Person:John Wilkins (30)

!ANCESTRAL FILE: #1WZC-43. NAME: AKA - John Gansevert Wilkins in Susan Black records. BIRTH-BAPTISM: "Records of the First Presbyterian Church At Ballston in Ballston Center, Saratoga County, N. Y.", transcribed by The New York Genealogical Society, 1916 - page 108 - Record of Baptisms 11 Feb 1802 - John, son of Edward Wilkins. RELIGION: "Records of the First Presbyterian Church At Ballston in Ballston Center, Saratoga County, N. Y. transcribed by The New York Genealogical Society, 1916 - page 78 - Those communicants with the church on Feb 20, 1820 - John Wilkins, Melinda Wilkins and Polly Wilkins. NOTE: Since there is no parent listed it is assumed that it is this John Wilkins. The Melinda Wilkins who communicated the same day was likewise aged 20 years. SOURCE: Pioneers of Utah. ORDINATIONS: High Priest - Oct. 1858 by Dominicus Carter. CHURCH OFFICES: President of Bluff City Branch. RESIDENCE: Settled Provo, UT 1851. OCCUPATION: Built canals, wagon roads, sawmills in Provo.

            Farmer/stock raiser.

NOTE: Sent ox teams at two different times for immigrant in 1860. PUBLIC OFFICE: 1st Supervisor of Provo City. CENSUS: 1850 - In Pottawattamie, Iowa - District 21, Ancestry Image 81 of 187. In the home were John Wilkins 50 NY, Nancy 39 NY, Alexander 15 Canada, Jane 9 IL, Oscar 5 IL, and John 6/12 Iowa. OCCUPATION: Listed as Farmer on the 1850 census. Farmer and stock raiser in the Susan Black files. BAPTISM: Susan Black File - Dec 25, 1834 - officiator John E Page. (There are also dates for 1833 and 1836.) Rebaptism Apr 1857 - James Bird. SEVENTY: Susan Black File - no date given. BIO: From the Susan Black File - Resided in Provo in 1870. Signed an agreement to help the poor leave Missouri in 1839. He came to Utah in 1850 with the Capt. Cooley Company. He was president of the Bluff City branch. Settled in Provo, Utah in 1851, where he assisted in building canals, wagon roads, sawmills and in developing the country. He sent ox teams at two different times for immigrants in 1860. He was the first supervisor of Provo City. In 1870 , John had a household of 9, a real wealth of $200, and personal wealth of $1000. OBIT: Quoted by Val Dunn in his pedigree posted at Ancestry.com - Obituary - John Gandsworth Wilkins (Daily Enquirer, Provo, Utah dated Jan 14, 1890) At Provo City, Jan 8 1890 JGW deceased. He was born 27 Jul 1800 at Ballston Springs, Saratoga, New York, where he lived with his parents until he was 21 years of age. He married Nancy Kennedy in the year 1830. Shortly after he removed to Upper Canada where he first heard the gospel and on Christmas Day 1836 received the rite of baptism under the administration of Elder John E. Page. The spirit of "gathering" coming upon him, he soon closed his business affairs and started for Far West, Missouri, passed through all the mobbings and troubles incident to the saints at that place and was driven out in connection with them. Moving to Illinois, he settled within three miles of Carthage , where the mob burned him out of house and home. During this Father Wilkins was put to a severe test. Said the mob, " Mr. Wilkins, we respect you as a citizen and neighbor, now if you will only say Joe Smith is a false prophet, we will not burn down your house." He emphatically refused and his home was destroyed. From here he bent his course to Winter Quarters, accompanied by his wife and four children. Here he buried one of his children. From there he moved to Iowa, working for the government, helping put up the first grist mill at Fort Kearney, from which labor he realized sufficient means to purchase an outfit to cross the plains in 1851, arriving in the valley that same year. He made Provo his stopping place, residing here ever since, until the day of his death. Father Wilkins rendered efficient service in the early days in helping build up Provo. He is the father of seven children, grandfather of forty-eight and great-grandfather of forty, his descendants numbering ninety-five in all. He died in full fellowship, bearing a strong testimony of the truth of the latter-day work and passed away at the ripe age of eighty-nine. High Priest President of Bluff City Branch, San Juan, Utah Assisted in building canals, roads, saw-mills and developing Provo He sent ox teams at two different times for immigrants 1860 was 1st supervisor of Provo City NOTE: Journal History of the Church - Provo Utah, Deseret Evening News Newspaper Articles,Falls Dead in His Garden, Sudden Taking Off of Councilman Wilkins of Provo Today - Was in the Best of Health and Had No Premonition of The Approaching end- Was Well Known  See image for text. See Second image for Funeral. LIFE_STORY: Found at http://www.ancestorpages.com/fr_johnGW.html John Gandsworth Wilkins Written by his 3rd granddaughter Debbie Wilkins Armstrong

