Born at Llanvrost, Denbigh, Wales

Married George Cannon, 24 Feb 1844, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois

Daughter - Elizabeth Edwards Cannon

Married Charles Barber Taylor, 25 Dec 1847, St Louis, St Louis, Missouri

Children - Thomas Edwards Taylor, Charles E. Taylor

History of Mary Edwards White Cannon Taylor
By her daughter Elizabeth Cannon Piggott

My dear Mother Mary Edwards, the daughter of Thomas Edwards and (Elizabeth possibly Davis) Edwards was born in Llanrwst, Denbighshire, North Wales. September 30, 1810. When two years of age she was taken to her grandparent's home in Hanelion where she remained until she was eighteen. Feeling a great desire to find a pure religion and not being satisfied with any of those in her own country, she determined to go to England where she learned to speak the English language also becoming proficient in cookery.

Being of an independent disposition, she sought and found the position of housekeeper in the home of Sir Harry Manering where she remained for many years becoming much attached to the family, and especially to the young heir, Sir Harry who was a child of four or five years when she first knew him. He after twenty-five or thirty years sought her out in her Utah home, having remembered her through the lapse of many years.

During her residence in this nobleman's family she visited many churches in hopes of finding the true one and at last hearing of some men claiming to be servants of God she went to hear them and felt at once that they were such as they claimed and in a short time declared her intention of uniting herself with the people called Latter-Day Saints of which denomination the strange men were. The news of her baptism soon reached the ears of lady Manering.

She called on the local clergy and used every influence she could bring to her on the subject declaring the Elders to be imposters, and that she was being deluded and would in a short time repent the step she had taken. My mother told her calmly that she knew she had embraced the true and everlasting gospel and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And that she would be true to her conviction, much was said on both sides.

At last Lady Manering said she was very sorry and hoped she would change her mind and give up this new and strange doctrine, if she did not she would be obliged to discharge her as she could not possibly allow her to remain and lead off others of the large retinue of servants, she said this with tears running down her cheeks.

I hear my mother say that this was as severe a trial as she ever knew, for she loved the young Sir Harry and his mother dearly. Time was given her to think it over and to give Lady Manering time to seek another housekeeper. At the expiration of the allotted time she left the home she had known for so many years, this happened about 1841 or 1842. She then sought other situations but found this difficult on account of her religion.

Her character was irreproachable, but a believer in Mormonism as it was called could not be tolerated. The Lord was merciful to her and the way opened, and she was engaged as a cook in a large boarding school. After being reviled and insulted, she changed places frequently and at last found herself in Liverpool where she formed the acquaintance of a young man; Joseph White and was there married to him.

Wishing to see her parents and kindred again before leaving England to gather with the saints, she went back to Wales but because of the step she had taken in joining the despised Mormons her reception was not such as she had hope for. Her father being a Baptist Minister was of course greatly shocked as he felt she had disgraced her family and he bade her give up her decision ere she come to see him again. Her visit was not a pleasant one and she returned to Liverpool with a sore and bleeding heart. In Liverpool she had a very dear friend and Sister. Ann Quayle Cannon, wife of George Cannon both who were Latter-Day Saints and had a family of interesting children. They were together just before they were going to cross the ocean to gather with the saints in Nauvoo, on the voyage. Ann became very ill and died on the voyage and was buried at sea. In 1843. Joseph White also died on the way and she arrived a widow in a strange land. Her faith in the Lord and the church were her only support.

In Nauvoo she found a temporary home with Brother John Adam and wife who was the sister of her Liverpool friend George Cannon, who was also a widower with six children. In February 24th 1844 she became his wife. She was again left a widow on August 19th 1844. to make the trial still harder he was away from home having gone to St, Louis to get work. The struggles of his widow in a delicate state of health was something terrible. What little her husband left was taken from her and she was only permitted to live in an unfinished house. On the twenty-first of February six months after her husband's death her baby girl was born. She was named Elizabeth after her own mother. For three months she lay neglected and suffering , after her strength began to return she sought work for a great deal of the clothing had been sold to sustain her during her illness. She found employment making socks a one cent apiece. The manner of making them was to secure the sock to a hook fastened to the wall and sew them over and over with red twine. This could only be done standing so the labor can readily be imagined. Sister Cannon was still firm in the faith, for with this gift she she was abundantly blessed.

On one occasion she had nothing to eat and was sorely tempted so much that she went to a neighbors lot where there were potatoes growing and started grubbing, as it was called, for them, but no sooner had her fingers touched the tubers that she started as if caught, She said aloud the Lord can help me without my stealing. She went to the house and on the doorstep she found a small sack of flour. With a grateful heart she sank to her knees and returned thanks to her Heavenly Father not only for that which would prolong life but that he saved her from crime.

