James married Sarah Trussler on February 5th, 1842 in Lewes, Sussex, England when they were both twenty five. He was a stone cutter and worked in the rock quarry.
Their first child, Emma Jane, was born on July 26th, 1843 in Brighton, Engand.
Their second child, James Frederick, was born in 1843 in Steyning, England.
Their third child, Agnes Ann, was born on December 23rd, 1845 in Steyning, England.
Their fourth child, Frederick Richard, was born on October 21st, 1846 in Redhill, England.
Their fifth child, Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie", was born on October 17th, 1848 in Rye Gate, England.
Their sixth child, Ellen Mary Ann, was born in September, 1850 in Granton, England.
In 1851 the family lived in Spittlegate, Lincolnshire, England. James was a stonemason, and they had a fourteen year old live in general servant named Ann Mears.
Their seventh and last child, an un-named boy, was born on August 22nd, 1851 in Steyning, England, and died the same month. Sarah died from complications from the birth on August 26th and was buried with the child in her arms.*
From a family history:
James left Emma, Agnes, and Elizabeth with Sarah's parents in Steyning while he went to work. He kept his boys, James and Fredrick, with him part of the time and at other times left them with relatives. Aunt Fanny Trussler Howels, their mother's sister, kept James while Uncle Fred Trussler kept Fredrick.
Little Ellen Mary Ann died in 1852 when she was just two years old.
In 1853 James Married Mary Ann Biddle while still living in England. He was thirty six and she was twenty two.
Their first child, William Biddle, was born on October 22nd, 1855 in St. Mary, Nottingham, England.
On May 26th, 1856, the family boarded the Horizon in Liverpool and sailed to Boston in the United States. There were 856 LDS converts on board.
From family history:
In 1846, James and Sarah had heard the Elders explain the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were converted and in July 1848 they were baptized by Elder Thomas Smith. Immediately following baptism James became very active. He helped to form a branch of the church in Witham, England. James married for a second time. His wife's name was Mary Ann Biddle. They had a son whom they named Willard. James' family, which consisted of his mother, Elizabeth, his brothers, Richard and John Edward ii , and their wives, and his sisters, Emma and Mary, all joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They all desired to come to America. Emma married Henry Arnold in St. Louis in 1848. They settled in Fort Herriman. Utah. The next year, the rest of the family was ready to leave their native land. James went to Steyning to get his children from Sarah's mother. The Trussler family was very bitter against James' family for joining the Church. He had to take his three little girls by force. They had hidden his little boys and he couldn't find them. The date to sail had come so in despair he met his family in Liverpool. On 26 May 1856 his mother, Elizabeth Farmer, James and Mary Ann, with their baby Willard, Emma (age 12), Agnes (age 11), Elizabeth (age 7), along with Richard, his wife, and James' sister, Mary, all set sail on the ship Horizon from Liverpool to America. iii It was a rough voyage. The mother, Elizabeth, was in poor health before she left England. She, along with little Elizabeth and baby Willard all became so seasick, it seemed as though they would die. The family exercised their faith in prayer and fasting, and the Lord blessed them all to reach American soil in safety. After the voyage came the long trek across the plains. They started for Utah in John Hunt’s Company, which was late into the season getting started. They all walked, making it a very long, hard journey. Little Elizabeth, who had been so very ill, would become so weary that her Aunt Mary would carry her on her back for a while to rest her. Willard became ill and died. Somewhere in Iowa iv their beloved mother, Elizabeth, died. Richard and his wife stayed behind to bury her. Richard became so embittered with all the trials he never did go to Utah to live. James had been very prosperous in England. He brought many possessions with him, including some trunks with beautiful silk dressed that were Sarah's that he wanted his little girls to have. When they reached Laramie, Wyoming, he knew he had to lighten his load, so they could travel faster. He dug a hole and buried $1,500 worth of his possessions, marked the place, and planned to return for them. He never did. From Laramie they hurried on but winter overtook them. At Devil's Slide, in Echo Canyon, they had to leave all their clothes except what they had on their backs, and saved only a scanty ration of food. The snow storms came and it seemed they would parish with cold, hunger, and fatigue. Imagine their joy and gratitude when they were met by teams and men to help bring them to Salt Lake City. They arrived there two days before Christmas on 23 December 1856. James went through seven months of trial. He broke up his home, leaving his two sons whom he loved so dearly, not knowing if he would ever see them again. He spent six weeks on a rough ocean voyage. He buried two of his loved ones on the plains, leaving behind his brother Richard and family. He had to leave all of his cherished possessions in Wyoming and arrived in Utah with only the clothes he was wearing. James bravely faced his situation and soon he had a home and began to accumulate their need.
