Happy birthday, John!

Dean Wyatt Thorpe>Antoinette Leavitt Wyatt Thorpe>John Horsecroft Wyatt

In honor of John Horsecroft Wyatt's birthday this week, here's a little story from when he was a child, told by his sister Sarah Helen:

"Our home in Salt Lake was a log room plastered with clay. One night a driving rain storm came up. After we had gone to bed the rain washed the mud from between the bricks which caused the walls to give away. They all fell in except the corner where brother John and I were sleeping. Father and mother ran out with my two year old sister Josephine just before the roof came down. They couldn't find us. Father called and John answered, "We are over in the corner." He stood in front of me protecting me with his arms. Father helped us out over the fallen roof to the sidewalk. President Brigham Young heard of our trouble. He came and told father to bring his family to his home. We were soon safely in bed at President Young's home."

You can read more about John HERE.
You can read more about John and his family's trip to Salt Lake HERE.

The Mystery of McGee

Margaret Carol Pond Thorpe>Stillman Harris Pond>Martha Caroline Harris Pond>Alexander Harris>McGee Harris

In honor of McGee Harris' birthday I want to share a little about him.

The following is an excerpt from a history of McGee.  All the histories I can find of him are similar:

McGee was a farmer and a blacksmith by trade. In 1845, McGee became a convert to what he called the "Doctrine of Joseph Smith." Enthused with this new, but unpopular religion, he proceeded to sell and give away his property in order to join the Mormons at Nauvoo. Although his parents and other relatives were critical of his actions and ostracized him, he left them most of his earthly possessions, which was considerable. He had 1280 acres of land, which he had intended to divide among his eight children. McGee, his wife, and six children made the westward trek with the Saints. His eldest two daughters remained in Marion, Illinois.

McGee was counseled not to go to Nauvoo because of persecutions, so he went on to Council Bluffs in September. They crossed the Missouri River to Winter Quarters, Nebraska in the summer of 1847.

While in Nauvoo last summer, both Jeni and I had the distinct impression that McGee had lived there. We even felt that he had been a seventy, but upon checking the records at the Seventies Hall, we found that they didn't have him listed as a seventy. And since the family histories that we have all say that "he was counseled not to go to Nauvoo", and the Nauvoo Land and Records Office didn't have a record of him, it seemed that maybe we were wrong. But we still had the nagging suspicion that we had missed something. He had lived in Illinois when he found the gospel and there were several months between the time he sold his property and the time he left for Winter Quarters. Enough time that he could have lived in Nauvoo, maybe. So I kept digging. After searching over and over on the internet I finally found one history that was slightly different. Here it is:

As the family moved west, they must have settled in Nauvoo, as we understand they lived in the home of the Prophet Joseph Smith for a while.

WHAT?!?!? Where did they get that?! I frantically tried to find a way to connect with the author of the blog to ask him where he got that. The author had a great love for geneology. He loved planes. He loved the gospel. I found a picture of him listed as "MTC President". He's a descendent of Alexander Harris, as are we. I was getting more and more excited to talk to him. Unfortunately, I found a link titled "Funeral". He died in 2008. While I'll still try to make contact with the family and see if they know where he got his information, I'm doubtful they'll have what I need. So now we have two accounts and I have yet to verify which is correct. My gut, though, still tells me that he was in Nauvoo. I'll keep you posted on what I find out! And thanks, McGee, for the great mystery.

You can find out more about McGee HERE and HERE.

Happy birthday, Zial!

In honor of Zial's birthday:

Zial Litchfield Riggs

The following is quoted from the nomination for Historical Status of the Zial Riggs home.

Built in 1868 of native sandstone, the Zial Riggs home is a 1 1/2 story hall and parlor folk/vernacular type with a 1 story rear lean-to extension. The house has a three bay symmetrical facade and gable-end fireplace chimneys. In massing and decorative trim the house reflects the Greek Revival style: the pitch of the roof is relatively flat, there is a plain entablature, and cornice returns are found on the gables. The lintels and sills are wooden beams and unadorned. The upstairs windows are approximately half as large as the lower openings and reveal the incomplete nature of the upper story.

The Zial Riggs House

The walls of the Riggs home are coursed ashlar with raised mortar joints. The stonework is of a uniformly high quality, suggesting that the house was originally constructed with the rear extension. There are heavy stone quoins whose light cream limestone coloring contrast sharply with the darker, multi-hued tones on the sandstone walls.

The home was built for Zial in 1868 by an unknown builder. He lived there from 1868 to 1887 when he sold it to John Maughan. The home is located at 94 E 100 S in Wellsville.

You can read more about Zial HERE.

