John Mills Woolley

John Mills Woolley was the son of John Woolley, born August 19, 1779, and Rachel Dilworth, born August 10, 1782, both of Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was born November 20, 1822, at New Lynn, Pennsylvania, and came to Utah September 26, 1847, in the George B. Wallace company. He married Maria Lucy Dewey January 9, 1846 (daughter of Ashbel Dewey, who died August, 1846, and Harriet Adams, pioneers September 26, 1847, George B. Wallace company, married 1819). She was born August 3, 1823. Their children were:

John Dewey born December 30, 1846, died;

Ashbel Dewey born June 1, 1850, married Ida Ann Bird December 12, 1878;

Harriet Arabell born March 27, 1853, married Joseph E. Taylor September 5, 1889;

Frank Albert born May 2, 1856, married Eliza Kimball May 14, 1880;

William Dewey born February 25, 1858;

Vilate Annabell born August 21, 1860, died October 19, 1867;

Marion Dewey born June 28, 1862, died December 19, 1888.

Family home Salt Lake City.

Married: Caroline Patience Harrar January 25, 1857, Salt Lake City (daughter of John Harrar and Ann Law), who was born February 20, 1832, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their children were:

Lorenzo Harrar born January 12, 1858, died November 1859;

Taylor Harrar born March 29, 1860, married Caroline Louise Ahlstrom May 19, 1881, who died August 4, 1889, married Florence Belle Garrard January 23, 1891;

Albaroni Harrar born April 2, 1862, at Salt Lake City, married Josephine L. Groo October 22, 1884;

Laura Virginia born February 5, 1864, Salt Lake City, married Theodore Tobiason October 21, 1885.

Missionary; bishop’s counselor; bishop. Built first house in 9th ward Salt Lake City. Sawmill owner and lumberman.

Sources:

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah photographs, page 91

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, page 1263

From Find A Grave.com:

John was the son of John Woolley and Rachel Dilworth. He married Maria Lucy Dewey in January of 1846, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois. They had the following children - William Dewey Woolley, Harriet Arabell Woolley, Frank Albert Woolley, Ashbel Dewey Woolley, Marion Dewey Woolley, Vilate Annebelle Woolley, John Dewey Woolley. He then married Caroline Patience Harrar, January 25, 1857, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, and they had the following children - Franklin Woolley, Lorenzo Harrar Woolley, Laura Virginia Woolley, Taylor Harrar Woolley, Alberoni Harrar Woolley. He then married Annie Lazenbury Davis, June 18, 1864, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.

History - John removed to Ohio in 1833 and subsequently to Commerce, Hancock, Illinois, where he was baptized by Elder Almon W. Babbitt on October 7, 1840. At the April conference held in Nauvoo in 1842 he was ordained an Elder and went on a mission to Kentucky, Tennessee and other States; he returned to Nauvoo in 1843. In April of that year he was ordained a Seventy, and became a member of the 4th quorum.

By the counsel of Heber C. Kimball he started June 15, 1843, on another mission, this time going to the Eastern States. He labored principally in Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and returned to Nauvoo in November, 1844.

During the winter of 1844-45 he worked on the Nauvoo Temple. January 9, 1846, he married Maria L. Dewey, and subsequently he married two other wives. At the time of the general exodus from Nauvoo in 1846, he came west and arrived in Great Salt Lake valley in the fall of 1847, in Geo B. Wallace's fifty.

In 1848 Elder Woolley built the first house in the Ninth Ward, Salt Lake City, on the spot where the family residence still stands. For a number of years he was engaged in the lumber business, being the owner of a saw mill in Little Cottonwood canyon.

June 3, 1856, he was ordained a High Priest and set apart to act as first counselor to Bishop Seth Taft of the Ninth Ward, and in October following he was appointed Bro. Taft's successor in the Bishopric, being ordained a Bishop Oct. 21, 1856. This office he magnified until the time of his death, which occurred in Salt Lake City Aug. 18, 1864, as a result of an accident which occurred two days previous in Cottonwoood canyon.

