Philip de la Mare's adventures
Philip de La Mare
Written by Everett de la Mare in 1993
Philip de la Mare, my great grandfather, a man who made a significant contribution to the history of Utah, Tooele County, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The de la Mare family had its origin in Normandy, France around 1600, when my ancestors left for the island of Jersy to excape the bloody revolution taking part in that country.
Early years
As a young man Philip lived on the island of Jersey, and at the age of 26 became a member of the church. He was a successful contractor with his father and played a major role in bringing the sugar beet manufacturing plant from Europe to Utah.
Philip was born 2 April 1823 and died 16 October 1915 at the age of 92. He was the fifth chld in a family of fourteen. His education was limited and at the age of 10 he began working on a farm, and two years later secured a five-year apprenmeship in a blacksmith shop. He worked twelve hour days, six days a week, and walked six miles each way to and from work. The first year he received no payment, the second year 30 cents a day, the third year 36 cents a day, the fourth year 50 cents a day, and the fifth year 75 cents a day. The sixth year he received journeymans wage of four shillings a day,
Phillip worked for his father building bridges until 1845, when he traveled to England, and worked for three years. He met and married Mary Ann Parkin in 1848. In 1847 his father called him home, as he had been awarded the contract to build the Albert Pier. He was associated with his father in its construction, one thousand men were employed for five years. The total contract was £540,000, or approx 2,745,000 dollars. Phillip, himself made a profit of around 10,000 dollars.
It was while working on the project that one of the workman, John Le Cocq told him of new religion that was being preached in town. He had always been of a religious nature, and seized the first opportunity to investigate. He heard elder William Dunbar preach a sermon, and upon hearing it was impressed to request immediate baptism. He was baptized in 1849, one week later he was ordained an elder and he began preaching the message of the restored gospel.
Phillip and Mary Ann were both 26, with two children. Shortly after Mary Ann married Philip she caught a head cold, which resulted in her losing her hearing. This handicap remained with her for the rest of her life.
Philip began soon after his conversion to use his means, time and talents for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God.
Paris visit
In June of 1850, elder John Taylor, of the Council of Twelve, arrived with others on a mission to France to preach the Gospel. In autumn of 1850 Elder Taylor visited the island of Jersey, and met Philip de la Mare. Elder Taylor planned to return to Paris to supervise the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon in French. He asked Philip to accompany him, he needed financial assistance and aid in the translation.
It took 15 days for the trip to Paris, and Philip had taken along his wife and two children.
Missionary work in France was very difficult. They had to be careful to avoid persecution and arrest. He began his work as a missionary, and had many experiences, he was employed off and on by his father to gain funds to continue his missionary efforts.
Apostle Taylor visited Philip and had received a communication from the church to purchase a machine to develop and manufacture beer sugar, as a councilor to Apostle Taylor they visited Arras, France. He assisted in searching and lay plans for the manufacture of a machine in March of 1851.
In December 1851 to England to organize a company to purchase the machine, and make arrangements to transport it to America, and on to Salt Lake Valley. The company was called Desert Manufacturing Company.
While Philip was in Liverpool he met Marie Chevalier, a young women fron the island of Jersey. She and Philip were converted in Jersey , and baptised by the same elder the same month, and year.
Philip and Mary Ann had three children, and offered to pay Marie’s fare to America if she would care for his wife and children, and she accepted. Philip had seen appointed to proceed the shipment of the sugar beet equipment to America, and prepare to transport it to Utah on its arrival.
They sailed in 1852 from England to New Orleans. While Philip was in St Louis to transact business tragedy struck, the cholera plague had hit the compound of Saints, and all three children were ill. Mary Jane died and was buried in Weston, near St Louis.
Second marriage
It was about this time Philip and Mary Ann had seen talking about celestial marriage, and as a result Philip proposed to Marie, and she accepted. They were married in April 1852 in St Louis.
The sugar beet equipment left Liverpool in March 1852, and arrived in New Orleans in April 1852. J H Russell accompanied Philip, and made arrangements for the building of 52 wagons, and Philip started searching for oxen. At one time he carried 6,000 dollars in a money belt. In the end he paid 6,000 for 200 yoke of oxen.
On 4 July 1852 the wagons left for Salt Lake Valley, and continued on to deliver the equipment to Provo. The machinery was returned to Temple Square.
The attempt to make sugar failed, the company was hoplessly in debt, and ownership passed on to the trustee, who was the church. A monument was erected in Sugar House, and the names of those involved are on the stone. The project had failed but the attempt stirred interest and pointed the way for successful manufacturing venture by the church in the 1890s.
Philipe was now 30 years old. It had been a little more than four years since this successful young engineer from the island cf Jersey had joined the church. At that time he accumulated a small fortune of 10,000 dollars, now, four years later, he was thousands of miles from his birthplace, and completely penniless.
Several of those who had lost money in the venture were grumbling. Brigham Young confronted them, and asked: "What did you come to the valley for?" They replied: "We came to benefit ourselves.”
