James Orson Bartholomew History

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Written by a niece.

James Orson was born Wednesday, the 29th day of December 1858 at Springville, Utah County, Utah, the tenth child of Joseph and Polly Benson Bartholomew. He was just a little more than two years old when he came with his parents and family to live at Warm Creek (Fayette). He was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints on 24th of March 1867 and grew to manhood helping the family on the farm and with the chores, being very neat and particular in all he attempted to do.

After the death of his father, he remained with his mother, helping with the garden, which he kept free of weeds, tending cows, calves and chickens and other chores. He was never idle and was a very faithful observer of the Sabbath day, doing all chores that could be taken care of on Saturday, wood was cut and in its place; in the summer time alfalfa and feed was cut and gathered for Sunday feeding to animals and he seen to it that all were well taken care of.

He never married and was always very good to is mother and all members of his family.

I recall on one occasion the cows of Philip Dack Jr. broke the fence and got in to the stack yard and ate and messed and destroyed much of his hay for cows. He and his aged mother got them out of the hay and corralled them. About milking time Philip came looking for his cows and finding them shut up in grandmothers corral attempted to take them, but James was there and told him that he must go and talk to “Mother.” He went to the house and found her. She told him that his cows had done considerable damage to the hay, which they had not eaten as well as eaten all that they could hold, and she felt that he owed some money for the damage. He opened his purse, taking out one little thin dime, offered it to her for the damage. She was very surprised and insulted and said,” I won’t take it.” He left taking his cows with him. I was in the house with grandmother at this time – just a little girl, but I never have forgot the look on grand-mothers face or the tone of her voice. She was about ninety years old.

After the death of his mother he lived with us for sometime, my mother was a favorite of his, going next to live with a niece, Mary Bartholomew Stewart. She had two young sons who took delight in playing tricks on him and teasing him and he was not happy living there. Her baby boy was left much of time to his care. The family moved to Provo and he was alone and almost blind from spending many hours weeding garden and working out in the hot sun.

His mother’s sister’s daughter, Sarah Ann Robison Lisonbee and family moved into his home and attempted to care for him, but he was never happy there.

He died of a heart attack on January 14, 1917 and was laid to rest beside his brother William in the Fayette Cemetery. We all loved and missed him.