Why begin with Margaret?

Margaret Eliza Taylor's life is particularly interesting to me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her experiences are centered at the heart of much of the early LDS church history experience. As the only member of her family to join the church, she saw the non-Mormon and Mormon point of view in the troubles of Missouri. She was among those expelled from both Missouri and Nauvoo. She crossed the plains in 1847 and less than a month after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley bore her fourth child. She experienced losing five children, the miracle of the gulls, the uncertainty of Johnston's army's approach, and much more during her 87 years.

During the coming months, I hope to share and document the life of this great woman and her family. I will also be adding historical details that will help us better understand the era in which they lived. I do this as a tribute to Margaret Eliza Taylor's faith, diligence, and love.

I also do this as a way to thank those who have inspired me. My grandmother (Emily Maud Johnson Clement) and mother (Alta) instilled within me a love and gratitude for my family heritage. Grandma Clement did a wonderful work in gathering histories and photographs of her ancestors. Some of this information would be lost forever without her efforts. Mom continued the tradition by expanding on those histories. In addition, she recorded her own history and began her children's histories.

Others in the family have also inspired me. Aunt Nione and Uncle Roger added to Grandma's legacy by gathering photographs from the various families. After painstakingly copying them, they distributed them to all the extended family on CD. Aunt Mary wrote down her memories of each of her brothers and sisters. My nephew, Tait, retyped all the family histories to distribute on CD. He is also doing research on the family lines. My daughter, Bethany, is recording her family's memories in a private blog, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. And my sister, Mary, has continually inspired me through the years with her dedicated research on our family lines. With that legacy, I have much to work towards as I try to expand my own knowledge of my heritage.