Charles John was the son of Thomas John, born 29th January 1820 at Wood Roach Pembrokeshire, South Wales, and Margaret Thomas born 14th August 1815 at Pembrokeshire, South Wales.  

When Charles was about five years old, his father, Thomas John, made a trip to America.  He, Thomas, had heard of the prosperous times there, so decided to try his fortune in the western hemisphere.  He worked as an assistant cook thus paying his fare while crossing the ocean.  He met with very little success in America.  Times were dull and sickness in the form of a felon on one hand overtook him.  He returned home in the spring of 1849.  When he landed in Liverpool, he met a party of men and women who were going to America.  They asked him about the country.  He told them times were dull.  They said that made little difference as they were going to Zion.  They told him of the vision of Joseph Smith; the concealed records revealing the history of an ancient  people who had dwelt upon this the American continent; the fulfillment of Revelations 14:6 : “And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred and tongue and people.” 

Thomas thought these people were surely mistaken as he had seen nothing but sin and wickedness, just the opposite of Zion.  Thomas tried to pass this conversation from his mind, but their words kept returning to him again and again…”  The Heavens had been opened and angels had again conversed with man.” 

In a short time after he returned home his Aunt Mary Phillips ( HIs mother’s sister) informed him that she had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and gave him many logical reasons for doing so.   

Thomas had made the Bible his daily study and was well informed but now a new light had been placed upon many passages of scripture.  He spent many days in thoughtful prayer and meditation and was convinced of the Divinity and truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ.  In the month of May 1851, he was baptized by Elder Phillip Sykes of Spanish Fork, Utah. 

Mary Phillips had undoubtedly influenced Thomas John and it is logical that she planted in young Charle’s mind the importance and great mission of Joseph Smith.  The whole family would meet together and study the scriptures.  They were a loved family until they joined the church, then it seemed like their friends all turned to enemies.  Charles and William were attending school and were well liked by the teacher and students until their father joined the “Mormon Church” but from then on the persecution became so great that they had to be kept home for they were beaten by larger boys, and severely whipped by the school master.  False accusations were made against them which were always followed with severe punishment. 

The weight and oppression became so heavy that it seemed unbearable.  One day Thomas was working alone in a room, he stopped working and sitting down on his bench he offered a silent prayer, saying, “Oh, Father, if I have done wrong and offended Thee, please forgive me and let me know and I will mend my ways.”  Immediately he felt a light resting upon his head, and felt as if it were oil flowing down over him, and all his doubts were expelled from him.  This Heavenly feeling continued to flow down over him until it reached his waist, then he felt a joy unspeakable and he cried out, “ Father, it is enough, I am satisfied.”  After this thrilling experience Thomas was sure that the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored thru the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that he had done right to join the church.  Never from that day did he doubt, even though he and his family were severely persecuted….he had to go other places for work and met up with many trying experiences but he went courageously on and by so doing he received a strong unshakable testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel.   

Some time after Thomas had joined the Church he was working at a well-to-do farmer’s house.  Their name was Williams ( The three Williams sisters Charles later married were from this family.)  It was the custom to have Thomas eat with the family and not with the servants.  One day as the family was eating dinner, Mrs. Williams said, “Well, Tommy, how is it that you ever joined those despicable people, the Mormons?  We thought so much of you before you joined them.” 

The ridicule and oppression continually grew worse.  People even hurled rocks at their door at night when they passed by.  Such were the feelings and attitudes of people who called themselves Christians, until Thomas decided it was best to move into another part of the country.  In the spring of 1856 they moved about eight miles southward to a place called Haisford, Camrose Village, about 4 miles from the town of Haverford in western Pembrokeshire. 

Thomas was a first class shoemaker.  For some time he worked for his old employers going to their farm houses to make shoes for the entire family and all the servants.  But soon the people around his new home were bringing their work to him and it became necessary for him to teach William and Charles the trade to help get all the work done. For a time too, a fine gentleman hired Charles to care for his sheep.  Charles gained valuable knowledge and experience in this field of endeavor, which proved to be important later, as he followed sheep work most of his life. 

The Lord blessed this family and they prospered.  They made regular deposits into the perpetual Emigration Fund and in March 1861 they had saved enough to pay their passage across the Atlantic Ocean to New York.  The family numbered eleven, nine children, five boys and four girls.  One girl named Phoebe married a man by the name of James Cusworth and remained in London.  They later lost track of her completely.   The rest of the family left on the sailing ship called “ The New York-Manchester” and were thirty-three days crossing the ocean.  The ship was very old and sank shortly after their arrival here; that was her last voyage.  They landed at Castle Garden, New York just after the battle of “Bull Run” during the Civil War.  The people were very much alarmed lest the enemy would invade the city of Washington and take the Treasury of the United States.   

