ROWLEY, John Thompson b. 7 Nov 1847 Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. 31 Jan 1925 Spring Glen, Carbon, Utah, United States

1847 - 1925 (77 years)

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Name	ROWLEY, John Thompson
Birth	7 Nov 1847	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Gender	Male
WAC	23 May 1868	EHOUS
_TAG	Reviewed on FS
Death	31 Jan 1925	Spring Glen, Carbon, Utah, United States
Burial	2 Feb 1925	Spring Glen Cemetery, Spring Glen, Carbon, Utah, United States
Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
Person ID	I65319	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

Family ID F31015 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Family	SMITH, Mary Jane , b. 17 Jun 1853, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Provo, Utah, Utah, United Statesd. 5 Jan 1917, Spring Glen, Carbon, Utah, United States (Age 63 years)
Marriage	23 Jun 1880	St. George, Washington, Utah, United States
Family ID	F25700	Group Sheet \| Family Chart
Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

Photos At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

Notes

When John Thompson Rowley was born on November 7, 1847, in Glasgow, Scotland, his father, Ralph, was 24 and his mother, Mary, was 23. He came to Utah in 1850. He married Jane Paul and they had 9 children together between 1869 and 1886. He then married Mary Jane Smith and they had eight children together. He died on January 31, 1926, in Spring Glen, Utah, at the age of 78.

Eastern Utah Advocate 2-23-1905
SPRING GLEN, Utah, Feb 18. J.N. Miller, who has been Bishop of Spring Glen for a number of years, was released from that office last month and has moved with his family to Salt Lake City. John T Rowley has been sustained by the Stake Presidency and the people here to fill the vacancy, with C. H Cook as first and H C Soaberg as second councilors.

Eastern Utah Advocate 10-15-1905
A. Ballinger and John T Rowley are back from a two weeks's prospecting trip to the western portion of the reservation country, but while away saw nothing that looked good enough to them for locating except a millsite, which was taken under the mining laws. There are many claimants for townsite honors, says Mr. Ballinger, but the place that looks best to him is the government townsite of Elsie, called Duchesne by some, at the junction of Lake Fork and the Duchesne Rivers.
It is in the center of the finest agricultural portion of the reservation, is easily watered and in all directions there is a splendid stock grazing county. The town is forty-five miles from Colton, with a good summer wagon road, and but twelve miles from elaterite mines of the Raven Mining Company.
The place has at this time a general store, a restaurant, saloon and blacksmith shop, while numerous persons are awaiting the sale of government lots to engage in other lines of business. The townsites of Stockmore and Central Park are being boosted too, and the latter lays claim to being the greatest spot of scenery in the state.
Mr Ballinger thinks that Price is to continue to be the main supply point for that section, though Colton will draw considerable trade during the summer, when the road is open to Elsie or Duchesne.
When winter comes, however, the freighters will be compelled to keep to the road from Price on account of the heavy snows.

This article was taken from the Eastern Utah Advocate 8-25-1904
John T Rowley was down from Spring Glen last Monday. He is putting in a plant at his place to manufacture wood alcohol in connection with the burning of charcoal.

Eastern Utah Advocate 3-31-1898
John T Rowley leveled his yard early in the week which adds much to the appearance of his handsome residence.

Chapter 1 A SCOTTISH BEGINNING
Scotland is a rugged, mountainous country in the northern part of the Island of Great Britian.It is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Edinburgh is the capital and Glasgow is the largest city.
Scotland is about the same size as South Carolina But has about twice as many people as that state. Most of the people work in Shipyards, Steel mills and other large industrial plants. Kilts and bagpipes are national symbols of Scotland. A few Highland Scots still wear colorful tartan kilts every day.
Most Scottish cities lie in the Central Lowlands or along the East Coast, because the rest of the country is so mountainous. Ancient castles stand in the Centers of most Scottish cities. Wide boulevards pass through green parks and shop districts.
Glasgow did not come into existence as a population center until the 1100's.It rose steadily in importance after Scotland and England were united in 1707.Its population increased 10 time during the 1800's when the shipbuilding and iron industries expanded and attracted more workers.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and now one of the greatest shipbuilding centers in the world. It lies in the heart of Scottish coal fields which helps to explain its importance in manufacturing. Glasgow is a modern city today, with many wide streets, parks and attractive buildings. It has a botanical garden and art museum and several schools of higher learning. There are also ancient buildings which recall Glasgow's long and interesting past. In. recent years however, Glasgow has undertaken a program of city improvement. Old unsightly structures have been torn down and streets have been widened.
