Originally posted at http://www.russbateman.com/penn.html

HISTORY OF JOHN SAMUEL BARTON

Copied from text by Arta Barton Smith, Lehi, Utah, April 1962

Information from sons William H. and Dave Barton, 1954. Dates from family records. Facts arranged by Nora Lund.

John Samuel Barton was the 10th and last child born to his parents, John Barton and Sally Penn Barton. His birth place was the family farm at Lebanon, St. Clair County, Illinois. The date was 29 July 1841. His father died when the lad was but 5 years of age.

This time was a difficult one for the Mormon people and they were being persecuted by the mobs. Sammie would no doubt be impressed when his oldest brother William and family left Illinois with a group of immigrants for the West in the year of 1850, with the promise that he would prepare a place in the Valleys of the Mountains for his mother and the rest of the family.

Samuel's mother, Sally, brothers Joseph and Stephen and sisters Matilda Jane and Julia King (the other 4 children having died previously) all worked hard to make preparations to join William in Utah. It so happened that his sisters didn't cross the plains after all. Matilda returned to the old home and remarried while Julia married and made her home in Iowa, I believe. They crossed the plains in the summer of 1852, arriving in September. Samuel was 11 years old at this time and could help some with the camp chores.

William met the family in Salt Lake City and brought them right on to his home in Parowan. When the fort was built in Paragonah, Samuel came with the family and lived in the Fort. When the Indians became more friendly the people started moving from the Fort and building homes in the newly surveyed town site. Samuel had an excellent location for his new home, it was just across the street east from the Fort. It was of adobe and had three rooms, a log kitchen and a cellar out in the lot to keep their potatoes, carrots, etc. in. His mother, Sally, lived with him most of the time.

Samuel grew to be a fine looking man, tall and straight, perhaps a little better than six feet in height, his average weight was about 180 pounds. He wore a beard and mustache which was in style in those days. He was quite a sport and enjoyed dancing, theaters, and such activities. He and his pals thought nothing of walking to Parowan for such entertainment. Shoes were quite a luxury and these young men would walk the 4½ miles to Parowan bare footed and carry their precious shoes to keep them nice for their appearance in public.

Such a fine young man would naturally want to find a companion early in life, so he was just 20 years old when he persuaded pretty Eliza Jane Gingell to become his wife on the 6th of November 1861, here in Paragonah. They took the long journey to Salt Lake City and received their endowments and were sealed for time and eternity on the 9th of November 1866. This was in the Endowment House. Samuel was also sealed to his parents in the St. George Temple 22 February, 1941.

Eliza Jane was a daughter of William and Mary Ann Woodham Gingell, converts to the L.D.S. Church in Australia. Eliza remembered well her trip across the Pacific ocean on a flat boat and what a hazardous journey they had, finally landing at San Pedro, Calif. This company of saints came on to Paragonah by the southern route.

The new home (of this young Barton couple) was in the process of building when Samuel and Eliza were married. It still wasn*t comple1ted when their first child, John Samuel Penn Barton was born 3 Aug 1862 (Note: before they were sealed), so he put in his appearance at the Silas S. Smith home adjoining the Bartons, but all the others were born in the family home.

It might be well to mention now each member of the family and when they arrived:

1. John Samuel Penn, b. 3 Aug 1862, m. Martha Elizabeth Williamson

2. Stephen Alma, b. 20 May 1864, m. Ellen Sophia Lund

3. Matilda Jane, b. 14 July 1866, m. James Burrus Davenport

4. Joseph Wesley, b. 3 Nov 1868, m. Margaret Ann Ownes

5. William Henry, b. 17 Apr 1871, m. Sarah Ann Hanks

6. Sally Ann, b. 30 Mar 1873, m. (1st) Win. G. Bleak, (2nd) George Harris

7. Charlotte Caroline, b. 6 Feb 1876 m. Edward Bardsley

8. David Philip, b. 28 Aug 1877, m. Cornelia Page

9. Eliza Esther, b. 17 Nov 1880, m. Albert Dailey Robb

(At this time December 1956 all have passed on but Wm and David – William passed away a few days after this account was written.)

Samuel's life long occupation was that of a farmer and rancher. He homesteaded 160 acres of land ½ mile North and 1 mile West of town. This was valuable meadow land in the early days due to the sub—irrigation condition. The grass grew lush and abundant and was cut and stacked for winter use. It took five years of residence during the summer months on an entry to fulfill the law and prove upon a homestead such as this. So, the Barton family built a lumber cabin and proceeded to prove upon their property.

