A Contribution for Women History: Pioneer, Saint, and Example

The life of Jane Elizabeth Manning James abounded in gender, race and religious struggles. Subject to these conditions, many become cynical. But Jane lived her life obedient to the dictates of her spirit thereby allowing her to eschew many of these pressures. The struggles she faced? Jane viewed as tests to qualify for her life's goal. This matured outlook was the reason this piece was prepared for Women History Month.

On May 11, 1819 in Wilton Connecticut, Jane Elizabeth Manning was born free into a poor African American family. Her father died while she was at an early age. So Jane was sent to live with a prosperous white couple and to serve as their domestic. While in that household, she was Christianized, impregnated by a visiting Presbyterian minister and then gave birth to her son.

Later hearing a Mormon missionary preach, Jane Manning renounced her previous faith and chose baptism into the Mormon covenant. Desiring to live among members of her new faith, she led her family on an eventful 800 miles journey to the Mormon community at Nauvoo IL.

When she arrived in Nauvoo, Jane Manning was directed to the home of Joseph Smith. The events of her family's 800-mile journey to live in the Mormon community impressed him. So moved, he employed Jane as his domestic and offered to adopt her into his family. Ignorant of the spiritual benefits of his adoption offer, Jane declined adoption into his family.

Life in Illinois was a mixed blessing. Jane Manning married Isaac James, another Mormon; grieved the murder of Joseph Smith and lived through the expulsion of the Mormon community from the state. Determined to live in a community of her faith, Jane journeyed westward with fellow Mormons to rebuild a community of faith. This migration was among the first wave of Mormon immigrants to enter the Salt Lake Valley.

After many years in the marriage, Isaac left the marriage. Now a single mother, life became very difficult. But Jane demanded a strong work ethic from her family. She became a washerwoman to supplement the family income but the family still suffered many trials.

These trying times failed to affect her faith. She wrote in her autobiography, " I "[paid my] tithes . .. [kept] the word of wisdom and ... set a good example to all."

At age 72 Jane became concerned about her status in the afterlife. She began to write to the Presidency of the Church to grant to her family adoption and sealing into the faith. In her first attempt, she requested adoption and sealing into the family of an African American Mormon priest. Her request was denied. In her second attempt, she sought adoption into the family of Joseph Smith. Again her request was denied.

After many denials, the Church approved Jane James to be baptized for her kindred family. It granted that she be sealed and adopted by proxy into eternal servitude to the Joseph Smith Family. Joseph Smith's son stood proxy for his father. Jane was not allowed to attend the proceedings. Not pleased with adoption in servitude, Jane continued to seek adoption and sealing for herself and her family.

She wrote to John Taylor, the presiding Mormon Church leader:

"I realize my race and color and can't expect my endowments as . . . white[s] . . . [but] God promised Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blest... as this is the fullness of all dispensations is there no blessing for me? "

Some time later, Isaac, her husband, returned home ill. She accepted him back into the family and nursed him until he died a year later. Then she buried him from her house.

The year prior to Jane's death, the Church proscribed that none with African blood in their veins could to be elevated to gain adoption or sealing in the faith.

On April 16, 1908, Jane died. The Desert News, the local Mormon paper, printed: Few persons were more noted for faith and faithfulness than was Jane Manning James, and though of the humble of the earth she numbered friends and acquaintances by the hundreds. Many persons will regret to learn that the kind and generous soul has passed from the earth.

In 1979, the Mormon Church reversed its proscription against African Americans. Jane Manning and her family were sealed and adopted to ordination in this new Church.

The article in The Desert News documents Jane's unswerving faith, her unquestionable moral life and he diligent commitment to the Mormon community. Alone it gives noble reasons to ever hold Jane James as an example before our eyes. But more profound reasons earn her a place in history.

Jane Manning James made critical life decisions subject only to her spiritual counsel when she decided to embrace the Mormon faith and led her family 800 miles to live in a Mormon community. Both decisions required extraordinary faith and greater than normal courage considering the prevailing attitude towards gender and race.

When abandoned in marriage and rejected for adoption by her church, James showed the unswerving courage and strong faith. Rejected by her husband, she kept the family intact and demanded a strong work ethic. This course of action got the family through the numerous trails. When the church failed to grant her adoption many times, its decision never affected her commitment to honor her faith covenants. It encouraged perseverance for adoption.

Thus Jane Manning James's life path is an instructive guide from which to gain wisdom. It is a story that honors belief in self-counsel.

Importance of following self-counsel

Following the dictates of self-counsel is the only path that leads to the satisfaction of one's purpose. it is superior to conformity in order to obtain one's purpose, for it alone always avails one's spirit for further counsel. Further self-counsel never asks anything beyond one's capabilities, but more importantly, when self-counsel is followed, the soul is at peace.

Notes were taken from:

Karen A. Johnson, Undaunted Courage and Faith: The Lives of Three Black Women in the West and Hawaii in the Early 19th Century , The Journal of African American History, Vol. 91, No. 1. 2006.

Learn more about Jane Manning James:

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aaw/james-jane-elizabeth-manning-1813-1908

http://www.hds.harvard.edu/news/bulletin_mag/articles/39-12/mueller.html