Jonathan Ellis Layne

https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=KWNY-7HL&section=memories   Baptism: 1 Aug 1875 Confirmed 1 July 1844   HISTORY OF Jonathan Ellis Layne Taken from his journal,with some additions by his daughter,Anna Elizabeth Layne Wilcox. Jonathan Ellis Layne Was born Jan.13,1835,near Bowling Green,Clay Co. Indiana.He was the 2nd son and 5th child of David Layne and Lucinda Bybee Layne. His father was a preacher in the Campbellite Church and his mother was also a member of that church.David Layne and his wife’s cousin ,Byrum Bybee went to hear the preaching of two Mormon missionaries during the winter of 1838 and Were so well pleased with what they heard that they decided to become Mormons. But that opportunity came to David,he died in 1839,when Jonathan Was only four years old. In 1842 Jonathan’s mother took her family of eight children, and started for Nauvoo Ill.,a distance of about 250 miles. She went with her father,Lee AlIen Bybee,three of her brothers and their families.They found a place to live about 5 miles and a little east of Nauvoo. Jonathan Was baptized in July 1843, when he Was 8 years old. During the month of June 1844,the report of the coming of mobs kept the people in alarm both day and night.Jonathan Was present at a muster of the Nauvoo Legion When the prophet Joseph,as Commander,made his last public address. Jonathan wrote,on the night of the 27th of June the house seemed to be full of evil spirits and the next day Grandfather Bybee came and told us that Joseph and Hyrum had been murdered,and such a time of mourning I have never seen before or since.” When the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Were brought to Nauvoo,the people went by thousands to take a last look at them.Jonathan was not permitted by his mother to go and see them,Which he always regretted. In the fall of 1844 Jonathan with others,chopped wood which was hauled to Nauvoo and turned to the temple hands,and thus “I had the privilege of assisting in the building of the Nauvoo Temple, and in l845 he went with his Uncle,Lee Bybee,to see the inside of the Temple,which was still under construction. bout this time the leaders of the church instructed the Saints to start disposing of their houses and lands and to make wagons and carts,so they would be prepared to leave Nauvoo for the west,when the time came. Jonathan says their home consisted of small brick house and ten acres of land..They were forced to sell it for eleven dollars worth of black, bitter flour.The sufferings and. indignities the people had to go through, could only be realized by those who went through them. In May 1846,Jonathan’s mother and her family,her father,and three of her brothers and their families,left Nauvoo for the west. Later that summer Jonathan became very ill with fever and ague, and his family had little hope for his re- covery.Ero. Joseph Young,a eventy,stopped at their camp,and Jonathan asked that Brot er Young adm.inister to him.The family said it would do no good but Jonathan insist~d,so Bro,young did administer to him.Immediately Jonathan wanted something to eat,the first for nearly a week.Next day he was able to get up and was soon well again. They stood awhile at Mt Pisgah,where Johathants two sisters and their husbands had gone ahead of the rest,and had built log houses,and had raised some corn Was frost-bitten but they were able to grind it and use it for bread. hey found that even frost-bitten corn-meal Was hundred per cent better than the bitter black flour they had on the way from Nauvoo. fter living at !t. isgah about 18 months,Jonathan’s mother married a man named Barnett 1anzer,and the next spring they moved on to Pottawattamie Co. Iowa,where the family prepared to stay for awhile until they could move on west. son Stephen !anzer,was born to Jonathan’s,,\ and Mr. 1anzer,about June 1S}50.In the summer of 1851 nearly all of the Church members living in Pottawattamie Co. prepared to leave the next year for Salt Lake Valley.During this journey many of the Saints became ill and died of cholera and were buried along side the trail. Jonathan wrote,“Death Was stalking abroad in daylight as well as in darkness.” They crossed the Platte River about 50 miles above Ft.Laramie,and camped there three or four days,as the feed W/D[ for the livestock Was very good. Jonathan Was very interested in the new experience he Was having now— that of climbing mountains.He loved the mountains/with the great variety of