More Pictures Up

Hello everyone,
I added more pictures to the Cook line and a biography of Merrill Eugene Cook. Thanks to Uncle Don for providing all of it. Because of his many years of research I am able to learn things about my ancestors that I would never know otherwise.

Which brings me to this: if you have ANY information about any of our ancestors, that I haven't already included, please leave a comment and I'll get back to you. I'm especially interested in pictures and documents, but ANY information is appreciated. Thanks!!

Happy birthday, Mary!

Margaret Iva Richards Cook>Wilford Woodruff Richards>Mary Thompson Richards

In honor of Mary's birthday today, I'll share a little bit about her.

We all know the basic story of Mary's life - how she married Willard Richards and at his death, when she was only 27, she married Franklin D Richards to "raise up a posterity to Willard." Here is some of her story, though, after all that had happened and her children were raised and gone.

Mary loved her religion and tried to live up to its teachings, holding sacred her covenants.The last 20 years of Mary's life she worked in the Logan Temple. Some of that time she was matron of the temple under Pres. Mariner W Merrill. As she grew older and weaker she was given a room in an annex building so she could be closer and serve more often. She loved the work so much that it was her secret wish to die at the temple. Unfortunately, though, she died while on a visit to her son's in Riverside, Utah. She was 77. At her funeral she had requested that Melvin J Ballard sing I Know that My Redeemer Lives, which he did. She is buried in Farmington.

You can read more about Mary Thompson Richards HERE and HERE.

Happy birthday, Lorenzo!

Dean Wyatt Thorpe>Lorenzo Riggs Thorpe>Lorenzo Williams Thorpe

In honor of Lorenzo Thorpe's birthday, I thought I'd share what little I know about him.

Lorenzo was born 21 Oct 1856 in St Louis. His parents had already made the voyage across the Atlantic and were now preparing to cross the plains to be with the Saints, a journey they wouldn't complete until 1861. While working towards this goal three of their children died. Lorenzo was four when he finally crossed the plains, with his mother, father, and baby brother. They settled in Wellsville.

He died in 1928, at the age of 71, in Wellsville, of “an enlarged and infected prostate.”

Not much is known of the in-between. He was baptized in 1868 at the age of 11. I have him on the 1870 census  living in Wellsville with his parents. He married Mary Jane Riggs in 1876 and they had 10 children, eight of whom lived to adulthood. He went to the temple to do all of his work in 1903. I have his "pioneer poster" HERE.

If you have any more info on him, please leave a comment below.

Happy birthday, Sarah!

Merrill Eugene Cook>Eliza Snow Bryson Cook>Samuel Bryson>Sarah Ann Connery Bryson


In honor of Sarah Bryson's birthday today I thought I would share some tidbits about her life. (Sorry, no pictures this time. I don't have any of Sarah.)

•  Sarah and her husband, Samuel, were baptized in 1841 in Ireland. Severe persecution followed their conversion, so they moved to Scotland.  When they left Ireland no one would buy any of their possessions because they were Mormons, and they could take nothing except their clothing with them on the sailing vessel.  Their fine china was left on racks on the walls.  

• When their daughter, Sarah Ann, was about three years old, she fell out of the second story window in the apartment house where they were living. Her mother was outside and saw her fall and caught her!

• They came across the plains in 1855. When the company was near Laramie, Wyoming, they pitched camp and Samuel went out hunting.  He returned to camp just in time to see a big Indian carrying away his little girl, Eliza.  He raised his rifle and the Indian dropped her and galloped away.

• They settled in Bountiful where Samuel's mother had built them an adobe house to live in. When Johnston's army came the family moved south to Utah County.  They scattered straw through their homes before leaving them, "ready to be burned by us rather than occupied and confiscated by the army.  They did not molest them, however, and after a short time we returned to our homes and resumed life in the regular manner. Because of the persecutions and afflictions, we were alert to protect ourselves and our homes from our enemies."    

• She was a staunch Latter-day Saint and gave freely of herself to the Church. She was a faithful and devoted wife and helpmate to her husband , and a loving mother to her children. Sarah's eldest daughter, Sarah Ann, said, "In my childhood the gospel of Jesus Christ was foremost in our home.  It was our very life.  We were taught its principles, to honor the Priesthood, and to love God and His son, Jesus Christ.  We were taught to be humble before the Lord in constant prayer. This has been a source of strength and joy...  

You can read more about Sarah HERE

John McCleve, Handcart Pioneer

Merrill Eugene Cook>Joseph Wolcott Cook> Catherine McCleve Cook>John McCleve

I finally got around to buying the movie 17 Miracles. We'll be watching it tonight for FHE. So, in honor of the handcart pioneers, today I'm sharing a little about our handcart pioneer, John McCleve.

