History of John Bair
Complied from different histories and other sources
by Terry L. Chadwick a third Great Grandson

        Elizabeth Sharp Bowles, a Granddaughter of John Bair, wrote this history and life of John Bair. Portions of other histories written by Birdie Bair another Granddaughter and by Myron Clint Bair a Great Grand Son have also been included. Since all these histories were very similar but each contain details that needed to be included in John’s history I have editing and rewritten much of the information. Also included are various facts from History of the Church, Times and Season and the Hosea Stout Diary.
        In the year 1810 Adam Bair and his wife Catherine Bowermaster were living in the western section of Pennsylvania. Adam was the son of Henry Bair and Margarete. Catherine was the daughter of John Bowermaster of Clinton County, Ohio and Maria Eva Daulin. Both Adam and Catherine were twenty-five years old when their son John Bair was born 26 November 1810. A brother Henry Bair was born 11 February 1813.
        At the outset of the War of 1812, the English had stirred up the Indians on the Western frontier to rise up against the colonists who were crossing the Allegheny Mountains in search of new land. At the height of this War, Adam enlisted in the 19th Infantry on 28 February 1814 at the age of 29 years. An old book left by John said that his father died in the battle of Tippecanoe but since this battle was fought 7 November 1811, he probably meant the battle of Tippecanoe was the catalyst that started the War of 1812.. It is ironic that Adam lost his life only weeks before the treaty ending the war was signed.
        At the time of their father’s death John was only four years old and Henry only one. The boy’s mother remarried a little over a year later to Gottlieb Gutcher on 16 January 1816 in Williamsville, Columbia County, Ohio. Since Catherine was not listed as an heir in 1834, she was apparently deceased by then. From a letter left by John written in 1834 from Stark County, Ohio it indicates that John and Henry went to live with Rudolph Bair their father’s brother.
        John Bair was a large and a very strong man. In his youth he did a lot of wrestling and many times he wrestled with Indian men. In this way he gained the good will of the Indians. On one occasion, a large man came to the little settlement and asked to have a wrestling match with John. He had heard of the great strength and ability of John to throw anyone and decided he was not going to be out done. He placed a razor blade in the sole of his shoe so it would cut John’s legs in their struggle. This made John so angry to be taken advantage that way that he picked the man up and threw him to the ground with such a force that his leg was broken.
        John’s first marriage was to Lydia Register on August 20, 1829 in Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio. Lydia was born 17 Nov 1804 in Westland, Washington County, Pennsylvania the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Register.
Their children were:
1. William Bair born May 19, 1830
2. Adaliza Bair born August 20, 1831
3. James Henry Bair born January 1833
4. Edna Adalina Bair born January 22, 1834
5. Mary Bair born July 28, 1836
6. James Robertson Bair October 12, 1838
7. John Bair born December 8, 1839
        On January the 24, 1834 John Bair petitioned the court of Columbia County for the wages and bounty or entitlement to land, which was due his father, Adam Bair, as he was entitled to from his service in the 19th Regiment under the command of Captain Rowland. On 27th of August 1834 the heirs of John Bair, John and Henry Bair, produced evidence that they were the only heirs entitled to property and land from the service of Adam Bair as a soldier in the 19th Regiment of Infantry of the United States during the late War.
        Since the center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was in Kirkland, Ohio from 1831 to 1837 it was inevitable that John would learn of the Church and it’s teaching. John Bair was baptized into the Church in Kirkland in 1834. During this time of his life John was daily associated with the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he was one of his bodyguards. John apparently even wrestled or pulled sticks with Joseph Smith at times. John’s Granddaughter Elizabeth Sharp Bowles remember her Grandmother telling her that Joseph and Hyrum would often visit her Grandfather Bair’s home in Nauvoo.
        John served several missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He labored in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. An example of his work comes from the Times and Seasons, Vol.3, p.589.
A letter from Springdale, Hamilton County, Ohio, dated September 4th 1841; a Bro. A.L. Lamoreaux to a Bro. E. Robinson reported the following. Since the conference I have baptized 4 and Bro. John Bair has baptized 8 in Switzerland County, Iowa; he also gives the account of a great door being opened there for preaching.
