John Stock and Jane Adams are my great-great-great-great grandparents. John Stock was born October 12, 1820 in the English possession, Capte Town, South Africa. His parents left their home at Rams Gate, Kent England as newlyweds to colonize in the distant land of South Africa. The English government gave each family a grant of one hundred acres of land and a loan of fifty pounds as an inducement to settlers. John was born in their first year of hardship in their new land.
John became interested in the fur business and eventually owned and operated three tanneries. Occasionally new colonists arrived from England, including Dr. and Mrs. Poyntz Adams and their lovely cultured daughter, Jane. John and Jane were married in 1842.
On April 18, 1853, the first Elders of the Church arrived in South Africa. The Elders were Jesse Haven, William H. Walker, and Leonard I. Smith. They brought the gospel to John and Jane and they were baptized. John took an active part in the church affairs and became Branch President of the Mission.
John paid the money to make it possible for he and his family to travel to America. They left many of their friends, their home with all of its comfortable surroundings and faithful devoted servants and left for America in 1860. After sixty days they reached America, landing in the harbor of Boston. The most difficult part of the journey was still before them.
William Budge acted as guide across the plains. Mile after mile they trudged along in all kinds of weather. Although they were not among the first pioneers, they still had the same long trek over barren wildernesses, crossing streams, and climbing steep, winding, rough, rocky roads. The entire journey from South Africa took them six months and eight days.
John later served a mission back in South Africa, and after he returned he took his family and went to Paris, Bear Lake County, Idaho in May 1864. About a year later Jane died when their youngest daughter Claudia was only a few months old. She was the first woman buried in Paris, Idaho. Later the family moved to help settle Fish Haven, Idaho, where John spent the remaining part of his life.
(Source and "Life of John Stock", a record made from information from his children, his own diary, and dates from family records)
Do you have a photo of Jane Adams Stock?
ReplyDeleteI have added a picture I have of Jane Adams to this post, although it's not the best quality. I'm going to Fish Haven next week and may be able to find a better one, so check back in a few weeks!
ReplyDeleteHi, I also an a descendent of John and Jane Stock. This blog looks exceptionally nice. Do you happen to have any pictures of Ephraim(son of Jane and John) and Susannah (Nelson) Stock. They are my great grandparents. They lived in Fish Haven, Idaho. Late they lived in Wyoming and Utah. My e-mail is janetplanet_1950@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm also a descendant of John Stock (but through his wife Frances Gillson and their son, Charles Coulson Stock.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, I've never seen a photo of him before!
I believe that this John Stock is the same John Stock that was instrumental in getting my 2nd great grandfather, Robert Bodily Sr., into the Mormon church when he lived in Cape Town, South Africa. John was baptized by missionaries and later sent missionaries to Robert. After being taught on 2 different occasions, Robert sent for John Stock to come and baptize him, his family and some of his workers. Robert moved his family from Africa to Kaysville, Utah where he died and is buried. coach3741_20@msn.com
ReplyDeleteI am also related to John Stock. Did you know that when the saints wanted to get to the zion, no one would sell them passages because they were mormon and that's why John Stock purchased a ship? He purchased a ship and sent the first load of mormon passengers to America, him and his family staying behind, to take care of business things I imagine, intending to go on the second voyage. When they were preparing to leave for the second voyage, they loaded the ship, sent it on a test run, and it never came back. So he then purchased a second ship and finally got his family over to Zion. Their story is amazing
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