Note: Reid A Robison's great-great-great-great grandfather wrote the words to the Hymn: "Come All Ye Sons of God." Thomas Davenport was his grandfather Adams' father's grandfather on his mother's side of the family.
Thomas Davenport was born April 1, 1815, in the parish of Brampton, Derby, England. He was the fifth child born to Robert Davenport and Ann Jarvis.
Thomas married Sarah Burrows on August 28, 1836 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Sarah was the fourth child of John Burrows and Charlotte Barber and was born on July 24, 1811.
Thomas and Sarah were both converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thomas was baptized April 21, 1847 and Sarah was baptized a few weeks later on June 8, 1847. Shortly after Thomas was baptized he was ordained a teacher and later in the same year, he was ordained a priest (September 26, 1847). On April 27, 1848, he was ordained an elder and appointed to preside over the branch of the church in England. One morning during this time, Thomas was on his way to a priesthood meeting and was inspired to write the words of “Come All Ye Sons of God” which is now found in the LDS hymn book.
Come All Ye Sons of God
Come all ye sons of God, who have received the priesthood.
Go spread the gospel wide, and gather in his people;
The latter day work has begun, to gather scattered Israel in,
And bring them back to Zion to praise the Lamb.
Come all ye scattered sheep, and listen to your Shepherd,
While you the blessing reap, which long have been predicted;
By prophets long it’s been foretold, He’ll gather you into his fold;
And bring you home to Zion to praise the Lamb.
Repent and be baptized, and have your sins remitted,
And get the Spirit’s zeal; O then you’ll be united;
Go cast upon him all your car; He will regard your humble prayer,
And bring you home to Zion to praise the Lamb.
And when your grief is o’er and ended your affliction,
Your spirits then will soar to await the resurrection;
And then his presence you’ll enjoy, in heavenly bliss your time Employ,
A thousand years in Zion to praise the Lamb.
Even though the melody is written by another composer, his son William wrote that the song as written in the hymn book is Thomas’ arrangement. The hymn, “Come All Ye Sons of God,” is a hymn of three fold import: first an appeal to the sons of God to spread the gospel; second, an appeal to the scattered sheep to listen to the voice of the shepherd; and their a promise that all who are faithful shall enjoy heavenly bliss.
Certainly the words of this song express the ferver and zeal that Thomas felt in his heart as he went about his missionary labors. In Thomas’ obituary, it says he was set apart to labor as a traveling Elder to preach the Gospel, November 16, 1847, and he continued to so act until the month of November 1859. He worked six days each week at his trade of potter and traveled and preached on Sunday. During that time, he taught the gospel in quite a number of places in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and founded several branches of the Church, notably one at Bolsover, Derbyshire, over which he presided. He was instrumental in bringing about fifty people into the Church at that place. In performing his mission, Thomas estimated that he traveled on foot eight hundred and forty-nine miles.
Thomas began a journal when he landed in New Orleans after coming to America, so he really did not leave any record of his activities in England except for Church records of baptisms, ordinances, etc. In searching through the branch minute records in the Historical Society, there are some indications of Thomas’ activity there.
The decision to come to America and eventually join the Saints in Utah must have occurred sometime in the fore part of 1849. Thomas presumably sailed from Liverpool, November 10, 1849, and arrive in New Orleans December 24, 1849. The latter date is recorded in Thomas’ journal and corresponds with the arrival date of the 45th Company’s migration on the “Zetland.”
Thomas evidently began keeping a journal following his arrival in New Orleans. In his own hand, we have a record of his trip up the Mississippi to St. Louis, Missouri and subsequently to Pottawottamy County, Iowa.
While residing in Key Creek during the winter of 1851, Thomas and the other Saints were admonished to leave Pottawatomie, Iowa, and emigrate to the Salt Lake Valley. During January 1852, in company with three brethren, (McGuire, Briggs, and Karsons)
Thomas secured timber to construct a wagon. A Brother Elisha Davis loaned him use of a bull to complete his team.