        John lived on Lot #3, Block #32 which is at the corner of Page and Hyrum Streets in Nauvoo, six bocks north of the Temple site which he bought from Elias Rigby. In the tax notices a valuation of $80.00 was placed on his home built on this site. This would have been a wooden structure; it could have been a log house or a wood frame type typical throughout Nauvoo.
        John Bair received his Patriarchal Blessing from Hyrum Smith in Nauvoo on December 29, 1841. John is mentioned in the 1842 Census Report as being members of the 2nd LDS Ward, Block #4, listing his wife as Lydie, the children listed are Mary, Rocky, and John Dead. (Deaths that occurred during the year had to be reported in the census, so John evidently died during this year.)
        On the 13 March 1843 in the Nauvoo Neighbor (newspaper) John Bair runs an advertisement indicating he “makes boots and shoes, buys hydes and skins, lives on Hyrum and Page Streets, north of Temple.” Lucinda told her Granddaughter Elizabeth Sharp that John ran a ferry across the Missouri River. It was a very good business and Elizabeth said her grandmother told her that she had see as much as a half bushel basket of money that John would make in a day. One incident that her grandmother related to her was when a man came along with a large herd of cattle. He didn’t want to have to them ferried across the river---he thought they could swim. John told him that the river was to high at that time for them to swim across, but the man wouldn’t listen. When the cows were driven into the water a lot of them were carried down stream and drowned. After the men had gone with all that he could find that were able to reach the other shore, Elizabeth said her Grandmother told her she had found one cow that had been caught in a bunch of brush near the edge of the river. Lucinda went after her husband John and he was able to get the cow ashore. This cow turned out to be a very fine milk cow---one of the best they ever had.
        It appears that John was busy most of the time with personal affairs or with church business, because on Sunday, June 15, 1843, the brethren, including John Bair, were collecting through the night on the Maid of Iowa, and commenced making preparations for the trip, and all hands uniting in loading the boat with firewood. On June 26th.at about half-past eight a.,m., President Hyrum Smith, in company with Judge Adams, came on board and instructed us to watch for steamboats that may run up the Illinois river; and if any persons were running Brother Joseph down the river, under any pretext whatever, as the Amaranth had carried the news to Missouri that Joseph Smith was going to be tried at Ottawa, and it had been reported that a company of men were armed in St. Louis and had chartered a steamboat to run up to Ottawa, there to seize Joseph and kidnap him to Missouri;-- and if we saw such a boat, we were to rescue Joseph, at all hazards and bring him to Nauvoo. President Hyrum then blessed the company in the name of the Lord, and the Little Maid started at a quarter-past nine a.m., down the Mississippi river.
        In Carthage Court House Chancery File 144 in vault of Circuit Court are the papers of the divorce proceeds for John Bair vs. Lydia Bair. John married Lydia Register in Ohio in 1829. Witnesses called were E.D. Wooley, J.F. Lane and Mrs. Matilda Lane. Lydia was involved in adultery according to proceedings and divorce was granted to John Bair by default, as Lydia would not appear in court. Divorce was granted October 20, 1843. This divorce was apparently over the issue of plural marriage, because Hyrum Smith married John to Lucinda Owen in the Nauvoo Temple the day before the divorce was final.
        John Bair and Lucinda Owen (Tyler) were married 19 Oct 1943 by Hyrum Smith. Lucinda was widow of Lumus Tyler; Lumus was killed in the French and Indian War. Lucinda was was born 10 Jan 1819 in Somerset County, New York the daughter of Abel and Betsy Owen.
