James James

James James

• Born 22 September 1824 in Cardincanshir Wales
• Died 22 August 1880 in Utah
• Baptized 29 August 1849
• Was a shoemaker by trade

JAMES JAMES

Born 22 September 1824, Died 22 August 1880

Written by Dora Dutson Flack, Great-granddaughter

Very little information is available about James James who was born 22 September 1824 in the Parish of Pencarreg, in Llangybi, Cardiganshire, Wales. Even family records give conflicting information, making it most difficult to write any kind of a history about him.

Background of James James

In his handwritten journal, James James records:

"My geneology-- My Father was born James James - Bourn August the 1795 in the paris of pencarey Cardincanshir. He died January the 29 1832.  Mother bourn May 1791 at Llanthewi. Died July the 30 1856.

"My brother John bourn June the 8th 1819 at Llangiby Died Februarythe 8th 1847.

"Myselph bourn September 22  1824 between 2 and 3 o clock in the afternoon at the paris of Llangiby Cardicanshir.

"Thomas bourn August 30 1827 between 5 and 6 in the morning.

"Margreat bourn September 28th 1830 Died June 19 1847."

Unfortunately James didn't record the name of his mother who was born in Llanddewi, Glamorganshire, South Wales. This town does not appear on a map. The "dd" in the spelling of that town is pronounced ''th" which explains the spelling in the first paragraph of his journal entry above.   From sparse family records we find his mother's name entered as Mary or Jane Jones or Davis.  One pedigree chart states she was born in May 1791 in Slanthem, So. Wales. No other information is included.   Extension of his ancestry in Wales is unknown.

Education in those days was not a normal gift for children, and James learned early in life to become a skilled shoemaker. He assisted faithfully with family expenses.

A Change ofLife

When missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in the area,  James listened and was convinced this was the true church. This directed him down a totally different path, even in his being able to travel to America. In his journal he recorded:

"1849 I was baptized on the 29th August and on the 30th confirm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the fol of 1850 I started for the valy Ritched the valys of the mountains on the 28th of September 1851."

Quoting, exactly as it appeared, from Church Emigration records, we read that he came in the 51st Co. on the ship "Joseph Badger":

"On Thursday, October 17, 1850, 227 souls, most of them from Wales, sailed from Liverpool, England, under the presidency of John Morris, in connection with David Evans and Owen Williams who acted as councilors. Elder John Tingey was appointed as assistant councilor to take the immediate oversight of the English and Scotch saints. After a remarkably short passage the 'Joseph Badger' arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River on the 20th of November.  While at anchor in the mouth of the River the 'James Pennell' which had sailed from Liverpool October 2, but had been disabled on the voyage, came up with the 'Joseph Badger' and the two ships were towed up the River together and landed at New Orleans November 22, 1850.

"Failing to secure passage on the same boat that took the 'James Pennell' passengers up the River, the company which had crossed in the 'Joseph Badger', after two or three days in New Orleans, sailed up the River in the steamboat 'El Pasa' which brought them safely to St. Louis, Missouri in the beginning of December, 1850. Like the saints who had crossed the ocean in the 'North Atlantic' and the 'James Pennell', this company made St. Louis and surrounding towns their temporary homes and subsequently, after earning means wherewith to secure an outfit for crossing the plains, continued the journey to the Valley." (Millennia! Star, Vol. XIII, p. 9. Bishop John Tingey's verbal report.)

James' journal states:

"August the 4th [1852] I receive my endowments an the pristhood. Join the elders quorum in September the same year."

A New Family Begins in Salt Lake City

In October of 1853 Mary Richards, also from Wales, arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley.  Almost immediately James met Mary.  Even though he was 11 years older than Mary, the love spark ignited and they were quickly married 14 February 1854, 4 months after her arrival. Their first baby was born 9 months later.

1. Mary Jane, born 11 January 1855 in Salt Lake City. (She married William Armstrong in August 1876.)

James recorded in his journal:

"April 25th Mary receive her endowments"  This undoubtedly took place in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. 

The following June, William, their second child, arrived and later 3 more James children were also born in Salt Lake:

2. William, born 28 June 1856; died 30 June 1856, only two days old.

3. James Alma, born 19 July 1857; died 29 September 1858, 14 months old.

4. Harriet Ann, born 7 April1859. (She married Absalom Yates 21 March 1879.)

5. John Willard, born 24 September 1860; died 5 March 1874, at age 14.

James and Mary were heartsick at the loss of both of their early sons. They purchased a large plot of ground in the Salt Lake Cemetery where William and James Alma were buried.  However, this also became a burial spot for several of their friends and their children, as well as this also became a burial spot for several of their friends and their children, as well as subsequent James family members.

Move to E.T., Also Known as Lake Point

(E.T. stands for Ezra Taft and was first settled by an early pioneer, Ezra Taft Benson.)  Even though these parents had only Mary Jane and Harriet, plus John Willard, their only surviving small son, James James felt perhaps his shoemaking trade would not sufficiently provide for the large family he hoped to possess someday.  Perhaps he could be more successful with farming and raising livestock, as his patriarchal blessing indicated. Salt Lake was growing into quite a large city, so they acquired a farm at E.T., a growing settlement to the southwest of the Salt Lake Valley. The road to Tooele ran through the settlement. The James family lived on the east side, closer to the mountains. Later  the settlement of E.T. became better known as Lake Point.

