History of Thomas Fenton: A Pioneer of 1851 Document Number: 55
Author: JENSEN, Myrtle Institution: Personal Experience Classification: ORIGINAL: GeneralHistory Location: USA, Utah, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City Date Range: BTWN 1822 and 1890 History of FENTON, Thomas Document Entry Number: 1
Transcription: History of THOMAS FENTON Born April 7, 1822 A Pioneer of 1851 Written by his Granddaughter MYRTLE FENTON JENSEN FOR Camp 33 Daughters Utah Pioneers
Thomas Fenton was born April 7, 1822, at Carlton, Nottinghamshire, England. He was a son of Robert Fenton and Mary Anderson. In 1843, at the age of 21, he married Emma Alcroft. In 1848, on the nineteenth of July, he was baptized by James Sylvester. A few months after his baptism, Thomas Fenton, his wife, and a brother traveled from England to the United States. His brother became disillusioned with this new country, and went on to Australia. There he became quite wealthy in the sheep industry. Thomas and his wife emigrated to New Orleans, and then travelled along the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. In May, 1851, he started to Utah with his wife. He had engaged part of a wagon owned by Alex Robbins, and drove an ox team across the plains. The company captain was John Brown, who later became a Bishop in Pleasant Grove. they arrived in Utah in September, 1851, their trip to Utah taking four months. Upon arriving here, he served as an officer in the state militia. Two years later, on the third of May, 1853, he received a patriarchal blessing by Patriarch John Smith. The fifteenth of November the same year, he was ordained a High Priest by George B. Wallace. He and his wife Emma were separated, and she left Salt Lake with her son and daughter to reside in Pleasant Grove. In 1854, at the age of 32, he married his second wife, Emma Coombes. The family house was in the Sixth Ward. From the records of this ward, the following receipts were found.
This certifies that Thomas Fenton has paid labor and produce. Tithing in full to April 1, 1855, in Salt Lake City. April 27, 1855 (signed A. Colkin, clerk)
December 10, 1855. labor done on Cottonwood Canal allowed on tithing.
On November 6, 1859, a tax was levied for school repairs. Thomas Fenton's share was 32.5 cents.
January 1, 1860, he turned in one-fourth of a wagon load of wood to apply on tithing.
In 1861, he turned in twenty-one pounds of dried beef, and twenty-one pounds of bacon, for which his tithing account was credited in amount of $5.25.
One year the church took a survey of all belongings of the Saints. Thomas Fenton was recorded as having: farm land (ten of his acres of ground located between Seventh and Eighth South, and Sixth and Seventh West, are presently occupied by the Deseret Industries), house and lots, horses, 25 oxen, 30 cows (which were the first pure- strain Jersey cows to arrive in the valley, and they were pastured where Pioneer Park now stands), sheep (with which he gained considerable wealth), 5 calves, 40 pigs, chickens, stoves, 5 guns, 15 wagons, a carriage, ducks, and $80.00 cash on hand. That was real wealth. Thomas Fenton was primarily a nurseryman. He had a greenhouse on his family property and as a little girl, I remember going with father to the family home, where the flowers, the summer houses, and the braided rugs, the marble topped table, the gas chandeliers and glass bead portieres have remained in my memory. Many of the trees he planted in Liberty Park and Holy Cross Hospital and at Fort Douglas, are still standing. He is credited with bringing the first cherry tree to this valley. Because of the novelty of cherry trees, boys would often be found in the trees, enjoying the fruit. At the sight of grandfather approaching, the boys would jump down from the trees and scamper away, before he had a chance to strike with a cane he always carried. Thomas was a personal friend of Brigham Young. The Church President stepped off some footage, and then placing his cane on the ground, announced that here the cornerstone of the Temple would be laid. GrandFather worked his gardening plans around this, and helped with the landscaping of Temple Square. The following is a newspaper article which appeared several years ago in the Deseret News.
"The desert never literally could have blossomed as the rose without the rose itself; orchards had never sprung up nor shade trees cast their cool shadows across the landscape had no one planted the seed and guarded the tender shoot until it was ready for transplanting. And this was the work of the pioneer florist and nurseryman. As such Thomas Fenton will be remembered in pioneer annals. He was a native of England, born in 1822. His father was a farmer and the son exhibited an inborn inclination for gardening, especially among small fruit and flowers. While he acquired a liberal education he specialized, in training and in practice, as a florist and nurseryman and after embracing the gospel in his native land in 1848, and coming to Utah in 1851, he continued in the chosen profession of his life. He resided in Salt Lake City, with the exception of one year in Ogden, 1856- 57, and his greenhouses and rose gardens in the Sixth ward in this city constituted one of the showplaces of the community. When his sons were old enough to work with him he acquired 30 acres of land a few blocks from his home and many orchards and rows of shade trees had their origin in the Fenton nursery. While he conducted his florist and nursery business he found time, too, to serve his Church and his community. He was an officer in the Territorial militia and never neglected any duty that devolved upon him in those early and strenuous days. He died in Salt Lake City in 1890."
Thomas placed an order for more trees and shrubs with a florist supply house in the East. Meanwhile, a young emigrant from England had landed on the eastern shores, all alone with nowhere to go. A company was about ready to leave for Utah. She asked if she might travel west with them, and found the only room available was on top of this order of supplies. She climbed in the top of the wagon, and there crossed the plains. She was extremely ill for the entire trip. Grandfather was on hand to meet this company upon their arrival in 1856. The driver of the wagon load of supplies was most eager to be relieved of his ill passenger. Since she had no people nor place to go, grandfather took her to his home until she could regain her health. In 1866, just ten years later, when he was 44 years old, Thomas Fenton married Annie Marie Wilson, who was then 26 years of age. She was born May 11, 1840, at Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, a daughter of William Wilson and Elizabeth Jackson. She had been a private tutor, and a milliner. To this union were born four sons and two daughters: William and George A, both of whom died at 2 years of age; Elizabeth C., who died at age 16; John Wilson; Joseph Jackson; and Beatrice. All of their children have since passed away. On January 28, 1890, at the age of 68, Thomas Fenton died in Salt Lake city. He was buried in the City Cemetery, in the Fenton family plot at the northeast corner of Cypress and Grand Avenue. There a seven foot marker stands with a large engraving of the name Fenton. Down side of the marker is written:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THOMAS FENTON SON OF ROBERT AND MARY FENTON BORN APRIL 7, 1822 AT CARLTON NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND DIED JANUARY 28,1890