HISTORY OF JOHN LOVELL

Following are three different histories. All contain most of the same information, but from slightly different viewpoints. They all attest to John Lovell’s devotion to church and family ― DEH 2004.
History #2
History #3

At 7:30 Saturday morning, May 9, 1810/1812, there arrived at the home of a blacksmith in Worle, Somersetshire, England, a baby boy. His early arrival interfered with morning's work, but he was heartily welcomed as the first son of the family. Little three year old Grace was delighted with a baby brother.

They named him John. When he was only a year and a half old George was born. About every two years after that a new brother or sister was added to the family until there were nine of them.

The blacksmith Edmund Lovell was a strict Wesleyan Methodist. Therefore, as soon as John and George were old enough he took them with him to church twice every Sunday and trained them in the strictest form of religion.

When John was about 12 years old his eyes became badly inflamed. His father and mother had to hold him down and pour drugs into them, but the eyes grew worse and worse. Finally in the hottest part of the summer he was totally blind. However, he decided that outdoor work would be better for the boy. So his father set him to work on his own land as a farmer. This John did until he was 19 years of age.

By this time Grace, the first child, had grown to be a beautiful young lady, but had contracted consumption from which disease she died about 1831, creating a loss keenly felt by all the family.

The family expenses had increased and business at the shop was rather dull, so John decided to hire himself out. Joseph Harris of Bitsom, a very generous farmer and dairyman, gave him $50.00 a year for three years besides board and washing. At the end of this time he offered him $60.00 a year if he would take charge of the plantation and dairy.

But John had made other plans. During his three years at Harris's he had become very well acquainted with the head dairymaid Ann Parson. Without the knowledge of the Harris family he had courted her and gained her promise to marry him. He went home and rented some land, but his crop was almost a complete failure. He saw so much poverty and distress among his neighbors that he did not feel justified in marrying in this present condition. After talking the matter over seriously with his father he decided to go to Canada to settle down and make a home. He had two uncles living here and thought it might be easier to get a start in a new country. Ann did not like to go and leave her parents.

It took a good deal of persuasion to convince her that they should start while they still had a little money ahead. She consented finally and they were married at the Church of England, Bitsom, Somersetshire, on the 15th all February, 1835. After visiting with Ann's parents in Balgdon for a few weeks, they prepared for their trip to Canada.

They sailed from Bridgewater on the 25th of March. Their leavetaking was very pathetic. They hired a cart to take their household goods to the wharf. His father, mother, and Ann came down in the coach. His mother, whose maiden name was Sylvia Williams, was almost heartbroken at parting with her son; for she knew she would never see him again. So she stayed right with the couple until the last moment, then bade them an affectionate farewell. The father gave John some good advice. Among other things he told him to be sure and Join some church as soon as he landed. He believed a person could be saved by any of them. With tears in his eyes he told them to write often, then shook hands with them and left $40.00 in Ann's hand. It must have seemed a fortune to the pair, and it was certainly needed and appreciated.

The ocean voyage lasted six weeks. John was too seasick to take a last look at an English lighthouse, but recovered in two or three days  Ann was not so fortunate. She was very ill the whole voyage. The captain sent dainties from his own table to try to tempt her appetite. They were afraid she would not live to reach land and would have to be buried at sea. However, she began to improve as soon as they reached land. They landed at Quebec on the 6th of May. The passengers went out sightseeing during the day and returned to the ship at night. Next morning the ship was towed up the river to Montreal. There they hired passage in a boat for Port Hope, which place they reached June 30, 1835. The trip had taken 14 weeks.

It must have been a great relief to the young couple to get on land again. They took a room in the hotel for the night. Very early next morning John set out to find his uncle who lived seven miles from Port Hope. He arrived in time to take breakfast with the family. His Uncle Jessie Williams was pleased to see him, and invited him to bring his young wife and stay awhile. They spent the following week with Uncle Jessie, when an invitation came for them to pay a visit to his other Uncle, James Salter, who lived forty miles away. They spent the following week with them. They had to walk the forty miles and made the distance in two days, but they felt repaid by the kindness shown them by their aunt and uncle who made them feel perfectly at home.

