John W Taylor Mormon Apostle: Rise, Conflict, Legacy
- 01. Who John W Taylor Was and Why His Story Still Matters
- 02. Early Life and Family Background
- 03. Rise to the Quorum of the Twelve
- 04. Relationship with Plural Marriage
- 05. Resignation from the Quorum of the Twelve
- 06. Excommunication and Later Years
- 07. Posthumous Reinstatement and Restoration
- 08. Key Dates and Chronology
- 09. Comparative Table: Taylor's Tenure vs. Average Apostle
- 10. Social and Doctrinal Impact
- 11. Frequently Asked Questions
- 12. Why the "John W Taylor Story" Gets Complicated
Who John W Taylor Was and Why His Story Still Matters
John W Taylor was a nineteenth-century apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the "Mormon Church") whose life became defined by his conflict with church leadership over the practice of plural marriage. Ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1884, he later resigned from the Quorum in 1905 and was excommunicated in 1911 for continuing to perform or support post-Manifesto plural marriages, a stance that made him one of the most controversial figures in modern LDS history.
Early Life and Family Background
John Whittaker Taylor was born on May 15, 1858, in Provo, Utah, while Saints were temporarily abandoning Salt Lake City due to the advancement of U.S. troops-a period historians now call the Utah War era. His father, John Taylor, would later become the third president of the Church, and his mother, Sophia Whittaker, provided a deeply religious household that shaped Taylor's early sense of prophetic calling.
From childhood, Taylor was framed as a "chosen son" in family narratives; several informal prophecies in local ward meetings reportedly foretold that he would one day hold the apostolic office. After basic schooling in Utah, he prepared for a mission and was called to serve in the South and West missions, where he baptized more than 250 people, an unusual volume for a young elder at the time.
Rise to the Quorum of the Twelve
Taylor's rapid ascent began when he was called to the Quorum on April 9, 1884, at the age of 25-making him one of the youngest men ever ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the nineteenth century. His ordination was framed by contemporary minutes as a fulfillment of earlier spiritual promptings, reinforcing the LDS narrative that apostolic appointments follow both revelation and genealogical legacy.
Within the first five years, Taylor served missions to the United States south, Canada, and Mexico, and he represented the Church in meetings with political figures such as Grover Cleveland and Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. These assignments gave him international experience unmatched by many of his peers and helped solidify his reputation as a capable, if headstrong, apostle.
Relationship with Plural Marriage
Taylor took multiple plural wives during the 1880s and 1890s, a reflection of the broader plural marriage culture that persisted despite the 1890 Manifesto. By the early 1900s, national political pressure and internal church discipline had tightened, and the administration of President Joseph F Smith began to insist that no new plural marriages should be performed under any circumstances.
Available journals and later accounts suggest that Taylor's views hardened in the mid-1890s, when he wrote that he did not believe the original 1890 Manifesto was binding in the way leadership claimed. He argued that the doctrine of plural marriage was revealed by God and should not be abandoned, even if politically expedient, a position that eventually placed him in direct conflict with the First Presidency.
Resignation from the Quorum of the Twelve
On October 28, 1905, Taylor and fellow apostle Matthias F Cowley both resigned from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after a prolonged dispute over continuing plural marriages. Internal records indicate that at least six of the twelve apostles had already been conducting post-Manifesto sealing ceremonies, but Taylor and Cowley were singled out, likely because of their high profiles and family connections.
Leadership at the time framed the resignations as a way to protect the Church from renewed federal scrutiny, a period now often called the post-Manifesto reconciliation phase. Taylor's exit from the Quorum was treated as a definitive break; he was removed from the official list of General Authorities and stripped of administrative responsibilities, though he continued to write and speak in defense of plural marriage.
Excommunication and Later Years
On March 28-29, 1911, the First Presidency, under the leadership of Joseph F Smith, formally excommunicated John W Taylor for continuing to oppose the cessation of plural marriage and for performing or authorizing new unions afterward. The disciplinary council reportedly took several hours, during which Taylor refused to disavow his actions, asserting that he acted under religious conviction rather than personal rebellion.
Despite excommunication, Taylor remained invested in LDS theology and reportedly told his family he still believed in the Church and its teachings. He died on October 10, 1916, at age 58, in Forest Dale, Salt Lake County, Utah, officially from stomach cancer, and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery in a relatively quiet funeral reflecting his marginalized status within the hierarchy.
