Frederick James Rushton

The Gospel was carried by Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and other Apostles and missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the British Isles where many inbraced the Gospel fulfilling the words of Christ: “My Sheep Know My Voice”. Among those who accepted the gospel were Richard Rushton, his wife and family of ten children. The family record book has complete families with dates and places of each progenitor named.

Fredrick James Rushton was the oldest and Edwin the youngest child of Richard’s family. Four of the children died young; before leaving England.

Their great desire after joining the Church was to come to America, a land of freedom to worship and to Join the main body of the Saints there. Edwin was the first to leave England and others would follow later. He arrived safely with the Saints in Nauvoo.

The following story was preserved in Joseph Smith’s Journal, Church Bnigration, Vol, 1, under date of May 2nd 1843.

“On Wednesday, March 8, 1843, the ship “Yorkshire” with Captain Bache, sailed from Liverpool with 83 Saints aboard, under the supervision of Elders Richard Rushton and Thomas Bullock, (Tichard’s son-in-lawl” The following is from the History of Joseph Smith under Date of May 2nd 1843.

“About one o’clock P.M., The mate of the ship “Yorkshire” opened the Testament to the 27 Chapter of Acts, and asked the passengers how they would like to be ship-wrecked like Paul. Elder Thomas Bullock replied instantly, “It is very likely we shall be ship-wrecked like Paul, but the hull of this old vessell has got to carry us safe into New Orleans.” The mate was then called away to hoist the fore top royal sail.”

“Between one and two o’clock next morning, when off the coast of St. Antonio, Cuba, there was much vivid lightening, when a white squall caught mainmost, and mizenmast snapped assunder with an awful crash; the whold of the masts above with the job and spanker, and sixteen sails and studding boles, were carried overboard with a tremendeous splash and surge, as the vessell righted. At daybreak all on deck was confussion and a complete wreck.”

“During the day a sail was hoisted from the stump of the main mast to the bow of the vessell, thus leaving nothing but the hull of the vessell to carry the Saints into New Orleans.”

“From New Orleans, the journey was continued up the Mississippi River, and on Wednesday May 31st, 1843, the steamer “Amorath” landed in Nauvoo with the Saints who had left Liverpool in the “Yorkshire” under the care of Elders Richard Rushton and Thomas Bullock all well; and also some Saints who had left there more recently in another ship.”

Edward Rushton, son of Fredrick James Rushton and Jane Wood, and grandson of Richard Rushton and Lettace Johnson, was 4 years old when he crossed the ocean in 1843 with his parents and four brothers and sisters, Henry, Elizabeth Francine, Enma Jane, and Henrietta.

Henry, a child age seven, was drowned at sea while crossing the ocean, and although the story was never recorded as to how he was drowned, it was most likely during the terrible storm and ship-wreck.

Richard Rushton died Dec. 1843 at Nauvoo.

Another story is also found in the Church Historian’s Office, written by Joseph Smith in his Journal. Vol. 6 Pg. 134)

Monday, Dec. 25 under this date Joseph the Prophet Journalizes as follows: ■This morning about 1 o’clock I was aroused by an English sister, Lettace Rushton, widow of Richard Rushton, (who 10 yrs. ago lost her sight), accompanied by 3 of her sons and their wives and her 2 daughters and their husbands and several of their neighbors, singing “Mortals Awake With Angels Join”, which caused a thrill of pleasure to run through my soul. All of my family and I arose to hear the serenade and I felt to thank my Heavenly Father for their vision and blessed them in the name of the Lord. They also visited my brother Hyrum, who was awakened from his sleep. He arose and went out of doors. He shook hands with tnd blessed each one of them in the name of the Lord and said that he thought at first a concur of Angels had come to visit him, it was such Heavenly music to him."

This happened the last Christmas Joseph Smith celebrated, 1843*

Lettace Johnson Rushton died in Nauvoo Dec. 1846.

When Bro. Archibald Bennett took the writer down into the archives of the Salt Lake Temple, we learned that Fredrick James Rushton and Jane Wood received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple the day before the Saints were driven by the mob from the beautiful city; across the icy Missouri River which was frozen over, the first time in history for it to have been frozen over enough to walk on.²

Sources

1 LIFE STORY OF FREDRICK JAMES RUSHTON

2 History of Frederick James Rushton. Compiled by Grace Rushton Squire. Leil Eldrige and Ida Moss Hatch also contributed greatly. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/121276273?cid=mem_copy