It was while living down on the Meadows in the Summer of 1877 that Dave Phillip put in his appearance in this little cabin.

It was a nice place to spend the summer. Five or six cows were milked and the woman folks made butter and cheese. Sam needed farm land to raise hay, grain and other crops, so he bought 15 acres of land from Ben Watts in the South field, what is known as the Black Rock area. He also bought 5 acres from Bro. Hunt.

His sons say he was a good farmer and raised abundant crops. He and the older boys cut grain with the "cradle" until more modern machinery was brought into the Valley, then he hired his grain cut and thrashed by the easier method. He used a hand plow to prepare the land for planting.

In the early days the range land near to the communities of Parowan and Paragonah were used jointly to range their stock on. To make use of the feed on the land in a more systematic manner a Cooperative Sheep and also a Cattle Company was formed.

Along with the other progressive stock men, Samuel took stock in these Companies. When he drew out beef or mutton for family use it was charged against his account or company*s stock. He had charge of the Co-op sheep herd for awhile. Then for about 12 years he took his family and spent the summers there making butter and cheese from the 75 cows he rented from the Co-op herd. He and his boys also did lots of fencing for the Company. He was paid some cash and some butter and cheese for this work.

Samuel was a very ambitious man and to better support his family he freighted to Silver Reef. The load consisted of commodities such as butter, cheese, eggs, meat and grain and such things that brought ready cash at this flourishing mining town.

He was a lover of horses and always drove a good team. Some of the horses he owned which were remembered well by his sons were Sam, a yellow, Charlie, a brown, Don a brown, Dan a gray, and Jim, a bay.

Samuel was a friend to the Indians and could talk their language fluently. He had much contact with them in town and also in Bear Valley. He would trade flour and other things to them for deer meat. Some of the best known Indians to the family were: Curley Jim, Punus, Pharashant and Kanosh. Curley Jim would borrow Sam*s gun and keep it for months while he hunted in the hills. When he returned it he would always bring meat for the Bartons.

Dick was a Paiute Indian. When he became old and blind his tribe went off and left him to die out to Black Rock. However, he lived 10 or 12 years after that because of the tender care given him by Samuel Barton and Jonathan Prothero. They fixed up a tent for him, warm and comfortable, and provided him with food as long as he lived.

His sons remember him as a strict disciplinarian. When he said a thing he meant it. He was also kind and considerate to his family. He was a good neighbor and friendly in his manner to the towns people.

Della Davenport Marsden, a grand daughter of Parowan remembers what a loving, kind grandfather he was and how he enjoyed having her stop in after school and play the organ.

She loved to hear him tell the story of the little boy who got lost up Little Creek Canyon. It went something like this: The Openshaw family lived out to Little Creek on their farm. One day little Jobbie went for a walk. He walked and walked until he got tired. He tried to find his way home, but he couldn't. He sat down by some rocks and bushes to rest and pretty soon he was sound asleep. His mother missed him and called loudly for him to come, all the time searching frantically for her little boy. The father came and they both searched, but to no avail. The father then came to town for help. Samuel Barton was one who came to the Openshaws to give assistance. With him went his pet dog. The men gave a good search to the house, the field, and then made their way to the mouth of Little Creek Canyon. The dog ran ahead of his master and there he found the sleeping boy by the creek, the rocks and the brush.

Samuel was very prompt and punctual in his habits. He always went to the field in the mornings at the same time, came back for lunch at exactly 12 o'clock noon, gave his horses a chance to eat and rest for an hour before he took them out again for the afternoon*s work. He quit for the evening and was back home exactly at 6 o'clock PM. People in Paragonah vowed they could set their clocks accurately by the goings and comings of Brother Barton.

When his chores were done in the evening he was home. He was never one to take himself off away from his family.

He was an average church member. He held the office of a Seventy in the Priesthood when he died. His death occurred 6 Dec 1913 at his home in Paragonah, at the age of 72. He was buried in the Paragonah Cemetery.

His good wife, Eliza Jane’s mind was bright and alert lived on in the old home and later was cared for by John and his wife Libby. She died 14 Nov 1932, making her 89 years old, and in her right mind up to the last.

Since I have been working with the fine Barton people of the Paragonah Ward in getting more complete family records of their own, I have felt the just pride they have in their ancestor Sally Penn Barton. As no written account of her life is available, I am taking it upon myself to write down a few of the known facts. It is with deep incompetence and humility that I even attempt to write of this noble woman.

