nov 1800) (Tetbury, Gloucester, England)

Biography

Taylor, Joseph Edward, first counselor to Angus M. Cannon, president of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, is the son of George Edward Grove Taylor and Ann Hicks, and was born Dec. 11, 1830, in the town of Horsham, county of Sussex, England. He was baptized by Elder Henry Beecroft at Hull, Yorkshire, Aug. 11, 1848, being then only seventeen years old. He was ordained to the office of a Priest Oct. 4, 1848, and was called at that time to travel in the Lincolnshire conference.

After being ordained an Elder, Oct. 1, 1849, he continued to travel in the same conference (besides visiting others at times) until released in January, 1851. During a period of two years and three months he walked to fill appointments 3,693 miles, and rode during that time (mostly by railway) 3,166 miles, preached 247 regular discourses, besides delivering nearly 200 exhortations, held 27 discussions, presided at 52 Sacrament meetings, baptized nearly two hundred persons who had been convinced of the truth under his testimony, and assisted at the baptism of a great many more. He organized several branches of the Church and received during that time from the Saints in voluntary gifts of money $65.05 and about $300 from strangers.

During the summers of 1849 and 1850 he often held five meetings in one or more large towns or cities on Sabbath days, sometimes two outdoor and three indoor and vice versa, in many instances doing all the preaching and praying himself, besides leading the singing at each meeting, no other Elder or Priest being associated with him in opening up a great deal of new ground. He often worked with his hands on weekdays, to obtain money to help pay for hall rents and defray other necessary expenses, and says he seldom felt weary in body or mind.

He took passage on board the ship "Ellen," which left Liverpool Jan. 8, 1851, James W. Cummings being the president of the company, and arrived in St. Louis, Mo., in the latter part of March. He remained in that city until the spring of 1852, having been prostrated by sickness nine months of the time; left Winter Quarters June 12th, in company No. 4 (Captain Joseph Outhouse) and arrived in Great Salt Lake valley Sept. 6th of that year. Feb. 17, 1853, he was ordained to the office of a Seventy and became identified with the 31st Quorum; received his endowments Aug. 24, 1854, was ordained a High Priest Sept. 12, 1854, and set apart to act as counselor to Bishop John Lytle of the Eleventh Ward, Salt Lake City. He continued to act in that capacity until August, 1856, at which time Bishop Lytle was sent to Carson valley on a mission. Jan. 25, 1857, he was called to act as counselor to Alexander McRae who had been appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by Bishop Lytle's removal. Elder Taylor continued to act as counselor to Bishop McRae until 1868, having previously removed to the Thirteenth Ward.

Dec. 22, 1875, he was called by Pres. Brigham Young to go on a mission to the States of Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, to labor among the Josephites and others who had suceeded from the Church. He was accompanied on this mission by Elder Claudius V. Spencer, of Salt Lake City, who had been appointed at the same time; they were joined by Elder Isaac Bullock, of Provo, at Council Bluffs upon his return from the East. As the result of this mission 36 persons were baptized, three branches organized, eight children blessed and one couple married; meetings were held nearly every night; 24 of the 36 baptized emigrated to the Valley in less than one year.

While upon this mission Elder Taylor paid a personal visit to Emma Smith, widow of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was residing in the Mansion house in Nauvoo at that time with her husband, Lewis C. Bidaman, to whom she was married some time after Joseph's death. Elder Taylor's object in making this visit was to learn from Emma's own lips some things in relation to the "Reorganized church," which was presided over by her oldest son Joseph.

Among other things he propounded this question, "Why did you use your influence to have your son Joseph installed as the president of the Re-organization, knowing, as you must have done, that the men who would confer upon him this authority were apostates and some of them had been cut off from the Church?" To which she replied somewhat evasively, but from her remarks he discovered her intense dislike for Pres. Brigham Young, whom she accused of entirely ignoring Joseph's family. She claimed that the family had a right to not only recognition but to representation. For this reason and her utter distaste of the man from other causes had led her to do as she had done.

Brother Taylor replied by taking out of his pocket a photograph of Pres. Young, and showing it to her, remarking: "After all, Emma, he appears to be pretty well preserved personally, and the Church has not lost any of its strength either numerically or otherwise from the opposition which I think you have very unwisely aided and abetted." At this point the conversation ended.

Elder Taylor returned home April 7, 1876, and on the following day (April 8th), in general conference, he was called to act as second counselor to Angus M. Cannon, who was called at the same time to preside over the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. Oct. 18, 1884, he was set apart under the hands of the late Pres. John Taylor, George Q. Cannon and Angus M. Cannon, to act as first counselor to the latter, Brother David O. Calder, who had heretofore filled that position, having died a short time previous. Elder Taylor still occupies the latter position.

He has always been prominent in sustaining the institutions in Zion, which have for their object the advancement of the people. This has been exhibited by him in a very marked manner in relation to Church schools and especially in regard to the L. D. S. University, formerly the L. D. S. College, in Salt Lake City. When it seemed impossible to longer maintain the college, he personally undertook the task of raising means for its support, for he had expressed himself as believing that the Lord would be displeased with the Saints if they discontinued it. In his effort he was eminently successful.