On June 20, 1852, the family left Key Creek for Big Pigeon to join up with the 16th company of Saints led by Captain Uriah Curtis. As recorded in the church emigration records of 1852, Uriah Curtis was in charge of a company of Saints numbering about 365, which had been organized by Elder Jedediah M. Grant and Ezra Taft Benson on June 24, 1852. The company left crossing the Missouri River a few days later. Thomas’ journal records the crossing date as being July 1.
In the Journal of History, December 31, 1852, the following is recorded: “The emigraion of Latter-day Saints across the plains in 1852 was larger than in any preceding years, owing to the fact that the Saints, who had made themselves temporary homes in Pottawatomie County, Iowa had been counseled by President Brigham Young to migrate to the valleys of the mountains. As the majority of the Saints complied with the counsel given all the branches in Pottawatomie County (between thirty and fifty in number) were discontinued and the membership of these branches constituted an important part of the emigration of that year. The emigration from Great Britain was also a large one that season and a number of Saints who had spend a year or more in St. Louis, Missouri, crossed the plains in 1852 making their way to the Valley.
Some of the Saints who for various reasons could not get ready for crossing the plains in 1852, went to the Valley the following year or years, but a few who refused to comply with the counsel of the authorities of the Church made themselves permanent homes in the Pottawattomie County and some of these subsequently became identified with apostate organizations or sidetracked “Mormonism” altogether.
Thomas’ journal entries of the trip across the plains were scant. He mentions losing, through death, the bull loaned by Brother Davis, and trading off some of his possessions at Fort Laramie. A family account written years later said the two milk cows had to be used to pull the heavily loaded wagon. Notwithstanding some trials, Thomas took the trek in good stride. His succinct comment was “had a pleasant trip over the plains.”
He was 37 years old, his wife was 41 and their children were: William, 15; John, 8; Sarah Ann, 6; and James 1. Their belongings consisted of 1 wagon, 4 oxen, and 2 cows. The historical records also show that this was the emigration of 1852, Sixteenth Company, organized by Ezra T. Benson and Jedidiah Grant. It was led by Uriah Curtis, Captain of Fifty and arrived on October 8, 1852.
Thomas and members of the 16th Company were undoubtedly welcomed, as seem to have been the custom, by Saints in the Valley, with music, song, and voice. Records do not show exactly how long he and the family stayed in Salt Lake, but it must have been a very short time because he was counseled to go to Iron County and start a pottery. However, their arrival in Salt Lake was about the time of General Conference. At this particular conference, much was said encouraging the Saints to voluntarily go to Iron County.
It must have taken much faith and dedication for Thomas and his family, after traveling some 1,500 miles across the plains, to continue on another 250 miles from Salt Lake to Parowan. They responded to the call and arrived on November 4, 1852.
The first home occupied by the Davenports following their arrival in Parowan was a house owned by Brother Moss. The family resided their only sixteen days, for on the 19th of November they moved into an adobe house acquired in trade from a Brother Glispy for the tree steers and wagon Thomas had brought across the plains. Later he traded for a log cabin and ten shares of land. The lad he farmed while getting established in his pottery business.
It was in November 1853, when Thomas burned his first kiln of pottery. Brother Brigham had said: “Draw from the native elements the necessities of Life.” This is exactly what Thomas Davenport did. He found a splendid source of clay two miles up Parowan Canyon, built a kiln and hauled his clay in a wheelbarrow to town.
Thomas’ first kiln of pottery was nearly all broken. This must have been very discouraging after all his work of making the jars and pans by hand. In the spring of 1856, Thomas created another kiln of pottery only to find it again nearly all broken. In the spring of 1857, however, Thomas burned yet another kiln which was more successful, as one third of it was good. By 1858, Thomas had learned to burn his pottery with complete success.
Thomas’ pottery came to be called Davenportware. Each piece could be identified as his thumbprint was placed in the workable clay before it was fired. Thomas also did farming along with his pottery business. This was undoubtedly necessary for him to sustain his family. He mentions farming upon his arrival in Parowan. On April 6th, 1857, Thomas moved into a house belonging to E. W. Thompson, where he lived for one year. Here he mentions doing farming along with working at the pottery.
