Draft:Thomas & Margaret John Family Organization
The Thomas & Margaret John Family Organization was founded in 1883 by the descendants and family of Thomas and Margaret John. They were Welsh immigrants who left their home country in 1861 and arrived to homestead Portage, Utah in the Malad Valley in 1867. The organization is governed by a body of family officers, a constitution, and bylaws.
Background and Family
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Thomas John was born 29 January 1820 in Wood, Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom. He was the fifth and youngest child of William John and Letitia Phillips. His siblings' names from oldest to youngest are Martha John, James John, Mary John, and William John. He Married Margaret Thomas on the 13 July 1841 in Mathry, Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom. She was born 18 August 1814 in Roch, Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom.
They had 10 Children, though the oldest died as an infant. Thomas John, Phoebe John, William John, Charles John, Ann John, James John, Levi John, Henry John, Letitia John, and Mary Jane John.
The family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and in 1861, after much religious persecution, made their journey to Zion. The family, everyone except for Phoebe, made their journey on an old ship, the New York Manchester. Traveling from Liverpool to Castle Garden New York. They found a home in Kings New York (Now Brooklyn). After just over a year of working and saving in the middle of the American Civil War, they made the next leg of their journey to Winter Quarters in Florence Nebraska where they joined a wagon train to the Salt Lake Valley. They continued traveling until they arrived in the Cache Valley in the small settlement of Wellsville in 1864.
A few short years later in 1887, the family made land claims to grow and sell hay to the Montana Gold Miners traveling through and moved to the east side of the Malad Valley. The following year they made their homesteads on the West side of the valley, just north of where Portage is today.
Organization
[edit]The organization meets on a yearly basis, usually around the third weekend in June, Father's day. For the last several years the reunion has been held at the Portage Park Friday evening and Saturday. Friday is informal and family is welcome to bring food and games to share, and camp for the night. Saturday brings history displays, a silent auction, door prizes, a Business Meeting, and Lunch. There is often also a special event, like a tour of the land, or shared stories from relatives.
The organization's website is ThomasandMargaretJohn.org and is the place where updates, family documents, and other items are shared. A Facebook Group is also in place to get updates and announcements out.
The Original Constitution and Bylaws were approved at the Annual Meeting of the Association on May 27, 1950. And were updated on 19 June 2021.