James McArthur (1871 -1944)
&
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Oxborrow (1873-1961)
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Oxborrow & James McArthur
James McArthur was born January 29, 1871 in St. George, Washington County, Utah. James obtained his schooling in the St. George grade schools, and graduated from the old St. George Academy that was taught in the basement of the St. George Tabernacle. He used very good English and often spoke in funerals and meetings. He was a great reader and often read aloud to 'Lizzie.'
He went with a good crowd. The young people then worked hard, but they played hard too. They had dances, parties, candy pulls, hay-rack rides and they spent many evenings singing together at the organ.
James fell in love with one of the girls...A popular, petite girl named Elizabeth or 'Lizzie' Oxborrow as she was called. Her father was a Baker from England and was in Beaver cooking for the men who were cutting timber for the St. George Temple.
Lizzie and Jim fell in love and set the date for their marriage. Auntie Crane went to Salt Lake City and bought the material for the wedding dress and brought it home to her. Lizzie cried all day when she saw it and said it looked just like the cover on Grandma's Feather Tick. With the help of Jim's sister, Gene Coates, they made a beautiful wedding dress and preparations began for the wedding feast.
Joseph Oxborrow roasted a whole pig and it came from the large church oven beautifully browned and glazed, and was served on a tray with a big red apple in its mouth. Lizzie and her Mother stayed up all night before the wedding helping her Father bake and make the fancy tarts, breads and other goodies for the big day. Lizzie was twenty-one and Jim twenty-three. Their marriage certificate says they were married October 18, 1894 at the St. George Temple, in the Territory of Utah. The wedding guests stayed most of the night and among their gifts were a milk cow, a churn and butter mold. Jim had for his dowry a beautiful team of horses and a wagon.
Their honeymoon was a trip to Bunkerville, Nevada. Aunt Belle, Jim's older sister was teaching school down there and had come home for the wedding. They took her back...a trip which took two days, and about half way there, they camped for the night. A bed was made in the water box for Lizzie and Aunt Belle. Jim slept under the wagon on the ground the first night of his honeymoon!
To this union were born nine children, two of them stillborn: Clio, Bessie, Joseph, Mary, Lavera, Ina, & Andrew. The first and last children were stillborn.
As young children, they were taken to the Operas. There were performances brought to town and they were called Chautauquas. Jim always loved the classical concerts, lectures, & plays.
When Clio was two years old and Bessie was a baby, Jim was called to serve a Mission in the Southern States. About a year after his Mission he was sustained as Bishop of the St. George West Ward and served there for 23 years.
When Jim was Bishop, he was responsible for the St. George Tithing Office. It was called 'The Bishops Store House' and each of the children took turns staying at the Tithing Office where members of the Church brought Tithing (in kind)..produce, wheat, honey, animals, etc...They learned to give receipts and to sell products.
In 1926, Jim and Lizzie bought the Tithing Office and opened the Quality Bakery there. Jim worked very hard to make this business profitable. When Neal Lundberg came to St. George to have the first 7-Up Company, he rented a room at the back of the Bakery on the North. Jim went to Wilford McArthur, cashier of the Bank of St. George and said he would stand good for Neal's loan. Neal soon moved to East Tabernacle and built his first Dixie Botteling Co. Pepsi was his main product them.
Jim served on the Stake High Council after he was released as Bishop in 1925. He was very interested in Civic affairs and served as a City Councilman and two years as Mayor of St. George. He was very interested in the Abe Jenkins racing cars and races.
It was always his dream to take Lizzie and go back to the Kentucky Blue Grass country where he served his Mission, but was cut short June 17, 1944 when he died of a ruptured appendix. His funeral was held in the Tabernacle and he was buried in the St. George Cemetery.
He went with a good crowd. The young people then worked hard, but they played hard too. They had dances, parties, candy pulls, hay-rack rides and they spent many evenings singing together at the organ.
James fell in love with one of the girls...A popular, petite girl named Elizabeth or 'Lizzie' Oxborrow as she was called. Her father was a Baker from England and was in Beaver cooking for the men who were cutting timber for the St. George Temple.
Lizzie and Jim fell in love and set the date for their marriage. Auntie Crane went to Salt Lake City and bought the material for the wedding dress and brought it home to her. Lizzie cried all day when she saw it and said it looked just like the cover on Grandma's Feather Tick. With the help of Jim's sister, Gene Coates, they made a beautiful wedding dress and preparations began for the wedding feast.
Joseph Oxborrow roasted a whole pig and it came from the large church oven beautifully browned and glazed, and was served on a tray with a big red apple in its mouth. Lizzie and her Mother stayed up all night before the wedding helping her Father bake and make the fancy tarts, breads and other goodies for the big day. Lizzie was twenty-one and Jim twenty-three. Their marriage certificate says they were married October 18, 1894 at the St. George Temple, in the Territory of Utah. The wedding guests stayed most of the night and among their gifts were a milk cow, a churn and butter mold. Jim had for his dowry a beautiful team of horses and a wagon.
Their honeymoon was a trip to Bunkerville, Nevada. Aunt Belle, Jim's older sister was teaching school down there and had come home for the wedding. They took her back...a trip which took two days, and about half way there, they camped for the night. A bed was made in the water box for Lizzie and Aunt Belle. Jim slept under the wagon on the ground the first night of his honeymoon!
To this union were born nine children, two of them stillborn: Clio, Bessie, Joseph, Mary, Lavera, Ina, & Andrew. The first and last children were stillborn.
As young children, they were taken to the Operas. There were performances brought to town and they were called Chautauquas. Jim always loved the classical concerts, lectures, & plays.
When Clio was two years old and Bessie was a baby, Jim was called to serve a Mission in the Southern States. About a year after his Mission he was sustained as Bishop of the St. George West Ward and served there for 23 years.
When Jim was Bishop, he was responsible for the St. George Tithing Office. It was called 'The Bishops Store House' and each of the children took turns staying at the Tithing Office where members of the Church brought Tithing (in kind)..produce, wheat, honey, animals, etc...They learned to give receipts and to sell products.
In 1926, Jim and Lizzie bought the Tithing Office and opened the Quality Bakery there. Jim worked very hard to make this business profitable. When Neal Lundberg came to St. George to have the first 7-Up Company, he rented a room at the back of the Bakery on the North. Jim went to Wilford McArthur, cashier of the Bank of St. George and said he would stand good for Neal's loan. Neal soon moved to East Tabernacle and built his first Dixie Botteling Co. Pepsi was his main product them.
Jim served on the Stake High Council after he was released as Bishop in 1925. He was very interested in Civic affairs and served as a City Councilman and two years as Mayor of St. George. He was very interested in the Abe Jenkins racing cars and races.
It was always his dream to take Lizzie and go back to the Kentucky Blue Grass country where he served his Mission, but was cut short June 17, 1944 when he died of a ruptured appendix. His funeral was held in the Tabernacle and he was buried in the St. George Cemetery.
For a Free iPad book about James and Elizabeth McArthur, click here.
| Jim & Lizzie by daughter Bessie McArthur Gardner |
| Jim & Lizzie summary by Grandson James A. McArthur |
James McArthur (1871-1944)
James McArthur
2/4/13: There is no record of his Patriarchal Blessing.
|
For more about James' mission, click his name under "Missionary Heritage" at the top of this page.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Oxborrow (1873-1961)
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Oxborrow
For a Copy of her Patriarchal Blessing click the 'contact' page and enter your information (be sure to let me know how you are related to her). I'll send you a copy.
| |||
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Oxborrow
Pictures of James and Lizzie
James McArthur's missionary journals (miraculously found on the road)
