Truth Over Rumor

When Margaret Eliza Taylor and Alexander Shoemaker first came to Missouri, they were not members of the church. In fact, Margaret seems to have been convinced the rumors that circulated concerning the Mormons were true. Margaret and Alexander's daughter, Margaret Shoemaker Clement, later said:

"I remember very well of hearing my parent relate the incident that brought them into the church. They were living in Missouri at the time the Saints were being mobbed and being driven from their homes, but they were known only as "desperadoes" and nearly every one joined to fight and exterminate them. A cold rainy period was on, and it had been raining for several days, when a "hello" was heard at the door. My father opened it. He was told that a whole company was coming and wanted shelter. He answered the inquiry with a strong "I will furnish shelter and protections." As the messenger turned and was gone, my mother objected to having a house full of "desperadoes" and said she could not live with them. He met her strong opposition by telling her she could stay upstairs. In spite of the fear she had for them, a large company of them came and they were made very welcome.

"My father and mother knowing the truth when they heard it was baptized six months later and my father proved a very able man to save the Saints from falling into traps the mobs or neighbors would set for them."[1]

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1 Margaret Eliza (Shoemaker) Clement, life history dictated to Belva Watson, sometime between 1920 and 1929; typescript privately held by Alta Clement Willis, her granddaughter, 2011.

Missouri and the Church

The next move took Margaret and Alexander Shoemaker as well as the Taylor family into Missouri. It is here that they first had contact with the Mormons. To give a background of the Church in Missouri there is a timeline from information found in Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual chapters 9, 11-12, 15-17 and Our Heritage: A Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapter 4. Both of these books are found online at http://lds.org/churchhistory/history.

Remember that Margaret and Alexander were married in Pendleton County, Kentucky on 29 October 1835, so their move to Missouri was after that date. However, we also know from Margaret Shoemaker Clement's history that her parents were "in Missouri at the time the Saints were being mobbed and driven from their homes." As you can see from the timeline below, the Saints were driven from several counties in Missouri at vaying times during the 1830s.

1831
3 Jun - Joseph Smith received a revelation to go to Missouri.
July - The Colesville Saints arrived in Independence, Missouri.
2 Aug - The land of Zion was dedicated.
3 Aug - The temple site in Independence was dedicated.

1832
June - Elder Phelps published the first edition of the Evening and Morning Star.

1833
April - There were over 1000 Saints in Missouri. The first signs of persecution arose.
20 July - A mob of 400 demanded the Saints leave Jackson County. The printing house was destroyed. Bishop Partridge and Charles Allen were tarred and feathered
Nov-Dec - The Saints were expelled from Jackson County and moved into Clay County.

1834
May - Zion's Camp left Kirtland to help the Missouri Saints.
19 Jun - A mob of 300 Missourians met Zion's camp but were stopped by a fierce storm.

1836
Summer - The Saint remained in Clay County until they were asked to leave. They began settlying in Far West.
Dec - Caldwell and Davies Counties were created for the Saints through the help of Alexander W. Doniphan. Far West was named the county seat of Caldwell County.

1837
Nov - Joseph Smith briefly visited Far West.

1838
14 March - Joseph Smith arrived to settle in Far West.
May - Joseph Smith identified the Valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman.
4 July - The cornerstones for the temple were dedicated.
6 Aug - Persecution began again when a mob of 100 wouldn't let the Saints cast their ballots in Gallatin, Daviess County.
7 Sept. - Joseph Smith and Lyman Wight were tried before Judge Austin King.
27 Oct - Governor Boggs issued the "extermination order."
30 Oct - The Haun's Mill massacre occurred in Caldwell County.
1 Dec - Joseph & Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae were sent to Liberty Jail in Clay County.

1839
26 Jan - Brigham Young began organizing for the removal of the Saints.
Feb - 8,000 Saints left Missouri for Illinois.
22 Apr - Those in Liberty Jail joined the Saints in Illinois.

Joy Amidst Sorrow

Two of Margaret's siblings died in childhood. Nancy Jane Taylor died in 1834, the year following her birth. Mary Ann Taylor died in 1838 at about 10 years of age.

