19 in the Hepworth ancestry were first converts in their line, 8 in early Church history, 3 in the Nauvoo period, and 8 after the Saints settled in the West.
Early Church History: New York / Kirtland / Missouri
Alpheus Gifford
Anna Nash Gifford
Enos Curtis
Ruth Franklin Curtis
Edmund Durfee
Magdalena (Lana) Pickle Durfee
Welcome Chapman
Susan Amelia Risley Chapman
Nauvoo Period & Exodus
John Cox
Eliza Roberts Cox
Samuel Parker, Sr.
After Saints arrived in the West
Mary Hirst Hepworth
Joseph Hepworth
Elizabeth Tyler Babbitt
Henry William Babbitt
Later after well settled in the West
Susan Arbon Catmull
Mary (Polly) Catmull Chandler
Thomas Chandler
John Bradley Catmull
Sunday, August 29, 2010
First Converts in Graham Family Ancestry
13 ancestors on the Graham side were first in their line to join the Church, 2 during the Kirtland/Missouri era, 8 during the Nauvoo & exodus period, and 3 after the Saints arrived in the West.
Kirtland/Missouri
Josiah Wilson Hawkins
Pernecia Jane Lee Adair Hawkins
Nauvoo Period & Exodus
Daniel Arnold Miller
Clarissa Pond Miller
Edmund Zebulon Carbine
Adelia Rider Carbine
Christiana Gregory
Hannah Tucker Reed
William Williams, Jr.
James Graham
After Saints arrived in the West
Margaret Pettigreen Hope
Johann Germer
Maria Faasch Germer
Kirtland/Missouri
Josiah Wilson Hawkins
Pernecia Jane Lee Adair Hawkins
Nauvoo Period & Exodus
Daniel Arnold Miller
Clarissa Pond Miller
Edmund Zebulon Carbine
Adelia Rider Carbine
Christiana Gregory
Hannah Tucker Reed
William Williams, Jr.
James Graham
After Saints arrived in the West
Margaret Pettigreen Hope
Johann Germer
Maria Faasch Germer
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thomas and Mary (Polly) Catmull Chandler
Thomas was born 14 Apr 1851, in Graveley, England, son and 6th of 10 children of John Chandler and Hannah Tack, and apparently, the only member of his family to join the Church, doing so as a married man, after his wife and her mother first embraced the gospel.
Mary (Polly) Catmull was born 19 Apr 1857, in Graveley, Cambridgeshire, England, daughter and 3rd of eight children born to John Bradley Catmull and Susan Arbon.
Thomas and Mary (Polly) Catmull were married on 17 Sep 1873, when he was 22 and she was 16. Their first child, born 24 June 1874, a son named Albert, died at eleven months. Their second, a daughter named Gertrude, was born 6 Sep 1875, and lived to die at the age of 81 in Pocatello, ID. Gertrude was a seven months old, and Polly was expecting her third child, when she and her mother, Susan, were baptized 19 Apr 1876, when Polly was 19.
Thomas was baptized 15 Jun 1876, at age 25, and emigrated with his wife and family, and perhaps her family, to America as a member of the Church. Thomas and Polly ultimately had 20 children, five in England, one of whom (Gertrude) survived, and 15 in America, nine of whom survived to older age. We can speculate that cystic fibrosis, unknown at that time, may have been a factor in the deaths of their children, half of whom (10 of 20) died of “consumption.” The 8th child (3rd in America), and 3rd overall to survive to older age, was William, born 7 Mar 1882, in Calvin, Oneida, ID, north of Logan, in Cache Valley, UT. He lived to marry Eliza Lovina Babbitt 7 Mar 1906, in Pocatello, ID, and died in Rupert, ID 16 Jul 1954, at the age of 72.
Thomas and Polly were endowed and sealed to each other 28 Nov 1895, in the Logan Temple, when he was 44 and she was 38. Mary was sealed to her parents in the Logan Temple on 7 Jul 1906.
Entry 11/6/05: My father, Joseph Leland Hepworth, was 5 when his great grandmother Polly died and 13 when Tom died. He has personal memories, which I will record as follows.
Polly was a big woman, very soft spoken, with not much accent, just softening the ending of every word. She liked to give pieces of China away to all of her descendents. (Memories of a five year old). Tom or Thomas (he went by both names; Thomas in Church and business; Tom to friends and family) had a real “haccent” – and would say, “Don’t meddle with that cat, etc.” He used the word meddle a lot, no doubt with a young great grandson. He pronounced Hepworth without the H, saying “Epworth.” He was smaller than his wife, about 5’6” and 150 lbs., quite stocky, strong shoulder muscles. He was a blacksmith, which had contributed much to his strong arms. He worked for Union Pacific after he had retired. He trained UP blacksmiths. He had a big gray moustache, with fine hair, enough to comb.
End 11/6/05 entry.
Polly died 4 Apr 1930 in Pocatello, at the age of 72 (almost 73). Thomas lived as a widower almost ten more years, then died 28 Mar 1938 in Pocatello, ID, at the age of 86 (almost 87). Thomas was sealed by proxy to his parents two years later on 22 Mar 1940.
Mary (Polly) Catmull was born 19 Apr 1857, in Graveley, Cambridgeshire, England, daughter and 3rd of eight children born to John Bradley Catmull and Susan Arbon.
Thomas and Mary (Polly) Catmull were married on 17 Sep 1873, when he was 22 and she was 16. Their first child, born 24 June 1874, a son named Albert, died at eleven months. Their second, a daughter named Gertrude, was born 6 Sep 1875, and lived to die at the age of 81 in Pocatello, ID. Gertrude was a seven months old, and Polly was expecting her third child, when she and her mother, Susan, were baptized 19 Apr 1876, when Polly was 19.
Thomas was baptized 15 Jun 1876, at age 25, and emigrated with his wife and family, and perhaps her family, to America as a member of the Church. Thomas and Polly ultimately had 20 children, five in England, one of whom (Gertrude) survived, and 15 in America, nine of whom survived to older age. We can speculate that cystic fibrosis, unknown at that time, may have been a factor in the deaths of their children, half of whom (10 of 20) died of “consumption.” The 8th child (3rd in America), and 3rd overall to survive to older age, was William, born 7 Mar 1882, in Calvin, Oneida, ID, north of Logan, in Cache Valley, UT. He lived to marry Eliza Lovina Babbitt 7 Mar 1906, in Pocatello, ID, and died in Rupert, ID 16 Jul 1954, at the age of 72.
Thomas and Polly were endowed and sealed to each other 28 Nov 1895, in the Logan Temple, when he was 44 and she was 38. Mary was sealed to her parents in the Logan Temple on 7 Jul 1906.
Entry 11/6/05: My father, Joseph Leland Hepworth, was 5 when his great grandmother Polly died and 13 when Tom died. He has personal memories, which I will record as follows.
Polly was a big woman, very soft spoken, with not much accent, just softening the ending of every word. She liked to give pieces of China away to all of her descendents. (Memories of a five year old). Tom or Thomas (he went by both names; Thomas in Church and business; Tom to friends and family) had a real “haccent” – and would say, “Don’t meddle with that cat, etc.” He used the word meddle a lot, no doubt with a young great grandson. He pronounced Hepworth without the H, saying “Epworth.” He was smaller than his wife, about 5’6” and 150 lbs., quite stocky, strong shoulder muscles. He was a blacksmith, which had contributed much to his strong arms. He worked for Union Pacific after he had retired. He trained UP blacksmiths. He had a big gray moustache, with fine hair, enough to comb.
End 11/6/05 entry.
Polly died 4 Apr 1930 in Pocatello, at the age of 72 (almost 73). Thomas lived as a widower almost ten more years, then died 28 Mar 1938 in Pocatello, ID, at the age of 86 (almost 87). Thomas was sealed by proxy to his parents two years later on 22 Mar 1940.
John Bradley and Susan Arbon Catmull
John Bradley Catmull was born 6 Jul 1827, in Toseland, Huntingdonshire, England, son of William Catmull and Mary Ann Bradley.
Susan Arbon was born 30 May 1831 in Graveley, Cambridgeshire, England, the daughter of James Arbon and Elizabeth Newman. They married 13 Oct 1851 when he was 24 and she was 20. They were the parents of eight children, ages 7 to 23, including two married daughters, including Mary (Polly), when they were baptized. Susan was baptized first on 16 Apr 1876, at the age of 44. Her daughter Mary (Polly) was baptized at the same time. Husband John was baptized four months later, on 20 Aug 1876, at the age of 49.
Susan Arbon was born 30 May 1831 in Graveley, Cambridgeshire, England, the daughter of James Arbon and Elizabeth Newman. They married 13 Oct 1851 when he was 24 and she was 20. They were the parents of eight children, ages 7 to 23, including two married daughters, including Mary (Polly), when they were baptized. Susan was baptized first on 16 Apr 1876, at the age of 44. Her daughter Mary (Polly) was baptized at the same time. Husband John was baptized four months later, on 20 Aug 1876, at the age of 49.
Johann Martin Jochim and Maria Catharina Elsabe Faasch Germer
Johann Martin Jochim Germer was born 9 Jan 1809, in Luebeck, Germany, the only known child of Johann Heinrich Germer, born about 1769 and Catharina Sophia Ahrens, born 5 May 1769. The parents were 41 at the time of their son’s birth.
Maria Catharina Elsabe Faasch was born 4 Feb 1808 in Luebeck, Germany, the only known child of Michael Hinrich Faasch, born 14 Jul 1777, and Catherine Dorthea Weidermann, born 12 Apr 1781. The parents were 30 and 26 at the time of their daughter’s birth.
Johann and Maria were married 1 Apr 1834, in Luebeck, Germany, when he as 25 and she was 26. They had 6 children, at least 5 living, including Henrietta Catharina Clementina, born 31 May 1844, their 4th and 9 when they were baptized on 18 Dec 1853. They emigrated to America and were endowed 26 Nov 1864 when he was 55 and she was 56. She died 1 Dec 1876 in Deweyville, Box Elder County, UT, at the age of 68. He lived another almost 12 years and died 11 Sep 1889 in Deweyville, Box Elder County, UT, at the age of 80.
She was sealed to her parents 1 July 2002. He has not been sealed to his parents.
Maria Catharina Elsabe Faasch was born 4 Feb 1808 in Luebeck, Germany, the only known child of Michael Hinrich Faasch, born 14 Jul 1777, and Catherine Dorthea Weidermann, born 12 Apr 1781. The parents were 30 and 26 at the time of their daughter’s birth.
Johann and Maria were married 1 Apr 1834, in Luebeck, Germany, when he as 25 and she was 26. They had 6 children, at least 5 living, including Henrietta Catharina Clementina, born 31 May 1844, their 4th and 9 when they were baptized on 18 Dec 1853. They emigrated to America and were endowed 26 Nov 1864 when he was 55 and she was 56. She died 1 Dec 1876 in Deweyville, Box Elder County, UT, at the age of 68. He lived another almost 12 years and died 11 Sep 1889 in Deweyville, Box Elder County, UT, at the age of 80.
She was sealed to her parents 1 July 2002. He has not been sealed to his parents.
Henry William and Elizabeth Tyler Babbitt
Henry William Babbitt was born 14 Jan 1815 in Ashcott, Somersetshire, England, the only child we know of Robert and Esther Goodin Babbitt. Elizabeth Tyler was born 5 Sep 1817 in Ashley (or Astley), at Hammond Hall, Worcestershire, England, the 4th of six children born to Thomas Tyler and Ann Griffin.
Elizabeth Tyler’s father was the head gardener on a large estate owned by a very wealthy man. The name of the place was Hammond Hall. Mr. Tyler was the gardener for forty years. He had a home on the estate and all of his children were born there. Elizabeth did not learn to write until she was 70 years old, but her mother taught her to read. Even though this was all the education she had, when she grew up she became the matron for the Blue School, a school for boys.
Elizabeth Tyler had several brothers and sisters. One brother was a bell ringer in the Church of England at Westminster Abbey. Another worked in the mint in England, one sister was ladies maid to Florence Nightingale. The brother who worked in the mint was on his way home from visiting his mother and had to pass through the woods where he was ambushed by some men and later found tied to a tree, murdered. It was believed that he had been robbed and killed for his money on account of having been carrying money with him. An uncle of Elizabeth’s went to Cape of Good Hope and fought in the Battle of Waterloo and received a pension from that service but he was never heard from again.
William was one of the 4th Dragoon Guards in Queen Victoria’s Regiment for 14 years. Each man in the Regiment had to be of uniform size, a height of six-feet in stocking feet. They wore maroon colored uniforms and black helmets with three plumes. William’s army helped reinstate Queen Isabella of Spain on the Spanish throne. He spoke Spanish as well as English. He traveled with the army for many years and was in Ireland and Scotland with the troops after he was married. William and Elizabeth had a child, Richard Babbitt on 2 Jul 1842 in Dublin, Ireland, and were married some five months later, 24 Nov 1842, when he was 27 and she was 25.
We don’t know when Henry William was baptized, but Elizabeth was baptized in Dec 1849, at the age of 32, before emigrating to America. One history (unknown authorship) reports that William, who had been a member of the Church of England, a branch called the Westlunds, joined (with) the LDS Church and, although Elizabeth went with him to church occasionally, she still retained the Westlund religion. They would walk to church together but when she came to her church she would turn off and, as he walked on to his church, she would say, “You’re going to the devil.” But as it happened, a revelation on plural marriage converted Elizabeth to the LDS Church and she was actually baptized before William, although he started attending before she did and attended church regularly. Elizabeth’s conversion started when one day she was persuaded by a neighbor lady to go to a meeting with her. On that day, the sermon was relative to plural marriage and what was said, converted her.
They had sixteen children, with only two surviving infancy. Their first was Richard, born in Dublin. The next six, all born in England, all died young, and before William and Elizabeth were baptized. William eventually wanted to come to America, and since no man was ever released from the Queen’s Guard, he deserted the army. In 1850, at the age of 35, he landed at Baton Rouge, LA, and went to live with his wife’s sister, Mrs. Tobin, who had previously come to America. Her husband, Mr. Tobin, owned a very large plantation and they had many slaves. William worked as an overseer. He was kind to the slaves and had many quarrels with his sister-in-law and her husband because they treated the slaves cruelly. He had so much trouble at the plantation for this and other reasons that he finally left.
Richard came with his mother as Elizabeth followed William to America. Her parents, ages 74 and 72, also came with her. They sailed on the ocean for 6 weeks. The old people had never been more than forty miles from their home and they had the heaviest luggage on board.
After William had trouble with his relatives, the Tobins, he left their place on horseback. In the meantime, Elizabeth had landed with her parents and son and took them to the relatives. William had no knowledge of their arrival, but while going past the railroad station, he spotted their luggage, and returned to the plantation.
William, Elizabeth, and son Richard moved to New Orleans, leaving her parents with her sister. Six weeks later, the parents died, the trip being too much for them. Mrs. Tobin, still being angry with William, did not let them know about the death of the old folks. Elizabeth ran a rooming house in New Orleans for four years, and William obtained work on the wharfs.
They worked in New Orleans four years and finally earned enough money to buy a team of horses so they could move to Utah. The pioneers were divided into groups of ten. William captained ten wagons in the first group of pioneers carrying church property in 1854. They settled in Grantsville, UT.
In crossing the plains, there was a woman named Agnes Armstrong who had two children. She was in William’s company and wanted to be his second wife. William did not want to, but Elizabeth was so firmly convinced of plural marriage, and anything the Church advocated, that she insisted on it; so William married Agnes and they had a child named Helen. One, unverified report indicated that Helen later married Brigham Young, Jr.
After William and Elizabeth moved to Tooele, William had an interesting experience involving the discovery of gold in the hills not far from their home. Elizabeth was making soap and he went out to the hills and got her a large rock to put under her kettle. The fire was so hot that the gold in the rock melted and ran out of the rock. This was very exciting, but Brigham Young had told the people not to mine, that the important thing at the time was to develop farming and grow food to take care of them. So Elizabeth took the gold and buried it in the cellar. Bishop Clark, bishop of Tooele at that time, came to William and said, “Say, Babbitt, I understand you have discovered gold. Where war it (sic)?” William answered him, “Bishop, if it is not god for me to take the gold, it is not good for you.” Four years afterwards, a gold mine was discovered on their property.
They later moved to Call’s Fort, nine miles north of Brigham City, where they operated a farm for a man named Hanson Call. William also whip-sawed lumber for President Snow in Cache Valley and Logan Canyon. During the winter time, they had to stay in the canyons and, as they could not get out during the winter months, they were very hard up for food. They were snowed in all winter in Cache Valley. Men were supposed to bring them supplies, leaving them at a certain spot down in the canyon. William would have to put on his snow shoes and go bring the provisions back to camp. One time while he was gone and Elizabeth was all alone, her baby was born. Upon Williams return, he found her huddled next to the fireplace with the baby. Elizabeth could never nurse her children (no doubt why she lost so many) and kept this one alive for six months feeding it tea which she made from a hide which had grown to the bones of an ox. (Story by unknown author – in the file of Scott Hepworth).
Of the nine children born to them in America, only one, Evalina Lavina Babbitt, their 14th, born 22 Feb 1858, in Brigham city, UT, lived to grow up and marry (Samuel Pegular Cornell) and have an 89-year life, finally passing away in Salt Lake City.
They were endowed and sealed 24 Nov 1862 in the Endowment House when she was 45 and he was 47. Henry William died five years later, 23 Dec 1867, when he was 52, in Manti, Sanpete County, UT, and was buried in Brigham City, UT. Elizabeth was a widow for 50 years, living to the age of 100 (or 99), dying on her birthday, 5 Sep 1917 (or 1916), in Salt Lake City. She was buried in Elysian Bur. Gar, Mllerk, UT.
Elizabeth Tyler’s father was the head gardener on a large estate owned by a very wealthy man. The name of the place was Hammond Hall. Mr. Tyler was the gardener for forty years. He had a home on the estate and all of his children were born there. Elizabeth did not learn to write until she was 70 years old, but her mother taught her to read. Even though this was all the education she had, when she grew up she became the matron for the Blue School, a school for boys.
Elizabeth Tyler had several brothers and sisters. One brother was a bell ringer in the Church of England at Westminster Abbey. Another worked in the mint in England, one sister was ladies maid to Florence Nightingale. The brother who worked in the mint was on his way home from visiting his mother and had to pass through the woods where he was ambushed by some men and later found tied to a tree, murdered. It was believed that he had been robbed and killed for his money on account of having been carrying money with him. An uncle of Elizabeth’s went to Cape of Good Hope and fought in the Battle of Waterloo and received a pension from that service but he was never heard from again.
