Ancestor History

For this assignment I got to write a history for two of my ancestors.  I chose an ancestor from both my dad's side and my mom's side. I chose two men who were very influential in bringing the gospel to my parents families. Both crossed the plains as pioneers, and both have a legacy that I hope my posterity can learn about as well.

Jacob G. Bigler

                Jacob G. Bigler was born on April 4, 1813 in Harrison County, Virginia (now West Virginia).  Jacob’s father was Mark Bigler and his mother was Suzanna Ogden Bigler.  Jacob grew up in Harrison County and lived there until he was twenty-five. He farmed with his father and raised a small amount of stock. 

                It was in Harrison County that Jacob was first taught about the Gospel.  He believed it, but did not join the church until he went to Far West, Missouri in March of 1938.  “There I investigated the principals more fully and was thoroughly convinced of their truth.” Jacob was baptized on June 10, 1838.  He bought some land in Far West and went home to Virginia to move his family to Far West. 

                It was not long after that Governor Boggs issued the exterminating order, and Jacob and his family were forced to leave their 240 acre farm in Far West.  The left on February 11, 1839 and arrived in Quincy, Illinois on March 1^st.  Jacob had first met the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1838, and became close to the Smith family.  He helped to move the Smith family from Quincy to Nauvoo.

                Jacob’s father passed away on September 23, 1839 and so he and his Mother managed the estate.  In the spring of 1839 they moved to Nauvoo. 

                Jacob returned to Virginia in March of 1841 and married his wife, Mary Ann Boggess, on the 19^th of April.  They returned to Nauvoo, and on October 29, 1842 Mary Ann passed away.  Jacob married Amy Loretta Chase on June 18, 1844.

                “I worked on the temple at Nauvoo from that time, nearly continuously, until its completion. I remained in Nauvoo from that time, nearly continuously, until June 10, 1846, when I crossed the Mississippi River and made start for the West with a poor outfit for the journey, but was greatly blessed of the Lord and arrived at Winter Quarters on the 18^th of August 1846.”

                Jacob stayed in Winter Quarters until spring of 1848 and then settled near Kanesville, Iowa.  In the spring of 1849, Jacob was called to be in charge of the tithing office of Pottawattamie County, Iowa.  He acted as Bishop of Kannesville and also as a member of the high council.  During his time in Kanesville he was elected Justice of the Peace and then Probate Judge of the County. 

                On June 10, 1852 Jacob and his family started west.  They traveled in Captain Gardner’s company, and Jacob was captain of the first 10 families. Jacob and his family did make it to the Salt Lake Valley, and they stayed in Salt Lake City for a time. 

                Jacob and his family were called to settle Nephi, Juab County in Utah, and he arrived there on October 1852. In November of 1852 he was ordained Bishop of Juab County by George A. Smith.  In 1859 he was elected Mayor of Nephi and remained Bishop until 1861 when he was called on a mission to Ireland and arrived in Liverpool on July 25, 1961.  He was assigned to take charge of the Irish Mission.  In 1862 George Q. Cannon called Jacob to take charge of the European Mission while he (Brother Cannon) was in Washington D.C.

                Jacob G. Bigler returned home on the 26^th of September 1863.  He was then elected to be Probate Judge and held that office until August, 1876.  In 1863, Jacob was called to be Stake President of the Juab Stake. “I held the Presidency of the Juab Stake until October, 1871, when President Brigham Young came along and requested me to join him and company on a trip South. I expected to go to Old Mexico, therefore I resigned the Presidency of the Stake and went as far as St. George, but on account of having been elected to the Legislature council, I was released to return and attend the council. 

                Jacob G. Bigler was ordained a Patriarch in June of 1878.  He gave over 200 blessings in his time as Patriarch. “Freely I have received, freely I gave.”  Patriarch Bigler died in Nephi in February, 1907 only a few days after writing his history.

Bigler, Jacob G., Life Sketch, accessed November 15, 2012, Retrieved from http://thebiglerfamily.com/jacob-g-bigler-sr/

Solomon Joseph Despain

Solomon Joseph Despain was born on December 3, 1823 in Lauderdale County, Alabama.  When he was young his family moved to Tennessee.  His mother died when he was young, and so he lived with his older sister Belinda Despain. His father remarried and moved the family to Arkansas and then to Illinois. 

                “By this time I had arrived at the age of manhood and began for the first time to have serious thoughts about my soul’s welfare.” On June 30, 1842 Solomon married Ruth Amelia Newell.  Not very long afterward they joined the Campbellite Church.  Nine years later, on August 30, 1851 the Despain’s joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

                Solomon was ordained a Priest on November 16, 1851, and was ordained an Elder on May 2, 1852. He served a short mission to Arkansas from March 21, 1853 to April 11, 1853.  “I spoke to a good number of people on the principles of the Gospel of the kingdom of God. I was well treated by the people there and they asked me to preach again on the next Sabbath, which I did.  My meetings were attended by a respectful congregation.”  He baptized 11 people during that mission.

                He returned to Illinois, but then he moved his family back to Arkansas in the fall of 1853. A few years later they moved to Tennessee and Solomon worked in a wood yard until 1861, when the Civil War started.  They started towards the Salt Lake Valley on May 10, 1861 and arrived there on August 17. “In November we were all rebaptized and got our endowments in the House of the Lord.”

                On May 17 1862, Solomon entered a second marriage with Susan Dean.  In 1868 Solomon was ordained into the High Priests and started to attend the School of the Prophets. Solomon became Bishop of the Granite Ward and served in that calling until 1886.  Because of his age, Solomon became ill and contracted a disease in his lungs.  Because he was sick, it fell to his wives to care for their own families.

                On March 24, 1881 Solomon married Charlotta Lundstedt, a convert from Sweden.  She had been told by missionaries in Sweden to “go to Utah, marry a good man and raise up a family to the Lord.” Even though there was a great space between their ages, it was a good thing Solomon and Charlotta married.  He had become so sick that he needed help, and she needed a good father for her family.  Neither could speak the other’s language, but somehow it all worked out.

                Because of persecutions from the law for practicing polygamy and family contentions, in 1885 Solomon, Charlotta and their three children left for Mexico.  Because of bad weather they were forced to stop, and their little girl became sick and passed away.   In the spring they were able to continue their journey and instead of completing the journey to Mexico, they decided to stop in Arizona in the Sho Low area. A few years later they left Show Low and settled in Thatcher. 

                Solomon Joseph Despain died of bronchitis on February 17, 1895 at the age of 72.  By the time he passed away he had had 27 children, 84 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

“Biography of Solomon Joseph Despain”, journal of Solomon Joseph Despain, Isaiah Moses Coombs, and Ella Eugenia Despain, accessed November 17, 2012, retrieved from http://bdespain.org/gencol/famhis/sketches/SJD-bio.htm