THE BIOGRAPNY OF JACOB FOUTZ, SR.
Jacob Foutz, Sr. was a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Franklin County on Nov 20, 1800, the son of John Foutz and Elizabeth Catherine Hinkle, who were also natives of the same county and state.
The information available regarding the earlier ancestry of this family is meager. It is know, however, that the father of the above mentioned John Foutz was Conrad Foutz born in Sweibruchen, Germany in 1734 and died in Donegal, Pennsylvania Nov. 20, 1790. Conrad’s wife, Elizabeth, was born in 1739, place unknown. She died Sept. 26, 1827 at Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. According to the records of Mr. A. B. Boutz, who lived in Pennsylvania, and who died about 1937, the above-mentioned Conrad Foutz came to this country from Germany. His father and mother died during the trip over and were buried at sea. Conrad came to America alone, but no record is available as to the year he came. (Recent research has showed that Conrad was on the ship Edinburg and landed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 14 September 1753, James Russel was the ship Captain.)
It is believed that Jacob Foutz, Sr. had several brothers and sisters. The only authentic record we have as yet is a mention made in the diary of Jacob Foutz, Sr. where he writes of having a brother, Micael and a sister, Elizabeth. (Later research shows a family of seven; Mary, John, un-named daughter, Elizabeth, Jacob, Micael, Solomon and Nettie.) The record of his sister, Elizabeth, shows that she was born 22 June 1797 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She married Jacob Hess in 1816. Elizabeth Foutz Hess joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and came to Utah with the pioneers in 1847. She was the mother of twelve children. She made her home in Farmington, Utah. Her posterity is numerous throughout northern Utah.
Very little information is to be had regarding the early life of Jacob Foutz, Sr. we do know, however, that he was an energetic brick layer. When he twenty-one years old (July 22, 1822) he married Margaret Mann (Munn). She was the daughter of David Mann and Mary Rock. born 11 December 1801 in Thomastown, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. When Margaret was a mere baby she was left an orphan, deprived of both parents.
The lives of these two young people, Jacob and Margaret, were destined to be adventuresome and notable. They lived in one of the most progressive periods the world ha ever known and in one of the countries which was making its own early history at this time. They came from a section of this country that furnished many pioneers and early in their married life they too went to live on the frontier.
While they lived in Franklin County, Pennsylvania four girls were born to them, two of which died in infancy. Susan was born 14 Feb. 1823 (married James Brown), and Polly was born 10 Oct 1824. Polly lived to be about seven years old, as it is believed she died sometime in 1831. The third daughter, Nancy Ann, was born in Jemper City, Franklin, Pennsylvania on the 21st day of May 1826 (married Ephraim John Pearson). The fourth child Elizabeth was born September 13, 1827 (married Henson Walker).
Mainly German people settled Franklin County where the Foutz family lived and the Foutz children were taught to speak the German language before they learned to speak English. This caused them much embarrassment when they left this section of the country and went west among the English-speaking people.
In the latter part of the year 1827, the family moved west to Richland County, Ohio. At this time Ohio and the country westward was only sparsely settled. The small settlements were chiefly along the rivers which were the main means of travel. There was much good land to be had for the taking and many families were leaving their homes in the east to take up farming on the western frontiers.
It was in this new home in Richland County, Ohio where the fifth child in the Foutz family was born. This daughter they named Sarah. Here also death visited this humble abode as Polly, their second daughter, died sometime in 1831. In December of the same year their sixth daughter, Catherine, was born to them on Christmas Day.
While this little family lived in Richland County, Ohio, Elder David Evans of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints came to visit their home and taught then the Gospel. They were convinced of its truth and were baptized, which was a very unpopular thing to do at this time, as most people were very bitter toward the Elders.
The same year they became members of the Church, their first son was born. He was Alma, the seventh child in the family, born 4 December 1824. This child, however, was not permitted to live long upon the earth, as he died in childhood sometime before October 1838.
Shortly after the Foutz family joined the Church, they probably felt the “spirit of gathering” which was then being taught by the Elders of the church, for they left Ohio and moved farther west. This time they purchased some land on the Crooked River in Missouri. Here was an organized branch of the church and here they hoped to have a permanent home. This branch of the church was presided over by their friend, Elder David Evans, the elder who first preached the gospel to them.
Speaking of this new home in Missouri, Margaret Foutz says, “We enjoyed ourselves exceedingly well and everything seemed to prosper, but the spirit ;of persecution began to manifest itself. Falsehoods were circulated about the Mormon population that was settling about the region and soon there began to be signs of trouble.”
Here on the Crooked River in Caldwell County, Missouri, another son was born to the Foutz family on 16 March 1837. This son they named Joseph Lehi. He was the eldest son to live and was destined to play an important role in the settling of the west.
The Foutz family, with the other members of the little settlement, was not permitted to enjoy their new home for long. The mobs were driving the Saints out of one county after another in Missouri and as Margaret Foutz said, “Even in the little settlement of Haun’s Mill in the Caldwell County, trouble was being felt.” The mobs had threatened to destroy the mill owned by Brother Haun and so as a precautionary measure the Saints had organized themselves together and planned to keep a few watchmen at the mill continually.