TITLE PAGE. Daughters of Utah Pioneers. 28 [028]. DATE PIONEER ARRIVED- Aug 6, 1855 NAME OF COMPANY- Oscar Stoddard PIONEER NAME- Sarah Jane Taylor Florence BIRTH DATE AND PLACE- November 21, 1844; Bristol, Glouchester, England DEATH DATE AND PLACE- December 17, 1908, Morgan, Utah SPOUSES-Henry Florence PARENTS: (father) Stephen King Taylor (mother) Adelia Rogers WRITTEN BY- Margaret Belle Florence Carter SUBMITTED BY - Anna [Bell] Carter Porter COMPANY NAME- Morgan [County] CAMP NAME-Mt. Joy COMPANY HISTORIAN- Dena Rich CAMP HISTORIAN-Bertie Smith SIGNATURE OF AUTHOR OR OWNER OF THIS HISTORY- Anna B. Porter ---------- ------- --- ------- I hereby donate this HISTORY to the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers with the understanding that: 1. Toe history shall become a part of the archives to perfect the record of the Utah Pioneers. 2. I authorize the lnternationaJ Society of Daughters of Utah Pioneers the right to edit and publish this history. 3. I authorize the lnteroationaJ Society of Daughters of Utah Pioneers the right to reproduce the history onJy for the benefit of its members and descendants of the pioneer. · *No other use of these histories may be made without written permission. a g3 Y1t, .;t_ 'Ut4f4't/ ' Jt1::W Signature of author or owner of HISTORY Date sent to Company_ _______ ____ Date Company sent to Intl- --------- Dare Co notified ofr eceipt ofI ntl_ ____ _ _ Date camp notified._ _ __________ SARAH JANE TAYLOR FLORENCE By Margaret Belle Florence Carter Sarah Jane Taylor was born November 21, 1844, in Bristol, Glouchester, England, a daughter of Adelia Caroline Rogers and Stephen King Taylor. Little is know about her mother's first husband. AU of the children by this union died when they were very small except a son who died in the English Army. Available records do show that Adelia was married June 19, 1834 to Stephen King Taylor. Their six children born at Bristol, Glouchester, England, were: Stephen, 1835, Margaret, November 1, 1836; Emily, February 16, 1840; Elizabeth, April 27, 1842; Sarah Jane, November 21, 1844; and Joseph Hyrum, March 16, 1850. Sarah Jane's father, Stephen King Taylor, a blacksmith by trade, sailed with his family from Liverpool to New York on the ship "Columbia"with other saints, landing January 1, 1857. Their voyage to America took forty-five days. The family had previously been baptized into the Church in England on August 6, 1855. Sarah Jane' s father, mother, three sisters and one brother crossed the plains to Utah by ox team. The captain of the company, Oscar Stoddard, led them to Beg Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah to settle. Sarah Jane met her future husband, Henry Florence in that community. He worked for Bishop Roeberry and Sarah was employed by the bishop's wife. Her pay was little. She received pay in kind-a cup of grease, a piece of butter or sometimes 50 cents for aig washing. A civil ceremony united Sarah Jane Taylor and Henry Florence in marriage on November 13, 1861 and their marriage was later solemnized in the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 17, 1862. She lost her first child at the age of 2 months. From Big Cottonwood the family moved to Shambip (Clover) Rush Valley, Tooele County, Utah, but didn't stay there many years as there were Indian troubles. She lost her 2nd child here at birth. From Rush Valley, they moved to Porterville, Morgan County, Utah, walking most of the distance through Weber Canyon. The roads were rough and rocky, the river high and Sarah Jane carried a baby, Ann, most of the way. After arriving in Morgan County they settled in Porterville where they acquired land, built modest home, began the industry of making a living and caring for other children as their family grew. There was always work for Sarah Jane. Along with the respo9nsibility of caring for her family, there was a vegetable garden, berry bushes and other chores. Part of her yard was full of pretty flowers which took her time to cultivate. She sewed for the family making all their clothes by hand until they could buy a sewing machine. All the washing was done by hand on a washboard until they bought a washing machine. The machine had to be turned by had and this was a backbreaking job. The washing water was softened with wood ashes. Sarah poured a pan of wood ashes into a twenty gallon barrel of water and ten hours late the water was soft. She made her soap, making enough in the spring to last a year. She churned butter and made cheese. She even corded wool for her quilts. Women were invited into her home for quilting bees. The women quitled, sewed carpet rags and had a good time together. In 1776, Henry was called on a mission. She was left with 6 children. When he returned they had 6 more. She lost 4 in childbirth. When all her children were married, Sarah Jane and Henry took two little girls to raise. One was Lettie Voss Robinson. After a time the parents of the other girl came and asked to take her with them .. Although she had little education, Sarah Jane was prayerful, had great faith and a good singing voice. She was president of the Relief Society for eighteen years. For the last two years of her life she was not well. She took medicine that reacted negatively and it affected her stomach. The condition gradually weakened her and the last week of her life, she was confined to her bed. She died December 17, 1908.