Jane Manning James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jane Elizabeth Manning James |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1822 Wilton, Connecticut, United States |
| Died | April 16, 1908 (aged 94) Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Resting place | Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37″N 111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W |
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| Children | 8 |
| Parents | Isaac Manning Eliza Mead |
Jane Elizabeth Manning James (1822 – April 16, 1908) was an amazing African-American pioneer. People often called her "Aunt Jane." She was an early member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jane traveled a long way to Utah with other pioneers.
She lived with Joseph Smith and his family for a while in Nauvoo, Illinois. Jane was among the first pioneers to reach the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Because she was a black woman, Jane faced challenges. She was not allowed to enter the temple during her life. She asked church leaders many times to receive special temple blessings. Years after she passed away, these blessings were given to her in the temple.
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Jane's Early Life in Connecticut
Jane Elizabeth Manning James was born in Wilton, Connecticut. Her parents were Isaac Manning and Eliza Phyllis Mead. Jane's exact birth year is a bit unclear. Some records say 1812, others 1820 or 1822.
The Mannings were a free family living in the countryside. Jane had at least five brothers and sisters. When she was six, Jane went to live with a wealthy white family, the Fitches. She worked as a servant for them for about 30 years.
Jane cooked, cleaned, and ironed for the Fitches. She was also raised as a Christian. Around age 14, she was baptized into the Presbyterian Church. In 1835, Jane had a son named Sylvester.
Becoming a Latter-day Saint
In 1842, two LDS missionaries came to Jane's area. Her Presbyterian preacher told her not to listen to them. But Jane was curious. She went to hear them speak one Sunday.
Jane felt that what they taught was true. She said, "I was fully convinced that it was the true Gospel." The next Sunday, Jane was baptized into the Latter Day Saint Church. She also shared her new beliefs with friends and family.
A year later, Jane and eight family members decided to move. They sold their home in Wilton. They wanted to live with other members of their new faith in Nauvoo, Illinois.
The family started their journey with other new Latter-day Saints. They traveled from Fairfield, Connecticut, to New York City. Then they went to Albany and Buffalo. In Buffalo, Jane's family got separated from the group.
They might not have had enough money for the next part of the trip. Or, black Saints might have been denied passage. So, Jane and her family walked about 800 miles. They arrived in Nauvoo in late 1843. Jane remembered that their shoes wore out. Their feet became sore and bled.
Living with the Smith Family
When Jane and her family arrived in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith welcomed them. Jane lived with the Smith family. She worked as a servant in the Joseph Smith Mansion House. She stayed there until Joseph Smith was killed in 1844.
Jane remembered that Emma (Joseph's wife) or Lucy (Joseph's mother) would often talk with her. One time, Lucy Smith let Jane hold the Urim and Thummim. These were special tools Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of Mormon.
Lucy told Jane, "You will live long after I am dead and gone. You can tell the Latter Day Saints that you was permitted to handle the Urim and Thummim."
Another time, Emma Smith asked Jane if she wanted to be adopted. Emma wanted to seal Jane to her and Joseph in the Nauvoo Temple. This would make Jane their spiritual child forever. Jane didn't understand what this meant at the time. She said "no ma'am." Later, she wished she had said yes.
After Joseph Smith's death, Jane lived with Brigham Young. There, she met and married Isaac James. He was also working for the Young family. Isaac was born free and was 19 when he joined the church.
Journey West to Utah
In 1846, the Latter-day Saints began moving west. Jane and Isaac decided to go with them. Jane was pregnant with their second son, Silas, who was born in Iowa.
Jane, Isaac, and Sylvester were part of the group that spent the winter of 1846–1847 at Winter Quarters, Nebraska. They were among the first Mormon pioneers to enter the Salt Lake Valley in September 1847.
When they settled in the Salt Lake Valley, the James family was unique. They were the only free black family there.
Life in Salt Lake City
The James family lived near Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Brigham Young owned the land. He hired both Isaac and Jane. In May 1848, Jane gave birth to her daughter Mary Ann. She was the first black child born in Utah.
Life was hard for the family at first. They were poor and often lacked basic necessities. But Jane always tried to help others. In 1849, her neighbor Eliza Partridge Lyman had no food. Jane shared two pounds of flour with her. That was half of what Jane had.
By the mid-1860s, the family built a comfortable home. They also had farmland and animals. They were doing well. Between 1848 and 1860, five more children were born: Miriam, Ellen Madora, Jessie Jeroboam, Isaac, and Vilate.
Jane and Isaac divorced in 1870. Jane kept their children and most of their property. Four years later, Jane married Frank Perkins. He was her son Sylvester's father-in-law. This marriage lasted less than two years.
Jane worked hard as a single parent. She sold the family farm in 1872 to save money. She worked as a domestic servant. She also made soap and clothing, and grew vegetables. Many of her children and grandchildren passed away before her. Isaac, her first husband, returned to Utah when he was very ill. He lived with Jane until he died in 1891.
Jane remained very active in the church. She was part of the Relief Society. She also gave money to help build temples. Later in her life, she had a special reserved seat in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Jane always supported Joseph Smith. She called him "the finest man I ever saw on earth."
Jane Elizabeth Manning James passed away on April 16, 1908, in Salt Lake City. Many people attended her funeral.
Requests for Temple Blessings
Throughout her life, Jane asked church leaders many times to enter the temple. She wanted to receive her endowment. This is an important temple ceremony for Latter-day Saints. She also wanted to be sealed to her family forever.
Jane asked to be sealed to the Smith family. She remembered Emma Smith's offer in 1844. In 1884, Jane asked apostle John Taylor to be sealed to the Smith family. This request was denied.
In December 1884, Jane was allowed to enter the temple for baptisms for the dead. Later, church leaders decided she could be adopted as a servant into Joseph Smith's family. A special ceremony was created for this.
This ceremony happened on May 18, 1894. Jane was not allowed inside the temple for it. She was "attached as a Servitor for eternity to the prophet Josep[h] Smith." This meant she would be obedient to him as a faithful servant.
Jane was not happy with this special sealing. She wanted the sealing that Emma had offered her. In 1895, church leaders considered her request again but turned her down. Jane made her last written request in 1903. She asked church president Joseph F. Smith to let her "finish the work I have begun for my dead."
Temple Blessings After Her Death
In 1979, about 72 years after Jane's death, she received her endowment. This was done by proxy in the Salt Lake Temple. This means someone stood in for her to receive the blessings.
Jane's Legacy
Jane Manning James's life has inspired many. A 20-minute movie about her, Jane Manning James: Your Sister in the Gospel, came out in 2005. It has been shown at This Is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City.
In 1997, Jane was honored in the Days of '47 Parade in Salt Lake City. A float sponsored by the Genesis Group celebrated her. The Genesis Group supports Latter-day Saints of African descent.
In 1999, a monument was dedicated near her grave in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. It has two bronze plaques with quotes from Jane and important dates from her life.
On October 12, 2018, a movie called Jane and Emma was released. It tells the story of Jane's friendship with Emma Smith.
