History of William Black

William Black, father of Joseph Smith Black, father of Phoebe Delora Reid, mother of Carolyn Timmins, mother of Billie Marlene Moyes, mother of Michael V. Moyes.

Biographical sketch of the life of William Black, son of William Black and Mary Gardiner, who was the daughter of James Gardiner, all of Antrim, Ireland.

For five generations the heads of the families were named William Black. William Black and Mary Gardiner Black's family consisted of four boys: William, George, Valentine and Joseph and the girls named Charlotte and Jane. Valentine, George and Joseph Black died young. Valentine enlisted in the British Army and was lost track of. William was born Aug 20th, 1784 at Lisborn, County Antrim, Ireland. At the age of 17 years he enlisted in the seventy second regiment of the British Army. He served four years in Ireland and seventeen abroad. He was at the taking of the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch on January 6th, 1806 and at the taking of the Isle of France from the French in the year 1810. He went to Madras in the year 1814 and then to Bengal, East Indies. In the year 1821 he left for England and on the way home called at the Isle of St. Helena. "Bonaparte had just died before we got there. St. Helena is the largest rock I ever saw," he said. "It is a very strong place. The 20th regiment of foot was there and a good deal of the East Indies Company troops kept garrison at that time. I landed in Englandabout the 1st of March and was discharged; arrived at my father's house the 2nd day of July same year.

When I got home, my mother, brothers and sisters were all dead. None were left but my old father. On the 31st of July, 1832, I was married to Jane Johnston, daughter of Daniel Johnston and Margaret Chambers. I then joined the New Connection Methodists and lived with my father until the 4th day of February, 1834, when the old man died happy in the Lord. I left our native country and went to Manchester, England as my business at home failed.We then had three sons and one daughter. My trade was very poor but I had one shilling and five pence per day from the British government which enabled us to get along middling well. About the 1st of January, 1839 we joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were baptized by Elder William Clayton. I was soon ordained a teacher and at the next conference ordained a priest and sent to Ireland with Brother John Taylor, one of the twelve apostles. Brother Taylor did not stop long with us for the people of that countrty did not receive the gospel. Brother Curtis was sent to me and we opened a branch in Hillsbarrow. Some four or five were baptized before I left. Brother Curtis stopped there. I came home on account of my family as I had to draw my pension in Manchester.

The next conference I was ordained an elder under the hands of Hiram Clark and John Smith, I believe. I was sent to Oldham and Toehdale and with the help of James Karigan built up two branches and the Lord blessed our labors. I had to stop there two years.My family went to America in 1840 and left me on my mission. The Lord blessed me in all my labors and in December, 1842 I took my journey to America to join the saints that had gone before. I landed in New Orleans on the 1st day of March in 1843. We did not get to Nauvoo on account of ice in the river until the month of April. We heard Joseph Smith preach on the 1st floor of the temple and that was the height of it then. I then started for Augusta where my family was and found them safe and well, praise the Lord. I had to go twice a year to draw my pension into upper Canada and on the 11th of May. 1845 was ordained a High Priest by orderof Brigham Young under the hands of Samuel Gaily and William Huntington. I moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1844, lived there until the expulsion of the saints from Nauvoo, moved into Iowa till the spring of 1850, moved across the plains over 1600 miles by ox team to the valley of the Great Salt Lake and the same fall to San Pete Valley, in November, 140 miles south. In the spring I went by order of President Brigham Young and relocated to what is now known as Spring City, which had been abandoned on account of the indian depredations in the year A.D. 1853."

In the fall of 1861, he moved to Southern Utah on the Rio Virgin river, remained there until his death which occurred January 28th, 1873 at Rockville, Kane County. He was a man very unassuming in character, strictly honest, and much beloved by all his acquaintences and died firm in the faith in what is known as Mormon doctrine. These lines may be found in his tombstone in Toquerville Cemetary:

A noble veteran lieth here
His name and acts the saints revere
He's blest with honors of the best
With this armor bright he's gone to rest