It was a very prosperous time for all who could use the awl and thread, as there was a great demand for military equipment such as belts, knapsacks, cartridge boxes, shoes, etc.  Thomas rented a house on North Fifth Street in Williamsborough across the Hudson River from New York.  They lived there for about fourteen months.  Charles and William found work at a large shop in New York where military equipment was being made. 

In the fall of 1861 work slackened so Thomas set up a shoe shop in his house and made military boots and shoes.  They all saved their money and by the later part of the summer they had enough to pay their way to Florence, which proved to be Winter Quarters for a large group of Saints.  From there they expected  to be taken to the valleys of the mountains in Utah by church teams. 

They had a terrible experience while their immigrant train was traveling through eastern Missouri.  The engineer, who hated the Mormons, had these immigrants at his mercy.  He was overheard to say, “ I will send these Mormons to hell before nite comes.”  Shortly after this a huge fire started in the baggage car and swept throughout the train.  At once the baggage car was uncoupled from the hind part of the train and taken at great speed to the nearest station.  It was burned so badly it was nearly falling apart.  The engineer then came back for the balance of the train.  He failed to slacken the speed of his engine and sent it crashing into the train breaking several platforms of the cars.  The sudden impact injured those poor immigrants searching and scrambling through the charred and burning inferno trying to salvage some small part of their precious belongings.  Charles often said he could remember seeing his parents standing there tearfully gazing at the ruins of their meager earthly possessions.  A few pieces of the carpet which held their bedding were still burning.  The only thing they salvaged was a few balls of thread for sewing shoes. 

In spite of their terrible plight this courageous father humbly expressed thankfulness that the lives of his family had been spared.  They camped at Florence six weeks before the Church teams came from the valleys of the mountains to take them to Zion. 

Extract from Church Chronology by A. Jensen: “Friday, 17 October 1862.  Captain Henry W. Miller’s church trains (fifth) which had left Florence, 8 August 1862 with 60 wagons and about 665 immigrants, arrived in Salt Lake City.  The Company had suffered considerably from sickness and about 28 persons died on the journey.” 

Charles, 19, and his brother 21 hired out to drive church teams across the plains in another company.  (Captain Dames) As they had no previous experience it was very difficult at first, but soon they learned to yoke up the oxen and enjoyed their work.  They soon learned to love Captain Dames and felt he was an exceptionally good man.  It is doubtful if they received more than their board and passage…if any wages , they were very small. 

Mary Jane the youngest child was very delicate and was sick all the way across the plains.  One of the teamsters allowed the baby to ride in his wagon.  Margaret, the mother, made a bed in the wagon for her, then she always walked nearby in order to be ready should the baby need her.  Often the mother would carry her over bad roads and up steep bills because the wagon bumped and jarred so.  When they arrived in Salt Lake they camped on Immigration Square.  Thomas hunted up a friend by the name of John Twig, whom he had known in Wales.  In the afternoon the Cache Valley teams started for Wellsville.  They traveled slowly and arrived there on the 22nd of October 1862, President Brigham Young and company came into their camp and invited them to Conference which was being held that day.  Thomas excused himself saying they were too dirty from traveling, but Brigham Young said, “We are all dirty,” and they walked to church arm in arm. 

The meeting was held in the school house and as the building was so crowded the children had to stand outside.  While they were standing John Maughan, brother of Bishop, came along and took all the children to his home to have dinner, Sister Maughan gave them water, soap and a clean towel so they could wash their hands and face.  The two roomed pine log house was spotlessly clean.  Brother and sister Maughan were dressed in home made clothing.  The cloth was gray, made by using equal parts of black and white wool together.  In those days it was considered the best the country could produce. 

The dinner had been prepared for President Brigham Young’s party but for some reason they did not get to eat.  The children received the benefit.  Never had a meal tasted so good.  They were all very hungry and it had been months since they had sat up to a table, especially with a nice white cloth.  Sister Maughan was so motherly and kind to them. 

Brother William Rigby (later Rigby, Idaho was named after him.) came to Thomas and told him he had a little old house in the New Fort and if  he would fix it up he could live in it with his family.  The house was fourteen by sixteen feet in size and had a dirt floor.  The ceiling was very low….an ordinary man’s head would touch the stringers or ribs as they were called.  It had just an opening for the door and window and the roof was made by putting small quaking asp and willow sticks up and down close together on the cross ribs..covering this with a thick layer of straw and then placing 12-18 inches of soil on top of the straw. 

