Juliana Hoke was born in 1798 in Germany. She was the oldest child of the family, having four brothers and four sisters. She came with her family to the United States when she was six years of age.
When she was 17 years old she married George Gotleib Zimmerman and settled in Garden Grove, Iowa. Her mother, Christeria, was not in good health, so Juliana cared for her and the family. Christeria died just two years after Juliana's marriage. Her father, Lorentz Hoke, was a devoted man of the scriptures. One day he called her to his deathbed and told that in answer to prayer it had been made known to him that the true gospel had long been lost to the world, but would soon be restored. He told her that he would not live to hear it preached, but that she would, and that when she heard it she would know it to be true and would embrace it. Many years later she learned of the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was convinced of its truth and in January, 1843 they cut a hole in the ice and she was baptized. Juliana was 45 years of age at the time of her baptism.
At this time persecution was running high, so Juliana and her family made the decision to cross the plains to Utah in the Harry Walton company. Her husband was 70 years old and she was 53 years old. Her family's outfit consisted of one wagon heavily loaded with supplies of flour, meal, beans, dry bread and sugar, two yoke of oxen, two yoke of cows, a horse, and her family, made up of her husband and herself, six daughters, and a two year old granddaughter. She walked from Iowa to the Salt Lake Valley, a distance of some thirteen hundred miles and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1851. From there, she and her family went to Lehi where she made her home until the time of her death. She was valiant in teaching her family and all with whom she became acquainted. She was widely known for her hospitality, and especially adapted to nursing the sick and helping those in need of sympathy.
She became the mother of twelve children and reared seven of them to maturity, all of whom had large families and all members of the Latter-day Saints Church.
She died in 1864 at the age of 66 and was buried in Lehi, Utah.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Lurancy Chase Hill
Lurancy Chase Hill was my great, great, grandmother.
She was born in 1842 in Lincoln, Vermont. Her ancestors for several generations back were members of the Society of Friends, or more commonly called “Quakers.” Therefore they were taught that it was wrong to wear bright colors; their clothes should be made plain and simple. It was wrong to dance, whistle, sing, or indulge in any slang phrases or swear words, and they addressed each other as ‘thee’ and ‘thou’.
When Lurancy’s mother, Miriam, was nineteen years of age, it was announced in a meeting that Sisson Almadorus Chase would take Miriam as his wedded wife. They were married in 1832. While living in their first home at Lincoln, Vermont, three children were born to them; Rachel, born in 1834 lived only a few hours; Hannah, born in December 1834; and Lurancy born in 1842. They also adopted a little girl, Jane Ann, born in 1839.
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She was born in 1842 in Lincoln, Vermont. Her ancestors for several generations back were members of the Society of Friends, or more commonly called “Quakers.” Therefore they were taught that it was wrong to wear bright colors; their clothes should be made plain and simple. It was wrong to dance, whistle, sing, or indulge in any slang phrases or swear words, and they addressed each other as ‘thee’ and ‘thou’.
When Lurancy’s mother, Miriam, was nineteen years of age, it was announced in a meeting that Sisson Almadorus Chase would take Miriam as his wedded wife. They were married in 1832. While living in their first home at Lincoln, Vermont, three children were born to them; Rachel, born in 1834 lived only a few hours; Hannah, born in December 1834; and Lurancy born in 1842. They also adopted a little girl, Jane Ann, born in 1839.
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When the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints visited their neighborhood, Sisson and Miriam were persuaded to go and listen to them. In a very short time they received the truth and were baptized. Having a great desire to gather with the Saints, they began to prepare to move to Nauvoo where the Saints were gathering. They arrived there in November 1843, seven months before the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. Sisson and Miriam esteemed it a great blessing and privilege to meet the Prophet, and rejoiced in listening to his instructions. They shared the sorrow of the Saints at Joseph's death. Miriam was convinced that Brigham Young was the divinely appointed successor when she witnessed the mantel of Joseph fall upon him. This was a strong and abiding testimony to her all through her life.
While in Nauvoo, a son was born to Sisson and Miriam but he lived just a few hours. When the Saints were compelled to leave Nauvoo, two years later, Sisson and Miriam, with their
children and Sisson’s mother, moved into Iowa on the Sioux River, where they stayed for several seasons to make preparations and to get provisions and teams preparatory to crossing the Plains.
About this Lurancy said: “This was the first I remember of Pioneer life. Father built a rude log house, and I have a most vivid picture of Grandma Chase, sitting by the fireplace roasting potatoes, that was our evening meal. I also remember how 300 Indians came to our home. We did not know what would happen, but father was able to make friends with them.”
About this Lurancy said: “This was the first I remember of Pioneer life. Father built a rude log house, and I have a most vivid picture of Grandma Chase, sitting by the fireplace roasting potatoes, that was our evening meal. I also remember how 300 Indians came to our home. We did not know what would happen, but father was able to make friends with them.”
Three more children were born to them while in Iowa
Sisson Almadorus, born in 1847; Miriam, born in 1849; and Amy, born in 1851.
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In May 1853, when Lurancy was 11 years old, they started across the Plains traveling in Captain Joseph Thorn’s Company part of the Daniel A. Miller/John W. Cooley Company. Their outfit consisted of two wagons, one drawn by two oxen, the other by four young steers. They had three cows which supplied milk for breakfast and supper.
The extra milk they put in a tin churn, tied it to the wagon, and the jolting of the wagon would churn it to butter. Their fare was very meager. At times buffalo would be killed, dressed and divided, which would make a very acceptable change of diet for a few meals. When the trails were bad, they would walk, and that was most of the time and most of the way from Iowa to Utah. Many times the cows were hitched up also to help pull the load over the poor trails.
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Miriam Chase was not a very strong woman and yet she drove one of the wagons most of the way. Those of her family who were old enough to remember have said they shall never forget seeing her standing in the wagon, her face white as death, and a long whip in her hand. At one time they were able to rest for a week and this was most welcome. During that time wood was gathered to shoe
their oxen. Their long and tiresome journey came to an end in September 1853, four months from the time they
had left Iowa. Lurancy’s Uncle Isaac Chase met the company at the mouth of Immigration Canyon. They had never seen anything look so good as did Uncle Isaac’s carriage. After their long walk it was beautiful to see. They were all dirty, tired, and ragged. It was decided that Lurancy should stay and come on with her father in the wagons, while the mother and younger children would go in the carriage with Uncle Isaac, but Lurancy cried so hard that they tucked her in too.
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They lived in one of the rooms of Uncle Isaac’s adobe house for two years. It stands in the center of Liberty Park in Salt Lake City and for years was the home of the custodian of the Park.
That first winter was a hard one for the Chase family. They sold everything they could spare to get enough to live on. They had so little clothing that they could not go out much.
That first winter was a hard one for the Chase family. They sold everything they could spare to get enough to live on. They had so little clothing that they could not go out much.
Lurancy’s father taught the Second Ward School and was supposed to receive $3.00 from each pupil, but many were unable to pay so very little was received. Their food those two years was mostly corn bread and molasses.
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In the winter of 1855 her father contracted typhoid
fever, and they all gathered around his bed, thinking he could not live, but through mercy and blessings of the Lord, and the good nursing of his wife, his life was spared, but he never again fully recovered his normal strength. It also left him with a bad cough. The burden of supporting the family fell to his wife and daughters. They washed wool, corded and spun it, then wove it into cloth for their blankets and wearing apparel, which they sewed completely by hand. They also made their own soap, knit their stockings, and molded their candles.
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When Lurancy was about 14 years old, a young man asked her to go to a dance. She so was so pleased that she told him she would be glad to go, but after considering it she knew that she did not have a dress fit for a dance. She had to tell him that she could not go. He asked no questions,
indicating that he knew the reason. Soon after she had the chance to do some housework. She worked for eight weeks and earned enough to buy herself and her mother material for a calico dress. When that dress was made, she was one of the proudest girls in Salt Lake City.
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indicating that he knew the reason. Soon after she had the chance to do some housework. She worked for eight weeks and earned enough to buy herself and her mother material for a calico dress. When that dress was made, she was one of the proudest girls in Salt Lake City.
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Eventually the family was blessed financially enough to purchase two city lots. They built two log rooms for which they were very thankful. In this home was the Ward Branch of Z.C.M.I. and the mother did most of the clerking.
A young man by the name of Heamon Allison Hill, an
industrious young farmer, rented some land outside of Salt Lake City. He decided he needed the help of a wife, and after meeting Lurancy his visits to the Chase home were frequent. In the Spring of 1860 he tried to persuade her to marry him and move out on the farm, but she managed to put him off until November, and they were married by her father. After the Endowment House was finished they were sealed for time and Eternity.
