James Russell Ivie

James Russell Ivie

 

My 4th Great-Grandfather

 

Birth Date: 30 Dec 1802
Birth Place: Franklin, Heard, Georgia, United States
Parents: John Anderson Ivie and Sarah Allred
Death Date: 10 Jun 1866
Death Place: Scipio, Millard, Utah, USA

 

Spouse: Eliza McKee Fausett
Marriage Date: June 1824
Marriage Place: Shelbyville, Bedford , Tennessee

 

 

James Russell Ivie, son of John Anderson Ivie and Sarah Allred, daughter of William & Elizabeth Thresher, of North Carolina was born in Franklin County, Georgia, December 8, 1902. He was the second of nine children born to this union.

 

James Russell married Eliza McKee Faucett. She was born July 5, 1808, at West Columbia, Nuary County, Tennessee, to Richard Faucett and Mary McKee. There were married about June 1824. The location of their marriage is not definitely known, though the belief is that it may have been in Tennessee, since that is where they were living at the time, and their first three children were born, it is evident that they were moving from state to state - - going further west. The family spent from 1830 to 1844 in the State of Missouri, living in Paris, West Paris, and Caldwell Counties. They moved, then, to Council Bluffs, Pottowatamie County, Missouri, where their 11th child was born in 1846. From there they moved to Salt Lake City, where another child was born, and then to Provo, where the next child was born. Thirteen children in all were born to this union.

It was in the early 1830's in Missouri, that the Mormon Missionaries came to the areas in Missouri where the Ivies lived. Parley P. Pratt was one of the elders who came so often to their homes. It was he who brought the Book of Mormon to them and taught them the gospel, which converted them. He also helped to baptize them as members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Thereafter, their homes were always homes for the traveling missionaries.

 

James often relayed this story:
It happened some years after the Ivies had joined the Church. It was in November 1839, while the Elders were out preaching the Gospel that they were seized and put in prison without a hearing, or a trial. They were held prisoners from November 1839 to July 1940. Among them were Elder Parley P. Pratt, Elder Phelps, and others. The saints had planned a way of freeing the last three missionaries held prisoners. They had been changed from one prison to another during the seven months of confinement. At this time they were in Columbus, Missouri. The plan was worked out as Orson, brother of Parley P. Pratt, and others, had planned it, and happened on the eve of Independence Day. The three prisoners, when their evening meal was served, crowded through the door and managed to evade bullets fired at them, and, upon reaching the three horses, brought for them by their brethren, were helped to mount and advised to separate, each going in a different direction, then, to hide themselves, in a deep cave until dark. One of the three was captured and taken back to prison for a short time. Elder Phelps managed to make his escape and reach Illinois, several days later. Elder Pratt was less fortunate and, apparently, headed off in another direction. Finally he made for a vast forest of trees, making his was some distance from his horse to await darkness. He climbed into a huge tree, laid his legs outstretched on top of the branches, locked his arms around two other limbs and, in this way, could not be so easily observed, had anyone come his way. After darkness, when he could no longer hear voices, he came down from his hiding place in the tree and went in search of his horse, which had broken loose and left him to make his way on foot.

 

Quote: “ I was not sure if they were still friendly with the church, or if they had turned from it to avoid violence and being driven out.  I hesitated,  then decided to ask help from my Father in Heaven. I arose to my feet feeling much better. I asked in my prayers, that as I passed by the house, if they were still my friends, I would be recognized - - if not, that I might pass peaceably by. As I walked past their home that Sunday evening, about two hours before sundown, I got nearly by when the children playing in the front yard discovered me and cried out with surprise and much joy: “ There is Brother Pratt.” At this, a young man came running out to me who proved to be one of my acquaintances, still a member of the church, and who had been driven with others from the upper valley. Instead of going to Illinois, he had come back to his old neighborhood. I asked about Mr. Ivy and he said that he and his wife had gone to a neighbor’s home two or three miles away. He said “I am here on a visit.” He also advised that they had just received the news of my escape and were sending out warnings to be on the lookout. I told him of my plight. I was hungry and faint and my feet were covered with blisters. He told me of his brother’s wives and children who were also driven out of upper valley and were living in an obscure place in the woods, while the young man went in to see if it was all right. He came back with milk, cream, and bread. I ate of this and then went to the house. The wife said her husband would soon be home.  I told her I was in constant fear of being found. She instructed the children not to say one word if anyone came, but to act like I was a total stranger. It was well she did, for just then a man came inquiring for her husband. She told him he was away and to come back but he said it was a matter of business he wanted to see her husband about and would wait. After an hour the dog barked and they knew her husband was returning. The children rushed out to see their father, and to tell him not to recognize me, as there was a strange young man there to see him. As he came in he gave me a cold look and a “howdy stranger, “ and turned to the other fellow. He was quite friendly with him. The young fellow told the man of the house he had some business with him and would he step out for awhile. He had come to borrow his saddle. As soon as he had gone the man of the house came in and threw his arms around my neck and welcomed me to his house. We ate supper and I asked if he would exchange hats with me as it had been winter when we were arrested. He gave me a hat that fully disguised me. The good wife made a lunch This man and wife were James Russell Ivie and his wife, Eliza. I heard this story many times from Great Grandma and her son, Grandpa Ivie. Only, as I remember it, the side saddle and his horse got him well on his way, but the horse never found his way back.

