This is a photo that grandpa gave me back when i was in middle school. It is of him and his brother Scott Reese.

Nancy Cynthia Allred Black

Born January 20th, 1840 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Ill

Died December 8th 1901 in Mercur, Ut

Joseph Smith Black

Joseph Smith Black from the Mammoth book

Joseph Smith Black, the son of William Black and Jane Johnston was born 14 July 1836 in Lisburn, Antreim, Ireland. Caroline Thompsen, the daughter of Peter Thompsen and Dorothea Andersen was born 24 Oct 1843 at Falkerslev, Maribo, Denmark. They both came as pioneers into Utah as children.

Joseph Smith Black kept a great journal which was produced by the DUP as a lesson. Marian Larsen Seamons has a copy.

Joseph had a great life living with his mother near Nauvoo in the farming community of Augusta. When his father arrived from his mission to Ireland they moved to Nauvoo. He was still a young boy when the Saints were driven out of Nauvoo. They went to Montrose across the river from Nauvoo where his mother set up a tent and delivered babies. They witnessed the miracle of the quail as written in the history of the church. His father was in Canada to get his pension from the British Army, when he arrived with money they got a team etc. to move on to Winter Quarters and eventually Utah. It seems without William, Jane knew she could not go on th Utah alone and gave her wagon and team to someone that could go. He writes of their journey, "In the spring of 1850 we started for the valley in the mountains. Our team consisted of two yoke of oxen and two yoke of cows. We had four head of young stock which I drove, walking all the way. We arrivede sometime in September and started for Sanpete Valley. There were no settlements south of SL then except Manti. There was a small fort on the Provo River. Indians were numerous and bread-stuff was very scarce, which caused the settlers much trouble, Etc. I married Cynthis Allred. We then moved back and located on Utah Lake, while there I assisted the handcart emigrants in coming into Utah. In 1857 we returned to Ephraim and I turned my attention to farming."

He also married Sarah Jane Barney and Louisa Stocks.

He married our grandmother Caroline 14 Feb 1861. Caroline had interpreted for him when he was selling some produce to Danish immigrants. They were residing in Spring City where he was very active in every aspect of pioneer life. He was then called to assist in building Southern Utah. On the 12 of Nov he started his journey taking Caroline, leaving the balance of his family at Spring City. While there Joseph was the first white person into Zions Canyon. Because no one else could believe what he described it was first called Josephs Folley, then Josephs Glory before it became what we know as the great Zions Canyon. Caroline's first child Josephine was born there, also our great grandmother Mary Diantha. They had a very difficult time farming etc. Joseph wrote to Brigham Young of the conditions and he was given permission to go further north. Settling in Deseret. What an exodus he must have had moving these 3 wives and children around.