Liberal donations were made by a great many of the citizens, prominent among whom was Elder Taylor himself. President Snow expressed himself as highly pleased with the successful effort made, and nobly responded with the gift in behalf of the Church of one quarter of the block east of the Temple, upon which a very creditable building has recently been erected and is now fully occupied with students. Following this, Sister M. Barratt's gift of money sufficient to erect upon this ground the "Barratt Memorial Building" for school purposes, and the transfer of real estate by the heirs of President Young to the University, will furnish enough means to erect a third building. The gift of $1,000 for library purposes by Ezra T. Clark and other prospects in view give additional promise of perpetual success to this institution of learning, in which Elder Taylor has taken so much interest.

LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Andrew Jenson, Vol. 1, p. 296

Sketches

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 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.

Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 4, p. 448

Pioneer Undertakers

Joseph E. Taylor, pioneer undertaker of Salt Lake City was born December 11, 1830, at Horsham, Sussex County, England. In 1863, he started his business of undertaker, embalmer and funeral director; also the manufacturing of funeral supplies. During a period of forty years, Mr. Taylor furnished the necessary outfits and prepared the bodies of over twenty thousand persons for burial. He also preached many funeral sermons.

President Brigham Young announced from the stand in Sunday afternoon meeting in the old Tabernacle, that Jessie C. Little, City Sexton, had asked to be released as he did not like "burying the dead." President Young asked if anyone present would volunteer to take his place. My mother, Louisa R. Capener Taylor (sister to Jane Maria Capener, was present at the meeting, and the thought came to her that her husband could fulfill the vacancy. That evening she suggested the same to her husband, Joseph E. Taylor, who went to President Young and offered to take the job and was accepted. Plans were made for father to dig the graves, and my grandfather, William Capener, who was a cabinet maker and established in the furniture manufacturing business, was to make the coffins.

My mother would assist in preparing the bodies for burial. These were times when some of the people were in such poor circumstances they could not purchase burial clothes. My mother would take her linen sheets or other suitable cloth, some of which was brought across the plains, and supply the clothing.

Joseph Edward Taylor, thus became one of the pioneer undertakers and was appointed sexton by the City Council in 1864. He continued in that office until 1890. He was the leading undertaker for fifty years, having the largest and most complete establishment of the kind in Utah. The factory where the caskets were made gave employment to several men and was one of the best appointed and most extensive in the whole country. The office and factory were situated at 257 East 1st South, Salt Lake City, near the Taylor family home. The caskets were made of pinewood, lined with bleach and cotton.—Elizabeth F. Beer.

Joseph William Taylor was born January 15, 1855, the eldest son of Joseph E. and Louisa Capener Taylor. As a boy of 15 years, Joseph William worked with his father. January 16th, 1882, he started in the undertaking business for himself. He had worked with his father, and had made a very complete study of the mortuary business. He had attended the University. He felt that he was qualified to establish his own place of business. This was at 21 South West Temple Street. He erected a one-story brick building, supervising the construction himself. In 1892, the building was enlarged to four stories. In 1911 he added a three-story building addition at the rear.

In the late 90's, Mr. Taylor went East to one of the first embalming schools. He was one of the first men from the State of Utah to attend a school of this kind. He then finished his studies and did Post Graduate work. In 1927, after years of planning, he built the present mortuary at 125 North Main Street. It is of reinforced concrete, brick, and the 42 rooms of the establishment were built to best carry on the services. He devoted his life to the interest and advancement of the profession and doing his utmost to keep it at the highest standard. He made what is known to the profession as a semi- and non-hardening fluid, but, because his idea in developing this fluid was to help the profession and not make personal money gains, he gave this formula to a well-known manufacturing fluid company and today it is extensively used throughout the country. He passed away in 1931.—Margaret Taylor Beck.

Notes on early undertakers. The early history of Utah, or Deseret, tells us that it was the custom of that great leader, Brigham Young, to assign to each enterprise one of the colony that was familiar with that particular line of endeavor; for instance, one who was familiar with surveying was assigned the task of laying out the streets of what was to be the city; a carpenter, mill-worker, etc., was assigned according to his knowledge of that particular work. And as death is always a thing to be prepared for, it became necessary that one person must be given the responsibility to prepare the receptacle or coffin as it was then called, for those who would be called to the Great Beyond.

Joseph E. Taylor, was the logical one to do this work and to him and his father-in-law was assigned the task of building the "Coffins" of deceased members of the community as well as the digging of the graves. Now this did not necessarily mean that he was to take care of, or prepare the dead for burial. That was a neighborly task for the friends and neighbors of the deceased. Upon the death of one of the members, friends and neighbors came to the home and washed and dressed the body to preserve it as long as possible. In the warm months, interment was necessary as soon as a grave could be prepared. Gradually it became necessary that one should act as Master of Ceremonies and expedite the work. By this time Brother Joseph E. Taylor had become the one who was always called upon to help in times of sorrow. Gradually it became his task to take charge of the funeral and general arrangements. He became the "Undertaker" of the community and as the population grew his task became more and more a full time one.