Their children were:
1. Katherine Elizabeth born 25 Mar 1844, married William King
2. Marion born 20 Oct 1845, died age 11
3. Belinda Jane born 12 Mar 1848, married Robert Wall
4. Lucinda Amanda born 31 Dec 1848, married George Sharp
5. Deloss Evermont born 6 Dec 1851, married Nancy Jane Kent
6. LaVena Emma born 14 Feb 1854, married Dennis A. Winn
7. Dolores born 7 Jun 1856, died age 6 weeks
8. Francis Mariam born 7 Jun 1859, married Jefferson Sharp
        On September 17, 1845 John Bair participated as a Captain of the 4th Regiment of the Nauvoo Legion with orders to guard near Bills and Suffacools, which was four or five miles east of Nauvoo.. He was under the command of Brigadier General Hosea Stout of the 2nd Cohort and Major General Rich of the Nauvoo Legion. All regiments were ordered to let no man except General Stout to prove himself a friend; for fear that a spy would try to conspire against the saints in some way. Captain O.M. Allen of the 5th Regiment was placed as picket guards about four miles up the river that same day Members of the Nauvoo Legion were to listen for the Nauvoo Temple Bell, If the bell tolled they were to report forth with to the parade ground armed and equipped. On Sunday September 21, 1845, Captain Bair with 4th Regiment and 5th Regiment, composing 400 men, 100 of them mentioned were on horseback and all were asked to proceed to Carthage to protect members there that the mob was planning to destroy. Before being dispatched, a General (name unknown) came on the grounds and said that the alarm was false and dismissed the troops.
        When the persecution of the Saints grew steadily more severe, efforts were made to get temple work accomplished for the Saints. John took his wives to the temple and was sealed to them on January 24, 1846 at 5:10 p.m. He was sealed by A.M. Lyman to Lucinda Owen. Three days later on January 27, 1846 at 9:00 p.m. he was sealed by Brigham Young to the sister of Lucinda, Belinda Owen, who was born 21 April 1843. At 9:10 p.m. that same evening John stood as proxy for Amasa Card when Jerusha Ann Richardson Card was sealed to Thomas Amasa Card in a ceremony solemnized by Brigham Young. Then Brigham married John and Jerusha for time only that same evening. She was born 15 May 1818 in Maine the daughter of Samuel Richardson and Hannah Hobbs.
        Belinda Owen Bair bore two children to John: Belinda Owen Bair gave birth to Armena Bair on the 25th of June 1846, who died just four days later probably due to the harsh conditions on their journey. Baby Bair was born 20 Jan 1847 also in Garden Grove, Decatur, Iowa. Belinda was unable to carry this last baby full term and she died 20 Jan 1847 during childbirth along with her baby.
        The children of John Bair and Jerusha Ann were:
1. Isaac Bair (twin) born 12 Aug 1846 at Garden Grove and died at Garden Grove
2. Rachel Bair (twin) born 12 Aug 1846 at Garden Grove and died at Garden Grove
3. Joseph Bair born Oct. 25, 1848 at Garden Grove and died at Garden Grove
4. Hyrum Bair born Nov. 16, 1850, married Mary E. Van Orden Nov. 26, 1871
5. Francis Adam Bair born Feb. 28, 1853, married Marie Brower Feb. 17, 1873
6. Samuel John Bair born Dec. 20, 1856, died
7. George Orton Bair born Jan. 17, 1858, married Valeria Richardson 1882.
        Beginning February 4, 1846 the evacuation of Nauvoo began as the first wagons drove off the wharf at Nauvoo and were ferried across the Mississippi. Sometime during the ensuing three months John and his three wives and children joined the saints on the first stage of the journey across the plains to Utah. On the 12th of August 1846 twins, Isaac and Rachel were born to Jersuha Ann. Both twins died at Garden Grove, Iowa, the first in 1846 and the next before 1850.
        John Bair is mentioned as fighting in the Battle of Nauvoo in September 1846 as a member of Spartan Sharp Shooters of the Nauvoo legion. According to our records John Bair already on his way to the west having crossed the Mississippi river in the middle of 1846. He evidently returned to Nauvoo to help defend the city and participated in the Nauvoo War in September of 1846.
        By April 6, 1848 John Bair and his two wives Lucinda and Jerusha are listed among those residing at Garden Grove, Iowa. On April 19th of that year a note is made in the ward records that John Bair had been appointed to do all the business at Garden Grove pertaining to property. His appointment also included assisting the saints at Garden Grove with their legal affairs. On April 28th of that year the minutes of the Captain’s meeting state that John Bair addressed the group requesting to have book and schedules in good order, and he was to pay debt and raise money to move pioneers to valley and pay the obligations the president incurred.
