John Bair

John Bair was born Nov 26, 1810, in Somerset, Pennsylvania to Adam Baehr and Catherine Bowermaster. John is credited with being the leader of the Founders of Richmond. John was a veteran of the Utah War and Indian Wars.

Early Life & Conversion

John's father fought valiantly in the War of 1812. Unfortunately, he lost his life in the Battle of Tippecanoe as the war was about to commence. John was only four years old, and his only brother Henry was at the age of one. There is no record if John's mother remarried.

John was raised by not just his strong and determined mother, but also among his father’s friends and possibly family.1 John was a very large and strong man. In his youth, he used this to his advantage and would wrestle to pass the time. Most of the time, matches would be between him and Native Americans.

“On one occasion, a large young man came into the little settlement and asked to have a wrestling match with John. He had heard of the great strength and ability of John to throw anyone and decided he was not going to be [overdone]. [The man] placed a razor blade in the sole of his shoe so that it would cut John’s legs in their struggle. This made John so angry to be taken advantage [like] that [so] easy that he picked the man up and threw him to the ground with such a force that his leg was broke.”1

John was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1834 by Church President Joseph Smith.8 He joined the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, and served as Joseph Smith’s bodyguard.

Legal Business

In 1846, John was a lawyer and was in the affairs of settling all land dispersals for the church.7 On April 2, 1848, a note was made among the ward records that, on selling a farm, “Thomas Kington was appointed Agent to sell,” to help collect money for the pioneers to move west. On the 19th of the same month, a council was organized and George Wilson, George Carson, and John Bair were nominated as agents to help sell the farm.2

On September 2, 1848, a copy of minutes at a Captain’s meeting stated: 

“A council meeting was held this day, the meeting was open by prayer…. The business was stated, et., what would be the best way to secure the land for the church by entering or by land warrants. Elder Hugh McKenney made the motion and was seconded by Elder George Wilson. A vote was taken and unanimously for it would be best to secure the land and Elder McKenny made a motion that Brother John Bair is appointed to be an agent, by warrant or any he thinks best.”3

In a Captain's meeting held on April 30, 1848, 

“John Bair addressed them on the subject to have their books and schedules in good order, also on tithings, … and keep correct accounts; and to regulate and raise means to pay the debts which the President has to contract fitting out the Pioneers and other purposes first…”3

Pioneering Treks

In 1846, John moved to Nauvoo, Illinois.

John joined the David Evans Company on  June 15, 1850 to travel west. Quoting from The Instructor, March of 1947, page 121, “The Journal of the Pioneer.” by Nelson Wheeler Whipple: 

“In a few days Brother O. Hyde and Brother Joseph Young and some others came down and examined our wagon and our outfit; organized us into 10’s, 50’s, and 100’s, appointed captains of the first 50 and John Bair of the second fifty. There were 105 wagons in all. We crossed the river very well without accident except an old cow that was fool enough to jump overboard and came near upsetting the boat and caused us to drift downstream a long ways below and landing, but we towed up and got ashore."

The Bair family entered the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 17 and settled in Kay’s Ward where Kaysville, Utah is now located. Later, he settled in Farmington, Utah. John built the first sawmill in the county.

Maneuvering to Cache Valley

In 1852, John built and operated the first ferry boat in Utah on the Bear River that crossed from Box Elder County to Cache County, starting from Collingston, Box Elder, Utah.

That same year, John and Nels Empy, with others, made the journey into Cache Valley for their first time. They were astonished by the many streams of water, heavy growth of grass, and many other features that would make great sections to live in. The state of Utah, as they had known of, was but a desert; a wasteland of dust and debris, with a scorching sun and thirst-quenching air, waiting to claim its next victim. The fact that there was some beautiful land in the area was an absolute astonishment to all who came. They decided to take up some land claims when the proper time came.

As Cache Valley was starting to become a known area for the settlers, Brigham Young wanted the valley, as beautiful and luscious as it was, to be a large cattle ground for the Church. President Young sent John with some cattle to be pastured in the valley. He spent the summer with the cattle near a spring. In November, due to a severe snowstorm that killed more than 100+ head of cattle, they were driven out. President Young inquired of John Bair about possibly making settlements in the valley. John replied that it was a great place to have settlers. 

In 1859, John, with several others, returned to Cache Valley to begin a new life. Where they had previously seen in 1852 was taken by many settlers in now Logan. They went a little further north to find some other land to settle. They found more settlers in Summit Creek, who had already planted their crops for the season. With a little disappointment, they carried on north and located near the same spring that John watched over the cattle, President Young asked him to take care of. Just south of the spring was the Cooper Family.

