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Joseph Edward Taylor
Birth 11 Dec 1830, Horsham, Horsham District, West Sussex, England
Death 13 Feb 1913 (aged 82), Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Burial Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Plot H_11_9_2_E
Memorial ID 18088817

Biography of Joseph Edward Taylor
Utah's pioneer undertaker, and the sexton of Salt Lake City for nearly a quarter of a century.

Son of George Edward Grove Taylor and Ann Wicks

Married Louisa Rebecca Capener, 25 Sep 1853, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Jane Maria Capener, 9 Jul 1875, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Lisadore Williams, 11 Oct 1876, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Clara Ann Sudbury, 1 Apr 1884, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Harriet Arabella Woolley, 5 Sep 1889, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

By his plural wives he had twenty two children.

History - Joseph Edward Taylor was born at Horsham, Sussex County, England. He took passage on board the ship "Ellen," which left Liverpool Jan. 8, 1851. He arrived in St. Louis, Mo., in the latter part of March. He remained in that city until the spring of 1852, having been prostrated by sickness nine months of the time; left Winter Quarters June 12th, in company No. 4 (Captain Joseph Outhouse) and arrived in Great Salt Lake valley Sept. 6th of that year.

Dec. 22, 1875, he was called by Pres. Brigham Young to go on a mission to the States of Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, to labor among the Josephites and others who had succeeded from the Church.

While upon this mission Elder Taylor paid a personal visit to Emma Smith, widow of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was residing in the Mansion house in Nauvoo at that time with her husband, Lewis C. Bidaman, to whom she was married some time after Joseph's death. Elder Taylor's object in making this visit was to learn from Emma's own lips some things in relation to the "Reorganized church," which was presided over by her oldest son Joseph.

He has always been prominent in sustaining the institutions in Zion, which have for their object the advancement of the people. This has been exhibited by him in a very marked manner in relation to Church schools and especially in regard to the L. D. S. University, formerly the L. D. S. College, in Salt Lake City. When it seemed impossible to longer maintain the college, he personally undertook the task of raising means for its support, for he had expressed himself as believing that the Lord would be displeased with the Saints if they discontinued it. In his effort he was eminently successful.

In 1863, he started his business of undertaker, embalmer and funeral director; also the manufacturing of funeral supplies. During a period of forty years, Mr. Taylor furnished the necessary outfits and prepared the bodies of over twenty thousand persons for burial. He also preached many funeral sermons.

He was appointed sexton by the City Council in 1864. He continued in that office until 1890. He was the leading undertaker for fifty years, having the largest and most complete establishment of the kind in Utah. The factory where the caskets were made gave employment to several men and was one of the best appointed and most extensive in the whole country. The office and factory were situated at 257 East 1st South, Salt Lake City, near the Taylor family home. The caskets were made of pinewood, lined with bleach and cotton.

One of Joseph Edward Taylor’s 7 wives

In the 1860 US census Salt Lake City, Summit, Utah Territory
Samuel J. Sudbury, age 28, miller, real estate $100, personal estate $200, born England
Emma Sudbury, age 27, born England
Lovina A. Sudbury, age 4, born Utah
Clara Ann Sudbury, age 2, born Utah
Samuel C. Sudbury, age 1 month, born Utah

In the 1880 US Census
City Creek Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Samuel J. Sudbery, age 50, married, miller, born England, parents born England
Wife Emma Sudbery, age 48, married, keeping house, born England, parents born England
Daughter Lavina Sudbery, age 23, single, at home, born Utah, parents born England
Daughter Clara Sudbery, age 22, single, born Utah, parents born England
Son Samuel Sudbery, age 20, single, work in picture gallery, born Utah, parents born England
Daughter Julia Sudbery, age 16, single, at school, born Utah, parents born England
Daughter Carrie Sudbery, age 13, single, at school, born Utah, parents born England
Son Edward Sudbery, age 11, at school, born Utah, parents born England
Son Frederick Sudbery, age 7, attended school, born Utah, parents born England
Son George Sudbery, age 1, born Utah, parents born England
Wife Wilhelmina Sudbery, age 28, single, keeping house, born Sleswichokewin, parents born in Prussia

In the 1900 US Census East 2nd South Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
Head Carrie Taylor, born April 1858, age 42, widow
Daughter Ruth Taylor, born January 1885, age 15, single, at school
Daughter Lisador Taylor, born August 1886, age 13, single, at school
Son Joseph Taylor, born February 1888, age 12, at school
Son Mahonri Taylor, born December 1889, age 10, at school
Daughter Clara Taylor, born June 1891, age 8
Daughter Ida Taylor, born June 1893, age 6
Son George Taylor, born June 1896, age 3
Son Eugene Taylor, born March 1898, age 2

1910 US Census 704 East 9th South, Salt Lake City, Utah
Head Clara A Taylor, age 51, widow, married 25 years, 8 children born alive, 7 still living, born Utah, parents born England,
Son Mahonri M. Taylor, age 20, single, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah, embalmer
Daughter Ruth E. Taylor, age 25, single, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah, dress making private family
Daughter Clara A. Taylor, age 17, single, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah
Daughter Ida I. Taylor, age 16, single, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah
Son George A. Taylor, age 13, single, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah
Son Eugene E. Taylor, age 11, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah

1920 US Census
704 Ninth South, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah
Head Clara A. Taylor, age 61, widow, born Utah, parents born England
Son Eugene E. Taylor, age 20, single, born Utah, shipping clerk, auto supply.

1930 US Census
128 North Olive Avenue, Alhambra, Los Angeles, California
Head James W. Irving, age 45, born Minnesota, father born English Canada, mother born Minnesota, contractor building
Wife Ida I. Irving, age 36, born Utah, father born England, mother born Utah
Son James W. Irving Jr., age 11, born Utah, father born Minnesota, mother born Utah
Mother-in-Law Clara A. Taylor, age 71, widow, born Utah, parents born England