A Brief History of William Joseph Taylor
William Joseph Taylor, son of William Taylor and Winnifred Hewitt, was born 7 July 1832,
at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. He was baptized 17 March 1849. Shortly after joining the
Church, he was sent to Ireland on a mission. On 30 January 1853, he was married to Mary
Bowring, the daughter of Joseph Bowring and Jane Cook, of Mancus, near Wymouth,
Dorsetshire, England.
They set sail 5 February 1853, on the ship Jersey, for the valley of the mountains. An
article of the Millennial Star, dated 5 February 1853, states there were 314 saints on that
ship. Among them were 21 year old William Joseph Taylor, a wool spinner, and his 21 year
old wife, Mary Bowring. When the vessel arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River, it
was towed from there to New Orleans, a one hundred mile trip, which took four days. There
the saints were met by Elder John Brown, who chartered a steam boat for their trip to St.
Louis. Elder George Halliday, who had served a mission to England, was in charge of the
group. From St. Louis they traveled by ox team to Salt Lake City, arriving 27 Sep 1853. It
had taken William eight months from the time they left their home in England.
On 4 January 1854, they moved to Provo, Utah. The woolen mills were under
construction and President Brigham Young asked Brother Taylor to go down and oversee
the carding department and help with the manufacturing of woolens.
In the year of 1860, he was elected Peace Officer of Provo. His wife, Mary, taught a
public school in her home, along with all of her other duties. He and Mary had seven
children, Mary, Martha, Ellen, William, Winnifred, Walter, Lydia, and Jane.
He married his second wife, Rebecca Harris, the daughter of Emer Harris and Polly
Chamberlain, on 24 November 1860. They had two children, Emer Harris and Rebecca
Harriet.
At the close of the war against the Indians in 1867, he opened a tannery, where hides
were cured for making shoes.
His first home was built on what was called the City Field. He later built one of the first
adobe houses on the block west of the West Square, which was at that time, being used as
a camp ground for the U. S. soldiers.
He was a home missionary and was I the first organization of the 34th quorum of
seventies. He was veteran of the Black hawk Indian War. He contracted brain fever and
died 18 May 1869 at the age of 37. he left two wives and nine children, the oldest only 15
years old.
at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. He was baptized 17 March 1849. Shortly after joining the
Church, he was sent to Ireland on a mission. On 30 January 1853, he was married to Mary
Bowring, the daughter of Joseph Bowring and Jane Cook, of Mancus, near Wymouth,
Dorsetshire, England.
They set sail 5 February 1853, on the ship Jersey, for the valley of the mountains. An
article of the Millennial Star, dated 5 February 1853, states there were 314 saints on that
ship. Among them were 21 year old William Joseph Taylor, a wool spinner, and his 21 year
old wife, Mary Bowring. When the vessel arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River, it
was towed from there to New Orleans, a one hundred mile trip, which took four days. There
the saints were met by Elder John Brown, who chartered a steam boat for their trip to St.
Louis. Elder George Halliday, who had served a mission to England, was in charge of the
group. From St. Louis they traveled by ox team to Salt Lake City, arriving 27 Sep 1853. It
had taken William eight months from the time they left their home in England.
On 4 January 1854, they moved to Provo, Utah. The woolen mills were under
construction and President Brigham Young asked Brother Taylor to go down and oversee
the carding department and help with the manufacturing of woolens.
In the year of 1860, he was elected Peace Officer of Provo. His wife, Mary, taught a
public school in her home, along with all of her other duties. He and Mary had seven
children, Mary, Martha, Ellen, William, Winnifred, Walter, Lydia, and Jane.
He married his second wife, Rebecca Harris, the daughter of Emer Harris and Polly
Chamberlain, on 24 November 1860. They had two children, Emer Harris and Rebecca
Harriet.
At the close of the war against the Indians in 1867, he opened a tannery, where hides
were cured for making shoes.
His first home was built on what was called the City Field. He later built one of the first
adobe houses on the block west of the West Square, which was at that time, being used as
a camp ground for the U. S. soldiers.
He was a home missionary and was I the first organization of the 34th quorum of
seventies. He was veteran of the Black hawk Indian War. He contracted brain fever and
died 18 May 1869 at the age of 37. he left two wives and nine children, the oldest only 15
years old.