They stayed for a while with Lurancy’s parents. Their bedroom was an unfinished log room with no windows and no chinking between the logs. Needless to say, they had plenty of fresh air.
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In the Spring of 1862 Allison and Lurancy moved to
Payson, and there they went through all the hardships incident to pioneer life. They built their home, a log cabin. It stood for many years, being demolished sometime in the late 1960’s. Although it was only one room to begin, no
bride was ever happier than Lurancy when she moved into it.
They had been married for five years and were still
childless, a great disappointment to them. A
Mrs. Fillmore died in childbirth, leaving an infant
son. Mr. Fillmore, having no way to care for the
infant, asked Lurancy if she would care for his baby. She hesitated, as they had so little to live on and the baby seemed so fragile. Mr. Fillmore, seeing her reluctance, raised his hand and said, “I promise you, Sister Hill, that if you will take this child and care for him as your own, the Lord will bless you with children of your own.” She took the
baby and cared for it and loved it, but they were only permitted to keep him for a short time when he became very sick and died. Within a year a baby girl came to bless their home. They named her Miriam Lurancy. After that, they had the following children: Leonard Allison, born in 1868; Sarah Jane, born in 1870; Sisson Almadorus, born in 1872, died in 1873; Frederick Simeon, born in 1875; Jasper Franklin, in 1877; and Amy Cylinda, born in 1880, died in 1885.
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When her first baby was three weeks old, President
Brigham Young called volunteers to go back and help the Saints who were crossing the Plains at that time. It is certain that the hardships of his own journey were burned deep in the memory of Lurancy’s beloved husband, and having such vivid memories surely helped to account for the warm compassion he had for others. Willingly he left his dearly beloved wife and their three week old daughter, took his team and wagon, joined the other willing men, and started back across the Plains. Surely this says much of his character, but it says the same of the character of his lovely wife. Sacrificing the companionship of her husband when she needed him so badly herself. It was the planting season for their small farm, and surely without a successful year, there would be a long hard year ahead of them before another planting season came. But she did not complain or falter in any way in letting him go with her blessings. She cared for her home and her baby alone, to the best of her ability, and patiently awaited the arrival of the few letters her husband was able to send her by the methods of the day. A long six months later, her husband returned to her and how happy was their reunion!
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From the exposure and the conditions on the trip he was afflicted with an illness that affected him the rest of his life. Faithfully she stood by his side and did her share in sustaining him and in raising their children.
Throughout their lives they were active in the Church, always willing to serve when and wherever they were called. Their hardships were many, but nothing altered the firm faith they had in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were staunch and true pioneers.
Lurancy worked for many years as an officer in the Primary organization, and she was also a Relief Society teacher. She taught her children the principles of the Gospel, both by precept and example. They were all true to the faith
and active in the Church throughout their lives. Two of her sons became Bishops, one of them a Stake Patriarch.
Her good husband was taken from her in 1907, leaving her to finish her mission here on earth alone. For more than nineteen years she remained active and faithful, serving in the Church and serving those around her. She was a guide and a light to her children and grandchildren. She truly found joy in her posterity.
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In 1926 at the age of 84, she passed away at her home in Payson, Utah. She was laid to rest beside her beloved husband in the Payson City Cemetery. Their posterity is great and far spreading. The seeds she planted has reaped abundant harvests throughout the many years.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Franklin Hill...Lurancy Chase Hill
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Franklin Hill...Lurancy Chase Hill
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Margaret Stephenson Scott
Margaret Stephenson Scott is my nine times great grandmother. She is known for being hanged to death as part of the Salem witch trials.
According to various records and documents, Margaret was born in England somewhere around
the year 1615. In 1642 she married Benjamin
Scott. Nine years later, the Scott family emigrated to Rowley, Massachussets, a small town north of Salem.
The Scotts were not wealthy and never appeared in any positions suggesting importance or prominence. The Scotts lacked the money to purchase their own land. Instead, in 1664, the town donated land to Benjamin Scott.
Benjamin died when Margaret was 56 years old, leaving an estate worth only 67 pounds, not much by the standards of that time. She lived on this meager estate for the next twenty-one years until her death, and must have been very poor.
Certain aspects of Margaret's character made her a likely candidate as a witch suspect. One such aspect was the high infant mortality rate among her children. Women in New England who had trouble raising their children were very vulnerable to witchcraft charges. Of Margaret's seven children, only three made it to adulthood. The residents of Salem would have been aware of this.
Also, Margaret was a widow for twenty-one years. The most dangerous aspect of being a widow was the lack of a husband for legal support and influence. She was forced to live off her husband's small estate for twenty-one years. Often poor widows were reduced to poverty and begging. By begging, Margaret would have been exposed to witchcraft suspicions according to what historians called the "refusal guilt syndrome". This phenomenon occurred when a beggar's needs were refused, causing feelings of guilt and aggression on the refuser's part. The refuser often projected this aggression onto the begger and grew suspicious of her. It appears that Margaret's accusations occurred at the hands of her town's most wealthy and distinguished citizens who had accused others of witchcraft as well.
Margaret Scott was a victim of bad luck and bad timing. These two aspects, more than any supernatural forces, led to her demise. She must have suffered extremely from the time of her arrest until her death three weeks later. She was unjustly accused, tried, convicted, incarcerated and hanged on Gallows Hill on Sept 22,1692. Margaret was 75 years old at the time of her death, possibly the oldest woman tried and hung in the Salem witch trials.
In 1711, all those accused were exonerated and their relatives offered retribution; but none of Margaret's family turned up. Whether out of fear or shame, not all the families came forward to accept the apology.
In 1993 the town of Rowley erected a monument to Margaret, calling the witch trials a "delusion". They dedicated this grassy area to her memory.
Margaret’s name was finally cleared on Oct 31, 2001, 309 yrs after her death.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Hill...Lurancy Chase...Sisson Chase...Amy Scott...Amos Scott...William Scott...William Scott...William Scott...Margaret Kinsey Stephenson
The Scotts were not wealthy and never appeared in any positions suggesting importance or prominence. The Scotts lacked the money to purchase their own land. Instead, in 1664, the town donated land to Benjamin Scott.
Benjamin died when Margaret was 56 years old, leaving an estate worth only 67 pounds, not much by the standards of that time. She lived on this meager estate for the next twenty-one years until her death, and must have been very poor.
Certain aspects of Margaret's character made her a likely candidate as a witch suspect. One such aspect was the high infant mortality rate among her children. Women in New England who had trouble raising their children were very vulnerable to witchcraft charges. Of Margaret's seven children, only three made it to adulthood. The residents of Salem would have been aware of this.
Also, Margaret was a widow for twenty-one years. The most dangerous aspect of being a widow was the lack of a husband for legal support and influence. She was forced to live off her husband's small estate for twenty-one years. Often poor widows were reduced to poverty and begging. By begging, Margaret would have been exposed to witchcraft suspicions according to what historians called the "refusal guilt syndrome". This phenomenon occurred when a beggar's needs were refused, causing feelings of guilt and aggression on the refuser's part. The refuser often projected this aggression onto the begger and grew suspicious of her. It appears that Margaret's accusations occurred at the hands of her town's most wealthy and distinguished citizens who had accused others of witchcraft as well.
Margaret Scott was a victim of bad luck and bad timing. These two aspects, more than any supernatural forces, led to her demise. She must have suffered extremely from the time of her arrest until her death three weeks later. She was unjustly accused, tried, convicted, incarcerated and hanged on Gallows Hill on Sept 22,1692. Margaret was 75 years old at the time of her death, possibly the oldest woman tried and hung in the Salem witch trials.
In 1711, all those accused were exonerated and their relatives offered retribution; but none of Margaret's family turned up. Whether out of fear or shame, not all the families came forward to accept the apology.
In 1993 the town of Rowley erected a monument to Margaret, calling the witch trials a "delusion". They dedicated this grassy area to her memory.
Margaret’s name was finally cleared on Oct 31, 2001, 309 yrs after her death.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Hill...Lurancy Chase...Sisson Chase...Amy Scott...Amos Scott...William Scott...William Scott...William Scott...Margaret Kinsey Stephenson
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
William Bradford
William Bradford--the governor of the Plymouth colony in New England at the time of the first Thanksgiving--is my 10 times great grandfather.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Franklin Hill...Heamon Alison Hill...Leonard Hill...Ruth Rumrill...Alice Parsons...Alice Olive Collins...Alice Adams...Alice Bradford...William Bradford...William Bradford
He was born in 1590 in the small
farming community of Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. His father William died when young
Bradford was just one year old. He lived with his grandfather William, until
his grandfather died when Bradford was six. His mother Alice then died when he was
seven. Orphaned both from parents and grandparents, he and his older sister Alice
were raised by their uncle.
