Martineau, James H. (James Henry), 1828-1921

James Henry Martineau was born in Montgomery County, New York, on March 13, 1828. He came to Salt Lake City in 1850, on his way to the gold fields of California. He intended to stop in Utah only for a few months, but after his conversion to Mormonism, he decided to remain and help to colonize the area, becoming one of the founders of the town of Parowan, in Iron County, and an early settler of Logan, in Cache County. Martineau was a clerk and surveyor by trade, surveying for governments, the LDS Church, and for private companies (including several railroads), and individuals. The Martineau family moved to Colonia Juarez, Mexico, in 1891 or 1892, and Martineau applied for Mexican citizenship in 1898. However, he continued to spend many months of each year working in Utah. Martineau made a point of attending Church conferences whenever possible, and was acquainted with many Church leaders, including Brigham Young. He was an officer in the Mormon militia and participated in many skirmishes with Native Americans, and was keenly aware of the threat of war between the militia and the federal government, especially during the Utah Expedition of 1857-1858. He also served at various points as a sort of missionary; as a Patriarch, he blessed Mormons and performed laying on of hands. Martineau also practiced plural marriage, and had four wives: Susan Ellen Johnson (m. 1852), Susan Julia Sherman (m. 1857), Mary Eliza Jones (m. 1877), and Jessie Helen Russell Anderson Grieves (m. 1887). Only the first two made their homes with him. He was also very active in Temple work and had approximately 100 deceased women sealed to him as wives. He had over 20 children, natural and adopted, several of whom served as missionaries at one time or another. James Martineau died on June 24, 1921.

Mormon Church leader in Mexico.

Historian of the Parowan Stake of the Mormon Church.

Mormon pioneer.

Mormon county surveyor, construction engineer, and U.S. Deputy who lived in Parowan, Utah.

James Henry Martineau (1828-1921) was a Mormon convert who is perhaps best known as a territorial, federal, and railroad (Union Pacific) surveyor. He was also a settler, clerk, cartographer, photographer, and engineer. Although Martineau was acquainted with many upper-echelon Mormon leaders (including Brigham Young), he did not attain high-ranking status in the Church. Eventually he did, however, have four plural wives and more than twenty children. Martineau arrived in Salt Lake City in 1850 while on his way to California from New York. While in Utah, he converted to Mormonism. He completed a variety of surveys in southern Utah before serving as an officer in the Nauvoo legion during the Utah War of 1857-58. In 1860, he settled in Cache Valley as the county surveyor and the U.S. deputy internal revenue collector. In 1888 he moved his families to Colonia Juarez in Mexico, although in 1903 he moved back to Salt Lake City.

James H. Martineau was born in New York on March 13, 1828. After finishing his education at Monroe Academy in Elbridge, New York, Martineau became an apprentice newspaper printer and traveled to Wisconsin for a newspaper job before enrolling in the army. In 1849 he planned a world tour that would begin in California, but after reaching Salt Lake City he became intrigued by the Mormon settlement there, and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1851. Later that year he accompanied an exploring party to southern Utah, and eventually ended up in Parowan, Utah. In Parowan Martineau served as city recorder and county clerk, as well as schoolteacher, surveyor, sheriff, and city councilor. In 1855 he began teaching the use of the Deseret Alphabet, which he used while serving as first councilor to stake president John Calvin Lazelle Smith. In 1884 Martineau and his family moved to the St. Joseph Stake in Arizona, and in 1888 they settled at Colonia Juarez in Chihuahua, Mexico. In 1908 Martineau returned to Utah, leaving much of his family in Mexico. He died in Salt Lake City on June 24, 1921.

J.H. Martineau was Cache County surveyor in 1863.

James Henry Martineau was born in Montgomery County, New York, on March 13, 1828. He came to Salt Lake City in 1850, on his way to the gold fields of California. He intended to stop in Utah only for a few months, but after his conversion to Mormonism, he decided to remain and help to colonize the area, becoming one of the founders of the town of Parowan, in Iron County, and an early settler of Logan. Martineau was a clerk and surveyor by trade, surveying for governments, the LDS Church, and for private companies (including several railroads) and individuals. The Martineau family moved to Colonia Juarez, Mexico, in 1891 or 1892, and Martineau applied for Mexican citizenship in 1898. However, he continued to spend many months of each year working in Utah.

Martineau made a point of attending Church conferences whenever possible, and was acquainted with many Church leaders, including Brigham Young. He was an officer in the Mormon militia and participated in many skirmishes with Native Americans, and was keenly aware of the threat of war between the militia and the federal government, especially during the Utah Expedition of 1857-1858. He also served at various points as a sort of missionary; as a Patriarch, he blessed Mormons and performed faith healings. Martineau also practiced plural marriage, and had four wives: Susan Ellen Johnson (m. 1852), Susan Julia Sherman (m. 1857), Mary Eliza Jones (m. 1877, for time, but not eternity), and Jessie Helen Russell Anderson Grieves (m. 1887). Only the first two made their homes with him. He was also very active in Temple work and had approximately 100 deceased women sealed to him as wives. He had over 20 children, natural and adopted, several of whom served as missionaries at one time or another. James Martineau died on June 24, 1921.

James Henry Martineau (1828-1921) was a Mormon convert who is perhaps best known as a territorial, federal, and railroad (Union Pacific) surveyor. He was, as well, a settler, clerk, cartographer, photographer, and engineer. Although Martineau was acquainted with many upper-echelon Mormon leaders (including Brigham Young), he did not attain high-ranking status in the Church. Eventually he did, however, have four plural wives and more than twenty children.

Martineau arrived in Salt Lake City in 1850 while on his way to California from New York. While in Utah he converted to Mormonism. He completed a variety of surveys in southern Utah before serving as an officer in the Nauvoo legion during the Utah War of 1857-58. In 1860 he settled in Cache Valley as the county surveyor and the U.S. deputy internal revenue collector. In 1888 he moved his families to Colonia Juarez in Mexico, although in 1903 he moved back to Salt Lake City.