The Hadwen Family of Lancashire

Historical Sketch of

John Sampson Hacking1835 - 1917
Compiled by Martha Wilcox Hacking from incidents he related to his children.

Printed in “John Sampson Hacking Family Bulletin, No. 1, 1954”

Retyped by Victoria Wilson Chambers, great-granddaughter, 11/05/04
One by one the sturdy pioneers who braved so many hardships, suffered so much, and fought so gallantly to establish themselves far from civilization and persecution, have passed to their reward. But they have left a wonderful legacy, not only of beautiful homes and pleasant surroundings, but also a record of strength and high courage combined with the ability to laugh and be happy while beset by hardship and danger. These characteristics dominated the life of John Sampson Hacking, early pioneer of Utah.

Son of James Hacking and Jane Pearson Hacking, John Sampson Hacking was born September 16, 1835 at Preston, Lancashire, England. His father, James Hacking of Preston, Lancashire, England, was a cabinet maker by trade. That he was proficient in his art is bound out by the fact that he even made violins. John remembered one made by his father which he played with as a child.

James Hacking married Jane Pearson. They first heard the Gospel taught by Latter-day Saint missionaries in 1839. They were favorably impressed and James, coming home from work one evening, passed a place where the Mormon missionaries were having a meeting. He stood outside near a window and was thrilled with the things he heard, often remarking to those near him, “That sounds good to me.” He was not to become a member, however, for before he had the privilege of attending another meeting, he was stricken with a sudden illness and died. His wife, however, joined the Church that same year.

James and Jane Pearson Hacking were the parents of four children: James Jr., Jane, John Sampson, and Harriett. John Sampson was born September 16, 1835 at Preston, Lanca-shire, England, and was left fatherless at the tender age of four years.

The family was in destitute circumstances. From later events it seemed that James Hacking was entitled to a small estate, but being entailed, it could not be claimed until the eldest son, James Jr., was of age. So with four small children and nothing to live on, the mother faced a hard and bitter struggle against starvation. They were often hungry, but the mother was too proud to accept charity.

John and his little sister Harriett wandered from home one day and stood shivering at a corner watching the people hurrying past. Some of those passing noticed the forlorn children and gave them pennies. Happily they took the pennies to mother, thinking how pleased she would be, only to receive a severe scolding. “That,” said their mother, “is begging and my children must not beg.”

One year after the death of her husband, Jane Hacking married John Fisher, who was a weaver by trade. At the age of six years John was set to the task of winding bobbins for his stepfather, a task which became very tiresome before the day was through.

Mr. Fisher contracted consumption, and unable to work at his trade, he applied to the Parish for easier work so he could support his family. In stead of being given a job, he was sent to the poor house. John, being too young to do other work than winding bobbins, was sent with him. Here they were separated into different wards. The boys slept four in a bed. The men were required to break rock for macadamizing the roads. It was soon discovered that Mr. Fisher was from another shire, so they were discharged.

When John was seven years old, 1842, he began to work in the cotton mills, and at the age of eleven he was chosen from a group of 360 boys to run the first self-acting bobbins ever to be used.

John and the other boys were now allowed to work half a day and attend school the other half, and so in his eleventh year, 1846, he got three months school, all he ever had. It was customary to give the children a holiday on May 20th, Queen Victoria’s birthday. But that particular year it was decided to keep school that day. Some of the boys, including John, decided to have a holiday at all cost, so instead of going to school, they went to the Barracks to watch a sham battle. For this they were beaten so severely that someone higher in authority, presumably the principal, was called in, and the teacher was discharged. Discipline was very strict in the school and punishment sometimes severe, but in this case it went too far. If the children’s hands or faces became soiled, they were sent to the pump to wash, using sandstone for soap.

When about twelve years of age, about 1847, John had an experience which reacted pleasantly for him for some time. On his was to work one morning, he saw a little girl break through the ice into deep water while skating. Whether it was a pond in the park or a stream of water is not known. John plunged in to rescue the child, and took her to her home nearby. Hurrying to his work, he found the factory gates locked, but the gatekeeper, seeing him wet to the skin and shivering with cold, took pity on him and opened the gate. The manager allowed him to stand by the boiler until he was warm and dry.