They borrowed a broom and swept the dirt floor as clean as possible and Thomas improvised a wind break for the window and door opening to keep out the cold.  They had no furnishings and little bedding because of the train fire but they were mighty thankful to have this shelter.  Later they fixed a floor of boards and put a window and door in.  

Next day, October 23rd, Thomas was given a chance to dig one acre of potatoes with a shovel on a share basis.  He got one fourth.  Ann went to work for Sister Maughan and James went to work for Brother John Maughan pressing sugar cane at a cane mill, where they made molasses.  They say it was wonderful molasses…clear as amber and sweet as honey.  Charles and William found plenty of work helping people thrash grain.  They were paid one bushel of wheat per day.  During the winter of 1862-1863 Thomas and his son, William worked at the shoemaking trade and did very well.  There was an abundance of good wood close by in those days.  Brother McMurdy furnished good ox teams and Charles and William hauled out big loads of both dry and green maple, one load would go to Brother McMurdey and the next to their father’s house.  They soon had plenty of wood for the winter.  By everyone doing their share they got along fine that winter. 

There was no money in the Valley.  They were in Utah over a year before they ever had a dollar.  Thomas traded shoes for many things his family needed.  He was always so thankful for the few balls of shoe thread that had been salvaged from the train fire.  He made his shoe pegs out of wood.  There was a famine of flour that fall in Wellsville and they were forced to live on potatoes most of the time.  Charles’s mother would boil them, mash them and sweeten them with molasses, to satisfy her hungry family.  Somehow they always tasted good.   

Late in November, 1862 Bishop Maughan announced that arrangements had been made to baptize all the newly arrived saints the following Sunday.  It was the custom to rebaptize all immigrants in those days.  Thomas and his family along with all the other newcomers met at the appointed place the following Sunday afternoon.  A hole in the ice was made and the sacred ordinance was performed…immersing each person in the icy cold water.  Shivering and cold in their wet clothes they walked a mile back to their log house and had a pleasant surprise awaiting them.  While they were away a kind neighbor had come in and built a blazing fire of maple wood in the big fireplace.  As they had no clothes to change to, they had to stand before the fire to let their clothes dry..turning first their fronts and then their backs.  

Charles was a good scout and hunter.  On their horses he and William, his brother, frequently roamed over the mountains and valleys adjoining Wellsville.  They liked the climate over the mountains in Box Elder County better than that on the Cache Valley side.  Charles got along fine with the Indians and always tried to understand them and their ways. 

In 1865 Charles married Elizabeth Williams, an acquaintance from Wales.  She and her family had crossed the plains in 1862 in Captain Duncan’s company.  Their driver’s name was Larter and they had come on to Wellsville, Utah, too.  Her father, John Jenkins Williams was a wonderful musician and did considerable work organizing choirs and other musical groups.   The Williams family later moved to Tooele, Utah.  On the 4th of February 1867 a baby girl was born to Charles and Elizabeth and they named her Margaret Elizabeth John.  ( She later became Maggie Rees).  

The summer of 1867 the first settlers moved into the Malad Valley to cut wild hay.  The place was called Hay town.  Later Lorenzo Snow, President of Box Elder Stake, changed the name to East Portage in honor of Portage, Ohio where he was born.  Twenty five couples and their children came that first summer and settled on the east side of the valley in the vicinity of Oregon Springs and Mound Springs.  A few more families came the following year.  They built a large rock fort where they could have protection from the Indians.  They also built a log school house about  26 by 30 feet which served as a meeting house, opera house, dance hall, etc.  William John and Harrison Boothe were the first violinists who played for the old time dances. 

Thomas John and his beloved wife, Margaret, took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres on the north edge of Portage.  Most of the children were married by this time and they also took up homesteads, the father’s being in the center of the group.  The wise and humble father and the patient and faithful mother were an example to all of their children.  They all helped each other with their work clearing the land and preparing the soil for planting.  When it was ready Thomas called all of them together and blessed the ground.  Picking up a lump of earth and gently letting it sift through his fingers he said, “ This is more than just dirt, this is a piece of America….a very small piece of America.  Here we can build our future.  Let us planet”.!   With that he thrust his hand in the sack fixed over his shoulder and taking out a handful of the precious grain he swung his arm wide broadcasting the seed on the fertile land.  Thomas John planted the first grain grown in the Malad Valley. 

This land was called Johnstown in honor of Thomas John and is still called that.  They all lived to have beautiful homes for those days and even today most of the land is owned by members of the John family. 

About 1872 the townsite of Portage was laid out.  Their object in moving to the West side of the Malad River was for irrigation purposes.  They built a large canal 12 miles long carrying water from the Samaria Lake.  It was built under the direction of Bishop Oliver G. Hoskins. 