Missionaries from the church first went to Great Britain in 1837 and in 1939.Two Scotsman had joined the church in Canada, who were called to take the gospel to Scotland, arrived there 20 December 1839.By the first part of January 1840, they had baptized their first converts.
John Thompson Rowley was born in Glasgow; Lanarkshire, Scotland on the 7 of November 1847.He was the firstborn son of Ralph Nephi Rowley and Mary Ann Thompson. His father Ralph Nephi Rowley was born in Hanely, Staffordshire, England and was a Potter by trade, his mother Mary Ann Thompson was born in Calton, Barony, Glasgow, Lanarkshire Scotland.
His parents were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ralph Nephi was baptized in England in the year 1839 and came to Scotland as a Home Missionary. He taught the gospel to the Hugh Thompson family and they were converted the youngest daughter Mary Ann Thompson was baptized 27, September 1841 and became the bride of Ralph Nephi Rowley on 30th of October 1843 in Glasgow Scotland.
John Thompson had one older sister, Mary Ann, who was corn in Glasgow Scotland, on the 18, Jan 1854, and two brothers, Hugh Thompson Rowley, born 23, February 1849, and Ephraim George Rowley, born 16, August 1851, both of them in Glasgow Scotland. Five more children were addes to the family after they moved to Utah, they were Walter Thompson Rowley, born 24,July 1860,Ralph Nephi Rowley, born 11,November 1856,Elizabeth Ann Rowley,4 April 1858,Moroni Thompson Rowley, born 24,July 1860 and George Arthur born 11 December 1864.
John Thompson Rowley was a beautiful baby and had a lovely fair complexion and blonde curly hair, although we do not know too much about their life in Scotland, we know they were actively involved in the church. His father, Ralph Nephi, was a leader in the church in Glasgow, serving as Branch President for a while while they were there. We know they experienced some sorrow at the death of Mary Ann, John’s older sister and also the death of John Thompson’s grandmother, Mary Ann 0'Brian Thompson.
It appears that the Rowley family lived with John's grand -parents part of the time they were in Glasgow. According to the 1851 census of Calton, Barony, Glasgow Lanarkshire, Scotland, Ralph Nephi Rowley and his wife Mary Ann Thompson Rowley and their two sons, John Thompson Rowley and Hugh Thompson were part of the household headed by Hugh Thompson. Hugh Thompson was the father of John’s mother, Mary Ann Thompson Rowley. They were living on Park Lane. Grandfather Hugh Thompson was a night watchman in a cotton factory and John's father Ralph was listed as a white Potter.
Chapter 11
Because of their love for their religion and the great economic depression that existed in all of Europe at that time, the Rowley family had a great desire to emigrate to Utah and be-with the Saints.
Although it took what seemed to them a very long time, the opportunity finally came by the way of the Perpetual Emigration Fund, and preparations were made and the little family sailed from Liverpool England, on the 11 February 1852, on the ship Kennebec. On board the ship the Saints were isolated from the rest of the passengers and their days were well planned by wise leaders. There was a time for study and religious meetings, as well as instruction in the things they would need to know when they crossed the plains. The Saints were fed and cared for better than the rest of the passengers, some of them enjoying a better fare than they had ever had before in their lives.
The voyage throughout was safe and pleasant with the exception of one terrific hurricane, which swept the deck clean of cook houses, water barrels and everything else that could be washed overboard. During this terrible storm, John Thompson’s mother, Mary Ann sat upon the floor of the lower deck gathering her three children close around her, she put her arms around them and closed her eyes and prayed. She feared they might go down at any time. Her children were John Thompson, age 5, Hugh Thompson age 3, and Ephraim George, age 6 months. John’s father Ralph Nephi was up on the deck doing what he could to help the crew. It was a terrifying experience for all of them.
After a long time of earnestly praying and pleading with our Heavenly Father, the storm let up and the waters quieted. Their testimonies were again strengthened by the fact that the Lord is always mindful of his children and indeed does hear and answers prayers.
They arrived in Mew Orleans on 11 March 1852.They had emigrated in their native costumes and as they waited to board the other boat that would take them up the Mississippi River, many people gathered around them to enjoy their colorful attire. The proud parents overheard many of the bystander’s remark about what a beautiful child their son John was as he stood there in his kilts and his beautiful long blond ringlets and great blue eyes. What a striking picture he made.
