Life History: Margaret Ann Taylor Goodman

Margaret Ann Taylor, daughter of George Edward Grove and Ann Wicks Taylor, was born June 20, 1841 in Spillsbury, Lincolnshire, England. When she was seven years of age, two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints came to their city and held meetings which the Taylor family attended. They believed the doctrine that they were taught and were converted to their religion. Her father and mother were baptized in July, 1848, and her brother, Joseph, in August. Margaret Ann was baptized the following year when she became eight years of age. Her younger sisters, Martha and Maria, could hardly wait until they were old enough to be baptized also.
Her father and brother were called as local missionaries and made many converts.
The family was anxious to go to Zion, and as they did not have enough money, sent their son, Joseph. After arriving in the United States, he procured employment and made enough to help pay his trip across the plains.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, he obtained employment. Later he built a small mortuary and a little later, a large one. In this manner he was able to help his family with their passage to the United States.
In England when Margaret's parents decided to separate, she decided to go with her father to London. He married again to a Jane Baxter and they had four children: George Grove, Edward, Mary and Jane. Margaret helped care for these children and loved them dearly.
This whole family emigrated to Utah and arrived in September, 1863. She walked all the way across the plains. She found her mother and two sisters as they had arrived there in 1855. Her sister, Martha, had married George Edwin Little on January 6, 1862, and Maria, Joseph McRae on March 4 1862.
Margaret was very industrious and did all kinds of honorable work gathering potatoes, drying squash, spinning, weaving, knitting, gathering straw for making hats, gathering herbs, was a good seamstress and made clothing for herself, family and others. In harvest time she would go gleaning sheaves, corn and grain.
She married William Nicholas Goodman February 27, 1864, whom she had known in England. He was a carpenter by trade and assisted with the work on the Logan and Salt Lake Temples. She was the mother of eleven children - six girls and five boys. Their oldest girl, Margaret Maria, was born May 15, 1865, but died December 19, 1866, when her brother William was twelve days old. Three more boys were born to them, Joseph, November 29, 1868; George, November 11, 1870; and Francis, February 23, 1873. Meanwhile the family had moved to Minersville, Utah, where they were the proud parents of another daughter, Lily May, born Mary 7, 1875, but she only lived until Christmas, 1876. On February 8, 1877, Clara was born; Gertrude on April 14, 1878, and another son, Herbert, on August 1, 1880.
She went through the hardships and trials of pioneer life, never complaining, but always doing her share. Her husband was called many different times to work on the different temples; guarding President Brigham Young at one time; also served in the Black Hawk War, Then went on a mission to Great Britain for about a year and she looked after the family and supported him with all her might. She had good health most of the time and her husband was in poor health several years before his death. Supplies had to be hauled hundreds of miles across the plains with ox teams. The people were thankful for what they did receive and would economize and make the most of what they had. She made candles, did dyeing out of herbs and many other things. Also made her husband a suit of clothes.
Margaret knew President Brigham Young personally and danced on the same set with him in cadrills. President Young told the people the time would come when the Saints would be tried with riches. I have heard her tell of the different socials held in her home. Her brother-in-law, Nathaniel Goodman, stayed with them for some time and would ask her to have a social so they could take up the carpets and furniture from one room and entertain. Would have dancing, games, etc.
She was a kindly dispositioned woman, very cultured, refined and modest. Never spoke ill to any one and would not allow her children to speak evil against any one. She was always honest and always said, "Let your word be your bond." There was not a spark of hypocrisy about her. Although she was very plain spoken, if any one would say things to hurt her she would go to them and not talk behind their backs.
While at Minersville she was sustained Counselor in the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association; then President of the same.
She always went among the sick, taking care of them day and night. She loved this work and said it was a joy to help those in need. Was a great lover of home and family, but was always ready to go and help.
As William's health was not very good, having asthma so badly, they thought perhaps a warmer climate would be beneficial to him so, in 1881, he sold their home in Minersville and the family came to Arizona. They stayed for a while at Mesa, then in February they went on to St. David.
Margaret found her sister Maria living in a two-roomed house on land they were homesteading. Their baby, Parley, was two weeks old. Maria moved into one room and let them have the other. Here another daughter, Elizabeth Taylor, was born February 10, 1882. The boys slept in the wagons.
William, being a carpenter, soon had two large rooms built. He hired a Mexican to help the boys make the adobes. He intended later to have partitions put in to make two large bedrooms on the south. The front room opened on the west, the kitchen on the north.
Another daughter, Theresa, was born on January 23, 1885. Shortly after her birth, William had a stroke but could write a little and told them what to name her. After another stroke he died on March 8, 1885 and was buried at St. David. She and the baby were in poor health, having chills and fever, but she didn't give up; sold their only cow to pay the funeral expenses.
In a new country, nothing to go on, she had five dollars, so bought a few bars of soap and small articles and sold them in one of her rooms. From then on would add a little more and finally bought Mr. Beebe's store and continued in mercantile business for thirty years. She was the second Postmaster in St. David and held this position for twenty years. Would also board and room school teachers. On holidays and at dances, served refreshments and suppers. She would go to Fairbank, Tombstone and Benson for supplies for the store with horses and wagon or buggy. In that was her health was restored and she enjoyed good health. I have seen the time when the store business would not do much; some days not take in twenty-five cents; then mother would take me with her to go peddling, as she called it. Would take come articles from the store and go among the people, with horse and buggy, selling them in that way. Theresa and I would go gleaning grain from the wheat fields and gathering mesquite beans to get feed for the horse.
She held different positions in the L.D.S. Church. Was President of Primary for some time, then President of Relief Society from August 10, 1893 to May 7, 1919, resigning on account of poor health. She was a teacher in the Sunday School for many years, had the love and respect of all. Gave her life in serving the people where she lived, never tiring nor complaining. Her great desire was to have her children honorable men and women and good Latter-Day Saints.
She led an exemplary life. When her husband died she did not worry about the financial part -- the secret of her success was secret and family prayer. Margaret felt that this had held her family together and that she was greatly blessed of the Lord.
Mother's home was a place for company. She entertained the apostles of the Lord, presidents of stakes and missions; in fact, workers in all the organizations of the Church, especially the Relief Society workers. She felt it was a privilege to have such people at her home and receive of the good influence they had.
The early part of her residence in St. David, she lived in the Beebe place west of Rock Hall, then moved to the next lot adjoining the same. She bought a building in Tombstone and had it moved there. Then in May, 1897 she moved to what was known as Marcus. Also moved the Post Office at that time with the approval of government officials as old St. David was almost deserted, due to scarcity of water and artesian water had been struck at Marcus. Then the place was renamed St. David.
Margaret died March 29, 1926, at 2 p.m., after one week's illness of pneumonia, at her home where she had lived for 43 years. This was at the age of 84 years, 9 months and 9 days. In 1920, she had fallen and broken her hip and was in bed about four months. She spent the last six years of her life in a wheel chair, could only take a few steps. She did her own work. Was very independent. She went to Salt Lake City on the train by herself while she was in a wheel chair.
She had been a widow for 31 years. Her posterity at the time of her death numbered 139. Eight living children, 68 grandchildren and 48 great grandchildren. All children and several of her posterity were at her bedside where she gave them encouragement and advice and urged them to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Latter-Day Saints. She was buried in St. David beside her husband.