They decided to settle here in Whitby. Their entire journey had cost them $80.00 and they had $20.00 left. Out of this they paid $12.00 to have their luggage brought from the storehouse at Port Hone. So with only $8.00 John immediately looked for work. Mr. Thomas Pasco hired him or two months at $12.00 per month. The advice of his father was still fresh in his mind. Since his Uncle James was a Methodist preacher he decided to join that church. He was taken on but never lawfully joined.

After the two months were up with Mr. Pasco, he got a job with Mr. Edward Lawrence in Pickering. At this time Ann had been staying at the Salter home. On the 22nd of November, 1835, their first child was born, a boy whom they named George. John stayed with them a week or two then had to return to work. Finally he was able to take his wife and son with him to Pickering where they lived in a log cabin about a mile from Mr. Lawrence's home. Their little cabin proved to be so cold and drafty that Ann took cold and was very ill for several weeks. John went miles for a physician. The doctor said something must be done at once or she would get consumption. John had no money on hand, so he tried to collect the $20.00 Mr. Pasco owed him  He got $4.95 of it. Then he called on his Uncle James Salter to inform him of Ann's illness and asked him if he would wait a while for the $4.00 he owed him. But he got no sympathy from his uncle who refused to wait longer. So John gave him the $4.00 and went home feeling very low.

He went to the storekeeper, told him of his wife's illness, and asked if he would trust him for a while. After finding out all he could about John, the storekeeper said,  Mr. Lovell, you can have anything you want." So he purchased about $10.00 worth of groceries and medicines which the doctor had prescribed and returned home encouraged, feeling that now Ann would have a chance to get better. He was indeed thankful to the stranger who had proved to be more of a friend when in need than his own uncle. He paid off his store bill by hauling 150 bushels of ashes which he had made clearing land. He got 28 cents a bushel for the ashes which more than paid his indebtedness.

The next spring John rented a farm from a widow. This year he raised a good crop of hay. His Uncle Jessie Williams, hearing of this, sent a yoke of cattle for John to winter feed. When he came for the cattle in the spring he said he could not afford to pay the feed bill. His wife had died during the winter and left him with seven children to care for.

About this time they heard of a new religion from a brother of Mr. Lawrence. The reports are so interesting that Mr. Lawrence sent an invitation to send a preacher with word that they could use his home or the schoolhouse as he was trustee. John Taylor was the first Mormon missionary to preach in the district. The Lovells went to hear him. Ann believed it at once. John thought it seemed more reasonable than the Methodist religion and was anxious to hear more. He called on John Taylor and found him whittling out butter molds. Brother Taylor explained that he did this at odd times, and when he had a number of them he sold them to the storekeeper to get clothing. John thought it strange for a servant of God to have to do a thing like that for a living. All the preachers he had known had received salaries.

Brother Taylor explained the gospel to them telling them of Joseph Smith, the plates, the priesthood, the persecution of the saints, etc. Soon after this Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, John Taylor, and Almon Babbitts came and stayed over Sunday, held two or three meetings, and did missionary work in that vicinity.

John went to see the prophet at Mr. Lawrence's home. When he first saw the Prophet Joseph Smith he was telling how he obtained his horses in Kirtland, Ohio. The other brethren were washing and blacking their shoes. in his journal John says: "I had been brought up so strict to the religion of the day that I thought it impossible for a prophet to talk about horse trades on Sunday. But their preaching overbalanced any bad effects this may have made." John prayed fervently for a testimony of the truthfulness of the work. He gained one by a sign. One night while sleeping deeply he heard a voice say,   See This!   He saw a bright light from one corner of the room to the other and disappear. This satisfied him and he was baptized in February, 1837.

He prayed to be blessed with the gift of tongues  About two weeks after his baptism he was asked to speak in meeting. He spoke in tongues, gave the interpretation, and spoke again in tongues, then took his seat. He was filled with the spirit and stood up again and gave the interpretation and sat down. The congregation became rather excited when the president testified that they had seen a gift of the spirit made manifest.