After more boat rides and a wait in Council Bluffs, Iowa the family was finally on its way across the plains with the Abraham 0 Smoot Company. There were 250 people in the company with 31 wagons. They left 1 June 1852.
We imagine that young John Thompson did much walking during the next three months along with his mother. He probably had many duties and chores at his young age. Everyone had to do his share and more as they journeyed to Zion their crossing was somewhat uneventful, except for the incident about Mrs. Brockbank. The story is related in the story] of John Thompson’s mother, but a few new bits of information have come to light since that history was written. lt seems that Mrs. Isaac Brockbank joined the church in England, in 1840.They were converted by Wilford Woodruff and decided to come to Utah. Mrs. Brockbank did not want to come, but her husband insisted and even flogged her to make her come, when the wagon train was somewhere in Wyoming her unhappiness and depression was getting the best of her. One morning, after giving her 4 year old son, Joshua, a cup of water, she walked off-and kept going. The wagon train started on its way without realizing Mrs. Brockbank was missing. As soon as they discovered she was not with them they turned around and went back for her, but she was nowhere to be found, they searched for some time, they don’t know if she was captured by the Indians, or what happened, (The details of this story were related to Morjorie Judkins by Mr. Brockbank' s great grandson, David Brockbank of Salt Lake City. He is the grandson of her son Joshua, the last person to see her. )
The Company arrived in Salt Lake City on 3, September 1852.It was met by the First Presidency with the William Pitts band and many other leading citizens. President Brig-ham Young told the company that he didn't ordinarily come out to meet all the companies that came into the city, but he felt these people "my people” because they were poor and it was the first company of the Perpetual Emigration Fund. He also promised them prosperity if they remained true and faithful and did not go to the gold fields in California. They were skilled people, many of them being called to Zion by Brigham Young himself.
Chapter 111 GETTING STARTED IN UTAH
The family stayed in Salt Lake City a month or so before going on down to Fillmore. While they were in Salt Lake City John Thompson’s young brother Ephraim George, died on 3, Oct. 1852.We do not know exactly when they went to Fillmore, but in October 1852 many families arrived in that town from Salt Lake City and we suppose that the Rowley family was with them.
John Thompson Rowley's father was a Potter, a Master Brick Mason, a master at building kilns, as young John grew up we can be sure he was taught in the way of his father and that he became a master in these trades also. We know that he helped his father in building charcoal tilns and in burning charcoal. The family built an acme in Fillmore, but spent much of their time up on the bench which later was known as Meadow. They experienced many hardships and disappointments but were sturdy pioneers and true to their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the late 1860's there was a mining camp that sprang up in beaver County called Frisco. It was a rich mine and was called the Horn Silver Mining Company. They had a great need for a lot of charcoal for smelting purposes. The area was thickly covered with thousands of acres of pinion pine trees it makes very good charcoal, the best in the world. John Thompson with his father, Ralph Nephi and his brother, Walter Thompson, worked together burning charcoal and soon became experts^ The charcoal was made in pits first and properly done it would come out of the pit in beautiful whole big logs of perfect charcoal. The demand for their charcoal became so great that the father and son's team decided to build some kilns. They were very successful with this project, for a long time they burned charcoal, but in 1880 the railroad went into Frisco and about 1883 they sold their kilns to a company by the name of Shumer. Then John Thompson and his father went back to Millard County to be with their families.
John Thompson Rowley was very industrious and became involved in many different kinds of projects to provide for his family He became a farm boy because they farmed much of the time. He must have learned the Pottery trade from his father as well as that of brick and rock masonry. They used to dig chalk out of the chalk Holler, which was on their farm, and mix it like lime and white wash houses. In his later years he owned and operated a store, he also made molasses in Meadow Creek.
Religion was very important in the Rowley family. They had family prayer morning and night. The children were taught to be in at the proper time for their family prayers. John Thompson would come in and take the Bible or Book of Mormon and read to the family and explain it to them. He taught his children to be honest and trustworthy. He was always anxious for his children to learn the things he tried to teach them. The following story about his son Hugh indicates his concern that, his children learn to tell the truth.