John Gandsworth Wilkins was born on the 28th of July 1800 in Ballston, Saratoga, New York where he lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age. His parents were Edward Wilkins and Susannah McCrea. The latter was probably a niece of the famed Jane McCrea, a loyalist during the Revolution, who was scalped and killed by Iroquois allies of the British. John was the second child of eight children. He was born into a Presbyterian family. His mother's family were Elders of the Presbyterian Church in Ballston, New York. Little is known of his younger years, but it is possible that John may have heard of Joseph Smith years before joining the Church. He lived in the finger lake area of New York, in close proximity to where Joseph Smith lived as a boy.

John married Nancy Kennedy, the daughter of a well to do farmer from Scotland. Soon after their marriage they moved to Perth, Ontario, Canada, where John had a sawmill. He was what we would now call an engineer and was comfortably successful.

While there, they were introduced to the gospel and John was baptized Christmas day of 1836 by Elder John E. Page. The spirit of "The Gathering" coming upon him, he soon closed his business affairs there, and started for Far West, Missouri. He passed through all the mobbings and troubles incidental to the Saints at that place and were driven out in connection with them. They then moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. Nancy had not, as yet, joined the church, but she believed it so her parents disowned her.

While there John helped in the building of the Nauvoo Temple. Nancy knitted socks, which she sold to help in the erection of that holy structure. A year after they moved to Nauvoo, they bought a farm a few miles from Carthage, there they had a nice home. They suffered persecution with the other Saints, their home being burned before their eyes. During this episode, Father Wilkins was put to a severe test. Said the mob, " Mr. Wilkins, we respect you as a citizen and neighbor; now, if you will only say Joe Smith is a false prophet, we will not burn your house." To this he emphatically refused to do and his home was destroyed. His wife Nancy was still in bed after having just delivered a child, Oscar, just three days prior. They carried her bed out.

A short time later the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed, and the persecution of the Saints began to escalate even more. Despite this the Saints continued at great sacrifice to finish the temple. John and his wife Nancy were able to receive their temple endowments on Jan 23, 1846 just before they were driven from Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi river on ice, and went to Council Bluffs. They lived for a time in a Punkaw Camp, but had problems with the Indians. their little girl Eunice Maria, got sick and died. Nancy was alone and took care of her burial. Because of lack of proper food, a son Edward, died soon after. From here they moved to Iowa, and John worked for the government, helping to put up the first grist mill at Fort Kearney, from which labor he realized sufficient means to purchase an outfit to cross the plains in 1851, arriving in the valley that same year. They traveled with the Captain Cooley Company.

Upon their arrival in Salt Lake, they went on to Provo where they lived the first winter in a wagon box. In the spring, John built a long three room adobe house. Later he built a nicer adobe home. They moved to the fort at Charleston until the Indians became a problem, and then they moved back to Provo where they lived the rest of their lives.

John was the first supervisor of Provo City. He assisted in building canals, wagon roads, sawmills, and in developing the county. He was a farmer and a stock raiser. He was a High Priest and President of the Bluff City branch. He also sent ox teams two different times for immigrants in 1860. He was a faithful member of the Church and supported it in every way.

sources: 1. Conquerors of the West pgs. 2720-2721 2. John Gandsworth Wilkins obituary--The Daily Enquirer, 1890-01-17, Obituary 3. Church Records of the Ballston Center Presbyterian Church listing both Wilkins and McCrea’s in their congregation.---found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City Utah. 4. Obituary of Oscar Wilkins-- Eureka Reporter 1921-08-12 Tintic Pioneer Passes Away at Silver City--for approximate date of house burning. 5. Nauvoo temple endowment register 6. Pioneers and Prominent Men pg. 1247

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