To Joseph E. Taylor was born a first son, named Joseph William Taylor, by his first wife. There were two sons, Alma O. and Samuel Taylor by his second wife. Joseph William later severed connections with his father and established himself in business as a competitor. The other son, Alma O. was to follow the casket making, while Samuel was to carry on the father's business. Thus we had two undertaking firms, Joseph E. Taylor and Joseph William Taylor and the beginning of what was to be known as the Salt Lake Casket Company. Joseph E. Taylor operated on East First South Street, between Second East and Third East while Joseph William opened business on South West Temple Street, just below South Temple Street. The casket factory operated in the rear of Joseph E.'s establishment.

Now came the influx of "non-Mormon" people and it was necessary that a non-Mormon undertaker be established. A man named William Skewes undertook this, but Mr. Skews was not of the right standard to long remain in business. Soon a non-Mormon competitor established the Utah Undertaking Company. In 1889, a young Irishman came to Salt Lake from San Francisco to go to work for the Utah Undertaking Company. His name was Edmund G. O'Donnell and about one year after his arrival the Utah Undertaking Company failed. Mr. O'Donnell salvaged what was left of this business and called it O'Donnell Brothers Undertaking Company, his brother Con. O'Donnell having come from Chicago to assume partnership. Later Edmund bought his brother Con. out and from then on it was operated under the name of O'Donnell & Co.

About this time, S. D. Evans who was to take charge of the Masonic element in the growing city came to Salt Lake. Mr. Evans opened his mortuary business on State Street near the old Knutsford Hotel. Then came a man named "Watson." Mr. Watson started in the undertaking business on West Second South Street. Mr. Watson was later shot and killed in his office by a man who claimed that Watson was paying a little too much attention to his wife.

—John E. O'Donnell.

Ole H. Berg, a pioneer builder and undertaker of Utah County, came from Norway in 1866 and settled in Provo. He had learned the trade of cabinetmaker, which included wood finishing and carving, and was immediately employed finishing the inside of houses. Three days after his arrival he began work on a home which Brigham Young was having built for his wife Eliza.

He made caskets and conducted funerals. In many cases he preached the funeral sermon. In his shop or small factory, he made, lined and padded the coffins. As there was no knowledge of, or equipment for embalming in the West he placed the corpse on a board and piled jars containing ice, around it. If the weather was warm and ice was not available the body was buried the day after death. Cloths, saturated with saltpeter water, were placed on the face and hands to keep them from turning dark. Soon his shop was enlarged and a carpenter was hired. As his business increased, he bought some coffins from Joseph E. Taylor's factory in Salt Lake City. The hand-made ones were made in his shop. A few years later he bought a white hearse, which had been shipped from the east, and which was drawn by two white horses. And the sign on the front door of his building said, "O. H. Berg, Undertaker."

In 1877 he was called by President Brigham Young to superintend the interior finishing of the St. George Temple. He left his business with his helper and spent almost a year in St. George. With William Alexander as his partner he was also a building contractor. Many of the public buildings, as well as many homes in and around Provo were built under his supervision. The first building of the Provo Woolen Mills, the original building of the County Infirmary, the first building of the Mental Hospital, the first building of the Brigham Young Academy on Academy Avenue, and the Utah Stake Tabernacle are among them.

In the spring of 1889 he left for Norway where he spent two and one-half years as a missionary. Some time after his return he gave up the building business and moved his Undertaking business to a new building on east center street, where it was known as the "Berg Mortuary." The business is now owned by his son, Wyman Berg.

—Flora Berg Jenkins.

George William Larkin came to Utah from England, arriving in Salt Lake City October 3, 1863. While on the plains he was chosen by the Captain to help bury the dead. He later moved to Ogden continuing in the work of caring for the dead. In 1885, he established a place of business at 2252 Washington Avenue. Charles J. A. Lindquist became associated with him in business and the company moved to 2620 Washington Avenue. The City Directory of 1890 and 1891 announces: "Full stock of metallic, cement and hardwood caskets—home-made and imported coffins." Embalming methods were being used in the larger cities. George William Larkin, Jr., was called by Apostle Franklin D. Richards to go on a mission to study embalming. He went to the United States College in New York City. This call came to the young man on September 6, 1891. He was ordained an Elder on September 7, 1891 by Bishop Thomas J. Stevens of the Ogden Fifth Ward and went forth as directed, returning to associate with his father and brothers as George W. Larkin and Sons.

The licensing of embalmers was begun in accordance with a state law and the first ten were issued on September 1, 1898 as follows: Lorenzo N. Stohl, J. F. Richardson, E. L. Jones, M. Wedekind, George W. Larkin, R. W. Watt, S. D. Evans, S. T. Rickets, Thomas L. Allen and George W. Lindquist.

—Rosella F. Larkin

Heart Throbs of the West, Kate B. Carter, Vol. 6, p. 316-319.