When Hugh was about eight years old, he was nearing his father's stock, riding a burro in the nearby hills, when he decided he could use a nice cool drink of water, there was a cool mountain spring not too far from where he was herding the animals, so he rode over and dismounted. He proceeded to get his face close to the water to get a drink> He was very startled and badly frightened when he saw mirrored in the stream, a mountain lion watching him. To his dying day he never knew how he ever reached the back of the burro so quickly. The burro seemed to sense the danger, also needed no urging to move quickly away from the stream.
when be arrived home, Hugh told his father, John Thompson about the experience, John Thompson knowing the imagination of children, especially when frightened, would not believe Hugh's story, moreover he told Hugh that if he were just making up a story he would be whipped in a manner that he would never forget. Hugh agreed to lead his father to the stream where he saw the mountain lion. When they arrived, his discovered that there had indeed been a mountain lion because they could still see his tracts; Hugh was spared a very warm seat.
CHAPTER IV INDIANS: FRIEND AND FOE
Because of Indian trouble, all the men and boys had to be ready to 'take up their guns and defend the settlements, there were many tribes in and around that part of the state and also over in Nevada. The Piute Indians, better known as the Kanosh Indians were not bad Indians. In fact John Thompson’s father Ralph Nephi became personally acquainted with the Chief of the Kanosh. This friendship Blasted through the years as many circumstances brought them to gather from time to time and it proved to be a valuable friendship. At the time the Rowley family arrived in Fillmore, when John was just a small boy, the Indian affairs had flared into the most serious trouble* throughout the whole state. It was at the very beginning of the Walker and Black Hawk wars.
Many times John Thompson would go with his father and other men on scouting parties hunting horses and other livestock that the Indians would steal. Since the Kanosh Indians were good and peace loving they proved to be very helpful to the pioneers on numerous occasions. Many white people could be helped by some Kanosh Indians as the time went on. These Kanosh Indians were from a small tribe in the Pavant Valley,
The Rowley’s saw plenty of Indian trouble. One time when they were living in Meadow, there came many Indians in a raiding party. They came with full intentions of massacring all the whites in Millard County; they came in from the western part of the County. They landed at Corn Creek. That large company of Indians were met by the little tribe of the Kanosh Indians/but not in battle form. The Kanosh came as peace makers and after
consultation which lasted about twelve hours, Kanosh won and the Snake Indians went back to their homes in Nevada. John Thompson was kidnapped by the Snake Indians once and held for about two days. The Kanosh Indians rescued him. You can see why the Rowley’s had such good feelings about these good Kanosh Indians; John Thompson learned to speak their language.
CHAPTER V FOR TIME AND ETERNITY
There were many families in that part of the state that became good friends and worked together. One of these family< that became good friends with the Rowley family was that of Nicholas Paul. Nicholas Paul had joined the church in South Africa and immigrated to Utah and settled in Holden Utah. John Thompson Rowley met and fell in love with Jane Paul, Nicholas Paul's second daughter. Jane Thompson and Jane Paul were married in the endowment house in Salt Lake City Utah, on May 1868.To their happy union were born 9 children. Harriet Ann Rowley, born 1,May,1869,John Thompson Jr. born 3,Jan,1871,Elizabeth Jane Rowley, born 5,Jan,1873,Eliza May Rowley, born 4,Jan,1875,Ralph Nephi Rowley, born 10,Aug,1877, Hugh Thompson Rowley, born 2,Feb,1879,Clara Rowley,born29 May 1881,Royal James Rowley, born 16,0ct,1882,William Wallace Rowley, born 6,July,1886, They lost Clara and William Wallace when they were very young. The other children grew to adulthood and raised families of their own.
Because of his work in the charcoal fields, John Thompson was away from home quite a bit, but he was able to provide for his family quite nicely. The children enjoyed their life on the'' farm and were taught the value of work and also the need for play. The children loved their parents and were happy to do their part to make the family successful.
Being religious and believing in the principals of the gospel, John Thompson took a second wife; she was Mary Jane Smith, daughter of Silas Smith and Elizabeth Orton from Meadow Utah. They were married 23 June 1880 in the St. George Temple. To this second marriage was born 7 more children. John Henry Rowley, born 10,Feb,1882,David Rowley,born28,Aug, 1883,Silas Rowley, born 23,0ct,1885,Mary Ann Rowley, born 5,Dec,1887, and Franklin Irviri Rowley, born 1 Jan,1890,who were all born in Meadow Millard County, Utah. The two youngest boys, Ephraim Rowley, born 14>0ct,1893,and-George Albert Rowley, born 27,Nov,1894 were born in Spring Glen, Carbon Co. Utah. Ephraim died on the day he was born.