On the 9th of March, 1837, their first daughter (Sylvia) was born.

John once more made a friendly call on his Uncle James Salter bore his testimony to him. After this Uncle James wrote to John's parents in England telling them how John had disgraced the family. He a' so detailed the lying reports which were in the papers at that time about the Mormons. As a result John received a letter from his father telling him not to mention his religion in any of his letters home. His father did not write again for ten years. When he finally wrote he told John to please direct all his future letters to his brothers.

A rebellion in Canada against England over some point of religion occurred a , this time and martial law was proclaimed. No one was allowed to pass to and from the United States to Canada. It was a great hardship on the poor people to support the soldiers. John and Ann decided to leave Canada as soon as possible and gather with the saints. They sold their grain, cattle and sheep which brought them a total of $132.50.

Martial law was at last abolished and they began their journey to the States the 1st day of July. They traveled first by wagon, then by railroad and then by steamboat.

In the latter part of September the bilious fever broke out. In the house where they lived on woman died. Ann had an attack and was under the doctor's care for several days. Then John contracted the disease, but he felt it was time to move on. So with the help of two sticks he went out and hired passage to Cleveland. They were both put on a boat more dead than alive but soon began to improve.

They had $1.50 to begin life in a strange city. John found a job five miles from the city and a room to live in. He cut wood for .75 cents a cord and made enough to live on during the winter.

A very sad thing happened while there. The baby, Sylvia, had taken cold on the boat coming to Cincinnatti and had been ill all winter. John had been buying some new furniture and was setting up the bedstead. He left it standing against the wall for a few minutes, when little Sylvia pulled it over on herself. It broke some bones in her body and caused her death on the 21st of March, 1838.

John never made another entry in his journal after that date. But his life had just begun. Therefore, later incidents are here recorded.

In 1841 (February 22) Edmond was born. The family moved soon after this. On February 3, 1843, another son, John, was born at Bare Creek, Hancock County, Illinois. He lived only two weeks. In September (3) of that same year little Edmond, 2 1/2 years old, died at Nauvoo. On August 3, 1844, another son was born. Being so soon after the martyrdom of the Prophet and his brother, they named the baby Joseph Hyrum.

The family left Nauvoo in the general exodus of the church in the early spring of 1845. Of course, difficult trials and privations were endured by the saints on their westward journey. They formed two settlements at Winter Quarters and stayed there a few years and raised crops to help them go the rest of the way.

The fifth son, William, was born here February 13, 1847, and died February 27, 1847 March 24, 1849 Martha Ann was born. Ann, the mother, had never been strong since her marriage and all the exposure and discomfort from so much travel had lowered her resistance to disease. She contracted quick consumption and died December 4, 1851, at Winter Quarters, leaving her baby, Martha Ann, just 2 1/2 years old, and two boys, George and Joseph Hyrum, for their father to care for.

Apparently a record of Ann's baptism could not be found since the records show her baptism to be September 11, 1888, her endowment date September 12, 1838, and sealing to her husband also September 12, 1888. This was all done vicariously, of course.

On March 10, 1852, John married Elizabeth Smith, a kind, sweet woman, then about 43 years old. She was willing and anxious to give a mother's love and care to the children. She was truly loved by the children too.

In the year 1852 they joined the body of saints in Salt Lake Valley, traveling with the Martin Company. Their first stop was in Provo, but they were persuaded to go with Brother Melville and other friends who had been called to settle in Fillmore. At Fillmore John soon built a two room house for his family, planted a garden, and helped guard the city from Indians.

On April 14, 1857 he received his endowment, probably in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

Among the immigrants moving in from time to time was a Danish family by the name of Anderson. They had been there only a year when the husband and father, Jens Anderson, died in October, 1855, leaving a widow who could not speak a word of English and three small boys, Peter, Christian and Joseph Smith, the latter having been born since their arrival in Fillmore.