William was one of the 4th Dragoon Guards in Queen Victoria’s Regiment for 14 years. Each man in the Regiment had to be of uniform size, a height of six-feet in stocking feet. They wore maroon colored uniforms and black helmets with three plumes. William’s army helped reinstate Queen Isabella of Spain on the Spanish throne. He spoke Spanish as well as English. He traveled with the army for many years and was in Ireland and Scotland with the troops after he was married. William and Elizabeth had a child, Richard Babbitt on 2 Jul 1842 in Dublin, Ireland, and were married some five months later, 24 Nov 1842, when he was 27 and she was 25.
We don’t know when Henry William was baptized, but Elizabeth was baptized in Dec 1849, at the age of 32, before emigrating to America. One history (unknown authorship) reports that William, who had been a member of the Church of England, a branch called the Westlunds, joined (with) the LDS Church and, although Elizabeth went with him to church occasionally, she still retained the Westlund religion. They would walk to church together but when she came to her church she would turn off and, as he walked on to his church, she would say, “You’re going to the devil.” But as it happened, a revelation on plural marriage converted Elizabeth to the LDS Church and she was actually baptized before William, although he started attending before she did and attended church regularly. Elizabeth’s conversion started when one day she was persuaded by a neighbor lady to go to a meeting with her. On that day, the sermon was relative to plural marriage and what was said, converted her.
They had sixteen children, with only two surviving infancy. Their first was Richard, born in Dublin. The next six, all born in England, all died young, and before William and Elizabeth were baptized. William eventually wanted to come to America, and since no man was ever released from the Queen’s Guard, he deserted the army. In 1850, at the age of 35, he landed at Baton Rouge, LA, and went to live with his wife’s sister, Mrs. Tobin, who had previously come to America. Her husband, Mr. Tobin, owned a very large plantation and they had many slaves. William worked as an overseer. He was kind to the slaves and had many quarrels with his sister-in-law and her husband because they treated the slaves cruelly. He had so much trouble at the plantation for this and other reasons that he finally left.
Richard came with his mother as Elizabeth followed William to America. Her parents, ages 74 and 72, also came with her. They sailed on the ocean for 6 weeks. The old people had never been more than forty miles from their home and they had the heaviest luggage on board.
After William had trouble with his relatives, the Tobins, he left their place on horseback. In the meantime, Elizabeth had landed with her parents and son and took them to the relatives. William had no knowledge of their arrival, but while going past the railroad station, he spotted their luggage, and returned to the plantation.
William, Elizabeth, and son Richard moved to New Orleans, leaving her parents with her sister. Six weeks later, the parents died, the trip being too much for them. Mrs. Tobin, still being angry with William, did not let them know about the death of the old folks. Elizabeth ran a rooming house in New Orleans for four years, and William obtained work on the wharfs.
They worked in New Orleans four years and finally earned enough money to buy a team of horses so they could move to Utah. The pioneers were divided into groups of ten. William captained ten wagons in the first group of pioneers carrying church property in 1854. They settled in Grantsville, UT.
In crossing the plains, there was a woman named Agnes Armstrong who had two children. She was in William’s company and wanted to be his second wife. William did not want to, but Elizabeth was so firmly convinced of plural marriage, and anything the Church advocated, that she insisted on it; so William married Agnes and they had a child named Helen. One, unverified report indicated that Helen later married Brigham Young, Jr.
After William and Elizabeth moved to Tooele, William had an interesting experience involving the discovery of gold in the hills not far from their home. Elizabeth was making soap and he went out to the hills and got her a large rock to put under her kettle. The fire was so hot that the gold in the rock melted and ran out of the rock. This was very exciting, but Brigham Young had told the people not to mine, that the important thing at the time was to develop farming and grow food to take care of them. So Elizabeth took the gold and buried it in the cellar. Bishop Clark, bishop of Tooele at that time, came to William and said, “Say, Babbitt, I understand you have discovered gold. Where war it (sic)?” William answered him, “Bishop, if it is not god for me to take the gold, it is not good for you.” Four years afterwards, a gold mine was discovered on their property.
They later moved to Call’s Fort, nine miles north of Brigham City, where they operated a farm for a man named Hanson Call. William also whip-sawed lumber for President Snow in Cache Valley and Logan Canyon. During the winter time, they had to stay in the canyons and, as they could not get out during the winter months, they were very hard up for food. They were snowed in all winter in Cache Valley. Men were supposed to bring them supplies, leaving them at a certain spot down in the canyon. William would have to put on his snow shoes and go bring the provisions back to camp. One time while he was gone and Elizabeth was all alone, her baby was born. Upon Williams return, he found her huddled next to the fireplace with the baby. Elizabeth could never nurse her children (no doubt why she lost so many) and kept this one alive for six months feeding it tea which she made from a hide which had grown to the bones of an ox. (Story by unknown author – in the file of Scott Hepworth).
Of the nine children born to them in America, only one, Evalina Lavina Babbitt, their 14th, born 22 Feb 1858, in Brigham city, UT, lived to grow up and marry (Samuel Pegular Cornell) and have an 89-year life, finally passing away in Salt Lake City.
They were endowed and sealed 24 Nov 1862 in the Endowment House when she was 45 and he was 47. Henry William died five years later, 23 Dec 1867, when he was 52, in Manti, Sanpete County, UT, and was buried in Brigham City, UT. Elizabeth was a widow for 50 years, living to the age of 100 (or 99), dying on her birthday, 5 Sep 1917 (or 1916), in Salt Lake City. She was buried in Elysian Bur. Gar, Mllerk, UT.
Joseph and Mary Hirst Hepworth
The following is from a document obtained from NelLo H. Bassett.
Joseph Hepworth was born 11 Sep 1816, the third child (second son) of the nine known children born to Richard Hepworth and Hannah Wilkinson. He was born at Mug Mill, a village which is down off the hill from Thornhill Edge in a beautiful valley area with a picturesque view. It is just outside Thornhill township, in the northwestern part of Shitlington township, which abounds in coal and consists of Middletown (Middleton), Netherton (Netherton), Overtown (Overton), part of Horbury Bridge, Midgley, Hollinghurst, Mug Mill, and Stocksmoor. Leading to Mug Mill is Mug Mill Lane which is abounded on both sides by Pennine Walls which were built out of stone from the area in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. No mortar was used and repairs have been made as needed down through time. Running through Mug Mill is Smithy Brook. Thornhill is set upon a hill with a flat top. On this hill is the parish church of Thornhill dedicated to St. Michael.
Thornhill is in Yorkshire, England. Joseph spent a good share of his young life moving from town to town in the Thornhill and Tong area of Yorkshire. This is coal country, and at the time of his birth, his father was listed as a coal miner, the profession Joseph and most of this family later followed. Richard and Hannah Hepworth had their son christened when he was about one month old, 6 Oct 1816, in the Church of England parish of Thornhill.
Mary Hirst was born 8 Nov 1820 in Drighlington, Yorkshire, England, the daughter of John Hirst and Jane Dunwell.
Joseph and Mary were married 9 Apr 1837, when he was 20 and she was 16.
Joseph and Mary had thirteen children, Richard (lived just over a month, dying in England), William (died at age 12, in a mining accident? In England), Edmund (1841-1915, died age 74 in Starr Valley, WY), the oldest child to emigrate, Squire (4 May 1843 – 26 Aug 1920, died age 77 in Elba, ID), Hannah (1845-1920, died age 75 in Salt Lake City), Sarah (died at age 4 in England), James (1849-1937, died age 88 in Bountiful, UT), Joseph (1850-1926, died in Bountiful, UT), Elizabeth (died at age 4 in England), Ann (died at age 2 in England), Mary Jane (1855-1926, died age 71 near Bear Lake, ID), Martha Annice (1858-1936, died age 78 in Butte, MT), and Samuel (1860-1928, died age 68 in Salt Lake City). Of their seven sons, five lived to emigrate to America. Of their six daughters, three lived to emigrate to America. Eight children, five sons and three daughters lived to old age in America. Five children, two sons and three daughters, died young in England.
Mary learned of the gospel from her husband’s sister (to be confirmed). Mary was baptized 26 Sep 1847 (or 11 Aug 1847). Joseph was baptized about three months later on 19 Dec 1847. Joseph was 31 and Mary was 27 when they were baptized.
In my Hepworth file, there is an article written by Donald J. Hepworth titled, “Coal Mining in England” with additional details. Our early Hepworth ancestors were weavers, but the invention of automatic weaving machines put them out of business. The first coal mine in Yorkshire was opened in 1750 in Overton, just a few miles walk from where our ancestors were living. We know that Joseph Hepworth (1816) was a coal miner. His father Richard was also a coal miner (NelLo H. Bassett, Feb. 1968, in file). Often times a husband and a wife worked as a team in the mines. The man broke the coal loose and the his wife loaded it on to a wooden sled. A rope went around her neck, passed between her legs to the sled which she pulled on hands and knees to the tunnel, where she loaded the coal onto the car. Boys as young as eight years of age were often miners; they could move about the low ceilings more easily than men and could work in narrower coal seams, so they were actually desired by the mine owners. They often pulled the coal cars to the main tunnels on hands and knees, with a chanin around their necks, passing between their legs to the cars, a second boy pushing from behind. Miners were paid by the ton, not by the hour, regardless of the coal seam. The work day was typically ten hours, six days a week. During the winter season, miners often entered the mines before sun up and left after sundown. Mine foremen would put their friends and relatives in the thicker seams where they could produce more coal easier and faster.
Explosions were common. In 1851, an explosion killed William Hepworth who was only 12 years old. Edmund, who was 10, had been working at his side, but had just stepped up the line. He returned to find his brother buried in rock and coal. William lived four days, but died with internal injuries. Coal dust was the greatest hazard, killing more miners than explosions. Weakened lungs were more susceptible to lung infections; miners rarely lived to a normal old age. The mine at Overton, where Joseph and his sons worked, has been made a national museum open to the public.
The following is typed from a letter handwritten by Joseph Hepworth from England to his family in America. It is typed as written, in the original spelling. Squire and Emily had arrived in Salt Lake City on 4 Oct 1864.
Nethertown Drighlington May 29th 1865
Dear Sons and Daughters,
I now take up my pen to write a few lines to you in answer to your letter which came to hand on the 6th of March. I hope you will excuse me for my neglect as you wrote in your letter that you have wrote 4 letters but we have only received one and we was very thankful for that. We was verry (sic) thankful to hear of the safe arrival of Squire and his dear wife and child. We was glad to hear that you was living so near each other. O how I long for the time when we shall have the priviledge (sic) to behold each others face again. I feel truly thankfull that I have still a standing in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and I say to Dear sons and Daughters be faithful and live your religion for it will be through our faithfulness if ever we be permitted to meet together again. I feel to say the Lord bless you with every thing your hearts can desire in righteousness. We are here in Old Babylon sorounded (sic) with wickedness on every hand and the word of the Lord is come out of her my people lest you be partakers of her plagues. I have had the Demick in my right hand. I have had to play 7 weeks. I am verry thankfull to my father in heaven that I have the priviledge to commence work again but we have a verry poor place at the present and when we shall be able to gather means to emigrate ourselves from these lands with I don’t know but the Lord has said that he will gather his elect from the four corners of the earth and if we be his elect we have the promise and it is the promises of the Lord that stimulates us to go on. Was it not for the hope that we had within us we should die in despair. I am truly thankful for the testimony that I have in the work in which we are engaged for truly it is the work of the Lord. We have some rejoicing times here. There has been 6 added to the church by baptism from Birkenshaw. The following are the names thereof. George Schofield and Henry Schofield, Joseph Haigh, Joseph Renton, John Freel, James Gibson. Drighlington Branch is in a good Condition. It consists of 2 officers at the present, 3 Elders, 2 priests, 2 teachers, 1 Deacon besides the president. We held about 26 meetings outdoors last Summer. We have commenced out door preaching this summer. We have already held 15 meetings outdoors at Holm Lane end Birkenshaw and Drightlington & Adwalton & Burley & Dewsbury & Bathe & Batley carr heckmondwike. We held Counsel on Sunday the 2nd of May at Westgate Hill at Sister Cowlings. President Hodge gave counsel that we should hold 30 meetings next month. The wether been favorable. I have to go to Holm Lane end burley Cleckeaton Birkinshaw and Gomertal. Brother Thomas Turner has to go to Dewsbury batter carr Bathey heckmondwicke & Birkinshaw bottoms. Brother Stockdale has to go to Drightlington and Dwolton Gildersome Merstall and Tong. You will see by this that we shall not get rusty. I ever pray that God will bless us with a portion of his holy Spirrit that we might have strength given us to go forth and perform the labour assigned us that we might accomplish some good. We are all well at the present. Mother Cowling is not so verry well. The Batley folks are all pretty well at the present. Eurleys Uncle John Hobson is dead and buried. I was going to tell you the date but I have forgot and I can’t find the card. Sister Hobson has been confined of a daughter and it is living. They are all well for any thing that I now. She would like to hear from her two sons in the valey as she as not heard any thing since after they left this country. Your mother dyson has also buried her child. The rest of the folks are all well for any thing that I know. Your Uncle Coup.. desires to be remembered to you along with your ant. Martha Rustrick is working in the Brick yard and albert Withmina is working at the mill. They are all getting along first rate. Your ant Sarah Oxley wishes to be remmebered and wishes you to tell your ant Mary Thornton. She would very much like a letter from her as she as been silent ever since he got to the valey. She thinks that she is not sattisfied with her position. There is so many false reports conserning the Latter day Saints as a people. She would feel better satisfied had sister Mary to write a letter to her. I was at bentons yesterday and he desires to hear from his wife Polly. They are all well. James as got married. James Wells is dead and they have taken Thomas Wells to the asylum. Your ant Harriot wants to know if there is any room for her in the valey and if there is any souring when she gets there. Please to remmber me to all inquiring friends. I will write again soon and give you all particulars that I can. I remain your affectionate father in the Gospel.
Joseph Hepworth
Comments by Nel Lo H. Bassett:
1. “mother dyson” is Amelia Dyson (formerly Lambert), the mother of Emily Dyson (wife of Squire Hepworth), and is a sister to “Sister Hobson,” Ann Hobson (formerly Lambert), widow of John Hobson. Joseph Hepworth, the writer of this letter, later married her. They lived in Oxford, ID and were buried there.
2. In England it is the custom for all members of a family to refer to a mother-in-law as mother.
The following is a letter written by Joseph Hepworth, the son of Joseph Hepworth and Mary Hirst. Nel Lo H. Bassett commented that this letter was copied from a copy of Mary S. Hepworth of Grover, WY, who said the spelling was copied as it was on the original letter. We do not know where the original letter is. The mother that Joseph referred to as seeing in Batley was Ann Hobson formerly Lambert, who later married Joseph Hepworth, Sr. Ann Hobson emigrated on the ship Wisconsin on 2 Jul 1873. Joseph Hepworth, Sr. had emigrated on the ship Idaho almost three years earlier on 7 Sep 1870. We do not know when Mary Hirst Hepworth emigrated, but it was earlier than her husband Joseph. Amelia Lambert Dyson is a sister to Ann Lambert Dobson, and is also the mother of Emily Dyson, who married Squire Hepworth in England and emigrated with him to America.
Norwood Green
near Hipperholme Nov. 15, 1871
To Mr. Joseph Hepworth Senior
My Dear Father,
We received your kind welcome letter on the 16th of October and another one addressed to Brother Joshua Wells on the 30th and we are all very much pleased to hear from you and as I am the scirbe (sic) that is selected to return unto you our compliments and gratitude I will begin with myself. The first you say in your letter that you hope that I have not forgot that I have a father and brothers in the land of the liveing (sic) and you all very anciously (sic) waiting to hear a something from me, also that Brother James cannot tell you all that you want to know. True it is a very difficult task fro one to tell something theat (sic) he don’t know himself, neither do I think that I shall be able to tell you all you want to know, nevertheless, I may perhaps give you rather more satisfactorily information on some particular points but not much, but if I can say anything in regards to anything else that you want to know, that will afford any satisfaction, pleasure, comfort or consolation I shall be very much pleased. After I received your letter, I went to Batley at the end of the week. Read the contents thereof to Mother she had some visitors from Halifax, consequently this prevented us from haveing (sic) much conversation, that is in regard to the welcome news that we had from you and as to what I were to say to you when I wrote back to you. It being the council day the following Sunday I thought it proper to defer writing to you an answer until that time. The time came and I had a short talk with Mother, she wishes to be kindly remembered to you would like to be with you as soon as possible. She has been rather sick, once she told her sister, Amelia. Amelia was going to write to her daughter Emily at the same time and I guess you hear of it. I think that is all that is or has been has rong (sic). So far as I can assertain (sic), only the inconvenient circumstances that we are placed in, which we ourselves cannot very well control. Mother and Jesse and Alma has been on the strike for wages. Mother was on the strike for a week, Jesse for a fortnight. They gone in again. They did advance the wages 2 schillings per week, previous to their striking, but a few of the hands were not sattisfied (sic), hence they struck out and the others were locked out. They have gone in again but not with a second advance of wages. Mother and the boys are doing pretty well just know. She says that she intends to come to America the next season if possible. Wether (sic) she can come right through or not she will not be able to come right through except there is some assistance from some other source and even if she could come right through she does not wish or desire to do so without calling to see her children. She does not know, however, she would accomplish the task. Tis six months since we heard anything from Sarrah (sic). Mother begins to feel very uneasy about her and the last time that Alice wrote she was liveing (sic) with William Woodhead. She told us not to write to her again till she had wrote to us as she was thinking to remove everday (sic) but she did not know where she would have to go therefore I guess you will have some idea how these things will affect the heart of a well wishing, kind, loveing, (sic) anxious Mother. I never heard anything from my Mother that bore me except what you say in your letters that she is going to send me some money to come out there with. I have not heard any signs of any money only what you say, I think Mother cannot get a confidential scribe to write for her else I think she would write to me or send me some information. Neither does sister Hannah write to me. I do believe that if they could write for themselves that they would do so. There is a portion of the truth in the saying of the poet:
All those who would be happy men
Here lies a presious (sic) portion in the pen
Therefore take care and learn to use this tool
For he who wants it looks much like a fool.
not that I wish to find fault with anyone that cannot write, not so but merely to show that what a great advantage it does aford (sic) to those that are fameliar (sic) with its use and how awkward and inconvenient it is to them poor dependent creatures that can’t write for themselves. I should be glad to hear from my Mother and sister Hannah if they could get anyone to pen them a few lines. I have not heard anything from Richard Bee or Mary Jane since I got the draft. He said then that they were going to a new settlement. I will write to them when I know wether (sic) they have got nicely settled. I am like you, I am always anxiously waiting to hear a something from all of you or any of you that think proper or that can or have convenience to write. I fully expected to hear or see a budget from James but I understand pretty near, I guess he is too busy with the girls. Well never, mind, but I’m not so young as I used to be. How do ye think I feel just now?