About the time of his second marriage, John Thompson bought a new farm south of Meadow Creek. It was on this farm that the place called, the chalk holler, was located. They made dams in the holler to hold water; the water was then used for irrigation and for their gardens. There was a road around one side of the holler to get to the other part of the farm. The corral was built at the opposite end of the
The corral was built at the end opposite of the dam. Their house was a mile and a half from Meadow.
Two families to take care of and provide for was a big task for John Thompson as he spent a week with each family for some time after their marriage, Mary Jane Smith lived with her parents and then very close to them. They were a great help to her in the hardships that were to come. After awhile John was able to provide a home for her and her children close to her parents.
Jane Paul and her family continued to live in Meadow also, and John tried to care for them as best he could. Jane also received help from her father, Nicholas Paul, many times and was grateful for it.
It may be hard for us to understand and to appreciate the situations that existed during this time in church history. Many stories are told of the hardships and heart breaks that the Saints suffered. To begin with the practice of plural marriage was protected by the U S Constitution, for it was a religious practice and the Constitution guarantied the freedom of religion. In later years some federal legislators and judges emphatically disagreed. Soon the U-S Congress passed laws against plural marriage beginning in 1962 with an anti-bigamy law.
From 1862 on there was an undercurrent of persecution from the government but the judicial and the political crusade against the church seemed to heighten in the mid 1870's.During these years many federal officials were increasing their determination to alter some of the Church's political and social practices. They were attempting to destroy not only plural marriage, but the Church itself. All this was difficult for the Latter Day Saints to understand, for to them their marriage customs were a fulfillment of religious principle. In spite of their plea to be left alone with their religious customs, the court turned a deaf ear to them and on January 6, 1879 the Anti-bigamy Act of 1862 was affirmed as the Constitutional law of the land.
The government then sent U.S. Marshals into Utah to try to arrest the men who '->ad more than one wife. It became a nightmare for the brethren and their families. Most of the men who had more than one wife were forced to go underground, The Marshals were instructed to arrest anyone found
Still living with more than one wife. It was a very difficult time for these men. They were deprived of earning a living to support their families because they were in hiding most of the time. Many of the families became destitute and the wives and children suffered very much. These were the circumstances of the families of John Thompson Rowley as with the other men.
John Thompson went into hiding and came to see his families only on special occasions. At times he hid in irrigation ditches and he was known to have only squirrels to eat. It was a very trying time indeed, for everyone. Mary Ann Rowley his daughter by Mary Jane Smith, tells I don’t remember
Seeing my father very much during our time in Meadow, just very faintly. Once when he came home, it must have been
Christmas season, he brought some presents, candy and food* There was a doll, and I knew it was mine because I was the only girl in the family! The U.S. Marshals were trying to arrest my father for polygamy.
it grieved the leaders of the church very much to see £he suffering and hardships that the Saints were experiencing and they themselves were in hiding most of the time as well. After much supplication to our Father in Heaven and in compliance with the following scripture, President Wilford Woodruff Issued the Manifesto.
"Verily verily I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, It behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, But to accept of their offering." D&C 124:49
CHAPTER VI OFFICIAL DECLARATION_ THE MANEFESTO
On 6, October 1890 President Wilford Woodruff's declaration concerning plural marriage was sustained as Authoritative and binding by a unanimous vote of the General Conference of the Church.
"Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year, also that in public discourses the Leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of Polygamy.
I therefore, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching Polygamy or Plural Marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages during that period been solemnized in our temples or in any other place in the territory.
"One case has been reported, in which the parties allege that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony: Whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of this alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.
"Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding Plural Marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the church over which I preside to have them do like wise.
“There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in these of my associates, during the time specified, which can reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage Polygamy; And when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved, And I now publically declare that my advice to the Latter Day Saint is to refrained from contracting any marriage forbidden by the
Of the land,
Wilford Woodruff
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
President Lorenzo Snow offered the following
"I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we concider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the Manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24th,1890,and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding,"
The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous. Salt Lake City, Utah October 6, 1890- Continued revelation has always been a keystone of Church policy. The Saints in all ages have heard sermons about the importance of following the living prophets", and this was the essential principle; involved in accepting the Manifesto. As President Woodruff told a group of Saints in Logan in 1891.
"The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly, what would take place if we did not stop this practice'''' He has told me exactly what to do, and what the result would be if we did not do it. I have been called upon by friends outside of the Church and urged to take some steps with regard to this matter. They knew the course which the government was determined to take...I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this; I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of Heaven commanded me to do what I did do; And when the hour came that it was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me.