 

 

I remember Grandmother telling: “I would go through the timber to a small spring for a pail of water. I was so frightened - - I could often hear the plaintiff cry of a panther or ‘panter’, as grandmother called it.

 

James Russell Ivie and grandma: Just where they met we don’t know. This is the tale she told, only it has lost its soft southern accent that was so pleasing in the way she would tell it: “I was milking my father’s cow one evening, the first time pop came a‘calling on me. He says, Eliza I’ve come a’ courting you. I looked up and there I saw a boy, plenty big enough to be wearing britches, and there he stood with a doe shirt on. I told him right out if I was to be his girl he better go home and ask his mother to make him some britches. The next time he came he wore britches.” (This was taken from Grandparents’ Martin and Martha Ivie’s family record.) His father John Anderson Ivie, owned a large tract of land, or plantation, and with 75 Negroes on it as slaves. When his son James Russell, and family left to join the saints to come west, his father gave him a little Negro boy. He was old enough to help Grandma with the smaller children. When they reached Omaha and near getting their outfits ready to start out, they were told not to burden themselves with extra mouths to feed, other than their families. So Grandpa, James Russell, gave the little boy his freedom and told him he could go to live with another family, or find his way back to his family. As they left, the little fellow cried and said, “Who will take of Missy, Betsy and Marie, I do love you Mama Ivie.” Both Grandmother and Grandfather loved the Negro boy and hated leaving him behind.

 

It was in the spring of 1848 in the month of May that the Ivies, James Russell, his wife and nine of their 11 children began plans for moving westward. Two of his sons were with the Mormon Battalion. Besides James Russell and family, two of his brothers, Thomas Isaac, or Kelton, and William Shelton, and families  got as far as Nerrion, Missouri, on their way to join the wagon train which would have soon headed for the west (Utah). So they dropped out of the company. There was something about one of William’s girls marrying as a plural wife to a man by the name of Long. Both parents strongly opposed the marriage.

 

It was on the first of June 1948, that the Ivies left Elkhorn in the company of the saints - - 1,229 souls and 397 wagons, headed for the Great Salt Lake Valley. They were in Brigham Young’s second company. The Allred family, also, came at this time. Grandfather’s outfit was well equipped with a good wagon and teams. His son, Richard’s wife, Elizabeth Dobson, was with them. The trip across the plains and mountains was made about the same as most of them in the company. Great Grandmother helped in cases of sickness and births in their company as well as others, where ever they were needed on their trip to Utah. The pioneers reached Great Salt Lake Valley about September 20, 1848. They must have spent the winter in Salt Lake City, for on February 25, 1849. Grandma gave birth to a son whom they called Hyrum Lewis Ivie. From Salt Lake City they went to what was then called Rhodes, or Roade Valley, and later called Provo Valley. Here another son was born, November 19, 1852. He was named Heber Charles Ivie. Their eighth child, a son, named Joseph Ivie died the year before in 1851. He was 11 years old at the time.

 

From Provo Valley some of the Ivie family went to Weber County to what is now Kamas. However, they weren’t satisfied with the outlook there, so they left and came to Mt. Pleasant. They had relatives there for a few years. During the time they were in Mt. Pleasant and the time they came to Round Valley (Scipio) in 1863, James Russell and some of his family and the Allred Family, made a trip to Rose Valley, Nevada, with the expectations of locating there. The Valley didn’t meet their expectations - - others having already located there. They came back to Scipio in the late spring of 1863. At that time the settlers were still in Graball or Robinville, where there was a branch of the church, the Ivies didn’t go there to make their home, but went a little further south, up the valley about two miles from Graball. This was where a little stream of water came from a small lake about seven or eight miles further south in the Valley. It separated into two streams. The west stream went by the settlers at Graball, the east stream just running to waste. It was on the east fork that James Russell and family stopped. It was known as Ivie Creek for years. Not long after this, President Young visited the people here, and advised them to locate closer together on a townsite in the Valley. It was called Round Valley, but later changed to Scipio.

 

The Ivies were the first to build homes on the new townsite. The first home built was a room put up of logs - - it was the old stable of the Joe Miller lot, built by William Franklin Ivie, a son of James Russell. His family lived there until he could get logs out to build a place for them to live in. This stable was used to keep a fine stallion in. He had it brought here with the livestock, horse and cattle. Grandfather James Russell built his home and they owned the old Joseph Stone lot - -it is on the northwest corner from the public square. In reading the record kept by the Branch Clerk, John Memmott, we find James Russell Ivie was interested both in his church and civil affairs. Both he and his son, William Franklin, were block teachers, and James Russell was President of the Field Committee, and Water Master. He was also very interested in education. He helped with the loan of his teams to move the log school house from Graball to the new home site.

