James Godfrey

JAMES GODFREY

James Godfrey was the last addition to his parents' family.  He was the baby of their 7 children coming into this world on Jan 5, 1840.  At the time, his family lived in North Petherton, Somersetshire, England.  

His father, Charles Godfrey, Sr., passed away when he was only 3 years old (1843).  His mother raised him to manhood.  Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints came to England and his mother, Caroline Trott Godfrey, his brother, Charles Godfrey, Jr., and himself were converted.   James was baptized a member on March 2, 1864, in Bristol, England.  

He and his mother immediately made plans to leave England to join the main body of saints in Utah.  Charles left before they did.  James and Caroline embarked on their journey on June 3, 1864, on the ship Hudson, and finished their journey in the Warren S. Snow wagon company arriving in Salt Lake City on October 27, 1864.  His brother, Charles, and his wife, Sophia Clifton, met them and helped them get established.

Unfortunately his brother passed away three years later leaving his wife with four young children all under the age of 5. The baby was born only 6 days before he died.  James could see the need his brother's family was in and decided to marry Sophia a year later (1869).  To their union seven children were born.  They made their home in South Cottonwood (Salt Lake), Utah.

Sophia took ill and passed away in 1878.  James had a large family to care for.  He met another English native and fell in love with her.  James and Fannie Alice Jones were married on December 23, 1880.  She raised all of his children and added 11 more of her own.  

Not even one year after their marriage, he was called to serve a mission to the Northwestern States.  He left in 1881 and returned in 1882 due to ill health.  While on his mission, he and his companions rented a hall in Montecello, Minnesota, to hold their meetings.  While they were teaching, a mob attacked them, threw a lasso on James, and dragged him a large distance.  Fortunately, the rope broke, and he was unhurt.  As a souvenir, he brought home the nine foot long piece of rope.

James served as a Young Men's President in South Cottonwood, served in the Black Hawk War, served in the 72nd and 73rd Quorums of the Seventies and then as a Patriarch.  He passed away on November 4, 1928, in Murray (South Cottonwood).