Portraits of the past: President Taylor died here

President John Taylor was the only man to serve as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was born outside the United States. After moving from his native England, he was converted to the church in Canada in 1836 through the efforts of Elder Parley P. Pratt. His call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 118:6. Elder Taylor was present and wounded when the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage, Ill. Following the death of President Brigham Young in 1877, John Taylor presided over the church as senior member of the Twelve for about three years. He then was president of the church until his death in 1887. Because of persecution, President Taylor went into hiding at several venues. His final place of residence was at the Thomas Roueche home in Kaysville. He passed away in that home on July 25, 1887.