Jane Manning James Monument Dedication

On Friday, April 1, the Genesis Group—along with the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation, under the direction of Hugh J. Barlow and William J. Curtis—dedicated the completed Jane Manning James monument in the Salt Lake Cemetery, located in Salt Lake's Avenues area. For the event, the original monument depicting Jane's gift of flour to Eliza Partridge Lyman was cleaned and sealed. Jane's own words and significant events from her life were placed on the back of the monument on another bronze plaque. A headstone was also placed to memorialize the children and grandchildren of Jane and Isaac James, many of whom are buried just north of the monument in unmarked graves. Barlow conducted the dedication, which was opened with a musical medley of "Amazing Grace" and "I Stand All Amazed," sung by Lita Little Giddins. The invocation was offered by William J. Curtis, co-founder and secretary of the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation. Speakers included (click speaker name for a link to remarks): Louis Duffy, a great-great-grandson of Jane James, who traveled to the dedication from Los Angeles; he conveyed his family's appreciation for the recognition given to Jane Susan Easton Black, professor of church history at Brigham Young University, who provided a contextual setting for the historial period during which Jane joined the Church and journeyed to the Salt Lake Valley; she recalled being told Jane's story as a young girl Ron Coleman, professor of history at the University of Utah, who also took a scholarly approach to the historical period in which Jane lived Tamu Smith, an actress who has played Jane in several productions, who related her personal feelings about Jane and talked about the legacy she has left for all of us, regardless of our background Lita Little Giddons sang a stirring rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and remarks and the dedicatory prayer were offered by Elder Alexander B. Morrison, emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who assured those in attendance that Jane was most certainly with them at the dedication. In responding to the dedication, President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, noted that he is a descendant of Caroline Partridge Lyman—Eliza’s sister, who was living with Eliza at the time Jane brought two pounds of flour to her starving friend. His note indicates what a great debt his family feels towards Jane Manning James.