Christopher Layton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christopher Layton |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | March 8, 1821 Thorncote Green, Northill, Bedfordshire, England |
| Died | August 7, 1898 (aged 77) Kaysville, Utah, United States |
| Resting place | Kaysville City Cemetery 41°02′42″N 111°55′34″W / 41.045°N 111.926°W |
| Spouse(s) | 10 wives |
| Children | 65 children |
| Parents | Samuel Layton Isabella Wheeler |
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Christopher Layton (born March 8, 1821 – died August 7, 1898) was an important pioneer and leader. He helped start several cities in the western United States. These include Kaysville, Utah, Layton, Utah, and Thatcher, Arizona. The city of Layton, Utah, is named after him. He was also a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Christopher Layton's Early Life
Christopher Layton was born in a small village called Thorncote Green. This was in Bedfordshire, England. When he was just seven years old, he started working. His job was to keep crows away from wheat fields.
In 1841, when he was 20, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited his village. Christopher Layton believed their message. He was baptized on January 1, 1842.
A year later, in 1843, he married Mary Matthews. Soon after, they sailed to America with 212 other members of the Church. They arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois, in April 1843. There, they met Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church. Christopher Layton said meeting him gave them a feeling of peace.
Two years later, his wife Mary died. She left him with their 13-month-old daughter. A kind family took care of his daughter.
Journey to the American West
In 1846, Christopher Layton joined other Church members traveling west. He joined the Mormon Battalion at the Missouri River. This was a group of volunteers who served in the U.S. Army. He walked all the way to California with Company C.
After his service, he went to the gold fields. But he didn't mine for gold. Instead, he bought and sold horses. He bought horses for $1.50 each and sold them for $100. This helped him earn a lot of money.
With his new wealth, he sailed back to England to visit his parents. Sadly, his mother had passed away two weeks before he arrived. While in England, he married Sarah Martin. He also paid for passage for his new wife, six relatives, and 250 friends to come to America.
After a delay in St. Louis, he led a large group of people across the plains and mountains. They traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. For the next 30 years, he was a pioneer in Carson Valley, Nevada. There, he built a large herd of cattle.
Settling in Utah and Arizona
When the U.S. government sent an army to Utah, many settlements were left empty. Christopher Layton was asked to come to the Church headquarters in Utah. He settled in Davis County and helped establish the city of Kaysville.
In Kaysville, he became a successful farmer. He started dry farming, which means growing crops without much rain. He also brought alfalfa, a type of plant, to the area. This was a very important step for farming there. He also owned a farm on Antelope Island.
Christopher Layton was also involved in building the Utah Central Railroad. He served as its general superintendent. From 1866 to 1867, he was a member of the Utah Territorial legislature. This was like being a lawmaker for the Utah area. In 1876, he became a director for Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution in Salt Lake City.
Even though he was very successful in Kaysville, he received a new assignment. Church leaders asked him to lead settlements in southern Arizona. He was asked to be the president of a new Church area called the St. Joseph Stake. This area was a desert with few towns and was sometimes dangerous due to local tribes.
Layton moved south with his youngest wife, Elizabeth. He used $21,000 to start building new communities. He bought 2,000 acres of land and named the place Thatcher. He divided the land into lots and sold them to other Church members. He also bought a gristmill and built roads, canals, and homes.
Christopher Layton was a very dedicated family man. He had 10 wives and 65 children. He was known for his loyalty to his faith and his hard work in settling the western United States.
By 1898, he was 76 years old and very ill. He returned to Utah on June 13, 1898. He passed away on August 7, 1898.
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