John Taylor

author

John Taylor

1808–1887

An English-born convert, newspaper editor, and preacher who became one of the most prominent early leaders of the Latter-day Saint movement, he lived through dramatic moments of nineteenth-century religious history. His life joins faith, migration, publishing, and public leadership in a way that still feels vivid today.

3 Audiobooks

An Examination into and an Elucidation of the Great Principle of the Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

An Examination into and an Elucidation of the Great Principle of the Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

by John Taylor

Items on the Priesthood, presented to the Latter-day Saints

Items on the Priesthood, presented to the Latter-day Saints

by John Taylor

The Government of God

The Government of God

by John Taylor

About the author

Born in Milnthorpe, England, on November 1, 1808, he later moved to Upper Canada, where he worked as a cooper and served as a Methodist lay preacher. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Toronto in 1836, and his gift for speaking and writing soon made him an important voice in the movement.

He became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1838 and was closely associated with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Taylor also worked as an editor and publisher, helping shape the church's public message through newspapers and other writing, and he was present at Carthage Jail in 1844 when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed.

From 1880 until his death on July 25, 1887, he served as the third president of the LDS Church. Remembered as a forceful speaker and writer as well as a determined leader during a difficult period, he left behind sermons, articles, and other works that remain central to his historical legacy.