Now, James, my lad, if you have any time, Just sit down and listen
TO my merry rhyme.
You may have all the girls that you like by your side,
And they too may listen and I will not chide.
I want thee to tell me what sights thou hast seen
Since thee and me parted when at Norwood Green.
From Pickle Bridge station to Liverpool thou went
And how didst thou like the little time that thou spent?
You know very well, James, that I’ve never been
Not many miles further than here Norwood Green.
I’ve ne’er seen any shipping, don’t know what tis like
Because I’ve never been much further than Wike.
And now, my dear lad, you’ve been over the sea
And what thou saw there will thou tell to me?
What circumstance occurred that was worthy of date?
What sights met thy gaze that thou canst relate?
When over the sea thou was quickly wafted o’er
Thou wouldst see many sights that thou ne’er saw before.
From New York to Odgen and then to Salt Lake
Thou wouldst see many things that one might relate.
If thou rode in the train and it went too fast,
Thou would see haystack and tree and all things fly past.
If thy mind were distracted while going all that way,
That nothing attracted, just hear me I pray.
You would get to your home which long you desired..
And maybe I guess you would feel very tired.
But when you had rested and come to yourself,
Say, did you see nothing on the floor or the shelf?
I mean in the house or about where you live
That would please us or tease us or make us all grieve.
And now, my dear lad, tell us if you can
What sights you have seen, there come, thats a man (sic).
You need not to bother to put it in rhyme
It will do if blank verse, line after line,
But rhyme if you like, it will just do as well.
Write plain as you can so as we can tell
Don’t say that you can’t or you would if you could.
Just sit down and try, you will find it more good.
The girls they will help you, I know, if they can
Because we help Adam and he was a man.
They were made for that prupose (sic) deny it who can
That God created Eve, a helpmeat (sic) for man
I am what I am whatever betide. (Longfellow)
This is how the letter ends. It was written 15 Nov 1871 by Joseph Hepworth in reply to his father Joseph, Senior, who had written 16 Oct 1871. The first Mother he refers to is his future step mother. The second Mother (“that bore me”) is his biological mother, Mary Hirst Hepworth. James, to whom he writes the poem, is his brother, just nine months older than him. All of his older living siblings had already emigrated to America. He was still waiting in England. At this time, he was 21. James was 22. Their sister Hannah was 26 and married. They had a sister, Sarah, but she died at the age of 4, as did a sister Ann, at age 2, and a sister Elizabeth, at age 4. I’m not sure who the Sarrah is whom he refers to. Mary Jane was his younger sister, 15 at the time, almost 16 (on 23 Dec), who was already married to Richard Bee, age 20. Their married brothers, Squire and Edmund, were 28 and 30, respectively. Their parents, Joseph and Mary, were 55 and 51.
Mary Hirst Hepworth was endowed 6 Jun 1870, at the age of 49, in the Endowment House. Three years later, Joseph was endowed 27 Oct 1873, at the age of 57, in the Endowment House, two years after he emigrated on the ship Idaho on 7 Sep 1870.
Joseph Hepworth died in Oxford, Oneida County, ID, 18 Apr 1878, at the age of 62, and was buried in Salt Lake City. Mary died 25 years later, in Salt Lake City, 21 Sep 1903, at the age of 83, and was buried in the City Cemetery, Salt Lake City.
They were sealed to each other 14 Apr 1897 in the Salt Lake Temple, 19 years after Joseph died, and when Mary was 76 years old, 7 years before she passed away. Joseph and Mary were sealed to their parents by proxy 27 Nov 1945.
NelLo H. Bassett of Springville, UT has done extensive research and has very organized files of vital documentation on the Hepworth/Hirst ancestry. Her daughter in Shingle Springs, CA, is the back up researcher.
Joseph Hepworth was born 11 Sep 1816, the third child (second son) of the nine known children born to Richard Hepworth and Hannah Wilkinson. He was born at Mug Mill, a village which is down off the hill from Thornhill Edge in a beautiful valley area with a picturesque view. It is just outside Thornhill township, in the northwestern part of Shitlington township, which abounds in coal and consists of Middletown (Middleton), Netherton (Netherton), Overtown (Overton), part of Horbury Bridge, Midgley, Hollinghurst, Mug Mill, and Stocksmoor. Leading to Mug Mill is Mug Mill Lane which is abounded on both sides by Pennine Walls which were built out of stone from the area in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. No mortar was used and repairs have been made as needed down through time. Running through Mug Mill is Smithy Brook. Thornhill is set upon a hill with a flat top. On this hill is the parish church of Thornhill dedicated to St. Michael.
Thornhill is in Yorkshire, England. Joseph spent a good share of his young life moving from town to town in the Thornhill and Tong area of Yorkshire. This is coal country, and at the time of his birth, his father was listed as a coal miner, the profession Joseph and most of this family later followed. Richard and Hannah Hepworth had their son christened when he was about one month old, 6 Oct 1816, in the Church of England parish of Thornhill.
Mary Hirst was born 8 Nov 1820 in Drighlington, Yorkshire, England, the daughter of John Hirst and Jane Dunwell.
Joseph and Mary were married 9 Apr 1837, when he was 20 and she was 16.
Joseph and Mary had thirteen children, Richard (lived just over a month, dying in England), William (died at age 12, in a mining accident? In England), Edmund (1841-1915, died age 74 in Starr Valley, WY), the oldest child to emigrate, Squire (4 May 1843 – 26 Aug 1920, died age 77 in Elba, ID), Hannah (1845-1920, died age 75 in Salt Lake City), Sarah (died at age 4 in England), James (1849-1937, died age 88 in Bountiful, UT), Joseph (1850-1926, died in Bountiful, UT), Elizabeth (died at age 4 in England), Ann (died at age 2 in England), Mary Jane (1855-1926, died age 71 near Bear Lake, ID), Martha Annice (1858-1936, died age 78 in Butte, MT), and Samuel (1860-1928, died age 68 in Salt Lake City). Of their seven sons, five lived to emigrate to America. Of their six daughters, three lived to emigrate to America. Eight children, five sons and three daughters lived to old age in America. Five children, two sons and three daughters, died young in England.
Mary learned of the gospel from her husband’s sister (to be confirmed). Mary was baptized 26 Sep 1847 (or 11 Aug 1847). Joseph was baptized about three months later on 19 Dec 1847. Joseph was 31 and Mary was 27 when they were baptized.
In my Hepworth file, there is an article written by Donald J. Hepworth titled, “Coal Mining in England” with additional details. Our early Hepworth ancestors were weavers, but the invention of automatic weaving machines put them out of business. The first coal mine in Yorkshire was opened in 1750 in Overton, just a few miles walk from where our ancestors were living. We know that Joseph Hepworth (1816) was a coal miner. His father Richard was also a coal miner (NelLo H. Bassett, Feb. 1968, in file). Often times a husband and a wife worked as a team in the mines. The man broke the coal loose and the his wife loaded it on to a wooden sled. A rope went around her neck, passed between her legs to the sled which she pulled on hands and knees to the tunnel, where she loaded the coal onto the car. Boys as young as eight years of age were often miners; they could move about the low ceilings more easily than men and could work in narrower coal seams, so they were actually desired by the mine owners. They often pulled the coal cars to the main tunnels on hands and knees, with a chanin around their necks, passing between their legs to the cars, a second boy pushing from behind. Miners were paid by the ton, not by the hour, regardless of the coal seam. The work day was typically ten hours, six days a week. During the winter season, miners often entered the mines before sun up and left after sundown. Mine foremen would put their friends and relatives in the thicker seams where they could produce more coal easier and faster.
Explosions were common. In 1851, an explosion killed William Hepworth who was only 12 years old. Edmund, who was 10, had been working at his side, but had just stepped up the line. He returned to find his brother buried in rock and coal. William lived four days, but died with internal injuries. Coal dust was the greatest hazard, killing more miners than explosions. Weakened lungs were more susceptible to lung infections; miners rarely lived to a normal old age. The mine at Overton, where Joseph and his sons worked, has been made a national museum open to the public.
The following is typed from a letter handwritten by Joseph Hepworth from England to his family in America. It is typed as written, in the original spelling. Squire and Emily had arrived in Salt Lake City on 4 Oct 1864.
Nethertown Drighlington May 29th 1865
Dear Sons and Daughters,
I now take up my pen to write a few lines to you in answer to your letter which came to hand on the 6th of March. I hope you will excuse me for my neglect as you wrote in your letter that you have wrote 4 letters but we have only received one and we was very thankful for that. We was verry (sic) thankful to hear of the safe arrival of Squire and his dear wife and child. We was glad to hear that you was living so near each other. O how I long for the time when we shall have the priviledge (sic) to behold each others face again. I feel truly thankfull that I have still a standing in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and I say to Dear sons and Daughters be faithful and live your religion for it will be through our faithfulness if ever we be permitted to meet together again. I feel to say the Lord bless you with every thing your hearts can desire in righteousness. We are here in Old Babylon sorounded (sic) with wickedness on every hand and the word of the Lord is come out of her my people lest you be partakers of her plagues. I have had the Demick in my right hand. I have had to play 7 weeks. I am verry thankfull to my father in heaven that I have the priviledge to commence work again but we have a verry poor place at the present and when we shall be able to gather means to emigrate ourselves from these lands with I don’t know but the Lord has said that he will gather his elect from the four corners of the earth and if we be his elect we have the promise and it is the promises of the Lord that stimulates us to go on. Was it not for the hope that we had within us we should die in despair. I am truly thankful for the testimony that I have in the work in which we are engaged for truly it is the work of the Lord. We have some rejoicing times here. There has been 6 added to the church by baptism from Birkenshaw. The following are the names thereof. George Schofield and Henry Schofield, Joseph Haigh, Joseph Renton, John Freel, James Gibson. Drighlington Branch is in a good Condition. It consists of 2 officers at the present, 3 Elders, 2 priests, 2 teachers, 1 Deacon besides the president. We held about 26 meetings outdoors last Summer. We have commenced out door preaching this summer. We have already held 15 meetings outdoors at Holm Lane end Birkenshaw and Drightlington & Adwalton & Burley & Dewsbury & Bathe & Batley carr heckmondwike. We held Counsel on Sunday the 2nd of May at Westgate Hill at Sister Cowlings. President Hodge gave counsel that we should hold 30 meetings next month. The wether been favorable. I have to go to Holm Lane end burley Cleckeaton Birkinshaw and Gomertal. Brother Thomas Turner has to go to Dewsbury batter carr Bathey heckmondwicke & Birkinshaw bottoms. Brother Stockdale has to go to Drightlington and Dwolton Gildersome Merstall and Tong. You will see by this that we shall not get rusty. I ever pray that God will bless us with a portion of his holy Spirrit that we might have strength given us to go forth and perform the labour assigned us that we might accomplish some good. We are all well at the present. Mother Cowling is not so verry well. The Batley folks are all pretty well at the present. Eurleys Uncle John Hobson is dead and buried. I was going to tell you the date but I have forgot and I can’t find the card. Sister Hobson has been confined of a daughter and it is living. They are all well for any thing that I now. She would like to hear from her two sons in the valey as she as not heard any thing since after they left this country. Your mother dyson has also buried her child. The rest of the folks are all well for any thing that I know. Your Uncle Coup.. desires to be remembered to you along with your ant. Martha Rustrick is working in the Brick yard and albert Withmina is working at the mill. They are all getting along first rate. Your ant Sarah Oxley wishes to be remmebered and wishes you to tell your ant Mary Thornton. She would very much like a letter from her as she as been silent ever since he got to the valey. She thinks that she is not sattisfied with her position. There is so many false reports conserning the Latter day Saints as a people. She would feel better satisfied had sister Mary to write a letter to her. I was at bentons yesterday and he desires to hear from his wife Polly. They are all well. James as got married. James Wells is dead and they have taken Thomas Wells to the asylum. Your ant Harriot wants to know if there is any room for her in the valey and if there is any souring when she gets there. Please to remmber me to all inquiring friends. I will write again soon and give you all particulars that I can. I remain your affectionate father in the Gospel.
Joseph Hepworth
Comments by Nel Lo H. Bassett:
1. “mother dyson” is Amelia Dyson (formerly Lambert), the mother of Emily Dyson (wife of Squire Hepworth), and is a sister to “Sister Hobson,” Ann Hobson (formerly Lambert), widow of John Hobson. Joseph Hepworth, the writer of this letter, later married her. They lived in Oxford, ID and were buried there.
2. In England it is the custom for all members of a family to refer to a mother-in-law as mother.
The following is a letter written by Joseph Hepworth, the son of Joseph Hepworth and Mary Hirst. Nel Lo H. Bassett commented that this letter was copied from a copy of Mary S. Hepworth of Grover, WY, who said the spelling was copied as it was on the original letter. We do not know where the original letter is. The mother that Joseph referred to as seeing in Batley was Ann Hobson formerly Lambert, who later married Joseph Hepworth, Sr. Ann Hobson emigrated on the ship Wisconsin on 2 Jul 1873. Joseph Hepworth, Sr. had emigrated on the ship Idaho almost three years earlier on 7 Sep 1870. We do not know when Mary Hirst Hepworth emigrated, but it was earlier than her husband Joseph. Amelia Lambert Dyson is a sister to Ann Lambert Dobson, and is also the mother of Emily Dyson, who married Squire Hepworth in England and emigrated with him to America.
Norwood Green
near Hipperholme Nov. 15, 1871
To Mr. Joseph Hepworth Senior
My Dear Father,
We received your kind welcome letter on the 16th of October and another one addressed to Brother Joshua Wells on the 30th and we are all very much pleased to hear from you and as I am the scirbe (sic) that is selected to return unto you our compliments and gratitude I will begin with myself. The first you say in your letter that you hope that I have not forgot that I have a father and brothers in the land of the liveing (sic) and you all very anciously (sic) waiting to hear a something from me, also that Brother James cannot tell you all that you want to know. True it is a very difficult task fro one to tell something theat (sic) he don’t know himself, neither do I think that I shall be able to tell you all you want to know, nevertheless, I may perhaps give you rather more satisfactorily information on some particular points but not much, but if I can say anything in regards to anything else that you want to know, that will afford any satisfaction, pleasure, comfort or consolation I shall be very much pleased. After I received your letter, I went to Batley at the end of the week. Read the contents thereof to Mother she had some visitors from Halifax, consequently this prevented us from haveing (sic) much conversation, that is in regard to the welcome news that we had from you and as to what I were to say to you when I wrote back to you. It being the council day the following Sunday I thought it proper to defer writing to you an answer until that time. The time came and I had a short talk with Mother, she wishes to be kindly remembered to you would like to be with you as soon as possible. She has been rather sick, once she told her sister, Amelia. Amelia was going to write to her daughter Emily at the same time and I guess you hear of it. I think that is all that is or has been has rong (sic). So far as I can assertain (sic), only the inconvenient circumstances that we are placed in, which we ourselves cannot very well control. Mother and Jesse and Alma has been on the strike for wages. Mother was on the strike for a week, Jesse for a fortnight. They gone in again. They did advance the wages 2 schillings per week, previous to their striking, but a few of the hands were not sattisfied (sic), hence they struck out and the others were locked out. They have gone in again but not with a second advance of wages. Mother and the boys are doing pretty well just know. She says that she intends to come to America the next season if possible. Wether (sic) she can come right through or not she will not be able to come right through except there is some assistance from some other source and even if she could come right through she does not wish or desire to do so without calling to see her children. She does not know, however, she would accomplish the task. Tis six months since we heard anything from Sarrah (sic). Mother begins to feel very uneasy about her and the last time that Alice wrote she was liveing (sic) with William Woodhead. She told us not to write to her again till she had wrote to us as she was thinking to remove everday (sic) but she did not know where she would have to go therefore I guess you will have some idea how these things will affect the heart of a well wishing, kind, loveing, (sic) anxious Mother. I never heard anything from my Mother that bore me except what you say in your letters that she is going to send me some money to come out there with. I have not heard any signs of any money only what you say, I think Mother cannot get a confidential scribe to write for her else I think she would write to me or send me some information. Neither does sister Hannah write to me. I do believe that if they could write for themselves that they would do so. There is a portion of the truth in the saying of the poet:
All those who would be happy men
Here lies a presious (sic) portion in the pen
Therefore take care and learn to use this tool
For he who wants it looks much like a fool.
not that I wish to find fault with anyone that cannot write, not so but merely to show that what a great advantage it does aford (sic) to those that are fameliar (sic) with its use and how awkward and inconvenient it is to them poor dependent creatures that can’t write for themselves. I should be glad to hear from my Mother and sister Hannah if they could get anyone to pen them a few lines. I have not heard anything from Richard Bee or Mary Jane since I got the draft. He said then that they were going to a new settlement. I will write to them when I know wether (sic) they have got nicely settled. I am like you, I am always anxiously waiting to hear a something from all of you or any of you that think proper or that can or have convenience to write. I fully expected to hear or see a budget from James but I understand pretty near, I guess he is too busy with the girls. Well never, mind, but I’m not so young as I used to be. How do ye think I feel just now?
Now, James, my lad, if you have any time, Just sit down and listen
TO my merry rhyme.
You may have all the girls that you like by your side,
And they too may listen and I will not chide.
I want thee to tell me what sights thou hast seen
Since thee and me parted when at Norwood Green.
From Pickle Bridge station to Liverpool thou went
And how didst thou like the little time that thou spent?
You know very well, James, that I’ve never been
Not many miles further than here Norwood Green.
I’ve ne’er seen any shipping, don’t know what tis like
Because I’ve never been much further than Wike.
And now, my dear lad, you’ve been over the sea
And what thou saw there will thou tell to me?
What circumstance occurred that was worthy of date?
What sights met thy gaze that thou canst relate?