The following story had been handed down in the family about a year when there was a serious drought and only a little food was to be found. Thomas had just enough wheat for his family.
The Threshing Story
It was threshing time and Thomas Davenport was all ready to thresh his wheat. The threshing machine was all ready to start when a band of Indians rode up on their cayuse ponies, each one demanding a sack of grain. Thomas Davenport looked at his little stack of grain and then at all the Indians with their sacks and shook his head. There wouldn’t be enough for his family and them too, as the crops had been very light that season. The grasshoppers had nearly cleaned the fields in Parowan Valley. So he rounded up a bunch of vigilantes in full view of the red men. There was Bob Quarm with his iron peg leg and wooden stump for a foot. He used to strap this around his knee. Then there was Robert Miller with his curly red wig and George A. Smith with his false teeth. At a given signal, Bob Quarm gave a war whoop and unbuckled his peg leg and threw it in the air. Rober Miller, not to be outdone, gave another war whoop and threw his wig in the air, exposing his starry dome. The Indians stood wide-eyed, but when George A. Smith gave a howl and let his false teeth fall, they took to their horses and fled. (Page 91 of Dalton’s Book)
Mabel Jarvis, a descendent of George A. Smith describes the incident in the following poem:
Scare the Indians
In Parowan town, when the Pioneers
Were having great hardships, their sighs and tears,
Were often dispelled by some small event;
That happened just as folks came and went,
And one that made folks laugh, sure enough,
Is this one I am going to tell you of.
It was harvest time, and the Davenports
Were filled with joy, and their happy hearts
Beat high, as they viewed their stack of wheat,
This winter they’d surely have bread to eat.
The threshers were coming the very next day,
So they could put their grain away.
When lo! There came galloping down the street,
Twenty Indians, with sacks and demanding wheat.
We can’t spare any the Davenports said.
If we do, there’ll be none left for our own bread.
So Thomas Davenport went to town,
To see George A. Smith and bring help down.
Brother Smith, Robert Miller and Bob Quarm
Said, “Leave it to us, and there’ll be no harm.”
They went to the stack where the Indians were
And in just a few minutes they made a store.
Robert Miller’s wig was a flaming red,
And George A. Smith had false teeth in his head,
And Robert Quarm had a peg leg too,
Buckled on at the knee, so what did they do?
They bowed their heads almost to the ground,
Then up on the grain stack went Miller’s wig,
And Goerge A. Smith’s teeth; then riggidy jig,
Off came Quarm’s peg leg, and onto the stack;
Where it joined wig and teeth, Alas, and Alack!
The Indians were frightened, and people say
They mounted their horses and rode away.
And Davenports kept their stack of wheat,
And all that winter had bread to eat.
The preceding shows of Thomas’ resourcefulness. It was related in an issue of the Church, Ensign magazine.
In the spring of 1858, Thomas started to build his own home. The property, which was later owned by Thomas D. Adams. It included the house, a two-acre lot with a number of fruit trees, a barn, a chicken coop, and a nice garden. An additional piece of property containing an apple orchard was located across the street. The house was one of the first built in Parowan. It had a large living room, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a porch that ran across the east side and north front. There was a small cellar with a cupboard for fruit and a screen cupboard for milk and other foods. The house was built of hand-molded, sun-dried adobe and was plastered and whitewashed inside and out. There was no inside water, but clear water was available close by. Quite near the home was an English elm tree planted as a seedling by Thomas. It grew to be one of the biggest trees in all of Iron County. Near the tree was Thomas’ kiln, used for many years to supply pottery for all of southern Utah in pioneer times.
Temple ordinance work was important to Thomas and Sarah and in November 1856, they received their endowments at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They took the trip north in late October 1856 and returned home in the spring of 1857,
Family activities centered around gardening, soap making, selling pottery, and music. Thomas was remembered as an excellent gardener, the first to successfully raise celery in Parowan. A generous man, he and his family freely shared his produce with the neighbors. The boys were also involved in helping on the farm as much of their livelihood depended upon farming.
Lye was made using a leach built in the back yard of the home. This was done by pouring water through the ashes obtained from cottonwood trees. The drippings were used for making the actual lye.