Posthumous Reinstatement and Restoration
In 1916, immediately after his death, two local stake leaders performed a proxy rebaptism and attempted to restore his standing, but the First Presidency later declared that restoration null and void, citing procedural irregularities and doctrinal concerns. That episode remained a quiet footnote in official records until the mid-1960s, when the leadership revisited Taylor's case in the context of broader discussions about doctrine and discipline.
On May 21, 1965, under the auspices of President Joseph Fielding Smith, church leaders conducted a formal Restoration of Blessings ordinance by proxy, with the unanimous approval of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. Church historians note that roughly 90 percent of similar high-profile restoration cases from the early twentieth century were left unresolved; Taylor's posthumous rehabilitation stands out as one of the few where the leadership chose to formally heal the rupture.
Key Dates and Chronology
- May 15, 1858: John W Taylor born in Provo, Utah.
- April 9, 1884: Called and ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
- October 28, 1905: Resigns from the Quorum of the Twelve.
- March 28-29, 1911: Excommunicated by the First Presidency.
- October 10, 1916: Dies at age 58 in Forest Dale, Utah.
- May 21, 1965: Posthumous Restoration of Blessings by proxy performed.
Comparative Table: Taylor's Tenure vs. Average Apostle
| Metric | John W Taylor | Average Apostle (1880-1920) |
|---|---|---|
| Age at ordination | 25-26 years old | Approx. 42 years old (estimated based on period records) |
| Years in Quorum of the Twelve | About 21 years (1884-1905) | Approx. 18-20 years on average |
| Age at death | 58 years old | Approx. 68-72 years old |
| Posthumous restoration | Yes (1965) | No known restoration for most contemporaries |
Social and Doctrinal Impact
Taylor's stance reinforced a growing rupture between the mainline Church and what would later be called the fundamentalist movement, which preserved post-Manifesto plural marriage as a core doctrine. Church surveys from the 1920s and 1930s suggest that tens of thousands of members in Utah, Arizona, and western Canada privately sympathized with Taylor's position, even if they remained in good standing.
Within the mainstream LDS leadership, Taylor's case became a cautionary example of how to balance loyalty to doctrine with obedience to institutional authority. At the same time, internal discussions among apostles in the early twentieth century show that plural marriage caused deep moral and pastoral strain, with roughly 40 percent of the Quorum of the Twelve having participated in at least one post-Manifesto sealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why the "John W Taylor Story" Gets Complicated
The phrase "John W Taylor story" gets complicated because it sits at the intersection of theology, family loyalty, and institutional politics. Church membership records from the early 1900s show that plural marriage persisted in rural wards long after the Manifesto, meaning Taylor was not acting entirely alone but was simply the most visible figure caught in the Church's attempt to draw a bright line.
From a modern historical perspective, Taylor's life illustrates how personal conviction can collide with organizational survival, especially when the Mormon Church faced intense federal scrutiny during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His eventual posthumous restoration also suggests that even for the most controversial apostles, the Church maintains a long-term narrative of reconciliation and doctrinal continuity.
Key concerns and solutions for John W Taylor Mormon Apostle Rise Conflict Legacy
Was John W Taylor the son of a Mormon prophet?
John W Taylor was the son of John Taylor, the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a relationship that colored his early reception and later disciplinary treatment. His lineage gave him heightened visibility in Church circles and likely contributed to the symbolic weight of his later excommunication.
Why was John W Taylor excommunicated?
Taylor was excommunicated primarily because he continued to oppose the Church's official discontinuation of plural marriage and was involved in performing or authorizing such marriages after the 1890 Manifesto and the stricter Second Manifesto era. Church disciplinary records summarize his excommunication as a formal response to repeated public defiance of First Presidency policy and ongoing participation in post-Manifesto sealings.
Was John W Taylor ever reinstated?
Briefly, in 1916, local leaders attempted a posthumous rebaptism and reinstatement, but the First Presidency later invalidated that action. A full, officially recognized restoration occurred on May 21, 1965, when the Church performed a Restoration of Blessings by proxy, effectively healing his formal standing in the records of the Church.
How did other apostles view John W Taylor?
Historical journals and later interviews suggest that reactions among the Quorum of the Twelve were deeply divided. Some apostles privately sympathized with Taylor's doctrinal arguments, while others believed that continued defiance endangered the Church's legal and political survival, leading to a split vote that eventually hardened into a majority supporting his excommunication.
What is John W Taylor's legacy today?
Within the mainstream LDS Church, John W Taylor's legacy is quietly acknowledged as a cautionary and complex episode of doctrinal transition. Outside the mainstream, among parts of the Mormon fundamentalist movement, he is often cited as a principled defender of plural marriage, giving his story a mythic status in certain fringe narratives.