John Holladay facts for kids
John Holladay (born March 10, 1798 – died December 31, 1861) was an important early settler. He helped start the town of Holladay's Burg in Utah Territory, which is now Holladay, Utah. John and his family were pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Colorado, Utah, and California.
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John Holladay's Family History
John Holladay was born in Camden District, Kershaw County, South Carolina. He married Catherine Beasley Higgins in South Carolina in 1822. They had ten children together. Nine of their children lived past early childhood.
Early Family Roots
John Holladay's great-grandfather was named John "The Ranger" Holladay. He lived in Virginia starting around 1702. He owned a farm called Belfonte near Lake Anna in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. John "The Ranger" is also an ancestor of Ben Holladay, who was known as "The Stagecoach King." He is also related to Doc Holliday.
Moving to Alabama
After John "The Ranger" died, John Holladay's grandfather, Daniel Holladay, moved to South Carolina. His father, also named Daniel, was born there in 1752. Both Daniels signed the South Carolina Declaration of Independence. Daniel the younger served in the military during the American Revolutionary War.
In 1826, Daniel the younger moved from South Carolina to Moscow, Alabama with his young family. This included his son John. Daniel received a pension and land for his service in the Revolutionary War. He died in 1837 and is buried in Moscow, Alabama.
The Mississippi Saints Journey
In 1844, two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited Marion County, Alabama. They taught the Holladay family about their faith. John, Catherine, and several of their children were baptized into the LDS Church.
Heading West
In the spring of 1846, the Holladay family joined a group called the "Mississippi Saints." This group was led by John Brown. They planned to travel west to California. They expected to meet the main group of Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young. However, Young's group delayed their departure. The Mississippi Saints did not know about this change.
When the Mississippi group reached Fort Laramie and did not find the main party, they headed south. They went to Pueblo, Colorado to spend the winter. In Pueblo, they set up a camp near the Arkansas River. They even built a log chapel. John Holladay's oldest son, John Daniel, returned to Alabama before winter. Later, sick soldiers from the U.S. Army Mormon Battalion joined the Mississippi group in Pueblo.
Settling in Utah
In the late spring of 1847, the Mississippi Saints learned that the main pioneer group was on its way. They traveled back to Fort Laramie and then continued to the Salt Lake City area. They arrived on July 29, 1847. They brought with them a special type of wheat from Taos, New Mexico. This wheat grew very well in the Salt Lake Valley. It became an important crop for the early settlers.
Founding Holladay, Utah
In Utah Territory, John Holladay and his group settled near Spring Creek. This creek is a branch of Little Cottonwood Creek. The place they settled was named Holladay's Burg after him. Today, this settlement is known as Holladay, Utah.
Moving to California and Back
In 1851, the Holladay family joined a group that bought land in Rancho San Bernardino, which is now San Bernardino, California. This was part of an LDS Church effort to start a new settlement. The family returned to Utah Territory in 1857.
Back in Utah, John Holladay first settled in Beaver, Utah. Then he moved to Holladay Springs, near present-day Santaquin, Utah. He lived there until he died. He was buried in a field near his home. His wife, Catherine, was also buried there when she died in 1877. In 1960, their grave markers were moved to the Santaquin City Cemetery. The original burial spot is now plowed land.
John Holladay's Children
John Holladay's children were important pioneers. They helped settle areas in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, and California.
- Lutisha (Letitia) Hollis Holladay married Allen Freeman Smithson.
- Catherine Beasely Holladay married Braxton Acres.
- John Daniel Holladay married Mahalia Ann Rebecca Matthews, Johanna Blake, and Sarah Elizabeth Hollis.
- Sarah Ann Holladay married Absolom Porter Dowdle.
- Karen Happoch Holladay married Thomas Bingham.
- David Hollis Holladay married Henrietta Taylor.
- Keziah Donnel Holladay married Henry Green Boyle.
- Thomas Wiley Middleton Holladay married Ann Hotton Mathews.
- Lenora McCray Holladay died in 1853.