On his way home, he called at the home of the little girl he had save, to see if she was all right, and was overwhelmed with thanks and given a large slice of bread spread thickly with butter. He could hardly believe his eyes. Never had he seen butter so thick. His mother’s method, when they were fortunate enough to have butter, was to spread it on the bread and then scrape off what she could, leaving only a scant flavor of butter. But this…”Mmmm,” John said. He never had tasted anything so good. The grateful mother urged him to come often, and thereafter he enjoyed many such treats.

One day as John was coming home from taking his step-father’s dinner, he saw a large eel which had been left in the canal after the water was turned out. He waded out into the pool and caught the eel, but it slipped through his hands. Nothing daunting, he grabbed the fish with his teeth and carried it out on the beach. His mother, seeing him come home wet and muddy, was cross, but when she saw the eel she was glad. Now they would have a real delight for dinner.

John and his two close friends, Thomas and Willard Dobson, were often ridiculed because they were Mormons. They were called, “Dippers” because of the Mormon’s mode of baptism. The other boys would sometimes gang up on them and ill treat them. John, who feared no one, would fight the crowd if he had on his wooden clogs, which with their iron rims, were very effective on the shins of their tormentors. If he was caught without clogs on, his friends would lend him theirs.

While in a friendly wrestling match with another lad, his opponent’s neck was dislocated. Luckily an army doctor was just passing and put it in place, but the boy was laid up for a long time. John and the boy who had got them to wrestle took over the injured boy’s job at the factory, gave him the money earned, and thus saved his job until he was able to take over.

The Hacking/Fisher family had long awaited an opportunity to immigrate to America. In 1849, James Jr. had saved enough money to buy tickets for the whole family to cross the ocean. The family at that time numbered ten – four children having been born to Mr. & Mrs. Fisher. They landed at New Orleans, Louisiana, in the fall of 1849. Their money gone, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher and their children remained in New Orleans and James took John and their sisters, Jane and Harriett, by steam boat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri.

Here the boys found work in the coal pits. Just before leaving the mines after work, they would dig under the coal a few feet. The coal above would loosen and by morning would be much easier to dig. James and John were, therefore, able to dig more coal than any other three men.

Five weeks later their mother wrote that she and her husband were both ill, and the family on the verge of starvation. She thought if John, who at that time was fourteen years old, could come down they would be all right. So James gave John $2.00 and persuaded the captain of the boat to let him work his passage to New Orleans. His job was assisting the fireman. One day he was eating some dried apples on deck, and one of the deck hands gave him such a severe beating that the mate was called and came to his rescue. The mate reprimanded the surly deck hand, and taking John into the kitchen, told the cook to give the boy all he could eat.

There was much waste in the kitchen and John, hating to see good food go to waste while people were hungry, asked the cook if he might take it to the poor people in steerage, or lower deck. The cook consented on one condition, that he keep it carefully covered and not let it be known. John agreed, and so carried food closely covered, which would be otherwise thrown overboard, to those hungry people. Needless to say, it was greatly appreciated.

Arriving in New Orleans, John was surprised to find that his people had passed him about five miles from St. Louis. Thomas Pearson, his mother’s brother, hearing of their plight, had paid their passage to St. Louis. It was, however, too late to save the life of their baby boy, Willie, who died of starvation just as they entered the St. Louis docks. What a terrible trial for the poor mother.

After John spent two or three days with friends in New Orleans, he went back up the Mississippi on the same boat again, working his passage. Using the $2.00 James had given him, John bought eggs at each landing and sold them to the passengers at a small profit, clearing $12.00 on the trip. This he gave to his mother and it helped more than one would imagine in buying nourishment for her loved ones.

Eighteen months passed before they had finally earned enough to continue their journey to the gathering place of the Saints in the West. But finally, in 1851, they crossed the plains, traveling in the Cardon Company. Arriving in Utah, they settled in American Fork, on the spot where the Chipman Mercantile now stands. He drew that lot, and later gave it to the City for the public square.

John Fisher lived but a short time after their arrival, his being the first death and burial in American Fork. Their daughter, Harriett, was the third person buried in the adjoining town of Lehi.

After getting the family settled, John found a job. It is known that he worked some time for Mercer’s in American Fork. He lived with the Binns family one winter. One of the Mercer girls later became the wife of James Kirkham. They were always close friends.

