Margaret Young Taylor
Born: 24 April 1837
Called as First Counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency: 1880
Released: 1887
Died: 3 May 1919
Called as First Counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency: 1880
Released: 1887
Died: 3 May 1919
Image source: Young Woman's Journal, June 1919
Biographical Articles
Jenson, Andrew. "Taylor, Margaret Young." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 4. pg. 267.
TAYLOR, Margaret Young, a member of the General Board of the Y. W. M. I. A., was born April 24, 1837, in Westport, Conn., the daughter of Ebenezer Russell Young. She was baptized when 14 years of age, married to Pres. John Taylor and emigrated to the Valley in 1858, served as secretary of the Salt Lake Stake Relief Society and as counselor in the general presidency of the Y. L. M. I. A. for seven years. In 1887, on the death of her husband, she resigned from the latter position.
TAYLOR, Margaret Young, a member of the General Board of the Y. W. M. I. A., was born April 24, 1837, in Westport, Conn., the daughter of Ebenezer Russell Young. She was baptized when 14 years of age, married to Pres. John Taylor and emigrated to the Valley in 1858, served as secretary of the Salt Lake Stake Relief Society and as counselor in the general presidency of the Y. L. M. I. A. for seven years. In 1887, on the death of her husband, she resigned from the latter position.
Cannon, Ann M. "Margaret Young Taylor." Young Woman's Journal. June 1919. pg. 301-302.
Margaret Young Taylor
By Ann M. Cannon.
The death of Margaret Young Taylor on May 3, 1919, takes away one of the last surviving widows of the apostles chosen and ordained under the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mrs. Taylor was the wife of the late John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Aside from this she is of interest to Mutual Improvement girls for having been First Counselor to Elmina S. Taylor, First President of all the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations of the Church from the time the General Board was organized, June 19, 1880, until 1887. Though bearing the same surname the two women were not related, Elmina being the wife of Bishop George II. Taylor of the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City, and the two men being, so far as is known, not connected. However, the two women had been firm friends from girlhood.
Margaret Young Taylor, daughter of Ebenezer Russell Young, and Margaret Holden Young was born at Westport, Connecticut, April 24, 1837. Here she spent her girlhood and with her parents, four brothers, and two sisters. joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later the family moved to Patterson, New Jersey, where her father established one of the first silk mills in the country. She lived about two years in New York City, with her husband while he edited “The Mormon” and presided over the Eastern States Mission. Reaching Utah, she taught her husband’s family school. After her children came she devoted herself almost exclusively to her home, though always interested in anything of an uplifting character.
She was a well-read woman, as attested by the excellent library, which she brought across the plains with her in 1858. Even to the last her letters were a source of joy to her children and friends, she seeming to have an especial gift in that direction. And time changed but little the beauty of her hand-writing, which continued plain and clear as copper-plate. In the domestic arts she excelled also, especially in plain sewing.
Possessed of an innate culture and refinement, she influenced all with whom she came in contact, and impressed them with her pleasing personality. Her methods of control were by persuasion and kindness; indeed kindness may be said to have been one of her chief characteristics.
One woman in speaking of her today said, “She had a soothing, quieting way with her. I remember meeting her once when I had lost my brother. I felt almost bitter, in my bereavement, but she comforted me and I left her a changed being.”
Children who played with hers, invariably mention her pleasant manner, and freedom from irritability. And her home was one of the most hospitable.
It was a joy in recent years to revisit her childhood’s home with her son, President Frank Y. Taylor of Granite stake, and to find it but little changed. The old, clapboarded school house, the very desks at which she sat as a child, and where later other children sat for her to teach them,—the little grape grown island, in the small lake near her father’s mill, with its pleasant seats, where she had studied long ago! They were all the same—strange contrast to the changing scenes of her life— stranger still to those of the war torn countries of the present day!
Until about fifteen years ago, Mrs. Taylor resided in the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City; since then, with her daughter, Leonora T. Harrington, on a portion of the old John Taylor farm, now well within the city’s limits. Her mind was clear and active to the end, though her body grew quite feeble. Her last illness was of but a few day’s duration.
