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John was born in 1789. He was the son of Jacob Workman and Elizabeth Wyckoff. He passed away in 1855.
There are 19 identified children, but there is reference to 22 in total.
Their first three children born in Overton County, Tennessee:
Children born in Nicholas County, Kentucky:
Children born after returning to Overton County, Tennessee were:
In 1805, when he was 19, John went to Kentucky where his Uncle George and other members of his family who emigrated from Pennsylvania. From there he went to Overton County, Tennessee, where he met and married Lydia Bilyeu. She was born 18th of August 1793, in Kentucky.
In 1814, John purchased land in Nicholas County, Kentucky just ten miles north of where his father has settled in Bourbon County, two years earlier. The Workman's found themselves in good circumstances, both in land and money. John built a fine home in Carlisle, Nicholas County, Kentucky, where six more children were born
Due to disagreements with the German Baptist Church in Kentucky, John left Carlisle and returned to Overton County, Tennessee. Because of the bitterness in the community toward them over religious disputes, it was impossible for John to sell his fine holdings in Carlisle, so he abandoned them.
In Tennessee, John bought land and had slaves to work it. He laid his farm out in sections for the different kinds of crops. He had his own grist mill, grocery store, flocks, herds and etc. He attended church but could not take under their interpretation of the scriptures. So in due time, he quit the church all together. Then he carried on a distillery of whiskey and brandy.
In 1839, two Mormon Elders came to Overton County, Tennessee. They had a hard time finding lodgings. When they came to the home of John Workman, as John had never turned a traveler away without food and rest, the Elders were welcomed.
On 22 July 1840, John and his wife Lydia and several of his children were baptized by Abram Owen Smoot and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1843, John abandoned his holdings in Tennessee and emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he could associate with those who had the same religious connections. Here he bought a farm four miles west of Nauvoo, where he lived most of the time. Two of his sons lived in the City of Nauvoo.
In the summer of 1845, John harvested a good crop of wheat and had threshed part of it. One day in the early evening he saw some of the farm home of other of the Saints in flames. One after another moving in his direction, he knew at once that it was the work of mobs, whose fury had raged unabated since the Nauvoo Charter had been repealed. He had a wagon in the yard with boards across the running gears. He put what he could of the wheat on this wagon and his family on top of the wheat, and drove to Nauvoo for protection. The severe persecutions that the Saints suffered at this time proved too much for John's wife Lydia. She succumbed to the trials and died 30 Sept. 1845, and was buried in the Nauvoo cemetery.
John passed through the trials and vicissitudes incident to the expulsion of the Saints from Nauvoo. This was the third time in his life that John had abandoned his earthly possessions for his religious convictions. He remained in the city of Nauvoo until late spring of 1846, when he was driven into the wilderness with the Saints. He joined his son Jacob L. at Mount Pisgah, where he had a temporary cabin. John remained there until 1852, when he immigrated to the Salt Lake Valley with the Betz Company. In Salt Lake, he lived with his children part of the time and part time in his own home built for him by his son Jacob L.
John Workman, then 62 years of age, labored with his own hands for a living. This labor was transcribing patriarchal blessings and family records in a very plain and legible hand so they were easily read and would not be mistaken. He rejoiced exceedingly in the teachings of the Gospel and the privileges of holding the priesthood. He also made a genealogical record of the Workman family. He made three copies of this record. One copy he sent to his brother William in Loami, Illinois, another copy he sent to his brother Michael who inherited his father's home farm in Kentucky, and the third copy he kept.
Jacob L. Workman, writing about his father's death, said: "He continued his labor of transcribing blessings and family records until the spring of 1855, when his health became very poor his affliction increased upon him in spite of our faith and prayers and all we could do. On the 14th of April, I could see that his days were numbered. I asked him if he wanted to die. He said that he would rather live, but it was the Lord's will, he was ready. We had frequent talks upon the Gospel of Salvation. He remained in his rational mind until the evening of April 20th when he went to sleep, but still continuing to breath, until 20 minutes to 5:00 AM. April 21, 1855, he passed away surrounded by his family and friends. He was laid to rest in his temple robes on lot C-44, Salt Lake City cemetery," the lot Jacob L. drew for his own use.
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