William was a sickly boy, and by the
age of 12 had taken to reading the Bible. As he began to come of age he
became acquainted with the ministry around
which the Separatist churches of the region would eventually form.
His family was not supportive of his moves, and by 1607 the Church of England
were applying pressure to extinguish these religious sects. Bradford, at the
age of 18, joined with the group of Separatists that fled from England in fear
of persecution, arriving in Amsterdam in 1608. A year later he migrated with
the rest of the church to the town of Leiden, Holland, where they remained for
eleven years.
Bradford returned to Amsterdam temporarily in 1613 to marry his bride, Dorothy May. He then took up the trade of a silk weaver to make ends meet, and also was able to recover some of the estate in England that had been left by his father, to support himself and his new wife. They had a son, John, born about 1615-1617 in Leiden.
Bradford returned to Amsterdam temporarily in 1613 to marry his bride, Dorothy May. He then took up the trade of a silk weaver to make ends meet, and also was able to recover some of the estate in England that had been left by his father, to support himself and his new wife. They had a son, John, born about 1615-1617 in Leiden.
By 1620, when a segment of the church had decided
to set off for America on the Mayflower, Bradford, now 30 years old, sold
off his house in Leiden, and he and his wife Dorothy joined; however, they left their
young son John behind, presumably so he would not have to endure the hardships
of colony-building. While the Mayflower was anchored at the tip of Cape Cod, and while many of the Pilgrim men were out
exploring and looking for a place to settle, Dorothy Bradford accidentally fell
overboard and drowned.
In 1623, he was married to the widowed Alice Carpenter Southworth. With his second wife, he had three
more children, all of whom survived to adulthood.
Successful colonies required successful leadership. The man to step forward in the Plymouth colony was William Bradford. After the first elected governor perished from the harsh winter, Bradford was elected and was then reelected for the next thirty years. Under Governor Bradford's guidance, relations with the local natives remained relatively smooth in Plymouth and the food supply grew with each passing year.
By autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims had much for which to be thankful. After the harvest, about ninety Indians joined the Pilgrims for a feast. The participants celebrated for several days, dining on venison, goose, duck, turkey, fish, and cornbread, the result of a bountiful harvest. This tradition was repeated at harvest time in the following years.
It was President Lincoln who declared Thanksgiving a national celebration in 1863. Governor Bradford and the Plymouth pilgrims were simply celebrating survival, as well as the hopes of good fortune in the years that lay ahead.
Beginning in 1630, Governor Bradford started writing a history of the Plymouth Colony, which is now published under the title Of Plymouth Plantation. He continued writing his history of Plymouth through about 1651. Bradford's writings are now one of the primary sources used by historians, and is the only thorough history of Plymouth Colony that was written by a Mayflower passenger. It is required reading in a number of collegiate American History courses. Many letters, poems and other writings of William Bradford, have also survived.
William Bradford was generally sick all through the winter of 1656-1657; on May 8, Bradford predicted to his friends and family that he would die, and he did the next day, May 9th, 1657, at the age of 68.
Successful colonies required successful leadership. The man to step forward in the Plymouth colony was William Bradford. After the first elected governor perished from the harsh winter, Bradford was elected and was then reelected for the next thirty years. Under Governor Bradford's guidance, relations with the local natives remained relatively smooth in Plymouth and the food supply grew with each passing year.
By autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims had much for which to be thankful. After the harvest, about ninety Indians joined the Pilgrims for a feast. The participants celebrated for several days, dining on venison, goose, duck, turkey, fish, and cornbread, the result of a bountiful harvest. This tradition was repeated at harvest time in the following years.
It was President Lincoln who declared Thanksgiving a national celebration in 1863. Governor Bradford and the Plymouth pilgrims were simply celebrating survival, as well as the hopes of good fortune in the years that lay ahead.
Beginning in 1630, Governor Bradford started writing a history of the Plymouth Colony, which is now published under the title Of Plymouth Plantation. He continued writing his history of Plymouth through about 1651. Bradford's writings are now one of the primary sources used by historians, and is the only thorough history of Plymouth Colony that was written by a Mayflower passenger. It is required reading in a number of collegiate American History courses. Many letters, poems and other writings of William Bradford, have also survived.
William Bradford was generally sick all through the winter of 1656-1657; on May 8, Bradford predicted to his friends and family that he would die, and he did the next day, May 9th, 1657, at the age of 68.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith...Kent Lewis Kindred...Chloris Hill...Jasper Franklin Hill...Heamon Alison Hill...Leonard Hill...Ruth Rumrill...Alice Parsons...Alice Olive Collins...Alice Adams...Alice Bradford...William Bradford...William Bradford
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Sally Forbush Hill
Sally Forbush Hill was my great, great, great grandmother. Leonard and Sally Hill left
Nauvoo in the spring of 1846 headed for Utah. When the members of the church
were driven by mobs out of Nauvoo, the family headed west in a handcart
company. After crossing the Des Moines River, the sanitary conditions
were so bad that the family took sick. During this time, Leonard and his
baby son, Jasper died. The family was so poor that they did not have
enough money to bury them. A man seeing their plight took the family to
his farm, gave them one room in his home to live in, put their cattle in
his pasture and buried Leonard and baby Jasper in his family burying
ground. The family stayed there a long time because Sally and her oldest son, Charles, were so ill. In early February
1847 the remaining family members reached the east side of the Missouri
river. From lack of food and exposure to the cold, Sally again
took sick and died on February 17, 1847 in Council Bluffs,
Iowa. Her children pulled her body on a hand sled across the Missouri
river to bury her on a hill on the west side of the river in the Winter
Quarters Cemetery, grave #140. Then
tragedy struck again when their oldest brother, Charles, died on May 6,
1847. He is also buried in the Winter Quarters Cemetery – grave #146.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Chloris Hill... Jasper Franklin Hill... Heaman Alison Hill... Sally Forbush
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Chloris Hill... Jasper Franklin Hill... Heaman Alison Hill... Sally Forbush
George Lee
George Lee was my great, great, great grandfather.
He was born September 27, 1824 in Kegby, Nottinghamshire,
England, son of John Shallcross Lee and Mary Olivant Lee.
As a young man, George moved from Nottingham to Sheffield, Yorkshire, and worked as an apprentice as a table knife grinder. He married Sarah Peaker in Sheffield on August 10, 1845. While in Sheffield, they accepted the gospel and immigrated with their three children to America with the Saints in 1853. Their oldest daughter, Mary Ann, was my great, great grandmother. They moved to Hanover, Connecticut in 1853 where he worked at his trade as knife grinder. Eventually, they joined the Saints in 1859 in Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha) and immigrated to Utah as part of Captain Edward Stevenson’s wagon company, leaving on June 26 and arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in September of 1859. One child was born to them while crossing the plains. Captain Stevenson asked permission to name this little one and he called the child Moroni. The baby died two days later and was buried on the plains, at a designated place on Elm Creek. George covered the grave with large rocks for protection from the elements and wolves.
After arriving in Utah September 16, 1859, they went to live near Neff Mill on Mill Creek. They also lived in Little Cottonwood where he worked as a farm laborer and gardener. While there he had a plow made from wagon tires of Johnson’s army wagons. The plow has been kept over the years in the Pioneer Relic Hall in Franklin, Idaho.
They moved to Farmington in the fall of 1860, living there and farming for two years. Then in 1862 the family moved to Franklin, which was considered part of Utah at the time, where they lived in the Old Fort. George Lee lived on the south side of the fort. It was a rectangular shape with 92 houses covering about 17 acres with public corrals and a log school house inside the Fort. This school house was the first in Idaho.
In December of 1863 a baby girl, Fanny Emma, was born to them while living at the Fort. George Lee and his wife, Sarah, had 12 children; however, only 5 daughters lived to adulthood.
