Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources: John Taylor, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)
John Taylor, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)
John Taylor
(1808–87)
John Taylor, ca. 1870, photograph by Charles R. Savage, Church History Library, PH 7189.
John Taylor was born in Milnthorpe, England, in 1808. Around 1832 Taylor moved to York Township, Upper Canada, and there married Leonora Cannon in 1833. In May 1836, Taylor was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ordained an elder. Soon after, he was called to preside over the branches of the Church in Upper Canada. In July 1838, he was called by revelation to fill a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Doctrine and Covenants 118:6). From 1839 to 1841, he served a mission in England. He then moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he edited the Church newspaper Times and Seasons and was a member of the Council of Fifty. He was present when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred at Carthage Jail in June 1844 (Doctrine and Covenants 135:2). After serving another mission to England, Taylor migrated to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah Territory in 1847. From 1849 to 1852, he served a mission to France and Germany. In 1854 he was appointed to preside over the branches in the eastern United States. When he returned to Utah Territory in 1857, Taylor held several civic offices in addition to serving as an Apostle. Following the death of Brigham Young in 1877, Taylor served as third President of the Church until his death at Kaysville, Utah Territory in 1887.
References in the Doctrine and Covenants