When over the sea thou was quickly wafted o’er
Thou wouldst see many sights that thou ne’er saw before.
From New York to Odgen and then to Salt Lake
Thou wouldst see many things that one might relate.
If thou rode in the train and it went too fast,
Thou would see haystack and tree and all things fly past.
If thy mind were distracted while going all that way,
That nothing attracted, just hear me I pray.
You would get to your home which long you desired..
And maybe I guess you would feel very tired.
But when you had rested and come to yourself,
Say, did you see nothing on the floor or the shelf?
I mean in the house or about where you live
That would please us or tease us or make us all grieve.
And now, my dear lad, tell us if you can
What sights you have seen, there come, thats a man (sic).
You need not to bother to put it in rhyme
It will do if blank verse, line after line,
But rhyme if you like, it will just do as well.
Write plain as you can so as we can tell
Don’t say that you can’t or you would if you could.
Just sit down and try, you will find it more good.
The girls they will help you, I know, if they can
Because we help Adam and he was a man.
They were made for that prupose (sic) deny it who can
That God created Eve, a helpmeat (sic) for man
I am what I am whatever betide. (Longfellow)
This is how the letter ends. It was written 15 Nov 1871 by Joseph Hepworth in reply to his father Joseph, Senior, who had written 16 Oct 1871. The first Mother he refers to is his future step mother. The second Mother (“that bore me”) is his biological mother, Mary Hirst Hepworth. James, to whom he writes the poem, is his brother, just nine months older than him. All of his older living siblings had already emigrated to America. He was still waiting in England. At this time, he was 21. James was 22. Their sister Hannah was 26 and married. They had a sister, Sarah, but she died at the age of 4, as did a sister Ann, at age 2, and a sister Elizabeth, at age 4. I’m not sure who the Sarrah is whom he refers to. Mary Jane was his younger sister, 15 at the time, almost 16 (on 23 Dec), who was already married to Richard Bee, age 20. Their married brothers, Squire and Edmund, were 28 and 30, respectively. Their parents, Joseph and Mary, were 55 and 51.
Mary Hirst Hepworth was endowed 6 Jun 1870, at the age of 49, in the Endowment House. Three years later, Joseph was endowed 27 Oct 1873, at the age of 57, in the Endowment House, two years after he emigrated on the ship Idaho on 7 Sep 1870.
Joseph Hepworth died in Oxford, Oneida County, ID, 18 Apr 1878, at the age of 62, and was buried in Salt Lake City. Mary died 25 years later, in Salt Lake City, 21 Sep 1903, at the age of 83, and was buried in the City Cemetery, Salt Lake City.
They were sealed to each other 14 Apr 1897 in the Salt Lake Temple, 19 years after Joseph died, and when Mary was 76 years old, 7 years before she passed away. Joseph and Mary were sealed to their parents by proxy 27 Nov 1945.
NelLo H. Bassett of Springville, UT has done extensive research and has very organized files of vital documentation on the Hepworth/Hirst ancestry. Her daughter in Shingle Springs, CA, is the back up researcher.
Samuel, Sr. (and Mary Elizabeth Gifford) Parker
Samuel Parker, Sr. was born about 1816 or 1818, in Butternuts, Otswego County, NY, the son of Samuel Parker and Mary B. (maiden name unknown). Mary Elizabeth was born 23 Apr 1818, also in Butternuts, Otswego, NY, the oldest of Alpheus and Anna Nash Gifford. She was 12 years old when her parents joined the Church, but was not baptized herself until 1 Nov 1848, at the age of 30.
On 30 Mar 1850, almost six months after giving birth to their son, Samuel Parker, Jr., Mary and Samuel Parker, Sr. actually married, when he was 32-34 and she was almost 32. Since they also had a daughter, Mary Ann Parker, in 1851 in Basin, Cassia County, Idaho, they may have gotten married in SLC or Idaho, or somewhere in between. They received their endowments and were sealed one year later, two years after first being married, on 30 Mar 1852 (in the Endowment House in SLC?). To be sealed, he must have been baptized, but where and when? Samuel died 9 Jul 1879 at the age of 61, not sure where. Mary died ten months later, at the age of 62, in Shoneburg, Washington, UT, and was sealed by proxy to her parents over a year later on 16 Jul 1881, in the St. George Temple.
On 30 Mar 1850, almost six months after giving birth to their son, Samuel Parker, Jr., Mary and Samuel Parker, Sr. actually married, when he was 32-34 and she was almost 32. Since they also had a daughter, Mary Ann Parker, in 1851 in Basin, Cassia County, Idaho, they may have gotten married in SLC or Idaho, or somewhere in between. They received their endowments and were sealed one year later, two years after first being married, on 30 Mar 1852 (in the Endowment House in SLC?). To be sealed, he must have been baptized, but where and when? Samuel died 9 Jul 1879 at the age of 61, not sure where. Mary died ten months later, at the age of 62, in Shoneburg, Washington, UT, and was sealed by proxy to her parents over a year later on 16 Jul 1881, in the St. George Temple.
James and Hannah Tucker Reed Graham and Christiana Gregory (extra)
James Graham was born 11 Oct 1804 in (or near) Enniskillen, in Fermaner (Fernanaugh) County, Ireland, the son of Robert Graham and Anna (or Ann) Barrow (or Barrows). His mother may have died while he was young because his father Robert, born 2 Oct 1774 in Banbridge, Down County, Ireland, married a second time on 8 Feb 1808 to a widow named Catharine Russel Marshal, who had no children in her first married. Robert, Catharine, and young James came to America around 1809, and settled in Pleasant Hill, Delaware. Nothing is knows of the early life of James.
James married Mary Ann Butler of Newcastle County, Delaware, about 1824. They lived in Laurel Hill, Chester County, PA, from 1825 to 1837. They eventually had eleven children, the first six in Laurel Hill, Chester, PA. These six were Eliza, Ann Isabelle, Robert, George, Elenor, and Mary Elizabeth. In 1837, James and his family, along with his father Robert and his family (Robert and Christina had ten children, all born in America) moved to Hancock County, Illinois. There James and Mary Ann became interested in Mormonism and joined the Church. James was baptized 15 Nov 1845 at the age of 41. He received a patriarchal blessing at the hands of Hyrum Smith at Nauvoo on 19 Jan 1842. He was ordained a high priest and was commissioned to preach repentance. The record states that he was received into the High Priest Quorum in Nauvoo 10 Aug 1844. James and Mary Ann had five more children in Hancock County, Ill. (two in an unidentified area of the county, one in Bear Creek, and two in Nauvoo, the last one born in April 1846). These children were Margaret, James, Joseph Smith, Samuel, and Brigham.
The Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register shows that he received his washing and anointing and endowment 30 Jan 1846. In August 1846, Mary Ann died. James married Orilla Crandall either on 3 Feb 1846 or 3 Feb 1847, but they were soon divorced (no children). When the Saints were finally driven out of Nauvoo in 1847, James went with them to Utah. Nothing is known of his trek across the plains nor if any of his children went with him. On 28 Feb 1848, he married Sarah Thompson at Winter Quarters, but as far as is known, there were no children from this marriage.
Hannah Tucker Reed (love story): Hannah was born in New Jersey in 1821. Her father died when she was 11. When she was 20, she fell in love with James McCowan. They kept company for over a year and wanted to marry, but her mother did not care for James and persuaded Hannah to marry Alexander Jamison. They were married by a Baptist minister and had a son named John. When the baby was one-year-old, Hannah and her husband separated. Around this time, Hannah and her mother heard of Joseph Smith and the restored gospel and both joined the Church. Some time later, they took little John and joined other Mormons and sailed on the Ship Brooklyn around Cape Horn to California. Hannah and her mother paid their way by taking care of the Captain’s wife and her baby as well as doing washing and ironing. Hannah’s mother was blessed to be a midwife. After being in San Francisco for two years, they went to the Sacramento area near the gold mines where they found and nursed a 12-year old orphan girl named Mary Martha Donnor, one of the survivors of the Donnor Party. The doctors wanted to amputate her feet, but Hannah and her mother persuaded them hold off. They helped her learn to walk on crutches. In September, 1848, President Brigham Young called the Saints in California to come to Salt Lake, and Hannah and her mother answered the call. They wanted very much to take the little Donnor girl with them, but her only relative, an uncle, did not want her to join the Mormons. A year later, Hannah was married by Brigham Young to James Graham. (A short time later, James Graham also married Hannah’s mother who was in her 60’s.) Hannah and James had two children, a boy and a girl. After four years of marriage, James was called on a mission to Australia and became the first Mormon missionary to open up Queensland. After his two-year mission, he and his companion and other Saints boarded the ship Julia Ann for San Francisco. Another story in itself is how they survived a shipwreck in the Tahitian Islands. Unfortunately, a year after he returned safely home, James died, leaving Hannah a widow at the age of 36 with three children, living near Bear Lake in Idaho. Hannah raised her children and supported herself for the rest of her life as a midwife. When she was 75 years old, Hannah’s cousin who still lived in New Jersey met on the street one day James McCowan, Hannah’s old sweetheart. Mr. McCowan inquired if Hannah was still living. When he learned that she was a long-time widow living in Idaho, he got her address and wrote to her, then came to see her. “The spark of true love was still burning for each of them. He joined the Church and in the Fall of 1896, they were married…” 55 years after they first fell in love. They spent 8 happy years together until Hannah died at the age of 83.
Brooklyn ship summary: The voyage of the ship Brooklyn was perhaps the longest continuous sea journey of any religious outcasts in history. The Pilgrims of 1620 crossed the Atlantic, a voyage of about 3,000 miles or more, and were on the water for sixty-three days. These Pacific Pilgrims (Mormons) crossed the equator on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, went from icy Antarctic to the tropic Hawaiian Islands, and thence to California, a voyage of 24,000 miles. There were 120 Pilgrims; the Pacific Pilgrims numbered 238 souls. The two groups were alike in many respects. Each was composed predominately of young people with small children. They had dauntless courage, intrepid daring, matchless faith, and trust in God (http://www.shipbrooklyn.org/map.html). See also http://www.centerplace.org/history/misc/soc/soc38.htm.
On 9 Sep 1849 in Salt Lake City, James married for the fourth time, to Christiana Gregory, and on 13 Sep 1849, he also married and was sealed in the Endowment House, by Brigham Young, to his fifth wife, and Christiana’s daughter, Hannah Tucker Reed. Hannah’s story states that James married her first and then her mother. Hannah had had a previous marriage to Alexander Jamison on 12 Dec 1844, in New Jersey. They had one child, John Clark Reed Jamison, born 11 Oct 1843, who was sealed to Hannah and James. They had two additional children of their own, Christian (or Christiana) Rachel Graham, born 15 June 1850, and William Benona Graham, born 24 Mar 1852, in Riverdale, Weber, UT. Christiana later married Franklin Ed Weaver, and William Benona married Margaret Hope Williams.
Christiana Gregory was born 19 Mar 1795 in Philadelphia, PA, the daughter of George Gregory and Hannah Mathews. She first married John Haines Read (Reed) 17 Feb 1819 in the county of Philadelphia. They had seven children, the first one living only six years, and the second one being Hannah Tucker Reed, my great-great grandmother. Christiana was baptized 1 Apr 1843, at the age of 48. She may have been married to James Graham on 13 Sep 1949 – needs to be verified. The record in my PAF says she was endowed 6 Sep 1852, at the age of 57. She died 22 Mar 1874, at the age of 79.
Hannah was born 10 May 1821 in Lower Eversham, Burlington, NJ.
According to the Utah Federal Census, in 1851, James had a household of 22 and a real wealth of $50, with no personal wealth. James is listed as a farmer.
In 1852, James Graham was called on a mission to Australia. In the History of the Church, it states, “Of the one hundred and eight missionaries called at a special conference of the Church held in Salt Lake City in August 1852, nine were sent to Australia.” A footnotes states, “Their names were: Augustus Farnham, William Hyde, Burr Frost, John Hyde, Josiah W. Fleming, James Graham, John S. Eldridge, Paul Smith, and Absolom P. Dowdle.” James served in Queensland, Australia. After their release, James Graham and John S. Eldridge set sail 7 Sep 1855 on the sailing vessel, JULIA ANN, for San Francisco. They were shipwrecked, but James Graham and his companion John S. Eldridge, survived the experience. (The Life and Times of James Graham, manuscript….)
Considerably more detail on the Wreck of the Julia Ann is found at http://www.famhist.com/logie/Julia%20Ann.htm.
Among the accounts of the “Wreck of the Julia Ann” are the following summaries:
The Wreck of the Julia Ann: On September 7, 1855, the American barque Julia Ann departed Australia for San Francisco with fifty-six passengers. The ship was commanded by Captain Benjamin Pond. Immigrating to Utah, twenty-eight of the passengers were Latter-day Saints, several of whom had played important roles in the history of the Church in Australia. The voyage went relatively well until October 4, when the ship hit and lodged against a coral reef. With the ship breaking apart, a member of the crew swam with a rope to the relative safety of a rock in the reef. Many of the passengers made the dangerous crossing on the rope or were providentially brought to the rock on a piece of the ship, but several people drowned. From the reef, the group managed to reach a series of uninhabited islands where they obtained fresh water and fed themselves on crabs and sea turtles. After making extensive repairs on a small quarterboat and with the aid of some nautical tools that had been saved, Captain Pond and ten crew men set out for the nearest source of help, Bora-Bora of the Society Islands. Eventually a rescue ship was secured, and sixty days after being shipwrecked, the fifty-one surviving passengers of the Julia Ann were brought to safety. The United Board of Masonic Lodges helped to care for the destitute travelers until they could make arrangements to continue their journey. Despite the tragedy, the passengers spoke well of Captain Pond and his leadership during the crisis. Remarkably, though thousands of LDS converts sailed to Zion between 1840 and 1890, the Julia Ann was the only vessel to be shipwrecked where Mormon passengers drowned. (http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/view.asp?q=98)
The Wreck of the Julia Ann: The Julia Ann made two voyages towards San Francisco from Australia. "Towards" because she didn't arrive on the second voyage; she was carrying 350 tons of Newcastle coal and 42 passengers, including 28 members of the LDS Church, and broke apart on a coral reef near the Society Islands on Oct. 3rd, 1855. When she struck the reef, the ship broke in two, the stern section lifting onto the reef and the bow falling into deep water. Five Mormons, two women and three children, died in the shipwreck, about 400 miles from Tahiti in French Polynesia. (http://www.famhist.com/logie/Wreck%20Julia%20Ann.htm)
James died 9 Dec 1857, in Ogden, Weber, UT. Rumor/report of his death by hanging (Aunt Jean)?
James married Mary Ann Butler of Newcastle County, Delaware, about 1824. They lived in Laurel Hill, Chester County, PA, from 1825 to 1837. They eventually had eleven children, the first six in Laurel Hill, Chester, PA. These six were Eliza, Ann Isabelle, Robert, George, Elenor, and Mary Elizabeth. In 1837, James and his family, along with his father Robert and his family (Robert and Christina had ten children, all born in America) moved to Hancock County, Illinois. There James and Mary Ann became interested in Mormonism and joined the Church. James was baptized 15 Nov 1845 at the age of 41. He received a patriarchal blessing at the hands of Hyrum Smith at Nauvoo on 19 Jan 1842. He was ordained a high priest and was commissioned to preach repentance. The record states that he was received into the High Priest Quorum in Nauvoo 10 Aug 1844. James and Mary Ann had five more children in Hancock County, Ill. (two in an unidentified area of the county, one in Bear Creek, and two in Nauvoo, the last one born in April 1846). These children were Margaret, James, Joseph Smith, Samuel, and Brigham.
The Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register shows that he received his washing and anointing and endowment 30 Jan 1846. In August 1846, Mary Ann died. James married Orilla Crandall either on 3 Feb 1846 or 3 Feb 1847, but they were soon divorced (no children). When the Saints were finally driven out of Nauvoo in 1847, James went with them to Utah. Nothing is known of his trek across the plains nor if any of his children went with him. On 28 Feb 1848, he married Sarah Thompson at Winter Quarters, but as far as is known, there were no children from this marriage.
Hannah Tucker Reed (love story): Hannah was born in New Jersey in 1821. Her father died when she was 11. When she was 20, she fell in love with James McCowan. They kept company for over a year and wanted to marry, but her mother did not care for James and persuaded Hannah to marry Alexander Jamison. They were married by a Baptist minister and had a son named John. When the baby was one-year-old, Hannah and her husband separated. Around this time, Hannah and her mother heard of Joseph Smith and the restored gospel and both joined the Church. Some time later, they took little John and joined other Mormons and sailed on the Ship Brooklyn around Cape Horn to California. Hannah and her mother paid their way by taking care of the Captain’s wife and her baby as well as doing washing and ironing. Hannah’s mother was blessed to be a midwife. After being in San Francisco for two years, they went to the Sacramento area near the gold mines where they found and nursed a 12-year old orphan girl named Mary Martha Donnor, one of the survivors of the Donnor Party. The doctors wanted to amputate her feet, but Hannah and her mother persuaded them hold off. They helped her learn to walk on crutches. In September, 1848, President Brigham Young called the Saints in California to come to Salt Lake, and Hannah and her mother answered the call. They wanted very much to take the little Donnor girl with them, but her only relative, an uncle, did not want her to join the Mormons. A year later, Hannah was married by Brigham Young to James Graham. (A short time later, James Graham also married Hannah’s mother who was in her 60’s.) Hannah and James had two children, a boy and a girl. After four years of marriage, James was called on a mission to Australia and became the first Mormon missionary to open up Queensland. After his two-year mission, he and his companion and other Saints boarded the ship Julia Ann for San Francisco. Another story in itself is how they survived a shipwreck in the Tahitian Islands. Unfortunately, a year after he returned safely home, James died, leaving Hannah a widow at the age of 36 with three children, living near Bear Lake in Idaho. Hannah raised her children and supported herself for the rest of her life as a midwife. When she was 75 years old, Hannah’s cousin who still lived in New Jersey met on the street one day James McCowan, Hannah’s old sweetheart. Mr. McCowan inquired if Hannah was still living. When he learned that she was a long-time widow living in Idaho, he got her address and wrote to her, then came to see her. “The spark of true love was still burning for each of them. He joined the Church and in the Fall of 1896, they were married…” 55 years after they first fell in love. They spent 8 happy years together until Hannah died at the age of 83.