Goerge was a member of the choir in Franklin, Idaho. His occupation was identified as Indian fighter. Those days were treacherous times for the settlers as they were the most northern settlers at that time. The settlers were always alert to Indian difficulties. Their stock was guarded constantly, but they lost many horses and cattle. To avert trouble many times they gave the Indians some of their food supply, flour and even cattle. There were no open hostilities until January 1863 when the battle known to historians as the Battle Creek Massacre was fought at the junction of Battle Creek and Bear River, which is about 12 miles north of Franklin. Over 300 Indian men, women, and children were killed. After the fighting was over, the men of Franklin took teams and sleighs and helped remove the wounded soldiers and Indians and also the Indian women and children. Because of the snow and cold, many had frozen feet. They were all brought to Franklin and cared for until they could be taken elsewhere. The settlers felt sorrow to think that peace had to come in such a tragic way, for many peaceful Indians including women and children had been killed in the bloody battle. It did, however, make it possible for the pioneers to move and begin to take up locations that had been unsafe until now.
The last major Indian trouble occurred on Sept. 1, 1864. Hundreds of Indians were camped north of town and some obtained liquor from two settlers. A drunken Indian tried to ride his horse over a white woman and one of the settlers shot him to save her life. Then, fearful of the consequences, the man escaped by horse. The Indians took another man captive, threatening to kill him if the offending white man was not delivered to them. Throughout the night, Bishop Hatch pleaded with the Indians, and messengers rode to other towns for help. The next morning 300 Minute Men arrived from Logan who held a conference with Chief Washakie. The settlers gave two yoke of oxen as peace offerings, and the Indians began to disperse. The Indians were stubborn about giving up their extensive lands, and so remained rather troublesome for many years. But their strength was primarily crushed with these two incidents.
Now that the Indian trouble had diminished to the point that they felt they were safe, the residents began moving to their newly surveyed lots. So the spring and summer of 1864 were spent building homes—this time on their community lots. As soon as they could, they moved from the fort to their homes. Thus began a new life for these people…out of the protections of the fort.
George Lee died October 29, 1868 in Franklin,
Utah, where he was buried. Under the Territorial Act of Utah in 1869, Franklin became incorporated and considered itself part of Utah until 1872 when it was determined that it was in Idaho, thus it turned out to be the oldest town in the State of Idaho.
As a young man, George moved from Nottingham to Sheffield, Yorkshire, and worked as an apprentice as a table knife grinder. He married Sarah Peaker in Sheffield on August 10, 1845. While in Sheffield, they accepted the gospel and immigrated with their three children to America with the Saints in 1853. Their oldest daughter, Mary Ann, was my great, great grandmother. They moved to Hanover, Connecticut in 1853 where he worked at his trade as knife grinder. Eventually, they joined the Saints in 1859 in Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha) and immigrated to Utah as part of Captain Edward Stevenson’s wagon company, leaving on June 26 and arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in September of 1859. One child was born to them while crossing the plains. Captain Stevenson asked permission to name this little one and he called the child Moroni. The baby died two days later and was buried on the plains, at a designated place on Elm Creek. George covered the grave with large rocks for protection from the elements and wolves.
After arriving in Utah September 16, 1859, they went to live near Neff Mill on Mill Creek. They also lived in Little Cottonwood where he worked as a farm laborer and gardener. While there he had a plow made from wagon tires of Johnson’s army wagons. The plow has been kept over the years in the Pioneer Relic Hall in Franklin, Idaho.
They moved to Farmington in the fall of 1860, living there and farming for two years. Then in 1862 the family moved to Franklin, which was considered part of Utah at the time, where they lived in the Old Fort. George Lee lived on the south side of the fort. It was a rectangular shape with 92 houses covering about 17 acres with public corrals and a log school house inside the Fort. This school house was the first in Idaho.
In December of 1863 a baby girl, Fanny Emma, was born to them while living at the Fort. George Lee and his wife, Sarah, had 12 children; however, only 5 daughters lived to adulthood.
Goerge was a member of the choir in Franklin, Idaho. His occupation was identified as Indian fighter. Those days were treacherous times for the settlers as they were the most northern settlers at that time. The settlers were always alert to Indian difficulties. Their stock was guarded constantly, but they lost many horses and cattle. To avert trouble many times they gave the Indians some of their food supply, flour and even cattle. There were no open hostilities until January 1863 when the battle known to historians as the Battle Creek Massacre was fought at the junction of Battle Creek and Bear River, which is about 12 miles north of Franklin. Over 300 Indian men, women, and children were killed. After the fighting was over, the men of Franklin took teams and sleighs and helped remove the wounded soldiers and Indians and also the Indian women and children. Because of the snow and cold, many had frozen feet. They were all brought to Franklin and cared for until they could be taken elsewhere. The settlers felt sorrow to think that peace had to come in such a tragic way, for many peaceful Indians including women and children had been killed in the bloody battle. It did, however, make it possible for the pioneers to move and begin to take up locations that had been unsafe until now.
The last major Indian trouble occurred on Sept. 1, 1864. Hundreds of Indians were camped north of town and some obtained liquor from two settlers. A drunken Indian tried to ride his horse over a white woman and one of the settlers shot him to save her life. Then, fearful of the consequences, the man escaped by horse. The Indians took another man captive, threatening to kill him if the offending white man was not delivered to them. Throughout the night, Bishop Hatch pleaded with the Indians, and messengers rode to other towns for help. The next morning 300 Minute Men arrived from Logan who held a conference with Chief Washakie. The settlers gave two yoke of oxen as peace offerings, and the Indians began to disperse. The Indians were stubborn about giving up their extensive lands, and so remained rather troublesome for many years. But their strength was primarily crushed with these two incidents.
Now that the Indian trouble had diminished to the point that they felt they were safe, the residents began moving to their newly surveyed lots. So the spring and summer of 1864 were spent building homes—this time on their community lots. As soon as they could, they moved from the fort to their homes. Thus began a new life for these people…out of the protections of the fort.
George Lee died October 29, 1868 in Franklin,
Utah, where he was buried. Under the Territorial Act of Utah in 1869, Franklin became incorporated and considered itself part of Utah until 1872 when it was determined that it was in Idaho, thus it turned out to be the oldest town in the State of Idaho.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Janice Gregory... Otto James Gregory... Lillie May Albiston... Mary Ann Lee... George Lee
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Sunday, August 3, 2014
George Gottlob Zimmerman
George Gottlob Zimmerman was my great-great-great grandfather. The son of Johann Georg Zimmerman and Rosine Margarete Pregizer, he was born in Ludwigsburg, Germany on July 23rd, 1781.
George was educated in the Universities of Germany. He spoke German, English and French so perfectly that he could pass as a native in all three. He was also a master of the Latin language. During the Napoleonic wars he was drafted into the services, and was soon taken prisoner to Paris. Here he was treated so kindly that he resolved not to re-enter the army against the French. When the two countries exchanged prisoners, instead of returning home he managed to escape on a vessel bound for America. Having no money to pay his passage, he was sold as an indentured servant for one year to a tanner in Philadelphia. After serving his time he remained several years with this tanner and then drifted into a little Dutch settlement near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Here he took up his profession of school teacher, his life’s work. While there he met Juliana Hoke. She was then 17 ½ years old, he was approaching thirty five.
George and Juliana married on April 4, 1816. They made their home in Franklin County, Pennsylvania for 27 years. They became the parents of 12 children, and raised seven of them to maturity. The family, with the exception of their son, John, joined the church when persecution was running high. Juliana, who belonged to the United Bretheren Church, was baptized first in January 1843. George, who was a Lutheran, was baptized two years later. The next year they went to Illinois. They then gathered with the Mormon fugitives in Garden Grove, Iowa in 1846. They remained there a few years in order to prepare to come to Utah.
On May 17, 1851 they left with the saints to cross the plains to Utah in Harry Walton’s company which consisted of 67 wagons and about fifty families. George Gottlob Zimmerman was 70 years old his wife Juliana Hoke was 53. They were accompanied by their widowed daughter Christina, age 33 and her daughter Sarah Julia Stevens, age 2, Julia Ann, 22, Elizabeth 19, Margaret 15, Susan 12, and Rosannah 10. They had one wagon, one yoke of oxen, one yoke of cows, and a horse, so they had to walk most of the way to lighten the load. Because of George's age and never having been around cattle it was impractical for him to drive his wagon to Utah. Their supplies consisted of flour, meal, beans, dried bread, crackers, dried apples, sugar and milk with some butter and bacon and a few dried parsnips. From time to time they had bison meat which they enjoyed very much. All of their experiences with the bison were not as enjoyable however. Oft times they could hear their roaring noise for miles away and could hear them as they would pass the camps on the way to the watering holes at night. More than once the wagon train was cut in two so that herds of bison up to 5000 or more could go rushing through. Stampedes among the cattle and oxen were common things.
The family had good health throughout their journey and also had their share of narrow escapes. A number of deaths occurred on route as well as a few births. While traveling they came across many graves left there by the companies that had preceded them.
