James Whittaker

  General Notes:

This information was derived from the family records of Arthur andMozetta Smith Whittaker which was kept by Mary Whittaker Sewell. TIB#3249 Bk B, Pg 131 EH Death Certificate #SL283037, James Whittaker,Dept. Social Ser. SLC, Ut. Born 9:00 A.M. Wrigley Brook is a place namein Heywood. Information obtained while Arthur Whittaker was on a missionto London England 1995. Brief Sketch of the Life of James Whittaker Jr.By Louise W. Cheney The James Whittaker Sr. family consisted of fourchildren. Ellen, born 6th of July 1830 at Heywood Lancashire, England,she married Henry Lunt of Cedar City, Iron, Utah; James Whittaker wasborn April 27, 1833, Heywood, Lancashire, England, he married Mary AnnArthur; Mary born 18 of November, 1838 at Heywood Lancashire, England,married Amos Thornton, Pinto Washington, Utah; Sarah, born 16th of May,1841 at Bank Top, Sharples, Lancashire, England, She married JohnChatterley, Cedar City, Iron, Utah. They were a happy family beingraised in a comfortable home where kindness and love and considerationfor each individual member was important in creating a home atmosphere.The father was a well to do merchant of the middle class and providedwell for his family. James started to school when four years of age, buthad very little schooling. He, with his parents and sisters, embracedthe gospel and desired to gather with the Saints in Utah. They lefttheir home January 9th and sailed form Liverpool England, January 22,1851. They sailed in the ship "George W Bourne", and landed in NewOrleans, March 20, 1851, being two months on the ocean. They sailed upthe Mississippi River to St. Louis where preparations were made for theWest. His father planned the trip carefully so that his loved ones wouldnot have to suffer too many hardships. They were the proud owners of twowagons and one yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows, which provided plentyof milk and butter while crossing the plains. This with the driedfruits, dried fish and other condensed foods brought from England,provided well for the families' needs. They arrived in Salt Lake Valleyin the fall of 1851 and made their abode on the Jordan River. They werethere a short time, when their father was called by President BrighamYoung to go south to Cedar Fort, Iron County. They were among the firstsettlers to arrive there - just before Christmas. Immediately they setabout preparing a little home in old Cedar Fort. They were filled withcourage and a cheerful determination to meet the hardships of pioneerlife uncomplainingly. As soon as spring time made it possible to get outon the land, James helped his father and sisters and soon they had twentyacres ploughed and planted. They were all industrious, frugal and honestand faced life unflinchingly. After living here for sometime theydecided to leave the old fort and built a very comfortable home near themountains, in the northeast corner of Cedar City. Here the family residedever after. James Jr., the only son, was keenly intellectual and hadnatural business ability. He was a great lover of music and taughthimself to sing by note and to play a musical instrument in the CedarBrass band. Later in his life he led the Circleville Ward Choir foryears and it was considered the best in the county. No matter how wearyhe was from a hard day's labor, he never failed to attend the weeklychoir practice. He had a craving for knowledge and through self-efforthe studied mathematics and became an expert mathematician; also becameexpert in shorthand, drawing, chemistry, geology, numerology, etc. Hewas a reader of good books and was truly a self-educated man, as he hadvery little schooling. While a young man in Cedar he was Ward Clerk. TheArthur family had emigrated from England in the spring of 1854 and theytoo were called by President Young to help build up Cedar City. Itwasn't long before James fell in love with the only daughter of theArthur family. She was a beautiful girl, with rosy cheeks, long blackhair, and very modest and reserved. On March 12, 1856 they were marriedby her father and the following spring went to Salt Lake City in a wagon,drawn by oxen, and received their temple blessings and sealing in theEndowment House. James and Mary Ann or "Polly" lived in Cedar City forsometime where Rachel Ann was born. In 1858, they moved to Minersville,Beaver County, where a small colony of Mormons lives in rock cellars.They were very poor like the rest of their friends, but happy andcontented. Life-long friendships were formed here, especially withWatkins Reese and his wife, also Joseph Simpkins and his family. I Think"Tiffer" or James Christopher were born while here. The couple worked atdairying, making barrels of butter that were hauled to California and theEastern States, and sold for the necessities of life. They also farmed.It was at this place that James, in company with others, drove ox teamsback to the Eastern States with barrels of butter. There hebought thefirst grain reaper to be brought to Southern Utah. While the machinemerely cut the grain down, it was hailed as a "paramount wonder of theage". This was the beginning of better days for them. Mary Ann and thegirls spun the