Set his Sights Really High
George Taylor 1830-1911
Edward and Ann were unaware of the World Changing Event happening the day their son George came into the world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was officially organized as this young son was born April 6, 1830. Little did they realize; this event would be a major factor in shaping his life.
George Taylor was the son of Edward Taylor and Ann Nichols, born April 6, 1830 at Caudle Green, Gloucester, England. At the age of 16 he first learned of the restored church. He felt the spirit testify of the truth and was baptized.
One cold November day when George Taylor was 18 and serving as usher in the Church he saw a young lady come to Church heavily veiled, dressed in silk and satin, her hair in ringlets past her waist. She was a lovely picture. He said, "If ever I have a wife, she is the one I want." The other boys told him he couldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole.
George set his sights high, put his trust in the Lord and got to work. He served in the Church holding the offices of Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Elder and Seventy as he was advanced in the Priesthood, in the Cheltenham branch of the LDS Church. George was about average size, he had black hair, blue grey eyes, weighed about 135-140 pounds. He learned the white and blacksmith trades making all kinds of door locks, keys, fancy fences, and iron works, etc.
George and Louisa, the lovely girl with winglets down to her waist, were married 5 years later in Nov of 1853.
Thinking he could acquire money faster if he came to America, George was counseled to leave his family and come to the United States, then send for his wife and two children later.
George Taylor sailed for America on the ship George Washingtonfrom Liverpool, England on March 28, 1857. The ship arrived in Boston harbor on April 20thafter a 23 day passage.
Captain Josiah S. Comings commanded the vessel. Replying to a complimentary note from the Saints, he stated, “I am free to acknowledge that on no previous voyage have my passengers conducted themselves so orderly and peaceably… cleanliness, morality, sobriety, reciprocation of favors and general good behavior were pre-eminently conspicuous in their conduct and character.”
George went to Virginia. He was stricken with mountain fever and ague (malaria). For nine months he lay between life and death. It was not until the spring of 1860 that he had enough money to send for his wife and two children to come to him. They lived in Conn. For two years.
In the Spring of 1862, his family left for St. Joseph, Missouri and crossed the Missouri river and camped at Florence, Nebraska until teams were brought from Utah to take the emigrants to Salt Lake Valley. On the way to Missouri the train caught on fire and many of their belongings were burned. They had been advised to turn their money into supplies for the trip.
In June of 1862 they joined Captain Duncan's wagon Company. George and the two little girls walked all the way. Emma was not yet eight and Hattie Jane not six. The girls would beg for rest, but their mother would urge them on and told them God knew best. Louisa had to ride and hold her sickly babe; there was no food that he could eat, and he was like a skeleton, skin drawn over bones with two holes for his eyes. Everybody wanted to take and bury him, but Louisa prayed that she could take her baby to the valley and her faith and prayers got him there. When he got food, he became well and was their only son. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley the 24th of September, 1862. They were met at the mouth of Immigration Canyon by George's sister Charlotte and John Richins who had arrived earlier and had built themselves a log house. George Taylor's mother, Ann Nichols Taylor, had come with Louisa and her two children and when she saw her daughter Charlotte without any shoes, she cried bitterly, but Charlotte told her she had a pair at home and a new dress, but she must keep them for meetings and dances. Charlotte and her husband had come to UT with the Willie handcart company.
They stayed in Salt Lake for a time and then went to settle in Goshen with George’s sister. Goshen looked so forlorn, but they thanked the Lord that they had reached a place where they could call home in the valleys of the mountains. George ran the old burr grist mill. He guarded the passes during the Indian war and once he helped surround a big band of Indians camped at the bend before daylight. He also helped build the big dam. George farmed and hauled freight for the store from Salt Lake City which took him two days with a team of mules.
Brigham Young and others came to visit twice and advised them to move some 4 miles southeast where Goshen now stands. The move was made in 1867, 12 miles west and south of Payson. Lucy can remember riding past the big dam and holding George's clock on her lap so it wouldn't get broken. The townsite was surveyed into ten-acre blocks, each block containing 10 lots, the streets being 8 rods wide.
George got land and divided it into lots and gave it to people and helped build the meeting house and school house and hauled logs from the canyon to help build homes. He also planted shade trees and helped pioneer the town of Goshen. Their daughter remembers they were building their log house, but her father didn't have all the roof on when a big storm came up. Her mother tried to keep her little girls dry under her dress. When everything was soaked, she took them over to a friend's house who gave them dry clothing to put on while their own was being dried.
George also worked on the first railroad as far South as York, Utah. He was road supervisor for a number of years and he and his son George Milo did blacksmithing and butchering for the town. George also cut all the wheat with a cradle at harvesGeorge Taylor and Louisa, their children Emma Jenkins, Hattie Jane Higginson and George Milo Taylor all went to the St. George Temple in the fall of 1882 and did temple work for their dead relatives and friends. They were sealed to each other and had their children sealed to them. It took a week to go or travel by wagon at that time and they were gone almost a month doing their work, November 15, 1882 to December 1882. Lousia died in 1893.
Their daughter Lucy was appointed Postmaster about 1896 so she moved into her father's home on account of it being located in the center of town. She brought a large cabinet which was put in the front room, which made a very up-to-date Post Office. Lucy and family took care of her father until his death November 29, 1911.
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