In the fall of 1853, John was called to go to Fillmore to help build a fort for protections against the Indians. He also helped to build the State Capitol Building in Fillmore, which was at that time capitol of the State. He was one of a company of men under Captain William Sidney Willes who were sent to Fillmore to protect the settlement during the Walker War. An account of this expedition and the cannon which they called “Old Sow” is recorded in the Lehi Centennial History 1850-1950, as follows, under the heading, “Indian Expeditions”:

“Soon after the outbreak of the Walker War, Captain Willes with thirty men was detailed to Salt Creek (now Nephi) to assist the people there. They served only ten days before returning home. Later an expedition left Lehi with Millard County as the objective point and of this, James Harwood, a member of the company, gives the following interesting account:

‘Captain Sidney Willes was ordered to take his company and proceed to Fillmore, the capitol of the Territory. William Wadsworth, Abram Hatch, Sylvanus Collett, William Ball, George Coleman, John Hacking and myself, with others from American Fork and Pleasant Grove, made up the Company.

‘It was quite an undertaking at that time to find horses and saddles, as but few of these were used, oxen being the principal beast of burden. By the first of August, we were on the way and succeeded in getting through without any attacks from the Indians. A Company from Salt Lake City, who were a few days’ march ahead of us attached at Willow Springs and several of their number killed. When we arrived in Fillmore, we acted as guards for the settlement and stock while the people gathered their crops and placed themselves in a position of defense.

‘Shortly afterwards, we received orders to gather up all the surplus cattle and bring them to Salt Lake City for safety. When we started on our trip we took with us a canon, John Hacking and myself having it in charge. We had no occasion to use it, but I think it had a salutary effect upon the minds of the red men. They said they did not mind being fired upon with guns, but they seriously objected to being shot at with wagons.

‘The old cannon is now in the museum in Salt Lake City.’”

Back in American Fork, John found his mother’s family without food. So he bought a load of wheat and took it to a gristmill at the mouth of American Fork Canyon, where it was ground into flour. By noon the next day it had all been loaned to hungry neighbors except fifty pounds. He bought another load of wheat and had it made into flour, but it soon went the same way. Unable to get more wheat, he gave his mother the bran and shorts he had saved for his horse and turned the animal to forage for himself.

In January, 1854, John moved his mother to Cedar Fort, seventeen miles west of American Fork, where he purchased a house and lot from Eli Bell, one of the first settlers of that place. That same year, John brought an order from President Brigham Young for the settlers to build a rock fort for protection from the Indians. This fort was to be four rods square and 16 feet high and no gate.

After some consultation, the settlers decided to make the new fort eight rods square with a gate, so they could live within the walls. They began at once to haul rock and lay up the walls but the fort was never finished, probably due to the fact that the Indian trouble abated. Part of the wall is still standing. The west joins the John Sampson Hacking homestead and on the south it joins the property of Mrs. Ed Cook. When the fort was being torn down with the idea of building a church on the square, John was paid the sum of $50.00 to have that portion left as a monument of those early days.

This fort has no connection to the cedar fort from which the town got its name. When the village was first founded, a number of houses were built in a square along the creek flowing from a nearby spring. This location was first south of where the stone fort was later built. During the year of 1853, the settlers drove large pickets of cedar between the houses, forming a small fort 19 feet high, 11 rods wide, and 23 rods long, with two gates, one on the north and one on the south. Thus became the town named Cedar Fort. The home of the Fisher family was in this fort.

That year John’s love for adventure led him to join the Gunnison Party. Captain John Gunnison was head of the topographical engineers who were surveying for a railroad. This survey was authorized by Congress and made by order of Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War. The route crossed through Green and Grand River Valleys and west of the Wasatch Mountains twined north to the Sevier River.

Here the party made camp, afterward separating in groups to search out the best route. On October 26, 1853 Captain Gunnison with eleven of his men were encamped on a bend of the Sevier River when in the early morning hours they were attacked by Indians who had crept upon them in the night. Captain Gunnison rushed from the tent with raised hands, calling to the Indians that he was their friend. He fell, pierced with arrows and rifle shots. Eight of the eleven were killed. The Indians had been aroused by the unnecessary killing of two peaceful Indians by immigrants traveling through to California.

The Company was reorganized with Lt. Beckworth as captain, but continued under the name of Gunnison Exploring Company. The Company did not continue on its way to California until spring. John was hired to break mules for the company and so on May 4, 1854 left with them for California. Not many days after their departure, one member of the party, a big Irishman, displayed some clothing he had stolen in Salt Lake City. Among the articles were some of the L.D.S. garments which he displayed and ridiculed. He boasted of sleeping with Brigham Young’s wives, at which point John could stand it no longer. “You’re a damn liar! I know some of the Brigham wives and they are all good, virtuous women.” The man rushed to attack John.

