John W Taylor: Apostle's Secret Life
- 01. John W. Taylor LDS Apostle Biography: Quick Facts
- 02. Early Life and Family Background
- 03. Missionary Service and Early Church Calls
- 04. Marriage and Plural Marriage Practice
- 05. Apostolic Ordination and Quorum Service
- 06. The Polygamy Conflict and Resignation
- 07. Excommunication and Later Years
- 08. Posthumous Reinstatement and Legacy
- 09. Historical Significance and E-E-A-T Analysis
John W. Taylor LDS Apostle Biography: Quick Facts
John Whittaker Taylor (May 15, 1858 - October 10, 1916) was the 34th member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the son of church president John Taylor. ordained an apostle on his 26th birthday (April 9, 1884), Taylor served for over 21 years before resigning in October 1905 and later being excommunicated on March 28, 1911 for his staunch opposition to the church's abandonment of plural marriage after the 1890 Manifesto and 1904 Second Manifesto.
Early Life and Family Background
John W. Taylor was born in Provo, Utah Territory on May 15, 1858, while his parents-John Taylor (future third president of the LDS Church) and Sophia Whitaker-were taking shelter there during the Utah War with other church members fleeing U.S. Army pressure. His birth coincided with a pivotal moment in Mormon history, as approximately 2,000 Saints had evacuated Salt Lake City in anticipation of military conflict.
Taylor's family lineage proved deeply significant to his later theological positions. His father John Taylor had personally authorized continued plural marriage practice and reportedly received an 1886 revelation affirming the doctrine's permanence-a document the LDS Church quietly published in 2025 after decades of denial. This familial legacy created intense internal conflict when church leadership shifted policy decades later.
Missionary Service and Early Church Calls
Taylor received his Aaronic Priesthood ordination as a deacon around 1872 and was ordained a teacher in 1874, following typical LDS youth progression patterns of the era. As young Aaronic Priesthood holders, Taylor and his lifelong friend Matthias F. Cowley helped collect money for building the Salt Lake Temple during their Salt Lake City childhood.
His missionary assignments demonstrated remarkable geographic diversity:
- United States Southern States (1880-1881), where he baptized over 250 souls including a memorable Kentucky family who received confirming dreams that night
- Canada, where he spoke with Premier McDonald and assisted Latter-day Saint settlers
- England, completing his transatlantic missionary circuit
- Mexico, where he met with President Diaz and expanded LDS presence
During his Southern mission at age 22, Taylor boldly proclaimed to the Kentucky family: "We have a message for heaven; and if you will entertain us, it shall be made known to you by dreams this very night that we are the true servants of the Lord". This evangelistic approach yielded more than 250 baptisms across his multiple missions.
Marriage and Plural Marriage Practice
Taylor married May Leona Rich (daughter of John Taylor Rich and Agnes Young) on October 19, 1882, and subsequently moved to Cassia County, Idaho, to pursue ranching. As a devoted practitioner of plural marriage, Taylor ultimately married six wives total and fathered 36 children, making him one of the most prolific polygamist apostles in LDS history.
His additional plural wives included:
- Nellie Todd
- Janet Maria Wooley
- Eliza Roxie Welling
- Rhoda Welling
Although the church officially forbade new plural marriages with President Wilford Woodruff's 1890 Manifesto, Taylor continued privately marrying additional wives when he already had three spouses, directly violating the new policy. This defiance positioned him at the center of growing theological conflict within church leadership.
Apostolic Ordination and Quorum Service
Taylor was called as an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by his own father, President John Taylor, fulfilling several prophecies spoken concerning him-including one given in tongues during a fast and testimony meeting in his Salt Lake City ward. He was ordained an apostle on April 9, 1884, precisely on his 26th birthday, at age 25-26 depending on source accounting.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Apostolic Ordination Date | April 9, 1884 |
| Age at Ordination | 26 years old |
| Quorum Call Date | October 16, 1882 |
| Resignation Date | October 28, 1905 |
| Excommunication Date | March 28, 1911 |
| Total Apostolic Service | 26 years 10 months (including post-resignation dispute period) |
| Quorum Tenure | 20 years 10 months |
| Apostle Number | 41st overall |
| Quorum Number | 34th member |
For over 20 years, Taylor served faithfully in the Quorum alongside his friend Matthias Cowley, who joined the Twelve in 1897. During this period, Taylor made considerable efforts to assist Latter-day Saint settlers in Canada, demonstrating his continued commitment to Mormon expansion despite growing personal tensions.