James hoped they would be able to bring more boys into the world to help on the farm.  However time was speeding by. More than three years passed before child #6 was born—another little girl:

6. Margaret Elizabeth, born 22 December 1863. (She married John Henry Lewis 5 September 1893. They had 4             babies, all born within the years 1885 and 1891. All 4 died as babies.)

Two more years passed, then another boy was welcomed into the James family. Mary had wanted to give her maiden name of Richards to a son. So this boy was named:

7. Thomas Richard James, born 4 January 1865. (Some records show his name as Thomas Richard, while other records show Thomas Richards. We use "Richard" throughout this book. Tom married Mary Ann Chadwick.)

The James babies continued to arrive:

8. David Elias, born 5 October 1866. (He married Menah Callahan.)

9. Watkin Moroni, born 12 November 1868; died 31 January 1870, at 14 months.

10.Eliezer (Ellie), born 23 June 1871. (He married Louisa Jane Chadwick.)

11.Martha Etta, born 10 March 1873. (She married Seaver Johnson Callahan.)

12.Walter Lee, born 28 November 1873.

James James was most grateful to have 4 surviving sons to help him run the farm. However, the boys also possessed the wander lust and enjoyed exploring the nearby mountains, hoping to strike it rich by finding gold or other valuable metals for mining. They were not successful.

Although the family was active in the Church, we find no baptism dates for either Thomas or David. However, they were both "rebaptized into the United Order" on 22 September 1877.  At that time Tom was 13 and Dave was 11.

The James Parents Die

The James' world was shaken when 56-year-old James James died 22 August 1880 from lung fever.  Following a funeral service in Lake Point, he was buried in the family plot in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Mary, 45 at the time, knew she could not manage their farm and animals. After all, her oldest son Tom was only 15 years old. He and his 3 younger brothers could not capably handle such a demanding responsibility. She must move the family back to Salt Lake City where she could perhaps suport them with dressmaking, and the children could find jobs. Mary Jane and Harriet were already married and Margaret was 17. So Mother Mary moved her family back to the big city.  However, she lived only 5 more years and died 2 July 1885, at age 50.

The James children bonded together quite well, even though Mary Jane was the only one who remained in Salt Lake City. Several of them settled in Park Valley, Utah, for a number of years.

Shortly after arriving in the Great Salt Lake Valley, James James received a patriarchal blessing which was found in his journal book and has been copied exactly as it was written:

"A patriarchal blessing given by Isaac Morley, a patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the 27th day of January 1852 to James James son of James and Mary James was born on the 22 day of September AD 1824 at Llangeby Cardianshire South Wales. 

"Brother James, by virtue of the Holy Priesthood in the name of Jesus I lay my hands upon thy head and I bless thee in his Holy name and seal upon thee the blessings of a Father and I seal upon thee the blessings of life and whilst thou art in the days of thy youth remember the author of thy blessings. Let thy faith and thy prayers often be extended unto him and thou shalt receive power from on high and thy mind become stored with the principles of salvation and thou shall become an instrument in the hands of the Most High of doing a good and Glorious work in this last Dispensation and thy garments made clean from the blood of this Generation and if thou will truly desire it and prepare thy heart thou shall bring many souls unto Zion and they shall become stars in thy crown in the day when the Lord makes up his jewels And whilst in the days of thy youth harken to the counsel of a father Let the priciples of fidelity and virtue be planted in thy bosom and Power will be given thee from on high to overcome evil power will be Given the to walk in the paths of virtue and hiliness and thou shall be blessed in the labours of thy Hands in cultivating the earth that it may bring forth fruit to feed the sons of Jacob,and thou shall see store houses and granaries filled to an overflowing that the sons and daughters of Jacob may be fed when they are brought home and rested from their long dispersion this shall be thy gift and thy blessing for thou art numbered with the seed of Jacob and this is thy decent and thou shall have part in the first resurrection and I seal thee up to enjoy these blessings even so Amen and Amen."

Also in his book was another priesthood blessing. The year was blank on our copy and some

of the spots couldn't be read.

"Great Salt Lake City March 27, 185--

"No. 1810. A Blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of James James son James & Mary James born South Wales Oct 1824. I lay my hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ and seal upon you a Father's blessing. Even all the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant. You are of the blood and lineage of Joseph that was sold into Egypt and an heir unto the Everlasting Priesthood which shall be sealed upon you in fullness in due time teaching you mystries that have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world giving you power to do any miracle in the name of the Lord and accomplish every work which your heart desires. You shall have a companion and power to multiply them according to the desire of your heart. Your posterity shall be exceeding numerous _______________in the priesthood. They shall be saviors upon Mt. Zion. You shall preach the gospel to nations afar off and shall have power to speak the language of any people among whom thy lot Is cast and shall gather and send many to Zion. No power on earth shall stay your hand. You shall live if you desire it to see Israel gathered from every portion of the earth and see thy________ in all his beauty ______________a thousand years and inherit all the blessings of his kingdom with all your father's house.  Even so Amen.

John S. Smith"

(Through the past 40 years, I have searched every possible record source and have corresponded with many extended family members, trying to gather all possible information. The sparse material included here is the result. I sincerely hope that our fine ancestor "lives" on our pedigree charts and in the minds of  his posterity.)