History of Joseph J. Smith and his wife, Ann Coleman Smith
And
Their Descendants as Livestock Operators and Food Producers
By M.A. Smith, a son
January 8, 1954
Joseph J. Smith was born in Kempton, Bedfordshire, England, in 1821 and emigrated to the United States in 1844, settling in Missouri. My mother, Ann Coleman Smith, was born October 2, 1833 in Oldin, Bedfordshire, England. She and her ancestors occupied landed estates dating back to the time of William the Conqueror (1070). She emigrated to the United States in 1843, arriving on May 12.
My father moved to Nauvoo and then to Council Bluffs where the Mormons were preparing for emigration to Utah. This was in 1846. He worked as a wagon freighter using oxen. He freighted from Council Bluffs to St. Joseph, Missouri. He said that whisky was hauled in 50-gallon containers and wholesaled for $1 per gallon at that time, as there was no revenue tax.
My father accompanied the group of Mormons who left Council Bluffs for the west in July 1850. He had married Ann Coleman in January 1850 at Morrisonville, Missouri. This colony arrived in Utah in late September 1850 and located 30 miles south of Salt Lake City at which is now known as Lehi, Utah. He set up a livestock and ranching business in 1854 by taking up a homestead entry, as he had brought along two heifers yoked as leaders, two milk cows (which later were foundation of Durham milk cow stock), and six head of sheep. He also brought along a yoke of oxen. The sheep were leased out on shares and by 1896 had multiplied to 500 head.
My mother and father raised 10 children to maturity, three girls and seven sons, of 14 children born. My mother died October 1, 1909 and my father died August 6, 1902.
His sons also followed in the livestock business. They are:
Joseph (known as “Joe Billy”) Smith entered the cattle business in Elko, Nevada area. His sons are still in the business and have expanded extensively.
Hyrum Smith operated extensive mixed farm (primarily growing sugar beets) and livestock operations. One of his sons is carrying on in the livestock business.
Samuel A. Smith operated a sheep business from 1908-1915. He primarily engaged in mixed farming – specializing in production of sugar beets
Frank Smith followed the distribution end of the food and livestock business and also engaged in general farming.
David Smith specialized in range livestock ranching, entering the business in 1895. One of his sons and two daughters are continuing the business left by their father who died in 1930. He purchased land in the Milk River, Alberta Canada area and shipped 500 head of cattle there. He carried on this operation for about five years. It proved too distant for good control so he sold all his interests in Canada and confined his operations of livestock ranching in the state of Utah. He also had other business enterprises.
Albert Smith followed farming during his teenage days, starting livestock operations in 1896 on the public lands in an extensive way. He died in 1929 and four sons, one daughter, and a son-in-law are operating sheep ranching in east central Utah and Elko, Nevada.
*Moroni A. Smith (the writer) was born in 1875 in Lehi, Utah. I am the youngest child of Joseph J. Smith and like the other brothers have always specialized in the livestock business. At the age of seven I herded milk cows to keep them from grazing on growing crops (no fences at that time). There were, however, corralled at night. At the age of 13 I began accumulating several head of calves while working on my father’s farm. I entered the range sheep business in 1896. Range was becoming scarce then. I have three sons established in the sheep ranching business. The have a lifetime of experience as owners.
All the sons and grandsons and granddaughters of Joseph J. Smith and Ann Coleman Smith continue in efficient and successful production of western range milk fat lambs, as well as in feeding operations. The principal income received by these descendants was derived from the sale of livestock.
When first grazing range sheep on these intermountain desert rangelands, it requires one acre per month for six months (May to October) to adequately support an ewe and lamb, compared with two acres per month in the winter months. After about 1920 the production of the rangelands, both public and private, had declined to a considerable extent, and more acreage was needed to maintain the same number of animals per month or year.
JOSEPH
JOHNSON SMITH
1821-1902
Joseph Johnson Smith was the son of
William and Sophia Brooks Smith, and was born April 8, 1821 in Kempston,
Bedfordshire, England. He learned the trade of blacksmith and wheelwright and
became a proficient mechanic in the line. On March 1, 1840 he married Mary Ann
Smart and on September 23, 1841, he was baptized a member of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Sheffield.
In May, 1843, in company with his wife,
parents and some of his brothers and sisters who had also accepted Mormonism,
he emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois. On August 8, 1844 his wife died, leaving him
with three small children, and in April 1845 his mother died. Soon after this
his father returned to England, where he later married and raised another
family.
Joseph J. left Nauvoo in May and in
company with Bishop David Evans and others, lived at Bonepart during the
summer. In September Bishop Evans and Company moved forty (40) miles west of
Pisgah on the headwaters of Nodaway, intending to settle there, but their
provisions gave out and their cattle died so they were compelled to moved into
Missouri for supplies.