Portage Ward was organized on the 23rd of November 1877, William H. Gibbs, Letitia John’s husband, was in the Bishopric.  The first school was taught in a private home.  Edward Smith was the first teacher.  He was the husband of Mary Ann John. 

Margaret John was called an angel of mercy.  She was always ready to leave her work and run to help with sickness wherever needed.  With the blessing of healing in her hands she lovingly toiled among the people, sharing her joys, her tears, and her song.  No one knows how many babies she delivered.  She was so happy to have her own children around her.  When Thomas married his second wife, Jane Green, in plural marriage the two women lived right side by side and lovingly worked together for the common good of the whole family.  Only one child was born to Jane.  Aunt Jane was loved by all for her good nature and best of all for her bread and molasses. 

Charles married his second wife, Agnes Williams about 1874. Ten children were born to this union.  His third wife was Edith Williams.  A wonderful family grew from this union.  Charles married three sisters 

Charles was a real hunter and brought down a lot of game.  He was counted one of the best trackers known.  Among the many big game tales that could be told, Charles took Agnes and Edith’s families to the canyon one summer day to watch their cattle as they grazed.  The bears were very bad that year.  Charles cut a hole in the top of a big honey can knowing how much bears like honey.  When the bear would get his head stuck in the can Charles would aim at his heart never failing to get this bear. 

Charles used to tell this story to his children about the time when he was cleaning a gun while up in the mountains with the sheep.  He was sitting on a fallen log when he looked up and a few feet in front of him was a huge bear sitting behind another fallen log with both feet resting on the log…and just staring at him.  Charles picked up another gun and aimed, shooting the bear between the eyes.  The bear dropped.  He started cleaning the gun again when he heard a noise and looking up the same thing happened.  After ten times shooting what he thought was the same bear he got up and stretched and walking over the the other log to his surprise he found ten dead bear.  ( What a yarn.!) 

In Malad they had treaties with the Indians and gave them beef and sheep as pay for the grass.  That was how they appeased the Indians before the reservation was opened.  Charles was well liked by the Indians and made treaties with them for a lot of the range land for himself and many other stockmen.  He was good about not crowding the ranchers and took his sheep far back into the hills.  They traded mutton for butter and eggs and other food at times.  Charles used to care for sheep for small owners..5,10,15, or 20 head.  They would pay him 2 ½ pounds of wool per sheep for caring for them and give him 15 lambs to the one hundred head of sheep.  These were called co-op herds.  It took a lot of book keeping to care for all of this.  He took care of the Malad herd of 5,000 head, and the Brigham City herd of 10,000,  He hired men to help.  ;He kept the Brigham City herd on the Wasatch Mountains above Brigham City where the little town of Mantua now stands and over the mountains as far east as Evanston. 

The food and water was wonderful.  He kept the Malad herd on the Soda Springs area.  Nearly 2 ½ million sheep were taken from the Soda Range to the Nevada and Utah deserts each fall for winter ranging and returned in the spring.  

Charles was one of the best sheep men in Utah.  He would guarantee a sure cure for sheep diseases such as scab with one application.  He had learned to make this medicine in the old country.  He also made an ointment for bugs that sometimes got into the sheep’s head and sent them crazy.  These medicines rarely failed.  He knew the mountains like a book.  He made a lot of money with these Co-op herds.  Then he bought a threshing machine and lost a lot of money because he did not know machinery as he did the sheep business. 

He was a good shoemaker and knew how to tan the leather and made shoes for his big family…later making shoes for hid grandchildren. 

In the year 1881 three babies came to his home… Minnie to Elizabeth; 20 days later Marty to Agnes; and shortly after Millie to Edith.  

The farms of Charles and his brother James adjoined.  Sometimes James would invite all the families together for dinner.  Some outstanding ones were the morning dove dinners.  The morning doves were very numerous it seemed and the men would send their dogs in a large circle to scare them up.  They would light in a big haws tree then Charles would use a shot gun, sometimes getting as many as twenty with one shot.  Kids and dogs would gather them then this would be repeated until enough birds were had for their dinner. The women would clean them then bake them in a big iron roaster to a golden brown.  A huge pan of sheep herder potatoes were steaming hot and sour dough bread cooked in bake ovens and was served with molasses.  The same thing would happen when they got wild geese, ducks, sage hens, pheasants or other game. 

Typical Welsh people, these folks loved music, and had many jolly times together singing folk songs, dancing to the violin and having such wonderful fun.  Charles was a singer and step dancer.  One favorite song he and Agnes sang together was “ Flow Gently Sweet Afton.”  They had many happy days together with their big families. 