John, his wife, Nancy, and seven of their children came across the plains in the second handcart company, under Daniel D. McArthur. Their two oldest daughters, Sarah and Catherine, were already waiting for them in Salt Lake.

While pushing his handcart up a steep hill, John tried to keep a heavy chest from falling from the cart of the widow in front of him, causing him severe injuries. He continued to push the handcart the rest of the day.

That night he complained of not being well and his wife made a bed for him on the ground. He looked at the ground and said, "It looks so hard," whereupon Nancy Jane borrowed a pillow from a neighboring handcart couple. After suffering greatly for a few hours he passed away and was buried on the bank of the Weber River, only two days from Salt Lake.

His wife and daughter, Margaret, pulled the handcart the rest of the way into Salt Lake City.

You can read more about John HERE and HERE.  

The Endowment House

As you read through the biographies of our ancestors, located under Pages on the right hand side of the blog, you'll notice that a lot of their temple work was done in the Salt Lake Endowment House.

I was curious about this house, where it stood, how long it was in operation, is it still standing, etc. Here's what I found:

From LDSChurchTemples.com:  

• Site Dedication:  April 1854
• Construction Commencement:  Summer of 1854
• Dedication:  5 May 1855 by Heber C. Kimball
• Rededication:  2 October 1856 (baptistry only)

Endowment House Locale:

Once located on the northwest corner of the temple block in Salt Lake City, the Endowment House served as a temporary temple for Church members in Utah Territory from 1855–1889 during construction of the Salt Lake Temple. The two-story adobe structure was razed in 1889, four years prior to the completion of the Salt Lake Temple.

Endowment House Facts:

Prior to the construction of the Endowment House, temple ordinances were being given on a regular basis in Salt Lake beginning in February 1851. This was done in a variety of locations including Brigham Young's office, the Council House, and the top of Ensign Peak.
Recognizing the need for a separate dedicated structure for the administration of the endowment, the Endowment House was built on the northwest corner of Temple Square to function during the construction of the Salt Lake Temple.
At the time of its dedication, President Brigham Young declared that the Endowment House was "The House of the Lord."
The Endowment House was designed by Church architect Truman O. Angell.
The two-story Endowment House featured a washing and anointing room, "garden room," "world room," and "terrestrial room" on the main floor with a "celestial room" on the upper floor.
A year after the Endowment House was constructed, it was enlarged to include a baptistry, which was dedicated on October 2, 1856.
Baptisms for the dead were administered in the Endowment House until 1876. Endowments for the living were performed there until 1884. And sealings of living couples were performed there until 1889.
Endowments for the dead were not performed in the Endowment House (neither were sealings to parents), which were reserved for the temple only.
In 1889, President Wilford Woodruff had the Endowment House razed.


BYU has a page about it HERE
Wikipedia's article about it is HERE 

My Pioneer Spreadsheet

Okay, okay, I know the title of this sounds like a primary handout, but, believe me, it isn't.


I'm sharing today my working draft of a spreadsheet that has been built on many, many hours of hard work. In it I have all of my ancestors that are considered "pioneers" - in that they crossed the plains to Utah between the time that Brigham Young took the first company in 1847 and the time that the railroad came to Utah in 1869.


The spreadsheet lists my direct-line ancestor pioneer, with the family members that are known to have travelled with them, the ship they came on (if applicable and if known), the company they came with, information about that company, dates of travel, and any other information that I have been able to dig up about their journey. As you can guess, I lost count of how many hours I spent on this. And it isn't complete. Those darn Thorpes/Williams have been impossible to track down, though I've made some headway. I'm still searching for ship passenger manifests for several of the pioneers. And I've only just begun on my husband's ancestors (highlighted in green). But, all in all, it is still full of helpful information about our ancestors. And, if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.

My Pioneer Spreadsheet

When you click on the link it'll take you to a page that says it won't load. In the upper right hand corner there is a button to download the spreadsheet. Click on that and it'll open on your computer.

 If you have any information I am missing, please leave a comment below. Thanks!

The Sacrifice of a Mother Part 2

Margaret Iva Richards Cook>Wilford Woodruff Richards>Franklin Dewey Richards>Wealthy Dewey Richards

Wealthy and her family settled in Nauvoo, where they faced expulsion just a few years later. She spent a year living in a wagon as she crossed the dreary Iowa plains with family, grieving as children and daughters-in-law died along the way, including a three year old granddaughter named after her.

When the call was made for men to fight in the Mormon Battalion, her son, Joseph, was asked by his uncle, Willard, to go. He was too young to enlist so he joined as a drummer, even though he didn’t have adequate supplies. For several nights it rained as he slept on the ground without a tent. He became very sick and went with the sick detachment to Pueblo, Colorado. He died there and was buried on the banks of a river. His brother, Franklin, traveled to Pueblo years later to find his body, but it had been swept away by the flooding of the river.