Brooklyn ship summary: The voyage of the ship Brooklyn was perhaps the longest continuous sea journey of any religious outcasts in history. The Pilgrims of 1620 crossed the Atlantic, a voyage of about 3,000 miles or more, and were on the water for sixty-three days. These Pacific Pilgrims (Mormons) crossed the equator on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, went from icy Antarctic to the tropic Hawaiian Islands, and thence to California, a voyage of 24,000 miles. There were 120 Pilgrims; the Pacific Pilgrims numbered 238 souls. The two groups were alike in many respects. Each was composed predominately of young people with small children. They had dauntless courage, intrepid daring, matchless faith, and trust in God (http://www.shipbrooklyn.org/map.html). See also http://www.centerplace.org/history/misc/soc/soc38.htm.
On 9 Sep 1849 in Salt Lake City, James married for the fourth time, to Christiana Gregory, and on 13 Sep 1849, he also married and was sealed in the Endowment House, by Brigham Young, to his fifth wife, and Christiana’s daughter, Hannah Tucker Reed. Hannah’s story states that James married her first and then her mother. Hannah had had a previous marriage to Alexander Jamison on 12 Dec 1844, in New Jersey. They had one child, John Clark Reed Jamison, born 11 Oct 1843, who was sealed to Hannah and James. They had two additional children of their own, Christian (or Christiana) Rachel Graham, born 15 June 1850, and William Benona Graham, born 24 Mar 1852, in Riverdale, Weber, UT. Christiana later married Franklin Ed Weaver, and William Benona married Margaret Hope Williams.
Christiana Gregory was born 19 Mar 1795 in Philadelphia, PA, the daughter of George Gregory and Hannah Mathews. She first married John Haines Read (Reed) 17 Feb 1819 in the county of Philadelphia. They had seven children, the first one living only six years, and the second one being Hannah Tucker Reed, my great-great grandmother. Christiana was baptized 1 Apr 1843, at the age of 48. She may have been married to James Graham on 13 Sep 1949 – needs to be verified. The record in my PAF says she was endowed 6 Sep 1852, at the age of 57. She died 22 Mar 1874, at the age of 79.
Hannah was born 10 May 1821 in Lower Eversham, Burlington, NJ.
According to the Utah Federal Census, in 1851, James had a household of 22 and a real wealth of $50, with no personal wealth. James is listed as a farmer.
In 1852, James Graham was called on a mission to Australia. In the History of the Church, it states, “Of the one hundred and eight missionaries called at a special conference of the Church held in Salt Lake City in August 1852, nine were sent to Australia.” A footnotes states, “Their names were: Augustus Farnham, William Hyde, Burr Frost, John Hyde, Josiah W. Fleming, James Graham, John S. Eldridge, Paul Smith, and Absolom P. Dowdle.” James served in Queensland, Australia. After their release, James Graham and John S. Eldridge set sail 7 Sep 1855 on the sailing vessel, JULIA ANN, for San Francisco. They were shipwrecked, but James Graham and his companion John S. Eldridge, survived the experience. (The Life and Times of James Graham, manuscript….)
Considerably more detail on the Wreck of the Julia Ann is found at http://www.famhist.com/logie/Julia%20Ann.htm.
Among the accounts of the “Wreck of the Julia Ann” are the following summaries:
The Wreck of the Julia Ann: On September 7, 1855, the American barque Julia Ann departed Australia for San Francisco with fifty-six passengers. The ship was commanded by Captain Benjamin Pond. Immigrating to Utah, twenty-eight of the passengers were Latter-day Saints, several of whom had played important roles in the history of the Church in Australia. The voyage went relatively well until October 4, when the ship hit and lodged against a coral reef. With the ship breaking apart, a member of the crew swam with a rope to the relative safety of a rock in the reef. Many of the passengers made the dangerous crossing on the rope or were providentially brought to the rock on a piece of the ship, but several people drowned. From the reef, the group managed to reach a series of uninhabited islands where they obtained fresh water and fed themselves on crabs and sea turtles. After making extensive repairs on a small quarterboat and with the aid of some nautical tools that had been saved, Captain Pond and ten crew men set out for the nearest source of help, Bora-Bora of the Society Islands. Eventually a rescue ship was secured, and sixty days after being shipwrecked, the fifty-one surviving passengers of the Julia Ann were brought to safety. The United Board of Masonic Lodges helped to care for the destitute travelers until they could make arrangements to continue their journey. Despite the tragedy, the passengers spoke well of Captain Pond and his leadership during the crisis. Remarkably, though thousands of LDS converts sailed to Zion between 1840 and 1890, the Julia Ann was the only vessel to be shipwrecked where Mormon passengers drowned. (http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/view.asp?q=98)
The Wreck of the Julia Ann: The Julia Ann made two voyages towards San Francisco from Australia. "Towards" because she didn't arrive on the second voyage; she was carrying 350 tons of Newcastle coal and 42 passengers, including 28 members of the LDS Church, and broke apart on a coral reef near the Society Islands on Oct. 3rd, 1855. When she struck the reef, the ship broke in two, the stern section lifting onto the reef and the bow falling into deep water. Five Mormons, two women and three children, died in the shipwreck, about 400 miles from Tahiti in French Polynesia. (http://www.famhist.com/logie/Wreck%20Julia%20Ann.htm)
James died 9 Dec 1857, in Ogden, Weber, UT. Rumor/report of his death by hanging (Aunt Jean)?
William, Jr. and Margaret Pettigreen Hope Williams
William Williams, Jr. was born 7 Dec 1827 in Kemmeys, Commander, Monmouth, Wales, the 4th of 9 children of William Williams and Charlotte Bolton. William was baptized 17 Jan 1845, at the age of 17. Margaret Pettigreen Hope was born 19 Jan 1833 in Bristol, Gloucester, England, the only known child of Thomas Hope and Martha Harris. Margaret was baptized over five years after William was baptized, on 11 Oct 1850, also at the age of 17. They were married 7 Feb 1852, in Treventhin, Monmouthshire, Wales, when he was 24 and she was 19. They migrated to America and were endowed and sealed 3 Nov 1857 (when he was 29 and she was 24). Only Margaret Hope Williams, born 13 Sep 1855, was alive at that time. All their other children were born under the covenant. They had 9 children, 6 of which lived to full life.
Neither William nor Margaret have been sealed to their parents at this point.
Neither William nor Margaret have been sealed to their parents at this point.
Edmund Zebulon and Adelia Rider Carbine
Edmund Zebulon Carbine was born 25 Apr 1798 in Cairo, Green County, NY, the 3rd of 4 children of Zebulon Carbine and Mary Crooker, who were each 23 when he was born. Adelia Rider was born 1 Feb 1802 in Greenville, Green County, NY, the only known child of Nathaniel Rider and Julia Aner Horton, who were 27 and 20 when she was born. Edmund and Adelia were married 15 Feb 1823, in Cairo, NY, when he was 24 and she was 21. They had five children (ages 6-17), including their youngest, Willaim Van Orden Carbine, who, born 17 Feb 1835, was 6 at the time they were both baptized on 12 Dec 1841. Edmund died 30 Aug 1846 in Atchison County, MO, on the way west. Adelia became a widow at the age of 44, made it to the west, and settled in Parker, Fremont County, ID. Adelia was endowed 9 May 1856 in the Endowment House, at the age of 54, and they were sealed 10 Oct 1868 in the Endowment House. He was endowed by proxy 6 Oct 1882 in St. George. He was sealed to his parents 29 Mar 1929. She was sealed to her parents 6 Feb 1953.
Daniel Arnold and Clarissa Pond Miller
Much of the following comes from the writing of Sarah, daughter of Daniel and second wife, Hannah.
Daniel Arnold Miller was born 11 Aug 1809, in Windham (or Lexington, according to his daughter, Sarah, from a later marriage), Green County, New York, the 6th of seven children born to James Gardner Miller and Ruth Arnold. Mother Ruth died 5 Sep 1816 in New York. Father James ultimately died in Nauvoo on 27 Aug 1845, at the age of 74. Whether James ever joined the Church is not known. Daniel was a 4th generation American on his father’s side and a 7th generation American on his mother’s side.
At the age of 20, Daniel left home with his brother Henry, sister Sally, brothers James and David, and their father, and went west to Chicago with Daniel and Henry working as carpenters. From there they moved and located on Bear Creek, near Quincy, Ill., where they purchased some government land and erected and operated a steam grist and saw mill that prospered. At this place, they became acquainted with the Pond family. Both brothers ended up marrying sisters. Henry married Elmira Pond 19 Nov 1831 and Daniel married Clarissa Pond 29 Dec 1833, when he was 24 and she was three years older at 27.
Clarissa Pond, also a 7th generation American, was born 18 Jan 1806, the 6th of 13 children born to Thaddeus Pond and Louisa or Lovisa Miner. Thaddeus was born in Vermont and died in Adams County, IL on 29 Aug 1847, at the age of 77. Louisa was born in Connecticut and also died in Adams County, IL on 31 Oct 1844, at the age of 68. The Ponds and the Millers were among the locals in the Quincy area when, in Feb 1839, many Latter-day Saints, driven from Missouri, arrived at Quincy. Citizens met to adopt means for their relief. The Millers joined in the relief effort and becoming interested, investigated the Gospel, and were baptized the following Sep 1839. They all joined the Church, being baptized by Elder Able Lamb, who, with others of the Saints from Missouri had settled nearby. Just prior to their baptism, their brother James Miller died 30 Aug 1839, leaving a wife, one son, and two daughters.
We have the record that Daniel was baptized 8 Sep 1839 at the age of 30. Clarissa would have been 33 at the time of Daniel’s baptism, when she may have also been baptized (we do not have the record), which was either three days away from giving birth to daughter Susan, or one week after giving birth. At the same time, they also had three children, 4 and under. Lovisa, born 1 Oct 1834, would have been 4, almost 5. She married Milton D. Hammond, and died 11 Dec 1884. Jacob, born 9 Dec 1835, would have been 3, almost 4. He married Helen Mar Cheney. James Thaddeus, born 19 Dec 1837, would have been 1, almost 2. He was killed by Indians at Fort Limhi on 15 Feb 1859, at the age of 21. Susan Hulda, born 1 (or 11) Sep 1839, was either one week old or 3 days away from birth. Susan married William Van Orden Carbine. Two other children were born after they joined the Church. Clarissa Jane, born 1 Aug 1841, married Oscar Rice, and died 15 Feb 1896. Daniel Arnold, Jr. died at birth on 8 Oct 1843.
One unverified report says that within a year of his baptism, Daniel was made a bishop. In 1840, Nauvoo having become the center for the Saints, and following their desire to live closer to the other members of the Church, the Millers exchanged their property in Adams County for a farm property in Hancock County, 3 miles south of Carthage, the county seat, 18 miles from Nauvoo. Only a small portion of this land was under cultivation, nearly one-fourth was covered with time, which was hickory and walnut.
Henry and Daniel soon enrolled in the Nauvoo Legion and aided in building the Temple and Nauvoo House. Henry took his family up the Mississippi River to the pine country, erected a mill and with the help of others, sawed most of the lumber for the Temple and some for the Nauvoo House. When he returned, he was one of the Prophet’s guards.
They soon had most of their land under cultivation, raising mostly corn, some other grains and hay. Some fruit, large and small, was growing on the place when they got it.
Henry and Daniel were ordained high priests by either the Prophet Joseph or Hyrum Smith in November, 1840, in Nauvoo. (Their father was ordained a high priest by Henry a few days before his death on 27 Aug 1848.) Their sister, Sally, died 21 Oct 1841, unmarried. Daniel served as a missionary to Indiana in 1842, returning in the spring of 1844.
The martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum on 27 Jun 1844 caused much grief and anxiety. Henry went to Nauvoo to see what action would be taken. Daniel stayed home with his sick wife, who wept bitterly at the news of the death of Joseph and Hyrum. Her sickness continued until on 1 Sep 1844, in Carthage, IL, just three months following the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum, Clarissa died of tuberculosis, at the age of 38. Daniel was 35 years old and daughter Susan was almost to turn five. She was buried near Carthage.
Four months later, on 29 Dec 1844, Arnold married Hannah Bigler, near Carthage. They ultimately had ten children. In 1846, Daniel and Henry sold their property and in the spring of 1846, crossed the Mississippi, joined with the advance companies in the general westward ove of the Saints. They joined others in building bridges and doubling teams over the almost impossible muddy roads of Iowa.
On 24 Apr 1846, the advance reached a place on the east fork of the Grand River, 145 miles west of Nauvoo, which they named Garden Grove. After unloading their wagons and tents, the Millers and others went back with their teams to move forward the less fortunate Saints. The companies started from Sugar Creek, nine miles from Nauvoo. The advance teams were 55 days making roads and bridges, doubling teams, etc., and traveling 136 miles.
On 11 May 1846, they started on with part of the companies and on the 18th arrived at the middle fork of the Grand River, 27 miles further, where another settlement called Pasgah was established. They were delayed here a few days then moved on to the Missouri River arriving about the middle of June. Here the Millers bought some land from a Frenchman named Hildreth near Misquito (sic) Creek, later called Council Bluff, which was about 9 miles east of the river where several families temporarily located and where headquarters were made for the enrolling of the Mormon Battalion, consisting of 500 men. Four companies were enrolled during the middle of July. Col. Thomas L. Kane and Captain Allen with Brigham Young and others were present. A liberty pole flying the American Flag was the enrolling place. Many married men enrolled, leaving their families camped in wagons to be cared for by others. A number of men were selected to provide care for these families left behind by their enrolling husbands. Henry and Daniel were among those selected to provide this extra care. Some of the first log cabins erected were for the families of the Battalion volunteers. Daniel was called to serve as a bishop in Kanesville, Iowa, 1846-1847.
In the fall, after the people were housed in log cabins, President Young called them together and arranged to have a large tabernacle built for meetings, amusements, dancing, etc., to cheer the despondent, which he named a “JUBILO.” When asked what a Jubilo was, he said it was half way between a jubilee and a jubiline. With merrymaking, dancing, etc., the saints might be called a happy company of exiles.
That winter, while the snow was deep, most of the stock was taken up the river some distance, where for want of hay, soft wood trees were felled so they cold browse on the leaves and limbs.
In 1847, the Miller’s uncultivated portion of land was broken up and planted mostly in corn, and with the usual incidents to frontier life, another winter passed.
The two brothers had operated with all things in common, from their locating in Illinois, to sitting at the same table, and no questions asked as to which animals belonged to which brother, and they always stayed together in everything, until in the spring of 1848, it was arranged between them that Daniel should move west to the Great Salt Lake Valley, the place selected by the pioneers of 1847. Daniel was asked to head a wagon train going west and Henry was asked to remain and help take care of the Kanesville settlement saints.
So Daniel assisted in bringing immigrants to Utah in 1848. Most of the moving west was done by ox teams. The outfit Daniel had consisted of 4 ox teams with two yoke of oxen each and a team of horses driven by his wife Hannah, and one more horse to drive loose stock, 7 cows, a small herd of 17 sheep, 4 pigs, and 5 chickens. Daniel was made a captain of part of the company. After a very tedious journey of making roads, building bridges, ferrying wagons across rivers, losing stock and many other hardships, they arrived in Salt Lake Valley 4 Sep 1848. Daniel located on a small tributary of the North Cottonwood Creek.
In 1850, Daniel was called, in connection with the apostle George A. Smith, Thomas S. Smith, and J.S. Robinson, with 30 families, to locate a settlement in little Salt Lake Valley.
Daniel left his family at home, the farm to be cultivated by his two sons, Jacob (15) and James (13), and assisted by Milton D. Hammond (19), who also taught school there in the winter. Daniel returned from locating the settlement in the Salt Lake Valley in time to aid in getting the crops in and preparing for winter. In the fall of 1850, brother Henry Miller came to Salt Lake Valley with the mail. After a short visit, he returned to Kanesville.
In Sep 1852, Daniel was called by President Young to go back to Kanesville and bring another company west in the spring of 1853. He spent the winter visiting acquaintances and preparing the saints to move on to Utah in the spring. Daniel left Winter Quarters 9 Jun 1853 and arrived in Salt Lake City 9 Sep 1853, with an ox team of the last saints from Pottawattamie County, Iowa, consisting of 282 souls, 70 wagons, 27 horses, 480 head of cattle and 152 sheep.
Daniel and his family settled north of Salt Lake in Davis County, where he was Treasurer of Davis County, Utah. He was asked to take another wife, which he did, Eleanor (or Ellen) Williamson, whom he married on 15 Feb 1857. They had four children, followed by Ellen dying soon after the birth of her fourth. On 2 May 1858, Daniel moved to help settle Parawan, in southern Utah. Returning to Salt Lake, he and his brother ran sheep on Fremont Island.
In 1869, Daniel went east to visit his oldest sister, Susannah Wilcox, and other relatives and to gather genealogical data of his ancestors for temple work. Soon after the St. George Temple was completed, he went there with his wife, Hannah, and did temple work for his ancestors and among other work, he was sealed to his first wife, Clarissa.
Daniel and his family lived in several places, including Farmington, UT where they were asked to live the United Order, consecrating all his property, $3,871, to the Church. He dedicated his life to the doing the things the Church asked of him. He was a director of ZCMI, a farmer, and a stock raiser. (Early Settlers and Pioneers of Utah)
In 1881, Daniel’s health was poor and it was proposed for him to take a trip to Cache Valley and visit two of his daughters and other realtives who lived there. He also visited the Logan Temple that was being erected at that time, but not completed. He was taken very sick at the home of his daughter, Lovisa Hammond, at Providence, Cache County, UT, where he died 4 Dec 1881. He was a noble man, true and faithful to the Church, to his brethren, and to his God.
Daniel Arnold Miller was born 11 Aug 1809, in Windham (or Lexington, according to his daughter, Sarah, from a later marriage), Green County, New York, the 6th of seven children born to James Gardner Miller and Ruth Arnold. Mother Ruth died 5 Sep 1816 in New York. Father James ultimately died in Nauvoo on 27 Aug 1845, at the age of 74. Whether James ever joined the Church is not known. Daniel was a 4th generation American on his father’s side and a 7th generation American on his mother’s side.
At the age of 20, Daniel left home with his brother Henry, sister Sally, brothers James and David, and their father, and went west to Chicago with Daniel and Henry working as carpenters. From there they moved and located on Bear Creek, near Quincy, Ill., where they purchased some government land and erected and operated a steam grist and saw mill that prospered. At this place, they became acquainted with the Pond family. Both brothers ended up marrying sisters. Henry married Elmira Pond 19 Nov 1831 and Daniel married Clarissa Pond 29 Dec 1833, when he was 24 and she was three years older at 27.