She is survived by two daughters and five sons. In addition to the ones already mentioned they are Ebenezer. Nephi, Abram, and Samuel Y. Taylor, and Margaret T. Gibbs. One son, Robert and one daughter Mary (or “Marne”) preceded her to the Great Beyond. One sister, Mrs. Esther Curtis of Salt Lake City, and three brothers,— Robert W. Young of Wanship, George W. Young of Coalville, and John W. Young of Los Angeles— also survive; and one sister Mrs. Mary Appleby went on before.
What more beautiful tribute could be paid her than the words of Leonora Cannon Taylor, first wife of President John Taylor, shortly before the death of the elder wife: “Maggie has been as much to me as any daughter could be.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.”
Margaret Young Taylor
By Ann M. Cannon.
The death of Margaret Young Taylor on May 3, 1919, takes away one of the last surviving widows of the apostles chosen and ordained under the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mrs. Taylor was the wife of the late John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Aside from this she is of interest to Mutual Improvement girls for having been First Counselor to Elmina S. Taylor, First President of all the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations of the Church from the time the General Board was organized, June 19, 1880, until 1887. Though bearing the same surname the two women were not related, Elmina being the wife of Bishop George II. Taylor of the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City, and the two men being, so far as is known, not connected. However, the two women had been firm friends from girlhood.
Margaret Young Taylor, daughter of Ebenezer Russell Young, and Margaret Holden Young was born at Westport, Connecticut, April 24, 1837. Here she spent her girlhood and with her parents, four brothers, and two sisters. joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later the family moved to Patterson, New Jersey, where her father established one of the first silk mills in the country. She lived about two years in New York City, with her husband while he edited “The Mormon” and presided over the Eastern States Mission. Reaching Utah, she taught her husband’s family school. After her children came she devoted herself almost exclusively to her home, though always interested in anything of an uplifting character.
She was a well-read woman, as attested by the excellent library, which she brought across the plains with her in 1858. Even to the last her letters were a source of joy to her children and friends, she seeming to have an especial gift in that direction. And time changed but little the beauty of her hand-writing, which continued plain and clear as copper-plate. In the domestic arts she excelled also, especially in plain sewing.
Possessed of an innate culture and refinement, she influenced all with whom she came in contact, and impressed them with her pleasing personality. Her methods of control were by persuasion and kindness; indeed kindness may be said to have been one of her chief characteristics.
One woman in speaking of her today said, “She had a soothing, quieting way with her. I remember meeting her once when I had lost my brother. I felt almost bitter, in my bereavement, but she comforted me and I left her a changed being.”
Children who played with hers, invariably mention her pleasant manner, and freedom from irritability. And her home was one of the most hospitable.
It was a joy in recent years to revisit her childhood’s home with her son, President Frank Y. Taylor of Granite stake, and to find it but little changed. The old, clapboarded school house, the very desks at which she sat as a child, and where later other children sat for her to teach them,—the little grape grown island, in the small lake near her father’s mill, with its pleasant seats, where she had studied long ago! They were all the same—strange contrast to the changing scenes of her life— stranger still to those of the war torn countries of the present day!
Until about fifteen years ago, Mrs. Taylor resided in the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City; since then, with her daughter, Leonora T. Harrington, on a portion of the old John Taylor farm, now well within the city’s limits. Her mind was clear and active to the end, though her body grew quite feeble. Her last illness was of but a few day’s duration.
She is survived by two daughters and five sons. In addition to the ones already mentioned they are Ebenezer. Nephi, Abram, and Samuel Y. Taylor, and Margaret T. Gibbs. One son, Robert and one daughter Mary (or “Marne”) preceded her to the Great Beyond. One sister, Mrs. Esther Curtis of Salt Lake City, and three brothers,— Robert W. Young of Wanship, George W. Young of Coalville, and John W. Young of Los Angeles— also survive; and one sister Mrs. Mary Appleby went on before.
What more beautiful tribute could be paid her than the words of Leonora Cannon Taylor, first wife of President John Taylor, shortly before the death of the elder wife: “Maggie has been as much to me as any daughter could be.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.”