Utah Pioneer Dies at 92 in Spanish Fork

Had Been Resident Of Community For Over 88 Years

SPANISH FORK - Joshua Brockbank, 92, a Utah pioneer of 1852, died at his home Tuesday of causes incident to advanced age. He had been a resident of Spanish Fork for more than 88 years.

He was born May 15, 1848, at Liverpool, England, the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Mainwaring Brockbank. On February 11, 1852, the family left Liverpool on a sailing vessel, the Ellen Marie, and after eight weeks and three days arrived in New Orleans. They joined emigrants coming to Utah at St. Louis, Mo.

Seven months after leaving Liverpool, the family arrived in Salt Lake City, September 4, 1852. The stopped there one month, then came with ox team to the original townsite of Spanish Fork, then called Palmyra, a little west of the present city.

Mr. Brockbank was an Indian war veteran. He stood picket guard with others to protect the community from outrages. He went to Sanpete and Sevier counties to help in the battles with the Indians there. He fought in the Diamond Fork battle, where Al Dimmick, his comrade, was killed.

He married Sarah Ann Traxen Jex, March 7, 1868. She was the daughter of William and Eliza Goodson Jex, also pioneers, coming to Utah in 1854 from England. In the fall of 1869, he bought the lot where he lived the remained of his life. He made the adobes and built the house, which is still standing. He was a police officer of Spanish Fork for 10 years and also owned and operated a butch shop. He had been city pound keeper and water master. He was a member of the L. D. S. church and for many years was a member of the choir. He was a high priest at the time of his death. Nine members of his family filled church missions.

He was the father of 13 children. Two daughters and sic sons survive him. The are: Mrs. Eliza Hales, Mrs. Lillian Boyack and W. E. and Willis M. Brockbank, all of Spanish Fork; I. E. Brockbank of Provo, A. G. Brockbank, Dr. H. D. Brockbank and M. J. Brockbank, all of Salt Lake City; 47 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending word from M. J. Brockbank, who is absent on a business trip to New York City.

Salt Lake Tribune, January 15, 1941, Page 7

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Joshua Brockbank, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Mainwaring Brockbank was born at Liverpool, England, May 15, 1848. He had six brothers and sisters: Isaac, Elizabeth, and Agnes who came with their parents to Utah and three who died and were buried at Liverpool.

His father joined the L.D.S. Church in 1843. He was an active member of the branch and after nine years of longing to come to Zion, set sail from Liverpool on the ship Ellen Maria, Feb. 11, 1852. This ship carried between five and six hundred passengers. They met with some violent storms and were eight weeks and three days on the passage to New Orleans. They then took a steamer up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and then transferred to another steamer to Kansas City. On the way they saw a vessel blown up with many Saints on board. The disaster and suffering was a terrible sight to see. On arriving at Kansas City they were informed that they would have to remain there several weeks as the wagons they were to use to cross the plains were being made in St. Louis.

President A. 0. Smoot who had charge of the company, found a camping ground for them about a mile from the river where they made themselves as comfortable as possible. But they had lived so long on hard tack and very poor food that they were nearly starved. They gathered some roots, which they thought they had eaten in the old country but to their surprise, they proved very, poisonous and caused cholera to break out in the camp. Many of the saints died. The people of Kansas City became greatly alarmed and indignation meetings were held where propositions were made to drive the saints out, but fear of the contagion spreading kept them from carrying out their plans. In due time, their outfits were ready and a start made for the Rocky Mountains, but they had laid away more than twenty-five of their loved ones without much ceremony or monuments to mark their resting place.

Elizabeth, Joshua's mother, became very discouraged due to their hardships. She had left all the comforts of life at her home in Liverpool. As they journeyed on, the woman often spent their noon hours gathering berries and wild currents. One day Elizabeth did not return as usual, so when ready, the company went on for a short distance, thinking she had gone ahead and they would catch her. But when she did not come nor answer to their calls, they became alarmed and terrified and stayed and searched for three days. Then they hitched up Brother Layton's fine span of mules on his buggy and he and Isaac went back fifty miles to Fort Laramie to see if they could learn of her there. They returned sad and disheartened. No one knew why she left the train whether it was intentionally or otherwise, but to this day (88 years later) we have never heard a word. Broken hearted and worried they again began their journey westward and arrived in Salt Lake on September 4, 1852. This was seven months after leaving. Liverpool.

