John Stock is the son of Robert Stock of Ramsgate, Kent, England and Susannah Pearce of Thanet, Kent, England. They were married in 1817 and at that time England was colonizing Cape Colony in South Africa and offered an inducement of 100 acres and 50 pounds to those who were willing to become settlers. Robert and Susannah took the challenge and traveled to South Africa in January 1820

Little did they realize the hard times they were in for. As it turned out the ground was found "not fit" for farming, the wheat crops failing for three successive years. Their acreage was not large enough for grazing cattle or sheep. They could not desert their claim because of the terms of the government loan. They subsisted on what they could raise in their vegetable gardens. As they increased their livestock holdings, the African natives would raid their farms and steal their cattle. It was only by hard work and vigilance and their faith in the future that they were able to prevail.

It was in this setting that Robert and Susannah's first child, John Stock, was born on 12 October 1820 in Cape Colony, South Africa. Just a little less than two years later their second son, Robert, was born 27 July 1822. Then sorrow struck the family. In 1827, when John Stock was but seven years old, his father died. John's mother later married William Singleton and bore one child by him, Susanna Esther Singleton, (born 12 January 1837). When the child was but six years of age, her father also died, leaving Susannah Pearce Stock (Singleton) a widow a second time.

When John Stock was about thirteen years old he was apprenticed to a Dutch tanner. His business grew until he eventually owned three tanneries. After his apprenticeship he also became a currier, in which he was likewise successful. The huge expanse of land in the colony provided plentiful fur for his growing business. Additionally, he operated several whaling vessels off the Cape of Good Hope. Horses became his hobby, especially the raising of fine thoroughbreds.

John Stock married Jane Adams 14 February 1844 at Uitenhage. Her father, Dr. Poyntz Adams, had been a practicing physician in London and when he moved to South Africa he became an apothecary and chemist. Her mother was Mary Stains Adams. They were a family of means and repute, but when their daughter Jane became pregnant with an illegitimate child, the family left England to seek a new place of abode, arriving in the Colony in the autumn of 1842. Jane gave birth to her child, Mary Ann Adams, 21 September 1842, on the ship in route from England to South Africa. When John Stock met Jane and her daughter, Mary Ann, he fell in love with both of them. He reared Mary Ann as his own child.
John Stock and Jane Adams made their first home in Port Elizabeth. They lived in a comfortable white house set in spreading lawns. They were financially secure because of John's industry and business ingenuity. The family employed negro or native servants, sometimes called mammies, to help with domestic tasks and with the care of the children of this large family. They had six children when they joined the church, Mary Ann Adams, John Williams Edwin (known as J.W.E. or Edwin), Jane Susanna, Elizabeth, Richard Poyntz, and Robert Wallace. Sarah Wilkinson, Jessie Esther, and Maria Josephine were born in Port Elizabeth after the family joined the church.

Joining the church changed the life of many people and many made amazing efforts in order to travel to Zion. But John Stock's endeavor was extraordinary. In 1855 many people who had joined the Church wanted to leave Africa to go to Utah. But all of the ship owners and agents conspired against them by agreeing not to sell passage to any Mormons, in order to prevent the Mormons from leaving South Africa. So John Stock and Charles Roper, both members of the church with means, purchased the ship, "Unity," to transport the Saints to America.

The "Unity" carried its first load of emigrant saints to England that same winter, setting sail from Port Elizabeth in November 1855. John Stock and his family were not yet ready to leave, but when the ship returned from England, John Stock proceeded to prepare the vessel for the long trip to America. He decided to test its seaworthiness and to experiment with the type and assortment of foods which would be needed for such a long voyage. The ship was loaded with a variety of foodstuffs as well as live animals to be used for meat and for their production of eggs. The ship was sent on a trial voyage, but was lost without a trace of ship, captain, or crew. This was not only a 2,500 pound financial loss, but it also meant that other means of passage to America would have to be found.

On 27 March 1860, John and Jane Stock and their nine children bade farewell to their possessions, servants, and pets and set sail on the sailing ship "Alacrity." There were ten or more other families of Saints with them. It took 140 days (twenty weeks) to sail from Port Elizabeth to Boston.