When they finally made it to Salt Lake, she might have thought that times would get better, but her sons were often traveling, usually on missions for the church. On one of these missions to Europe one of her sons became extremely ill and Wealthy wondered if the Lord were going to take all of her sons, having lost four already.

After a long, full life of many trials and hardships, Wealthy passed away on 18 Oct 1853 in Salt Lake City at the age of 67, having sacrificed more than most for the gospel.

The Sacrifice of a Mother Part 1

 Margaret Iva Richards Cook>Wilford Woodruff Richards>Franklin Dewey Richards>Wealthy Dewey Richards

Wealthy Dewey Richards watched in horror and sorrow as her husband, Phinehas, and her children all became increasingly interested in Mormonism. In an attempt to investigate the Church more fully, Phinehas, Levi, Willard, Hepsy, and Wealthy’s fourteen-year-old son, George Spencer, departed for Kirtland. There, in 1837, Phinehas and George were baptized.

That fall, Phinehas returned to the East, carrying the gospel message back to his extended and immediate families, leaving George with Levi and Hepsy. Although Phinehas was able to baptize his three older children and other family members, his dear wife was still not converted. When the Saints in Kirtland left for Far West, Missouri, young George accompanied Levi and Hepsy, who settled on Shoal Creek. They were part of the thirty or forty LDS families living in covered wagons and tents and a few cabins surrounding Jacob Haun’s mill.

Haun's Mill Massacre by CCA Christensen

Phinehas Richards was in Holliston, Massachusetts, when he received word that his son George Spencer had been murdered at Haun’s Mill, Phinehas immediately wrote to Wealthy with the terrible news, followed by these poetic words:

 

George, strong in faith, is gone.

An early Martyr in the cause of Zion

(Though Babylon Rage).

Lay not this thing too much at heart,

But trust in Christ alone,

And realize that God is right,

In taking of our son.

 Oh, the sacrifice of a mother—to lose a promising son to a cause in which she did not believe. Why could not George have been laid to rest beside her first three infant children instead of being lowered into an unfinished well? However, in her grieving, the Lord blessed her with two things: a comforted heart and a believing heart. Soon, she entered the waters of baptism and united her family in strength.

-MAURINE CARR WARD

This was not the first sacrifice Wealthy was asked to make, and it wasn't the last. More about Wealthy tomorrow.

The Voyage of the Windermere

Margaret Carol Pond Thorpe>Stillman Harris Pond>Martha Caroline Harris Pond>Harriet Ann Craner Harris>George Benjamin Craner

On the 22 February 1854, George Benjamin Craner(age 54), his wife Elizabeth (54), and his children Harriet (19), Ann (15), John (11), and Martha (9) set sail from Liverpool to the United States on the ship Windermere with a total of 477 Latter Day Saints.The following is a short description of their voyage. 

WARNING: Reading this may cause you to become extremely thankful for airplanes and/or grateful you don't have to travel to Zion.

“As the vessel started in motion the songs of Zion blending in the soul inspiring harmony, thrilled the souls of the passengers and their many friends standing on the shore gazing at the departed vessel, shouting farewell, goodbye, with eyes streaming with tears; doubtless, recalling that only the night before seven vessels with all aboard went down in the depths of the channel.

As the land disappeared in the distance the sweet singing ceased and many began to feel sick.  All that night the wind howled fiercely, the sea was rough, the ship was driven from its course towards the Isle of Aton. About 11 p.m. off Holy Head, which is a most dangerous point, and the scene of frequent ship wrecks, was passed. On the morning of the 23rd the sea was still rough and the wind was blowing. During the day the Windermere sailed by the remains of a wrecked vessel. Masts, sails, and other fragments were floating around. Likely, a few hours previous, many departed souls had tenaciously clung to these same objects for relief that never came. All had been consigned to a watery grave, for no signs of life remained and the rolling waves swept over the bodies of the lifeless sleepers, while the wind howled its requiem for the dead.

On the 12th of March from 7 to 8 in the morning an exceedingly fierce storm arose. The wind roared like one of our mountain winds. The masts cracked and the sails were cut to pieces. The Captain of the Windermere expressed fears that the ship couldn’t stand so heavy a sea, and in speaking to Daniel Garn, the President of the Saints on board said, “I am afraid the ship can’t stand this storm. Mr. Garn, if there be a God, as your people say there is, you had better talk to him if he will hear you. I have done all I can for the ship, and I am afraid with all that can be done, she will go down.”