Sally Penn was born 15 May 1800 in Elbert County, Georgia, the fifth child of Joseph Penn and Sally King Penn. Other members of the family were Susannah, born 2 August 1790, who married Phillip Smith; Phillip, born 16 July 1792, who married Mary Ann Starr (he died November 1850); William, born 19 November 1796, who married Rhuma Redman (he died May 1851); Joseph, born 6 June 1798, who married Candis Barton (he died 25 November 1841); John, born 16 March 1804, who married Nancy Anderson; Elizabeth, born 19 July 1808, who married Joel Barton; and Julia, born 19 July 1808 (she died 1 October 1819).

Family records show that Sally's branch of the family were living in Virginia in the early 1700s. It is believed that the Penn family came to Virginia from Massachusetts. However, Sally's parents were living in Georgia at the time of her birth.

NOTE: In the Petersburg, Albert County, Georgia history it notes that Joseph Penn came from Abbyville District, South Carolina in 1803 and bought a lot in Petersburg, then the 3rd largest city in Georgia, with only Savannah and Augusta larger. It can be found as Deed H169, in 181 (n17) Lot #20 from Thomas Evans, a free black man. Petersburg was situated at the point where the Broad and Savannah rivers join. The town was long gone before the waters of Clarks Hill Lake, the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi, began rising in the early 1950's. When water levels are low, some foundations of the town can be seen. No artifacts may be removed from the site. The property north of the town is now Bobby Brown State Park.

Thus we are looking at checking the records of South Carolina and Virginia where the family were before they came to Georgia, to find her (Sally) birthplace.

Make a note: The following story would be such a good one if the true facts could be found. Sally was born in 1800, making her 5 years older than Joseph Smith. She joined the church in 1835 already having given birth to all but 2 of her children.

One more thing of note. John had moved with his family from North Carolina to Kentucky then to Lebanon about 1811 or 1812. Thus if is very likely that they met and married in Lebanon.

Nothing is known of Sallys early life, but the family story is that when she was a young girl in her late teens she first heard the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preached by Elder Wilford Woodruff, who was then a missionary in the southern states. The message of this new religion touched her deeply, and she was converted and baptized. It is not known by her living descendants whether or not more of her family joined the Church at this time, but they no doubt joined her later in Illinois.

After joining the Church, Sally's one desire was to see the Prophet Joseph Smith and hear him preach. We of today can marvel at her faith and courage in setting off on horseback for Illinois and crossing from Georgia over into Orange County, North Carolina, a distance of over 1,700 miles. Here she met young John Barton, the son of William Barton and Nancy Hunter Barton. He was born 19 February 1796, in North Carolina. It would be interesting to know the details of their courtship and marriage, but the fact remains that they were married, probably in 1817, and then traveled to Illinois where they took up a homestead at Lebanon, St. Clair County, where they were blessed with ten children:

Elizabeth, born 27 December 1818 (she died 27 October, 1823).

William, born 30 January 1821, who married Sarah Esther West 26 February, 1845, in a ceremony performed by George A. Smith, and then Mary Williamson on 28 August. 1857, also performed by George A. Smith (William died II October, 1902).

John Wesley, born 19 January, 1823, who married Phebe (he died 14 August,1841).

Matilda Jane, born 25 January, 1825, who married John Domeny and later Jesse Barton Nicholls,

Julia King, born 9 December, 1828, who married William Gedney (she died 20 July, 1859).

Joseph Penn, born 11 May, 1831, who married Eliza Anderson and Lucy Ann Butler (he died 15 September, 1912).

Sarah Penn, born 12 August, 1833 (she died 19 April, 1836).

Eliza Ann, born 24 February, 1836 (she died 17 March, 1839).

Stephen Smith, born 3 January, 1839, who married Jane Evans and Eliza Hoy Smith (he died 18 November, 1914)

John Samuel, born 29 July, 1841, who married Eliza Jane Gingell (he died 6 December 1913).

It is thought that John Barton didn't join the Church until he and his family were living in Lebanon, Illinois, but somewhere along the line, Sally's family, her brothers and sisters, and John's family, must have been closely associated, because Joseph Penn married Candis Barton, and Elizabeth Penn married Joel Barton, making three marriages between the members of the two families with the union of Sally and John.

It was a sad time for Sally when her husband died, 3 November, 1846, at the age of fifty, leaving her a widow at only forty-six. John was buried in the family cemetery in Lebanon. These would have been trying times for her and her family because the Saints were enduring severe persecutions at the hands of wicked mobs. As fast as possible the Church leaders were arranging for the Saints to make the journey to the Rocky Mountains where they could live in peace and safety.

William, Sally's oldest son, with his wife Esther and son Alma, came west in 1850, but it was not until 1852 that Sally and the rest of the children were able to come. Elizabeth, John Wesley, Sarah and Eliza Ann had died previously.

