Louis and Ann Deschamps  1873 – 1909 

Louis and Ann Stephens were married in the LDS Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1867. They lived in Willard, Utah, until 1870 when they moved to Malad Valley to live under primitive conditions for a few years. The first house was a dugout lined with logs located just west of town. In 1873 they homesteaded along Devil Creek in St. John. They established a successful ranching operation with 75 to 80 head of cattle and by milking 12 to 20 head of cows. Under the Timber Culture Act, they acquired a second homestead of 160 acres; about three miles north, which they termed the upper ranch. There they planted five acres of trees which they attempted to irrigate. 

Near where the present LDS Church is located, George Cole started a mercantile store. After a few years, Louis Deschamps bought the store which the family operated until Ann died in 1909. The Deschamps house was located a few hundred feet south of the store. Eleven children were the offspring of Louis and Ann. Roslie and Mary were born in Willard. Louis and Josephine were born in the dugout house. In St. John, David, John, Thomas, Francis, Daniel, Rachel and Nellie were born. Louis and Thomas died as children in 1879. Daniel died in 1882 when he was two years old. 

Louis spoke broken English. He was an adult before learning the English language and he could neither read nor write, yet he was a successful businessman. His children held him in high respect. He never spoke a cross word to his children who were exceptionally obedient. Often he would be working away from home until after dark, but none of the youngsters would think of going to bed until after their father had arrived home. In build, he was quite heavy set, had broad shoulders and stood about five feet ten inches tall and he wore a mustache. He was well known for his ability with an axe in the woods, and would chop down a tree while others would be looking for a tree to cut. During the winter months, he acted as caretaker of the one room schoolhouse, and rowdy boys had only to be told once to correct bad behavior 

The ancestry of Louis has been traced back to France. Young men in France were recruited in 1642 to join the colony of Ville Marie in Canada as a protection against many Indian Raids. Toussaint Henault was born in 1628 in the parish of St-Pierre-aux-Champs in the Province of Normandy. He was recruited and he signed a contract in 1653. He was granted a tract of land in Villa Marie in 1654. At that time he annexed to his own name the name of his native parish “Deschamps,” and many of his descendents took the name of Deschamps. In 1690, he was stabbed to death.  

Louis was born in 1839 in Valley Field, now known as Belle River, located between the cities of Montreal and Quebec. His parents were Francois and (?) Rosella Parry Deschamps. They had fourteen children. At age seventeen Louis left home to seek his fortune in the gold fields of California. In St. Louis, Louis was employed cutting timber for the building of a bridge when he saw one of the workers callously shoot and kill an Indian squaw that was by the river cleaning fish. The Indian bucks located the man that did the killing by feeling the barrels of guns to find the one that was hot. The man confessed and the Indians stripped off his clothing and in front of all, the man was skinned alive. Louis was alarmed so he moved on and at North Platte he became ill. His friends left him with a French family where he partially recovered his health and where he worked for them by feeding mules and horses that were sold for use in the Civil War. He was advised to go to the Pikes Peak area and fully regain his health. In Colorado he was persuaded to accompany a man to Montana where gold had been discovered. Conditions there were unsatisfactory and he heard of gold around Boise so he left for Idaho. According to Idaho history, he helped to build in Boise the first residence, a log house. From there he traveled south to Willard where he met and married Ann Stephens. He became a convert of the Mormon Church. Louis died September 20, 1902. He and his son, Francis, were taking a wagon load of grain from the ranch to the home place. At the dugway, while going up the steep incline the pin holding the doubletree broke and Louis put on the brake to hold the wagon. The weight of the load forced the wooden brake blocks loose, that were against the wheel and the brake handle was thrown back hitting Louis who was knocked off the load, hitting the wheel. He died two weeks later. 

Ann Stephens was born October 10, 1840 in Pencader, South Wales. Her parents, David and Jane Evans Stephens had ten children. It was the custom to place children out to work at ages six to seven years old, however, at that age Ann was frail and sickly. The doctor advised sending Ann to the care of an Uncle who lived by the sea. Her Uncle was a captain and her Aunt was an educated lady. Ann was taught to read, sew and embroider, and she was paid for working. Her parents had joined the LDS Church in 1849 and were desirous of emigrating to Utah, but were short of funds.  

Ann and her brother, Tom, who was three years older, saved their money to go to America. Together they saved enough money for Tom to go. All the family went down to the ship to see Tom sail but Tom decided that he should wait longer because his family needed his help. Ann said, “Give me  the money and I will go.” Tom loaned her the money and she went alone. A friend, Henry Harris, met her at the Company grounds and arranged for employment for her at the home of Brigham Young Junior when she reached Salt Lake City. When her ability to sew and embroider was observed, she was paid to do work and was able to save money. She paid what was owed to Tom and gave financial support to her family so they could come to Utah. Her younger brother, Evan Stephens became recognized in the Church for his musical ability. He was director of the Tabernacle Choir and wrote many of our church hymns. 

Upon becoming established in St. John, Ann offered to give land for the construction of a Church building. The Bishop suggested she deed him the acreage, but Ann said she would deed the land to the Mormon Church. The records in the County Court House show that Ann Deschamps deeded land to the Church, ½ of an acre on 5 November 1896 where the Church building now stands. Ann died in 1909. 

Ann’s grandfather was Daniel Daniel Stephens, born 1789 and died in 1814. Her grandmother was Ann Phillips, born in 1776 and she died in 1864. Both were born and died in Llanfihangel, Carmarthenshire, South Wales. Her great grandfather, named Daniel Daniel Stephens was from Scotland as written on one genealogical sheet. 

By Ray Deschamps.