John Burnside Farnes Born: December 29, 1806; St. George, Essex, London, England Married: Ann Isacke Died: September 15, 1863; Three Crossing, Wyoming Immigration Date: Fall 1863 on the "Amazon;" Daniel McArthur Co.

John Burnside Farnes

The subject of this sketch, John Burnside Farnes, was of French origin, his ancestors having crossed the English Channel during the Huguenot wars in France. The name was originally spelled Farnes-e, and was no doubt a branch of the famous Farnese family which came from Italy during the reign of Farncis 1. Becoming anglicized, they preferred to drop the final "e".

John was born December 30, 1806, in St. George Parish, Dagenham, Essex, England. His parents were Thomas Farnes and Mary Hipwell.

He early learned the trade of book binding, owning his shop and business. His wife, Ann Isacke, also learned the trade and worked with him both in Dagenham and also in London, where they moved about 1847 or 1848.

In London, their seven children, George, Mathew H., Ebenezer, Mary, Frances, Matilda and Jane, were reared much the same as most children were at that time, with very little schooling. They were forced to earn a livelihood at a very early age. As they were voracious readers, however, they did not through life show the lack of school education.

In some way they came in contact with Mormon Elders, Charles Penrose, Heber C. Kimball, Amasa Lyman (or Massa) as they called him, and Brigham Young, Jr. These Elders met frequently in their homes and Ann and the children were baptized into the Mormon Church. John was not able to see or accept the new Gospel though he was always a firm friend and supporter of the missionaries. It was at this time that the mobs of the Mile End Branch of the church took place.

In 1863 the remaining members of the family decided to emigrate to America where the three sons and two older daughters had already gone to prepare homes. They sailed June 4, 1863, in the sailing vessel "Amazon", from the London docks, one of the first emigrant ships to sail from these docks.

There was the father, mother, two daughters about 16 and 18 years of age, and an adopted son, John L., only a small child. They spent six weeks on the ocean, arriving at Castle Garden, New York, July 18, 1863, and spent several days there awaiting inspection. Because of the Civil War, railroad travel was very hazardous and when they could finally leave it was only in cattle cars routed by way of Niagara into Canada and finally reaching St. Joseph, Missouri. Here they took a steamboat on the river and rode for three days to the point where the emigrant trains were to leave for the west. Here John Burnside Farnes was equipped with a wagon and oxen and other provisions for the journey across the plains. As other in like companies, he did his part in making a safe journey.

After days and weeks of weary travel, many grew sick of mountain fever and John's strength began to fail. The rest of the journey can best be told in the words of his daughter Matilda:

"When we reached Three Crossings of the Sweetwater River, I saw father was very ill. He walked with lagging steps and pallid face all day, yet never a word of complaint. At last, in mid-afternoon, a part of the company had drawn up at a small stream to rest and be refreshed. Ill and weary myself, almost to the point of exhaustion, I fell asleep immediately. When I awakened, which I did suddenly, as if some hand had touched me, my first anxiety was for father. I looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. The banks of the stream were covered with growths of small shrubs, and running toward these I called again and again. At last in despair I dropped to my knees and as if in answer to my prayer I saw like a phantom my father emerge from the growth of tree, leaning on a stick and carrying in his hand a twig from which hung two very small fish."

"He staggered as he came, trying to smile at my fright. He looked very old and tired, yet on going back to camp, insisted on putting up the tent. During his process he fell to the ground three times. That night (September 17, 1863) he died, and was buried next morning before we broke camp. He was wrapped in canvas with only a broken box to mark his grave. Oh, the agony of leaving him the wayside. Mother was too ill to even raise her head."

"One of the sons, Ebenezer, was on his way from Utah with supplies for the emigrants, he had met the advance company early that morning who told rudely his father had died in the night and was just buried. Thus ended one more life for a righteous cause and one more unseen grave to mark the trail that has brought peace and glory to this western land."

By Emily Farnes Smith, a granddaughter; December 1936

Return to Five-Generation Chart of Lillias Tanner Farnes