Jesse Joel Smith

Jesse Joel Smith, the second son of Clarinda Ricks and Silas Sanford Smith, was born in Paragonah, Utah, November 4, 1857. His mother died when he was six years old. His step-mother, Eliza Bennett Smith, took charge of Clarinda’s family and taught them faith in the Lord. The boys learned early in life to assume responsibility with their father on the farm and with the care of the stock. Jesse acquired considerable skill in the management of horses and cattle before he was grown. At age twenty two, along with other pioneers, he was called to colonize the San Juan River Valley in southeastern Utah. Jesse’s father was called to head this expedition, later called the Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition, which turned out to be an extremely difficult journey. Upon arriving in the San Juan Valley, the Saints built Bluff City. Here Jesse and a friend, Amasa Barton, built up a trading post business on the banks of the river to trade with the Indians. It was successful until a huge flood came down the river and carried all of his supplies away early in 1884. With his fiancee’s encouragement, he started over and married her, too. It was on her twentieth birthday, April 6, 1884, that he and Margaret Ann Haskell were married. By this time his father, Silas, had been given the responsibility to form another settlement in Manassa, Colorado. Jesse thought the new place might be a good one to start over and took his bride, sharing expenses and transportation with her sister, Maria and husband, Brigham Harrison, to the San Luis Valley in Colorado. Jesse worked in a flour mill, saved some money, bought a saw mill, sold it and then ran a cattle ranch with his father fifty miles from Manassa until he could start his own ranch. He also worked as a range foreman for a large corporation. His family lived on the ranch in the summer and moved to Manassa in the winter to attend school and church. Jesse was called to serve a two-year mission and left December 4, 1897, serving in New Jersey. Upon returning home, he found that even though he had paid for his mission, his wife had managed their affairs so well that he still had savings. The range was damaged by sheep and Jesse decided to find a new home. Wyoming was being advertised as a new frontier and he made a trip there in December, 1901. He purchased a ranch on Shell Creek, about fifty miles from Big Horn Stake where an LDS colony had been established in early 1900. At home once more, he started planning and preparing for the move to Wyoming. They started with a large outfit, two wagons trailed together drawn by six horses and driven by 17 year-old Jesse, a top buggy for mom and sisters, and ten-year old Thales on a pony. Jesse (Dad) scouted the trail on his horse. Near the Wyoming border, young Jesse took sick with cramps in his stomach. He was taken to a railroad hospital, undergoing surgery for removal of the appendix and died three days later. The family returned home to Manassa by train, leaving their belongings with a trusted friend, and buried their son. After a difficult journey, they finally arrived at Shell in July, 1902. Jesse and Thales worked hard developing their ranch. In the winter, Jesse worked in a store, being part owner. He also helped with the canal. He enjoyed good friends, other the cattlemen in the area. In April 1905, he became seriously ill with inflammation of the bowels but overcame it. He seemed to understand after that that he did not have much longer to live. In September 1905, he became ill again and shortly thereafter passed away. He told his wife, “The boys have come for me and I must go.” At his funeral, his bishop said, “When it comes to being true blue and loyal to the church, there isn’t a man in my ward that I would place above him.”

Taken from Family History Stories of Silas Sanford Smith and family, in the possession of Darrell and Sherilyn Smith.