Elizabeth left a baby, Agnes, about one year old and a small boy, Joshua, then four years of age. Joshua often told of remembering his mother taking him to a small stream and giving him a drink from a shiny cup. She then told him to go back to the wagon where his eldest sister Elizabeth (then twelve years of age) would care for him.
The family remained in Salt Lake for one month, then came south with ox team and settled in Palmyra. Here they made a dugout where they lived the first winter. Isaac, Elizabeth and Joshua slept outside in a wagon box until the weather became too severe. The next summer the Indians became hostile and a fort had to be built. The Brockbank family built two rooms in the fort at Palmyra and there in 1854. In 1855, the saints moved from Palmyra to the present site of Spanish Fork and another fort was built on the block where the Book Service Station now stands.
Isaac Brockbank again built two rooms in the southeast corner of the fort. They lived in one room while the other was used for Sunday School and other religious meetings. A well was dug in the center of the fort to supply water. The two heavy gates at the south often admitted friendly Indians or saints who came in and out when occasions required.

After the Indians became friendlier many families left the fort and built small homes of their own. The Brockbanks' built two rooms of blue adobe where the Orem Station now stands. Joshua remembers hauling the dirt to make adobes from Springville with an ox team. It took all day from daylight until dark to haul one load.

Joshua endured all the hardships of other pioneer children –seldom wore shoes and remembers going on cold frosty mornings barefoot to hunt the oxen, which were turned out at night to feed. He would run a short distance, then sit down, take his hat off and rub his feet briskly with his hat until they were warm enough to run again. Often he found the oxen as far away as the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon.

His education was very limited. His teachers were Silas Hillman and a man named Ross. Teachers ruled with the iron rod in those days. He remembers being punished by standing in the Dunce Corner on one leg and holding up a stick of wood or heavy book until he could hold it no longer. He also remembers holding out his hand for a custard. For this punishment, the teacher would hit the hand with a ruler and if he jerked his hand too soon, it would be repeated until the hand was blistered.

Joshua felt that his father and stepmother were too severe with him so at the age of fourteen, he decided to go to Meadow, 112 miles south, and live with his sister, Elizabeth. He told his stepmother his plan so she gave him some cookies and a blanket and he started alone and on foot. He walked as far as Nephi, a distance of 32 miles, but was so completely exhausted upon his arrival that he decided to spend his only dollar bill for a ride on the stage. This took him as far as Fillmore, which at that time was the State Capitol and twelve miles from his destination. The stage left Nephi at 2 a.m. He rode all the next day and arrived at Fillmore just after dark.
It was a bright moonlight night so he decided to journey on. He reached Meadow at a very early hour and was surprised to see a light in one of the houses. He thought he would peep in the window and if conditions were favorable, inquire as to where his sister Elizabeth lived. To his surprise, it was his sister's home. The light was on because she was ill. She was happy, however, to see her little brother and hear news of her family. Elizabeth and her husband were very poor. Isaac was married and now lived in Cottonwood. Agnes, a little girl of eleven years, lived at home.

That morning he went with his brother-in-law to Kanosh to get a midwife and during the day Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy. Joshua drove the midwife back and forth to Kanosh each day in a buckboard wagon drawn by one horse. During his sister's illness, he was hired girl, nurse, cook etc. He baked all the bread in a bake skillet over an open fire. Later he helped cut and haul cedar posts from the canyon. With the money earned, he bought a horse, which as the first thing he ever owned. Soon after he decided to ride his horse bareback to Spanish Fork.

The first day he got as far as Holden, 18 miles, where he stayed with a friend. The next day he made 42 miles to Nephi. That was a long day as he was alone and nervous due to the fact that the Indians were on the warpath. At Nephi he spent the night with the Isaac Grace family, friends of the Brockbanks. Their hospitality was greatly appreciated because on the following morning they started him homeward with a lunch and blessings. They told him to trust in the Lord and the Indians would not harm him.

