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)

Martha Robinson Blackham

Martha Robinson Blackham

1807-1888

In Stockport, Lancashire, England on the 13^th of February 1726, Joseph Cook, the great grandfather of Martha was born. He married Mary Cook who came to gladden her parent’s heart on 25 Sept 1721, also in Stockport, Lancashire, England. To this couple, Nancy Mary Cook Robinson, grandmother of Martha was born 25 Dec 1750. She married George Robinson who was born about 1756. To them was born on 11 October 1783 a son, James Robinson, who married Elizabeth Perry, who was born about 1785. This couple became the parents of Martha Robinson Blackham who was born 22 March 1807 in Heaton Norris, Lancashire, England

Martha married Samuel Blackham Jr. To them were born seven children, John, James, William, amuel, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Thomas. Her two eldest sons John and James came to America in 1855. She left home, friends, and husband for the sake of the Gospel as preached by Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 25 May 1856. She with her three children, Samuel, Sarah, and Thomas (her daughter Elizabeth had died of fever) along with 800 saints set sail on the steamship “Horizon” at Liverpool. They were on the ocean five weeks and four days, landing in Boston 3 July 1856 where they took the train for Iowa, arriving there on July 8^th. The distance from the train to camp was about 4 miles. They were tired of riding, so they gladly walked the distance. They had not gone far before a thunderstorm drenched them & everything they were carrying. Night came on them, and their clothes were wet, so they stood up all night. This was their first experience in traveling to Zion on foot.

When they reached camp, they found no handcarts were ready. They with the rest of the company had to remain in Iowa about two months making preparations to start the trek across the weary plains. They left Iowa, August 25, 1856, in the company of Edward Martin’s company, which consisted of 576 persons, 146 handcarts, and seven wagons. The Martin Handcart Company was last of five handcart companies to leave Iowa City that year. They had a long tiresome journey suffered many hardships and privations, and food had to be rationed out. Many of the company died on the way. But Martha and her three children survived, and with the few who were left reached Salt Lake City 30 November 1856.

It has been said it was a sight to see 576 souls pulling their carts through cities and villages of Iowa, people came out of their houses and jeered at them, on they went, all happy and cheerful. They encountered many storms and were wet through. The company moved along successfully until they reached the mountains – then snowstorms overtook them and suffering became intense. Women grasped hands to wade across steams coming out on the other side with their clothes frozen stiff. They camped at a place called “Martins Hole”. Snow was too deep to go any further. While at prayer meeting during a bitter cold night, Brother Rodwell spoke in tongues. An interpretation was given telling that rescuers would arrive in two or three days. On the 3^rd day Joseph A. Young and another man rode into camp. What a shout went up – they brought word that food was a few miles away. During that night 19 people died. Wolves dug up bodies of the dead and devoured them. Few oxen were left to pull the wagons. A sick oxen was killed and meat rationed.

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. 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. When they reached the summit of “Big Little Mountain”, they say smoke issuing from a distant group 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.

It must be remembered that this was the first year of Handcart migration and naturally an experiment. The Edward Martin Company was latest starting and the largest company of the year. There were a greater percentage of children and aged people in it, which made it long on the way and suffering more terrible than any other company.

I remember them saying my own grandmother (Sarah) spent her 17^th birthday on her way to Zion, June 24, 1856. It was to be remembered that all of the companies traveled over mountain terrain with elevations reaching 8000 feet. In addition, the carts supplied were frail objects made of partly seasoned wood and leather. They were met at Sweetwater near Devils Gate by the first wagon coming to bring food. There were some log houses there, which were torn down to make fires, because the snow was so deep and teams had long been on the road and rations were short.

A short time later they were met by a 2^nd rescue wagon train with sufficient wagons to carry most of the company. There were but few remaining who were able to walk and it was difficult to decide who should ride. According to Roberts History of the Church probably one sixth of the entire company had died on the way. They arrived in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, November 30 at noon.
The Saints were taken to Sugarhouse Ward. Meetings had been dismissed early. President Brigham Young had asked the Church members to take the new converts in to their homes and care for them until they could find places of their own; but not all could be placed here, so requests for succor went out to the surrounding communities.

She was called with her family to help settle Nephi, in Juab Co. When she reached this place a fort had been built for protection against the Indians and their raids. The wall around the fort covered an area of four blocks, and inside were small homes, in one of which the family lived during the winter. Others shared their meager supplies of food with them. After a short time the call came to help settle Moroni in Sanpete County, she and her family were among the first ones to go. When Martha first saw the green pastures in the valley she was reminded of her beloved home in England. Martha’s home was through the lot from her daughter Sarah’s Home. I have heard my mother and sisters tell how particular Martha was about her housework. Her board floors had to be scrubbed every week. The hearthstone in front of the fireplace polished with sand. The copper bucket polished till you could see yourself in it. Her meals were on time and very regular. Martha worked hard to supply the needs of her family and also devoted much time to her Church duties. She was an avid reader. When in later years her eyesight became so weakened that she could not live alone, she moved to the home of her daughter Sarah and family. She died there a true Latter-day Saint December 11, 1888 and was buried in the family plot in Moroni.

(Written by Blanche Draper Cooper, a great granddaughter of Martha)