The Bartons journeyed to Iowa and were making final preparations for the long trip when the daughters, Matilda Jane, now a young widow, and Julia King, of marriageable age, heard of the encouraged practice of plural marriage in Utah. They vowed they would not live as seconds to anyone. If they had to be married to some man with a wife already, they refused to go another step. Julia remained in Iowa, married William Gedney, and had a family. Matilda Jane, her three children – John Barton, Charles Hampton, and Mary Ann Domeny – returned to the old home in Lebanon, Illinois. There she had quite a hard life until she married her cousin Jesse Barton Nicholls. The girls kept in close contact with their folks in Utah by correspondence as long as they lived.

Sally would naturally be somewhat grieved to be separated from her only living daughters, but she felt she must go on with her sons to zion. Joseph was a man of twenty-one years and so of course took the responsibility for his fifty- two year old mother and the younger boys, Stephen who was thirteen and Samuel who was eleven, in their travels. According to Church history and known facts, the mode of conveyance at that time was covered wagons drawn by ox teams. The wagons were loaded with the necessities for the journey, but many of the people were obliged to walk.

The Saints were organized into companies of 100 wagons with a captain over each 100, then subdivided into first and second SO's, with a captain over each, and those were further divided into 10's. At times the journey was quite pleasant. At other times the Indians were bad, and the Saints were often short of food. The climactic conditions also made traveling miserable.

Sally Barton and her sons arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley, after traveling three to four months on the way. It is regrettable that it is not known by family members in whose company the Bartons traveled. William met them in Salt Lake and then took them to Parowan, where he and Esther had made preparations for their stay.

The first company of the Iron Mission arrived in Parowan 13 January, 1851. Others followed in the spring. It was with this company of thirty wagons that William and his family traveled, arriving 7 April, 1851. He, with others, was quick to see the possibility of good farms watered with the streams coming from Red Creek and Little Creek canyons. The Indians were bad, so to protect themselves and their stock from the plundering Red Men, William and others built a post stockade. They also traveled back and forth from Parowan.

The next year or so, President Brigham Young instructed all those who wished to build a fort in Paragonah for protection against the Indians to move their families there. Hence, the Bartons helped build the fort and were among the very first settlers of this town. The rooms, with the doors facing toward the center of the fort, were assigned to each family. Sally and her boys lived in the southwest corner, while William and his family occupied a room in the southeast corner. When the Indian troubles were over and it was safe to leave, the people moved out of the fort, laid out a townsite, built homes, and did more extensive farming in the fields. While waiting for a better home to be built for them, Sally and her boys lived in a dugout.

Joseph married Eliza Anderson and later Lucy Ann Butler. Stephen married Jane Evans and later Eliza Hoy Smith, and John Samuel married Eliza Jane Gingell. The older boys decided to help build a nice adobe house for John Samuel, planning for their mother to live with him until they got their homes built, after which she would stay with each of them in turn. John Samuel's home was built on a lot secured across the street east from the fort. The house stood just north of where the Topham store is located today, on the same lot. Joseph built his house a block east and across the street. Stephen built his one block south from Joseph's on the same block. William moved to Beaver County, then back to Paragonah later on.

As Grandma Sally Penn Barton grew older, she was obliged to walk with a cane and her eyesight failed completely. On one occasion she was living with her son Stephen when a big steer he was fattening for beef got out of the corral. Sally was out in the dooryard when the steer spied her and charged. She did her best to fight him off with her cane, but he continued to blow and snort over her and bunt her around. She was a slight woman, weighing about 125 pounds and was but five feet six inches tall, so she was no match for her opponent. In her haste to get inside the house, she fell over backwards in the door and was helpless until the women folk inside heard the commotion and came to her rescue.

Even in her blindness, Grandma Sally's hands were never idle. She knitted constantly, helping out with the clothing needs for her loved ones. When she desired that the remains of her dear husband John, who had died in Lebanon, Illinois, 3 November 1846, be brought to the west for burial near her, Stephen went back east for the purpose. The trip proved unsatisfactory, however, because the chemicals in the soil, the dampness, etc. had completely dissolved the casket as well as the remains after such a long time. One screw was all that could be found of the casket. It was brought home and cherished by family members.

Sally died at the age of 82 at the home of her son Joseph, 11 May, 1882, in Paragonah and was taken to Parowan for burial because there was no cemetery in Paragonah at that time. She had lived one-half of her life a widow, and we can imagine her husband John was happy to welcome her home.