They arrived in Salt Lake City on September 25th, 1851. They were a family group of nine who had all their earthly belongings in one wagon. They ranged in age from a mere child of two to a courageous man of seventy. Through swollen rivers of late spring and dusty insect infested plains of summer, up the eastern slopes of the Rockies, down the precipitous ravines of the Wasatch they persevered. Oft times they had only the water of stagnant pools to quench their thirst. They boiled the water and then tried to cool it enough to satisfy their parched throats.
After staying in Salt Lake City a short time they then went on to Lehi. Lehi was settled about a year before and contained about 15 families in the town at that time. They lived in a rented room the first winter. George made and mended all their shoes and the girls did washing and milking. Juliana did lots of knitting. George got plenty of shoemaking to do. He learned the trade from his father who was a master shoe maker and had a number of men working for him back in Germany. There were good crops raised that summer. In the spring George obtained a lot and put a log house on it. Some of the children slept in a covered wagon for two winters.
George was an Elder in the church when he came to Utah, having been ordained December 19, 1847. He was ordained a High Priest in Lehi. George and Juliana went through the Endowment House March 31, 1852. Because of his advanced age, George gave up his profession as a school teacher and settled down in a little adobe house where he cobbled shoes for a livelihood.
In January of 1853 a toll bridge was built over the Jordan River in Lehi. It is now referred to as the "Old Iron Bridge" near 3150 West and 1500 North. George Zimmerman was the first toll collector of that now famous, historic bridge.
During his declining years George was cared for by his daughter Susan. He died in 1866 at the age of eighty five and was buried in Lehi near his wife, who although younger in years, had preceded him to the other side by some two years earlier, at the age of sixty-six.
Of their 12 children, five of them died under six years of age. Of the
seven who lived to adulthood only one, Christina preceded them
in death.
The six other children all lived to see a new century come in.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Janice Gregory... Elizabeth Sharp... Margaret Elsie Lamb... Elizabeth Zimmerman... George Gottlob Zimmerman
George was educated in the Universities of Germany. He spoke German, English and French so perfectly that he could pass as a native in all three. He was also a master of the Latin language. During the Napoleonic wars he was drafted into the services, and was soon taken prisoner to Paris. Here he was treated so kindly that he resolved not to re-enter the army against the French. When the two countries exchanged prisoners, instead of returning home he managed to escape on a vessel bound for America. Having no money to pay his passage, he was sold as an indentured servant for one year to a tanner in Philadelphia. After serving his time he remained several years with this tanner and then drifted into a little Dutch settlement near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Here he took up his profession of school teacher, his life’s work. While there he met Juliana Hoke. She was then 17 ½ years old, he was approaching thirty five.
George and Juliana married on April 4, 1816. They made their home in Franklin County, Pennsylvania for 27 years. They became the parents of 12 children, and raised seven of them to maturity. The family, with the exception of their son, John, joined the church when persecution was running high. Juliana, who belonged to the United Bretheren Church, was baptized first in January 1843. George, who was a Lutheran, was baptized two years later. The next year they went to Illinois. They then gathered with the Mormon fugitives in Garden Grove, Iowa in 1846. They remained there a few years in order to prepare to come to Utah.
On May 17, 1851 they left with the saints to cross the plains to Utah in Harry Walton’s company which consisted of 67 wagons and about fifty families. George Gottlob Zimmerman was 70 years old his wife Juliana Hoke was 53. They were accompanied by their widowed daughter Christina, age 33 and her daughter Sarah Julia Stevens, age 2, Julia Ann, 22, Elizabeth 19, Margaret 15, Susan 12, and Rosannah 10. They had one wagon, one yoke of oxen, one yoke of cows, and a horse, so they had to walk most of the way to lighten the load. Because of George's age and never having been around cattle it was impractical for him to drive his wagon to Utah. Their supplies consisted of flour, meal, beans, dried bread, crackers, dried apples, sugar and milk with some butter and bacon and a few dried parsnips. From time to time they had bison meat which they enjoyed very much. All of their experiences with the bison were not as enjoyable however. Oft times they could hear their roaring noise for miles away and could hear them as they would pass the camps on the way to the watering holes at night. More than once the wagon train was cut in two so that herds of bison up to 5000 or more could go rushing through. Stampedes among the cattle and oxen were common things.
The family had good health throughout their journey and also had their share of narrow escapes. A number of deaths occurred on route as well as a few births. While traveling they came across many graves left there by the companies that had preceded them.
They arrived in Salt Lake City on September 25th, 1851. They were a family group of nine who had all their earthly belongings in one wagon. They ranged in age from a mere child of two to a courageous man of seventy. Through swollen rivers of late spring and dusty insect infested plains of summer, up the eastern slopes of the Rockies, down the precipitous ravines of the Wasatch they persevered. Oft times they had only the water of stagnant pools to quench their thirst. They boiled the water and then tried to cool it enough to satisfy their parched throats.
After staying in Salt Lake City a short time they then went on to Lehi. Lehi was settled about a year before and contained about 15 families in the town at that time. They lived in a rented room the first winter. George made and mended all their shoes and the girls did washing and milking. Juliana did lots of knitting. George got plenty of shoemaking to do. He learned the trade from his father who was a master shoe maker and had a number of men working for him back in Germany. There were good crops raised that summer. In the spring George obtained a lot and put a log house on it. Some of the children slept in a covered wagon for two winters.
George was an Elder in the church when he came to Utah, having been ordained December 19, 1847. He was ordained a High Priest in Lehi. George and Juliana went through the Endowment House March 31, 1852. Because of his advanced age, George gave up his profession as a school teacher and settled down in a little adobe house where he cobbled shoes for a livelihood.
In January of 1853 a toll bridge was built over the Jordan River in Lehi. It is now referred to as the "Old Iron Bridge" near 3150 West and 1500 North. George Zimmerman was the first toll collector of that now famous, historic bridge.
During his declining years George was cared for by his daughter Susan. He died in 1866 at the age of eighty five and was buried in Lehi near his wife, who although younger in years, had preceded him to the other side by some two years earlier, at the age of sixty-six.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Janice Gregory... Elizabeth Sharp... Margaret Elsie Lamb... Elizabeth Zimmerman... George Gottlob Zimmerman
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Leonard Hill
Leonard Hill was my great-great-great grandfather. He was born May 2, 1800 at Dublin, Cheshire, New Hampshire, the oldest of six children.
When Leonard was 26 years old he married Sally Forbush. They became the parents of 10 children. They began their married life in Peterborough, building a home there. Leonard was a carpenter by trade, and their home was very comfortable and convenient for that period. In 1841, they were contacted by Mormon missionaries and converted to the Gospel. They were the only ones of their families to join the church and were ostracized from both their families and their friends.
In 1843 they decided to leave their comfortable home and move to Nauvoo to be with the main body of the church. Their families simply regarded them as lost. Adding to their sadness of being rejected by their families, in September of 1843, their youngest child at that time, Justus Franklin, age 5, died in Nauvoo.
After their arrival in Nauvoo, Leonard helped build many homes in that area. He built a new home for his family near the edge of town. It was never completely finished before they were forced to leave.
The Hill family rejoiced in being with the Saints. They were grateful for their association with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and were diligent in accepting and following his leadership and counsel. They were firm and true to their faith. As with the other faithful Saints, their grief was heavy when the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were martyred. In connection with this event, their daughter, Maria, related the following, "One day I was sitting on the doorstep of our home when the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum stopped at our home and came to the well to get a drink. The cup they used was kept in the family for a long time."
The family was driven from Nauvoo in May of 1846. Dreadful indeed were the sufferings of these forsaken beings on this trek west. Leonard Hill became very ill. Being a Priesthood father, undoubtedly he did without, that members of his family might have his meager share. He had endured strenuous labors and persecutions, but endurance has its limits. He passed away September 10, 1846, the exact location unknown. Records show that the baby, Emerald Jasper, passed away 20 days later. Daughter Maria stated, "The Lord blessed us, for a man came to us and seeing our plight, took us to his farm. He gave us one room in his home, put our cattle in his pasture, and buried our father and baby brother on his private burial ground. We stayed there a long time because our mother and older brother Charles were very sick."
Later that year, the Hill family moved on with a group of Saints. By February 1847 they reached the Missouri River in the winter months so they could cross on the ice. Sally Forbush Hill became very sick again, and passed away on the east side of the Missouri River. A hand sled was fashioned by her children, and it is said that her 10-year-old son, Heamon Alison, pulled her to the west side of the river so they could bury her on a hill on the opposite shore.