(Deserst Evening News, November 7, 1891)
The issuing and acceptance of the Manifesto brought an end of an era in the Church, In general the atmosphere changed and the Church entered a new era of cooperation and understanding. Even though some enemies of the Church were
Skeptical of the Saints' sincerity, most federal officials demonstrated faith in their intentions and leniency in administering the laws. Judge Zane, who earlier had been extremely harsh, now demonstrated that his only concern was in upholding the law, not in punishing the Saints or destroying the Church. He even signed a petition asking that an official pardon be given to members.
So we can see that things were beginning to ease somewhat for John Thompson and the other brothers of the Church. John's first wife, Jane Paul finally took her children or at least most of them and moved to Idaho. We don't know just when this happened, but we found a record of divorce which states that she divorced John T.Rowley on 14 May 1891 in the First Judicial District Court of Utah County.
With the divorce final, John Thompson took his second wife Mary Jane Smith to Fillmore where they were married legally on 29, August 1891. For days he had worked making a ring out of a five dollar gold piece. When it was finished they made the trip to Fillmore, as they had not been considered legally married by the law of the land. As they were married the gold wedding ring John had made was put on her finger and she wore it until she died.
Their daughter Mary Ann stares..." Just a few days after they were married a United States Marshal came to the house. He put a gun to Daddy's face and arrested him for living in polygamy. He was held for trial. There had been a $500.00 reward out for him. When the trial came and Daddy showed the Judge the marriage certificate, he was released. The officers
Had been trying for years to arrest my Daddy in order to collect the reward money that was to be given for him dead or alive!!
CHAPTER VII LIFE IN SPRING GLEN UTAH
After much hardship and suffering and discouragement and many trials in Millard County, John Thompson Rowley left Meadow and headed for Carbon County, where he had a sister, Elizabeth Ann Rowley Lyman, living. This was about the summer or fall of 1892 (we think) when Mary Ann, This daughter, was just about 5 years old. In Spring Glen he obtained work at some
Charcoal kilns and tried to re-establish himself. As soon as he could he sent for Mary Jane Smith and her family. When they got to the home that John Thompson had for them, Mary Jane cried. There was one room, with a large fireplace, and a nice large rock in front of the fire place. The house was made of rough native lumber with smaller pieces of boards up the cracks. There was lots of wood to burn. In Meadow there had been a shortage of wood and the family was cold sometimes. The children soon adjusted and were happy. They lived close to the charcoal kilns.
It was not far from the river where there were lots of fish, there were lots of birds and flowers, wild fruit in the summer and fall, blue berries and wild currants. There were lots of wild rabbits and ducks too.
The settlers depended on what they could raise for a living many of them hauled wood to or for the Blue Cut Charcoal Company, operated by John Thompson Rowley and they would get coupons on the Price Trading company which were good for clothing groceries and general merchandise.
There was a school in Spring Glen for John and Mary Jane’s children to go to. It had all eight grades in one room. The schoolhouse and the Church meeting house were the same building. This building was the public gathering place and was built of logs with the one large room. There was a stove in the center] and home made benches to sit on. There was one teacher for all eight grades. Everyone furnished their own books, pencils and paper. Some of the students did not have what was needed. The teacher was free to whip the students when he felt it was necessary. The boys and girls came from a long way north and south to come to school. Some pf them would climb on a railway train and ride to school whenever they could. Some of John Thompson Rowley's children have climbed on the train, as it would slow down and get off and on while it was still moving. One day a boy by the name of Joe Halverson went to get on the train in this manner and he slipped under the train. He had his leg cut off between the hip and the knee.
There came a summer when there was a lot of , it was so damp that nearly every family who had lived near the river had chills and fever. Everyone of the Rowley’s was down in bed with the chills and fever except Mary Ann. She was quite young but did the best she could to take care of them. This epidemic of chills and fever will long be remembered by the early settlers along the Price River bottoms. Many of them died. They had to move away from the river onto higher ground where it was drier. The Rowley’s moved up to Spring Glen into one of the rooms of the Heber J Stowell home until they could get their own house moved up.
It was late in the fall and school had started before they were able to move their house. It was moved a side at a time,
Like it was a prefabricated house, they used big hay wagons. The house was a frame building, rough lumber on the inside with muslin tacked on and papered on the muslin. It was a blessing to be up away from the river, they finally got all the corrals moved and the animals taken care of. It was hard on John because he still suffered from malaria.