The sergeant interfered and in the scuffle, the Irishman bit the Sergeant’s thumb almost off. For punishment, he was handcuffed and fastened to the wheel of a wagon, with a short chain, and forced to travel that way for several days, bending up and down with each turn of the wheel. There were four guards following along to see that he couldn’t get away.

John soon found other chores to do besides breaking mules. He helped put up the officers’ tents and arrange the camp, chopped the wood for the cook, and roasted coffee and made himself useful in many ways. One day as he was chopping wood the ax slipped in some way and cut off three of his toes. He was carried into the Captain’s tent, and the doctor was called. John watched very closely while the doctor sewed the toes back on, and the knowledge gained through this experience was of great value to him in his future life. He also learned to set broken bones and thus were many who thanked him for setting a broken arm or leg when there was no doctor to go to.

John’s niece, Clara Clark Cook, cut two of her toes off in the same way he had, and he, by using the knowledge he had gained by watching the doctor of the Gunnison Party sew on his toes, he was able to sew Clara’s toes on and did a very good job.

He also sewed the nose of Allen Weeks, Jr., when it was kicked off by a horse and was only hanging by the skin on the lower part of the nose. People who saw the patient when it was healed said the job was so well done that it wasn’t noticeable across the room.

The Gunnison Party continued their survey, climbing Mt. Shasta, a feat which few, if any, had accomplished before. John’s duties were ended when they reached Shasta City, and he received his discharge in August, 1854, the trip having taken something over three months. After being mustered out of service, he went to Georgetown, California, to see his Uncle, Thomas Pearson, of whom we last heard in New Orleans when he paid for the passage of his sister, John’s mother, and her family on the steamboat up the Mississippi to join her sons and daughters at St. Louis. He had passed through Salt Lake to reach California where he now owned a dance hall and gold mine and other properties.

At Georgetown, John intended to ride on the stagecoach. He found it filled. He urged the driver to let him get on anyhow. On being refused he said, “I’ll beat you to Georgetown on foot.” He struck out with his bedroll on his back, taking advantage of each shortcut. Going uphill John would get ahead of the stage, but going down hill the stage would pass him. As the last stretch of the journey was uphill, John came out in lead and was sitting on the platform when the stage pulled in. The passengers of the stage were rooting for John all the way, and when the stage stopped, they carried John into the lunch room, ordered the best meal they had, and made the stage driver pay the bill. One of the men took him to the edge of town and showed him where his uncle lived. On his arrival, his uncle said to him, “Don’t let it be known that you are a Mormon or you’ll never get a job.” Two hours later the paper came with glaring headlines: “Mormon Youth Carrying a 100 lb. Bundle Beats Stage Coach.” Turning to John, his uncle asked, “Was that you?” “Yes,” said John, it was but it wasn’t a 100 pound roll.”

John was in California several months, and it speaks highly for his integrity that during that time he abstained from drinking, smoking, and other bad habits, although temptation was all around him.

He worked in mines, carried gold from the mines, tended bar, swept and mopped floors, and etc. He also worked at other mines. At one place the men were allowed to take their pay in gold dust. John had found a nugget shaped like clasped hands sawed off at the wrists. When he was paid, he asked if he might have this nugget. Unable to find it, the owner had the men searched. It was found on a man named Boston. Some of the men wanted to hang him. He was placed in a shack and a man left to guard him, while the owner and others decided his fate. Boston begged so hard that the guard finally allowed him to escape through a window in the back room. The thief went to the cabin of his benefactor and stole everything he had, then skipped. They never found him. Those were glamorous times and his uncle received his share of the gold which flowed so freely.

One man had a trick donkey. The owner offered a sum of money to anyone who could ride the donkey without being thrown, charging so much for each trial. Hundreds had tried, but the tricky mule piled them as fast as they got on. Thomas Pearson, watching the fun one day said, “I have a nephew that can ride him.” “Bring him on,” said the owner. So John was brought, and after watching a while, he mounted the donkey, locked his long legs around the small animal, and stayed with him.

