John Blackham, Sr

History of John Blackham, Senior

1827-1900

John Blackham, Sr. was born November 14, 1827 in Heaton-Norris, Cheshire, England. He was the son of Samuel and Martha Robinson Blackham. He learned the trade of cotton spinner. He joined the Mormon Church in 1849.

In 1855 he came to Utah with his wife and two children, Elizabeth and Martha crossing the plains in Captain Milo Anderson’s ox team company. They landed in New Orleans after being on the ocean for six weeks. He settled in Salt Lake City on what is known as 5^th West Street.

At the October Conference of 1856, President Brigham Young asked for volunteers to go and relieve the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company. John Blackham was the first man to respond, because he knew that in the company were his mother, sister Sarah, and brothers Samuel and Thomas. President Brigham Young then dismissed the conference, and promised protection to them by the U. S. government. At this time, John Blackham as working for Heber C. Kimball. He happened to meet him, as he was on his way with what provisions he had gathered. He said, “Brother John, where are you going?” He answered that he was going to relieve the handcart company. “Well then, come with me.” They went to the tithing office where Brother Kimball supplied him with clothes, food, two oxen and a couple more men. One was Cyrus Wheelock, and old sea captain, who with President John Taylor had converted the Blackhams to the Gospel in England.

The men placed their quilts, clothing, corn and food in the old government wagon and started on their errand of mercy. The snow was 18 inches deep. Brother Wheelock rode a horse. When they reached the summit of “Big Little Mountain”, they say smoke issuing from a distant grove of trees. At first sight they thought it was Indians, but upon going nearer they saw it was the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company. Brother Wheelock on his horse reached there first and heard Thomas cry out, “Here comes our Jack.” Never had there been a more happy reunion. Tears would flow from his eyes, as he would relate the story. He said, “Never have I received a more welcome greeting. When this help came they had no food except four pounds of flour for each person left in camp. They had cooked rawhide to obtain some nourishment. At one time they had buried 17 persons in a snow bank. The survivors were so thin they almost looked like skeletons. Little Billy Wareworth lost his father and mother. But John’s mother, Martha, took him to her heart. He rode with his little feet hanging over the side of the wagon and they froze, causing his death after they reached Salt Lake City. All rode in the wagons, as they were too weak to walk. President Brigham Young along with many others met them outside the city and tears of joy rolled down his face when he saw they were rescued.

John and his family settled in Salt Lake and obtained work at Kaysworth now Kaysville. He walked to and from work each day and received for his wages one pound of flour a day. He went to Fillmore with Charlie Kemp, a millwright who later married his sister Sarah. While working there on a millrace, he earned a yoke of oxen and a cow. Later, when he returned to Salt Lake he carried a flapjack to his family, knowing that they were in such destitute circumstances. Later they moved to Nephi. Seven families were dispatched from there to settle Moroni under the leadership of George Bradley and his family was in this company. They built a dugout on the bottom of the Sanpitch River, but later, upon the advice of President Young, they moved North upon higher land. A son was born to John and his wife, John Blackham, Jr. He was the first child born in the new settlement.

The land was divided up into five-acre lots and he kept that land until his death. In his later years, he planted potatoes in part of it; then gathered his grandchildren to help him harvest them. It was a happy day for the children. His grandchildren can well remember his voice calling to them, “Shift up, shift up,” when they became slack in their work. Almost every day he would call, in his buggy and old gray horse, and take them riding often through the fields and in the hills to gather wild flowers. He was a great lover of children.

He with his three sons, were among the first to work on the Manti Temple, and he took an active part in the Black Hawk War, holding the rank of Second Lt. He was in the Salina Canyon Engagement. He was a stockholder and director in the Co-op Store and Land Company, and also Chairman of the Committee of the town cowherd, and hay meadow committee. His duty was to see that all the hay was watered. He was a member of the High Priests Quorum and served with Brother Lars Swenson for many years as head Ward Teacher of the Moroni Ward. For 18 years he held the position of Sunday School Superintendent, also teaching the Primary Class. It is told he had wonderful discipline and it became very quiet the moment he came in to the classroom. He will always be remembered for his singing in the Sunday School. He made one trip to St. George with provisions for the temple workers.

He went on a mission to Michigan, but after 6 months was forced to return because of illness. At one town, he and his companion were warned to leave the place or they would be tarred and feathered. They left the next day for another small town. While they were walking along the street a little girl come running and asked them if they Mormon Missionaries. When she was told that they were, she said, “Mother wants to see you.” It developed that they had been Mormons for sixteen years and had not dared to let it be known.

John Blackham, Sr. was married in England, April 21, 1851 to Susannah Lees. They were blessed with eleven children who were: Elizabeth, Martha, William, John, Jr., Josiah, Samuel, Alma, Betsey, and Mary Ann. Susannah and Benjamin died as children. He married a second time to Elizabeth Catrine Nielsen in July of 1863. They were later divorced. They had two children John W. and Annie.

He died May 14, 1900 at the age of 78 in Moroni Sanpete County, Utah.

(Written under the direction of a son, Alma, and Mrs. Josiah Blackham)