 

In the spring and summer of 1866 the Indians had become very hostile, and on the warpath; making raids on the stock owned by the settlers. A large band of Indians under Chief Black Hawk made a raid on a Sunday Morning, June 10, 1866, when Grandfather James Russell’s favorite milk cow was to freshen. Grandfather rose early and walked down to the pasture lands a little north and west of the settlement, in what was called the pond field. As he neared the spot where the cow was, he heard an Indian War Hoop and the people in town also heard it. They rushed out to look for Grandfather and found his body already pierced by several arrows. He was stripped of his clothing, all but his boots, as they were unable to get them off. The Indians made off with the cattle and horses owned by the families.

 

James and Eliza shared their home with an Indian boy whose father was a half-breed, French and Indian, and whose mother was an Indian woman.  They were from New Mexico.  Their names were Perblo.  The Indian boy’s name was Shindy Perblo.  His mother had died and his father was on his way to Colorado.  His son was sick, so the father left him with the Ivies.  The father stayed through the winter and went on to Colorado in the spring.  Eliza cared for Shindy Perblo, the little Indian boy. She always thought of him as a son. 

 

Both Grandparents had received their patriarchal blessings. I can remember so well, seeing dear little Grandma going to the old black box, or chest, as she called it. She would reach in, bring out her blessing, hand it to mother, and ask her to read it. It seemed such a source of strength and comfort to her in her last days. The one thing I remember in it, was that their posterity should be as Jacob’s of old, and as numerous as the sands of the sea. Of their 13 children, 12 grew to maturity, marrying, and are parents of large families. A host of grandchildren, some over 125 in number. I am happy to be counted among their great-grandchildren.

 

Eliza was a good pioneer mother, who nursed and cared for many babies and helped them see the light of day.  She passed away on the 7th of August, 1896. She was 89 years old. She was the mother of 13 children, and the little Indian boy, Shindy.

 

Other interesting facts about James Russell Ivie:
-He is listed as a participant of Zion’s Camp.

- After their conversion, the family of James Russell Ivie subsequently moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and went through the persecutions incidental to that period. James Russell served as one of the body guards to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

 

** Some sources state that James Russell Ivie served with the Mormon Battalion in place of his son Richard Anderson Ivie:
        "We know that he left Nauvoo with the Saints and lived in Iowa, when the Church was asked by the United States Government to provide five hundred men to form a Battalion for service in the Mexican War. His son Richard Anderson Ivie was called to serve; but at a family council it was decided that it would be better if Richard stayed with his and his father’s families, since they were making arrangements to cross the plains to their new homes in the West, and he would be able to guide them through the trials, hardships and dangers they would face during the journey. Privately, I have always thought that James was an adventurer and saw more excitement in going with the troops than with the Saints. He was forty-five years old when be began the 2,000 mile march across the Country to San Diego, California and from there to Monterey, California where he saw the American Flag raised over the Territory they had taken in the Treaty with Mexico. He served in “A” Company of the Mormon Battalion, under Captain Jefferson Hunt. As his son Richard Anderson Ivie was the one called, he went under that name, but in the records the name is misspelled - Ivey instead of Ivie."

Pioneer Monument in Mount Pleasant, Utah

Base of the Monument states that 1859 Pioneer Colony led here by James R. Ivie

 

 

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Front Plate: ERECTED IN HONOR OF THE PIONEERS OF 1859 by the descedants of the Pioneers, whose names are inscribed upon this Monument. Unveiled July 6, 1909. Right Plate: Back Plate: Wm. Seely Neils Widergren Anderson Neils P. Madsen Andrew Madsen Rasmus Frandsen Mads Madsen M.C. Christensen Neils Madsen Nathan Staker Christian Madsen Jens C. Jensen John Meyrick John Tidwell Jens Jorgensen Henry Wilcox Jens Jensen Peter Mogensen Peter Johansen John Carter Neils Johansen Orange Seely Justus Seely George Coates James K. McClenahan George Farnsworth John Waldermar Jens Larsen Christian Hansen Peter Hansen Henry Ericksen Svend Larsen Andrew P. Oman Rudolphus R. Bennett C.P. Anderson Christian Brotherson Christian Jensen Daniel Page James Harvey Tidwell Martin Aldrich Left Plate: Jefferson Tidwell Wm. Morrison Paul Dehlin Hans Y. Simpson Mortin Rasmussen George Frandsen Hans C.H. Beck Peter J. Jensen Peter M. Peel Jacob Christensen Erick Gunderson Frederick P. Neilson Alma Zabriskie John L. Ivie Soren Jacob Hansen Christian Neilson Christensen John F. Fechser Isaac Allred Andrew P. Jensen Andrew Johansen Inscription of Base Plate: Front Plinth: 1859 Mt. Pleasant 1909 Base: Pioneer Colony led here by James R. Ivie as President. Right Plinth: Fort for protection from Indians completed July 1859. Base: Dimensions of Fort, 26 rods square, wall 12 feet high. Back Plinth: Colony named Mt. Pleasant, and organized a Ward, July 9, 1859. Base: Black Hawk War waged 1865-6-7. Left Plinth: Mt. Pleasant Incorporated a City February 10, 1868. Base: Grasshopper Invasion, 1867-1868. Mt. Pleasant, Utah