The wily animal tried all his tricks, but to no avail. Finally, the little fellow lay down. John slipped one foot to the ground and when the donkey got up he was on its back. “If he had rolled over he would have had me,” said John. As if acknowledging a defeat, the donkey walked down the enclosure to his master and stopped. John had won the $50.00 prize.

The Pearsons had a large tree so tall and leaning over the house that they feared it would be blown over and crush the house. They wished it cut down, but were afraid to cut it lest it fall on the house. They were going to remove a sick lady from the building, but John said, “Leave her alone; she won’t be hurt.” He marked the place where the tree was to fall, and began chopping. In due time the tree fell in the exact spot he had marked.

After spending nearly two years in California, John decided to go back to Utah. He went by steamboat to the Isthmus of Panama, crossing the Isthmus on the first passenger train from west to east between the cities of Panama and Aspenwall, now called Colon. All along the road were graves of men who died with Malaria while working on the railroad. There were men still working, and John noticed how thin and emaciated they were, almost like walking skeletons, from that dread disease.

He told how meals were served on long tables with small Negro waiters running up and down on the center of the table, serving the men. One of the men mentioned how good the beefsteak was. The waiter said, “No, Boss, that no beefsteak, that’s monkey meat.” The men were so angry they tipped the table bottom side up.

Sailing up the Atlantic Coast to the New York Harbor, he made his way to St. Louis again, going by way of Niagara Falls. Here he met his childhood sweetheart, Jane Clark, who, with her parents, James and Elizabeth Pearson Clark, had immigrated to America in 1850.

John and Jane were married May 5, 1856. Jane, with her parents, left for Council Bluffs two days later. John stayed in St. Louis six weeks, working in the coal pits to get money for expenses on their trip west.

The Clark family was going by team, and was unable to take much except their food and bedding. So John shipped all their goods up the river by steamboat to Council Bluffs. After paying for his passage, freight bill, and provisions, John had twenty-five cents left of his six weeks’ wages. When he arrived at Council Bluffs, he heard that all the Clark family, including his bride, had been massacred.

This report was soon proven untrue, to his great joy. While waiting for a wagon train to arrive, he met a friend by the name of Wellop who took him to another friend, Eli Hall. Both of these friends had crossed the sea with John. Mr. Wellop got John’s freight from the warehouse and Mr. Hall stored it free of charge. Wellop then took him to the home of his father, where he was given work until his folks should come. For this, he received $15.00 and a deer hide.

When the Clark family finally arrived, they all crossed the river to Florence, Nebraska, where Cummings was fitting up teams and wagons for the journey across the plains. They were placed in the Banks Company, but were with the ten wagons that later pulled out and went on alone under Captain James Pearson Clark.

A dispute had arisen when part of the men refused guard duty and other unpleasant jobs. Rather than to be imposed upon, the driver of the ten wagons pulled out. The company had very little sickness and no deaths. One baby was born on the way. When they reached Ft. Laramie they found three tribes of Indians who were there to make treaties with the U.S. Government. Their ponies had eaten off the grass for about sixty miles, so the pioneers found little feed for their oxen.

One evening as they were camped beside a deep gulch which they had crossed, a sudden storm arose. The gulch was soon flooded with water which overflowed the banks and spread out until it was about a foot deep in camp. The oxen stampeded and plunged into the torrent. John and his brother-in-law, James Clark, stripped, and swam the stream, then were obliged to run two miles before they could turn the frightened beasts back.

While they were camped at Ft. Bridger, the first handcart company, under Captain Ellsworth, arrived at the Fort.

When the company of ten wagons were fording the Elkhorn River (sometimes called Luke’s Fork) one yoke of oxen were caught in a whirlpool and got fast to a floating tree. John and James P. Clark swam in, unyoked the oxen, and all got out safely. The Company arrived in Salt Lake City September 27, 1856.

They settled at Cedar Fort, where, except for a short time when Jane and John lived at Spring Creek between American Fork and Lehi, they resided the remainder of their lives.

Due to Indian hostilities and molestation by Johnston’s Army, the people of Cedar Fort were forced to abandon their homes three times. It was after one of those moves that Jane and John and their young son, James, lived for awhile near American Fork.

John’s daughter, Caroline, told of this incident:

“One night during a bad storm, an Indian chief came to their home and asked for shelter. They took him and fed him, then allowed him to sleep on the kitchen floor near the fire.