Only three months later, the oldest brother, Charles, age 18, died, and was buried along the wayside. Out of a family of eleven, only three girls and two boys remained. Sara, the oldest, was sixteen. They had no home, no parents, and no food. The children were left in a settlement, separated into different homes.
Their sister, Sara, soon married a widower by the name of Bingham Bement. He gathered all of the children together to live with him in his one room house. They worked diligently trying to prepare to continue their journey to Utah. In the spring of 1850 they finally continued their trek. They arrived in Salt Lake City in October with only the worn out clothes on their backs. Undoubtedly their parents, Leonard and Sally, were with them along the way.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Chloris Hill... Jasper Franklin Hill... Heaman Alison Hill... Leonard Hill
When Leonard was 26 years old he married Sally Forbush. They became the parents of 10 children. They began their married life in Peterborough, building a home there. Leonard was a carpenter by trade, and their home was very comfortable and convenient for that period. In 1841, they were contacted by Mormon missionaries and converted to the Gospel. They were the only ones of their families to join the church and were ostracized from both their families and their friends.
In 1843 they decided to leave their comfortable home and move to Nauvoo to be with the main body of the church. Their families simply regarded them as lost. Adding to their sadness of being rejected by their families, in September of 1843, their youngest child at that time, Justus Franklin, age 5, died in Nauvoo.
After their arrival in Nauvoo, Leonard helped build many homes in that area. He built a new home for his family near the edge of town. It was never completely finished before they were forced to leave.
The Hill family rejoiced in being with the Saints. They were grateful for their association with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and were diligent in accepting and following his leadership and counsel. They were firm and true to their faith. As with the other faithful Saints, their grief was heavy when the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were martyred. In connection with this event, their daughter, Maria, related the following, "One day I was sitting on the doorstep of our home when the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum stopped at our home and came to the well to get a drink. The cup they used was kept in the family for a long time."
The family was driven from Nauvoo in May of 1846. Dreadful indeed were the sufferings of these forsaken beings on this trek west. Leonard Hill became very ill. Being a Priesthood father, undoubtedly he did without, that members of his family might have his meager share. He had endured strenuous labors and persecutions, but endurance has its limits. He passed away September 10, 1846, the exact location unknown. Records show that the baby, Emerald Jasper, passed away 20 days later. Daughter Maria stated, "The Lord blessed us, for a man came to us and seeing our plight, took us to his farm. He gave us one room in his home, put our cattle in his pasture, and buried our father and baby brother on his private burial ground. We stayed there a long time because our mother and older brother Charles were very sick."
Later that year, the Hill family moved on with a group of Saints. By February 1847 they reached the Missouri River in the winter months so they could cross on the ice. Sally Forbush Hill became very sick again, and passed away on the east side of the Missouri River. A hand sled was fashioned by her children, and it is said that her 10-year-old son, Heamon Alison, pulled her to the west side of the river so they could bury her on a hill on the opposite shore.
Only three months later, the oldest brother, Charles, age 18, died, and was buried along the wayside. Out of a family of eleven, only three girls and two boys remained. Sara, the oldest, was sixteen. They had no home, no parents, and no food. The children were left in a settlement, separated into different homes.
Their sister, Sara, soon married a widower by the name of Bingham Bement. He gathered all of the children together to live with him in his one room house. They worked diligently trying to prepare to continue their journey to Utah. In the spring of 1850 they finally continued their trek. They arrived in Salt Lake City in October with only the worn out clothes on their backs. Undoubtedly their parents, Leonard and Sally, were with them along the way.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Chloris Hill... Jasper Franklin Hill... Heaman Alison Hill... Leonard Hill
Margaret Ann McBride Crandall
Margaret Ann McBride is my great-great-great grandmother. She was born June 1, 1794 in Chester, New York.
Margaret was the fifth child and oldest daughter of Abigail and Daniel McBride. In 1811 when she was 16 years old, she was married to David Crandall. She became the mother of 12 children, eight of whom grew to maturity.
Three missionaries found the McBride family in New York. The missionaries were: Evan Green (secretary to the Prophet Joseph Smith), Amasa Lyman, and William Cahoon. These men toured New York state as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The McBrides were very kind to the elders who were traveling without purse or script. They were good listeners, believed the religion, and were baptized in June 1833. They shared their shelter and urge to gather with the Church, and sold at great sacrifice (as many converts did) their farms and homes and moved to Kirtland, Ohio one hundred thirty-five miles away.They assisted in the building of the city and gave of their means for the building of the Kirtland temple, they also went through the trials and tribulations of Kirtland and Nauvoo.
When her youngest son, Nelson D Crandall, was 11 years old, Margaret died at age 51 at LaHarp, Hancock county, Illinois in August 1845. LaHarp is just a few miles from Nauvoo. Her husband, David Crandall, married again and remained in Illinois where he died in 1861.
One of the greatest tributes to Margaret McBride Crandall is the loyalty of her children. They did what their mother would have them do. They came to the Salt Lake Valley with the Saints, and they came together and stayed together. Her daughters were skilled in the arts of homemaking which involved many arts in those days, they in turn passed their skills on down to their daughters.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Fred Lewis Kindred... Luanna Mariah Bird... Emeline Crandall... Margaret Ann McBride
Margaret was the fifth child and oldest daughter of Abigail and Daniel McBride. In 1811 when she was 16 years old, she was married to David Crandall. She became the mother of 12 children, eight of whom grew to maturity.
Three missionaries found the McBride family in New York. The missionaries were: Evan Green (secretary to the Prophet Joseph Smith), Amasa Lyman, and William Cahoon. These men toured New York state as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The McBrides were very kind to the elders who were traveling without purse or script. They were good listeners, believed the religion, and were baptized in June 1833. They shared their shelter and urge to gather with the Church, and sold at great sacrifice (as many converts did) their farms and homes and moved to Kirtland, Ohio one hundred thirty-five miles away.They assisted in the building of the city and gave of their means for the building of the Kirtland temple, they also went through the trials and tribulations of Kirtland and Nauvoo.
When her youngest son, Nelson D Crandall, was 11 years old, Margaret died at age 51 at LaHarp, Hancock county, Illinois in August 1845. LaHarp is just a few miles from Nauvoo. Her husband, David Crandall, married again and remained in Illinois where he died in 1861.
One of the greatest tributes to Margaret McBride Crandall is the loyalty of her children. They did what their mother would have them do. They came to the Salt Lake Valley with the Saints, and they came together and stayed together. Her daughters were skilled in the arts of homemaking which involved many arts in those days, they in turn passed their skills on down to their daughters.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Fred Lewis Kindred... Luanna Mariah Bird... Emeline Crandall... Margaret Ann McBride
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Benjamin Freeman Bird
Benjamin Freeman Bird is my great-great-great grandfather. He was born January 19, 1778 in Rahway, Essex County, New Jersey.
He was the fifth of
eleven children of Jeremiah Freeman Bird and Elizabeth Marsh. He had four
sisters and six brothers. He spent his whole childhood in that
same area as all his brothers and sisters were born in New
Jersey.
In the winter of 1832, Benjamin Freeman Bird and his wife Marabah Reeves lived in a comfortable home in Southport, New York with eight of their nine living children. As the snow blanketed the New York countryside, a single Elder from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints knocked at their door. He asked for admittance and keep since he was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was preaching without purse or script. Benjamin and Marabah were touched by the testimony that he bore. Over the next few weeks, by reading the Book of Mormon, they became convinced that his message was true. Because the Church was in its very early infancy, having been only 31 months since the church was organized, the Bird family had nowhere to turn for additional information.
Benjamin wrote a letter to leaders of the church which read, “I have received your papers almost one year; and because I held the Book of Mormon as sacred as I do the Bible, the Methodist Church (though I had been a regular member almost 37 years)., turned me out; but I bless God for it, for though they cast me out Jesus took me in." He further added, "I do not know as I shall ever have a privilege of uniting with this church, as I never saw but one Elder, whom I solicited to preach twice; and it caused a great stir and noise among the people. If any of the Elders are passing near, would they not do well to call?"
Before a team of Elders could respond to Benjamin’s request, he lost his sweet-heart Marabah in the winter of 1833, leaving him with a heavy heart and the responsibility of raising eight children. As he shared his testimony of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ with his friends, many mocked, but a few hearts were touched.
One who came to know by the Spirit that Benjamin’s testimony was true, was a woman named Margaret Crain. After a short courtship they were married on the 25th day of April, 1833. A year later, Margaret bore Benjamin a daughter. Finally in June of 1834, a team of Mormon Elders came to the area and having the necessary authority, Benjamin, his wife Margaret and several of the married children of Benjamin and Marabah, with their spouses, were baptized.
