Expanded from a document originally taken from Pioneers of '47, punctuation and wording changed to make the record more readable. David L. Mefford
John Alma Vance was born November 8, 1794 in Tennessee. He was the son of James Vance, born September 30, 1761 and Margaret Reno (Reneau) both of Tennessee. John married Sara Lavinia Gant Perkins, February 10, 1817, of Jackson (now Putman) County, Tennessee, daughter of Ute Perkins and Sarah Gant (Gaunt) of Tennessee. Sarah Gant was born Jan. 11 1801.
John and Sara's children are as follows:
Isaac Young
Margaret M. married John Lawson
William Perkins married Ann Hudson and later married Hannah Richardson as a
second wife
Nancy Ann married William Wordsworth
James married Susannah Benson
Uteri Perkins, died in infancy
Lewis Reno, died in infancy
John Jr. married Miss Bunting
Son Vance, died in infancy
John came to Utah in October 2, 1847 in the Jedediah M. Grant Company.
Sara died in McDonough, Illinois on, December 18, 1836. John then married Elizabeth Campbell on March 7, 1837 of McDonough County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Ezekiel and Jane Campbell. Ezekiel was a farmer and pioneer as he also came to Utah in the Jedediah M. Grant Company on October 2, 1847.
John and Elizabeth's children were as follows:
Martha June, b. Sept 25, 1839, married William H. Kimball;
Mary Elizabeth, b. Nov. 2, 1844, married John Thornton Gilmor;
Lehi Moroni, died as a child at Winter Quarters.
Their family home was in Salt Lake City, Utah. While in Winter Quarters, John Vance was a Bishop and assisted in bringing immigrants to Utah. He was a Councilor to Bishop Perkins at the 7th Ward in Salt Lake City. He was also a High Councilor and visiting teacher in the 7th Ward. John was a farmer, Salt Lake City School Commissioner and Justice of the Peace.
He died January 24, 1882. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
