John W Taylor Excommunication Story-what's Missing?
The missing piece in the John W. Taylor excommunication story is that his removal from the LDS Church was not a sudden moral scandal, but the end of a long institutional conflict over plural marriage after the 1890 Manifesto and the 1904 Second Manifesto. He was excommunicated on March 28, 1911, after years of resisting church discipline, and contemporary reporting described the charge as "insubordination to the government and discipline of the church."
What happened
John Whittaker Taylor was one of the most prominent Mormon leaders of his era, the son of church president John Taylor and an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve. According to the historical record, he resigned from the Twelve on October 28, 1905, and was later excommunicated on March 28, 1911, with the central dispute tied to his continued support for plural marriage after official church abandonment of the practice.
The excommunication is often misunderstood because it sits at the intersection of doctrine, leadership discipline, and family legacy. Taylor's case was not simply about private behavior; it became a public symbol of whether the church would fully enforce its new policy against polygamy after a long and painful transition period.
Why it matters
The story matters because it shows how the LDS Church managed dissent during a period of intense pressure from U.S. authorities and changing internal standards. The available sources show that Taylor remained loyal to plural marriage in practice or principle even after church leadership moved away from it, which placed him in direct conflict with the Twelve Apostles and church governance.
It also matters because Taylor's treatment illustrates how excommunication functioned as both a spiritual judgment and an institutional boundary marker. In church discipline generally, excommunication meant loss of membership and full restrictions on participation, although later restoration could be possible; this broader disciplinary framework helps explain why Taylor's case drew attention.
Timeline
The key dates are unusually clear in the historical record, which makes this case easier to trace than many other church controversies. The timeline below captures the essential sequence.
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1858 | Birth of John W. Taylor | Born into a major LDS family line as the son of John Taylor. |
| May 15, 1884 | Called to the Quorum of the Twelve | Rose to one of the highest offices in the church. |
| October 28, 1905 | Resigned from the Twelve | His relationship with church leadership had already become strained over plural marriage. |
| March 28-29, 1911 | Excommunication | Formal removal from church membership followed continuing conflict. |
| October 10, 1916 | Death | Later historical accounts noted the church's retrospective language about him. |
What is often missing
What is often missing from quick summaries is the fact that Taylor's excommunication did not happen in isolation; it came after years of tension over the church's retreat from plural marriage. The Second Manifesto of 1904 is the crucial backdrop, because it marked a firmer institutional line against continued polygamous practice or advocacy, putting Taylor on the wrong side of church discipline.
Another missing detail is that Taylor's legacy remained complicated even after his death. One historical source notes that the Improvement Era later described him as "a kind man of indomitable perseverance and strong convictions," and said his excommunication was accepted "without expressed protest and with no bitterness to the Church," which suggests a quieter ending than the controversy might imply.
"Apostle John W. Taylor was dealt with by the quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 28th for 'insubordination to the government and discipline of the church.'"
Context around church discipline
By modern standards, the LDS disciplinary process was structured and layered, with responses ranging from counsel and probation to disfellowshipment and excommunication. A 2012 overview of the church's disciplinary system described excommunication as the most severe outcome, usually reserved for serious transgressions or conduct seen as damaging to the church's moral influence.
That context helps explain why Taylor's case was treated as a governance issue rather than a simple personal dispute. His status as a former apostle and the son of a president made the case especially sensitive, because any action against him signaled that the new anti-polygamy policy applied even to the church's most prominent families.
Key facts
- John W. Taylor was born on May 15, 1858, and died on October 10, 1916.
- He was called to the Quorum of the Twelve on May 15, 1884.
- He resigned from the Twelve on October 28, 1905.
- He was excommunicated on March 28-29, 1911.
- The central issue was continued resistance to the church's abandonment of plural marriage.
- Historical accounts later portrayed his response as calm and without bitterness.
Why readers search this story
People usually search this topic because they want to know whether Taylor was punished for doctrine, politics, or personal misconduct. The record points most strongly to doctrine and obedience: he was disciplined because he remained aligned with plural marriage at a moment when the church leadership had publicly reversed course.
Another reason the story draws attention is that it reveals how the LDS Church negotiated modernity. The church's anti-polygamy shift was not merely a theological footnote; it was a decisive institutional turn that reshaped leadership, loyalty, and public credibility, and Taylor's excommunication became one of the clearest examples of that transformation.
Bottom line
The short answer is that the excommunication story is really a story about the LDS Church enforcing its break from plural marriage, and John W. Taylor became the most visible casualty of that transition. The missing context is the years-long conflict behind the headline, not a single dramatic event in 1911.
Everything you need to know about John W Taylor Excommunication Story Whats Missing
Was John W. Taylor excommunicated for polygamy?
Yes, the historical evidence ties his excommunication to his continued opposition to the church's abandonment of plural marriage, along with the formal charge of insubordination to church government and discipline.
When was John W. Taylor excommunicated?
He was excommunicated on March 28, 1911, with some sources summarizing the date as March 29, 1911 depending on reporting or archival framing.
Did he resign before being excommunicated?
Yes, he resigned from the Quorum of the Twelve on October 28, 1905, about six years before the excommunication.
Was he ever restored?
One source notes that he was posthumously re-baptized in 1965, which indicates a later restoration process in church history, though the excommunication itself remained a defining event in his life story.
Why do historians still discuss him?
Historians still discuss Taylor because his case captures the church's transition away from plural marriage, the discipline of a top leader, and the tension between family heritage and institutional authority.