        While at Garden Grove Lucinda gave birth to Belinda Jane 12 March 1848 and Lucinda Amanda 30 December 1849. Katherine Elizabeth Bair born 25 March 1844 and Marion Bair born 20 October 1845 were born in Nauvoo. Jerusha gave birth to twins Isaac and Rachel Bair 12 Aug 1846 both whom died in their infancy at Garden Grove. She also gave birth to Joseph Amasa Bair 25 October 1848 who died 21 August 1849 at Garden Grove. Also at Garden Grove on 2 September 1848 in a council meeting, John Bair was appointed to be an Agent by unanimous vote to secure land by warrant or anyway he thinks best.
        After four years at Garden Grove John Bair and his family finally were able start west with the David Evans Company. Which departed 15 June 1850 and arrived in Salt Lake the13th through 17th of September 1850. The Company consisted of 54 wagons (mostly ox-teams) when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Kanesville, Iowa (present day Council Bluffs). The company was organized into 10’s, 50’s and 100’s. John Bair was appointed Captain of the second fifty. Also listed, as traveling with the company was Jerusha Ann Richardson Bair age 32. Jerusha left three of her babies, which died and were buried in Garden Grove, Iowa. Also in the company were Lucinda Owens Bair age 38, with her three daughters Katherine Elizabeth Bair age 6, Belinda Jane Bair age 2, and Lucinda Amanda Bair age 1.Marion Bair age 4 a son of Lucinda must have been with the company also since he did not die until age 11, but is not listed on the company roster for some reason. Ten companies of pioneers journeyed to Utah in the summer of 1850 arriving during the months of September through October. The first company left the Missouri river on June 3, 1850, and the last one on July 4.1850. These companies consisted of more than 800 wagons carrying 5000 saints and their belongs and 4000 head of sheep and 500 head of cattle.
        After reaching Salt Lake City, the John Bair family settled at Farmington, Davis County, Utah for a short time. There John built the first sawmill in the county and it was there that a son Hyrum was born 16 November 1850. He then was called to start the settlement of Kaysville. It was called Kay’s Ward at that time.
        The Indians respected John Bair and called him “Bear John”. Bear is an Indian name for a brave man. One time the old Fort in Kaysville was surrounded by Indians. All the families were in the Fort, including the John Bair family. Finally the Indians left and the men in an effort to see what was happening called for someone to go out and scout around for Indians. John Bair volunteered and taking two pistols went out and circled around the fort but there were no Indians. The next day an Indian friend came to see “Bear John” as he called him and told him to never come out of the Fort with just two little guns. The Indian told him that he had had a hard time keeping the other Indians from shooting him from where they were hiding. This Indian friend told the other Indians that his name was “Bear John” and they knew that Bear was a scared name.
        The family then moved farther north and west and John built and operated the first ferry across the Bear River, just above the present bridge on the Bear River between Garland and Fielding, Utah. In 1852 Mr. Bair and Nels Empy with others decided to make a journey into Cache Valley. When they arrived in the valley, they were impressed because of the many streams of water and a heavy growth of grass and other features which would make this section a good place in which to live. They concluded then to take up some land claims when the proper time came.
        On the 1st of July 1852 John took his fifth wife, Lucy Ann Maria Cole. Lucy Ann was born 15 September 1830 at Kirtland, Ohio, the daughter of James Barrret Cole and Phoebe Van Alstyne. To this union nine children were born.