One day John came into the house with a piece of black rock, He said to his wife,” Some day they will use this stone coal in smelters, It will make more heat than charcoal," He said it could be found in many places in the surrounding hills.
It wasn't long before there were coal mines being developed in Carbon and Emery Counties. John Thompson was still shipping char, coal and wood and buying real estate. Instead of Price Trading
Company selling goods for the coupons John Thompson Rowley used to issue, John decided to open his own store. He had dry goods and groceries to sell; it kept the family pretty busy with everything else they were involved in.
John Thompson was master of many trades and tried his hand at many things. He even went down to California at one time prospecting for gold in Death Valley, after some bad luck in the gold fields he came back home to Utah.
John Thompson had lived a life full of many .things, hardships, persecution, heartache, but he was a sturdy pioneer and he made the best of what he had and became prosperous. He remained true to the Church for most of his years here on earth, and the Lord used him as an instrument when he was called as Bishop of the Spring Glen Ward. He was ordained a High Priest on 15, October 1905, and a Bishop 15 January 1906 (Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah) states that he served as Bishop of the Spring Glen Ward from 1903 till 1910, but the records found in Salt Lake City by Luella Jones Downard disagree with the book. He was also a veteran of the Black Hawk War, a school trustee for 22 years, a charcoal manufacturer, farmer and Merchant...
While he was a Bishop of the Spring Glen Ward, he sent his sons on missions. John Henry went to Australia; David Smith went to the Southern States; Silas filled a mission in New Zealand, and Irvin went to Hawaii on a mission.
There was an L.D.S. ward in Spring Hlen which was about one and a half miles from where the Rowley’s lived. However to attend Stake Conference they had to travel some 35 miles to Castle Dale the center of the Emery Stake. It made quite a long trip by wagon to attend quarterly Conference.
One day when Mary Jane Rowley had gone up to her sister's home to help her with sick children, a handsome young stranger came to the Rowley home. He saw little Mary Ann in the yard and came up to her and asked if this was where the Rowley's lived. She told him, "Yes this is the Rowley’s"." John Thompson Rowley The stranger asked, and Mary Ann answered yes." Where is father? He asked Mary Ann, "You mean ...My Daddy? Mary Ann was surprised.” Yes, I am your brother Hugh, "The young man told her.
So Mary Ann ran to get her Daddy who was out in the corral unhornessing the horses. He came rather hesitantly and shook hands with Hugh and asked him suspiciously, and just what is your mission here? Have you come to make trouble for me?”
"No, I have a job for the railroad in Helper and I am looking for a place where I can get board and room. I would like to stay here if I may."
John Thompson still mistrusted him, but he agreed that perhaps he could stay there "He is your son!” She made Hugh as welcome as if he were her own son!
He stayed there for awhile and was very considerate of the family. In manners he was much like the other Rowley’s, he was polite and soft spoken, and had true Rowley dignitary air. He was handsome and polished with blonde wavy hair, heavy set and quite tall. He was a very nice fellow. John Thompson and Mary Jane would not allow him to pay board, but he managed to pay his way in the nice things he did for the family. He helped with the chores, doing the milking, cutting wood; He kept them well supplied with wood while he was there. He helped with anything he could find to do. He was honest and straight forward and did not want something for nothing.
The day he left he called Mary Ann to him and gave her ten dollars and told her he was going and he wanted her to buy a: nice dress and some shoes for herself with the money. He told her how much he enjoyed being there and getting to know all of them. He wrote for awhile but John Thompson was not very good at writing back. Mary Ann answered some of his letters, but soon lost contact)
After living some time close to the charcoal kilns, John Thompson made arrangements for a house out in the field away from the tilns He bought a piece of land that was perhaps a fourth of a mile across the Price River. He raised the nicest garden around. The rows were straight and not a weed could be seen. He raised corn, potatoes lettuce, melons, squash, wheat, oats, etc. He was a good provider and they had a cellar full of good things to eat'%" The horses, sheep, cows, pigs and chickens were well cared for also.
On 15 January 1917, John Thompson Rowley lost his wife, Mary Jane Smith Rowley, in death. She had been ill for some time and had suffered very much. None the less it was a great loss to him and he grieved much at her passing. John Thompson Rowley passed away on the 31 January 1925 in Spring Glen, Carbon County Utah.