John Memmott-4th Great Grandfather

John Memmott

4th Great Grandfather

Birth Date: 2 Feb 1823
Birth Place: Aston, Devon, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Thomas Memmott and Sarah Willden
Death Date: 29 Oct 1866
Death Place: Scipio, Millard, Utah

Spouse: Julia Wilson
Marriage Date: 11 Jun 1844
Marriage Place: Yorkshire, England

 

 

 

**Something interesting to note about John Memmott, is that he is found in the Frampton family tree as my 4th Great Grandfather.  He is also found in the Dalley family tree- this time as my 1st cousin 4x removed.  His mother  is Sarah Willden (Memmott) sister of Charles Willden. While Sarah did not come to the United States, her sons did. These sons are John and William, who married sisters- Julia Wilson (my 4th great-grandmother) and Ann Wilson.  You will find that on their journey from England to Utah, they stopped for a short time with Charles Willden and his family in St.Louis, as Charles and his family did not come to Utah for several years.

 

Family line: Max Frampton---Verle Ivie---James Ammon Ivie---Martha Annie Memmott---John Memmott

 

John Memmott, son of Thomas Memmott and Sarah Wilden Memmott, was born at Aston, Yorkshire, England Feb. 2, 1823.  Nothing is definitely known about his early schooling, but he was a well educated man.  He was a good singer and musician.  He wrote music and brought three different musical instruments with him from England when he came.  Two were left in Beaver when he moved from there and one, a coronet, was brought to Scipio and sold to Bro. Cooper of Fillmore.

While young, he was apprenticed out and learned the cutlery trade.  He worked at this time to help make a living, and when he came to America, he brought a box of knives with him, thinking perhaps he could still work at the trade over here.  But the box was left in St. Louis with his Uncle Charles Wilden and he never did get it.

 

He married Julia Wilson, daughter of James Wilson and Martha Wilkinson.  The exact date is not known but most likely in 1846 (March 16, some say) as their first child was born in 1847.  He was appointed Letter Carrier in Sheffield, July 13, 1847, when their first child Sarah was six months old.

After coming to Utah they went to the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, and received their Endowments and were sealed Nov. 14, 1862.

 

He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was baptized Oct. 5, 1848 By Charles Hill, a priest, and was confirmed by Elder LeRoy Mitchell.  He was ordained a Priest Jan. 5, 1850 by Elder John V. Long.  He was ordained an Elder Nov. 11, 1850 by ELder J.W.Commings, and in 1854 was appointed Pres. of No. 3 District of Sheffield Branch.  While Pres. Joseph F. Smith was in England on a Mission, he was at their home many times.

 

On April 22, 1855, with his wife and five children, (Sarah, Martha, Thomas, John Alma and Anna Laura) left England to join the Saints in Utah.  May 22, 1855 they landed in New York.  Here he was separated from his family.  The boat left while he was in town attending to some business and he didn't catch up with them until they got to St. Louis.  You can imagine the anxiety of both he and his family in a strange country among a strange people until they were united again.  While in St. Louis, they visited with his mother's brother, Charles Wilden and then went on.

 

While camped at Mormon Grove, Kansas, their children were stricken with cholera, and their little boy John Alma, nearly three years old, died June 26, 1855.  Less than a month later, July 23, 1855, their baby girl Anna Laura died, and they were both buried there.  It must have been a sorrowful little family that started on west leaving their babies behind.  But it was just another tradgedy of our Mormon Pioneers, and was met the way all of their tragedies met.

 

After they arrived in Utah, they passed through Round Valley and went on to Cedar City where they lived for some time.  Here, on Oct. 22, 1856, their son James Ammon was born.  Later they moved to Beaver and one year they lived in the bottoms below Beaver.  All this time he took an active part in church, helping with the music and taking charge of the record keeping almost entirely.  He was chosen school Trustee in Beaver Aug. 1, 1859. 

 

While they were at Beaver, one winter and spring they had nothing but bran bread to eat.  Julia wasn't well and not being used to eating bran bread, she nearly starved.  A neighbor Bro. Polyicks, learned of her trouble, and as he had a few sacks of white flour, he gave them enough white flour for her until they could get their crops matured.  This saved her life and they never forgot his kindness.  When the grain was about ripe that spring, John gleaned about 1 1/2 bushels of wheat, threshed it and cleaned it by hand and carried it on his back three miles to have it ground into flour by her.

 

They moved to Round Valley (or Robinsville as it was then called) in March, 1860.  George Monroe, William Shelton, John Yardley, and Levi Savage came here from Beaver at the same time.  Here, as elsewhere, he took a leading part in all church and civic affairs.  He was ward clerk and kept a complete record of all early church affairs.  He was ward clerk and kept a complete record of all early church affairs in the settlement of Graball and the present town of Scipio, up until the time he died.  He taught a night school in Graball for all those who hadn't had the advantage of an education.  When his brother William and family came from England in July 1861, he took them into his home in Graball and they lived there all winter.  William's wife, Ann, was a sister to Julia.

 

John died quite suddenly Oct. 29, 1866.  He was just a little over forty three years old. On the 22nd of Nov., 1934, in the Manti Temple, all of their children were sealed to them.  James Ammon was the only one still living at the time.