That summer he and his horse helped his father on the farm. His elder brother Isaac, who lived in Cottonwood near Salt Lake, needed help so in 1864 Joshua gave his horse to his father and went to work for Isaac. With the money earned, he purchased a span of horses, which was quite a possession for a young man in those days.

When he returned to Spanish Fork the settlers were having trouble with the Indians. Joshua took an active part, standing picket guard with other men of the community.

He was a Black Hawk Indian War Veteran and went to Sanpete and Severe Fork battle where his comrade, Al Dimmick was killed. He often related the hardship they encountered in getting his body off the mountain and down to his home in Spanish Fork. Joshua knew no fear. He said that he was not afraid of the Indians but endeavored to gain their confidence. He could talk the Indian language and used several of their expressions all of his life.

Joshua Brockbank married Sarah Ann Traxon Jex on March 7, 1868 in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City. Joshua was nineteen years of age and Sarah Ann seventeen. Joshua used his own team and wagon to make the trip to Salt Lake. It took four days because it was raining and muddy. The first day took them to Provo, the second day to Mile Andrus' Road House, about eight miles on the other side of the Point of the Mountain, the third day to Cottonwood and the fourth day to Salt Lake City. They were married the day after their arrival.

After they were married, they lived with his father, Isaac and his stepmother, Sarah Brown Brockbank. For several months Joshua went off to work and left Sarah Ann to live with his folks. When he returned he worked with his father on the farm. Next he went to work in Echo Canyon, railroading. James Robertson and Marinus Larsen from Spanish Fork worked there too.

They did all the plowing for the grade and Joshua did the freighting to the camp from Echo City, which was near the place where Coalville now stands. He also hauled passengers, making from $10 to $12 a day. Albert K. Thurber, his brother-in-law, was foreman. They used to turn out their horses at night to feed because hay was scarce. One day Joshua went out to get the horses. He jumped on one of the horses to drive the rest in. The horse was running and stepped in a gopher hole. He was thrown over the horse's head and very badly injured.

In the fall when it became too cold to continue the work in Echo Canyon, he came home. He had a $500 green back. It was the first and last one he ever owned of that kind. He stopped in Salt Lake on his way home and purchased a stove called the Golden Sheaf. He paid $90 for it. It had a sheaf of wheat on each oven door. A stove was a luxury in those days. He also bought a table, chairs, bed and some other household furnishings. These things he bought at an auction.

During the summer Joshua and Sarah Ann lived in a tent near the Sterling Ranch in Spanish Fork Canyon. He herded cattle for Spanish Fork and Springville people.

In the fall of 1869, he bought a lot from Hen Taylor at 111 East 1st North Street, where he lived the rest of his life. He paid $150 for this lot in grain, flour, a colt and a wagon. He received the grain and flour for working on a threshing machine. There was a big ditch that ran through this lot and a large sinkhole in the middle of the street west. The water was clear and cold in this hole, which was twelve feet deep, ½ block long and the width of the street. John Carlyle's boy was drowned in this hole on Sunday afternoon while swimming. Soon after this, Joshua helped fill this sinkhole with dirt.

He bought five acres of land west of town from his father for $150. He paid for it out of the $500 he earned while working at Echo Canyon. This land was heavy clay so he rented a portion of it for a few years to Theodore Dedrickson, where he made adobes and sold to the settlers. He also bought land on the Bench in the River Bottoms and the New Survey.

He was a policeman of Spanish Fork for ten years, working with Orson Creek, John Beck, Bonnie Williams and Bon Argyle. This was no easy job because at this time there were open saloons and much drunkenness. There were also many hobos roaming the country. He was also city pound keeper and city water master for several years.

In August of 1883, his right leg was badly broken. This happened when he was hauling grain. The wagon ran off a bridge. He was thrown from the load and the wheel ran over his leg, splintering the bone the width of the wagon tire. It was such a bad break that Dr. Greer of Payson, who was called, sent for Dr. Pike of Provo. The decided to take his leg off, but his wife would not consent. She sent for the elders who came daily for several weeks. They were Brothers Darger, Sikos, Lewis and Wilkins. These faithful men visited and administered and prayed for him unceasingly. He was helpless the entire winter, then on crutches for two years. That leg was always two inches shorter than the other one. Joshua met with many accidents in his life. Nearly every bone in his body had been broken.

