Jacob Foutz was of German Descent. His parents were John Foutz (1768-1803) and Elizabeth Hinkle (1771-1888). He married Margaret Mann the 22 July 1819, Greencastle, Franklin, County, Pennsylvania. Jacob was a farmer and a bricklayer by trade. Living in Richland Co, Ohio, for a short time, he and his wife joined the LDS church in 1822. Living on the Crooked River, Missouri, in 1837, Jacob worked at Haun's Mill about two miles from his home. He is a survivor of the Haun's Mill Massacre receiving a gunshot wound in the upper thigh. When the LDS people were driven out of Missouri, they settled in Nauvoo, Illinois. Jacob served an LDS Mission in Pennsylvania. After returning from his mission, he was called to be Bishop of the Nauvoo 5th Ward (being called as Bishop three times before he died). The persecution was severe and the people were forced to leave their homes. Jacob and his family left the 10 Apr 1846, with the Edward Hunter Wagon Train Company, Jacob being the Captain of the 2nd fifty. When they reached Garden Grove, Iowa, Jacob stayed the summer and fall of 1846, to take care of the wheat they had planted and to harvest it for the hundreds of LDS people coming behind them. When that was done Jacob and family moved on to Winter Quarters (North Omaha, Nebraska) to stay the winter. In the spring of 1847, they left Winter Quarters arriving at the Salt Lake Valley 25 September 1847. The people had to live in their covered wagons until houses were built for them. The men from the start were busy planting crops, digging irrigation ditches immediately after arrival (their food supply was low). Jacob for the third time was called as Bishop of one of the five wards created. Jacob and Margaret had 12 children. His health was bad, never recovering from his leg wound, suffering from bouts of Malaria since Nauvoo, now he had to build a home for his family before the end of November when it would get really cold. He was out with a group of men excavating gravel at the gravel pit when he collapsed and died, 11 Feb. 1848, being the first male to die after they arrived in the Salt Lake valley. He was buried on the corner lot of his property (block 49)of early Salt Lake City. Many years later his descendants did not know where he was buried, the grave site had been lost. In 1987, construction excavation in Pioneer Park revealed human remains. All remains were sent to Forensic Anthropologists Department at the University of Wyoming for identification. The remains were returned and re-entombed individually in newly constructed pine boxes. Jacob Foutz was identified as one of the 32 pioneers buried under Pioneer Park. A newly constructed cemetery, Old Deseret Village Pioneer Cemetery, was made at the Pioneer Trail State Park. A Memorial service was held with reburial 30 May 1987. An addendum to Grace F. Boulder' 1988 Bishop Jacob Foutz's Burial written by Lael S. Larsen, July 1989,she writes of Bob Foss Hansen researching his genealogy reading early journals and diaries. She write, "He sent me a copy of the following (which he had found): James Smithies Journal, Sat. Feb. 12, 1848, Warm and pleasant....the people have commenced to plough for their Spring Crops and are building houses....as I returned home I came through whear the buring ground was and their was 3 men diging a grave for Bishop Fouts who had died on Friday with about one days sickness he was the first that was buried on the ground. (original spelling)" Death date 11 Feb 1848. Second journal that supports this death date from Lorenzo Dow Young's journal (1807-1895): He writes "Feb 11 1848: This day Bishop (Jacob) Fouts was buried. He was sick about 5 ours...By Nancy Foutz R.