From Boston the Stock family traveled to Niagra Falls, then by rail and river boat to Omaha. Here John Stock outfitted four wagons with which to complete the remainder of the trek to Utah. There were 400 Saints in Captain William Budge's Immigrant Company and over 100 of them were from South Africa. There were 55 wagons, 216 oxen, one mule team, and 77 cows. They left Omaha on 20 July 1860 and arrived in Salt Lake City on the 4th of October.

John bought a house and lot in the Sixteenth Ward. Three months after their arrival, Jane gave birth to their tenth child, Ephraim (4 January 1861). About a year after their settling in the Salt Lake Valley, on the advice of President Brigham Young, John Stock took Frances Gilson Gibbs, a young widow with one child, as a second wife. Frances had been a friend and seamstress to Jane Stock in South Africa. They were married in the Endowment House in December 1861.

John Stock was ordained a Seventy in 1861. Following his ordination he was called by Brigham Young to return to Africa on a mission for the Church. He traveled overland to Omaha, down the river to St. Louis, then overland to New York City. He sailed for England and from there he sailed through the Mediterranean Sea, to Suez, Calcutta, Bombay, and finally reached his native land seven months later.

John's reception in Port Elizabeth was a mixed one, some hailing him gladly as their old friend, others disdaining him and even persecuting him because of his religion. While in Port Elizabeth John had hoped to settle his business affairs, but to his dismay, he found that those to whom he had entrusted his business had taken unfair advantage of him. He lost everything to them. Though legal recourse lay clearly open to him, John kept the best interest of the Kingdom of God uppermost in his mind. Rather than to incite bitter feelings against himself and the Church, he magnanimously settled all his accounts in favor of his debtors, giving them clear title to the properties and canceling debts.

Needless to say, John Stock was disappointed. His business affairs in South Africa were terminated. He was 43 years old. All the wealth he had accumulated had gone for naught. But with faith and courage he turned his attention and full efforts to the work of the ministry, preaching the gospel to all who would listen to him there in the Colony. Upon completion of his labors, there were about 45 converts who wanted to emigrate to Utah. With his experience, he helped them get transfers and mortgages on their property, and otherwise assisted them in preparing for the voyage. In the fall of 1863 he returned home to Utah, bringing with him four companies of Saints and a good record of missionary accomplishment.

The next spring, April 1864, Brigham Young called John Stock to take his families and go with Apostle Charles C. Rich to colonize the Bear Lake Valley. Obedient to the command, as was his nature, he disposed of his home in Salt Lake City and left with his family. He and his family arrived in Paris 13 May 1864. He received twelve acres of land and a lot for building, on which he built a three-room log house.

On 13 May 1865 Jane Adams died in Paris. She was the first white woman to be buried in the Paris Cemetery. Her eleventh child, Claudia Ellen, was born the preceding fall and Jane never fully recovered from the childbirth.
In June 1867 Elizabeth, their fourth child, married Hyrum Smith Rich, son of Charles C. Rich. They took Claudia into their home to raise as one of their children.

John Stock obtained more land in Fish Haven and eventually moved the family there. First they lived in a double log cabin and later built a large home. On December 13, 1867, John Stock was appointed Postmaster of Fish Haven. He held this position until 1893. He also operated a general merchandise store. John Stock was ordained Bishop of the Fish Haven Ward in 1882. He was beloved and respected of his people, both in ecclesiastical and civic affairs. He established an irrigation system, a saw mill, and built a church and a school. He also practiced the rudiments of medicine, setting bones and dislocated joints, and "using a lance when needed."

On 7 August 1893, due to failing health, he was released as bishop and ordained and set apart as a patriarch. His health continued to decline amidst much suffering until his death 19 October 1896 at the age of 76. He was buried in the Fish Haven Cemetery, formerly part of his land and donated by him for use as a cemetery.
John Stock's second wife, Frances Gilson Gibbs Stock (Aunt Fanny) bore him nine children. She lived 25 years after the death of her husband. She died 24 April 1921 and was buried beside her husband.

References:
Hyrum Smith Rich Genealogy Society, Inc., A Biography of John Stock, Jane Adams, and Elizabeth Stock.