Clarissa Pond, also a 7th generation American, was born 18 Jan 1806, the 6th of 13 children born to Thaddeus Pond and Louisa or Lovisa Miner. Thaddeus was born in Vermont and died in Adams County, IL on 29 Aug 1847, at the age of 77. Louisa was born in Connecticut and also died in Adams County, IL on 31 Oct 1844, at the age of 68. The Ponds and the Millers were among the locals in the Quincy area when, in Feb 1839, many Latter-day Saints, driven from Missouri, arrived at Quincy. Citizens met to adopt means for their relief. The Millers joined in the relief effort and becoming interested, investigated the Gospel, and were baptized the following Sep 1839. They all joined the Church, being baptized by Elder Able Lamb, who, with others of the Saints from Missouri had settled nearby. Just prior to their baptism, their brother James Miller died 30 Aug 1839, leaving a wife, one son, and two daughters.
We have the record that Daniel was baptized 8 Sep 1839 at the age of 30. Clarissa would have been 33 at the time of Daniel’s baptism, when she may have also been baptized (we do not have the record), which was either three days away from giving birth to daughter Susan, or one week after giving birth. At the same time, they also had three children, 4 and under. Lovisa, born 1 Oct 1834, would have been 4, almost 5. She married Milton D. Hammond, and died 11 Dec 1884. Jacob, born 9 Dec 1835, would have been 3, almost 4. He married Helen Mar Cheney. James Thaddeus, born 19 Dec 1837, would have been 1, almost 2. He was killed by Indians at Fort Limhi on 15 Feb 1859, at the age of 21. Susan Hulda, born 1 (or 11) Sep 1839, was either one week old or 3 days away from birth. Susan married William Van Orden Carbine. Two other children were born after they joined the Church. Clarissa Jane, born 1 Aug 1841, married Oscar Rice, and died 15 Feb 1896. Daniel Arnold, Jr. died at birth on 8 Oct 1843.
One unverified report says that within a year of his baptism, Daniel was made a bishop. In 1840, Nauvoo having become the center for the Saints, and following their desire to live closer to the other members of the Church, the Millers exchanged their property in Adams County for a farm property in Hancock County, 3 miles south of Carthage, the county seat, 18 miles from Nauvoo. Only a small portion of this land was under cultivation, nearly one-fourth was covered with time, which was hickory and walnut.
Henry and Daniel soon enrolled in the Nauvoo Legion and aided in building the Temple and Nauvoo House. Henry took his family up the Mississippi River to the pine country, erected a mill and with the help of others, sawed most of the lumber for the Temple and some for the Nauvoo House. When he returned, he was one of the Prophet’s guards.
They soon had most of their land under cultivation, raising mostly corn, some other grains and hay. Some fruit, large and small, was growing on the place when they got it.
Henry and Daniel were ordained high priests by either the Prophet Joseph or Hyrum Smith in November, 1840, in Nauvoo. (Their father was ordained a high priest by Henry a few days before his death on 27 Aug 1848.) Their sister, Sally, died 21 Oct 1841, unmarried. Daniel served as a missionary to Indiana in 1842, returning in the spring of 1844.
The martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum on 27 Jun 1844 caused much grief and anxiety. Henry went to Nauvoo to see what action would be taken. Daniel stayed home with his sick wife, who wept bitterly at the news of the death of Joseph and Hyrum. Her sickness continued until on 1 Sep 1844, in Carthage, IL, just three months following the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum, Clarissa died of tuberculosis, at the age of 38. Daniel was 35 years old and daughter Susan was almost to turn five. She was buried near Carthage.
Four months later, on 29 Dec 1844, Arnold married Hannah Bigler, near Carthage. They ultimately had ten children. In 1846, Daniel and Henry sold their property and in the spring of 1846, crossed the Mississippi, joined with the advance companies in the general westward ove of the Saints. They joined others in building bridges and doubling teams over the almost impossible muddy roads of Iowa.
On 24 Apr 1846, the advance reached a place on the east fork of the Grand River, 145 miles west of Nauvoo, which they named Garden Grove. After unloading their wagons and tents, the Millers and others went back with their teams to move forward the less fortunate Saints. The companies started from Sugar Creek, nine miles from Nauvoo. The advance teams were 55 days making roads and bridges, doubling teams, etc., and traveling 136 miles.
On 11 May 1846, they started on with part of the companies and on the 18th arrived at the middle fork of the Grand River, 27 miles further, where another settlement called Pasgah was established. They were delayed here a few days then moved on to the Missouri River arriving about the middle of June. Here the Millers bought some land from a Frenchman named Hildreth near Misquito (sic) Creek, later called Council Bluff, which was about 9 miles east of the river where several families temporarily located and where headquarters were made for the enrolling of the Mormon Battalion, consisting of 500 men. Four companies were enrolled during the middle of July. Col. Thomas L. Kane and Captain Allen with Brigham Young and others were present. A liberty pole flying the American Flag was the enrolling place. Many married men enrolled, leaving their families camped in wagons to be cared for by others. A number of men were selected to provide care for these families left behind by their enrolling husbands. Henry and Daniel were among those selected to provide this extra care. Some of the first log cabins erected were for the families of the Battalion volunteers. Daniel was called to serve as a bishop in Kanesville, Iowa, 1846-1847.
In the fall, after the people were housed in log cabins, President Young called them together and arranged to have a large tabernacle built for meetings, amusements, dancing, etc., to cheer the despondent, which he named a “JUBILO.” When asked what a Jubilo was, he said it was half way between a jubilee and a jubiline. With merrymaking, dancing, etc., the saints might be called a happy company of exiles.
That winter, while the snow was deep, most of the stock was taken up the river some distance, where for want of hay, soft wood trees were felled so they cold browse on the leaves and limbs.
In 1847, the Miller’s uncultivated portion of land was broken up and planted mostly in corn, and with the usual incidents to frontier life, another winter passed.
The two brothers had operated with all things in common, from their locating in Illinois, to sitting at the same table, and no questions asked as to which animals belonged to which brother, and they always stayed together in everything, until in the spring of 1848, it was arranged between them that Daniel should move west to the Great Salt Lake Valley, the place selected by the pioneers of 1847. Daniel was asked to head a wagon train going west and Henry was asked to remain and help take care of the Kanesville settlement saints.
So Daniel assisted in bringing immigrants to Utah in 1848. Most of the moving west was done by ox teams. The outfit Daniel had consisted of 4 ox teams with two yoke of oxen each and a team of horses driven by his wife Hannah, and one more horse to drive loose stock, 7 cows, a small herd of 17 sheep, 4 pigs, and 5 chickens. Daniel was made a captain of part of the company. After a very tedious journey of making roads, building bridges, ferrying wagons across rivers, losing stock and many other hardships, they arrived in Salt Lake Valley 4 Sep 1848. Daniel located on a small tributary of the North Cottonwood Creek.
In 1850, Daniel was called, in connection with the apostle George A. Smith, Thomas S. Smith, and J.S. Robinson, with 30 families, to locate a settlement in little Salt Lake Valley.
Daniel left his family at home, the farm to be cultivated by his two sons, Jacob (15) and James (13), and assisted by Milton D. Hammond (19), who also taught school there in the winter. Daniel returned from locating the settlement in the Salt Lake Valley in time to aid in getting the crops in and preparing for winter. In the fall of 1850, brother Henry Miller came to Salt Lake Valley with the mail. After a short visit, he returned to Kanesville.
In Sep 1852, Daniel was called by President Young to go back to Kanesville and bring another company west in the spring of 1853. He spent the winter visiting acquaintances and preparing the saints to move on to Utah in the spring. Daniel left Winter Quarters 9 Jun 1853 and arrived in Salt Lake City 9 Sep 1853, with an ox team of the last saints from Pottawattamie County, Iowa, consisting of 282 souls, 70 wagons, 27 horses, 480 head of cattle and 152 sheep.
Daniel and his family settled north of Salt Lake in Davis County, where he was Treasurer of Davis County, Utah. He was asked to take another wife, which he did, Eleanor (or Ellen) Williamson, whom he married on 15 Feb 1857. They had four children, followed by Ellen dying soon after the birth of her fourth. On 2 May 1858, Daniel moved to help settle Parawan, in southern Utah. Returning to Salt Lake, he and his brother ran sheep on Fremont Island.
In 1869, Daniel went east to visit his oldest sister, Susannah Wilcox, and other relatives and to gather genealogical data of his ancestors for temple work. Soon after the St. George Temple was completed, he went there with his wife, Hannah, and did temple work for his ancestors and among other work, he was sealed to his first wife, Clarissa.
Daniel and his family lived in several places, including Farmington, UT where they were asked to live the United Order, consecrating all his property, $3,871, to the Church. He dedicated his life to the doing the things the Church asked of him. He was a director of ZCMI, a farmer, and a stock raiser. (Early Settlers and Pioneers of Utah)
In 1881, Daniel’s health was poor and it was proposed for him to take a trip to Cache Valley and visit two of his daughters and other realtives who lived there. He also visited the Logan Temple that was being erected at that time, but not completed. He was taken very sick at the home of his daughter, Lovisa Hammond, at Providence, Cache County, UT, where he died 4 Dec 1881. He was a noble man, true and faithful to the Church, to his brethren, and to his God.
John and Eliza Roberts Cox
John Cox was born 8 Aug 1810, in Deerhurst, Gloucester, England, the second of nine children born to William Cox (1777-20 Mar 1828) and Elizabeth Turner (1780-28 Feb 1848). Eliza Roberts was born Jun 1816, in Deerhurst, Gloucester, England, the 16th of 18 children born to Samuel Roberts (3 Sep 1775-27 Feb 1859) and Mary Margrate (7 Apr 1774-3 Dec 1840). Eliza’s older brother, Levi Roberts (10 May 1810-22 Jan 1894), six years older than Eliza, also joined the Church. A brother, Robert Roberts (26 Feb 1815, the same day Levi was christened), one year older than Eliza, was apparently baptized in 1840. I have no indication that others in the family joined the Church, but their proxy work appears to have been done.
John and Eliza were married 1 Mar 1836, in Deerhurst, Gloucester, England, when he was 25 and she was 19. At the time of their marriage, John was serving as a parson in the Church of England. Two years later, 1 Jun 1838, she, at least, was baptized, at the age of 22. He apparently was baptized 1 Jun 1839 in England (not in the LG Temple as indicated on my PAF), at the age of 28. Since June 1 is the date of their two baptisms, one year apart (according to my PAF), I suppose there is a possibility, they were actually baptized at the same time. This needs to be verified.
My PAF has conflicting information on the births of their children. They apparently had 20 children, the oldest, Elizabeth, born 4 May 1837, which would have been before their baptism, but the record says she was born in Nauvoo. Ann, born 10 Nov 1838, and John born about 1839, shown being born in Deerhurst, England, may have died young, as perhaps was the case with at least another four children.
At any rate, they migrated to America and by February, 1842, were residing in Nauvoo. He was ordained in 1845. In 1846, they fled Nauvoo for the west. He served in the Mormon Battalion as a Private in Company E, enlisting 16 July 1846, at Council Bluffs, IA, at the age of 35. Eliza’s older brother, Levi Roberts, also enlisted in the Mormon Battalion.
They marched to For Leavenworth, where John designated four dollars to be sent to his family in Council Bluffs (Journal History, 21 August 1846). John and Levi proceeded with the Battalion until they were discharged 16 July 1847, at Ciudad de los Angeles.
John remained in California after his discharge. On 1 May 1848 he donated twenty dollars toward the purchase of two brass cannons from John A. Sutter for the Church (Journal History, 1 May 1848). Eliza claimed that he delayed his return to his family. She swore she was “disabled by reason of hysteric fits” caused by an unfounded rumor of her husband’s death (Pension File). When John did return for Eliza, he was appointed a captain of ten in Titus Billings’ company in 1848 (Journal History, 8 June 1848).
After Eliza and John arrived in Utah, they settled in Weber County, where on 24 July 1854, he gave the benediction at an evening meeting (Deseret News, 3 August 1854). They remained in Weber until 1867. During his years there, he served as a high priest, a counselor, and a teacher (Esshom, Pioneers).
He subsequently moved and became a farmer and teacher in Oxford, Cache County, Utah. Altogether, they had twenty children, the first being Elizabeth Cox, whom my PAF says was born 4 May 1837, in Nauvoo, IL, which is obviously incorrect. Records need to be cleared up.
My great-great grandmother, and the wife of Squire Hepworth, was their 14th child, Margaret Ellen Cox, born 29 Mar 1855, either in Granstville, Tooele, UT, or Weber, Weber, UT.
I have a photocopy photo of John Cox as listed in Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah—1847. He was an early settler at Oxford, Idaho. He died 1 Apr 1878 at Oxford, at the age of 67. A USMB marker has been placed on his gravesite in Oxford, Bingham County, Idaho.
John and Eliza were endowed and sealed to each other 20 Dec 1867, when he as 57 and she was 51. He lived another 10 years and died in Oxford, ID, 1 Apr 1878, at the age of 67. She lived those 10 years, plus another 12 years as a widow, dying in Oxford, ID, in 1890, at the age of 74. She was sealed to her parents by proxy 21 Aug 1969 in Salt Lake Temple. He was sealed to his parents by proxy 7 Nov 1969.
John and Eliza were married 1 Mar 1836, in Deerhurst, Gloucester, England, when he was 25 and she was 19. At the time of their marriage, John was serving as a parson in the Church of England. Two years later, 1 Jun 1838, she, at least, was baptized, at the age of 22. He apparently was baptized 1 Jun 1839 in England (not in the LG Temple as indicated on my PAF), at the age of 28. Since June 1 is the date of their two baptisms, one year apart (according to my PAF), I suppose there is a possibility, they were actually baptized at the same time. This needs to be verified.
My PAF has conflicting information on the births of their children. They apparently had 20 children, the oldest, Elizabeth, born 4 May 1837, which would have been before their baptism, but the record says she was born in Nauvoo. Ann, born 10 Nov 1838, and John born about 1839, shown being born in Deerhurst, England, may have died young, as perhaps was the case with at least another four children.
At any rate, they migrated to America and by February, 1842, were residing in Nauvoo. He was ordained in 1845. In 1846, they fled Nauvoo for the west. He served in the Mormon Battalion as a Private in Company E, enlisting 16 July 1846, at Council Bluffs, IA, at the age of 35. Eliza’s older brother, Levi Roberts, also enlisted in the Mormon Battalion.
They marched to For Leavenworth, where John designated four dollars to be sent to his family in Council Bluffs (Journal History, 21 August 1846). John and Levi proceeded with the Battalion until they were discharged 16 July 1847, at Ciudad de los Angeles.
John remained in California after his discharge. On 1 May 1848 he donated twenty dollars toward the purchase of two brass cannons from John A. Sutter for the Church (Journal History, 1 May 1848). Eliza claimed that he delayed his return to his family. She swore she was “disabled by reason of hysteric fits” caused by an unfounded rumor of her husband’s death (Pension File). When John did return for Eliza, he was appointed a captain of ten in Titus Billings’ company in 1848 (Journal History, 8 June 1848).
After Eliza and John arrived in Utah, they settled in Weber County, where on 24 July 1854, he gave the benediction at an evening meeting (Deseret News, 3 August 1854). They remained in Weber until 1867. During his years there, he served as a high priest, a counselor, and a teacher (Esshom, Pioneers).
He subsequently moved and became a farmer and teacher in Oxford, Cache County, Utah. Altogether, they had twenty children, the first being Elizabeth Cox, whom my PAF says was born 4 May 1837, in Nauvoo, IL, which is obviously incorrect. Records need to be cleared up.
My great-great grandmother, and the wife of Squire Hepworth, was their 14th child, Margaret Ellen Cox, born 29 Mar 1855, either in Granstville, Tooele, UT, or Weber, Weber, UT.
I have a photocopy photo of John Cox as listed in Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah—1847. He was an early settler at Oxford, Idaho. He died 1 Apr 1878 at Oxford, at the age of 67. A USMB marker has been placed on his gravesite in Oxford, Bingham County, Idaho.
John and Eliza were endowed and sealed to each other 20 Dec 1867, when he as 57 and she was 51. He lived another 10 years and died in Oxford, ID, 1 Apr 1878, at the age of 67. She lived those 10 years, plus another 12 years as a widow, dying in Oxford, ID, in 1890, at the age of 74. She was sealed to her parents by proxy 21 Aug 1969 in Salt Lake Temple. He was sealed to his parents by proxy 7 Nov 1969.
Josiah Wilson and Pernecia Lee (Adair) Hawkins
Josiah is the first of my “first convert” ancestors to join the Church as a single adult, but he was married before the end of the year, eleven months later.
Josiah Wilson Hawkins, son and oldest child of eleven of William Carroll Hawkins (who left North Carolina, went to Kentucky where he married Jane Wilson, then died in Missouri) and Jane Wilson (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri), was the born 5 Jan 1815, in Adair County, Kentucky. Pernecia Lee (Adair), daughter and oldest child of eleven of John Adair or Lee (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri) and Polly Bearden (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri).
Josiah was baptized on New Year’s Day, 1 Jan 1835, at the age of 19, just four days before turning 20. Josiah and Pernecia were married 3 Dec 1835 in Clinton County, Illinois, when Josiah was 20 and Pernecia was 16. After five years of marriage, Pernecia died 12 Dec 1840 in Clinton County, Illinois, after giving birth to their third child, Eliza Jan Hawkins, who died two days earlier 10 Dec 1840. Polly Ann Matilda, born 1838, died in 1843, age 4 or 5. Only their first child, William Carroll Hawkins, born 4 Nov 1836, in Hanover, Clinton, Illinois, survived, making it with his father to Utah and then Idaho, marrying Nancy Ann Brown (?) and Henrietta Catharina Clementina Germer 9 Feb 1859, at the age of 23, having eight children with her, and finally passing away at the age of 69 in Pocatello, ID.
Josiah was endowed 10 Dec 1864 at the age of 49. He died 9 Mar 1889, in March Center, Bannock, ID. He was sealed by proxy to parents 5 Dec 1969 and to spouse 13 Apr 1970, in the Logan Temple. We presume that Pernecia had been baptized, before or after marrying Josiah, but I have no record of it. She was baptized and endowed by proxy on 22 Mar 1906, sealed to parents 13 Oct 1960, and sealed to spouse 13 Apr 1970.