Little Willard Biddle died on July 26th, 1856, during their journey when he was just nine months old.
The family arrived in Utah on December 23rd, 1856.
Their second child, Sarah Jane, was born on January 18th, 1858 in Salt Lake City, UT.
In 1860, James and Mary Ann lived in West Jordan, UT in a house valued at $200 with Emma, Agnes, Elizabeth and Sarah. James was again working as a stone mason. He worked on the LDS temple in Salt Lake City.
From family history:
The Salt Lake Temple had been started, but the foundation had not been accepted and had to be removed. As James was a stone-cutter, he was made foreman over the men who removed and then rebuilt the foundation. James maintained a home in both Herriman and Salt Lake City. In the summer he cared for his sheep and farm. In the winter he worked as a stone cutter, chipping the granite into blocks and laying the walls of the temple. He was a good business man and prospered steadily in gathering the bounties of life. He was very active in helping to sustain the immigration fund. He sent teams back to Missouri to help needy Saints come to Utah. He also paid the way for thirty-seven Saints to come to America from England. James was involved in the move south when Johnson’s Army came into Utah. If the army came into the Salt Lake Valley, they would burn the homes to the ground. James's responsibility was to oversee the travel of the women and children as they journeyed to Pond Town (which is now Salem, Utah). He rode a horse and assisted all who met with problems. James' second wife, Mary Ann, died leaving two little girls, Sarah and Mary Ann.
Their third child, Mary Ann, was born on August 19th, 1860 in Herriman, UT.
Their fourth and last child, Joseph James, was born on November 23rd, 1862 in Herriman, UT.
Mary Ann died on January 27th, 1863 in Utah at the age of thirty two. Baby Joseph James died in October of that same year at eleven months of age.
James married Clara Lisonberry Davis on March 21st, 1863. I have found no records of children between them.
James also married Martha Bodell on June 24th, 1864. She died later that same year.
In 1870 James and Clara lived in West Jordan, UT with Sarah Jane and Mary Ann. He was still listed as a stone mason.
James added another wife, Jane Morley Phillips, on March 20th, 1876. This looks like it was a plural marriage, as he was also still married to Clara.
James and Jane's first child, Richard, was born on February 4th, 1877.
Their second son, James, was born on January 9th, 1879 in Herriman.
In 1880 James and Clara lived on a farm in Herriman with twenty one year old William Hope who worked the farm. James was still a stone mason. Jane lived nearby in Herriman with Mary Ann, Evan (her children from a previous marriage), Richard and James.
From family history:
He married a third wife, Clara Davis. Then on 20 March 1876 he married Jane Morley Phillips. They had four children: James, Richard, Clara, and Emma. After they had grown to manhood, James' two sons, James and Fredrick, came to America with their wives to be with their father and sisters. It was a very joyous occasion for all. James Morris Farmer loved the gospel and his family. He did temple work for his family and had all of them sealed to him.
James and Clara's third child, Clara Jane, was born on August 22nd, 1881 in Herriman.
Their fourth and last child, Margaret Emma, was born on September 20th, 1883.
James died on January 25th, 1895 in Herriman, UT, at the age of seventy eight. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
*One family story tells that Sarah died the same day as her stillborn son.
Do you know anything about James? Do you have any memories, photos or information to add? I would absolutely love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to add your information. If you have photos to share, please send them to me along with any other information at tomebug (at) gmail (dot) com.
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