Brigham Young told them: "Well, you had better go back". He then turned to Philip, who had lost more in the venture than all and said: "why did you come?” Philip answered: “I came for my religion". Brigham Young patted him on the shoulder and said: You’ll be all right, we don't need to worry about you." President Young offered him a job in the public blacksmith shop of the church. His primary duty would be to sharpen tools for the Salt Lake temple after construction had begun. He did not accept the position, but told President Young that he had always been his own master. President Young slapped him on the back and told him to go be his own master.
He and his family remained in Salt Lake until the spring of 1853. He opened a blacksmith shop on Second South between Main and West Temple. His wife Mary Ann sold many of her priceless possessions to raise the money to purchase tools her husband needed.
While in Salt Lake City Philip and his family attended the impressive ceremony of the laying of the corner stones for the Salt Lake temple.
Move to Tooele
Philip had become acquainted with John Gillespie of Tooele, Utah. Mr Gillespie had been a member of the wagon train which was sent to assist Capt de la Mare’s company across the Green River.
He persuaded Philip to move to Tooele. Tooele had been settled less than four years.
Early in the spring of 1853 the de la Mare family left for Tooele in a wagon pulled by four horses. They made excellent time and arrived in Tooele the same day.
Shortly after arrival he constructed two log houses for his wives on North Main. He also constructed a blacksmith shop between the two homes and did blacksmithing for the people of the valley.
In 1854 Col Steptoe's command left Kansas bound for the Pacific coast. They had 450 mules and 300 horses. Most of these were to be delivered in California. Because of change in orders it was necessary for Steptoe to remain thru the winter in Utah. They arrived in Salt Lake City, and remained for two days, then resumed their march to find a suitable location. They chose Rush Valley, about ten miles from Tooele.
The coming of Steptoe was a great blessing for the de la Mare family, as they were struggling as pioneers, sometimes not knowing where food was coming from.
On recommendation of Brigham Young, Philip was hired by Steptoe. The exact date is not known, Philip made 3,000 mule and horse shoes to be had in readyness for the trip to California. He was to travel with them as blacksmith and mechanic.
The trip of over 1,000 miles took two and a half months. Shortly after arr1veng in California he sent 100 dollars with a man from California to his wife, which not only helped his family, but many of the Saints in Tooele.
Washington expedition
Leaving Steptoe’s command he was employed by a government expedition to the Cascade Mountains, in what is now Washington State. Because of the difficulties with the expeixtion they returned to California.
He stayed for a short time in Scott Valley where he opened a blacksmith shop. While in California his family and other residents were suffering from severe famine caused by the shortage of water and influx of grasshoppers and crickets.
When word reached Philip he left immediately for his home. He had made a considerable amount of money while working for Steptoe, and in the northwest, and in California. The amount has been placed at between 9,000 and 12,000 dollars. The money was in square one ounce gold pieces. He traveled to San Bernardino, a Mormon colony. He purchased a supply of food, and clothing, which he transported to Tooele.
Not only did this food and clothing provide for his own, but he also generofusly distributed to many of the other families who were suffering from want of the needs of life.
He enjoyed being back with his family, and reopened his blacksmith shop. He became acquaninted with a young lady, Jennette Micklejohn, who had emigrated from Scotland in 1855. She had been the first woman to go to Stockton, Utah where she cooked for men cutting wild hay.
She and Philip were married in 1857 in the Salt Lake Endowment House. $he was seventeen years old at the time of their iyiarriage. With the comming of johnston's army hejoined to help defend defend. He was made a captain over a company, and spent the winter of 1857 in Echo Canyon preparing to defend.
He remained in Tooele during the years of 1858-1859, when he received a mission call to the British mission, that was to take him away from home for three and a half years.
Return to America
Following his mission he was reunited with his family. In 1864 he opened a blacksmith shop in Salt Lake because of the small amounts of work in Tooele. He stayed a short time, and returned to be near his family. When the co-operative blacksmith shop was opened in Tooele he was hired to manage it, he also maintained his own shop.
He had a blacksmith shop in Stockton which he continued to operate until 1898, when he was 75.
He purchased a 4 acre farm, and purchased a threshing machine. He did the threshsng of wheat for Tooele City, Stockton, Ophir, Erda, Lincoln, Lake Point, St John, Clover and Vernon.
He served two terms as member of the city council. In 1875 under his leadership and others they engaged in a major project to get running water in the homes.
Phillips three wives bore him 21 children. He became a member of the Tooele Stake High Council in 1882.
At the age of 76 he was ordained a Patriarch in the LDS church by Apostle Francis Lyman, his old friend, and Apostle John Henry Smith. He served in that capacity until his death in 1915.
My father lived with Philip de la Mare for a period of time after my grandmother had died. He told him, on traveling to Salt Lake City, that one day lights would extend from the city to Tooele, and that is true.