John, being a very sympathetic man, offered all the assistance he could to the family. Sympathy developed into something warmer and John and Mrs. Anna Anderson were married a year and a half later in 1857. During the next three years two daughters, Castina and Ann, were born. About 1860 they moved to Deseret. They stayed therefore eight years; three more children were added to the family: Brigham in 1861, John Edmond in 1863, and Sylvia Ann in 1867.

George, Peter and Joseph helped build the fort to protect the town from the Indians. They also were farmers and worked constantly to control the Sevier River. But their irrigation system proved to be a failure. The dam in the river kept breaking and they were unable to get water to save their crops.

By 1868 they were among the first settlers in Oak City. The first building erected in the town was the adobe room known to all as Grandma Lovell's granary. John built two homes, one for each wife.

He was appointed the first presiding elder of the ward which position he held for several years. He also held this position in Deseret. He was later chosen first counselor to Bishop Platt D. Lyman in Oak City,

One of the spiritual gifts of John Lovell was the gift of healing. Many were the faith­ promoting incidents attesting to his power through the priesthood. He was often called to administer to the sick for many miles around. His grandson, Benjamin, (son of George and Martha Lovell) was just a small baby and was critically ill. He had been sick for a few weeks. He grew worse and worse instead of better. Finally his mother called for her father­ in law to come. When he arrived and saw the baby he said to Martha, "Oh my, Martha, he's gone. There is no use in bothering him. He's gone!" Martha said, "I would still like to have him administered to. Will you please do it for me?" So he anointed the baby's head with the holy oil and before he had finished with the sealing prayer and had taken his hands from his head they could see that the boy was breathing again. He improved greatly that night and continued to recover. He lived to be an old man, the father of nine children and many grandchildren.

After a lingering illness John died of dropsy January 13, 1881, and was buried in the Oak City Cemetery.

His life was made up of self sacrifice and in overcoming obstacles. But throughout all he remained faithful, hopeful and cheerful, three attributes all his descendants can well afford to cultivate.

Dated December, 1954

JOHN LOVELL 1812 ― 1881

John Lovell was born on the 9th day of May, 1812 in Worle, Somersetshire, England. His father was Edmond Lovell and his mother was Sylvia Williams, He was second in a family of nine children. His father was a blacksmith, John had eye trouble as a boy and could not work in the shop with his father, He became a farmer. He hired out to a farmer and dairyman named Joseph Harris for three years. He was paid fifty dollars per year. Later he was offered a raise to sixty dollars and was asked to manage the farm and dairy.

John had secretly courted the head dairy maid, Ann Parsons, for two years. They wanted to get married and rent some land and farm for themselves. Rent was so high and crops so unsure that the working class people all around were enduring much poverty. John discussed his desire to farm his own land with his father. he encouraged the young couple to go to America, the new land, to get a start in their married life.

John and Ann were married February 15, 1835 in the Church of England at Bitsom, Somersetshire. They sailed from the port of Bridgewater on a lumbership on March 25, 1835. Ann was sick most of the voyage. They arrived at Quebec, Canada on May 6. They continued up the St. Lawrence River landing at Port Hope on June 30.

John had two uncles living in Canada. His uncle Jess Williams lived seven miles from Port Hope. They visited him then walked 40 miles to the home of his Uncle James Salter. They were cordially received in both homes. John found work clearing land. They wanted to get land of their own, but must earn money first. He earned one hundred sixty dollars per year.

John and Ann's first child was born at Whitby on November 22, 1835. They then moved to Pichlig where they had some hard experiences both financial and health wise. John's father had requested that they join some church as soon as possible after arriving in the new land. They joined the Methodist Church.

In the summer of 1936, John Taylor came to the community as a missionary. This was the first time either John or Ann heard of Mormonism. Ann felt the truth of the missionary’s message the first meeting they attended. John was slower to accept. They were baptized in February, 1837.