“Sometime later John decided to go to Pole Canyon in the hills west of Cedar Fort for a load of poles, taking Jane and their small boy, James, about four months old, along to visit her mother while he got the poles. So, tying a roll of bedding on the runner gear of the wagon and placing a loaf of bread in a sack and tying it on also, they started out with their ox team. As they were going through the low hills between Utah Valley and Cedar Valley, about seven miles from Lehi, a small band of Indians swooped down from a knoll to the north and they demanded food. Badly frightened, Jane begged her husband to give them the loaf of bread. This he refused to do, so the Indians began spearing the oxen with arrows.

“An old Indian chief was following in the rear and he kept yelling at them and gesticulating for them to stop and come back, but they ignored him. One Indian tried to grab the loaf of bread and got a lash with the bull whip for his pains. At that the Indians drew back their arrows as if to shoot, but the yells of the old chief were so persistent that they finally decided to heed him. After spearing the oxen again they turned and rode back the way they came.

“The frightened animals ran until their tongues hung down from exhaustion before they were finally brought under control. The old chief turned out to be the same Indian that had been given shelter in the Hacking home. Jane, scared out of her wits, had a hard time holding on to her baby and clinging to her precarious position on the roll of bedding.

“A day or two later, John was at his mother’s home when some Indians came there to beg. Among them was one who kept his blanket around him, only his eyes being uncovered. John made a quick move and jerked away the blanket. There was a great welt across the Indian’s cheek where he had been slashed with the bull whip. The Indians lost no time in getting away from there.”

Wishing to move his family to Cedar Fort, John consulted Bishop Weeks about building a house in the fort. He was not encouraged to do so; probably because there was so little room. Father Daton was moving to American Fork and told John to build on his ground, so that is where he built. The lot was outside the fort, where the Earl Cook granary now stands.

Bishop Weeks thought it wrong to build outside the fort, and sent word to President Brigham Young. The reply was, “Let him go ahead and build. You should all have been out of the fort before this.”

John homesteaded and bought in later years more land to make 270 acres. The settlers fenced all their land in together. Most of the water for irrigating the fields came from the North Canyon. The stream dried up during the latter part of the summer, often before the crops were matured.

Water for culinary purposes and gardening came from two springs, one just above the town and one about three miles north and west.

The ground was rich and fertile and soon all kinds of vegetables and grains were raised. Money was very scarce; indeed, it was almost nil until the Johnston’s Army came in 1858. The Army first encamped north of Cedar Fort on the North Ditch, but when it was found that the water supply would not last the year around, they moved their camp to a spot near Fairfield, five miles south of Cedar Fort. This camp was called Camp Floyd. The Army brought prosperity to the little settlement. They now had a market for all they could raise of hay, grain, and vegetables; 5,000 was a lot of men to feed.

An industry new to that locality sprang up; that of burning charcoal for the use of the Army. John learned about burning charcoal from his experience in the coal pits at St. Louis, and so one winter day he loaded his camp equipment on a large hand sleigh and walked across the valley to the East Mountains, pulling the hand sleigh. Here, where cedar trees were plentiful, he selected a place for his pits and made his camp. Clearing a space of sagebrush and grass, he cut the wood and piled it in a cone shape. This he covered first with mud, then started a fire, after which he covered the mound with dirt. The covered fire burned slowly and steadily but required constant watching, for if a small flame broke through creating a draft, it would all go up in flames.

Quite a number of men from Cedar Fort worked at the charcoal pits, watching the pits in shifts, night and day. There was ready sale for the charcoal at Camp Floyd and to Sandy for the soldiers at Fort Douglas, and later to the smelters at Murray. This was indeed a boon to the men, as it enabled them to purchase supplies so badly needed. John’s camp rations were very meager, no meat or even fat of any kind.

One day a cow with a young calf came near his camp, and seeing that unless she was milked and tended she would have a ruined udder, John milked her and soon had plenty of milk to use. When the owner came hunting his cattle, John explained things to him. The owner thanked him and said, “I see you are not starving the calf any, so just keep on milking her.”

While the Army helped the settlers in a financial way, they were also a menace to the little Village. On August 22, 1859 the Fort was fired on by a company of soldiers, who also set fire to a stack of hay outside the Fort. At first, settlers thought they were being attacked by Indians. John paused to listen to the whizzing bullets and said, “It is not Indians that are shooting. Those are bullets from Army rifles.” This proved to be correct, according to a letter written after the attack. One horse, one cow, and one yearling were killed. Damage was estimated at $1,188.00.