She continued to reside in Nauvoo sustaining herself and child as best she could, working at any honorable work she could obtain until 27 June 1846, when the saints were attacked by an armed mob and were roughly driven from their homes at the point of the bayonet. The brethren took care of their families and then returned to help the widows and orphans across the river. In this way my mother got to the other side with her baby and a few clothes, all else being left in her hurry to escape the violence of the mob, she ten thought she would return and try to get her cow if possible and left her child with a friend. She got back only to find her cow among the missing. She stood wondering and half dazed with horror on the river band not knowing how she could again cross to her babe when one of the mobacrats (names Louis Bidamon) accosted her and she told him her situation. He laughingly said he was loaded with fire arms and one Cannon more would not make much difference, at this her heart was filled with gratitude to the man and to her maker that he had opened the way for her to again clasp her infant to her breast,

She then went to St Louis Missouri and after struggling and months of poverty and sickness the Lord again stretched forth his hand in her behalf in sending a man who had just lost his wife and was in need of a housekeeper, his name was Charles Barber Taylor and was at the time an apostate. She accepted the situation and he was delighted with the little girl having lost three sons of his own. The child bore the same name as his own mother. A warm affection grew between him and the child which led to ripened into a sincere love and ended in their marriage 25 December 1847. at this time.

From this time a happy change took place in the life of the tried woman and they lived in peace and harmony and in less than a year a son came to bless them , he was born 1 December 1848 and was named Charles E. the E being for his father's mother Elizabeth. About this time my stepfather talked about moving to California and would pass through Salt Lake City, the gathering place of the saints.

Here a new trial awaited my mother for their object was to be with the saints of God and her prayers were being constantly offered in behalf of her husband that he might see and feel as she did and again unite himself with the saints and to this end she wrought faith fully her affection and her religious belief both prompting her. In the spring of 1850 my father as I always called him and my mother left St. Louis Missouri to begin that long and tedious journey across the plains with ox teams.

An independent company was formed among whom were the well known Sharp brothers, John, Joseph, and Adam with their families. A family named Watson and another named Condie and children without parents named Miller. All were from Scotland. The oldest son of the last named family drove team for my father. Well and long will I remember the name of Joseph Miller, for he is the one that rescued the writer of this article (Elizabeth Cannon) from a watery grave.

On one occasion when crossing on a dangerous stream the name of which I can not recall. My mother with her two children were in the wagon, my father was driving when the wagon upset in the water. My mother felt it start to tip and clasped her son to her breast and caught me (still a little girl) by the foot with her disengaged hand. She tried in the meantime to creep up the side by the bows, this she managed to do but I, being asleep, she could not keep me from being covered with the bed on which I slept and the boxes that were under it. So there seemed to be little or no hope for me. Young Miller, seeing the accident, returned as soon as his team was on land. His team being ahead of the one in which we were in.

He immediately ripped the cover and while my father took my mother and baby to shore, Joseph Miller took my foot mother had held me by. This told him where to work so as to release me from the many things under which I lay. He finally succeeded in getting me to shore. To all appearances I was dead. My dear mother now earnestly begged them to aid her in restoring her child. I have heard her say that every breath was a prayer to her Heavenly Father that I should be spared, when at last signs of life were visible she knew she had received another testimony of the power of life and she knew she had received another testimony of the power of the Almighty and to him she gave the praise.

After traveling several months with this company and passing through many trials her health began to fail and she knew she must find a resting place before long. Father with his teams and wagons started out ahead of the others in order to reach the end of the journey as soon as possible.

Brother Condie at his wife's request joined him and thus they entered what is known as Salt Lake City. The city was laid out in wards, each fenced to itself with roadways between. Father secured a lot in the sixth ward and there camped, arriving there on 28 August 1850. On the morning of September 15th my mother gave birth to her youngest son who was named Thomas Edwards after my mother's father. I will here say that when the baby came my mother was virtually alone, for Sister Condie was so overcome with fear that she was helpless and father had gone for the midwife.

My mother realizing her situation again placed her trust in the Almighty who had never yet failed her nor did He now, for he gave her strength to bring her child into the world, and to do that which was necessary for her baby and her own safety. Wrapping her baby in a flannel shirt she lay down warm and exhausted nearly unto death. Sister Condie seeing this and that the worst was over came sufficiently to herself and placed a covering over my mother. She thus waited until the midwife came who bright with her news of the arrival of the remainder of the company who came in that morning.