Elder Garn went to the Elders, who presided over the nine wards in the ship and requested them to get all the Saints on board to fast and call a prayer meeting to be held in each ward at 10 a.m. and pray that we might be delivered from the danger. The waves dashed with white foam. The storm continued in all its fury but precisely at 10 a.m., the prayer meetings were held. The ship rolled from side to side. On one side the Saints were hanging by their hands and on the other they were standing on their heads. Then the ship would roll on the other side which would reverse their positions. About this time the large boxes which were tied with ropes under the berths broke loose and with pots, pans and kettles rolled with terrible force on each side of the vessel.
Although the prayers were fervent and earnest, as the pleading of poor souls brought face to face with danger and death, they ceased their prayers to watch and dodge the untied boxes and great confusion prevailed for some time. The wind roared like a hurricane. Sail after sail was torn to shreds and lost. The waves were very large and, as far as the eye could see, seemed to be one angry mass of rolling white foam. The hatches were fastened down. This awful storm lasted about 18 hours, and then abated a little, but it was stormy from the 8th of March until the 18th. Observation taken by the quadrant showed that the ship was in the same latitude as it was on the 8th.

On March 20th, which was two days after this terrible storm, the small pox broke out. One of three sisters was taken down with it. She had a light attack and recovered, but her two sisters then came down with it and both died. After that 37 others–40 in all, came down with it. 

Three days after the breaking out of the small pox the ship took fire under the cooking gallery. At this time, we had not seen land for three weeks or more. When the cry of “FIRE, the ships on FIRE” rang through the vessel, wild excitement and consternation prevailed everywhere. The sailors plied water freely. All the water buckets on board were brought into use and soon the fire was under control.

The passengers of the Windermere had passed through a terrible storm, the panic created by the ship taking FIRE, their number decreased by the small pox; still another fearful calamity threatened them. The fresh water supply was getting short and the stores of provisions were failing. The passengers were now limited to one hard small sea biscuit of a day’s rations.

New Orleans in 1852

On the morning of April 20th, the ship entered the mouth of the Mississippi River. The passengers were more glad to look upon the plantations of orange groves that bordered the banks of the river than the great strong surging waves of the Atlantic which they had left behind them.

They arrived at New Orleans the 24th of April 1854. During the voyage, there were six marriages, six births, and ten deaths.” (61 days on the water)

Sources: Histories, Vera McBride, Beth Sorenson

Book: Lewis John Bowen and Adelaide Honey, “Together Forever”, compiled and edited by Merlin Bowen, May 1996

You can read more about George Benjamin Craner HERE and HERE
You can read more about Elizabeth West Craner HERE
You can read more about Harriet Ann Craner Harris HERE and HERE

The Adventures of Samuel

  Margaret Carol Pond Thorpe>Chloe Judd>Joseph Judd>Samuel Judd

Samuel left his family in England to emigrate to the United States and Utah, planning to raise the funds for the rest of the family to emigrate. On his voyage across the Atlantic, however, he, with the other passengers, was shipwrecked. 

He worked his way back to England, and again embarked. This time the ship was quarantined for yellow fever and the passengers were banished to an island. Again he worked his way back to England and suffered a severe illness. 

The third time he took passage on the ship "The John Boyd", which left Liverpool April 23, 1862, under the direction of James S. Brown. Finally he had found a ship that would make it. The ship arrived at New York June 1st. He arrived in Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1862 (2 Oct) and immediately traveled to St. George where he went to work to buy passage for his family and to provide a home for their arrival. What an adventure!

The Miracle of the Quail

Merrill Eugene Cook>Eliza Snow Bryson Cook>Samuel Bryson, Jr.>Samuel Cowan Bryson>Margaret Cowan Bryson

When the Saints were driven from Nauvoo, there was a group that was left behind. These were those that were too poor or too sick to make the journey. When Brigham Young realized that Hyrum Smith's widow, Mary Fielding Smith, was left behind, he sent wagons to fetch her and all her house. Our ancestor, Margaret Cowan Bryson, was working for Mary to pay back part of her passage from England. Mary had a very large household to take care of and Margaret did her best to help. She even drove one of the wagons across Iowa. But as these Saints gathered across the river from Nauvoo, knowing how hard the journey ahead was going to be and not having enough provisions, I'm sure the task seemed daunting. Then a miracle occurred.

"This miracle was vividly described by Thomas Bullock, one of the last band of refugees
from Nauvoo. Bullock was later a secretary to President Brigham Young. In a letter
written from Winter Quarters to Elder Franklin Richards published in the Millennial Star,
Bullock wrote: 

"On the 9' of October, several wagons with oxen having been sent by the Twelve to fetch the poor Saints away, were drawn up in a line on the river banks, ready to start. 