wool and then knit it into stockings for the family.After the raw wool was washed and then dyed it was sent to the BeaverWollen Mills where it was woven into cloth. The cloth was fashionedinto clothing and sewed by hand. For light through the long dismal nightsthe mutton tallow and beef suet was rendered out and run into moldsaround a cotton wick. These candles were a big improvement over the"bitches" they had been using, which consisted of a rag burning in asaucer of grease. From Greenville, the family moved to Beaver where theylived in a comfortable two-story brick house, and father wassuperintendent of the Beaver Co-op. Alice was born here but died whenabout 19 months old. Louise was also born here. In the fall of 1877, thefamily moved to Circleville, and were among the first settlers toresettle Circleville. They lived the first summer in a house built ontheir homestead. The next year they moved down on the Sevier River. Here640 Acres of meadow-land was procured. Great racks of hay were stacked,thrown off by hand from the wagons; this went on for many years until thederrick came into use. Here large numbers of cows were milked, butterand cheese was made in large quantities. A merchandise store was run toaccommodate the increasing population. The Indians gave the settlersconsiderable trouble and the father was enlisted to fight in the BlackHawk War. James, like his father, had good business ability, so by thistime, 1880, had accumulated considerable means - herds of cattle andflocks of sheep. He and his sons hauled the wool in high racks by oxenteam to Nephi and later to Salina; later fine work horses were used.Machinery and supplies were hauled by team. Bachelor Mitchell and JamesWhittaker brought the first barbed wire into the county to construct apetition fence between their properties. Hundreds of deer were killed bythe boys in the winter time; their hides being worth more than the meat.James bought the first "Starved Rooster" threshing machine into theValley, and was run by the father and his sons. "Tiffer" always drove thehorses that furnished the power. The Reaper was brought over from Beaver,and here in the county it cut down the grain. About 1890 he built thefirst roller flour mill in Kingston, and the Junction flour mill was alsobuilt and owned by him. The family never did join the Kingston UnitedOrder, but they always maintained an open house to their many friends whocame by the wagon loads to partake of their hospitality, and to spend thesummer and winter evenings in wholesome merriment and dancing. Tishappened when all the boys and girls were home. The mother would makestacks of pies, jars of cookies and Rachel and Nellie would prepare areal banquet. After the meal was over, the furniture would be taken outof the largest room, and to the music of a violin, harmonics, banjo andorgan, dancing would be indulged in until the early hours of the morning. Travelers were never turned away but were fed and kept over night andmany a wandering tramp from the North, on his way to Sunny Dixie, was fedand kept overnight. Children - George, John, Mary, and Louise, went toKingston to school in a one-room log house; in the winter they rode in awagon, and in pleasant weather they walked. Later they attended thegrade school in Circleville. The old one-room log house still stands,(1941) holding many pleasant memories of the happy school days and jollydances held there. James and "Mother" Whittaker were known for and nearfor their hospitality, honest, and uprightness of life, and for theirkindness to the poor and the needy. In 1895 the mother accompanied Louieand John to Provo there they attended the BYU Academy. James bought ahome on 95th West St., Salt Lake City, and became interested inmercantile and mining business, and lived there until he passed away onJun 1, 1907 He had suffered for about seven months with stomach troublewhich the Doctors pronounced cancer. He starved to death in a land ofplenty. He was reduced to a skeleton. Louie or "Doctor Lu" as her fatheraffectionately called her, nursed him the last two months of his life,coming home from Twin Falls, Idaho, with her six months old daughter,Helen. Her Uncle George took care of Helen by singing to her and walkingthe floor and keeping her quiet while her mother took care of theirfather. At James' request his body was sent to Circleville for Burial"Tiffer" came up to visit his father on this day, but on account of traintrouble was delayed and arrived two hours after his father had passed on. He, George and Louie made all arrangements for shipping the body toMarysvale, and selected his coffin and clothing. The body arrived inMarysvale R. R. terminal an was taken to Circleville in a white topbuggy, his life-long true friend, Thomas Smith, driving the teamcarefully. Thus ended the life of one of the best, kindest, noblestfathers that ever lived. He bore his testimony to Arthur and George aweek or so before the end, declaring the Gospel was true, that he hadbeen greatly blessed by the Priesthood. Bro. Frank Knowles and Bro. Ballofficiating Elders, and for his sons to show an interest in the churchand pay their fast offerings and tithing to the Lord and be blest by Him.