timber,pine and spruce,and the magnificent scenery.From the hills bordering the river,they could see great herds of buffalo.They had to guard their camps very carefully at night,to prevent them from going between the wagons and stampeding the cattle and horses. One day When they had stopped for noon,~uite a large group of Cheyenne Indians in their War paint came up to them.The Indian~ seemed hostile and the people didn’t know just what to do.So to keep the Indians from knowing how frightened they were,they got out their fiddles and played While the young people danced.This amused the Indians and after being given a few gifts, they moved on, much to the relief of the company. Jonathan tells of camping on the Sweetwater and other places,and on the Green River .From there they could see the Big i/ind River Hountains. The morning they left Fort Bridger they had their first experience with a mountain snow storm.There was about 5 inches of snow on the ground,and it took them until noon to round up the r cattle which had scattered every where They made camp on the eber River,about where the town of Henefer is now 10cated·.Here Jonathan married a widow in their company,Mrs.Lucinda Bassett.He said,H t the time I could have carried on my back at one load,all we possessed,but we had plenty of faith in God, the Eternal Father,who has never yet forsaken us. This marriage took place in 1852. They moved on until they reached a place where before them lay the valley they had come so far to see.They were moved to tears of thankfulness They reached Salt Lake City on Sept.27,1852,and the next day they Were ready to go on to Ogden,in Heber County. Jonathan’s stepfather,Barnett Manzer,his mother,his brother,Elihu Prestor Layne,stepbrother,Stephen Manzer,sisters Nancy Maria and Jerusha Emeline,went south to Nephi,Juab Co. Jonathan,his wife and his wife’S sister and brother-in law,John Lasley,went to Sessions Settlement,now called Bountiful.Then they went on to Weber Co.where some of the Bybee family had settled. They worked very gard,cutting their own roads thru’ heavy timber and spending that first winter in a willow hut.Jonathan made a couple of chairs and a table with only an auger,awl and pocket knife for tools.They built their own bed stead.They had two tin plates,afew broken knives and forks,a tin cup or two and a small bake kettle.He said they had straN on their bed,and their Were plenty of ticks in the sagebrush near by(wood ticks).But people were kind to them and Jonathan said,“I feel to ask God to reward a hundred fold,all men and women who have been kind to me. Jonathan and Lucinda lived in Uinta, eber Co. about six months.While there he Was ordained a Priest and was sent out:rwtth a companion as ward teacher.He said from then (1853) untill1SS8 he spent about thirteen months out of every year acting as teacher among the people.Their first child,Charles Ellis Layne was born 12 June,1853. In 1855 they moved to Bountiful Where they hoped it would be easier to get work.In June 1856 Jonathan was ordained a Seventy and walked to his Quorum meetings in Salt Lake City as long~as they lived in Bountiful.He worked on the East Bountiful Tabernacle during the summer of 1857 until September, when Johnson’s army approached Utah. company of thirty men,Jonathan among them,volunteered~o go and meet them.They went to Salt Lake City where res.Brigham Young talked to them and promised them if they would do right,not a hair of their heads would be hurt,and they would all return safe and sound.They with a group from Salt Lake and some from Prove,started for Fort Bridger under the command of Horton Haight. without enough arms,clothing or provisions_ They were mounted privations they had gone through there.But in pril,1887,he decided to go to Iberta,Canada,to be free from the persecution then going on because of polygamy. went to Sunday School as usual,then went home, put what he had to take with him in a wagon,and started out.He left his families,wanting to find a place for them to live before they made the long journey.He was very Lewiston but felt it Was for the best. At Dillon,Montana be stopped with his son rlill, to wait until some of the other brethren came along.lill operated a saloon in Dillon,and during the nine days Jonathan Was there he tried to get him to sellout his business and engage in something better. On the way to Canada Jonathan worked on the railroad at Drummond for a week.He reached his destination in lberta in June,1887,and