Shortly after the birth of their next child, Benjamin, his unmarried family and his three married sons with their families, moved to Kirtland, Ohio as part of the gathering of Israel. By commandment from the Lord, this camp of Saints, who were faithful to the Lord’s Prophet, took the wearisome trek to Jackson County, Missouri, ending their seven month march by camping at the site of Adam-Ondi-Ahman.
In January, 1839, the Bird families were residing at Far West, Missouri, and were aggrieved participants in the maleficent scenes which have since proved to be one of the worst persecutions ever imposed upon any people. As they left Far West, the Bird families looked back and saw their homes in flames. They left Missouri with only the clothes on their backs in the dead of the winter, with nowhere to go.
While at Kirtland and Far West, the Bird families became personal, close acquaintances with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Emma. They gathered at Nauvoo with the rest of the Saints. In January 1840, Benjamin purchased the property now known as the Bird-Browning on Main Street from the Prophet Joseph Smith for $300.00 They built a nice two room log cabin with a root cellar, which has been restored by the Church, and dug a well.
Benjamin and his family lived in the log cabin for three years. During this time they enjoyed all of the special cultural events that have come to mark the Nauvoo period as being one of the most unique in history. Since converts from all over the world came to Nauvoo and established their homes during those years, there was a great mixing of culture and arts. Bound by oneness, all being Latter-Day-Saints, there was a friendly blending of a variety of cultures and a feeling of personal pride and friendliness. The people, who had been persecuted and driven from Ohio and then Missouri, now lived in relative peace. They enjoyed a pronounced zest for life, which enabled them to live and appreciate the unique cultural advantage that was theirs. The Bird families traded at the store of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and often attended parties and socials at the Mansion House. There were several occasions where Benjamin played a friendly game of croquet with his friends and neighbors, which included Joseph, Hyrum, Wilford Woodruff and Heber C. Kimball.
While living in the log cabin, Benjamin and Margaret were blessed with a baby daughter, who being born at this time of relative peace and prosperity, brought a great deal of joy and happiness into their lives. Also at Nauvoo, Benjamin enjoyed the association of several of his children and many of his grandchildren. His sons Phineas, Charles, James and Samuel all had their families at Nauvoo. He still had living at home two sons by Marabah and three children by Margaret.
In the fall of 1843, disruptions, both internal and external to the Church were caused by John C. Bennett and William Law, who were at one time counselors to the Prophet Joseph in the first Presidency. Benjamin with his home on Main Street was in the middle of all the excitement and persecution. Because Benjamin was now 65 years old and had three children at home under the age of 9, he desired to move to a quieter location. He sold his property and purchased a large 50 acre farm on the outskirts of Nauvoo.
Benjamin and all of his sons participated in the building of the Nauvoo Temple. One of his sons, Richard, was called on a mission to the Wisconsin Pineries. While on his mission Richard was involved in cutting down pine trees, which were then floated down the Mississippi River to Nauvoo where they ultimately were used in the building of the Temple.
After the death of the Prophet Joseph, the Birds along with the other Saints worked under armed guard to complete the Temple. Most of the Birds received their endowments on the third floor rooms of the Nauvoo Temple. They were sealed to their spouses in the large rectangular room beneath the Gable. In fact, Nauvoo Temple records indicate that Charles Bird was an ordained Temple worker, which means that he worked night and day to assist those Saints who desired to receive their special endowments to do so, before the mob could destroy their Temple or drive them out. In two months (December 10, 1845 to February 5, 1846) Charles assisted the more than 5,000 Saints who were endowed in the Nauvoo Temple in the twelve and a half hour ceremony. This included washings and anointing’s, the endowment and the sealing of families. The ceremony was basically the same as it is today except it was acted out on platforms, sheets were hung from the ceiling to make rooms or compartments and there were several lengthy discussions instructing the candidates on the covenants they were entering into.
Benjamin and his sons and their families were present after the martyrdom when Sidney Rigdon claimed that he was the guardian of the Church. They witnessed President Brigham Young transfigured into the voice, appearance and personality of the Prophet Joseph Smith and felt the Spirit bear witness to their souls that the Twelve should preside.
In January 1846, the presiding Brethren decided to move west. President Brigham Young, knowing that Charles had one of the best teams of horses in the City of Nauvoo. He asked Charles if he would be the first person to cross the Mississippi River on the ice. On February 25, 1846, Benjamin Freeman Bird stood under the old tree at the end of Teardrop Lane and watched his son drive his loaded wagon across the frozen river to see if the ice was firm enough to cross. Because several of the Birds’ were weavers by trade, Benjamin and his sons and their families were asked to remain at Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters and assist in the outfitting of the emigrant Saints. Many had been driven out of their homes without an opportunity to take the necessary clothing and other items that they would need to make the long trek into the wilderness to they knew not where. The Bird family set up a woolen mill, of sorts, similar to the one that they had at Nauvoo, and thereby assisted in the emigration of the thousands of homeless Saints. In 1850 the Brethren invited the Bird families to come west. They emigrated with the Milo Andrus Company. There were 206 persons and 51 wagons in the Company. On this train with Benjamin Freeman Bird were his wife and small children and Richard and James with their families. This was the first company of emigrating Saints for the season, leaving Missouri in June of 1850. They took the pioneer trail on which the year before trains had passed which had been stricken with cholera. As the pioneers moved along they saw the bones of their dead comrades, as their bodies had been ripped out of their shallow graves by wolves and other scavengers and scattered over the country side.
Benjamin’s son William marched with the Mormon Battalion in the historic trek that has come to be known as the symbol of dedication and patriotism of the Latter-Day-Saint people. To show the magnanimity and noble characters of the Birds' and their spouses, and the love the Birds' felt for their spouses, the sacrifices of Charles’ wife Mary Ann Kennedy, is illustrative. Mary Ann, after leaving her comfortable home in Hampton New York (she was the daughter of a doctor) experienced the apostasy of the Kirtland era and of the Far West War with six children under the age of 11 and at the time was six months pregnant. She bore a child while destitute in the wilderness before reaching Nauvoo, bore three children at Nauvoo, one at Winter Quarters, one while crossing the plains at Council Point and another at Salt Lake City. This means that she bore children at or near every major church historical site during these periods of driving’s and persecutions. She was pregnant and had a small family to care for during those times of serious trial when so many people of less character left the church. Mary Ann recalled having seen her home being burnt to the ground by the mobs four times during her lifetime as she was fleeing with her family for their lives.
On one occasion, Charles and Mary Ann and their small family found themselves in the middle of the wilderness in the snow. They had to abandon their wagon containing all that they owned in this world. Mary Ann, pregnant, so over-extended herself in the care of her small family that her toes on one foot became so seriously frost bitten that she had to have them amputated without anesthesia. When the Charles and Mary Ann Bird family eventually arrived in Salt Lake City, they had only the clothes on their backs as possessions, but were grateful to be alive. The Bird families had paid a dear price indeed, to be gathered in the tops of the mountains to worship the God of Abraham.
Soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, Benjamin had the privilege of being present when Apostle George A. Smith called his son James Bird to be the first Bishop of the Provo Second Ward and was also present when Elder Smith ordained him to that Office. Because of his advancing age and the trials he had been subjected to for the last 14 years, Benjamin found the peaceful seclusion of the Rocky Mountains particularly delightful. Several of the Bird families settled in the beautiful area of Springville and there Benjamin enjoyed the association of many of his numerous grandchildren and watched them wax strong in the Gospel. Benjamin crossed over into the Spirit world a content and happy man in 1862 and is buried near the home of his dreams in Springville, Utah.
Ancestral Line: Janeal Kindred Smith... Kent Lewis Kindred... Fred Lewis Kindred... Luanna Mariah Bird... Richard Bird... Benjamin Freeman Bird
In the winter of 1832, Benjamin Freeman Bird and his wife Marabah Reeves lived in a comfortable home in Southport, New York with eight of their nine living children. As the snow blanketed the New York countryside, a single Elder from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints knocked at their door. He asked for admittance and keep since he was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was preaching without purse or script. Benjamin and Marabah were touched by the testimony that he bore. Over the next few weeks, by reading the Book of Mormon, they became convinced that his message was true. Because the Church was in its very early infancy, having been only 31 months since the church was organized, the Bird family had nowhere to turn for additional information.