On June 6th 1890 Charles was arrested for Polygamy.  Life became very sorrowful for these families because the law was continually searching after these men.  It was agreed by the three women that they would abide by the law of the land (still knowing in their hearts that God’s law had been best.)  Agnes was very ill from a fall she’d taken years before and had to walk on crutches.   Elizabeth and Edith thought it would be best if Charles would take her and her family to care for. 

Charles waited until Elizabeth was through childbirth with their eleventh child.  They named this baby Fydelea, she lived only a few hours.   

He gave to each of his wives a paper signed in the presence of witnesses that he would never live with them again.  This paper served as a divorce from Elizabeth and Edith.  No doubt his heart was heavy as he had to leave behind his land and family never to see them again.  Many tears were shed as he bid his two wives and children good bye. 

Leaving as much as he could for Elizabeth and Edith’s families he took a small band of sheep, a few head of cattle, and two covered wagons. 

Charles, Agnes and their eight children started in search of a new home.  Like Lehi of old-two more sons were born to them in the wilderness.  His first new home was a squatters right on the Portneuf River.  This did not prove to be what he wanted as they moved on and stopped at many different places, finally settling in a little Mormon settlement near the Mesa Verde Park.  The town was called Mancos, Montezuma County, Colorado.  Most of the people living in the small town are like Charles, getting away from the law for living in plural marriage. 

In the family, the youngest, Walter, took sick and had to be taken to Salt Lake for an operation, Agnes and one of the older boys driving the long road, the little boy did not recover and after the funeral, Agnes visited Portage with her family and friends.  Her sister Elizabeth was living in Dempsey (Lava Hot Springs) where several of her children had made their homes, and were making a community there. 

One day Agnes and Elizabeth were going to town in a buggy when the horses became frightened and ran away.  The buggy tipped over and Agnes was badly hurt and lived only a few hours.  She was buried on the 6th of Sept. 1907. 

In 1908 Charles started for Idaho and Utah to visit the folks After two days of driving with a team he became very ill.  Word was sent to his daughter Mary Busch and her husband went for him, taking him back to their home in Mancos.  He was very sick with cancer of the stomach, and died August 12, buried August 15th, 1909 in Mancos, Colorado. 

Mary and her family took care of him until the end, which was hard for her as she was expecting a baby.   

Interesting that he built his home in Mancos over an old Indian Cemetery without realizing it, and in the last few years all kinds of pottery, skeletons, and even coins have been found. (unearthed) 

Charles John was the father of 25 children.  

Names of his family by Elizabeth Williams John, his first wife:     

born  Married 

Margaret       4 Feb.  1867 Wellsville Ut. Noah Rees                                                 

Thomas 10 Nov. 1868 Wellsville Ut Alice Ivie 

Levi 7 Dec. 1870    Wellsville Ut               Died 1871 Feb. 14 

Lavina 24, Apr 1872 Wellsville Ut Dell Thorpe 

Rebecca 14 May 1874 West Portaget Ut William J. Fife 

Charles 19 Apr 1876 West Portage Ut Sadie Olsen 

George 13 Aug 1878 West Portage Ut Loretta Merrick 

Minnie 7 June 1881 West Portage Ut. Augusta F. Blaser 

Samuel Emerson 29 Apr 1882 West Portage Ut Lucy A. Aldous 

Dora Maud 13 Oct 1889 West Portage Ut George Sanderson &  

Earl Hook 

Fydelia 28 Mar 1891 West Portage Ut. Died Mar 29 1891 

Names of family of Agnes Williams John 

Daniel William   28 Dec 1875 Tooele, Ut. Ruby Shelton 

Oliver Williams 28 Jul 1877 Portage, Ut Maud Letha Bell  

Clara Edith 24 Jul 1879 Portage Ut 

Mary Elizabeth 27 Jun 1881 Portage Ut Francis Joseph Busch 

Joseph 18 Mar 1883  Portage Ut Myrtle Bell  

Edwin 4 Jan 1885 Portage Ut   Died 25 Mar 1892 

Martha Ellen 4 Nov 1888 Portage Ut Died 3 Jan 1889 

Charles Henry 29 Jan 1892 Corker Basin Ut. Mary Ellis 

Walter Sylvester 12 Nov 1895    Parker Basin Ut. Died 2 Jun 1907 

Names of Edith Williams John Children 

Millie L.  2 Aug 1881 Portage Ut. Charles Smith 

Alvin W.  14 Feb 1884 Portage Ut.  Blanche Evelyn 

Landon 

Lyman L.  5 May 1887 Portage Ut.  Died