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James Salmon was born in Kirktollach, Scotland on April 21, 1834, son of Robert and Mary
Weir Salmon of Scotland. James was the first son of eleven children.
Owing to conditions of that early period he was unable to attend school after the age of seven
years. At the age of eight he went to work with his father at a printing factory learning how to
mix colors and print dress materials which he later made his chief occupation.
While he was still young he attended night school taking bookkeeping and music. Because of his
great musical talent he became a music teacher and also acted as a band leader.
At the age of twenty three he married Margaret Robertson, who was an Orphan girl.
Having joined the Latter Day Saints Church he was very desirous of immigrating to Utah,
however while living in Belfast, Ireland he and his family were very active members of the
church. Here he worked in the printing factory as an expert printer and mixer of colors for dress
materials. He made good wages and saved enough money to make possible the migration to
Utah.
On the morning of May 21, 1868 they left Belfast, Ireland for Liverpool, England to sail for
America. They set sail on the sailing vessel "Emerald Isle" on June 18, 1868. This was the last
sailing vessel to bring Latter Day Saints to America.
James Salmon was a man of strong character and was held in high esteem by his employer who
accompanied him to the vessel giving him high recommendations to bring to America.
He was met in Liverpool by Apostle Franklin Dewey Richards, who was the presiding Elder of
the British Mission. He placed grandfather in charge of the English speaking Saints until they
reached Utah.
They were about eight weeks on the water and there was much sickness and disease causing
about 35 deaths among this group. One of the 35 was grandfather's daughter, 3 years old, All the
dead were buried in the sea.
They arrived at Castle Gardens on the 1st day of August 1868, where they boarded the train for
Omaha, Nebraska. Arriving at Omaha they camped at Fort Benton, where they awaited the
arrival of Captains Mumford and Holman who were bringing the wagon trains to Utah.
Owing to so much sickness among the and such little room, many of them had to walk. My
grandmother walked nearly all the way as grandfather was sick and had to ride.
Uncle Robert Salmon, a brother to grandfather, and Aunt Maggie Salmon, a Sister-in-Law met
them at the head of Echo Canyon with a span of mules and there was much rejoicing as the
brothers had been separated for several years. What a lovely supper this happy group had, fresh
butter, newly made biscuits and fresh fruit, which had been put up with molasses, brought by the
two from Coalville. It was a night of rejoicing and the happy family spent the night right where
they were and early the next morning they left for Coalville.
Uncle Robert and Aunt Maggie took grandfather and his family over the Weber River to the
West Side, to their father's home. Calderwood's, Carruth's and Salmon's all lived there at this
particular time.
Grandfather, grandmother and four children, my father, Franklin Dewey, being the youngest of
four was only nine months old. He was named for Apostle Franklin Dewey Richards. They
arrived here September 21, 1868.
This same year grandfather returned to the Railroad Camp to work helping build the railroad
through to Ogden. While he was there grandmother worked in gardens, potato fields and
anything else she could get to do to help keep the family.
While working at Echo she was given a sack of flour which she carried home on her shoulder
over a swinging foot bridge across the Weber River. The water ran over the bridge up around her
knees but she waded safely across to the other side. Flour at that time was valued at $25.00 per
sack.
The next spring and summer they lived on what they earned catching fish which grandmother
walked and carried to Echo to trade or sell to the railroad people. It was during this summer that
grandfather and grandmother decided they would go through the Endowment House and when
they reached home they moved to Coalville. Here they lived in a two roomed log house where
the Thomas Lee home now stands. From here they moved to Springhollow where grandfather
run the Robinson mine for a number of years and after leaving the mine they moved to live on
the old rock house on the land which is now known as the Salmon farm.
It was while they were living here that Grandmother Salmon died, this was in the year 1888. She
left grandfather with ten children.
About this time grandfather was chosen as a Counselor to the Bishop. He also held an office in
the City Council and was the leader of Coalville's First Band, it being a flute band.
On June, 19, 1889 he married Emma Jones in the Logan Temple.
A few years later he became an agent for the Juvenile Instructor traveling throughout Utah. Still
later on he became agent for the Deseret News traveling into Canada and through the Western
States until he was pensioned at the age of 84 years being an agent for this paper 20 years.
He died at the age of 89 years in Coalville, leaving his second wife and a family of eight children.
(Note: This history was told to me Rhea Simister in the year 1934 by my mother Elizabeth
Salmon Simister, oldest daughter of Franklin Dewey Salmon, the facts and details being verified
by him, my grandfather)
Transcribed from original copy compiled by Rhea Simister Massey and currently in possession of
Marcie Simister Palmer. All spellings and punctuation from original.