James Kirkham

James Kirkham died in August 1929, at the age of eighty years. Son of George William Kirkham and Mary Ann Astington, Married Martha Mercer, 18 Dec 1871, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Married Emma Wootten, 13 Dec 1875, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Married Miriam Chase Adams, 26 Dec 1926, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. History- "I arrived in Utah, September 16, 1859. Since coming to Utah I have held, up to the present time, the following offices: Deacon, priest, teacher, elder, seventy, president of seventies, high priest, high counselor and patriarch, and have administered to and blessed thousands of people. I have been president of the MIA, counselor, secretary and chorister, secretary for the Eccles Corporation of Lehi, one of the superintendency in Sunday School and chorister of ward choir. "I have filled a two-year mission in England and while there visited over two hundred cities, towns and villages, and during my lifetime I have baptized and confirmed a number into our Church. I have borne my testimony in ten different nations. I have visited ten or more of the states of the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Denmark and a numbor of their cities. "I have been a member of city council, chief of pelice, chairman of streets committee, member of Commercial Club, vice president of the Agricultural Society, inspector of grain, superintendent of government trees, pestmaster of Raymond, Canada. "I have served in the infantry and cavalry, being the color bearer of my company. I have served in two expeditions against the Black Hawk Indians, facing the bow and arrow and rifle more than once. I have been in three or more sham battles. "I have helped to build the Union Pacific and Utah Southern railways. I rode in the first railway engine that went through the Point of the Mountain south of Salt Lake City and on the Utah Southern line. I also helped build the wagon road around the Point of the Mountain, moving the first shovel of dirt on the road. I have used the pick and shovel, the hand drill, the churn drill, driven the plow and scraper on the grade, helped to do the cooking, and mended and washed and hung the boys' clothes on the line. I have worked in three hotels and two or three restaurants and stores. "I have been a member of a ballroom orchestra and brass band. I have played the violin, viola, dulcimer, concertina accordion, bass cornet and solo alto horns; have also been secretary of two bands. I have been a member of a vaudeville company, a lecturer on travels around the world, and also a member of a dramatic company, the longest part learned being forty printed pages. Among those whom I have played with were Rebecca Standing and Annie Adams Kiskadden, mother of Maude Adams. I have taught school in Lehi and Fort Herriman, helped to build the first canal across the Provo bench, and the first one from Cottonwood to Salt Lake City. I have worked in the paper mill. I have followed farming, truck gardening, poultry and pig raising and merchandising. "I built my first home, hauled the rock and laid the foundation; made the adobies and laid them up, doing nearly all the carpentry work, plastering and painting. I have owned seven homes and do not owe any person on any of them. I have worked for the Church over forty years and have witnessed the sealing of over 11,000 couples and 8,000 children to their parents besides other temple ordinance work. I have dated the items down from memory and the same is written in my diary, and I am proud to be the husband of three good wives and the father of sixteen children, and grandsire of about seventy grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. May the Lord bless them all and their generations to come is my prayer on this, my seventy-ninth birthday." The Kirkham family first settled in Sugarhouse Ward in Salt Lake City, where their mother, Mary, became a teacher in the Primary at the time of its organization. The first few years were hard and their economic problem was serious. When it was decided to build the railroad through Utah, both the father, George, and his eldest son, James, secured employment on the new railroad to earn their first real money. The work began in June 1868, and on July 11, 1868, James wrote in his diary: "Today, with Brother James Crane, three other boys and a team, I went to Coalville for provisions for the railroad camp; on our way we saw the rifle pits and the old fort, where our men camped in Echo Canyon in 1856-57, as a protection against Johnston's Army. At Coalville we loaded our supplies and after dinner we started back to camp. On the way I composed a railroad song called 'Echo Canyon.' It was later printed in a Salt Lake paper and we all learned it and sang it many times while working there." Later this song brought honor to James when he was asked to sing "Echo Canyon" at the celebration at Promontory Point, May 10, 1869, when the east and west divisions of the transcontinental railway met. To further quote from James' diary: "Nov. 1868—Home from railroading, received a part of my wages and bought a concertina, a banjo and tamborine. "Feb. 1869—We played for our first party. "Sep. 1869—We moved from Sugarhouse to Lehi, where we rented a small home. "We went to meeting and Bishop David Evans spoke of the Kirkham brothers and gave them an excellent character. "Oct. 28, 1869—Tonight I helped Bro. Giles the blind harpist play for a party. "Nov. 15, 1869—Today I bought my brother Hyrum a piccolo. "Nov. 16, 1869—I went to American Fork and bought me a violin for $20, then played for a party in the evening." James was now earning a little money, which made it possible for him to do the things he loved to do. George and Mary, his parents, took great pride in the musical ability of their four sons, who played together as a string band, becoming one of the early musical organizations of the state. They traveled by team to various towns, playing for dances, many civic functions and musical entertainments. At one time they played for President Brigham Young. After a long evening's entertainment, the boys would be very tired, but they could have a good rest in the sleigh or white top before they reached home, as their faithful team, without being guided, always took them to the barnyard gate. One night James was awakened by the rough riding of the conveyance and soon discovered that for some unknown reason the team had left the traveled road and was roaming at will over rocks and ditches. Wide awake then, he soon guided the heretofore faithful animals home. This is one of many like experiences which filled the lives of the four brothers while they participated in the entertainment world. Each member of the quartet played several instruments well. Joseph even made his own violins and guitars. Known as the Kirkham String Band, they were much sought after. When they first started the price of admission was often paid in wheat, potatoes, squash or some other commodity. They not only played together but each achieved honors individually. They were known from Logan to St. George for concerts and programs in which they sang, danced and performed. The Kirkham brothers were experts in harmony, each possessing a natural aptitude for music. Quick to memorize their parts, they played with a freedom that made their music delightful. It was a delight to see George play the big bass viol, shaking his friendly head to the dancers as they whirled by. Hyrum played a beautiful obbligato on the piccolo; Joseph carried the tuneful melodies on the lead violin and James played the viola, singing the changes of the quadrille. Their greatest popularity was when they played for public dances. As one old-timer said, "When their music began, it fairly lifted us off our feet." James wooed his sweetheart with music, singing the messages he was too bashful to say in words. He soon married lovely Martha Mercer from American Fork, who sometimes went with them to the entertainments. In a humble way the Kirkham String Quartet made their contribution in pioneer days. —Ida M. Kirkham find a grave