George Ayers Black
1861-1908
George Ayers Black known as “George A.” the second son and third child of William Valentine Black and Jane Johnston Black, was born in Lisburn, Entrum County, Ireland, in the year 1832. He moved to Manchester, England with his parents. There the entire family was baptized into Mormonism and emigrated to the United States.
Landing first in New Orleans, they traveled up the river to St. Louis, Missouri, and from there to Nauvoo, Illinois where they joined their daughter, Mary, who had come over before them.
When the Saints left Nauvoo the Blacks had a wagon but no team, so they pushed the wagon by hand down to the Mississippi dock and ferried it across the river to join the camp of refugees. The family went on to Council Bluffs in the spring, and in 1850 traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with the Pace Company.
After they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, President Young called William V. Black and family to help settle Manti. When in 1853 the Walker War commenced, William V. served for two years as a cavalry soldier.
He first married Almira Ayers, daughter of Caleb and Lucinda Catherine Haggerty Ayers, and in 1857 he married Victoria Ayers, sister of Almira.
George Ayers, Victoria’s first son was born March 3, 1861, in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah. While George Ayers Black was still a baby his parents were called by the Church authorities to help settle Utah’s Dixie. They spent some years in Rockville, then in Kanosh, Millard County, and finally settled in Deseret.
George A. was not a large man, about five feet nine inches in height, but he enjoyed good health and was blessed with great endurance, enabling him to do a great amount of work. He had a jovial, happy disposition, loved to sing songs, made friends easily and enjoyed their companionship.
He left for a Church mission to the Southern States in 1883. His work was in Tennessee and Kentucky. While there, he visited the Exposition at Louisville.
George A. was released from his mission November 17, 1885. He arrived at Oasis depot where he was met by his fiancée Emily Partridge, her brother John and sister Clara, who had traveled all day from Fillmore to meet him. He and Emily were married in the St. George Temple on December 31, 1885 and lived in Fillmore for a while where he attended school. The couple did a lot of studying together.
In the spring they moved to Deseret where George A. was employed in his father’s store. Their first child arrived October 2, 1886, and they named him George Edward. Their second son, William Shirley, was born January 30, 1889.
In 1891 the family moved to Hinckley a few miles distant and took up a homestead. Although Hinckley was a sand-swept, dry, alkaline land, George A. sank artesian wells, broke up the soil, built buildings, planted poplar trees for wind breaks, and made his holdings into a very good ranch with cattle, horses, and large stacks of hay. For their fruit supply they planted currant and gooseberry bushes, which were about the only fruit producing plants that would grow there.
He was made a Counselor to Bishop William Pratt. His friendly nature, ambition, and public spirit soon made him a leader in the community. He was helpful in building Hinckley’s church, later known as the “mud temple.”
The third son, David Clisbee, was born July 17, 1892. Geneva was born September 10, 1895, Carnal Buxton on September 4, 1897, and Victor F. October 14, 1899. About a month after Victor’s birth Emily, the mother, died, having contracted blood poisoning. George A. was left with six children under the age of thirteen. Julia Stout, who lived on the farm adjoining, took baby Victor until he was old enough to return to the family.
George A. struggled on with some help from relatives and “hired girls” until he fortunately met and fell in love with Artemisia Cox, a sister of Julia Stout. They were married November 30, 1900 in the St. George Temple. A daughter, Golda was born October 21, 1901.
George A. left Salt Lake City on November 22, 1902 for Canada to work as a missionary encouraging enrollment and attendance at the Mutual Improvement Association and selling Era subscriptions. When a telegram brought word from home that Victor had died, George A. was released from the mission and returned home.
On May 12, 1903, the family moved to Deep Creek, Tooele County, Utah. There George A. engaged in farming, sawmill work, thrashing grain, helping James A. Faust with the Church farm and befriending and helping the Indians on the nearby reservation. He soon became a member of the school board which was planning a much-needed building for school and church services. With the help of his boys and other members, kilns were built and brick and lime produced and the building was soon finished.
