Shuffling through dirt and mud, stumbling over cold stones that rubbed their skin raw, Jane Elizabeth Manning James and her family inched toward Nauvoo, Illinois, barefoot. It was 1843; James was one of the first black converts to the Church and lived in a time where some people saw her as property first and a human being second.

That was the very reason James and her six family members were walking 800 miles to Nauvoo in late fall with shoes that had long since worn to useless strips. 

While journeying with Charles Wesley Wandell, the missionary who had baptized James in her home state of Connecticut, James and her family were denied passage on a boat in New York.

As James writes in her autobiography: "We were to go to Columbus, Ohio, before our fares were to be collected, but they insisted on having the money at Buffalo and would not take us farther" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org).

Left with the two options of transversing hundreds of miles on foot to Nauvoo or returning home to Connecticut, James chose the former, though it was no easy, leisurely journey.

"We walked until our shoes were worn out, and our feet became sore and cracked open and bled until you could see the whole print of our feet with blood on the ground," James says in her autobiography. 

But making difficult decisions and following God no matter the cost wasn't limited to this one journey. It was what Jane Elizabeth Manning James did. It was who she was.  

Conversion and Spiritual Confirmations

Against the advice of her Presbyterian pastor, James listened as Wandell shared the gospel in the winter of 1842–1843. Admitting in her autobiography that she "did not feel satisfied" with the Presbyterian church she had belonged to for 18 months, James was baptized just one week after hearing one of Wandell's sermons, being "fully convinced that it was the true gospel" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org). 

Sometime after her conversion, James also had a vision where she saw Joseph Smith, a man she had never met and only heard of. Yet in this dream, James was certain of one fact: this was a prophet of God. 

About three weeks after her baptism, James had further confirmation that the gospel was true when she received the gift of tongues. Not to be confused with xenoglossia, or the gift of tongues of different human languages, James's gift was most likely glossolalia, or the gift of unknown languages. This gift was not unheard of among members at this time in the Church's early history, but it wasn't an everyday occurrence, especially for those who weren't Latter-day Saints. As James says, "the gift of tongues came upon me and frightened the whole family who were in the next room" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org). 

However unusual, James would need these powerful experiences. Nearly a year after her baptism, James and her family, who also converted, would be faced with an enormous trial. A trial that would no doubt shape their testimonies and strengthen their faith through incredible adversity. 

Bloody Footprints and Miraculous Healings

Making the decision that she and her mother, her two sisters, her two brothers, her sister-in-law, her brother-in-law, and her son would make the 1,000-mile plus journey to be with the Saints, James and her family set out for Nauvoo with Wandell and a few others in the fall of 1843. 

But once they reached Buffalo, New York, they were refused passage on a boat. Leaving their luggage, which included all of James's worldly possessions, with Wandell who was to see it safely transported to Nauvoo, the family began their long journey across a sea of literal stumbling blocks. 

When their shoes wore out from the enormity of the trek and their feet bled, James didn't turn back. But there wasn't much they could do. Carrying only the clothes on their backs and few, if any, supplies, James and her family didn't have any permanent solution to replace the shoes. Paired with the threat of snow and colder weather, stopping and waiting for their feet to heal would've made the risk of unfavorable weather too high. 

But they still had God. 

"We asked God the Eternal Father to heal our feet," James says, revealing that, through their faith, "Our prayers were answered and our feet were healed forthwith" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org). 

It was a miracle to be sure, but their hardships were far from over. When the group reached Peoria, Illinois, they were accosted by men demanding to see their "free papers." Except for James's mother, no one in their band had ever been slaves and they had no idea what these men meant. But at the time, certain states insisted that all black men and women provide "proof" they weren't runaway slaves, though sometimes that wasn't enough to ensure their safety. However, after threatening James and her family with imprisonment, the men finally let them go. 

But the seed of fear had been planted in the minds of James and her family. This was the Antebellum era. Tensions were high among abolitionists and those who supported slavery. Passages from the Bible about Cain were routinely used to justify the unspeakable cruelty of slavery and treatment of African Americans.

So James and her companions did not tarry in the area. In their haste to get away from Peoria, James and her family crossed a river with no bridge, the water swirling up to their necks. Once across, they walked in the autumn chill into the night until, mercifully, they found a log cabin where they could stay the night. 

There was no denying the changing seasons, but it was gratitude, not fear that James and her family expressed as they left the log cabin. 

"[The] next day we walked for a considerable distance and stayed that night in a forest out in the open air," James shares. "The frost fell on us so heavy that it was like a light fall of snow. We rose early and started on our way, walking through that frost with our bare feet, until the sun rose and melted it away. But we went on our way rejoicing, singing hymns, and thanking God for his infinite goodness and mercy to us in blessing us as he had, protecting us from all harm, answering our prayers and healing our feet" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org).

The next town where the group stopped, La Harpe, Illinois, was only 30 miles from Nauvoo. But while there, James and her family encountered another miraculous healing. A child in the town had fallen seriously ill, so ill that the elders in that town were certain the child would die. But James and her family "administered to it and the child was healed." 

It's unclear how James and her family administered to the child, but it wasn't the only time James had healed someone. While speaking to a group of Relief Society sisters, James shared that she had once healed herself. 