But hark! What noise is that? See the quails descend; they alight close by our little camp of twelve wagons, run past each wagon tongue, they arise, fly round the camp three times, descend, and again run the gauntlet past each wagon. See the sick knock them down with sticks, and the little children catch them alive with their hands. Some are cooked for breakfast, while my family were seated on the wagon tongues and ground, having a wash tub for a table. Behold, they come again. One descends upon our tabard, in the midst of our cups, while we were actually round the table eating our breakfast. Which a little boy about eight years old catches alive with his hands; they rise again, the flocks increase in number, seldom going seven rods from our camp,
continually flying around the camp, sometimes under the wagons, sometimes over, and even into the wagons, where the poor sick saints are lying in bed; thus having a direct manifestation from the Most High, that although we are driven by men, He has not forsaken us, but that His eyes are continually over us for good. At noon, having caught alive about 50 and killed some 50 more, the captain gave orders not to kill any more, as it was a direct manifestation and visitation from the Lord. In the afternoon hundreds were flying at a time. When our camp started at 3 p.m., there could not have been less than 500 (some say 1500) flying around camp. Thus, I am a witness to this visitation."

"Following this manifestation of divine providence, so like the miracle of the quails in the Old Testament record of the exodus from Egypt, the refugees continued their journey to Winter Quarters, with much less trouble than among those who had gone before. They arrived on the 27th of November, and Thomas Bullock records they found a city of about 700 houses, containing more than 4,000 Saints, built in less than three months."

You can read more about Margaret. Click Here

Heber's Request

Margaret Iva Richards Cook>Emily Randall Richards>Alfred Randall

This is a true story about Alfred Randall. His daughter, Lucy wrote this and his son, David, recalls hearing it several times.

Alfred Randall

A TRUE STORY IN FATHER’S LIFE

Joseph the Prophet, our dear Father knew.

Brigham and Heber, were friends of his too.

With them he oft mingled, in worship and prayer,

And at all times, was ready their troubles to share.

Heber wanted some money, a big sum too,

But where to get it he hardly knew.

The boys were going out on the dreary plains,

To help their poor comrades their rest obtain

Too they must do something for that noble band,

Who so willing took their lives in their hands.

Heber’s duty it was to get their supplies

“But where is the money?” was his frantic cries,

He was about to give up in despair

When he caught this message as it came through the air,

“There’s Alfred, the trusted, the staunch, and the true.

Ask him and see what his help will do.”

Now father at home was toasting his shins,

Thinking of the financial straits he was in,

All the money he could gather had been spent for dyes.

What could be done for the factory’s new supply.

A loud knock sounded, a cheery “Come in.”

“Good morning, Brother Alfred, so glad you are in.

A favor I want and the spirit made clear,

That you were the man; I could get the cash here.”

“I want three hundred, but two fifty will do.

I must have the money, so God help you.

You know it all goes for the boys’ supplies.

Now don’t say you’ve spent it all for new dyes.”

“Now come, Brother Alfred, don’t look so shocked.

Put on your hat and we’ll walk as we talk.”

They talked of hard times, of money, of men.

Then Heber going in for a shave said, “I’ll see you again.”

Then father walked back and forth in front of the store.

Then turned around and walked back once more.

Heber’s faith in him - - in God father’s trust

Could he get the money?  Yes, he must.

 

As if in answer to his uttered prayer,

He beheld a stranger approaching near.

With smiling face, and full of grace

He seemed to shed sunshine about the place.

About the country and weather a few words were passed,

Then father out with the question he had to ask,

“Say, stranger, you don’t happen to have two fifty.”

His hand went to his pocket and back in a jiffy.

He unfolded the paper and handed to father

Not two hundred and fifty - - but three hundred dollars.

Take this if it will help you.  Not five minutes ago

It came through the mail, how it found me I don’t know.

It’s money I never expected to get;

Use it and some day send me the check.

Don’t I want your note, you’re a stranger you say;

I trust you, stranger, please give me my way.

Heber came out, by this time he was through.

“Now let’s get busy, that money, there’s lots to do.”

Now father was happy and chuckled with glee.

“Here, Heber, is the money, three hundred you see.”

Now it was Heber’s turn to look amazed.

With shining countenance at father he gazed.

“Now Alfred, I want you to understand

That our Father in Heaven, has laid out this plan.

When doing his duty, God’s spirit guides man.”

                                                                Lucy Randall Koford

You can read more about Alfred HERE.

Wilford's Missionary Journal

Margaret Iva Richards Cook>Wilford Woodruff Richards

The following is copied in full from Elder Richards’ missionary journal while he served in Virginia. It shows his faith, obedience, and bravery.

