Tolman, Sarah Jane AngellLeft to Right-Benjamin Hewitt Tolman II, Emma Mariah Tolman, Polly Jane TolmanJohnson, Jarvis
Benjamin Hewitt Tolman married Sarah Jane Angell on 2 January 1851 in Salt Lake before the Endowment House was built, so they were not sealed for eternity. Benjamin died on December 14, 1857, at the age of 28, leaving Sarah Jane Angell Tolman, his young wife and three small children, the oldest of which (Benjamin Hewitt II) was only four years of age. Three years later, on September 16, 1860, Sarah Jane married a widower by the name of Jarvis Johnson, who had five children by his first wife. They were married only civilly.

Judson is the son of Nathan and Sarah Hewitt Tolman.A family story tells us that Judson (his brother) was sleeping in the mountains east of Bountiful (probably in one of his several lumber camps), although the story says that he was doing some prospecting. The date was March 8, 1861, and, as Judson slept, Benjamin appeared to him in a dream and said: “Judson, my wife, Sarah Jane, is going to Salt Lake tomorrow with her present husband, Jarvis Johnson, to be sealed to him. I want you to meet them and help them to understand that Sarah Jane is to be sealed to me. You must act without delay.” Judson arose from his bed, dressed and walked to Bountiful, arriving early in the morning. He changed his clothes and walked to Salt Lake City, where he met Sarah Jane and Jarvis in the Endowment House and explained the purpose for his being there. They apparently listened to him, because Sarah Jane was sealed to Benjamin Hewitt Tolman on March 9, 1861, with Jarvis Johnson acting as proxy for Benjamin. And Jarvis Johnson was sealed to his first wife, Hester Ann Jackson, with Sarah Jane acting as proxy. This was done by the authority and power of the priesthood in the Endowment House on 9th of March, 1861.

(Taken from a Brief History of the Life of Benjamin Hewitt Tolman, published in the Thomas Tolman Family Magazine, Volume 1, First quarter, 1965, pages 33 and 34).

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