My PAF shows a fourth child of Josiah, William Jackson Wilson, born 12 Nov 1877, in Taswell, Crawford, IN, and dying 2 May 1937 in Frenchlick, Orange, IN. This is likely an error, since Josiah would have been 62 and living in Idaho. This needs to be researched and settled.
Josiah Wilson Hawkins, son and oldest child of eleven of William Carroll Hawkins (who left North Carolina, went to Kentucky where he married Jane Wilson, then died in Missouri) and Jane Wilson (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri), was the born 5 Jan 1815, in Adair County, Kentucky. Pernecia Lee (Adair), daughter and oldest child of eleven of John Adair or Lee (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri) and Polly Bearden (born in Kentucky, died in Missouri).
Josiah was baptized on New Year’s Day, 1 Jan 1835, at the age of 19, just four days before turning 20. Josiah and Pernecia were married 3 Dec 1835 in Clinton County, Illinois, when Josiah was 20 and Pernecia was 16. After five years of marriage, Pernecia died 12 Dec 1840 in Clinton County, Illinois, after giving birth to their third child, Eliza Jan Hawkins, who died two days earlier 10 Dec 1840. Polly Ann Matilda, born 1838, died in 1843, age 4 or 5. Only their first child, William Carroll Hawkins, born 4 Nov 1836, in Hanover, Clinton, Illinois, survived, making it with his father to Utah and then Idaho, marrying Nancy Ann Brown (?) and Henrietta Catharina Clementina Germer 9 Feb 1859, at the age of 23, having eight children with her, and finally passing away at the age of 69 in Pocatello, ID.
Josiah was endowed 10 Dec 1864 at the age of 49. He died 9 Mar 1889, in March Center, Bannock, ID. He was sealed by proxy to parents 5 Dec 1969 and to spouse 13 Apr 1970, in the Logan Temple. We presume that Pernecia had been baptized, before or after marrying Josiah, but I have no record of it. She was baptized and endowed by proxy on 22 Mar 1906, sealed to parents 13 Oct 1960, and sealed to spouse 13 Apr 1970.
My PAF shows a fourth child of Josiah, William Jackson Wilson, born 12 Nov 1877, in Taswell, Crawford, IN, and dying 2 May 1937 in Frenchlick, Orange, IN. This is likely an error, since Josiah would have been 62 and living in Idaho. This needs to be researched and settled.
Welcome Chapman and Susan Amelia Risley Chapman
It is possible that Welcome and Orrin Porter Rockwell were fairly close. Since much has been written on Brother Rockwell, check those sources.
Grandpa Welcome, The Friend/December 1993
by Myrna Hoyt, based on a history written by the author’s grandmother
(edited by Scott Hepworth)
Welcome Chapman, sixth generation American, was born 24 July 1805 in Reedsboro, Bennington, Vermont, the fifth of nineteen children born to Benjamin and Sibyl Amidon Chapman. Earliest known American ancestors were born in the late 1500’s and early 1600s. I do not know for sure when Welcome was baptized, but while still a young man, Welcome heard rumors of a Joseph Smith, who was living in western New York, and who claimed to have a golden book that was given to him by an angel, and to have had visions and revelations. He also claimed that he had seen Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. He said that They had instructed him to organize a new church.
After thinking a lot about it, Welcome decided to find out for himself whether what he’d heard was true. The article in The Friend says, “Against the wishes of his parents, he saddled his horse and rode two hundred miles to New York. When he found the Prophet Joseph Smith, he discovered that they were about the same age. Welcome heard a complete account of all that had happened to Joseph, including how he obtained and translated the records on the golden plates, and was very much impressed with the Prophet and his wonderful experiences. He stayed two weeks at the home of the Prophet, learning all he could of the gospel. Convinced that this was the true religion, Welcome was baptized.” If this occurred before he married, it is possible it may have been as early as 1830, when he was 25.
At age 26, he married Susan Amelia Risley in 1831 in Madison, Madison, New York. Susan was born 24 August 1807 in Madison, Madison, New York, the 4th of 12 children born to Elizur and Amelia Matson Risley. Susan was a 7th generation American. Her ancestors had arrived in the 1630s from England.
According to Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, p. 540, Susan learned to sew, knit, tat, embroider, and weave cloth on a loom. She could card, spin wool, and flax, braid and make hat cut out. According to PW of F&F, she was married to Welcome in 1832. Their first children were twins who died shortly after birth. Then another daughter was born to them. Shortly after, the Chapman’s heard about the Church of Jesus Christ and were baptized, which would put their baptism possibly as late as 1834.
Because of his activities in the Church and the esteem Joseph Smith had for him, he was made one of the prophet’s bodyguards.
One time while he was away on guard duty, a mob went to their home and told his wife that if there was anything in the house that she wanted, to get it out before they burned the house down. Sick at heart, she got everything out while the mob looked on. The cupboard was so heavy that she couldn’t move it alone, so one of the men helped her get it out. Then, while she and the children watched, the mobbers burned the house to the ground.
They joined with the Saints in Nauvoo, hoping for safety there, but the persecution soon began again. Welcome and his family passed through many of the trials, persecutions, and other hardships that fell upon the Church and its members at that time.
Welcome was a stonecutter, so when he was living in Kirtland, he was called to cut stone for the Kirtland Temple. Later, when the Saints were building the Nauvoo Temple, he cut stone for it. And it was in the Nauvoo Temple that many Saints, including Welcome, received their endowments.
The Saints were driven out of Nauvoo in the early spring of 1846, and they began their long trek westward. After they crossed the Mississippi River, they settled for a time in Garden Grove. Welcome and his family spent the first winter at Winter Quarters. That next spring, Welcome was appointed captain over the fourth company, which arrived at Salt Lake in the late summer of 1847. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and found many in need of the seed they had brought with them, and they were happy to share, keeping only enough to have seed the next spring.
In 1849, Chief Walker Ute Indian chief, met in council with President Brigham Young. He requested the Mormon leader to send colonists to settle on their land. Welcome and his family went to help settle the town of Manti in the Sanpete Valley.
On July 27, 1854, Welcome was sustained as the Manti Stake President. That afternoon, as they were baptizing some settlers who had been converted, a large crowd gathered. Among them was Chief Walker and many of his people. Welcome asked the chief is any of his people would like to be baptized. The chief replied that he did not know but would ask them. That day many Indians were baptized there.
Susan was called as the first president of the Relief Society of Manti. She was skilled in the use of herbs, roots, bark, and medicine and her services were in demand. She was always willing to help in cases of sickness and acted as a mid-wife for many years. She even helped bring some of her own grandchildren into the world.
After serving as Manti Stake President for eight years, Welcome was called by President Young on a mission to cut stone for the Salt Lake Temple, which he did until he was seventy-five years old.
Susan died in Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah, at the age of 81, on 18 Feb 1888. Five years later, Welcome died 9 Dec 1893, at the age of 88 also in Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah.
Grandpa Welcome, The Friend/December 1993
by Myrna Hoyt, based on a history written by the author’s grandmother
(edited by Scott Hepworth)
Welcome Chapman, sixth generation American, was born 24 July 1805 in Reedsboro, Bennington, Vermont, the fifth of nineteen children born to Benjamin and Sibyl Amidon Chapman. Earliest known American ancestors were born in the late 1500’s and early 1600s. I do not know for sure when Welcome was baptized, but while still a young man, Welcome heard rumors of a Joseph Smith, who was living in western New York, and who claimed to have a golden book that was given to him by an angel, and to have had visions and revelations. He also claimed that he had seen Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. He said that They had instructed him to organize a new church.
After thinking a lot about it, Welcome decided to find out for himself whether what he’d heard was true. The article in The Friend says, “Against the wishes of his parents, he saddled his horse and rode two hundred miles to New York. When he found the Prophet Joseph Smith, he discovered that they were about the same age. Welcome heard a complete account of all that had happened to Joseph, including how he obtained and translated the records on the golden plates, and was very much impressed with the Prophet and his wonderful experiences. He stayed two weeks at the home of the Prophet, learning all he could of the gospel. Convinced that this was the true religion, Welcome was baptized.” If this occurred before he married, it is possible it may have been as early as 1830, when he was 25.
At age 26, he married Susan Amelia Risley in 1831 in Madison, Madison, New York. Susan was born 24 August 1807 in Madison, Madison, New York, the 4th of 12 children born to Elizur and Amelia Matson Risley. Susan was a 7th generation American. Her ancestors had arrived in the 1630s from England.
According to Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, p. 540, Susan learned to sew, knit, tat, embroider, and weave cloth on a loom. She could card, spin wool, and flax, braid and make hat cut out. According to PW of F&F, she was married to Welcome in 1832. Their first children were twins who died shortly after birth. Then another daughter was born to them. Shortly after, the Chapman’s heard about the Church of Jesus Christ and were baptized, which would put their baptism possibly as late as 1834.
Because of his activities in the Church and the esteem Joseph Smith had for him, he was made one of the prophet’s bodyguards.
One time while he was away on guard duty, a mob went to their home and told his wife that if there was anything in the house that she wanted, to get it out before they burned the house down. Sick at heart, she got everything out while the mob looked on. The cupboard was so heavy that she couldn’t move it alone, so one of the men helped her get it out. Then, while she and the children watched, the mobbers burned the house to the ground.
They joined with the Saints in Nauvoo, hoping for safety there, but the persecution soon began again. Welcome and his family passed through many of the trials, persecutions, and other hardships that fell upon the Church and its members at that time.
Welcome was a stonecutter, so when he was living in Kirtland, he was called to cut stone for the Kirtland Temple. Later, when the Saints were building the Nauvoo Temple, he cut stone for it. And it was in the Nauvoo Temple that many Saints, including Welcome, received their endowments.
The Saints were driven out of Nauvoo in the early spring of 1846, and they began their long trek westward. After they crossed the Mississippi River, they settled for a time in Garden Grove. Welcome and his family spent the first winter at Winter Quarters. That next spring, Welcome was appointed captain over the fourth company, which arrived at Salt Lake in the late summer of 1847. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and found many in need of the seed they had brought with them, and they were happy to share, keeping only enough to have seed the next spring.
In 1849, Chief Walker Ute Indian chief, met in council with President Brigham Young. He requested the Mormon leader to send colonists to settle on their land. Welcome and his family went to help settle the town of Manti in the Sanpete Valley.
On July 27, 1854, Welcome was sustained as the Manti Stake President. That afternoon, as they were baptizing some settlers who had been converted, a large crowd gathered. Among them was Chief Walker and many of his people. Welcome asked the chief is any of his people would like to be baptized. The chief replied that he did not know but would ask them. That day many Indians were baptized there.
Susan was called as the first president of the Relief Society of Manti. She was skilled in the use of herbs, roots, bark, and medicine and her services were in demand. She was always willing to help in cases of sickness and acted as a mid-wife for many years. She even helped bring some of her own grandchildren into the world.
After serving as Manti Stake President for eight years, Welcome was called by President Young on a mission to cut stone for the Salt Lake Temple, which he did until he was seventy-five years old.
Susan died in Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah, at the age of 81, on 18 Feb 1888. Five years later, Welcome died 9 Dec 1893, at the age of 88 also in Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah.
Edmund and Magdalene (Lana) Pickle Durfee
Special thanks to William G. Hartley, Provo, UT, for his Nov. 1995 document titled, The Murder of Edmund Durfee, prepared for Albert and Tamma Durfee Miner Family Organization)
Edmund Durfee (sometimes spelled Durphy) was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, on 3 Oct 1788, a fifth-generation descendent of Thomas Durfee, an English immigrant to Rhode Island. Other ancestors were America pilgrims born in the late 1500’s and early 1600s. Edmund’s parents were Perry and Annie Salisbury Durfee. (Of biographical sketches circulating among descendents, the one most relied on is Dora D. Flack, “Edmund and Magdalena Pickle Durfee,” a typescript written in 1955. Use details are found in “Tamma Durfee Miner.”)
Edmund was seventeen when his father died. The next year, Edmund’s grandparents, James and Ann Durfee, moved from Tiverton to New York state and took with them Edmund and his brother, Jabez, James, and Perry. They settled in Broadalbin, Montgomery (now Fulton) County. In 1810, Edmund moved to Madison County, a bit farther west. There, he married Magdalena Pickle.
Magdalena’s ancestors had immigrated from Germany and Prussia to America and had lived in Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, New York. Magdalena was born on 6 June 1788, in Stone Arabia, New York, a daughter of John and Dolly Pickle. In 1790, her family moved to Lincoln, New York, where she grew to young adulthood. She met and married Edmund in Tiverton, Newport County, Rhode Island.
Edmund and Lana, as she was called, made their home in Lennox, Madison County, New York, where six children were born to them by 1820. About the year 1822, Edmund and Lana moved their family to Amboy, in Oswego County, New York, where they lived for the next eight years. They bought land, built a home, farmed, tapped a large stand of maple trees, and Edmund worked in the area as a carpenter and millright. Lana tapped the abundant Maple trees and made maple syrup.
Four more children were born into the family there, and two in Williamstown, New York. Their last child would be born in Ohio in 1835. (Sharon Beeson, “Edmond Durfee and Magdalena Pickle,” in Sharon Beeson, Ed., Edmond Franklin and Nancy Ellen Durfee, N.p.: Durfee Family Organization, 1991, 1-4; other branches of the family and early LDS records spell his name Edmund, not Edmond.)
Edmund and Lana’s children, their birthdates, marriage dates, and spouse names, and year of death are:
Martha was born in 1811, married Lyman Stevens in 1836, and died in 1874.
Tamma was born in 1813, married Albert Miner in 1831, and died in 1885.
Edmund, Jr. was born in 1814, married Caroline Eliza Clark sometime, and died in 1861.
Dolly was born in 1816, married David Gardner in 1842, and died in 1885.
John was born in 1818, married Sarah Ann Wilcox sometime, and died in 1850.
Lana was born in 1820, married William Davis Dudley in 1838, and died in 1896.
William was born in 1822 and died in 1850.
Ephraim was born in 1824 and died in 1825.
Abraham was born in 1826, married Ursula Curtis sometime, and died in 1862+.
Henry was born in 1827 and died in 1827.
Jabez ws born in 1828, married Celestia Curtis in 1850, and died in 1883.
Mary was born in 1830, married Dominicus Carter in 1844, and died in 1885.
Nephi was born in 1835, married Amanda Thomas in 1857, and died in 1880.
New lands farther west attracted Edmund, and in June 1830, he sold his property and moved his family from New York state. Traveling via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, they sailed on Lake Erie and landed near Cleveland. In the township of Ruggles in Huron County (now Ashland County), about sixty miles southwest of Cleveland, they bought property and settled.
Religiously, the Durfees were Methodists and Campbellites, according to daughter Tamma. (Edmund and Lana’s daughter, Tamma, who later married Albert Miner, wrote an autobiographical sketch in 1880, “Tamma Durfee Miner.” Copies of it widely circulate among her descendents and one is filed in the LDS Church Historical Department Archives, cited hereafter, as LDSHD.)
During the Durfee’s first winter in Ohio, missionaries representing Mormonism, a new faith not yet a year old, won converts in the Kirtland area just east of Cleveland. By early 1831, founding Prophet Smith moved his followers from New York to Kirtland. From Kirtland, missionaries fanned out across northern Ohio. Two came to the Durfee’s neighborhood, Simeon Carter and Solomon Hancock, and converted the Durfees to Mormonism. (Solomon Hancock was born Aug. 15, 1794, in Maine, a son of Thomas Hancock and Amy Ward. His better-known brother, Levi Ward Hancock, became an LDS General Authority. Levi was nine years younger than Solomon. Solomon married Alta Adams in 1815, and he remarried in 1836 to Phoebe Adams. Solomon died near Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 2 Dec 1847. Simeon Carter was born on 7 June 1794 in Vermont or Connecticut, the son of Gideon Carter and Johannah Sims. In 1818, he married Lydia Kenyon.)
Edmund was baptized on 15 May 1831, by Simeon Carter and Lana on June 1, by Solomon Hancock. Children Martha and Edmund were baptized the same day as their mother. Daughter Tamma waited until after she married Albert Miner in August. Edmund was ordained an elder soon after his baptism. That fall, Edmund was listed as one of the local elders attending a major Mormon conference held in Orange, southeast of Cleveland. During the conference, he was ordained a high priest. (Minutes of a General conference of the Church at the dwelling of Brother Serenes Burnett in the town of Orange, Cayahoga County, Ohio,” in LDS Journal History of the Church, 25 Oct 1831.)
That December, 1831, he left home to do missionary work, leaving Lana alone with their family. He accompanied Elder Joseph B. Brackenbury on a mission to Chautauqua County, New York. They converted several before Elder Brackenbury became ill and died on 7 Jan 1832, apparently from being poisoned by opposers of Mormonism. (Journal History, Dec. 31, 1831, History of the Church, 7:523-524.)
In the spring of 1832, Edmund, with nine other converts, went to new Mormon settlements in Jackson County, Missouri, to put in grain and build houses, and then returned home. That fall he left home to go out proselyting as a missionary once again in New York. In May, 1833, he and his family moved into Kirtland, Ohio, and he was one of the twenty-four elders who laid the cornerstones of the Kirtland Temple. (Milton V. Backman, Jr., The Heavens Resound: A History of the Latter-day Saints in Ohio, 1830-1838, SLC, Deseret Book Company, 1983, p. 149.)
At a meeting on 7 Mar 1835, Joseph Smith noted down the names of all those who had assisted to build the Kirtland Temple, and then, those workmen present received blessings under the hand of Joseph Smith’s counselor, Sidney Rigdon. Edmund Durfee was one of them. (HC, 2:206.)
In 1837, the Durfees moved to Caldwell County, Missouri, and settled at Log Creek, six miles south of Far West. Inn 1838-1839, they were expelled from Missouri with the Saints. Edmund’s namesake son signed a petition, seeking redress for losses his own family suffered when forced out of Missouri. His petition is illustrative of one type of loss out of many suffered by LDS families, including his parents.
I Edmund Durphy, Jun., solemnly declare that sometime in October in year of our
Lord One Thousand eight Hundred and thirty eight the Militia under the command of Generals Lucas Willson & Clark took possession of a house belonging to Uriah B Powell contrary to his wishes likewise that they the said militia burned timber belong to me that I moved in to the Citty Far West for a dwelling House.