“After dinner we were down by the stable talking when along came seventy-five men on horses.  Two of them came down and one said to the other, ‘That’s them. You stay here,’ while he rode his horse on a run to tell the crowd.  Up went a yell and here they came and surrounded us, some screaming, ‘Bring them out.  Whip them,’ while we stood there unconnected and asked them what was wrong.  All was silent till their noble (?) leader, Page, came up and asked why we did not leave when they notified us and I told them our president told us to remain.

“’Well,’ said Mr. Page, ‘we are able to run our own county.  This is ours and you must leave and never come back again or we will string you up.  Now mark this.’  They then ordered us to march out in front while they sent in for our satchels.  I asked them what law they had for the action they were taking and several of them shouted, ‘We are the law, and if you want any more we will send and get a rope.’

“After marching us to Mitchel’s corner, about a quarter of a mile from John W. Harris’, they called a halt to determine where they should take us west over the line between Hanover and Louisa counties, the president and secretary, John Page and John Moody, left the mob giving them orders to drive us out of the county.  We were ordered to march and while going along, they said they were going to whip Elder Cardon for insulting Page a few days previously when he came with the order for us to leave.

“One man said there were only two in the crowd who had heard us preach, so I asked the privilege of preaching them a farewell sermon, which was denied.  When we reached the line they called another halt and one man did the talking.  His speech was as follows:  ‘Gentlemen, we have now put you over the line and we are determined you shall not preach any more in our county.  We turn you loose unhurt, but if you ever come back we will hang you to the first tree, and we want you to promise not to come back.’

“I then, full of good wishes for all said, ‘Gentlemen, we make this promise on condition that you take a solemn oath to take all responsibility of driving us out,’ and asked God to be witness of it, which they did.  And nearly all came up and shook hands.

“I then asked God to forgive them as they knew not what they were doing, but commanded them to repent.  They then ordered us to start, and they went back, giving one loud whoop, reminding us of reading of the Indians’ war whoop.  We then retired to the woods and offered up thanks and gratitude to God for softening the hearts of the mob insomuch that we received no injury from them.”

You can read more from his mission journal, and more about his life Click Here

Margaret's Butterflies

Merrill Eugene Cook>Eliza Snow Bryson Cook>Samuel Bryson, Jr>Samuel Cowan Bryson>Margaret Cowan Bryson

 

 

Here is one version of the Butterfly Dream. It includes why Margaret had the dream and what it meant to her.

Margaret Cowan grew up in Ireland and was married to John Bryson.  Before long, he was called to fight for England in their struggle against Napoleon and like many others gave his life for his country.  He was killed in June 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo.

In August, after a son and only child was born to the grieving mother, she called him Samuel after his grandfather Cowan.

He was a blue-eyed vigorous lad filled with the spirit of adventure, which spirit led him to enlist in the Spanish Civil War at the age of 17.  He served for five years and fought in seven major battles, earning a gold medal for bravery.

His mother naturally worried over him while he was away, wondering if he would ever come home to her.  As she was a believer in God and his mercy, no doubt she prayed for him many times, at least an event happened which gave her hope and assurance.

One night when she was unusually disturbed, she had an unusual dream.  She thought she was given a lone butterfly which she was to cherish in her bosom.  Before long, another butterfly came out, then another and another till they came so fast she could not count them.  This she was sure was a sign given to her that her son would return and become the father of a numerous posterity.  This literally came true for many are his descendants, and to his children’s children, each new baby is another butterfly.  

Here's another telling of the dream:
Before the birth of her son, Margaret had a dream that has been handed down to us. She dreamed that from the front of her open dress flew a butterfly; and from the one, twenty more arose. Then from the twenty arose such a large number that the entire room was filled with butterflies. She did not live to see the fulfillment of her dream; but her son, Samuel, married two wives and had twenty children and it would be difficult to count the posterity of these twenty
children. For many years every new baby in the family was counted as one of “Aunt Margaret’s butterflies.”
You can read more about Margaret. Click Here

Elizabeth Neibaur Cook

Merrill Eugene Cook>Joseph Wolcott Cook-Elizabeth Neibaur Cook(wife 1)

This is a short bio on Elizabeth Neibaur Cook. I wish I knew more about her. Samantha saw this picture when she was 3 or 4 and exclaimed, "Oh, it's Mary Poppins!"

 
Elizabeth Neibaur was born January 9, 1859, at Salt Lake City, Utah; she was the daughter of Joseph William Neibaur and Elizabeth (Cranshaw) Neibaur.  Both of her parents were pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley, her father coming in 1848 and her mother arriving in 1854.  

