Jacob Hamblin and Kanab

It is interesting to note that we are not related to Jacob Hamblin and we don’t actually have family connections in Kanab. This chapter in Damon’s family history adventure talks about both Jacob Hamblin and Kanab. There are connections to both of them in Damon’s family history.

On the Westover side the connections are many. Jacob Hamblin was a neighbor to Edwin Westover, who lived for many years in Hamblin, Utah. Charles Westover, living in St. George and Washington City, had frequent interaction with Jacob Hamblin. Residents of Southern Utah communities were regularly visited by Jacob Hamblin because his calling was to serve the Native American people of the area. He worked relentlessly to spread peace, resolve disputes and to teach the Gospel to the many Indian peoples.

In this video, we explore the activities of Jacob Hamblin in and around Kanab that have connections to all sides of the family:

We reference the Samuel Barnhurst family in this video for several reasons. First of all, their experience living in Circleville demonstrates how much interfacing with Indians was a factor in pioneer living. The Barnhursts were asked to settle there after many years in Ephriam. But they were not long in Circleville due to the Black Hawk War, which we have talked about before in detailing the complicated history of Warren S. Snow, of Manti.

The Barnhursts moved next to Cedar City, which put them in the orbit of Joel Hills Johnson. Later they moved to Hatch, which put them close the to Asay family.

And that’s just what pioneering life was like in 19th century Utah. It was a series of starts and stops that put people in contact with others who were experiencing the same.

The discovery of Aunt Anna Mary Barnhurst’s experience working for Joel Hills Johnson in Cedar City was made just last night. I was only trying to learn more about Grandma Priscilla’s siblings when I found that passage in Anna Mary’s autobiography. Damon was literally reading over my shoulder as I found it. In fact, he may have noticed it before I did because we both shouted at the same time.

It’s just a tiny detail, one that in the life of Anna Mary is merely a passing bit of trivia. But for Damon and for me it is powerful insight into their world and we never tire of reading these coincidences.

We’re still only up to about the year 1870 in our exploration. The next ten years in Southern Utah – for all families involved here – were fascinating. There is much more of this story to tell.