Another son, June Whitmore, arrived December 3, 1903. Many Indian friends wanted George to name the baby Ibapah, the Indian name for Tooele County.
As the years passed George Ayers Black realized that the environment of Deep Creek on the Nevada border was not a suitable one in which to raise his large family. He decided to move to a more settled community. Letters had come from the David Stout family praising that part of Mexico where the Stouts were living. George A. decided to take his wife to Mexico to visit here sisters and to see the country. With their four small children they made the trip to Guadalupe, Chihuahua. They liked what they found there and before returning home bought a terreno joining the Stouts’ land. November 30, 1906 the family moved to Guadalupe to make their home. It was necessary at first to live in a Mexican adobe house, but he started immediately to assembly material for a new house. Crops and gardens were planted; trees were set out to beautify the new home. Soon George was made Presiding Elder of this Branch of the Dublan Ward and he gave Guadalupe dynamic leadership. Immediately, wishful thinking about a new meeting house was changed into action, and every able-bodied person in the branch was performing his part in the great task of building a house of worship. Again George A. Built kilns and produced the brick and lime needed for the new chapel. Within a year it was ready except for the needed furniture, including an organ.
The Brown family purchased a grain header, a molasses mill, and other farm machinery. The sons and Emerald Stout operated the header, cutting wheat up and down the valley on both sides of the river. The Haws and Hatch thrashing machine crew followed, finding George A. a very fine man to work with. A seventh son, Alma Cox, was born January 15, 1907.
It became a custom in Guadalupe to celebrate Mexican holidays such as the Cinco de Mayo. In 1908, the program was especially fine. Both American and Mexican flags were displayed. Many Mexican neighbors were invited and attended the gathering in the new church building, and a very friendly feeling prevailed throughout the day. Quite ironically, however, before the month had passed, George A. was killed—May 30, 1908—by a gun shot from an angry Mexican intended for someone else. In the early evening George A. had learned about a dispute over water rights that was taking place in the field and went to find out what the trouble was. As he was approaching the scene a bullet from the Mexican’s gun struck him in the jugular vein, killing him instantly. His funeral was held in the Dublan Ward Church were large crowds came to pay respects to a man they had known only a short time but for whom they already had great respect and friendship. The burial was in the Dublan cemetery.
On October 19, 1908, a baby girl, Georgia Ayers, was born to the stricken home. Artemisia carried on bravely, although her health was poor. She sent Don, a son, on a Church mission to Mexico City. After another tragedy in the community, she moved in with the Stouts for better protection. The older boys worked hard to help support the family— Edward worked for the Juarez power plant: Shirl ran the farm; Don and Geneva attended the Academy. Shirl married Verna Johnson of Colonia Diaz just before the Exodus. Edward and Shirl left Mexico overland with a group of men from the colonies, taking the horses. Other members of the family went by train to El Paso. Artemisia went from El Paso to Hinckley, Utah, where she lived and raised her small children. The older children stayed with relatives until they were grown.
Geneva Black Stout, daughter
Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch, page 38
From the history of Shirl Black regarding the death of his father:
My father was killed 30 May 1908. It was our turn to take the water, so my brother Edd went up the ditch to take the water, but some Mexicans were there and chased him away with knives. He came home and got the shot gun and asked me to go with him with a shovel. When we got to the head gate the Mexicans were there, but they left when they saw us come with the gun. We took the water. Then Father, who was getting worried, came there with a boy who could talk Spanish. He got there just as the Mexicans came back with a gun. They called out to a Mexican who was with us to get out of the way. The Jameson boy, who understood them, said, “Look out’ They are going to shoot.” Edd and I dropped down behind the ditch bank. The boy and Mexican who was with us ran down the ditch. We thought Father went with them, but he just stooped over and their shot struck him in the neck, coming out back of his shoulders. They started to follow those who ran and shot twice more at us. Their shots went over us. We moved to another place and hid until they were gone. Then we got up and found Father was dead.