Life in Richmond

The Bair family wintered on City Creek opposite Brower-Robinson Spring and was called “Old Fort.” The family suffered from cold and hunger during this first winter, as the snow fell to a depth of 2.5 feet. The pioneers lived on boiled wheat and flour was made from wheat made in coffee mills.

“After their arrival in Richmond, the first project tackled was that of cutting and staking the wild hay for use during the winter. Then four small cabins of logs were erected on the present site of Richmond.”1 

Cottonwood logs along High Creek and pine logs near the foot of Mt. Naomi were obtained to build the log houses and to furnish fuel.4

In 1860, many more families moved to Cache Valley and Richmond. John Bair and Agrippa Cooper assumed the roles of leading these new families in the Richmond area.9 An estimated 25 families moved to Richmond in just a single year. During this time of growth and building, Brigham Young visited the families in Richmond in 1860 and instructed them to build a fort to protect themselves from Native American attacks. The settlers built houses enclosing a tract of land about twenty rods (330 feet) square, calling it Richmond Fort.

After the construction of the Richmond Fort in 1860 and other forts in Cache Valley, the Territory of Utah created the Cache Military District on Oct 15, 1861 with Church Apostle Ezra T. Benson as Colonel. Richmond was organized as the 5th Battalion Infantry, with Thomas L. Whittle as Major, David P. Rainy as Adjutant, and Robert M. Kerr and Dana Walton as Captains. John was appointed as a Lieutenant. On June 16, 1863, Richmond was organized into two companies of Infantry and two squads of Cavalry. John was appointed Lieutenant.

When the Richmond ward was organized on Nov 15, 1859, John Bair was appointed High Priest and one of the first ward teachers and later appointed president of the teachers quorum. In the first winter, he took charge of all meetings and public affairs in general during the absence of Bishop Thomas Tidwell. 

It was remembered by John's son, Hyrum, that John would call out to warn the townspeople when danger or trouble threatened. 

"His voice could be heard clearly and distinctly over the village." After the railroad came to the little settlement of Richmond, a bandit had come in and was hiding near the railroad. Two or three young men went down to capture him. A son of John’s was one of them. John, wishing to send help to the boys, went outside of his house and in a very loud voice shouted, 'Let's go down and help the boys catch a bandit.' The bandit was captured while he was sleeping.”1

“The [Church] policy to feed the [Native Americans] rather than fight them was a heavy drain on the valley’s economy. In 1864, a year of considerable trial the pioneers gave to the [Native Americans] a tone of flour, 200 bushels of wheat, two oxen, 2 steers, and a large amount of corn, potatoes, carrots, ammunition and other things. On page 56 of the Richmond Ward record John Bair is listed as giving $2.00 for the [Native Americans].”1

In 1862, John was appointed prosecuting attorney, a job he held until 1867.

Native American Translator

The Native Americans respected John and called him “Bear John.” The word “bear” is not only for his almost name association, nor for how large John was, but the name comes from old Native American mythology. Bears are symbolized as strong and wise, and can also be associated with healing and medicine.5 John was the Native American interpreter for the town and many times the Native Americans in the county would come to him to settle their troubles with the pioneers. John would council with them and shake hands with each one, even though sometimes it was a large crowd. 

One story of "Bear John" was while in Kaysville, Utah. He and his family were in the fort while some Native Americans had surrounded the fort. After some time, the Native Americans withdrew themselves. Some men in the fort called for someone to scout out around the fort to ensure no Native Americans were waiting for them. John Bair volunteered and walked around the fort with two pistols to keep himself safe. There were no Native Americans around, so all was safe. The next day, a Native friend came to see "Bear John" and said to him, “Bear John, don’t ever come out of the fort again with just two little guns. I had a hard time keeping the other[s] … from shooting you as they were hiding watching. I told them you were my friend and your name was Bear John and Bear is a sacred name.”

At one point, John took a Native American by the name of Dixie into his home while in Richmond.

Family

John married his first wife, Lydia Regester, on Aug 20, 1829 in Lisbon, Ohio. In 1834, John was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his association with the “Mormons” did not please Lydia. She refused to travel to Kirtland and later moved in with her parents and divorced John on Oct 20, 1846. 

John married Lucinda Amanda Owen on Oct 19, 1843 in Nauvoo, Illinois. John entered the practice of polygamy on Oct 19, 1843 by marrying Belinda Jane Owen in Nauvoo, Illinois. John also married Jerusha Ann Richardson on Jan 27, 1846 in Nauvoo, Illinois; Lucy Ann Maria Cole on July 1, 1852 in Salt Lake City, Utah; and Mary Jane Bigelow on April 8, 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah. John fathered a total of 37 with only a total of 15 living to adulthood.

Epilogue