In the middle of the tragedies, a joyful event unfolded. Margaret Eliza Taylor married Alexander Morain Shoemaker. We find two documents in Pendleton County, Kentucky Clerk of the Court, Marriage Records proving this happy event. The marriage license entry is found on the bottom of page 233, dated 27 October 1835. It reads, "Alexander M Shoemaker and Margaret Taylor. License obtained by Joseph Taylors personal consent who is the father of Margaret. Said Shoemaker being of full age."[1] Margaret was 17 years old at the time of her marriage.

I would assume that Margaret's father was fully happy with this arrangement. Not only did he give his consent, but he also had named his last son with the Shoemaker name (Heber Shoemaker Taylor, born 21 August 1834).

The second record (found on the bottom of page 244) records their marriage. "I hereby certify I have joined in Matrimony Alexander M. Shoemaker and Margaret Taylor this 29 day of October 1835 both of this County of Pendlton and State of Kentucky. George Graden."[2]


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1 Pendleton County (Kentucky), Clerk of the County Court, Marriage Records, 1799-1962, microfilm publication, 24 reels (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah 1962, 1990, Morgantown, KY: E&K Microfilming), 233.

2 Pendlton County (Kentucky), Clerk of the County Court, Marriage Rcords, 1799-1962, 244.

Move to Kentucky

Derry Township shown within Westmoreland County [1]

Westmoreland County shown within Pennsylvania [2]

Joseph H. Taylor (born 21 Feb 1824) was the last sibling of Margaret Eliza Taylor born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Sometime between that date and 21 Apr 1826, the family moved to Pendleton County, Kentucky. Margaret would have been between 5 and 7 years old.
Pendleton County shown within Kentucky[3]

Pendleton County was created from Campbell and Bracken counties in 1798. [4] The county is nicknamed the "Land of Meandering Rivers and Rolling Hills." Main Licking and South Licking are the two major rivers that run through Pendleton County.[5] Falmouth, the county seat, was formed in 1793 and is the largest town in Pendleton. Other towns within the county have been "Morgan, Callensville, Goforth, DeMossville, Grassy Creek, BostonStation, Peach Grove, Bachelor's Rest McKenneysburg, Mt. Auburn, Portland, Knoxville, Gardnersville, Short Creek, Concord, Flour Creek, Blanket Creek, Roanoke, Oakland, Turner Ridge, Richland" and others.[6] We are not sure which town Margaret's family lived in.

While in Pendleton six more siblings were born: John (21 Apr 1826), Mary Ann (11 Jun 1828),[7] Samuel Morehead (8 Oct 1830),[8] Nancy Jane (10 Jun 1832), Heber Shoemaker (21 Aug 1834),[9] and Mark Graham (10 Jan 1837).[10]

U.S. Census 1830 Pendleton County, Kentucky[11]

The 1830 U.S. census in Pendleton County, Kentucky shows Joseph with Nancy and their six children. It was listed with tally marks, but matches exactly the six children who had been born as shown below:

1 male under 5 (John, born 1826)

2 males 5 to 9 (James, born 1820; and Joseph H., born 1824)

1 male 30 to 39 (Joseph, born 1796)

1 female under 5 (Mary Ann, born 1828)

1 female 5 to 9 (Rebecca, born 1822)

1 female 10 to 14 (Margaret Eliza, born 1818)

1 female 20 to 29 (Nancy, born about 1804)

Note that Samuel Morehead, Nancy Jane, Heber Shoemaker, and Mark Graham were born after the 1830 census was taken.

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1 "Derry Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (Wikimedia Foundation Inc.: 2009), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry_ Township,_Westmoreland_County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 10 Dec 2009.

2 Wikipedia, "Derry Township," accessed 10 Dec 2009.

3 Pendleton County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (Wikimedia Foundation Inc.: 2009), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry_Township,_Westmoreland _County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 10 Dec 2009.

4 Pendleton County: the Southern Side of Northern Kentucky, "History of Pendleton County," http://www.pendletoncounty.ky.gov/about/history.htm,accessed 31 Jan 2001.

5 Pendleton County: the Southern Side of Northern Kentucky, "Footprints in the Snow," http://pendltoncounty.ky.gov/default.htm, accessed 31 Jan 2011.

6 Pendleton County: the Southern Side of Northern Kentucky, History of Pendleton County," http://www.pendletoncounty.ky.gov/about/history.htm, accessed 31 Jan 2001.

7 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 1884-1943 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1959, 1974), 154, entry 5511, FHL Film 177838.

8 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 1884-1955 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1959, 1974), 98 entry 3584, FHL Film 177853.

