Son of Robert Leatham and Janet Urquhart

Married Margaret Irvine, 31 December 1852, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Children - John Leatham, Agnes Kerr Leatham, Janet Urquhart Leatham, Margaret Elizabeth Leatham, Barbara Salena Leatham, Jane Leatham, James Leatham, Alice Leatham, William Alexander Leatham, Sarah Ann Leatham, Robert Daniel Leatham

Married Rachel Hannah Hill, 16 February 1882, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Joseph Melvin Leatham, Rachel Hannah Leatham, David Hill Leatham, Isabell H. Leatham, Mary Leatham, Henry Robinson Leatham, Grace Vilate Leatham, George Urquhart Leatham

History - James Leatham made the voyage to the United States onboard the ship Falcon arriving in New Orleans on 26 March 1853. Margaret Irvine Leatham (age 16) is shown as making the journey with the James G Willie Handcart Roster in 1856 together with her husband James or Jeemie Leatham, however, the age of James is shown as 17 not 26. James Leatham was a First Counselor in presidency of the High Priest's Quorum of Pioneer Stake. James Leatham, second counselor in the presidency of the High Priests quorum in the Pioneer Stake Salt Lake City, is the second son of Robert Leatham and Janet Urquhart, and was born in the town of Huganfield, Lomarkshire, Scotland, December 15, 1830. He heard the glorious tidings of the Gospel in 1843, and was at that early age impressed with its Divinity. James was baptized May 19, 1848, by Elder James Jordan, ordained a Deacon in the fall of 1848 and a Priest in the spring of 1850. Filled with youthful enthusiasm and love for the truth, he did telling missionary work in the surrounding cities and towns, and through his diligence and perseverance was able to add many new members to the cause of salvation. He was ordained an Elder April 9, 1851, and at the Glasgow Conference, held in the month of October, he was called to labor as a traveling Elder in that conference. In 1852 (Dec. 31st) he took to wife Margaret Irvine, a faithful member of the Church. He continued his missionary work with uniform success until March, 1853, when he was honorably released for the purpose of emigrating to Zion. He sailed from Liverpool on board the ship "Falcon" March 28, 1853, and arrived in New Orleans May 18th of the same year; thence he proceeded up the Mississippi River as far as Keokuk, Iowa. Here, after stopping several weeks, he joined Capt. Appleton Harmon's wagon train bound for Zion. The Missouri River was crossed at Council Bluffs, and the transferring of the wagon train, from one side to the other, was a task requiring skill and judgment, and in which he took an active part. At Green River, where a halt was made, he with five other brethren, was called to go ahead of the train on foot and carry a special message to President Brigham Young at Salt Lake City, for the purpose of obtaining provisions and relief for the rest of the company. They pushed on, and after fording numerous creeks and several rivers they finally arrived in the City Oct. 5, 1853. Bro. Leatham attended conference, on the following day, and on the 9th day of October, he was ordained a member of the 37th quorum of Seventies. Soon after entering the Valley he was employed by President Young, and in all his life's work he has adhered strictly to his advise, to stay at home and assist in building up the material welfare of City and State. He was one of the first to break ground for the erection of the "Lion House", which work was commenced in January, 1854, and was actively engaged on the construction of many of the prominent buildings, including the Salt Lake Temple, Tabernacle, Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Theater. He also helped to construct the wall of masonry, buildings, including the Salt Lake Temple Square. That famous old land mark, the "White Bridge", which spans the Jordan River on North Temple street, is another structure, on which he put in many busy days. Soon after his arrival in Salt Lake Valley, he made arrangements for the emigration of his wife and her family, including her father, mother, four brothers and two sisters, who arrived in Salt Lake City, Oct. 24, 1855. He drove the "Kitchen" carriage for President Young and his company on his annual tour through the southern settlements in the spring of 1854. They journeyed as far south as Cedar City and Harmony, and on the return trip located the site for the present town of Goshen, at the south end of Utah Lake. Parley P. Pratt and President Joseph F. Smith were distinguished members of this party, the former on a mission and to locate a southern route to California, and the latter on his first mission to Hawaii. Elder Leatham has worked for the Church, in the