On the first of January 1850, Joseph J.
was married to Ann Coleman, daughter of Prime and Sarah Thornton Coleman, by
Bishop Evans, and the same year they crossed the plains, arriving in Salt Lake
City September 17, 1850. They lived in Salt Lake City for one year, when, on
the solicitation of Bishop Evans, moved to Lehi (Evansville).
While most Mormon Pioneers could and
did produce most of what they needed, some necessary items required special
skills and tools. No town was complete without a blacksmith, whose services
were needed to shoe horses and oxen, sharpen plow shears and other tools,
repair wagons and perform a multitude of other maintenance tasks. So essential
were his skills that town founders often offered blacksmiths special incentives
to settle in their midst. Such was the case of Joseph J. who, after arriving in
Evansville in the fall of 1851, was given a choice spot for erecting his log
blacksmith shop along the north banks of Dry Creek.
When settlers were forced to "fort
up" because of Indian difficulties, Smith's shop was relocated to the
northeast corner of Main and Fourth West, another prime location.
An ingenious and industrious mechanic,
Smith did a good deal of his blacksmithing during spare time in the winter - he
farmed in the summer. But he was available year-round to reset iron tires that
had worked off wheels, mend stove top lids, hinges, latches and irons, and
other farm and household tools and utensils. Iron was in short supply in Lehi
until 1858 when Camp Floyd was established. The military's surplus wagon tires
and iron undercarriages were sold to eager buyers - Smith among them. From this
scrap he fashioned many plows, square nails, tools, iron parts, rollers, chains
(from worn out horse shoes), horse shoes, and some of the big "S"
irons that were used to brace the walls of brick and adobe buildings.
On February 10, 1865 Joseph J. married
Sarah Ann Liddiard. The new Mrs. Smith had had a liberal education and taught
school for a number of years.
In the early 1880's Smith moved onto
the Lehi bench, northwest of the cemetery, where he homesteaded a quarter
section of land on Dry Creek. He also established a sawmill, using the water
from the creek to power his equipment.
It is also noted that when Lehi farmers
were growing sugar cane, a water wheel was built on the Lehi Ditch to aid in
the harvesting. A huge water wheel, 18 ft. in diameter, rotated on two strong
wooden posts. The four foot wide wooden wheel contained numerous water boxes.
As water filled each one the weight turned the wheel and kept it in perpetual
motion. Attached to the wheel's axle on the east side were two iron rollers -
manufactured by Joseph J., and so arranged that when the sugar cane was fed through,
it was crushed and the juice squeezed out.
Smith's former blacksmith shop on Main
Street became the John Woodhouse store, which was demolished to make way for
Sarah A. Smith's hotel.
Smith, a skilled carpenter as well as
blacksmith, beekeeper, rancher and farmer, in 1882 began constructing a large
barn and house on a prominent rise to the east of his home on Dry Creek. The
barn was completed that year and the house was finished in 1883. To the
immediate west of the home Smith re-established his blacksmith shop.
Considered well-to-do for his time, Smith remained actively engaged in a multitude of personal and community projects until his death on August 6, 1902.
He raised a large family:
Children of Mary Ann Smith: Caroline, Mercy and Joseph.
Children of Ann Coleman: Sarah Ann, Joseph William, George, Hyrum, Aldura, Julia Elizabeth, Alfred James, Samuel Abraham, John Franklin, Rebecca, Jacob, David, Albert and Moroni Alma. Children of Sarah Ann Liddiard: Florence Sophia and Elizabeth.
This history is a combination of stories in two different
books: The History of Lehi-1913 and Richard VanWagoner's History of
Lehi.
(Compiled by Mrs. Harold (Donna) Smith, August 1998)
Joseph Johnson Smith 1821-1902
Sidney Kay Smith Creer's Great Grandfather
Joseph Johnson Smith was the son of William and Sophia Brooks Smith, and was born April 8, 1821, in Kempston, Bedforshire, England. He learned the trade of blacksmith and wheelwright and became a proficient mechanic in this line. On March 1, 1840, he married Mary Ann Smart and on September 25, 1841, John Sheffield baptized him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In May 1843 in company with his father, mother, and some of his brothers and sisters who also had accepted Mormonism, he emigrated to America. Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana. He sailed up the Mississippi River to Missouri. His wife, Mary Ann, and two young daughters accompanied him. Joseph and his family moved from Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois. On the 8th of August 1844, his wife died, leaving him with three small children and in August 1845, his mother died. Soon after this his father returned to England where he later married and raised another family. Joseph and his children moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa where the Mormons were preparing for emigration to Utah. This was in 1846. He worked as a wagon freighter using oxen. He freighted from Council Bluffs to St. Joseph, Missouri. He related that whisky was hauled in 50-gallon containers and wholesaled for $1 per gallon at that time and there was no revenue tax.
