Abraham Marchant
Encyclopedia
Abraham Marchant was an early Mormon leader and one of the founders of Peoa, Utah
.
.
Marchant's father was a firefighter
in Bath who died trying to rescue a servant girl from a fire. He died months before his son's birth.
After an apprenticeship he became a successful merchant tailor
in Bath. He grew into a tall man with a full build. He fell in love with a young milliner, Lydia Johnson and they secretly married February 17, 1837, before his apprenticeship was up.
Mormon missionaries began preaching in Bath in 1843, and in early 1844 Lydia became interested in the religion. Abraham discouraged her participation, and when he found out she was to be baptized, he set out to stop her. However, on the way he was delayed by a mad bull, and by the time he made it to the place where baptisms were being performed, he was too late. However, he later changed his mind about this new religion and within a month he was also baptized.
Some of the Marchant acquaintances accepted their decision to join the Mormons, while others belittled them. One group of influential people were able to assign a young man with mental impairment as Abraham's apprentice, whom they encouraged to be as belligerent as possible. The young man reportedly hit Lydia several times and once threatened her with a butcher knife
.
Abraham invested four pounds five shillings (about 250 pounds as of 2005) in a joint stock company set up to move Mormon emigrants to the United States
. However, the individuals put in charge of the company mismanaged the funds, and investors lost most of their capital. Those in charge were disfellowshipped from the church and church leaders faced the task of consoling members who had lost their savings. John Taylor
came to Bath for this purpose. After dispelling whatever bitterness the Marchants may have felt, Taylor returned to their home often and became a lifelong friend.
The Marchants longed to immigrate to the United States, but waited until they had the money. In need of accumulating eight pounds per family member (about GBP 550 in modern money) for passage to the United States, in late 1851 the Marchants moved to Birmingham, a bustling industrial city where tailor services were in demand and customers were less likely to bother about Abraham's religion. His reputation in the church preceded him and he was immediately appointed to the Birmingham Conference presidency.
Despite the staid Victorian
environment in England at the time, when the church announced the doctrine of plural marriage
, Abraham reported that "a great spirit of inquiry respecting the Patriarchal order of Marriage was manifested" among church members in Birmingham.
By February 1854, Abraham had saved the money to emigrate and booked ordinary passage for himself, Lydia, and their eight children on the Windermere. He paid for the tickets himself rather than relying on the Perpetual Emigration Fund
(PEF). The ship sailed on February 22 and arrived in New Orleans on April 20. However, when they arrived in St. Louis, the cost of equipment and provisions for crossing the plains had recently doubled, forcing them to turn to the PEF.
Marchant arrived with other settlers in the area now known as Peoa in 1862 and was soon named "First Elder" and then Bishop of the settlement. As more settlements sprang up within Summit County
, he acted as the Bishop of over the entire southern half of the county, including Peoa
, Rockport
, Wanship
, and Kamas
. He served in that capacity until his death.
Marchant was the first postmaster in the town. He also led the company that converted Abes Lake in the Uintas into a reservoir. The lake is named after him.
Marchant died on October 6, 1881, at age 65 of heart disease
.
Oakley, Utah
Oakley is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 948 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakley is located at ....
.
Biography
Marchant was born on March 17, 1816, in Bath, England, where he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844 and became the leader of the Saints in Bath and BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Marchant's father was a firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
in Bath who died trying to rescue a servant girl from a fire. He died months before his son's birth.
After an apprenticeship he became a successful merchant tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
in Bath. He grew into a tall man with a full build. He fell in love with a young milliner, Lydia Johnson and they secretly married February 17, 1837, before his apprenticeship was up.
Some of the Marchant acquaintances accepted their decision to join the Mormons, while others belittled them. One group of influential people were able to assign a young man with mental impairment as Abraham's apprentice, whom they encouraged to be as belligerent as possible. The young man reportedly hit Lydia several times and once threatened her with a butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
.
Abraham invested four pounds five shillings (about 250 pounds as of 2005) in a joint stock company set up to move Mormon emigrants to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, the individuals put in charge of the company mismanaged the funds, and investors lost most of their capital. Those in charge were disfellowshipped from the church and church leaders faced the task of consoling members who had lost their savings. John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
came to Bath for this purpose. After dispelling whatever bitterness the Marchants may have felt, Taylor returned to their home often and became a lifelong friend.
Despite the staid Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
environment in England at the time, when the church announced the doctrine of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, Abraham reported that "a great spirit of inquiry respecting the Patriarchal order of Marriage was manifested" among church members in Birmingham.
By February 1854, Abraham had saved the money to emigrate and booked ordinary passage for himself, Lydia, and their eight children on the Windermere. He paid for the tickets himself rather than relying on the Perpetual Emigration Fund
Perpetual Emigration Fund
The Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, commonly referred to as the Perpetual Emigration Fund , was a corporation established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849...
(PEF). The ship sailed on February 22 and arrived in New Orleans on April 20. However, when they arrived in St. Louis, the cost of equipment and provisions for crossing the plains had recently doubled, forcing them to turn to the PEF.
Marchant arrived with other settlers in the area now known as Peoa in 1862 and was soon named "First Elder" and then Bishop of the settlement. As more settlements sprang up within Summit County
Summit County, Utah
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Clearfield Combined Statistical Area. The county is...
, he acted as the Bishop of over the entire southern half of the county, including Peoa
Peoa, Utah
Peoa is an unincorporated community in southwestern Summit County, Utah, United States, between Jordanelle and Rockport State Parks. It lies along State Route 32 south of the city of Coalville, the county seat of Summit County. Its elevation is . The population was 253 at the 2010 census...
, Rockport
Rockport, Utah
Rockport is a ghost town in a narrow part of Weber Valley at the mouth of Three Mile Canyon in Summit County, Utah, United States. Located south of Wanship, it was inhabited for nearly a century before the creation of Rockport Reservoir, which covered almost the whole townsite.-History:The first...
, Wanship
Wanship, Utah
Wanship is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 400 at the 2010 census.Wanship is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Utah State Route 32, at the junction of Silver Creek and the Weber River. It is from Salt Lake City, and from Coalville...
, and Kamas
Kamas, Utah
Kamas is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,274 at the 2000 census....
. He served in that capacity until his death.
Marchant was the first postmaster in the town. He also led the company that converted Abes Lake in the Uintas into a reservoir. The lake is named after him.
Marchant died on October 6, 1881, at age 65 of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
.