While he, in company with several of his workmen, were examining a bridge at the foot of one of the "run ways," near his mill, some of the men on the mountain above rolled a large log on the "slide" which came down with alarming velocity to the place where he was standing, and striking a pile of loose rocks at the base of the slide, and scattered them in every direction with great force, one of which struck the Bishop on the side of the neck and face, prostrating him to the earth in a state of insensibility. He never again regained consciousness.

Bishop Woolley was a prompt and energetic man in all his official doings. His mind was richly stored with the "good things of the kingdom." He was brilliant in thought and quick to perceive the revelations and whisperings of the spirit. At his death he left three wives and nine children.

Spouses:

Maria Lucy Dewey Woolley (1823 - 1911)

Caroline Patience Harrar Woolley (1832 - 1901)

Annie Lazenbury Davis Rex Bradford (1843 - 1914)

Children:

John Dewey Woolley (1846 - 1849)

Ashbel Dewey Woolley (1850 - 1923)

Harriet Arabella Woolley Taylor (1853 - 1922)

Frank Albert Woolley (1856 - 1890)

Lorenzo Harrar Woolley (1858 - 1859)

William Dewey Woolley (1858 - 1946)

Vilate Annebelle Woolley (1860 - 1867)

Taylor Harrar Woolley (1860 - 1941)

Marion Dewey Woolley (1862 - 1888)

Albaroni Harrar Woolley (1862 - 1955)

Laura Virginia Woolley Tobiason (1864 - 1947)

Created by: SMSmith

Record added: Jul 25, 2008

Find A Grave Memorial# 28513115

Son of John Woolley and Rachel Dilworth

Married Maria Lucy Dewey, Jan 1846, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois

Children - William Dewey Woolley, Harriet Arabell Woolley, Frank Albert Woolley, Ashbel Dewey Woolley, Marion Dewey Woolley, Vilate Annebelle Woolley, John Dewey Woolley

Married Caroline Patience Harrar, 25 Jan 1857, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Franklin Woolley, Lorenzo Harrar Woolley, Laura Virginia Woolley, Taylor Harrar Woolley, Alberoni Harrar Woolley

Married Annie Lazenbury Davis, 18 Jun 1864, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

History - John removed to Ohio in 1833 and subsequently to Commerce, Hancock, Illinois, where he was baptized by Elder Almon W. Babbitt Oct. 7, 1840. At the April conference held in Nauvoo in 1842 he was ordained an Elder and went on a mission to Kentucky, Tennessee and other States; he returned to Nauvoo in 1843. In April of that year he was ordained a Seventy, and became a member of the 4th quorum.

By the counsel of Heber C. Kimball he started June 15, 1843, on another mission, this time going to the Eastern States. He labored principally in Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and returned to Nauvoo in November, 1844.

During the winter of 1844-45 he worked on the Nauvoo Temple. Jan. 9, 1846, he married Maria L. Dewey, and subsequently he married two other wives. At the time of the general exodus from Nauvoo in 1846, he came west and arrived in Great Salt Lake valley in the fall of 1847, in Geo B. Wallace's fifty.

In 1848 Elder Woolley built the first house in the Ninth Ward, Salt Lake City, on the spot where the family residence still stands. For a number of years he was engaged in the lumber business, being the owner of a saw mill in Little Cottonwood canyon.

June 3, 1856, he was ordained a High Priest and set apart to act as first counselor to Bishop Seth Taft of the Ninth Ward, and in October following he was appointed Bro. Taft's successor in the Bishopric, being ordained a Bishop Oct. 21, 1856. This office he magnified until the time of his death, which occurred in Salt Lake City Aug. 18, 1864, as a result of an accident which occurred two days previous in Cottonwoood canyon.

While he, in company with several of his workmen, were examining a bridge at the foot of one of the "run ways," near his mill, some of the men on the mountain above rolled a large log on the "slide" which came down with alarming velocity to the place where he was standing, and striking a pile of loose rocks at the base of the slide, and scattered them in every direction with great force, one of which struck the Bishop on the side of the neck and face, prostrating him to the earth in a state of insensibility. He never again regained consciousness.

Bishop Woolley was a prompt and energetic man in all his official doings. His mind was richly stored with the "good things of the kingdom." He was brilliant in thought and quick to perceive the revelations and whisperings of the spirit. At his death he left three wives and nine children.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 11 2017, 1:31:04 UTC