The Polygamy Conflict and Resignation
Taylor was a staunch believer in plural marriage doctrine, creating inevitable conflict as church leadership increasingly enforced the 1890 Manifesto and issued the stricter 1904 Second Manifesto under President Joseph F. Smith. The theological divide intensified when Taylor continued performing and entering new plural marriages after officially having three wives.
Under mounting pressure from church presidency and fellow apostles, Taylor submitted his resignation from the Quorum of the Twelve on October 28, 1905, alongside Matthias Cowley who resigned simultaneously. Both men maintained close friendship through their shared disagreement with church presidency regarding cessation of plural marriage.
Excommunication and Later Years
After his resignation, Taylor disputed with the Quorum of the Twelve frequently, maintaining public opposition to the Second Manifesto's enforcement. His continued defiance culminated in excommunication on March 28, 1911, specifically for "continued opposition to the Second Manifesto" regarding plural marriage.
Despite excommunication, Taylor remained a Mormon believer until death, never renouncing his faith in Mormonism itself. The Improvement Era described him at passing as "a kind man of indomitable perseverance and strong convictions," noting his excommunication was "accepted by him without expressed protest and with no bitterness to the Church".
Taylor died of stomach cancer at his home in Forest Dale, Salt Lake County, Utah, on October 10, 1916, at age 58 years and 4 months. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, resting place of many prominent early LDS figures.
Posthumous Reinstatement and Legacy
In August 1916, shortly after Taylor's death, he was posthumously baptized by proxy and reinstated into the church by two stake presidents. However, one year later the First Presidency officially declared this reinstatement null and void, creating administrative confusion about his status.
The definitive restoration occurred on May 21, 1965, when Taylor was officially rebaptized by proxy and received the ordinance of Restoration of Blessings by proxy under the hands of Joseph Fielding Smith, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This restoration received unanimous approval from both the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, formally reinstating him to his apostolic position.
Historical Significance and E-E-A-T Analysis
John W. Taylor's biography represents one of Mormonism's most theologically complex narratives, embodying the painful transition from 19th-century polygamy practice to 20th-century monogamy enforcement. His 26-year apostolic span, 36 children across six wives, and posthumous restoration after 49 years demonstrate the LDS Church'sCapacity for both rigid doctrinal enforcement and eventual reconciliation.
The 1886 polygamy revelation attributed to his father John Taylor-published by LDS Historical Department in 2025 after decades of denial-adds modern historical context to Taylor's defiant stance, suggesting his position may have rested on documented theological authority rather than mere personal rebellion. This revelation's publication validates Taylor's theological arguments retrospectively, even if church policy had decisively shifted.
Taylor's legacy continues influencing modern Mormon discussions about conscience versus institutional authority, plural marriage theology, and the nature of apostolic dissent. His story stands as a testament to the tensions between familial religious legacy, personal conviction, and organizational policy evolution in Latter-day Saint history.
Helpful tips and tricks for John W Taylor Apostles Secret Life
Why did John W. Taylor resign as an apostle?
Taylor resigned because he fundamentally opposed the LDS Church's abandonment of plural marriage practice after the 1890 Manifesto and 1904 Second Manifesto, continuing to privately marry additional wives despite official policy forbidding new polygamous unions.
When was John W. Taylor excommunicated?
John W. Taylor was excommunicated on March 28, 1911 (some sources say March 29), six years after his October 1905 resignation, for continued opposition to the Second Manifesto banning plural marriage.
Was John W. Taylor reinstated to the LDS Church?
Yes, John W. Taylor was posthumously rebaptized and reinstated on May 21, 1965, with unanimous approval from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, receiving the Restoration of Blessings ordinance by proxy and being restored to his Quorum of the Twelve Apostles position.