Joseph William Taylor
Relationship: Nephew to Jane Maria Capener
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Vitals
- Born: (16 Jan 1855) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
- Died: (11 Jun 1931) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
- Buried: (14 Jun 1931) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Spouse
Margaret Littlefair m. (15 Apr 1880) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Parents
Joseph Edward Taylor b. (11 Dec 1830) (Horsham, Sussex, England)
Louisa Rebecca Capener b. (17 Jul 1834) (London, Middlesex, England)
History
The family were in comfortable circumstances, and Joseph, who was one of several children, received a good education, principally if not entirely in the common schools of his native place. In the intervals of and after completing his school life, he followed the undertaking business as an assistant to his father, from 1864 until 1876. In December of the latter year he left Salt Lake City to fulfill a mission in Europe as an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As a passenger from New York on the steamship "Wyoming," he landed at Liverpool on the 6th of January, 1877. He was set apart by President Albert Carrington, then at the head of the European mission, to labor as a traveling Elder in South Wales, where he served as a missionary until the 17th of September, the same year, when he returned to Liverpool and was appointed to labor in the Newcastle conference. There he remained until October, 1878, when he was honorably released from his mission and forthwith returned home.
From November, 1878, until September, 1879, he worked with his father in the undertaking business, and then left home, having accepted employment as Pacific Express messenger and train baggage man on the Utah Southern Railroad, running between Juab and Milford. While thus engaged he married on April 15, 1880, Miss Margaret Littlefair, of Stockton-on-Tees, County of Durham, England, the marriage ceremony being performed by President Joseph F. Smith in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City. In April, 1881, Mr. Taylor, still in the employ of the railroad, was transferred from Juab to Ogden, working on the Utah Northern during its construction, as Pacific Express messenger and train baggage man, and running as far as Butte, Montana. This employment continued until September, 1882.
He then left Ogden and came back to Salt Lake City. Here he purchased ground, erected a two-story building, and on January 16, 1883, began business for himself as an undertaker. He soon became popular, and consequently prospered. In March, 1892, he took down his two-story building and erected another of four stories, with basement, known as the Taylor Block, 21–23–25, West Temple Street. The same year he began the study of embalming, and in due time became proficient in that science. He holds diplomas from three different colleges, and two state licenses, and was widely known as a leading undertaker and licensed embalmer.
In April, 1902, Mr. Taylor having purchased that valuable piece of residence property, known as the Carrington corner, on Main and North Temple Streets, began the erection of a handsome home.
Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 4, p. 480
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.
Heart Throbs of the West, Kate B. Carter, Vol. 6, p. 317
Image Gallery
Joseph William Taylor & Margaret Littlefair Marker, Salt Lake City Cemetery, Utah
