A Little History of Taylor, Idaho

On the location where the Taylor School once stood there is a small monument commemorating the founding of Taylor, Idaho.  The monument erected by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers tells the history of the Taylor Settlement as:

"Six men came to this area from Hooper, utah, to homestead in the early spring of 1885: John, Edward and William Priest, Smith Johnson, and Edwin and Abiah Wadsworth Jr.  They each built a log house on their claim before returning to Utah for their families.  Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), headquartered in Salt Lake, were informed of this small settlement.  In 1886 Apostle John W Taylor of the LDS Church was sent to organize the group into a branch, a part of the Bannock Stake with headquarters in Rexburg, Idaho.  The decision was made to name the ward in honor of Apostle Taylor.  William Priest became the first bishop.  The first church meetings wer held in Abiah Wadsworth Jr.'s home. 

By 1886 a log structure was erected for public use on land donated by John Priest.  The first teacher was John Henry Evans, the church recorder.  A second multi-purpose structure, a two-room, 30 by 60 foot white frame building was built in the mid 1890s. This building burned during the winter of 1904, taking with it all church and school records.  In 1905 a two-room brick building was completed.  Church, school and dances were held in the building until a church was constructed in 1915. 

To water this arid, sagebrush-covered land, the pioneers had to dig a 10 mile long irrigation canal from Eagle Rock, located to the north.  Hay and grain, their first crops, were grown in 1890. 

The beautiful Taylor Cemetery was established in April 1887 when Abiah Wadsworth Jr. and William Arave purchased 5 acres of land for $65 to bury Ellen, the infant daughter of Sarah and Abiah Wadsworth, Jr."

All of the original buildings (the school, church and general store) are now gone and in place of them is a beautiful park and ball field.  The home the general store was attached to is still there, but the store portion has been torn off of the home years ago.

Former location of the Taylor School
and Church as it  looked in 2012

View of Taylor across the field in the distance (July 2012)

Taylor Canal (July 2012)

The residents of Taylor, Idaho in December of 1899 in front of wood frame
white multi-purpose building, which later burned down.

Taylor School House built in 1905

Taylor School in about 1960

Taylor LDS Church built 1915

Taylor General Store

John & Alice Hansen Family Portraits

John & Alice Hansen Family about 1904

John & Alice Hansen Family about 1916

John Hansen's Horse Business

Some time prior to 1908 John Hansen traveled to Towanda, Kansas (about 30 miles north east of Wichita, Kansas) to acquire pure bred Percheron Stallions which had been imported from France to take back to Taylor, Idaho for the purposes of breeding.  My research would seem to indicate that John purchased the horses from J. C. Robison who owned the Whitewater Falls Stock Farm (photos) in Towanda, Kansas. According to family stories passed down he also purchased much fabric on this trip and arranged for a train car to transport his purchases back to Idaho.  

Source:  Idaho Register (Idaho Falls, ID)
Tuesday, July 14, 1908 

On Tuesday, February 18, 1913 John posted an advertisement in the Idaho Register offering to sell several head of his horses.

Source: The Idaho Register. Tuesday, February 18, 1913

Raising horses to work in the fields as well as for sell was an important part of daily life for John Hansen and his family.  I recently acquired the following photo of John Hansen's sons, Lawrence Hansen, Sidney Hansen, and Chester Hansen with several of the horses.  This photo was most likely taken between 1905 and 1908.

Lawrence Hansen (far right), Sidney Hansen (center), Chester Hansen
(left on horse back), and most likely John Hansen (left behind horse)

John Hansen received many awards at County Fairs for his horses and was well known for his efforts in providing the finest of horses.

Visiting John Hansen's Homestead

While visiting the Idaho Falls, Idaho area this summer I made a visit to what was once Taylor, Idaho (now part of Idaho Falls).  While there I was able to obtain some new photos and learn a little more about the family homestead.

The Homestead of John & Alice Hansen about 1910 in Taylor, Idaho

The photo above shows in the background the home of John & Alice Hansen and in the foreground a couple of individuals that I am not able to identify along with some horses.  To the right of the house is 10 acres of apple trees they attempted to grow but later abandoned.  While visiting I also took a picture of the home shown above as it looks today.

John & Alice Hansen's home as it looks today

 The home is currently owned by John Hansen's grandson, Sheron Hansen, who still owns 80 acres of the original 160 acres homesteaded by John and Alice Hansen.  It was a great experience to be on the ground my ancestors worked so hard to cultivate and make their home.