A Life of Grit and Grace: The Legacy of Susan Peck Taylor
Susan Peck Taylor was born on 28 November 1848 in the Pioneer Fort at Salt Lake City, Utah — one of the very first children born there. Her parents, Martin H. Peck and Mary Thorne, were among the earliest Mormon pioneers, having crossed the plains westward and stopping at what is now Laramie, Wyoming, before entering the Salt Lake Valley the next year.
Growing up in the Seventeenth Ward, Susan’s early schooling was humble: winter classes in a tent and summer lessons in a willow bowery, with homemade benches and only a few books. Her uncle Lucian Peck, an educated man, took her under his wing and later they both taught school in Weber — he the older children, she the little ones.
Like many pioneer girls, Susan learned to spin, weave, and make do with what she had. She and her sister gleaned wheat from fields and dug sego roots for food, often barefoot. Despite the hardships and constant threat of nearby Indians, Susan developed grit and ingenuity, helping feed, clothe, and care for a large family that included full and half-siblings.
At age 18, Susan married James Taylor in the Endowment House. Together they carved out a life over the Jordan River, building a one-room home that they expanded as their family grew. They raised eight children, losing one daughter young, and when their eldest daughter died at 28, Susan took in her three grandsons, raising them as her own with tenderness and fairness.
Life on the Taylor homestead in Granger brought both hardship and community. With James often away freighting or supervising roads, Susan managed the farm, faced threats from the Indians camped on the river bottoms, and carried meals through dust and snow to her husband’s weigh station. Through it all, she stood her ground bravely, refusing to let fear rob her family of food or security.
Susan was known for her unwavering faith, her hospitality, and her belief that “He who feeds Thee, feeds three.” She never turned away a hungry stranger, and her door was always open. Tall and lean with sharp blue eyes, she kept her mind keen and her faith strong to the end. Susan Peck Taylor passed away on 28 January 1934, at the age of 85, in the home she had lived in for 65 years, surrounded by the family she sacrificed so much to protect and raise
The Taylor home is at 1100 W 3300 S -135 acres of river bottom land
1848: Born 28 November in the original Pioneer Fort in Salt Lake City — among the first children born in the valley.
Parents: Daughter of Martin H. Peck and Mary Thorne, who crossed the plains as early Mormon pioneers.
Early Education: Attended makeshift schools — winter classes in tents, summer in willow bowers, with only one or two books.
Self-Reliant Learner: Tutored by her educated uncle, Lucian Peck, and later helped him teach school in Weber.
Skilled Homemaker: Learned to spin, weave, sew carpets, and provide for her large family with few resources.
Pioneer Hardships: Dug sego roots, gleaned wheat barefoot, made yeast from natural saleratus, always finding ways to feed her family.
Constant Threat: Faced fear of Indian raids near their Jordan River farm — bravely stood her ground to protect her children and food supply.
Marriage: Married James Taylor at age 18 in the Endowment House; they built a homestead west of the Jordan River.
Motherhood: Raised eight children; when her eldest daughter died, Susan raised her three grandsons as her own.
Lonely but Loyal: Managed the homestead alone while James ran a weigh station, often carrying him meals through harsh conditions.
Community Pillar: Helped neighbors during sickness, shared food with travelers and strangers — never turned a hungry man away.
Unwavering Faith: A devoted Latter-day Saint whose word was her bond; trusted fully in God through every trial.
Later Years: Lived 65 years in her family home, sharp-minded and faithful to the end.
1934: Passed away at age 85, surrounded by her children and grandchildren who cherished her sacrifices and strength.
