James Russell Ivie
Encyclopedia
James Russell Ivie was a Mormon pioneer
, an early Latter Day Saint leader, and a pioneer settler of Sanpete County, Utah Territory
. Ivie assisted Isaac Morley
in the settlement of the area and laid out the town of Mount Pleasant, Utah
in honor of the town of the same name in Pennsylvania
, which had been founded by ancestors of his daughter-in-law Mary Catherine Barton, who was married to his son John Lehi Ivie at about the same time the area was settled.
Ivie was born in Franklin, Georgia
of mixed parentage, including the Cherokee
who inhabited the region. He married Eliza McKee Faucett, also of mixed Euro-American and Cherokee ancesty in 1824 at Shelbyville, Tennessee
. The claims of mixed parentage have not been documented and are questioned by descendants who have alternate genealogical records.
The Ivies joined with the Latter Day Saint church shortly after its founding in 1830 as a result of contact with missionaries
who visited their home. The family settled in Missouri and were spared the Trail of Tears
expulsion of other Cherokee in the spring of 1838 due to their mixed ancestry, only to be expelled in November of that year, due to their Mormon faith.
They settled near the new town of Nauvoo, Illinois
, but moved to Iowa
shortly after the first exodus in the spring of 1846. Eliza gave birth to a son in Council Bluffs on September 15 of that year, and to another on February 25, 1849 at Salt Lake City, so it is likely they made the journey west in 1848.
Ivie's ancestry was thought to be useful in expanding the Mormon settlements to Sanpete County
, so he was sent with Morley to lay out settlements in that area. After a successful negotiated settlement of the Wakara War
, Ivie took up ranching near Scipio
, Millard County, Utah
, where he was killed on June 10, 1866, one of the early fatalities of the Ute Black Hawk War
. It is unlikely that Ivie was a target given his friendly relations with Ute tribes in the area, but was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was killed by a chance encounter with renegades. His widow and family remained in Scipio and were unmolested.
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
, an early Latter Day Saint leader, and a pioneer settler of Sanpete County, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. Ivie assisted Isaac Morley
Isaac Morley
Isaac Morley was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and a contemporary of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. He was one of the first converts to Smith's Church of Christ...
in the settlement of the area and laid out the town of Mount Pleasant, Utah
Mount Pleasant, Utah
Mount Pleasant is a city in Sanpete County, Utah, in the United States. Mt. Pleasant is known for its 19th-century main street buildings, for being home to Wasatch Academy, and for being the largest city in the northern half of the county...
in honor of the town of the same name in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, which had been founded by ancestors of his daughter-in-law Mary Catherine Barton, who was married to his son John Lehi Ivie at about the same time the area was settled.
Ivie was born in Franklin, Georgia
Franklin, Georgia
Note: a former Franklin, Georgia is now West Point, Georgia.----Franklin is a city in Heard County, Georgia, United States. The population was 902 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Heard County...
of mixed parentage, including the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
who inhabited the region. He married Eliza McKee Faucett, also of mixed Euro-American and Cherokee ancesty in 1824 at Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the county seat of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819...
. The claims of mixed parentage have not been documented and are questioned by descendants who have alternate genealogical records.
The Ivies joined with the Latter Day Saint church shortly after its founding in 1830 as a result of contact with missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
who visited their home. The family settled in Missouri and were spared the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
expulsion of other Cherokee in the spring of 1838 due to their mixed ancestry, only to be expelled in November of that year, due to their Mormon faith.
They settled near the new town of Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, but moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
shortly after the first exodus in the spring of 1846. Eliza gave birth to a son in Council Bluffs on September 15 of that year, and to another on February 25, 1849 at Salt Lake City, so it is likely they made the journey west in 1848.
Ivie's ancestry was thought to be useful in expanding the Mormon settlements to Sanpete County
Sanpete County, Utah
Sanpete County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. The population according to the 2010 U.S. Census was 27,822. It was possibly named for a Ute Indian chief named Sanpitch, which was corrupted to Sanpete. Its county seat is Manti and its largest city is Ephraim.-Geography:According to...
, so he was sent with Morley to lay out settlements in that area. After a successful negotiated settlement of the Wakara War
Wakara War
The Wakara or Walkara War was a low intensity conflict between Chief Walkara and his Ute band and Mormon settlers in present day south central Utah...
, Ivie took up ranching near Scipio
Scipio, Utah
Scipio is a town in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 290 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Scipio is located at ....
, Millard County, Utah
Millard County, Utah
Millard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. In 2010, its population was 12,420. It was named for Millard Fillmore, thirteenth President of the United States. Its county seat is Fillmore and the largest city is Delta.-Geography:...
, where he was killed on June 10, 1866, one of the early fatalities of the Ute Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War (Utah)
The Black Hawk War, or Black Hawk's War, from 1865 to 1872, is the name of the estimated 150 military engagement between Mormon settlers in the Four Corners region and members of the Ute, Paiute, Apache and Navajo tribes, led by a local Ute chief, Antonga Black Hawk...
. It is unlikely that Ivie was a target given his friendly relations with Ute tribes in the area, but was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was killed by a chance encounter with renegades. His widow and family remained in Scipio and were unmolested.