John Taylor was born on November 1, 1808 in Milnthorpe, England. He finished schooling at fourteen and became a skilled woodworker. He joined the Methodist church and was a lay preacher. John Taylor immigrated to Canada in 1832 and met his future wife, Leonora Cannon. Both John and Leonora were part of a religious group that prayed for the restoration of New Testament Christianity. When they were introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints they felt it was the answer to their prayers. They were baptized in 1836.

The Taylors moved to Far West, Missouri in 1837 and on December 19, 1838 John Taylor was ordained as an apostle. John Taylor was instrumental in helping the Saints escape from the mobs in Missouri and flee to Illinois. He served a mission to the British Isles and helped open the mission in Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Prophet Joseph Smith described John Taylor was a “defender of the faith.”

In Nauvoo, John Taylor published the Times and Seasons from 1842-1846 and another newspaper, the Nauvoo Neighbor from 1843-1846. John Taylor was one of the men with Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Carthage Jail when they were martyred. John Taylor was shot numerous times by the same mob that killed Joseph and Hyrum. John Taylor wrote Doctrine and Covenants section 135 as a tribute to Joseph and Hyrum. The most famous passage from this section reads:

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

In 1847, after having been expelled from Nauvoo by a mob, John Taylor helped lead the Saints again. With the help of Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor led 1,500 Saints to Utah. John Taylor then served in various civil service roles as judge of Utah County, territorial superintendent of schools, and as Speaker of the House for five sessions. In 1849, John Taylor was sent to Europe again and directed the missionary work in France and Germany. He also directed the translation and printing of a French-German edition of the Book of Mormon. In 1880 John Taylor was ordained as the President of the Church. He was known for his motto “the Kingdom of God or Nothing.”