Frances Adam Bair

Frances Bair was born on Feb 28, 1853, in Kaysville Utah to John and Jerusha Ann Richardson Bair. Frances is a Founder of Richmond.

History

When Frances was 6, the Bair family moved to Richmond. The first winter for the early settlers was difficult. During the winter, Frances and his brother would collect snares of rabbits and birds barefoot.

As a child, he lived in the "Old Fort" and the Richmond Fort.  When Frances was 8, his mother died.

"We lived in a log house that stood just above the place where the woodland house now stands. We resided here until 1864, when Richmond City was formed, and then we moved out into the city. We moved back down just east of the old Brower spring and just east of where the State highway now runs."2.1

For education, Frances attended school at the Double-log School. It was there he met Maria Elizabeth Brower.2.1

Frances married Maria on Feb. 17, 1873 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. He recounts the journey from Richmond to Salt Lake City. 

"We left Richmond on Feb 9 to go to Salt Lake to be married and had to stay in Logan that night. We stayed at Nephi Tarbet's place and caught the train at six o'clock the next morning. The snow was very deep so the first night we go as far as Cottonwood Hallow on the divide, so we spent the next night on the train. The next day we go to Brigham City were we caught the train to Salt Lake. When we got to Salt Lake we stayed at Joseph Bull's place where Maria's father was staying. They only married on Wednesdays so on Wednesday Feb 17, … we were married by Squire Wells. We came home on the train to Brigham City were we hired a team and drove out to Deweyville and stayed at Henry Marble's place. The next day (Feb 19) I.P. Bright and CaDelia Brower went with us to be married and was with us on this entire trip. We got back to Richmond on Feb 21."2.2

For some time in his life, Frances worked on Multiple railroad operations. At the age of 15, Frances traveled to Blue Creek, Utah to help build and construct the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads. In the fall of 1869, Frances worked for the Utah Central Railroad between Ogden and Salt Lake City. In the summer of 1873, Frances and Maria worked for the Utah Northern Railroad that ran through Richmond from Franklin to Logan. Maria was a cook while Frances worked on the grade.1

Frances was able to drive many different teams of animals across the country in his lifetime from 1871 to 1883. During his time, his son Hyrum became very sick. Hyrum died before Frances could return home, and he ended his freight work to be closer to family.1

In 1894, Frances built a home across the street from his childhood home.1

Civic Duties

From 1892 - 1898, Frances worked for the Richmond Mercantile and Produce Company. During his later years, he farmed most of the time and served numerous civic offices including City Marshall (several terms), Justice of Peace (two terms), Water Supervisor (three terms), and Street Supervisor (one term).

Like his father, Frances learned the Native American language and helped to settle matters that were between Chiefs and Americans. He was known as "Bear John's son."

Member of the City Council (? - 1897)

Frances A. Bair served as a member of the City Council for a unknown number of years.

Epilogue