Isaac Edwin Black and Nancy Ester Allen Black headstone

Isaac Black's home in Glendale

Flour Mill in Glendale

Flour Mill about 1940

Isaac Edwin Black

Family of Isaac Edwin Black and Nancy Ester Allen

Back: Elmer Black, James Edwin Black, May Black Randall, Margaret Black Cox, Alvin Black, Rial Black
Front: Nellie Black Carpenter, Nancy Ester Allen Black, Isaac Edwin Black, Andrew Clarence Black, Permellia Black Carpenter

Saints leaving Mexico

Isaac Edwin Black and Nancy Ester Allen headstone

Isaac Edwin Black death certificate

Isaac Edwin Black gets new pants

Isaac must have been about 16 years old when the families joined the United Order at Orderville. One of Isaac's jobs in the United Order was herding the sheep. He apparently went with them to the winter range and stayed all winter along with them at least once. His account of this experience tells of the loneliness he suffered during those three months, with no books or anything else to keep him company. His diet was bread and molasses, which he grew to loath. He trailed the sheep by day and stared at the coals of his campfire at night, thinking of his wife and longing to be with her.

The winter finally ended and Isaac was able to move northward. His one pair of trousers, made by the women of the Order was hanging in shreds. He felt he couldn't be seen by the public in them and the sheep shearers teased him unmercifully. Finally, as he was seated by himself wondering what he could do, he saw the lambs' tails that had been cut off and thrown away, and he realized they had wool on them that could be picked off and used. Secretly he gathered the tails, put them out to dry in a hidden place and when he could get away he picked the wool off them, sacked it and carried it to Homer Bouten's store in Glendale when he traded it for a pair of "store bought' pants that fit. In fact they were so long that they wrinkled at the ankles. Only then did he fell fit to go see his bride and other members of his family.

The men of authority in the order, as soon as they saw the pants, demanded to know where he got them. When they heard his explanation, they declared that he had taken property that belonged to the order and so had done wrong. However, they decided he could keep them if he would let one of the men borrow them to wear to Conference at Kanab the next Sunday and also allow the women to use them as a new pattern for the trousers they made for all the men. Isaac gave his consent but he said later that the pants never fit as well after having been ripped apart and then sewed up again.

Isaac Edwin Black finds an old Indian

The town of Beaver was organized somewhat like the United Order and Isaac, along with other young boys herded the community cows on the hillsides. They were given no lunches to eat and they ate edible plants that Isaac knew about. Once day as they were searching for some of these plants, they saw an enclosure built of rocks. Being normal inquisitive boys, they decided to investigate. They found an old Indian woman that had been placed there according to Indian customs and left to die. When she saw the boys she began to yell loudly something that sounded like "Yak-i-way", which apparently meant, "go away" or "get out", and some very frightened boys "Yak-i-wayed" as fast as they could.

Isaac Edwin Black - a spiritual experience

Isaac was a spiritual man. He related a heavenly experience that he had when he was in his late twenties or early thirties and living in Emery County, Utah. He and his older boys were hauling timber to help build up Huntington, when he suffered a severe pain in his right side. He prepared food for the boys and they retired. Sometime during the night he felt his spirit leave his body. Isaac looked down and could see his own body and the boys lying in the bed. He stood about tree feet above them, wondering where he was supposed to go and what to do. He didn't remember anything more until he want through a gate and some immortal being looked up his record and said, "We know him" Then, turning to another man, he asked him to take Brother Black those his relatives, which he did. Brother Black saw his mother and they greeted each other with joy. While they were talking, someone else came up and said, "You come and go with me. You must go back; your work on earth is not finished." He felt so regretful about leaving he wept, but and angel said, don't feel badly; at the age of 52, 62 or 72 (Isaac could not remember which age the angel said) you will come back and your work will be finished. Your family is too young and they need you." When Brother Black's spirit returned to his body, he saw it and it was cold as he entered it again.

From then on he spent his life working in the church, doing everything he could do to complete his mission on earth so he could return to the beautiful conditions and scenes of his heavenly experience. On October 25, 1931, at the age of 71 years and 10 months, he had a heart attack and died, saying he knew it was the time he was to go.

A lesson in frugality

One of Isaac Black's grandsons, Vernon Black, relates this: "I believe the best lesson I ever had in being economical or thrifty was one winter I helped him in the flour mill. We decided to save every kernel of corn that we found that didn't found its way into the grinder. After the milling season was over, we had about one gallon of corn. He then proceeded to tell me he would dry it and give it to some family who was not so fortunate as us that if we had let the corn go maybe those people would have had to go hungry a few days. And that is the way the Lord would have us do it."

Isaac Edwin Black biography

ISAAC EDWIN BLACK

Isaac Edwin Black was born December 29, 1858 in Nephi, Juab County, Utah to William Morley and Margaret Ruth Banks Black.. Not much is known of Isaac's growing up years. According to his father's autobiography, the families moved from Nephi to Ephraim about 1860. William Morley Black helped build a sawmill and large flour mill in Ephraim. He states that he had a good home and farm there.

In 1865, when Isaac was about 6 or 7 years old some families were called to go start a settlement at Circle Valley. The circle valley settlement was broken up in 1867 because of Indian troubles and William moved his families to Beaver.