immediately clearing land so he could plant crops and garden.He had been there only a few days when he was appointed to be the first Superintendent of the first L.D.S. Sunday School in Canada.He also brought the first load of logs in to Cardston. At a meeting held on the 19th. of June,he prophecied that the new country would produce for them,all that their Cache Valley lands had produced,and that Temples would yet be built there. Jonatban helped haul logs for a home for his family and for several other homes.He started back to D~llon,Montana ug.24th.1887,to meet his wife a and her nine children.His first wife,lucinda,and her family remained in Lewiston.Tbey arrived back in Cardston 29th.Sept.1887.Three years later nna’s lOtb child,a boy Was born. Elizabeth Layne ‘iilcox,a daughter of Jonathan and nna,wrote,“I Was nine years old when We made the trip from Lewiston to Cardston.To the children of tbe company it was all fun,but not to the dear mothers.They Were leaving their homes,to go they knew not where.I can never forget the camping at night, the smell of food cooking over a camp fire,the evening prayer and the good nights.Then in the morning,all the bustle and hurry,getting the breakfast, rounding up the horses,reloading the wagons. ~Father was a builder as well as a tiller of the soil.He helped build churches and homes in Ogden,Lewiston,and Cardston.He taught his children that to live and progress one must work.He would not tolerate evil speaking against his friends and neighbors,and above all ,against the authorities of the Church He loved and lived close to nature.lie loved to garden and to give the produce to his neighbors and to those who needed it. “Father loved the violin,and with others,played for the dancing parties. There was always someone around to offer them a drink,and rather than be tempted he sold his violin. In his day books were hard to get, but he read everything he could find. He cherished the teachings of the Bible and all the church works.He sought to Live in accord and prayed always that his family would follow in that belief. He was a tall man, six foot two with deep set expressive eyes, and abundant gray hair and beard. He was a nature to have been confide in him and seek his advice.He died Feb.12,1899.just seven weeks after the death of his wife Anna , He was loved and respected by all who knew him. good life,and a good man,gone to his reward Father of seventeen children. He and his wife Anna are both buried in Cardston, AIberta, Canada.   Name: Jonathan Ellis Layne Gender: Male Relationship to Primary Person: Self (Head) Father: David Layne Mother: Lucinda Bybee Birth Date: 13 Jan 1835 Birth Place: Bowling Green, Clay, Indiana, USA Alternate Birth Places: Bowling Green, Barren, Kentucky USA Death Date: 12 Feb 1899 Death Place: Cardston, Alberta, Canada Burial Date: Feb 1899 Residences: Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, USA; 1842 LDS Church Ordinance Data: Baptism Date: July 1843 Baptism Date: July 1844 LDS Temple Ordinance Data: Endowment Date: September 13, 1861 Sealed to Parents Date: April 8, 1896 Sealed to Spouse Number 2 Date: September 6, 1869 Temple: Endowment House, Salt Lake City, UT, USA Vocations: Gardener and Farmer Comments: Jonathan wrote an autobiography of which a copy of is located at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Comments: #21. Jonathan was in Nauvoo, Illinois when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. He came to Utah in 1852. He located in Bountiful, Davis, Utah in 1855. He was involved in the activities of the Utah War. He went to Canada seeking a homestead in 1887. He was among the early settlement of the Canadian colonies.   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=LDSVitalMembership1830-1848&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=jonathan+ellis&gsfn_x=NP_NN&gsln=layne&gsln_x=NS_NP_NN&dbOnly=_83004006%7c_83004006_x&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=0&h=54092&recoff=4+5+6+50&ml_rpos=1     Name: Jonathan Ellis Layne Sources: Page 104; Author: Andrus, Hyrum; Title: Mormon Manuscripts to 1846. A Guide to the Holdings of the Harold B. Lee Library, 97(299)   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=earmornam&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=jonathan+ellis&gsfn_x=NP_NN&gsln=layne&gsln_x=NP_NN_NS&MSAV=1&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=0&h=15398&recoff=3+4+5&ml_rpos=1    

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