Salt Lake City was a bustling, thriving community on October 5, 1882 when Sarah was born. She had two older sisters. Harriet, the eldest, was born in 1876, followed by Agnes, born in 1881. Her two older brothers, Abram and William Jr., both died in infancy in 1880. Her youngest brother was John, born in 1885. Her father, William Whitaker Taylor (the son of LDS church President John Taylor) was a member of the First Quorum of Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her mother was Sarah Hoagland. Two months before Sarah turned two years of age, her father passed away, leaving a widow that was with child and due eight months later.

At the time, most of the General Authorities of the LDS Church were in seclusion, due to polygamy, and Sarah's Grandfather, John Taylor, could not help her mother with the bills. The subsequent strain of the financial pressures, and the worry over seeing her four children deprived, caused Sarah's mother to undergo serious nervous problems. Her mother was taken to the institution in Provo, Utah, where she remained until her death. From that time forward, Sarah and her siblings were passed between their mother's sisters, with her Grandmother Agnes Schwartz having them the most. Grandmother Schwartz lived in Logan, Utah, and was a strict disciplinarian. Sarah told of being required to read the scriptures all day on Sunday, when she was not at church meetings. She chuckled a bit about occasionally smuggling a novel in between the covers of her scriptures and being entertained by reading it. But for the most part, there wasn't much interference between her eyes and the pages of the written word. Sarah became well versed in the scriptures. She memorized most of the sayings of the Savior. These she applied in her life and to the rearing of her children.

Sarah was given an opportunity to play the piano. Through practice, she became very good. She accompanied her husband, Edward, who had a rich baritone voice and loved to sing. She played for their home evenings, which included marching around and singing, and the two boys (William and Taylor) doing the "Clown Dance" as part of the program. She urged and helped her children to have piano lessons. VaLois, Blanch, and Ruth became adept on the piano. VaLois transferred to the cello, which she perfected. Blanch could play about anything that was placed before her, passing her talents to her children. Ruth became the family superstar musician, playing, singing, composing, and teaching. William loved to have people gather around the piano to sing. Taylor did not play, but his beautiful voice was loved by all for its professional quality. Edward began by playing the flute, pouring out lovely tones of sensitivity and warmth. He went on to play the organ. It is very clear to know that Sarah's love of music was planted in the hearts of her children. These same children's musical traditions were passed on to the next generation and will continue to snowball into the future.

Sarah attended Brigham Young Academy, predecessor to Utah State University, located in Logan, in her teen years. She excelled in German, English, and secretarial skills. Her English teacher at the time was Orson F. Whitney, noted for his silver tongued oratory. One day she and her sister Agnes were walking down the street carrying a burlap sack of apples. Sarah looked up to see Mr. Whitney coming down the street. She could not be caught doing anything so mundane as carrying a burlap bag, so she hastily handed her corner over to Agnes, straightened up to greet Mr. Whitney. He, having witnessed the little drama and sensed its meaning, neared the girls and said, "Good morning, Miss Agnes," and completely ignored Sarah. This was a lesson she never forgot.

Her secretarial skills put her into the business world, where she achieved satisfaction and success through her work. Her talent was passed on to her daughter VaLois.

The story of her romance to Edward Rich South is included in his history. Sarah married Edward on the 16th of June, 1905, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They set up housekeeping at 1321 South 10th East, in Salt Lake. It was not an empty house, as Edward, a widower, had brought his two children, Myrtle and George, to live there. Sarah had her sister Agnes and brother John, and part of the time Grandmother Schwartz, who was the grandmother to both Edward and Sarah, living with them.

The first child born into this family was VaLois, who arrived April 30th, 1906. She was followed 18 months later by Blanch, who was born the 14th of November, 1907. Ruth followed 20 months after Blanch, her introduction being on the 19th of July, 1909. At this time, Edward had extended business that took him to Chicago for several months. The entire family went with him, including Sarah's sister Agnes. Teh family returned to Salk Lake, then went to Venice, California for the winter of 1910-1911. While residing on the ocean front, William put in his appearance on February 15th, 1911. The ocean front home was later washed into the ocean during a storm. On many occasions, Sarah took the family to the bandstand in Venice Park to hear concerts, and the amusement building that contained fun activities for the children. When the Souths returned from California, Edward set up the family in a chicken business in Trenton, Utah, but a flash flood drowned all of the chickens and put a damper on the business.

After that fiasco, Sarah and Edward purchased the two story adobe brick home at 155 Third Avenue. Soon after the move, Edward bought two shetland ponies named Dewey and Dexter, along with a small carriage. Sarah would drive the cariage, loaded with the children, and on occasion with their friends. Taylor put in his appearance while the family resided at this residence on the 19th of February, 1913. Next came the youngest daughter, Mary Ann, who was born on September 13th, 1915. About this time, Sarah was having some real trials, as Edward was away fro extended periods of time developing a coal mine in Carbon County. He also developed an attraction to the woman whose husband operated the hotel down there. Soon the woman was demanding more and more of Edward's time, with the resultant loss of his presence in the home. There also was a resultant loss in regular, substantial income, so the family lived with mainly the bare essentials.