On March 9, 1837 their first daughter, Sylvia, was born. On July 1, 1838 John started with his family toward Missouri to join the saints. They were so poor that they had to settle many places enroute while John worked to earn money. While in Cincinnati, a bedstead fell on baby Sylvia causing her death. A third child, a boy named Edmond was born in Cincinnati on February 22, 1841. The family continued west slowly. A fourth child was born at Bear, Creek, Hancock County, Illinois, on February 3, 1843 and lived two weeks. The family finally reached Nauvoo where they were so happy to settle with the saints. Later that fall they were saddened when their son, Edmond died on September 3, 1843. Their fifth child was born on August 3, 1844. He was the first male child born in Nauvoo after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and his brother, Hyrum Smith. He was named Joseph Hyrum Lovell.

John and his family were driven from Nauvoo with the rest of the saints in 1846. They moved to Winter Quarters, Iowa where they lived for six years. Two children were born there. William was born February 13, 1847 and lived two weeks. Martha Ann was born the 24th of March, 1849. John's wife, Ann, contracted quick consumption and died December 4, 1851. John had suffered the death of his wife and four of his seven children within fifteen years.

In the spring of 1852, John married a forty year old maid, Elizabeth Smith. She was a wonderful mother to his three motherless children. She never had any children of her own. The newly married couple left Winter Quarters in the Orson Hyde Company with Henry Miller as captain. At last the dream of following the saints to the Salt Lake Valley was being realized. They arrived in Salt Lake City September, 1852.

They traveled south where they camped on the Provo River bottom. President Brigham Young asked them to settle Fillmore. In 1855, Bishop Noah Bartholomew asked John to care for a widow, Anna Jorgensen Anderson and her three sons. On April 7, 1857, with the consent of Elizabeth, John was married to her in the endowment house in Salt Lake. Before they were sealed, Anna stood as proxy for Ann Parsons to be sealed to John.

Five children were born to John and Anna. They were called to go to Deseret to help settle that community. Elizabeth and the smaller children stayed in Fillmore. John and the older sons helped build the fort in Deseret as a protection against the Indians. They built several dams on the Sevier River to get the water on the land for their crops.

Anna Lovell was the first white woman to make her home in Deseret. Their home was a two room adobe house with a large fireplace in each room. They gave friendly Indians flour and other food to get them to help clear the land of greasewood so they could farm. Life in Deseret was a severe struggle because of the scarcity of food, clothing, good water and the constant fear of Indians. There were extremes in the weather and it was almost impossible to harness the river. They tried to establish themselves for eight hard years.

In 1868, when the dam near their land washed away as it had done several times before, John moved his family to Oak Creek. They moved with a large California style wagon and a span of mules. They hauled a nice fat pig along with their other belongings in the wagon. The journey took them one long day from sun up to dark. The day was very hot. This was more than the old porker could stand. It died the first night leaving the family without their lard but some meat supply for the winter.

There were four houses in Oak Creek settlement. John built a duplicate house of the one in Deseret. The next spring John planted small starts of apple, peach and plum trees. It wasn't long before they had fruit from them. Anna dried the fruit for winter use. They were soon able to raise sugar cane and make molasses, which was a special treat. A year or two after John moved to Oak Creek he built another adobe house on his lot for his wife, Elizabeth and moved her there from Fillmore. Anna's children had lived with their Aunt Elizabeth as much as with their own mother and she loved them as her own. Here he was appointed as Presiding Elder. Later he was a counselor to Bishop Platte Lyman. John lived at Oak Creek until January 13, 1881, when he died.

John Lovell 1812 1831

Ann Parsons 1808 1851

The first of my family to join the L.D.S. Church on my mother’s side was my great grand-father John Lovell. He was born on the 9th day of May, 1812, in Worle, Somersetshire, England. His father was Edmond Lovell and his mother was Sylvia Williams. He was second in a family of nine children. His father was a blacksmith, but because of eye trouble when a young boy, John could not work in the shop. He became a farmer. He hired out to a farmer and dairyman named Joseph Harris for three years for fifty dollars per year. Later he was offered a raise to sixty dollars and was asked to .manage the farm and dairy.