"She [Jane] had been terribly afflicted in her head, and she took her consecrated oil and anointed herself and she was healed. Felt that that was faith, and praised the Lord for her blessings" (Lydia D. Alder, “Ladies’ Semi-Momthly [sic] Meeting,” Woman’s Exponent, December 15, 1896).

Nauvoo and Meeting a Prophet

Finally, after months of walking, James and her family arrived in Nauvoo. Orson Spencer led the group to Joseph Smith's home, but James didn't need Spencer to know who the prophet was. She recognized him from her dream. 

"After I saw him plain, I was certain he was a prophet because I knew it. I was willing to come and gather, and when he came in with Dr. Bernhisel I knew him. Did not have to tell me because I knew him. I knew him when I saw him back old Connecticut in a vision, saw him plain and knew he was a prophet," (Jane Elizabeth Manning James, "Jane Manning’s recollection of Joseph Smith," "Recollections of Joseph Smith in Young Women's Journal 16-17, 1905-1906).

The prophet invited James and her family to stay in their home while they found employment and searched for homes. After a week, everyone but James had found other lodging. Everyone but James had found employment. And to top it off, all of James's luggage, everything she had, had been lost (possibly stolen) on the journey via boat to Nauvoo. 

Left with nothing but two pieces of clothing and without shoes, James broke down. And that's how Joseph Smith found her one morning alone in her room in the Nauvoo Mansion. 

"Brother Joseph said, 'Don't cry, you shall have your trunk and clothes again,'" James says in her autobiography. "Brother Joseph went out and brought Sister Emma in and said, 'Sister Emma, here is a girl that says she has no home. Haven't you a home for her?'  

"'Why yes, if she wants one.'

"He said, 'She does,' and then he left us" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org).

Wanting to secure employment, and after talking with Emma, James decided to work for the Smith's as a housekeeper. 

During this time, James became very close to the Smith family. Emma even approached James asking if she wanted to be sealed to their family. To do so, Emma proposed adopting James into their family. But the practice of sealings was still new, and it was an unusual proposal. 

“Sister Emma [Smith] came to me & asked me how I would like to be adopted to them as a Child[.] I did not comprehend her & she came again[.] I was so green I did not give her a decided answer & Joseph died & [I] remain as I am[. I]f I could be adopted to him as a child my Soul would be satisfied" (Quincy D. Newell, "Century of Black Mormons: James, Jane Elizabeth Manning," exhibits.lib.utah.edu). 

Despite not being allowed to participate in certain temple ordinances, like the endowment, because of her race, James knew from personal revelation what that ordinance represented. The day after James was hired by the Smiths, she was washing Joseph Smith's clothes when she came across his temple robes. James had no clue what these sacred garments represented, but she was about to find out. 

"I looked at them and wondered–[as] I had never seen any before–and I pondered over them and thought about them so earnestly that the spirit made manifest to me that they pertained to the new name that is given the saints that the world knows not of" (Jane Elizabeth Manning James, "Biography of Jane E. Manning James," 1893). 

A Second Trek Out West

After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, James was devastated. 

Eventually, James followed other Saints from Nauvoo to Utah for yet another long, grueling trek. But this time was different. Before the move, James married Isaac Manning, a member and a free black man. And so James began the journey while pregnant with her second child, Silas. 

Leaving in the spring of 1846, James gave birth to Silas in June while traveling through Iowa. Fortunately, "The Lord’s blessing was with us and protected us all the way," and James and her family were able to make it to Utah in September 1847. 

Throughout her time in the Salt Lake Valley, James petitioned prophets to receive her endowments. In a letter to President John Taylor, James says, "My face was handed down through the flood & God promised the flood & 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?" (Jane Elizabeth Manning James, "Jane's Letter to John Taylor" Dec. 27, 1884). 

She also requested to be sealed to the Smiths, to fulfill the invitation they had extended in Nauvoo. On May 18, 1894, James's request was approved and she was sealed to the Smiths, but as their servant, not as a member of their family. She wasn't allowed to attend the sealing and continued to petition to be sealed as a member of the Smith's family until the day she died. Church leaders may have also found this sealing unsatisfactory because this type of sealing was never performed again. 

"Grace and Faith To Stand" 

The long, painful trek to Nauvoo set the tone for James's life in the Church in many ways.  

During her 55 plus years in the Salt Lake Valley, James lost eight of her ten children, was divorced, denied temple ordinances, and went from one of the wealthiest families to trying to make ends meet. 

However, as James wrote, "the Lord was with us and gave us grace and faith to stand at all." 

During her time in Salt Lake, James also became an esteemed member of Latter-day Saint society. Prime seats were always reserved for her, her family, and her friends in the tabernacle. She also ministered to her fellow Relief Society sisters and some of her words were preserved in the newspaper Woman's Exponent.  

On April 16, 1908, James passed away, but her example of enduring faith, bravery, and tireless determination to do what was right even in face of racial discrimination continued to influence others long after her death. 

"I want to say right here that my faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is as strong today, nay, it is, if possible, stronger than it was the day I was first baptized," James says. "I pay my tithes and offerings [and] keep the Word of Wisdom. I go to bed early and rise early. I try in my feeble way to set a good example to all" (James Goldberg, "The Autobiography of Jane Manning James: Seven Decades of Faith and Devotion," 11 December 2013, history.lds.org).

Lead image from lds.org

Learn more of Jane Elizabeth Manning James's story and her relationship with the Smiths in the new Latter-day Saint movie, Jane and Emma.