1. Phoebe Alvory Bair born 1 Aug 1853, died 22 Sep 1853
2. Morila Almira Bair born 1 Jul 1854, died 25 Feb 1858 age 3
3. Moroni Barnet Bair born 16 Aug 1857, married Francis Bentley Ellis
4. Alzina Mariah Bair born 15 Aug 1858, died 7 Dec 1865
5. Rhoda Suzina Bair born 3 Dec 1860, married John Randall Moody
6. Almira Sarah Bair born 25 Jul 1863, married George Alma Adams
7. William Alma Bair born 25 Jul 1863, married Lucinda Ethel Brower
8. Homer Alvin Bair born 30 Sep 1867, died 11 Apr 1941
9. Joshua Bair born 13 Dec 1868, died 13 Dec 1868
        On the 8th April 1856 at 6:35 p.m. John was married to his sixth wife, Mary Jane Bigelow Young. Brigham Young married John to Mary Jane in Brigham Young’s office. Mary Jane was a former wife of Brigham Young. Mary Jane along with her sister, Lucy Bigelow, married Brigham Young in Winter Quarters in 1847. No one outside the family knew of this marriage until they reach Salt Lake City and Brigham included the two girls into his household. Then in late 1851 Mary Jane divorce Brigham Young and then she married a Horace E Roberts of Provo, Utah in polygamy in Sep of 1852. In 1856 she was marring John Bair, which was a short marriage because by February of 1857 she was married to Daniel Hunt in Salt Lake City. Very little is known about Mary Jane and very little has been written about her and what has been written seems to be in error of the facts. I believe that Mary Jane was barren and she left Brigham in 1851 after she learning that her sister Lucy was pregnant. Lucy bore her first child to Brigham in May of 1852 and Mary Jane married Horace Roberts in Polygamy in Sep of 1852. It’s my opinion that Mary Jane married my Great Grand Father John Bair from advice from Brigham because John had father many children. And because John was a friend of Brigham’s he consented to marring Mary Jane hoping to help her have a child like her sister. Because Lucy bore another child to Brigham in March of 1856 and she married John in April of 1856. Mary Jane in 1868 married Philander Bell but never had any children with her five marriages all of which were polygamist marriages.
        In 1857-1858 Johnston’s army arrived in Utah and John took part in the Echo Canyon War. In July 1859 Mr. Bair with twelve other families, came to Cache Valley and as the settlers at Logan had already taken land near Summit Creek upon which later Smithfield was located, they also had already had crops growing, Mr. Bair and his party went farther north and decided to locate near the stream now known as City Creek in Richmond. When they arrived in the valley they were impressed with the many streams of water and heavy growth of grass and other features which would make this section a good place in which to live.
        They commenced to build some log cabins near a large spring, later called Brower Spring. This was called “Old Fort”. Cottonwood logs along High Creek and pine logs near the foot of Mount Nebo were obtained to build log cabins and to furnish fuel. This was the start of Richmond and took place during the month of July. Some of the families lived in dugouts until the next year when they had more time to build houses. They built four log cabins and dugouts between City Creek and Brower Springs. They built their houses enclosing a tract of land about twenty rods square.
        They went back for their families in the Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1859 the settlement of Richmond was founded, under the leadership of John Bair (Interpreter and Guide). Seventeen families spent the first winter in Richmond. The winter was very severe with deep snow and there had to be the best of cooperation among those first pioneers in order for all to survive that first winter. These Pioneers lived on boiled wheat and course flour made by grinding wheat in coffee mills. When Brigham Young visited the settlement, he said the people were too scattered and advised them to construct a fort where they could live more closely together, and protect themselves better against and Indian attack. "As you are now," said he, "a few Indians could make a raid some night and kill half of you before the other half would know about it."
        Acting on this advice the following spring, other families arrived and a permanent fort was built for protection against Indians. It extended east and west with a street four rods wide. The Fort consisted of two rows of houses running east and west, facing each other, with corrals and sheds for livestock in back of the homes. The corrals extended for five rods, and included the hayracks and gardens. The Fort itself did not have a wall; the rear of the houses, which were built on a continuous line, served that purpose. The corrals were built where all the horses and cattle belonging to the settlers were guarded every night. The fort was 3000 feet long by 465 feet wide. Nothing is left of the old fort, but a monument, built in honor of the Pioneers of 1859 and 1860, which marks the southwest corner of the fort.