Elizabeth was married October 4, 1883, in the Salt Lake Endowment House to Elder J. W. Cook.  On January 15, 1884, they moved to Border, Idaho, and on January 22, 1885, she gave birth to a son whom they named Joseph Wolcott Cook.  Elizabeth passed away shortly after on January 30, 1885, and her little son passed away the following spring.  They are both buried in Paris, Bear Lake County, Idaho.  

You can read more about Elizabeth. Click Here

Wyatt Pictures Stolen!

Dean Wyatt Thorpe>Antoinette Leavitt Wyatt Thorpe>John Horsecroft Wyatt>John Moses Wyatt-Sarah Caroline Horsecroft Wyatt

Okay, so I didn't really steal them, but I found these on another distant relative's blog (it's amazing what you can find on the internet). It is from someone's Book of Remembrance. The first picture is of John Moses Wyatt and his wife, Sarah Caroline Horsecroft, with all of their adult children. Our ancestor is the first one to the left of the parents.

This second picture is the same family but with pictures of their spouses included. Our ancestor, John, is now in the middle. His first wife, Sarah, died, and he remarried Julia, who is our ancestor, and later took Julia's sister, Betsy, as a plural wife. John, Julia, and Betsy are all buried next to each other sharing a headstone.

You can learn more about John Moses Wyatt HERE.
You can learn more about Sarah Caroline Horsecroft Wyatt HERE.
You can learn more about John Horsecroft Wyatt HERE.

Stillman's Faith

Margaret Carol Pond>Stillman Harris Pond>Martin Pond>Stillman Pond

Stillman Pond lost more than most when the Saints were expelled from Nauvoo. He, his pregnant wife, Maria, and their seven children were forced out of their home at the point of bayonet. They had few provisions for their journey across Iowa. As a result, one by one the children became ill and died, including the twins that Maria gave birth to in a wagon. Maria, weighed down by sorrow, and ill with consumption, finally died after standing at the gravesides of all of her children. Through all of this Stillman's faith never seemed to waver.

James E Faust spoke of Stillman Pond several times. He admired Stillman's courage and faith in the face of great adversity. Here is what he said:

“Having lost these nine children and his wife in crossing the plains, Stillman Pond did not lose his faith. He did not quit. He went forward. He paid a price, as have many others before and since, to become acquainted with God” (This account of the experiences of Stillman Pond was related by James E. Faust, “The Refiner’s Fire,” Ensign, May 1979, p. 54).

Stillman was blessed for his faith. He remarried and had fourteen more children. He served in many different callings, including Senior President of the 35th Quorum of the Seventy,  being an officiator in the Endowment House, and working on the St George Temple.  He was a farmer in Richmond, Utah, and was able to invest in ZCMI when it came there. He was honest, generous, hardworking and a great example of the kind of person I want to be.

You can learn more about Stillman HERE.

PDF Files Are Up!

The PDF files are now up. These are the posters that were hanging up at the family reunion in Nauvoo. Each person has a PDF file. Just click on their name and it will take you to a printable and downloadable page for them. Please forgive any spelling or other errors. For example, on Phineas Wolcott Cook's PDF his birth and death dates are wrong on the bio sheet but they are correct on the front side. I'll try to fix those as a future project.

Pedigree Charts Are Up!

I finally got the pedigree charts up. The link is on the left under "Pages." Everything on this site is listed under family line, starting with my great-grandparents. So, my grandfather is Dean Thorpe. His parents are Lorenzo Riggs Thorpe and Antoinette Leavitt Wyatt. On the left, under "Pages," there is a "Thorpe" page and a "Wyatt" page. The Riggs line is listed on the "Thorpe" page and the Leavitt line is listed on the "Wyatt" page. Does that make sense? If not, explore and you'll find who you're looking for eventually.
Oh, and all the pedigree charts are linked to the line they go with. Just click on the name under the picture.
Hope that helps!

Six Generations in One Picture!

Merrill Eugene Cook>Eliza Snow Bryson Cook>Polly Tryphena Fairchild Bryson

This is a news article we found among Grandma Cook's things. Tryphena is the one in the front middle. She died a year and a half after this picture was taken at the age of 96.

 And now, here's a picture of her when she was much younger.

 You can learn more about Tryphena HERE.

Cousins Everywhere!

Margaret Iva Richards>Emily Randall Richards>Alfred Randall

This is Alfred Randall's family group sheet with his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Harley. Today I found out that a member of our ward comes from Alfred and Margaret's 4th child, Margaret, while we come from Alfred's 7th child, Emily. Last month I found another family in the ward is related to us on Dad's side. It is a small world!

You can learn more about Alfred HERE.
You can learn more about Margaret HERE.