aggregate, over thirty years. He also helped to quarry rock for the construction of the Temple in Red Butte and Little Cottonwood canyons, and was employed in building a wagon road in Big Cottonwood canyon as far up as Silver Lake. In the fall of 1854 a relief expedition consisting of three four-mule teams was organized and sent out to meet incoming emigrant trains, which very often ran short of provisions and supplies. He drove one of the teams which went out as far as the "Sweetwater". In 1857, he received his blessings and endowments in the House of the Lord. He was present at a celebration of July 24, 1857, at the lake in Big Cottonwood canyon, when word was received of the approach of "Johnston's Army". The following fall he was appointed as a member of the guard, stationed in Echo Canyon, and served faithfully through those dark and trying days. He was one among a force of men who plowed up the ground, and carefully covered up the walls of the Temple prior to the famous "move south". He accompanied his family, including all their earthly effects, as far south as the town of Payson. After seeing them located as comfortable as the circumstances would allow, he returned to Salt Lake City and stood guard until all trouble was amicably settled, and the United States soldiers had passed through the city to their camp over the Jordan River. In 1859, he met with a very serious accident, while working on the Temple Block, having his left leg badly fractured below the knee. This misfortune proved very serious, and kept him in confinement the better part of a whole year. Through his industry and frugality, he was able, in the year 1860, to purchase a home, located in the Sixth Ward where he was appointed asst. superintendent of the first Sunday school organized in that Ward in 1865; later he was the first president of Y. M. M. I. A. in the same Ward. He has done an unusual amount of work in the Temple for relatives and friends who have passed beyond. June 12, 1870, he became a member of Pres. John Taylor's Prayer Circle, and remained an active and faithful member of the same until the division of the old Salt Lake Stake of Zion which took place in 1904, when he joined the High Council Circle of the Pioneer Stake. In June, 1877, he journeyed by wagon to St. George and in the St. George Temple took to wife Emma Nielsen. He has seen long and faithful service as a Ward teacher, and has never lost an opportunity to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel, to the many strangers with whom He has come in contact in his long and varied career. He worked eighteen consecutive years on the Temple Block, meeting, during that time, hundreds of strangers and tourists. He distributed innumerable "Tracts" bearing on the principles of the Gospel, and by his natural tact and diplomacy sent many a stranger on his way with a much higher opinion of the sincerity and honesty of the "Mormons" than they previously held. February 16, 1882, he took to wife Rachel H. Hill, and on the 11th day of October 1866, Isabella Harris. During the troublesome time he was one among the many who suffered for conscience sake, being imprisoned for six months in the Utah penitentiary for "unlawful cohabitation" in 1890. He is the father of nineteen children, eight boys and eleven girls. January 31, 1891, he was ordained a High Priest, and in April 1904, when the original Salt Lake Stake of Zion was divided, he was called and set apart as second counselor to David McKenzie, president of the High Priests Quorum of the Pioneer Stake of Zion. Since that time he has been actively engaged in home missionary work in this Stake, besides attending to the numerous duties which attach to his office.

Ancestry.com. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1997. Original data: Jenson, Andrew. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901.
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LEATHAM, JAMES (son of Robert Leatham and Janet Urquhart, Lanarkshire, Scotland). Born Dec. 15, 1830, Lanarkshire. Came to Utah Oct. 5, 1853, Appleton M. Harmon company. Married Margaret Irvine Dec. 31, 1852, Lanarkshire (daughter of William Irvine and Agnes Kerr of Lanarkshire, pioneers Oct. 25, 1855, Milo Andrus company). She was born Jan. 3, 1837. Their children: John, m. Annie Critchlow; Agnes, m. John Acomb; Janet; Margaret, m. R. C. Pitt; Jane; Selina, m. D. J. Mackintosh; James, m. Agnes Reid; Alice, m. J. B. Kesler; William A., m. Florence Beck; Robert; Sarah A., m. R. B. Wooley. Family home, Salt Lake City. First counselor in presidency of high priests' quorum of Pioneer stake. Stone cutter.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, Appleton M. Harmon Company (1853); Age at Departure: 22