Edward, James (age 22) and Elizabeth Stevenson in 1852
James at age 40 and at age 75
James Stevenson was born 12 August, 1830, in Albany, Jefferson County, New York, to Joseph Stevenson and Elizabeth Stearns. Little is known about his childhood. He left Council Bluffs when about 16 or 17 years old with his parents and family. They arrived. in Salt Lake City Valley in 1848. He always liked to fight for his Church of country. He often said it was easier to fight for the Church than to live for it. He offered to fight in the Mormon Battalion but was too young and could not go. He was a very quiet and reserved man, and he loved music of all kinds.
He left Salt Lake and came to California in the Gold Rush. He found some gold but living was so high that his gold did him little good. I have heard him say he paid $20 for a pair of boots and $15 for a bottle of pickles. He became ill from lack of proper food and returned home. He must have stayed with his brother Edward where his mother lived. He went from there to Farmington to work; while he was working on a threshing machine he met Sarah Elnora White. This friendship bloomed into a beautiful romance and on 3 November 1852 they were married, and sealed in the Endowment House in 1853. He built a home of two rooms. The first two rooms were adobe, and a third room being added on the east was a rock room. In this little home there were 11 children born, 8 boys and 3 girls and in this home 5 of them died as children, 3 boys and 2 girls. The two little girls, one 4 and one 2, died with diphtheria just a month apart. Their mother being very sick with the disease did not know of their death until she recovered and found them gone.
When Grandmother White died she left them her 22-acre farm. Here James raised fruit and vegetables selling them in Salt Lake. They always had several cows and pigs. He was a good musician, playing several instruments: violin, base drum, base horn and snare drum. He organized an orchestra in which he played violin for 30 years around Davis County, Utah. This helped financially. He organized a brass band in which he played a base horn, and he also organized a marshall band in which he played the snare drums. He never took a lesson of music in his life but memorized it by going to fine concerts and hearing the great artists play. One evening he attended the Salt Lake Theater and heard a new tune. He went home and found he could only play half of it, which upset him very much. He went to sleep and dreamed the rest of the tune, got up in the small hours of the morning and played the tune clear through until he knew it well.
He was a member of Lot Smith’s army that protected the Saints from invasion by Johnson’s Army and from the Indian uprising. He went with this army to arbitrate with Captain Johnson. There were about 40 men. When Johnson asked where the rest of the men were, Lot Smith answered, “Just beyond the hill.” There were very few men beyond the hill and this little band of faithful men succeeded in holding the army of the U.S.A. from destroying the homes and land of the Saints for the last time. He also fought in the Morrisite War at Morristown.
He was a good provider for his family and was always ready to give his life for his Church or Country. He died in the same house that he built for his young wife, the same home his children were raised in and where one year before, Jan. 12, 1915, his wife died at the age of 83. On 29 March 1916 at the age of 85 he left this earth for his reward.
--As told by his son Frank Stevenson to his granddaughter, Gladys Stevenson Jordan
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James’ family joined the Church a few years after the Gospel was restored, and James was baptized when he was eight years old. When James was 18, his family joined the pioneer trek west to Utah. When the United States Government asked for 500 volunteers to join an army to fight Mexico, James offered to join this Mormon Battalion. But he was too young and just continued on the Salt Lake. During the Gold Rush, he briefly traveled to California. After marrying Sarah Elnora White, he built a one-room log cabin on Main Street in Farmington, UT, and later added two more rooms. Just as he finished building these two rooms, the call came for the settlers to move south because Johnston’s Army was coming to Utah to attack the Mormons. James and Sarah remained in Springville for a month before returning home. James was a member of the Lot Smith Cavalry that protected the saints. He filled a mission to the Lamanites in 1853. He organized the first four bands in Farmington, including a Drum and Fife Band. He played a horn, a snare drum, and a violin; his drum is on display in a Utah museum today. He played violin in a Farmington orchestra for 30 years for dances, theaters, and entertainments. He taught his boys how to play and had music in the home. He gave his boys one-half day off a week and took them hunting or fishing. He also gave them about one day off a month if they would not play games on Sunday.
(Margaret Steed Hess, My Farmington 1847-1976, p.122)
He left Salt Lake and came to California in the Gold Rush. He found some gold but living was so high that his gold did him little good. I have heard him say he paid $20 for a pair of boots and $15 for a bottle of pickles. He became ill from lack of proper food and returned home. He must have stayed with his brother Edward where his mother lived. He went from there to Farmington to work; while he was working on a threshing machine he met Sarah Elnora White. This friendship bloomed into a beautiful romance and on 3 November 1852 they were married, and sealed in the Endowment House in 1853. He built a home of two rooms. The first two rooms were adobe, and a third room being added on the east was a rock room. In this little home there were 11 children born, 8 boys and 3 girls and in this home 5 of them died as children, 3 boys and 2 girls. The two little girls, one 4 and one 2, died with diphtheria just a month apart. Their mother being very sick with the disease did not know of their death until she recovered and found them gone.