        John Bair was one of the leaders in charge of building the fort. They had trouble with the Indians during the building of the fort and afterwards. John Bair had traveled among the Indians a good deal and could speak their language fluently. The Indians called him their white brother and their name for him was “Bear John”. John had always worn his hair long down around his shoulders in black curls. Once he cut his hair short and this made the Indians angry. They surrounded the fort and rode around it several times on their horses. John could see that they were angry and meant trouble. He walked out to them and talked to them for a while and they rode away peaceable. The Indians had always felt he was their brother because he wore his hair long like theirs, but when he cut it they said he was not their brother any more. John was always good at dealing with the Indians and did much to keep peace with them.
        John and Lucinda lived in the Fort after it was built. Also John’s 4th wife Jerusha Ann lived in the fort. She was known as Aunt Ann by Lucinda’s children. Lucinda’s Granddaughter, Elizabeth Sharp, reported that Lucinda and Jerusha Ann were the best of friends. They helped each other when they were sick and during confinement and tended each other’s children. The same could not be said of John’s 5th wife Lucy Ann Maria Cole, or Aunt Luce, as she was known to the family. She was more selfish and jealous of the other wives. According to Elizabeth she caused a great deal of trouble and unhappiness between John and Lucinda and Jerusha. Finally, serious trouble arose between John and Lucinda. John was lead to believe something about Lucinda that was not true. Lucinda, Elizabeth’s Grandmother, was too proud to bear it and she took her children and left the fort. Lucinda and Aunt Ann remain good friends and when Aunt Ann was dying she called for Lucinda to come to her and Aunt Ann asked Lucinda to take her three boys, but John wouldn’t let them go.
        The organization of county government became more complex as Richmond developed. At first the only officials were the probate Judge and three selectmen who acted as executive and legislative authority of the county. To police the county, a sheriff was elected. Then a treasurer was elected to handle county funds, a recorder or clerk was elected to keep the records of the court. In 1860 William Hyde was appointed as the commissioner of roads. In 1861 he was elected county school commissioner and a year later the name was changed to Superintendent of Schools. In December of 1862 John Bair was appointed as prosecuting attorney. John held this office until 1867.
        A son Hyrum remembered, that many times John called out to warn the townspeople when danger or trouble threatened because John’s voice could be heard clearly and distinctly over the entire village. The Indians called him; “Chief Bear John” and they respected his judgment highly. John was the Indian interpreter for the town and many times the Indians came to him to settle their troubles with the white pioneers. John would council with them and then he would shake hands with each one, even though sometimes it was a large gathering of Indians.
        John taught his sons to speak the Indian language. John was a High Priest, Indian War Veteran, Indian Interpreter, shoemaker, lawyer, farmer, and stock raiser. Being a man of large stature, he was at one time a bodyguard to Brigham Young. Bishop Tidwell, who was appointed bishop of the Richmond Ward, was not in the village during the winter of 1859 and John who presided over the Teacher’s quorum, took charge of all the meetings and public affairs generally. (In the early days of the church, the Bishop had no counselors and the president of the teacher’s quorum acted in the absence of the Bishop).
        In 1860 grasshoppers ate twelve acres of wheat in Richmond. Records show that this happen often from 1860 to 1879. The grasshopper plague caused hunger and suffering and food rationing programs. One year the grasshoppers were so bad that the saints feared that not a spear of grain would be left in spite of all they could do. John’s son Hyrum remembered seeing his father, go out into the grain field and pray to the Lord and then demand that the grasshoppers leave in the name of the Lord. Six acres of his grain were spared which was practically all that was saved. His prayer was a blessing to them.
        The Mormon policy to feed the Indians rather than fight them was a heavy drain on the valley’s economy. In 1864 a year of considerable trial the pioneers gave to the Indians a ton of flour, 200 bushels of wheat, two oxen, 2 steers, and a large amount of corn, potatoes, carrots, ammunition and other things. The Richmond Ward records record that John Bair is listed as giving $2.00 for the Indians.