Years later, Sarah told of an experience during this time that hurt her deeply. She had met with her Bishop for tithin settlement. She had told the Bishop that she had paid an honest tithe, but he denied that it could be an honest full tithing because no family could live on that small amount of money. Sarah was an honest tithe payer and this should have alerted the Bishop to the needs of her family. Sarah lost the home on 3rd Avenue due to faulty mortgage payments. The family moved to Downington Avenue, and from there to 349 South 1000 East, where the last child, Edward, joined the family; he being the first of Sarah's family to be born in a hospital. This event occurred on May 6, 1918. These were lonely years for Sarah, as she had all of the family responsibilities, yet meager income to provide for them. Edward divorced Sarah five weeks after the baby boy was born.

Her ex-husband came into a financial windfall and made a down payment on a new brick home on Commonweath Avenue, with the alimony payments coming a little more regular. Shortly after moving into the new home, Mary Ann, the youngest daughter, died (see Mary Ann's history for more detail). A year later, Sarah was called to be the Relief Society President for Burton Ward. She was a natual at that position, her empathy for the poor and downtrodden made her beloved by all.

Sarah was a natural artist, with great ability. She was also very particular about bow tying. Larkin Mortuary, located close to her home, would have her tie the bows for decesaed member's temple dress. As her children were in school, Sarah enrolled in a correspondence course in "chalk talk", forerunner of animated cartoons. Giving many skits using that medium in the Ward and other gathers, she would give a humorous monologue to go along with these drawings, getting enthusiastic praise for her wit and talents.

Following Sarah's service as Relief Society President, she was called as the secretary of the Wells Stake Relief Society, a position she enjoyed very much, and for which she was well qualified. When it came to making her annual reports she enlisted the accounting help of her son William. After he had compiled it, she always received a note from the General Rielf Society Board telling her that her report was one of the very few that were 100% accurate. One of the projects that she taught was a greaceful body movements course, which she had taken in her Academy days in Logan. She taught the ladies of the Stake how to lead with their wrists in lifting or lowering their arms, how to walk in gliding, graceful steps, etc. It should be noted that her daughters, VaLois and Blanch, along with help from Ross, were major contributors of income for the family. When her children reached teenage and young adulthood years, she applied for employment at the Relief Society Welfare Office. She got the job and her assignment was to work with the extrememly poor located in the Chesterfield area. This was about five miles (as the crow flies) from her home. So, in her 60's she bought a little red Studebaker and learned to drive it to her calls. The Church later took Welfare Service out of the Relief Society, so Sarah was transferred to doing the same work for Salt Lake County. She enrolled in university courses to keep current with the latest procedures in her area of expertise. She received excellent grades from the university. Because of her attitude, experience, and willingness to learn, Sarah's employment evalutations were extrememly high. She was happy doing this compassionate service for others, and it provided confidence in her qualities. During this time, she had a little cinder block home built on the rear of her property to provide some income in her reitrement years. When Sarah reached retirement age, she said she was retiring to be a grandmother. This she did to her full capacity.

Each Christmas, for many years, her family members that were living in Salt Lake would gather at her home for dinner. In a decorated barrel in the center of the room, filled to the brim, was a gift for everyone present (no pun intended). Her family members watched with interest and surprise as the gifts were passed to everyone in attendance. She would sometimes "kill two birds with one stone" by buying products that her clients had made to help them out, then assigning that gift to one of the family she thought could find a use for it. Sarah truly loved the companions her children married. Each one brought a special new and important dimension to the family. Jane's coming especially added a new "international" distinction to the group. There was a mutual respect and relationship between Sarah and her in-laws. (In fact, her children complained more than once that when they had a grievance with their spouses, Sarah always took the side of the spouse.)

Sarah's stroke in 1956 paralyzed her on the right side and took her ability to speak, but for the two words, "fine, " and "here." These words expressed her attitude about life when she had been in control of her faculties and seemed a fitting expression if she were to be restricted to only two words. After the stroke, her children that lived in the Salt Lake Valley would take turns having her at their home every few days. The constant change was disturbing to Sarah, so after much prayer, the family reluctantly moved her into a private home, run by Sister Thornton, a professional nurse and convert from England. Sarah seemed at peace, with the family placing her bed, favorite chair, and other furniture in the home. The first and only Christmas she spent there, the family and grandchildren gathered to sing Christmas carols. Though Sarah had not been able to tlk to her family since the stroke two years previous, she hummed along in a perfect alto voice. Death came peacefully to Sarah, on the 29th of August, 1959, releasing her from the limitations experienced during the last years of her life. At her viewing the crowds poured into the mortuary from all over, and all segments of her life. Her funeral was equally well attended.

Aunt VaLois summed up her Mother's life with this tribute: "We who are privileged to call her `Mother' thank God for the heritage she gave us. Her happy, singing spirit, her calm dispensing of justice and admonition, and above all her example of a righteous Saint."