Individual Details

As a young man of 19, unattached and looking for new worlds toconquer, John left the Maryland home of his father, going first to theKentucky country but soon continuing on to Overton Co., Tenn., wherehe became attached to the Bilyeu family. That he had known this familybefore coming to Tennessee is certain. They had gone through the samemigratory stages as had the Workman family and shortly before thisJohn's elder brother, Benjamin, had married Hannah Bilyeu. While inOverton Co., Tenn., Peter Bilyeu and John Workman were among thesigners of a petition of 27 Sept. 1813 for a militia to protect thesettlers from the Indians. (See American Historical Magazine V. VIIp.217 of 1902.) In 1814 John and his family moved to Kentucky and bought land inNicholas Co., just ten miles north of where his father, Jacob, hadsettled in Bourbon Co., two years previously. By industry and economythe Workmans soon found themselves in good circumstances both in landand money and John built a fine home in Carlisle. The Workmansbelonged to the Tunkers or German Baptist Church and John'sdisagreement with the church teachings led to his leaving Carlisle andreturning to Overton County, Tennessee. Because of the bitterness inthe community towards them over religious disputes it was impossiblefor John to sell his fine holdings in Carlisle so he abandoned them. "Back in Overton County, Tenn., again, John bought much land and hadslaves to work it. He laid his farm out in sections for the differentkinds of farm crops; had his own grist mill, grocery store and flocksand herds. He attended but could not accept the popular interpretationso in due time he quit the church altogether. On the 22 day of July 1840 John and his wife Lydia and several of hischildren were baptized and confirmed 30 July that year as members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1843 he abandonedhis vast holdings in Tennessee and emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois.Here he bought a farm four miles east of Nauvoo where he lived most ofthe time. Two of his sons had previously located in the City ofNauvoo. One evening during the summer of 1845 John saw some of the farm homesof other Saints in flames. He knew at once that this was the work ofmobs whose fury had raged unabated since the Nauvoo Charter had beenrepealed. He put his family into a wagon and drove to Nauvoo forprotection. The stress was too much for John's wife, Lydia; she diedin Nauvoo, 30 Sept. 1845, and was buried in the Nauvoo cemetery. John remained in the city of Nauvoo until the late spring of 1846 whenthe Saints were driven out. He joined his son, Jacob L. at Mt.Pisgah, Iowa, where he had a temporary cabin. John remained thereuntil 1851 when he emigrated to the Great Salt Lake. In Salt Lake helived part of the time with his children and part of the time in thesmall home that Jacob L. had built for him on the lot Jacob had drawnat the time the city was laid out. John had left some of his family inIllinois, they having elected to stay there, but others had followedhim to Utah. (The previous description is based on material from the "WorkmanFamily History" by Thelma C. Anderson, 1962) As a young man of 19, John left the Maryland home of his father, going first to the Kentucky country but soon continuing on to Overton Co., Tenn., where he became attached to the Bilyeu family. That he had known this family before coming to Tennessee is certain. They had gone through the same migratory stages as had the Workman family and shortly before this John's elder brother, Benjamin, had married Hannah Bilyeu. While in Overton Co., Tenn., Peter Bilyeu and John Workman were among the signers of a petition of 27 Sept. 1813 for a militia to protect the settlers from the Indians. (See American Historical Magazine V. VII p.217 of 1902.) In 1814 John and his family moved to Kentucky and bought land in Nicholas Co., just ten miles north of where his father, Jacob, had settled in Bourbon Co., two years previously. By industry and economy the Workmans soon found themselves in good circumstances both in land and money and John built a fine home in Carlisle. The Workmans belonged to the Tunkers or German Baptist Church and John's disagreement with the church teachings led to his leaving Carlisle and returning to Overton County, Tennessee. Because of the bitterness in the community towards them over religious disputes it was impossible for John to sell his fine holdings in Carlisle so he abandoned them. Back in Overton County, Tenn., again, John bought much land and had slaves to work it. He laid his farm out in sections for the different kinds of farm crops; had his own grist mill, grocery store and flocks and herds. He attended but could not accept the popular interpretation so in due time he quit the church altogether. On the 22 day of July 1840 John and his wife Lydia and several of his children were baptized and confirmed 30 July that year as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1843 he abandoned his vast holdings in Tennessee and emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois. Here he bought a farm four miles east of Nauvoo where he lived most of the time. Two of his sons had previously located in the City of Nauvoo. One evening during the summer of 1845 John saw some of the farm homes of other Saints in flames. He knew at once that this was the work of mobs whose fury had raged unabated since the Nauvoo Charter had been repealed. He put his family into a wagon and drove to Nauvoo for protection. The stress was too much for John's wife, Lydia; she died in Nauvoo, 30 Sept. 1845, and was buried in the Nauvoo cemetery. John remained in the city of Nauvoo until the late spring of 1846 when the Saints were driven out. He joined his son, Jacob L. at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, where he had a temporary cabin. John remained there until 1851 when he emigrated to the Great Salt Lake. In Salt Lake he lived part of the time with his children and part of the time in the small home that Jacob L. had built for him on the lot Jacob had drawn at the time the city was laid out. John had left some of his family in Illinois, they having elected to stay there, but others had followed him to Utah. (The previous description is based on material from the "Workman Family History" by Thelma C. Anderson, 1962) (Source: Michael Leisure) Converted to Morman Church and became a "scribe"; buried in old Salt Lake City,Utah cemetery.

Birth	8 Apr 1789	Cumberland, Allegheny, Maryland, United States
Marriage	11 Mar 1809	Overton, Tennessee, USA - Lydia Ann Bilyeu
Death	21 Apr 1855	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States
Burial	23 Apr 1855	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States
Initiatory		22 January 2004
Birth Name		John Theodore Workman

Spouse	Lydia Ann Bilyeu (1793 - 1845)
Child	Joseph Workman (1833 - 1843)
Child	Louisa DeAubra Workman (1834 - 1911)
Child	Richard Workman (1809 - 1812)
Child	Elizabeth Workman (1813 - 1861)
Child	John Butler Workman (1815 - 1895)
Child	David Workman (1836 - 1836)
Child	Stephen Barney Workman (1800 - 1866)
Child	Solomon R Workman (1832 - 1843)
Child	Mary Ann Workman (1829 - 1904)
Child	Jacob Lindsay Workman (1812 - 1878)
Child	Benjamin Workman (1837 - 1837)
Child	OLIVER Gaultry Workman (1828 - 1902)
Child	Cornelius Ceazar Workman (1826 - 1887)
Child	Abram Smith Workman (1822 - 1852)
Child	Lydia Workman (1818 - 1895)
Child	Samuel P. Workman (1817 - 1852)
Child	Peter Workman (1831 - 1831)
Child	Andrew Jackson Workman (1824 - 1909)
Child	Hyrum Smith Workman (1840 - 1911)
Child	Hannah Workman (1821 - 1873)

Father	Jacob Workman (1740 - 1821)
Mother	Elizabeth Wyckoff (1749 - 1823)
Sibling	David Workman (1804 - 1865)
Sibling	William F Workman (1799 - 1867)
Sibling	John Workman (1755 - 1830)
Sibling	James Workman (1797 - 1850)
Sibling	Samuel P Workman (1795 - 1869)
Sibling	Benjamin Workman (1785 - 1838)
Sibling	Abraham Workman (1779 - 1832)
Sibling	Isaac W Workman (1781 - 1838)
Sibling	Michael Workman (1802 - 1871)
Sibling	Jacob Workman (1783 - 1832)
Sibling	Mary Ann Workman (1787 - 1860)