Here is the account that Mary Sewell gives of James Whittaker Jr.

James Jr found employment in the cottonmills at Manchester. James saidin later years, "My sisters and I would enjoy a dish of porridge and milkfor our breakfast without any sugar, [H] but on Sunday would be given aliberal amount of sugar by our thrifty mother."

This information was derived from the family records of Arthur andMozetta Smith Whittaker which was kept by Mary Whittaker Sewell. TIB#3249 Bk B, Pg 131 EH Death Certificate #SL283037, James Whittaker,Dept. Social Ser. SLC, Ut. Born 9:00 A.M. Wrigley Brook is a place namein Heywood. Information obtained while Arthur Whittaker was on a missionto London England 1995. Brief Sketch of the Life of James Whittaker Jr.By Louise W. Cheney The James Whittaker Sr. family consisted of fourchildren. Ellen, born 6th of July 1830 at Heywood Lancashire, England,she married Henry Lunt of Cedar City, Iron, Utah; James Whittaker wasborn April 27, 1833, Heywood, Lancashire, England, he married Mary AnnArthur; Mary born 18 of November, 1838 at Heywood Lancashire, England,married Amos Thornton, Pinto Washington, Utah; Sarah, born 16th of May,1841 at Bank Top, Sharples, Lancashire, England, She married JohnChatterley, Cedar City, Iron, Utah. They were a happy family beingraised in a comfortable home where kindness and love and considerationfor each individual member was important in creating a home atmosphere.The father was a well to do merchant of the middle class and providedwell for his family. James started to school when four years of age, buthad very little schooling. He, with his parents and sisters, embracedthe gospel and desired to gather with the Saints in Utah. They lefttheir home January 9th and sailed form Liverpool England, January 22,1851. They sailed in the ship "George W Bourne", and landed in NewOrleans, March 20, 1851, being two months on the ocean. They sailed upthe Mississippi River to St. Louis where preparations were made for theWest. His father planned the trip carefully so that his loved ones wouldnot have to suffer too many hardships. They were the proud owners of twowagons and one yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows, which provided plentyof milk and butter while crossing the plains. This with the driedfruits, dried fish and other condensed foods brought from England,provided well for the families' needs. They arrived in Salt Lake Valleyin the fall of 1851 and made their abode on the Jordan River. They werethere a short time, when their father was called by President BrighamYoung to go south to Cedar Fort, Iron County. They were among the firstsettlers to arrive there - just before Christmas. Immediately they setabout preparing a little home in old Cedar Fort. They were filled withcourage and a cheerful determination to meet the hardships of pioneerlife uncomplainingly. As soon as spring time made it possible to get outon the land, James helped his father and sisters and soon they had twentyacres ploughed and planted. They were all industrious, frugal and honestand faced life unflinchingly. After living here for sometime theydecided to leave the old fort and built a very comfortable home near themountains, in the northeast corner of Cedar City. Here the family residedever after. James Jr., the only son, was keenly intellectual and hadnatural business ability. He was a great lover of music and taughthimself to sing by note and to play a musical instrument in the CedarBrass band. Later in his life he led the Circleville Ward Choir foryears and it was considered the best in the county. No matter how wearyhe was from a hard day's labor, he never failed to attend the weeklychoir practice. He had a craving for knowledge and through self-efforthe studied mathematics and became an expert mathematician; also becameexpert in shorthand, drawing, chemistry, geology, numerology, etc. Hewas a reader of good books and was truly a self-educated man, as he hadvery little schooling. While a young man in Cedar he was Ward Clerk. TheArthur family had emigrated from England in the spring of 1854 and theytoo were called by President Young to help build up Cedar City. Itwasn't long before James fell in love with the only daughter of theArthur family. She was a beautiful girl, with rosy cheeks, long blackhair, and very modest and reserved. On March 12, 1856 they were marriedby her father and the following spring went to Salt Lake City in a wagon,drawn by oxen, and received their temple blessings and sealing in theEndowment House. James and Mary Ann or "Polly" lived in Cedar City forsometime where Rachel Ann was born. In 1858, they moved to Minersville,Beaver County, where a small colony of Mormons lives in rock cellars.They were very poor like the rest of their friends, but happy andcontented. Life-long friendships were formed here, especially withWatkins Reese and his wife, also Joseph Simpkins and his family. I Think"Tiffer" or James Christopher were born while here. The couple worked atdairying, making barrels of butter that were hauled to California and theEastern States, and sold for the necessities of life. They also farmed.It was at this place that James, in company with others, drove ox teamsback to the Eastern States with barrels of butter. There hebought thefirst grain reaper to be brought to Southern Utah. While the machinemerely cut the grain down, it was hailed as a "paramount wonder of theage". This was the beginning of better days for them. Mary Ann and thegirls spun the wool and then knit it into stockings for the