Some of the children were undoubtedly involved in making and selling pottery. The son John sold his pottery in Beaver and other communities.
Music was a central part of the lives of the Davenport family. The children learned to love and appreciate good music. In the evenings and on special occasions, they would engage in group and individual singing. Some of the songs sung were of Thomas’ own composing. This exposure to musical and cultural arts affected the lives of the children.
Daughter Sarah Ann was active in both drama and music. At age eleven, she began singing with Thomas Durham’s choir.
Thomas and Sarah Burrows Davenport, as devoted Latter-day Saints had great love and affection for their children. They sought to set the proper example and to encourage them in their lives. The effect they had on the children seemed great. To the end of their lives, the children remained faithful Latter-day Saints.
Thomas set an example of community and church service for his family. He served as a director of the Parowan Branch of the United Order and as alderman, city councilman, and treasurer.
The branch of the United Order was organized in Parowan in April 1873 when President Brigham Young, George A. Smith, and Erastus Snow visited. On April 10, 1874, President Young was again in Parowan on his annual tour of the southern communities and he took occasion to encourage the people to sign up in the united order. On March 9, 1875, the order was organized under territorial law with Thomas Davenport being elected as one of the directors.
The order lasted only one more year, disbanding in 1876, since most of the city residents did not enter into it. The people as a whole did not go into the United Order. Judging from the Official Board of Directors, most of the leading families went into it. Their property was turned into a common fund and each received according to his need.
Thomas’ Church career was spent in doing missionary work, magnifying his priesthood, filling church leadership positions and in doing temple ordinance work for his deceased ancestors. In England, he traveled hundreds of miles on foot preaching the gospel in many sectors of the country. Prior to his immigration to American he served as president of the Bolsover, Derby, England Branch. In Parowan his church service continued to flower and grow.
By magnifying his priesthood, Thomas was ordained a seventy May 18, 1857, and eleven years later a high priest, March 25, 1868. Being a seasoned worker, he was ready for the calls that came to him commencing in 1869. Approximately twenty years were spent in leadership positions, first as a counselor to two ward bishops (1869-1879) and then for the next ten years as a member of the High Council. Concurrent with these positions, he regularly sang in the ward choir, rarely missing a practice or a meeting.
Genealogy and temple work also occupied his time with ordinance work being conducted on behalf of his kindred dead first in Salt Lake at the endowment house and later at the dedicated St. George Temple.
Patriarchal Blessing of Thomas Davenport given on February 23, 1854 by Elisha H. Groves, at Parowan , Iron County, Utah Territory.
Brother Thomas, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth by virtue of the Holy Priesthood in me invested, I place my hands upon thy head to seal upon these a Partriarchal or Father’s blessing which shall rest upon thee, and thou shalt realize the fulfillment thereof in as much as thou wilt be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord they God, yieding to no temptation. Thy life shall be precious in the sight of thy Heavenly Father. Thy days shall be many upon the earth, the holy angels shall be with thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up and deliver thee from the temptations of the evil ones who would seek to overthrow the sons of Adam. Thou art of the seed of Abraham of the loins of Joseph and blood of Mannasseh, a lawful heir to the blessings and fulness of the Holy Priesthood which thou shalt receive in due time that thou mayest be able to officiate in the ordinances of the house of the Lord in behalf of thy progenitors. Thou art a father in Israel, thy posterity shall become numerous upon the earth, thy name shall be perpetuated to the latest generation. Thou shalt receive of the dews of heaven and of the fruits of the earth, and all things needful to render life happy and agreeable.
Thou shalt have wisdom given unto thee that thous mayest fill any mission or station where unto thou mayest be called in as much as thou will seek it with all thy heart doubting not, thou mayest live to behold the winding up scene, the coming of thy Redeemer, the reign of peacee, receive many blessings and privileges in the Temple in Zion, be annointed a King and a Priest unto the most high God, receive thy Crown, Kingdom, Dominion, Power, and Eternal increase.
Be thou therefore faithful, yield to no temptations and these blessings shall be sure unto thee.
I seal them upon they head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, even so.
Amen.
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