A guard was set with instruction to call, “Who goes there?” three times, if any suspicious movements were seen in the dark. If no answer came, they were to fire.

It is said that Eli Bennett saw a form creeping along in the darkness. Being excited, he called, “Who goes there?” three times. Receiving no answer, he fired, and shot a pig. Prior to this, John, seeing a form slinking along the wall, was on the point of firing when he discovered it was a white woman, thus the order to call before firing saved a life.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, the soldiers were ordered to return to the East. Many of the soldiers were in sympathy with the South, General Johnston himself joining the Rebels Army. A footnote in Whitney’s, Making of a State, reads: “General Johnston, wearing the gray instead of the blue, commanding a Confederate Army instead of a Union Army, met General Grant at Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and fell at the crisis of that terrible battle, which but for his death, might have been won for the South.”

Before Camp Floyd was evacuated, immense stores of supplies and provisions were sold for almost nothing. Goods worth four million dollars were sold for one hundred thousand dollars. Great quantities of arms and ammunition were destroyed by direction of the Departments.

John was one of those who profited by this great sale. He purchased many badly needed articles for a very small sum of money. Among other things, he bought equipment for completing his blacksmith shop. His friends asked what he would do with it, as he knew nothing of blacksmithing, to which he answered, “Well, I can learn. I may burn up a lot of iron, but iron is cheap.” And learn he did. Soon he was second to none in shoeing horses, setting tires and many other things needful in a farming community. He invented and made a number of things to make farming easier.

When the Cedar Fort Co-op Store was organized, he was one of the stockholders. He was also purchasing agent and freighted the goods from Salt Lake City. Later he pulled out of the Co-op and set up a store on his own. The Cedar Fort Irrigation Company was organized in 1870, with John S. Hacking as watermaster, a position he held without pay for fifty-three years.

So now we have John Sampson Hacking, farmer, blacksmith, merchant, doctor, watermaster, freighter, charcoal burner, and Indian fighter; a far cry from the hungry little fatherless boy of old England days. He fought in both the Black Hawk and Walker Wars and other skirmishes. He was left for dead on the battlefield, but the bullet just grazed his scalp and stunned him. He carried the scar to his death. At another time, and Indian had John by the hair and the tomahawk raised to scalp him, when he was shot by one of John’s Company.

John and Jane Clark were the parents of fourteen children, eight boys and six girls. All grew to maturity except one little girl who died in infancy. All grew up to be honest, respected citizens and faithful Latter-day Saints. Among them were stake officers, Bishops, Patriarch, Relief Society presidents, Young Men and Young Women Mutual Improvement Associations presidents, Sunday School Superintendents, and Primary presidents.

Much of the credit for this remarkable record is due to their wonderful mother, and eldest daughter, Harriett, who never married, but devoted her life to the task of helping her mother to rear her large family.

The third daughter, Jane, died leaving a young husband, Harry Southam, and young daughter, Alice. The child was taken in the Hacking home and mothered by dear Aunt Hattie (Harriett) as if she were her own. She has kept the family reputation by filling many important positions in the Church. She (Alice) and her husband, Barnes Cook, are the parents of thirteen children.

Jane Clark Hacking, beloved wife and mother, passed away March 3, 1912 at her home in Cedar Fort, after an illness of thirteen months.

John Sampson Hacking survived his wife five years, passing away July 27, 1917.

And so those noble pioneers have gone to their reward, but the wonderful heritage left to their posterity will be treasured forever.

Memories of John Sampson Hacking

As told by

Thomas William Hacking, Youngest Son

Recorded by Maurine Hacking Jeffery, Granddaughter

The following was told to me, Maurine Hacking Jeffery, by my father, Thomas William Hacking, November 24, 1949, when I asked him to tell me more about Grandfather’s interests, accomplishment sand traits while he was raising his family.

Grandfather and Grandmother, John and Jane Clark Hacking, first lived in the Fort, and then they moved out and lived just back of where Earl Cook’s home is now. Then they moved into an adobe house where the chicken coop now stands; the adobe house west of the big 3-story home where Thomas William, the youngest child lives.

It took eight years to build this 3-story house. The first story was made of rock, with a full basement, the upper story plastered on the outside. (I, Maurine, loved the upstairs bedroom; could look out the windows and see the beautiful mountains; in the spring see the lilacs.)