family.After the raw wool was washed and then dyed it was sent to the BeaverWollen Mills where it was woven into cloth. The cloth was fashionedinto clothing and sewed by hand. For light through the long dismal nightsthe mutton tallow and beef suet was rendered out and run into moldsaround a cotton wick. These candles were a big improvement over the"bitches" they had been using, which consisted of a rag burning in asaucer of grease. From Greenville, the family moved to Beaver where theylived in a comfortable two-story brick house, and father wassuperintendent of the Beaver Co-op. Alice was born here but died whenabout 19 months old. Louise was also born here. In the fall of 1877, thefamily moved to Circleville, and were among the first settlers toresettle Circleville. They lived the first summer in a house built ontheir homestead. The next year they moved down on the Sevier River. Here640 Acres of meadow-land was procured. Great racks of hay were stacked,thrown off by hand from the wagons; this went on for many years until thederrick came into use. Here large numbers of cows were milked, butterand cheese was made in large quantities. A merchandise store was run toaccommodate the increasing population. The Indians gave the settlersconsiderable trouble and the father was enlisted to fight in the BlackHawk War. James, like his father, had good business ability, so by thistime, 1880, had accumulated considerable means - herds of cattle andflocks of sheep. He and his sons hauled the wool in high racks by oxenteam to Nephi and later to Salina; later fine work horses were used.Machinery and supplies were hauled by team. Bachelor Mitchell and JamesWhittaker brought the first barbed wire into the county to construct apetition fence between their properties. Hundreds of deer were killed bythe boys in the winter time; their hides being worth more than the meat.James bought the first "Starved Rooster" threshing machine into theValley, and was run by the father and his sons. "Tiffer" always drove thehorses that furnished the power. The Reaper was brought over from Beaver,and here in the county it cut down the grain. About 1890 he built thefirst roller flour mill in Kingston, and the Junction flour mill was alsobuilt and owned by him. The family never did join the Kingston UnitedOrder, but they always maintained an open house to their many friends whocame by the wagon loads to partake of their hospitality, and to spend thesummer and winter evenings in wholesome merriment and dancing. Tishappened when all the boys and girls were home. The mother would makestacks of pies, jars of cookies and Rachel and Nellie would prepare areal banquet. After the meal was over, the furniture would be taken outof the largest room, and to the music of a violin, harmonics, banjo andorgan, dancing would be indulged in until the early hours of the morning. Travelers were never turned away but were fed and kept over night andmany a wandering tramp from the North, on his way to Sunny Dixie, was fedand kept overnight. Children - George, John, Mary, and Louise, went toKingston to school in a one-room log house; in the winter they rode in awagon, and in pleasant weather they walked. Later they attended thegrade school in Circleville. The old one-room log house still stands,(1941) holding many pleasant memories of the happy school days and jollydances held there. James and "Mother" Whittaker were known for and nearfor their hospitality, honest, and uprightness of life, and for theirkindness to the poor and the needy. In 1895 the mother accompanied Louieand John to Provo there they attended the BYU Academy. James bought ahome on 95th West St., Salt Lake City, and became interested inmercantile and mining business, and lived there until he passed away onJun 1, 1907 He had suffered for about seven months with stomach troublewhich the Doctors pronounced cancer. He starved to death in a land ofplenty. He was reduced to a skeleton. Louie or "Doctor Lu" as her fatheraffectionately called her, nursed him the last two months of his life,coming home from Twin Falls, Idaho, with her six months old daughter,Helen. Her Uncle George took care of Helen by singing to her and walkingthe floor and keeping her quiet while her mother took care of theirfather. At James' request his body was sent to Circleville for Burial"Tiffer" came up to visit his father on this day, but on account of traintrouble was delayed and arrived two hours after his father had passed on. He, George and Louie made all arrangements for shipping the body toMarysvale, and selected his coffin and clothing. The body arrived inMarysvale R. R. terminal an was taken to Circleville in a white topbuggy, his life-long true friend, Thomas Smith, driving the teamcarefully. Thus ended the life of one of the best, kindest, noblestfathers that ever lived. He bore his testimony to Arthur and George aweek or so before the end, declaring the Gospel was true, that he hadbeen greatly blessed by the Priesthood. Bro. Frank Knowles and Bro. Ballofficiating Elders, and for his sons to show an interest in the churchand pay their fast offerings and tithing to the Lord and be blest by Him.

Here is the account that Mary Sewell gives of James Whittaker Jr.

James Jr found employment in the cottonmills at Manchester. James saidin later years, "My sisters and I would enjoy a dish of porridge and milkfor our breakfast without any sugar, [H] but on Sunday would be given aliberal amount of sugar by our thrifty mother."

James married on 12 Mar 1856 in Cedar City, Iron, Utah, USA.