Agnes Taylor
Encyclopedia
Agnes Taylor Rich Hoagland Schwartz (October 2, 1821 – December 11, 1911) was a Mormon pioneer
who played a key role in helping her brother, LDS Church president John Taylor, evade authorities during the federal crackdown on polygamy in the mid-1880s
. She was also the mother-in-law of later church president Joseph F. Smith
and of William W. Taylor, and a wife of Abraham Hoagland
.
called Hale in Westmorland
. Her older brother, John, would later become president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1838, 17-year-old Taylor married John Rich in Carthage, Illinois
. They eventually settled in Nauvoo
and had four children before divorcing when Taylor wanted to go west with the main body of Latter Day Saints in the late 1840s.
at age 26. They had five children together before divorcing in 1861 upon the recommendation of Brigham Young
. Their daughter Sarah married Taylor's nephew, William Whitaker Taylor
.
n immigrant. They had two children together, the second of whom, Mary Taylor Schwartz, married 43-year-old Joseph F. Smith
in 1884 at the age of 18.
died in 1877, Taylor's brother succeeded him as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John Taylor reluctantly moved into the Gardo House
in 1882, three years after church members voted to make the then-uncompleted mansion the official parsonage for church presidents.
In 1882, Congress passed the Edmunds Act
, which made polygamy a felony and posed a serious threat to Utah's long-stalled bid for statehood. Shortly after the law was passed, John Taylor called 16 general authorities
to a meeting at the Gardo House. According to attendee Wilford Woodruff
, "President Taylor with the rest of us came to the conclusion that we could not swap off the Kingdom of God or any of its Laws or Principles for a state government."
Despite the church's decision to continue business as usual, John Taylor made an effort to comply with the Edmunds Act by moving his families out of the mansion and bringing his sister Agnes in to take over its management while he continued his duties as president.
Federal enforcement pressure increased, forcing John Taylor to withdraw from public view and go "underground": frequently on the move to avoid arrest. In March 1885, soon after his final public appearance, federal marshals made a massive raid on the house to capture him. This and subsequent raids were unsuccessful, and his "tough-minded sister ... often held raiding marshals and deputies at bay at the front door of the mansion, admitting no one unless he presented papers properly signed by a federal judge."
After her brother's 1887 death while still underground, Taylor vacated the house.
. Joseph F. Smith
, Francis M. Lyman
, Charles W. Penrose
, Frank Y. Taylor, and Hyrum M. Smith
each spoke at her funeral.
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
who played a key role in helping her brother, LDS Church president John Taylor, evade authorities during the federal crackdown on polygamy in the mid-1880s
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882, declaring polygamy a felony. The act is named for U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont...
. She was also the mother-in-law of later church president Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and of William W. Taylor, and a wife of Abraham Hoagland
Abraham Hoagland
Abraham Lucas Hoagland was an early Mormon leader, pioneer, and one of the founders of Royal Oak, Michigan, and Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.-Early life:...
.
Early life and first marriage
Taylor was born to James and Agnes Taylor in an English villageEnglish village
English villages are language education institutions which aim to create a language immersion environment for students of English in their own country....
called Hale in Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
. Her older brother, John, would later become president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1838, 17-year-old Taylor married John Rich in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
. They eventually settled in Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
and had four children before divorcing when Taylor wanted to go west with the main body of Latter Day Saints in the late 1840s.
Second marriage
In 1847, Taylor married 50-year-old Abraham HoaglandAbraham Hoagland
Abraham Lucas Hoagland was an early Mormon leader, pioneer, and one of the founders of Royal Oak, Michigan, and Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.-Early life:...
at age 26. They had five children together before divorcing in 1861 upon the recommendation of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
. Their daughter Sarah married Taylor's nephew, William Whitaker Taylor
William Whitaker Taylor
William Whitaker Taylor was a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature, member of the Presidency of the Seventy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and a son of LDS Church president John Taylor. He was a half brother to John W...
.
Third marriage
In 1862, Taylor was 41 when she married Wilhelm Schwartz, a 24-year-old PrussiaPrussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n immigrant. They had two children together, the second of whom, Mary Taylor Schwartz, married 43-year-old Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
in 1884 at the age of 18.
Protecting her brother
After Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
died in 1877, Taylor's brother succeeded him as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John Taylor reluctantly moved into the Gardo House
Gardo House
The Gardo House was the official residence of the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the tenures of John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff.-Construction:...
in 1882, three years after church members voted to make the then-uncompleted mansion the official parsonage for church presidents.
In 1882, Congress passed the Edmunds Act
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882, declaring polygamy a felony. The act is named for U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont...
, which made polygamy a felony and posed a serious threat to Utah's long-stalled bid for statehood. Shortly after the law was passed, John Taylor called 16 general authorities
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
to a meeting at the Gardo House. According to attendee Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
, "President Taylor with the rest of us came to the conclusion that we could not swap off the Kingdom of God or any of its Laws or Principles for a state government."
Despite the church's decision to continue business as usual, John Taylor made an effort to comply with the Edmunds Act by moving his families out of the mansion and bringing his sister Agnes in to take over its management while he continued his duties as president.
Federal enforcement pressure increased, forcing John Taylor to withdraw from public view and go "underground": frequently on the move to avoid arrest. In March 1885, soon after his final public appearance, federal marshals made a massive raid on the house to capture him. This and subsequent raids were unsuccessful, and his "tough-minded sister ... often held raiding marshals and deputies at bay at the front door of the mansion, admitting no one unless he presented papers properly signed by a federal judge."
After her brother's 1887 death while still underground, Taylor vacated the house.
Death and legacy
Taylor died on December 12, 1911, in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, Francis M. Lyman
Francis M. Lyman
Francis Marion Lyman was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was the President of the Quorum from 1903 until his death....
, Charles W. Penrose
Charles W. Penrose
Charles William Penrose was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from July 7, 1904. Penrose was also a member of the First Presidency of the church under Church Presidents Joseph F. Smith and Heber J...
, Frank Y. Taylor, and Hyrum M. Smith
Hyrum M. Smith
Hyrum Mack Smith was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
each spoke at her funeral.