John was a stockholder, member, and purchasing agent of Cedar Fort Co-op, freighted from Salt Lake to Cedar Fort until he sold his interest and started for himself in 1879.

He operated the store in one of his rooms of the residence until the spring of 1897 when he bought the old log school house and turned part of it into a store. He operated the store in this until his health failed him, then his daughter Harriett managed it until she had a complete stroke in 1917, the summer her father died. Then the store was in operation for two years by his son, Thomas William.

When the Irrigation Company was organized, he was chosen assistant watermaster. About two years later, he was chosen watermaster. This position he held until his health failed him. It was during his term of office when some enterprising young people dug a tunnel in the canyon just south of the canyon where the spring known as Spring Creek was located. It tapped the water that came out of the spring located just southwest of town. They claimed the water, so John went to President A. O. Smoot of Utah Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who came and investigated. After carefully studying the situation, he said, “The water belongs to the original spring and the water must be turned back to the original channel.”

As they had put in a lot of work on the tunnel and it could be used by the water company, the ones who dug the tunnel felt that they should have something for their work so John S. Hacking and John Cook paid $500.00 each to settle the affair. That made the water for culinary use and gardens for the town coming from Spring Creek, the tunnel and the town spring.

About the year 1895 eight or ten members of the south side of town put in the south water system, and in the spring of 1896 John was a most influential citizen to put in a system for fourteen families in the center part of town from the south spring. John and his sons helped dig trenches by hand and horse and plow to lay the pipe for this system.

While he was one of the directors he had the government investigate possibilities of a reservoir to store water in North Canyon, which was carefully considered and advised as impractical because of the underlying stratus.

In 1907 John was chosen as a delegate to the National Irrigation Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

At one time while he was on the school board. He went to the Brigham Young University to Karl G. Maeser and told him that they needed a teacher to teach the children. So students taking up elementary education were sent out to Cedar Fort to practice their training, for which they received credit. The teachers’ board and room was provided by the parents, free.

John was a good provider and encouraged his children to acquire an education as he had been deprived of.

John shared what he had to those who were in need. He never licked his kids because he said, “He got enough beatings when he was small for all his children and his grandchildren.”

In his spare moments in the winter, he made hand sleighs and bob sleighs, repaired farm machinery, wagons and buggies. He was an expert in shoeing horses.

I, Maurine H. Jeffery, was two years old when Grandfather died. I remember he used to hold me on his lap and sing to me. He played hide-and-go-seek with Berniece and I.

United Written for the 54 Aniversary of the Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. John Hacking of Cedar Fort. Occassions like this of the present,Will carry us back thru the years. That by this dear couple have been spentTogether, thru struggle, thru Joy and thru tears. And our hearts do well up and we’re joyful.We’re proud and we’re gay and wer’e sad.As we think of their long life so changeful.And how stern the experience they’ve had. And we’re thankful to night they are with usAnd can hear the kind words we would say.For if the Lord of his spirit will give usWithout speaking we’ll not turn away We would speak forth our praise and thanksgivingTo our Father who guided their ways.And also of this loving couple,We wish to speak kind words of praise. For long years ago they were married.He a youth and she but a maid.And or Fifty Four years they have tarriedStaid true to the vows they have made. Oh how many make ship-wreck of marriage!How honored should they be who keep,Those holy vows bright and untarnishedIn heart sacredness hallowed and deep. ‘Twas in St. Louis Mo. That their first marriage took placeThen hastened they on to the valleys. And in their youth too they enlisted As saints in these latterdaysAnd as pioneers, builders defenders,They are worthy our choicest praise. For while many by trifles offended.From the truth and its worth turned away.These two with true hearts toward heaven,Have chosen thru trials to stay. And lo, their reward it is with them.Their blessings beyond compare,Except by those who’ve lived like themAnd therefore the same blessings share. Oh how blessed are John and Jane Hacking.On this their 54th Wedding day.Surrounded by many dear children Loved by many tonight far awayTheir decendants near number a hundred,And many the priesthood now bear. And all are so placed here in Zion.The word of the Lord they can hear. Blest, honored, beloved, respected.May they comforted rest on their wayMay their power for good ne’er diminishBut grow great forever and age. (Typed from original text without corrections by Rebecca Chambers Greding 10/01/2008. Original copy in possession of Lola Hacking Fowlke Family Estate.)