9 Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead 1884-1955, 98 entry 3585 FHL Film 177853.

10 Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead 1884-1955, 98 entry 3586 FHL Film 177853.

11 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Pendleton, Kentucky [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1830 U.S. Census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls; roll 41; page 73.

Early Years in Pennsylvania

Margaret Eliza Taylor was the first child of Joseph and Nancy Taylor. She was born 8 Sep 1818 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.[1] The family was living in the Derry Township, Westmoreland County Pennsylvania at the time of the 1820 census.[2] While in Pennsylvania, three siblings were born: James on 23 Jan 1820[3], Rebecca on 14 Jan 1822[4], and Joseph on 21 Feb 1824[5].

Derry Township was established in 1775, making it the first new township created by the recently formed Westmoreland County. The first settlement in this area was in 1762 by some of the soldiers in the Forbes' army. The first pioneers came as early as 1763. Some of the early settlers of this township include Alexander Taylor and Andrew Dixon.[6] It will be interesting to find if they are related in some way to Margaret Eliza's grandparents, Adam Taylor and Margaret Dixon.

For an interesting history on Derry Township visit the Living Places website. Wikipedia has a map showing both the location of Derry Township in

Westmoreland County and Westmoreland County in relationship to Pennsylvania. And finally, a photo of the countryside of Derry Township is found on the Derry Township Website.

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1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Temple Records Index Bureau, Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register: 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1985), 223, entry 4, FHL Book 977.343/N1 K29.

2 The 1820 Census lists Joseph Taylor by name and the rest by tally marks under age categories. The tally marks show 1 male under 5 (James born 1820), 1 male 20-29 (Joseph born 1796), 1 female under 5 (Margaret Eliza born 1818), 1 female 15-19 (Nancy born about 1804), as well as 1 female 40-49 (unknown, possibly a mother of Nancy or Joseph). 1820 U.S. Census, Derry Twp., Westmoreland, Pennsylvania population schedule, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives microfilm publication M3, 142 roll, record group 29; Washington, D.C., accessed 10 Nov 2009.

3 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Endowments for the Dead, 1884-1970 (Salt Lake City: filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958-1971), 339 entry 12400, FHL Film 177,960.

4 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 1884-1943 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of utah, 1959, 1974), 97 entry 3560, FHL Film 177,853.

5 Logan Temple, Baptisms for the Dead, 98 entry 3583, FHL Film 177,853.

6 John N. Boucher, History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, Volume 1 (New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Westmoreland_County/ Derry_Township.html, accessed 29 Nov 2009.

Love of family

According to the Logan Temple baptismal records, Margaret's father was Joseph Taylor. He was born in Pennsylvania and died 18 August 1846. His great grandson, Thomas Alma Clement Jr. was the proxy at Joseph's baptism. [1]

Margaret herself was the proxy for her mother's baptism. She apparently did not know her mother's maiden name as she was simply recorded as "Mrs. Nancy Taylor," born in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. It is still a mystery as to what Nancy's maiden name was. [2]

Margaret's paternal grandmother was Margaret Dixon. Her birthplace is listed as being "of Pendleton, Ken." Margaret Eliza Taylor was also the proxy for her grandmother's baptism. Her paternal grandfather was Adam Taylor. The birthplace is listed as Kentucky by his 2nd great grandson and proxy, Thomas Alma Clement Jr. [3] This should probably be "of Kentucky" like Margaret Dixon. While Adam and Margaret Dixon Taylor lived in Kentucky at the end of their lives, they were born in Pennsylvania.

The temple work that Margaret and her family did was invaluable. It gives us names and places of parents, grandparents, siblings and others to begin further research and documentation. It also gives an insight into her love for her family. While her family did not share her religious beliefs, that difference did not dim their love for each other. And, as we'll learn later, her brothers would demonstrate their deep love for her in 1857.

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1 Logan Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptisms for the dead 1884-1955, 8 March 1892 (Salt Lake City, Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958-1971) 97, no. 3583, FHL Film 177853.

2 Logan Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptisms for the dead 1884-1955, 20 January 1885 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of utah, 1958-1971) 154, no 5510, 5509, FHL Film 178,838.

3 Logan Temple, Baptisms for the dead 1884-1955, 8 March 1892, p. 98, no. 3387, FHL Film 177853.

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.