But John had other plans. For two years he had been secretly courting the head dairy maid, Ann Parsons. They wanted to rent a piece of land for themselves and get married, but rent was so high and crops so unsure that the working class all around were enduring much poverty. After discussing the matter with his father, John decided that his best prospects lay in going to the new country to begin his married life.

He had two uncles living in Canada so he persuaded Ann to leave England with him. They left soon after their marriage on the fifteenth of February, 1835. They were married in the Church of England at Bitsom, Somersetshire. They sailed from the port of Bridgewater on a lumber ship on March 25, 1835. 'They had many experiences on the ship. Ann was sick most of the way. They arrived at Quebec on the 6th of May but continued on up the St. Lawrence River, lending at Port Hope on the 30th of June.

John found his Uncle Jess Williams living seven miles from here. After visiting with him, he and Ann walked forty miles to his other Uncle James Salter's home. He was welcomed cordially by them both.

He got work clearing land for one hundred sixty dollars a year. His first child, George, was born at his Uncle Salter's home at Whitby, on the twenty second day of November, 1835, they then moved to Pichlig, where they had some hard experiences, financial and with illness, etc. He joined the Methodist Church. His father had requested that they join some church as soon as possible after arriving in Canada. It didn't matter to him which one they joined.

It was the summer of 1836 that John and Ann first heard of the sect known as Mormons. At that time John Taylor came to their community and preached. Ann believed what they said at the first meeting and John decided that it was better than Methodism. They were baptized into the church in February, 1837. On March 9th, little Sylvia was born. About the first of July, 1838, John started with his family to join the saints at Nauvoo. They were so poor that they had to travel very slowly. At Cincinnati a bedstead fell on the bob Sylvia, and injured her so that she died when a year old, March 21, 1838. Edmond was born in Cincinnati an February 22, 1841. He died at Nauvoo on September 3, 1843. Their next child was born at Bear Creek, Hancock County, Illinois on the third of February, 1843, and lived just two weeks.

My grandfather, Joseph Hyrum Lovell, was born in Nauvoo on August, 1844,. John and his family were driven with the rest of the saints from their homes. They stayed in Winter Quarters for three or four years or longer. There two children were born to them. William was born on February 13, 1847, and lived only two weeks. Martha Ann was born the 24th of March, 1849. While in Winter Quarters, John's wife, Ann, contracted quick consumption and died on December 4, 1851.

The next spring John married an old maid, Elizabeth Smith. She was a wonderful mother to his three motherless children.

When they came to Utah, they settled in Fillmore. Here, John was appointed by the Bishop to see that the widow of Jens Anderson, a Danish woman, and her three boys were taken care of. On the seventh of April, 1857, he married her in the endowment house in Salt Lake City. Before being sealed to her for time and all eternity, she stood for Ann Parsons to be sealed to him. Her name was Anna [Ane] Jorgensen Anderson. Her three boys were Peter, Christian, and Joseph Smith.

They were called to go to Deseret to help settle that community. John and the older boys helped build the fort as a protection against the Indians. They built several dams on the Sevier River to get the water on the land for their crops.

By his marriage to Anna, John had the following children Castina, Ann Eliza, Brigham, John Edmond, and Sylvia Ann.

In 1868 the dam went out once more so John and his family all moved to Oak Greek. He was here appointed to act as Presiding Elder, Later he was a counselor to Bishop Platte Lyman. John died on January 13, 1

John Lovell's family came from Winter Quarters in Orson Hyde's company . Henry Miller was the captain. They arrived in Salt Lake City on the twenty first of September, 1852. They camped on the Provo River bottom for three weeks. Jolmatha 0. Duke was Bishop of the Provo First Ward. This information came from the record of Sister Annie Melville Bishop. Her folks came in the same company. Her home is in Oak City, Utah.

My grandfather, Joseph Hyrum Lovell, married Leah Ellen Radford, at Salt Lake City, in the endowment house, on August 30, 1869.

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