He worked many winters in the canyons cutting trees for the sawmills. He was foreman for Tucker and Thomas where he received high wages. There were times when he worked in Polo Canyon with oxen all winter, never seeing anyone. One spring he received a team of horses as pay for his winters work. Horses were very scarce in those days and sold for a goodly sum. One morning he turned this team out to water in a ditch just across the street. They wandered away and were never seen again. He had had so many accidents with horses that his children persuaded him to turn some of his responsibilities over to them and discontinue his work with horses. This he condescended to do so he rented the farm and quit working. He then bought a car, a Model "T" Ford. He ran it very well for a short time but had two minor accidents and so decided to give it to one of his sons.

He was honest with his fellowmen and always worked hard until late years. He was a High Priest in the L.D.S. Church and always loved to sing the songs of Zion.

On October 17, 1928 his wife Sarah Ann died. He was very lonely but independent. He didn't want to live withy any of his children nor have them live with him. So he sort of batched it for several years. His daughters made frequent calls with food and helped to keep his house clean and tidy. He visited and had meals with his children whenever he desired.

In the fall of 1935 the family decided it best for him not to be alone longer and as Willis had a steam-heated house, he went there for the winter. In the spring he wanted to go back home so it was decided that Eliza should go and live with him as had often said that he wanted her to have the old home when he passed away.

So in May 1936 the remodeling program on the old home began. New floors were laid in the entire house, a new stairway and closets built, an arch was made between the living room and hall and the entire house was painted and papered. The grounds were greatly improved also. The old gate and fence were torn down; new soil was hauled to build up the low places and trees, lawn and flowers planted.

In June Eliza, husband and two daughters, Helen and Agnes, moved in his home to care for him. He was happy to be reinstated so comfortably in the old home. He had a room by himself and often said that he wished his wife could have been with him or could have seen how comfortable he was.

In 1938 his son, Delbert, 58 years of age passed away. He was much grieved over this. He was very frail in body now but still never complained. He ate but little, had frequent vomiting spells but would not admit that he was ever ill.

In June 1940 he went to bed – not in any pain – just tired out. He was so weak at times that we thought he would pass away any time. He didn't mind the summer heat or the winter cold. When his friends called and asked him how he was feeling, he would either say, "Better," or "We can't change it." Earnest came and bathed him the last two years and during the last even months of his final sickness. Earnest would lift him in a chair while the bed linens were changed and then sponge him off and change his clothes. He always had the best of care. Each day we could see him weakening. For two days before passing away, he took nothing in the way of nourishment. On January 13, after sponging him off, he said, (speaking to Eliza) "You look tired, kid. Don't bother with me; go and rest." He looked so pitifully at me, then wishfully took my hand in his, kissed it and said, "Thank you. That is all I want." He was appreciative of everything that was done for him.

Willis came in at 7 p.m. He seemed to be asleep but when asked how he was, he just said, "O.K." Willis went home and was gone only a few moments when Father was stricken with terrible pain. I immediately called Willis and he was back shortly with Ernest. The pain he endured those last few hours was terrible but he was conscious until the last few moments. He passed away at 12:10 a.m., January 14, 1941. The doctors pronounced the cause as, "Quick Pneumonia". Next morning the boys all came but Merrill, who was in New York City on a business trip. Isaac telephoned him but it was decided that we should hold the funeral without him.

The Funeral services were held on Saturday, January 18 at 1:30 p.m. in the First Ward Chapel. A large number of relatives and friends were present. The floral tributes were profuse. The speakers were: Henry A. Gardner, Quayle Dixon, A. T. Money, John P. Creek and Bishop Rulon H. Nelson. Heber C. Jex dedicated the grave in the Spanish Fork Cemetery. Thus ended the life of Joshua Brockbank at the age of 92 years and 8 months.

Written by his daughter, Sarah Ann Elizabeth Brockbank Hales (1869-1963)