Joseph in company with Bishop David Evans and others lived at Bonepart during the summer. In September Bishop Evans and company moved forty miles west of Pisgah on the headwaters of Nodaway, intending to settle there, but their provisions gave out and their cattle died. They were compelled to move into Missouri for supplies. On January 1,1850, Bishop David Evans at Marysville, Missouri married Joseph to Ann Coleman, daughter of Prime and Sarah Thornton Coleman. Ann was also a convert to the LDS Church from England. Her family had been personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, in Nauvoo and had gone through many of the persecutions the Saints had suffered during that time. Joseph and family crossed the Missouri River on June 13, 1850 and started across the plains.
When Joseph emigrated to Utah he had very good equipment consisting of 1 yoke of oxen, 1 yoke of milk cows, 6 sheep, 1 yoke of heifers and good wagons.
They arrived in Salt Lake City, September 17, 1850, a journey of four months. Although there were wagons in the party, the young people, including Joseph’s daughter Caroline, had walked most of the way, and barefooted at that. They lived in Salt Lake City that first winter. In February 1851 President Brigham Young sent Bishop David Evans to preside over and further settle a little colony already located on Dry Creek, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. This is now the town of Lehi, Utah. Joseph was asked by Bishop Evans to go with him because of his trade as a blacksmith. For several years Joseph was the only blacksmith between Salt Lake City and American Fork, Utah.
Joseph was the first blacksmith to settle in Lehi and took an active part in the building up of the community. He made plows for the farmers of wagon tires, which Johnston’s army brought; made the first iron rollers for crushing sugar cane in the manufacture of molasses; and made nails and tools of various kinds. This work occupied Joseph’s spare time in winter, in the summer he farmed. Being of an industrious disposition, he was able to surround his family with all the necessities and some of the luxuries of life and was considered well to do in those days.
Although he had started out as a blacksmith upon arriving in America, Joseph was interested in many things. He set up a livestock and ranching business from the equipment and animals he had brought across the plains with him. His six sheep were leased out on share and by 1896 they had multiplied to 500 head. He was a good carpenter, making all his own furniture. He was interested in horticulture and soon had an orchard, a garden, raised bees, grew sugar cane from which he obtained molasses. He also turned his talents to being a tinsmith as well.
In his later years he peddled fruit and vegetables from a horse and buggy up into Bingham Canyon where miners who worked the copper mine lived. At this time his youngest son, Moroni, accompanied him, and recalls selling molasses and peach preserves from big barrels in the back of the buggy.
He was a stockholder in many of the industries and enterprises launched for the building up of the country. He was active in furnishing supplies for those who were out on Indian expeditions and after the Church immigration. He was among the first to launch out in the bee industry. He homesteaded a quarter section of land some distance north of Lehi on Dry Creek, which he brought into a high state of cultivation and also built a sawmill, using the water of Dry Creek for power.
Joseph and Ann had fourteen children. Four of their children died in infancy. On February 10, 1866, he married a second wife, Sarah Ann Liddiard, and had two daughters. The second daughter died in infancy.
Joseph died on August 6, 1902 at the age of 81. He was a small man, being only five feet, five inches tall. As he grew older he became almost square in shape. His wife was of more stature, with red hair and a ruddy complexion. They were an industrious and enterprising couple and in the settling and building of their community, passed through all the hardships and trying times of early pioneer life.
It is interesting to note that Lehi, Utah and many other Utah communities were settled about the same time as many famous towns, such as Tombstone, Arizona and other western towns heard about in cowboy stories. But while adventurers and wealth seekers settled these towns, Lehi and other Utah communities were settled for religious beliefs. Law and order were among the first things established. Joseph was among the first to build his quarters in the central fort of Lehi for protection against the Indians. Joseph always took an active part in the leadership of the community.
Joseph and his wives raised a very large family, as follows:
Children of Mary Ann Smart:
Caroline (Mrs. Wm.
Skeens), Mercy, and Joseph.
Children of Ann Coleman:
Sarah Ann (Mrs. Samuel
Southwick), Joseph William, George, Hyrum,
Aldura (Mrs. James Roberts), Julia Elizabeth, (Mrs. James Taylor), Alfred James, Samuel Abraham, John Franklin, Rebecca, Jacob, David, Albert, and Moroni Alma.
Children of Sarah Ann Liddiard:
Florence Sopho (Mrs.
J. E. Cotter) and Elizabeth.
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