        When the Transcontinental Railroad reached the borders of Utah in 1868, Cache Valley citizens obtained work on both the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads. Employment was provided for 5000 men. Money was rarely seen in the valley and even tickets for parties were purchased with wheat or floor. Most of the income was from the wheat raised by the settlers. There was no sale of butter or eggs and no market for stock except in exchange among themselves. The Railroad brought need wages and financial growth to the valley. Men were in demand and wages were from $3.00 to $6.00 for men and $10.00 for a man and his team. When the gap between the railroads was completed at Promontory Point in May1869, many residents of Cache Valley had reason to be there to see the golden spike driven.
        In the beginning days the Church took charge of giving out land to the settlers in twenty-acre plots more or less as they deem best. This was known as “Squatter’s Rights”. In 1869 a land office was set up in Salt Lake City, which made it possible to own land legally with a five-year residency to give them ownership.
        As John grew older he had heart trouble and wasn’t able to get around much. He used to sit most of the time on his front porch. He had one son who was quite a practical joker. He was inclined to drink and he usually played his tricks after he had been drinking. One time when John was sitting on his porch this son loaded a shotgun with bacon rinds and shot his father in the stomach. It stung and burnt John’s stomach quite badly. John’s granddaughter remembered her Grandfather saying in his deep voice. “I would return the fire if I was able. John liked to walk to the post office. He had to take it very slowly and stop a rest ever so often. John’s granddaughter, Elizabeth, would sometimes go with him and carry a campstool so he could sit down and rest when he got tired.
        The last three or four weeks of John’s life his Granddaughter Elizabeth stayed at his home. Elizabeth was fourteen years old at the time. John had sent for Elizabeth to help her Aunt Luce (Lucy Ann Cole Bair). Aunt Luce had to work outdoors quite a bit and did not like to leave John alone.
        The morning he died Elizabeth was alone with him. Aunt Lucy was out milking the cows and Homer their son had gone to the post office. He was sitting in a chair. He had dropsy and wasn’t able to lie in bed. His chair was fixed with a rest in front with a pillow on it so he could lay his head forward and sleep. He also had a pillow in back of his head so he could rest that way. John was very sick and suffered a great deal. Sometimes the water would break from his legs and run clear across the kitchen floor. Although Aunt Luce was the cause of a lot of unhappiness to her Grandmother, Lucida she was very good to her husband, John. She did everything she could to make him comfortable. Aunt Luce was also very good to Elizabeth while she was staying with them.
        The morning John died he called Elizabeth to him and asked where Aunt Luce and Homer were and she told him. Elizabeth asked him if she should call Aunt Luce and he said “No”. He took both of her hands in his and gave her a blessing. It was a wonderful blessing. and she always wished she could have written the blessing down so she could have remembered it. Then he died and his mouth dropped open. Elizabeth tried to hold his mouth shut with her hand, and finally tied a cloth around his head to hold it shut. When Aunt Luce came in, Elizabeth told her that her Grandfather had died. She started to scream and cry and pull at the pillows. Then she lifted John’s head and she noticed the scar on his face caused by a blow she had given him one time with part of a harness when she was angry. She quickly covered the scar with her hand and cried harder than ever. Elizabeth went outside and saw Mr. Johnson going by and called to him to come in and help. He got Uncle Frank and Uncle George who lived near by to come also. That was on October 11, 1884. John Bair was well liked and much respected by all.
        From the Journal History of the Church Historians Office. Dated 13 October 1884 is the following notice: "Death of a Pioneer"
"The entire community was plunged into the profoundest grief Saturday evening with the announcement of the death of Brother John Bair of Dropsy. Funeral services were held at the family residence at 4:30 Sunday afternoon and a large concourse of sympathizing friends and relatives followed his remains to their last resting place. Brother Bair was born in Buckingham County, Pennsylvania November 26, 1810, and in 1834 became a convert to the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, with whom he was daily, associated for years. He joined the church at Kirkland, Ohio, and in 1850 immigrated to Utah. To such men as Brother Bair, the Latter-day Saints are in debt for laying the cornerstone of their great faith and church.”

© Copyright 2011 Terry L. Chadwick. Descendants of this person are welcome to copy this history for their own use and the use of their families.