Benjamin wrote a letter to leaders of the church which read, “I have received your papers almost one year; and because I held the Book of Mormon as sacred as I do the Bible, the Methodist Church (though I had been a regular member almost 37 years)., turned me out; but I bless God for it, for though they cast me out Jesus took me in." He further added, "I do not know as I shall ever have a privilege of uniting with this church, as I never saw but one Elder, whom I solicited to preach twice; and it caused a great stir and noise among the people. If any of the Elders are passing near, would they not do well to call?"
Before a team of Elders could respond to Benjamin’s request, he lost his sweet-heart Marabah in the winter of 1833, leaving him with a heavy heart and the responsibility of raising eight children. As he shared his testimony of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ with his friends, many mocked, but a few hearts were touched.
One who came to know by the Spirit that Benjamin’s testimony was true, was a woman named Margaret Crain. After a short courtship they were married on the 25th day of April, 1833. A year later, Margaret bore Benjamin a daughter. Finally in June of 1834, a team of Mormon Elders came to the area and having the necessary authority, Benjamin, his wife Margaret and several of the married children of Benjamin and Marabah, with their spouses, were baptized.
Shortly after the birth of their next child, Benjamin, his unmarried family and his three married sons with their families, moved to Kirtland, Ohio as part of the gathering of Israel. By commandment from the Lord, this camp of Saints, who were faithful to the Lord’s Prophet, took the wearisome trek to Jackson County, Missouri, ending their seven month march by camping at the site of Adam-Ondi-Ahman.
In January, 1839, the Bird families were residing at Far West, Missouri, and were aggrieved participants in the maleficent scenes which have since proved to be one of the worst persecutions ever imposed upon any people. As they left Far West, the Bird families looked back and saw their homes in flames. They left Missouri with only the clothes on their backs in the dead of the winter, with nowhere to go.
While at Kirtland and Far West, the Bird families became personal, close acquaintances with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Emma. They gathered at Nauvoo with the rest of the Saints. In January 1840, Benjamin purchased the property now known as the Bird-Browning on Main Street from the Prophet Joseph Smith for $300.00 They built a nice two room log cabin with a root cellar, which has been restored by the Church, and dug a well.
Benjamin and his family lived in the log cabin for three years. During this time they enjoyed all of the special cultural events that have come to mark the Nauvoo period as being one of the most unique in history. Since converts from all over the world came to Nauvoo and established their homes during those years, there was a great mixing of culture and arts. Bound by oneness, all being Latter-Day-Saints, there was a friendly blending of a variety of cultures and a feeling of personal pride and friendliness. The people, who had been persecuted and driven from Ohio and then Missouri, now lived in relative peace. They enjoyed a pronounced zest for life, which enabled them to live and appreciate the unique cultural advantage that was theirs. The Bird families traded at the store of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and often attended parties and socials at the Mansion House. There were several occasions where Benjamin played a friendly game of croquet with his friends and neighbors, which included Joseph, Hyrum, Wilford Woodruff and Heber C. Kimball.
While living in the log cabin, Benjamin and Margaret were blessed with a baby daughter, who being born at this time of relative peace and prosperity, brought a great deal of joy and happiness into their lives. Also at Nauvoo, Benjamin enjoyed the association of several of his children and many of his grandchildren. His sons Phineas, Charles, James and Samuel all had their families at Nauvoo. He still had living at home two sons by Marabah and three children by Margaret.
In the fall of 1843, disruptions, both internal and external to the Church were caused by John C. Bennett and William Law, who were at one time counselors to the Prophet Joseph in the first Presidency. Benjamin with his home on Main Street was in the middle of all the excitement and persecution. Because Benjamin was now 65 years old and had three children at home under the age of 9, he desired to move to a quieter location. He sold his property and purchased a large 50 acre farm on the outskirts of Nauvoo.
Benjamin and all of his sons participated in the building of the Nauvoo Temple. One of his sons, Richard, was called on a mission to the Wisconsin Pineries. While on his mission Richard was involved in cutting down pine trees, which were then floated down the Mississippi River to Nauvoo where they ultimately were used in the building of the Temple.
After the death of the Prophet Joseph, the Birds along with the other Saints worked under armed guard to complete the Temple. Most of the Birds received their endowments on the third floor rooms of the Nauvoo Temple. They were sealed to their spouses in the large rectangular room beneath the Gable. In fact, Nauvoo Temple records indicate that Charles Bird was an ordained Temple worker, which means that he worked night and day to assist those Saints who desired to receive their special endowments to do so, before the mob could destroy their Temple or drive them out. In two months (December 10, 1845 to February 5, 1846) Charles assisted the more than 5,000 Saints who were endowed in the Nauvoo Temple in the twelve and a half hour ceremony. This included washings and anointing’s, the endowment and the sealing of families. The ceremony was basically the same as it is today except it was acted out on platforms, sheets were hung from the ceiling to make rooms or compartments and there were several lengthy discussions instructing the candidates on the covenants they were entering into.
Benjamin and his sons and their families were present after the martyrdom when Sidney Rigdon claimed that he was the guardian of the Church. They witnessed President Brigham Young transfigured into the voice, appearance and personality of the Prophet Joseph Smith and felt the Spirit bear witness to their souls that the Twelve should preside.
In January 1846, the presiding Brethren decided to move west. President Brigham Young, knowing that Charles had one of the best teams of horses in the City of Nauvoo. He asked Charles if he would be the first person to cross the Mississippi River on the ice. On February 25, 1846, Benjamin Freeman Bird stood under the old tree at the end of Teardrop Lane and watched his son drive his loaded wagon across the frozen river to see if the ice was firm enough to cross. Because several of the Birds’ were weavers by trade, Benjamin and his sons and their families were asked to remain at Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters and assist in the outfitting of the emigrant Saints. Many had been driven out of their homes without an opportunity to take the necessary clothing and other items that they would need to make the long trek into the wilderness to they knew not where. The Bird family set up a woolen mill, of sorts, similar to the one that they had at Nauvoo, and thereby assisted in the emigration of the thousands of homeless Saints. In 1850 the Brethren invited the Bird families to come west. They emigrated with the Milo Andrus Company. There were 206 persons and 51 wagons in the Company. On this train with Benjamin Freeman Bird were his wife and small children and Richard and James with their families. This was the first company of emigrating Saints for the season, leaving Missouri in June of 1850. They took the pioneer trail on which the year before trains had passed which had been stricken with cholera. As the pioneers moved along they saw the bones of their dead comrades, as their bodies had been ripped out of their shallow graves by wolves and other scavengers and scattered over the country side.
Benjamin’s son William marched with the Mormon Battalion in the historic trek that has come to be known as the symbol of dedication and patriotism of the Latter-Day-Saint people. To show the magnanimity and noble characters of the Birds' and their spouses, and the love the Birds' felt for their spouses, the sacrifices of Charles’ wife Mary Ann Kennedy, is illustrative. Mary Ann, after leaving her comfortable home in Hampton New York (she was the daughter of a doctor) experienced the apostasy of the Kirtland era and of the Far West War with six children under the age of 11 and at the time was six months pregnant. She bore a child while destitute in the wilderness before reaching Nauvoo, bore three children at Nauvoo, one at Winter Quarters, one while crossing the plains at Council Point and another at Salt Lake City. This means that she bore children at or near every major church historical site during these periods of driving’s and persecutions. She was pregnant and had a small family to care for during those times of serious trial when so many people of less character left the church. Mary Ann recalled having seen her home being burnt to the ground by the mobs four times during her lifetime as she was fleeing with her family for their lives.
Benjamin Bird Home in Nauvoo
On one occasion, Charles and Mary Ann and their small family found themselves in the middle of the wilderness in the snow. They had to abandon their wagon containing all that they owned in this world. Mary Ann, pregnant, so over-extended herself in the care of her small family that her toes on one foot became so seriously frost bitten that she had to have them amputated without anesthesia. When the Charles and Mary Ann Bird family eventually arrived in Salt Lake City, they had only the clothes on their backs as possessions, but were grateful to be alive. The Bird families had paid a dear price indeed, to be gathered in the tops of the mountains to worship the God of Abraham.
Soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, Benjamin had the privilege of being present when Apostle George A. Smith called his son James Bird to be the first Bishop of the Provo Second Ward and was also present when Elder Smith ordained him to that Office. Because of his advancing age and the trials he had been subjected to for the last 14 years, Benjamin found the peaceful seclusion of the Rocky Mountains particularly delightful. Several of the Bird families settled in the beautiful area of Springville and there Benjamin enjoyed the association of many of his numerous grandchildren and watched them wax strong in the Gospel. Benjamin crossed over into the Spirit world a content and happy man in 1862 and is buried near the home of his dreams in Springville, Utah.
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