When Grandmother White died she left them her 22-acre farm. Here James raised fruit and vegetables selling them in Salt Lake. They always had several cows and pigs. He was a good musician, playing several instruments: violin, base drum, base horn and snare drum. He organized an orchestra in which he played violin for 30 years around Davis County, Utah. This helped financially. He organized a brass band in which he played a base horn, and he also organized a marshall band in which he played the snare drums. He never took a lesson of music in his life but memorized it by going to fine concerts and hearing the great artists play. One evening he attended the Salt Lake Theater and heard a new tune. He went home and found he could only play half of it, which upset him very much. He went to sleep and dreamed the rest of the tune, got up in the small hours of the morning and played the tune clear through until he knew it well.
He was a member of Lot Smith’s army that protected the Saints from invasion by Johnson’s Army and from the Indian uprising. He went with this army to arbitrate with Captain Johnson. There were about 40 men. When Johnson asked where the rest of the men were, Lot Smith answered, “Just beyond the hill.” There were very few men beyond the hill and this little band of faithful men succeeded in holding the army of the U.S.A. from destroying the homes and land of the Saints for the last time. He also fought in the Morrisite War at Morristown.
He was a good provider for his family and was always ready to give his life for his Church or Country. He died in the same house that he built for his young wife, the same home his children were raised in and where one year before, Jan. 12, 1915, his wife died at the age of 83. On 29 March 1916 at the age of 85 he left this earth for his reward.
--As told by his son Frank Stevenson to his granddaughter, Gladys Stevenson Jordan
----
James Stevenson (father of Wilford)
(Son of Elizabeth Stevens and Joseph Stevenson Born August 12, 1830, New York Married Sarah Elnora White in Salt Lake City, 1852 Died March 29, 1916, Farmington, UT)
(Margaret Steed Hess, My Farmington 1847-1976, p.122)
1895, about age 65
Obituary of James Stevenson
appeared in the Deseret News March 30, 1916
JAMES STEVENSON OF FARMINIGTON IS DEAD
James Stevenson, a pioneer resident of Farmington, died here yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Stevenson was born in Albany, N.Y. Aug 12, 1830. His father died when he was two years old and his mother joined the Church among the earliest converts. He was a brother of the late Edward Stevenson, known in past years as a missionary, traveler and lecturer throughout the Church. There were also two sisters. The mother, with her little family, passed through the trying times of early Church history, both before the migration westward and in Utah, where she arrived with her children in 1848. James Stevenson married Elnora White Nov 3, 1852; she died Jan 12, 1915. There were 11 children born to them, six of whom are living, five sons and one daughter; three boys and two girls died in infancy. Mr. Stevenson came to Farmington among the first settlers and his life is closely interwoven with the history of the community. He was known for 30 years as the leading violinist of Davis county and he played for dances and entertainments until old age stiffened the once deft fingers. Mr. Stevenson was one of Lot Smith's cavalry soldier in the Echo canyon episode and further east in 1857. All his life he was ever ready and willing to do is share in public work and a s father, husband and citizen he was typical His children are: there are 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Farmington ward chapel .
James Stevenson, a pioneer resident of Farmington, died here yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Stevenson was born in Albany, N.Y. Aug 12, 1830. His father died when he was two years old and his mother joined the Church among the earliest converts. He was a brother of the late Edward Stevenson, known in past years as a missionary, traveler and lecturer throughout the Church. There were also two sisters. The mother, with her little family, passed through the trying times of early Church history, both before the migration westward and in Utah, where she arrived with her children in 1848. James Stevenson married Elnora White Nov 3, 1852; she died Jan 12, 1915. There were 11 children born to them, six of whom are living, five sons and one daughter; three boys and two girls died in infancy. Mr. Stevenson came to Farmington among the first settlers and his life is closely interwoven with the history of the community. He was known for 30 years as the leading violinist of Davis county and he played for dances and entertainments until old age stiffened the once deft fingers. Mr. Stevenson was one of Lot Smith's cavalry soldier in the Echo canyon episode and further east in 1857. All his life he was ever ready and willing to do is share in public work and a s father, husband and citizen he was typical His children are: there are 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Farmington ward chapel .
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