Forced from Missouri by orders of the state’s governor, Lilburn Boggs, the Mormons headed east for the Mississippi River and crossed into Illinois for safety. Edmund and Lana settled in Yelrome, or Morley’s Settlement, Hancock County, Illinois, 23 miles south of where Nauvoo soon sprang into existence. (Ibid., 7:523-524).
Surrounding Nauvoo, which served like a hub, there grew up a ring of LDS branches in nearby towns or in solidly LDS settlements. Morley’s Settlement, also known at the time as Yelrome (Morley spelled backwards), and sometimes called Lima, stretched out near Hancock County’s southern line, shared with Adams County, Ill, a little south and west of present Tioga. When two Mormons, Isaac Morley and Titus Billings, made plans to settle there in early March, 1839, only one partial building stood in the area. That spring, many Mormon refuges from Missouri settled in the area, bought or rented land, and started farming. (Richard H. Morley, “The Life and Contributions of Isaac Morley,” (Master thesis, BYU, 1965, pp. 75-77, subsequently referred to as “Morley.”)
Apparently, the Durfees lived near the Hancock family---Solomon was one of the elders who converted Edmund and Lana back in 1831. Their area was sometimes referred to as the Hancock Settlement (within Morley’s Settlement). Another Mormon cluster was centered at Lima, within three miles of Morley’s Settlement, and just across the county line in Adams County. Church authorities in Nauvoo organized these two settlements into a single branch which became a stake, the Lima Stake. (Andrew Jenson, Encyclopedic History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p. 434.)
Lima existed before the Mormons arrived, and from the ranks of settlers already there came several anti-Mormon activists by 1844. Five miles north of Morley’s Settlement was a non-Mormon district, Green Plains, which became a staging place for raids against the Mormons. Warsaw, which became a hotbed of anti-Mormon activity leading to the murders of Joseph and Hyrum in 1844, was just ten miles northwest of the Durfees, and Carthage was seventeen miles northeast.
The Durfees lived in a community of practicing religionists, with Church meeting and weeknight prayer meetings held regularly. Church authorities often visited and preached there. Saints were the urged to donate money and materials for the building of the Nauvoo Temple. They participated in baptisms for the dead, apparently in Nauvoo. Branch records record that on 7 Nov 1840, Edmund and Lana Durfee, along with Albert Miner and five others, were baptized for the dead in behalf of people they once knew. A week later, Edmund and Lana were again baptized as proxies for deceased people. Some Saints in Yelrome were taught the not-publicly-announced doctrine of plural marriage. (Morley, p. 81.)
Yelrome was a stopping place for Saints and others traveling between Quincy and Nauvoo, so residents entertained lots of visitors. On 23 Oct 1841, Apostles Brigham Young, John Taylor, and Willard Richards held a two-day conference for the Lima Branch, consisting of 424 members, “mostly in good standing.” It was agreed that they men would donate one-tenth of their time and property to the building of the temple at Nauvoo. (History of the Church, 4:439-440.) During a conference on 13 May 1843, Elders Woodruff and George A. Smith lodged with “Bro. Durfee,” probably Edmund and Lana. A month later, a twelve-man high council was approved, making the stake organization much more complete. Isaac Morley was the stake president.
In mid-June, 1844, twelve days before Joseph and Hyrum were killed in Carthage Jail, several local anti-Mormons called on President Morley on a Saturday night and gave until Monday morning to make one of three choices for the settlement: (1) take up arms and ride with a vigilante group to Nauvoo to arrest Joseph and others; (2) move their own families to Nauvoo; or, (3) surrender their arms to the vigilantes and remain neutral during upcoming hostilities against Nauvoo. President Morley wrote and reported this to the Prophet Joseph, who told him to call up the troops of the Nauvoo Legion who lived nearby, and prepare to defend the settlement. He said, “Instruct the companies to keep cool, and let all things be done decently and in order.” Finally, the Prophet told Morley to report the threats to a judge and to the Illinois governor.
During the next two weeks, Mormons at Morley’s Settlement received personal threats from the “mob committee,” causing President Morley to have affidavits formally registered with the justice of the peace and given to Joseph Smith. One of these was signed by Edmund Durfee. The Prophet forwarded these complaints to Governor Tom Ford and U.S. President John Tyler. (HC, 6:481-483, 505-514.)
One affidavit said that two named men went to where Edmund Durfee was at work in a field and “said they had come to notify him that said Durfee must comply with one of the above propositions: if not that said Durfee would smell thunder” (HC 6:510). The ongoing threats and abuses eventually forced the Morley Settlement Saints to leave their homes and move to Nauvoo for protection.
The anti-Mormon zeal ultimately led to the murders of Joseph and Hyrum and the serious wounding of John Taylor on 27 June 1844. After those murders, the mobbers expected retaliation by the Nauvoo Legion. But the Mormons obeyed their leaders’ counsel to be calm and not seek revenge. The mobs disappeared and relative peace settled over Hancock County for about a year. The Morley Settlement Saints returned to their homes and resumed something of their normal family, farming, and community life.
Peace was short-lived, however. In February, 1845, trouble started all over again and lasted throughout the summer. In September, 1845, almost every Saint living in Morley’s Settlement was forced from home and their houses and outbuildings were torched by mobs. At this time, Edmund was about to turn 57 and Lana was 57. They were the parents of 13 children, 10 still living, 6 married, and 4 still at home, Abraham (18), Jabez (17), Mary (15), and Nephi (10).
President Morley had stayed until the end of summer, when he obeyed Brigham Young’s counsel to place Solomon Hancock in charge and move to Nauvoo. On September 12, Hancock called a council that decided to propose to the mob that the Saints would sell their deeded lands and improvements at low prices, “reserving to ourselves the crops now on the premise,” and as payment for their houses and farms would accept cattle, wagons, store goods, and other property. Their proposal received no particular answer. That evening, “they set on fire three buildings…, and we expect them to renew their work of destruction” (HC 7:441-42, CDHC, Roberts, 2:477).
Daughter Tamma Durfee Miner, living east of Nauvoo at the time, later told what she had heard from her parents about the burnings. “The mobocrats drove all of the people out of Father Morley’s Settlement, turned the sick ones out, drove them all out to live or die, rolled my brother Nephi up in his bed and threw him out doors when he was sick, and then set fire to their house by throwing some bundles of oats that were afire, on top of the house….They plundered, made fires, burned houses, furniture and clothing looms, yarn, cloth, carpenter tools. Even the iron from the tools they picked up and carted away in barrels. Every wall burned to ashes, and the mob went from house to house driving them out, it made little difference if they were sick or well, until every house in that town that a Mormon lived in was burnt” (Tamma Durfee Miner typescript).
Enos Curtis, who also lived with his family in Morley’s Settlement, and who would marry Tamma later (after she became a widow and he a widower), saw his family burned out too. Mobs came to the Curtin home while the men were away. They ordered the Curtises to vacate the house. Enos’ wife Ruth Franklin Curtis was too ill to move. Mobbers twice asked the family to leave and the third time they set fire to the house. “The women rolled Ruth up in a blanket and carried her out of the burning house.” When Mormon men rushed to the rescue, they put Ruth in a wagon because she could not walk. Mobbers chased the wagon, but when more Mormon help showed up, they desisted. (Fmily manuscript in the possession of William G. Hartley). When word of the depredations reached Nauvoo, Brigham Young called for volunteers to take teams to Morley’s Settlement and assist President Hancock in moving people, goods, and grain to Nauvoo (HC 7:440-41). Albert Miner, Edmund’s son-in-law, married to daughter Tamma, was among those who went to Yelrome to help. Over one hundred teams performed this rescue.
When the burnings stopped, Solomon Hancock returned to his property—his home had not been torched. The Durfees, however, their home burned to the ground, remained in Nauvoo, although Edmund was determined to go to harvest his crops (Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 19 Nov 1845). Refugees from the surrounding countryside poured into Nauvoo that fall, bring with them thousands of pounds of harvested grain. Placed in storehouses, it was sufficient to feed the populace of Nauvoo for perhaps two years (Morley, p. 95).
At October General Conference, LDS leaders instructed the Saints to be ready to leave Illinois by the next spring. But despite the promises to depart, arsonists resumed their work that month. Enos Curtis, in a 25 Oct 1845 affidavit, testified that on or about October 18, he saw two houses and three stables burning and two mobbers with guns running from the fires. He also saw a widow named Boss’s house burning on October 21 in the same area (HC 7:488).
While most of the residents of Morley’s Settlement had fled, a few remained or returned. Solomon Hancock, whose home had not been burned, was one of them. His home became a temporary inn and his yards a place to deposit the gathered crops until they could haul them away (Charles Hancock Recollections, p. 35).
Major William H. Warren and his troops were in the area, sent to guard the Hancocks and the crop gatherers. Militia officers had boarded with the Hancocks for some ten days, but then they left to visit friends and said they would be back soon. Almost immediately, the mob spirit rekindled and arsonists again went on the war-path. On Saturday, November 15, Edmund Durfee returned from Nauvoo to Morley’s Settlement “for a load of grain.” He and relatives dug potatoes and gathered corn that day, took the harvest to Solomon Hancock’s, and went to bed for the night.
Charles Hancock was there that night when nightriders torched his family’s buildings and shot and killed Edmund Durfee. He wrote down what happened:
“Some boys were a sleeping in our barn, it being well filled with unthreshed wheat, oats, corn and hay. Horses in the stable and cows in the yard, it being well nigh covered with dry rubbish where feeding was done. About 11 o’clock the boys were awakened by the noise of fire, smoke and light, they saw the fire running to the barn, as the wind blew lightly that way; my brother George informed father at the house, he came to the scene in his night clothes, they raked the straw from the barn, took the horses from the stable and let the cows out of the yard, they ran from the barn when out, as scared.
Father went to see what was there, a man stepped from behind a tree and fired a gun at him the shot taking no effect, a shrill whistle was heard and some sixteen men arose that were secreted behind the log fence, with which the yard was built and shot at the boys in the yard, the bullets lodging in the barn and fence on the opposite side, no one being hit but an elderly man by the name of Edmund Durphy. A bullet striking him in the hollow of the neck, cutting but one thread in a woolen necktie that was around his neck and he fell dead at once.”
Charles said that his father told the boys to get their guns and defend themselves.
“The mob fled, setting some fires as they went back from whence they came, I followed some distance the moon shining bright, I could plainly see their tracks in the road as they came and went back towards Lyma, a town some five miles off from whence they came. Durphy and some of his boys had been gathering their corn and digging their potatoes, and securing them at our place, so that they could be got for winter, his house and wheat being previously burned by mob violence.”
(Charles Hancock Recollections, p. 34)
Edmund’s grandson, Mormon Miner, who was very young at the time, wrote in his autobiography that his grandfather was shot by a man named Snyder who did it to win a bet of two gallons of whiskey. According to Mormon, some time after this, Snyder, in a drunken row, was shot and the wound never healed. He actually rotted alive with the stench so offensive that his friends forsook him, although he lingered for months before he died. How Mormon ever learned this is not known—the story needs corroboration before it can be trusted. However, Joseph Smith’s History of the Church mentions the whiskey bet, saying the mob boasted, after the murder, that they had fired at Durfee on a bet of a gallon of whiskey that they could kill him the first shot, and they won (HC 7:524).
Such a story, if true, indicates that Durfee was the selected target, not Solomon Hancock or simply any Mormon in rifle range. Durfee’s house was the first one torched back in September, so if he were singled out to be shot in November, possibly somewhere, somehow, he had become a personal enemy of one or more men in the anti-Mormon crowd. There is no evidence whatsoever that Durfee or his family members were ever accused of any wrongdoing or misbehavior, let alone some major act that would warrant his being killed. No anti-Mormons afterwards said or even hinted that Durfee might hae “had it coming.”
Not until the next morning, Sunday, November 16, did the Quorum of the Twelve learn of Durfee’s murder. That day Sheriff Backenstos rushed this message to the Twelve:
“On last night Elder Edmund Durfee was basely murdered by the mob in the Green Plains precinct, what shall be done to avenge his blood? The troops afford us no protection” (Ibid., 7:525).
The sheriff attended the LDS leaders’ council meeting that evening and gave a verbal report about the murder (Willard Richards Journal, Nov. 16, 1945). Nauvoo police officer Hosea Stout recorded in his diary entry for November 16, that after dinner he met with the Nauvoo Police “and there was informed that Br Edmund Durfee had been shot dead by the mob on Bear Creek.” Stout then penned the detailed about the mobbing that he had heard:
“The mob had set some straw on fire which would communicate with his bard & he on discovering the fire ran in company with some other brethren to put it out and was fired upon by the mob who concealed in the darkness. One ball went through his breast and he died in a few moments. He had been driven into the City by the mob during their house burning in September last & had gone down there in company with some other brethren to take care of his grain and thus fell a martyr to his religion.”
Stout diaried that Edmund’s body had reached Nauvoo that day and he, Stout, went to view it—“a melancholy scene” he said.
He was in a heart rending condition all steeped in his gore and his numerous family all weeping around him. The scene is one not to be forgotten. He was one of the oldes(t) in the church having been in the church almost from its rise and had passed through all the persecutions & vicissitudes of the Church & was a faithful brother” (Diary entry for 26 Nov 1845, in Juanita Brooks, ed., On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844-1861, 2 vols., 1964, University of Utah Press, 2:92).
That Sunday night, November 16, state attorney Mason Brayman in Carthage wrote to a state official, possibly Governor Ford, and shared what he had heard about the murder:
“Today information came of an attempt to burn the house of one Hancock, a Mormon near Lima during last night—and the murder of a man named Durfee under the following circumstances, as related by a son of Hancock, who brought the intelligence this afternoon. Hancock’s house had been threatened. Last night, a company of men set fire to a stack of straw near the barn. Persons sleeping in the barn came out, and while endeavoring to prevent the fire from reaching the barn, were fired upon. They started to go to the house—a general volley was fired, killing Durfee on the spot. No shots were fired by the Mormons. On firing, the villains fled, setting fire to a crib of some hundred bushels of corn as they went. None were identified, but I think they can and will be” (Mason Brayman Papers, Nov., 16, 1845, microfilm copy, HBL Library, BYU).
Edmund’s daughter, Tamma, heard that the attackers started fires in different places—corn, rib, shucks of corn, dry rails and dry shacks “and it burned a little and went out” (Tamma Durfee Miner)
James H. Woodland, who was at the Hancocks’ when Edmund was killed, filed an affidavit, sworn before Justice of the Peace Aaron Johnson. Woodland testified that on Saturday night he saw fire, and he with others “turned out to suppress the flames.” While raking hay away from the barn, he heard a whistle on the east and one of the west, after which six guns were discharged at him and others. The fourth shot killed Durfee who was hit just above his heart and died instantly (HC, 7:529-30).
A brief description of the murder was included in History of the Church, under the date of November 15, 1845:
“A considerable party of the mob set fire to a stack of straw near Solomon Hancock’s barn and concealed themselves. Hancock and others went out to put out the ifre which was the only way to save the buildig, whenthey wer fired upon by the burners, and Elder Edmund Durfee was killed on the spot, many balls flew around the rest of the brethren, but none of the rest were hurt.” (HC, 7:523)
Governor Ford’s history of Illinois says of the Durfee murder:
“The anti-Mormons also committed one murder. Some of them, under Backman, set fire to some straw near a barn belonging to Durfee, an old Mormon seventy (really 57) years old; and then lay in ambush until the old man came out to extinguish the fire, when they shot him dead from their place of concealment.” (Ford, History of Illinois, 2:299-300)
Edmund Durfee’s body was buried in the cemetery east of Nauvoo up Parley’s Street. His brother James is also buried there, whose headstone is still standing in the north part of that recently reclaimed and beautified cemetery.
A few hours after Durfee’s murder, before daybreak, Solomon Hancock sent his young son Charles to look for officers and soldiers—the ones who were supposed to be protecting the Mormons in the area. On the way to Lima, Charles met a man named Snyder, whom he knew was of the mob party, and was afraid of him. When he found the soldiers in Lima, he told them what had happened, and they told him to go home and they would be there soon. When Charles reached his house, his father sent him to Carthage to report to Major Warren. Charles eventually got to Major Warren, then helped him and his men locate the suspects and they took into custody fourteen out of sixteen.” (Charles Hancock Recollections)
The following morning, November 17, the prisoners were brought to the Hancock house “to see if any could be recognized.” But the Hancocks had been unable to see the attackers because of nighttime darkness. With officers present, Solomon Hancock asked the accused if any of them had anything to say against his character. Had he not been an honest man, a true patriot to the laws of country and God? They all agreed they knew nothing against the Hancocks. (Charles Hancock Recollections)
That same day, November 17, Apostle Orson Hyde, acting on behalf of the Twelve, wrote to Major Warren. Durfee was murdered by a mob, he said, “who fired a quantity of straw to decoy him out, and while he engaged in raking the straw so that the fire might not communicate with the buildings, six shots were made a him, one of which took effect in his breast and he died immediately…. Mr. Durfee was one of the most quiet and inoffensive citizens in these United States, and from our acquaintance with him, and from the nature of his business in securing his crops we are persuaded that his murder was wholly unprovoked.” (HC, 7:525)
The fourteen suspects were taken to Carthage and charged with killing Edmund Durfee. When court was convened, they were arraigned and proofs offered that they, plus two that escaped by taking a steamboat to Warsaw, were the ones who had loaded their guns at Lima, the evening of Durfee’s death, taken their liquor, gone to the Hancocks’ corral, set fire, and shot at the boys and men who were putting out the fire, and then returned to Lima the way they had come. (Charles Hancock Recollections)
But, as Charles Hancock recalled, even though Durfee had been killed and the Hancock family threatened, “the prisoners were discharged. The Prosecuting Attorney exclaimed, justice cannot be done in Hancock County, Illinois.” (Ibid.)
The official history of the Church notes that by November 18, the Twelve had received a letter from state attorney Mason Brayman desiring that any witnesses against Durfee’s murderers go to Carthage. He told the Twelve that three men had been arrested and charged with murdering Durfee: George Backman, a Mr. Moss (or Morse), and a Mr. Snyder. The Twelve called for any witnesses to go to Carthage the next day “to perform their part in another judicial farce.” (HC, 7:527)
The next day, November 19, the Nauvoo Neighbor issued an “Extra” edition with the headline: “Murder and Arson. Edmund Durfee Shot—Two Houses Burned.” It contained the basic facts of what it called the “bloody outrages of a midnight mob.”
On November 24, nine days after the murder, Apostle Willard Richards stated in a letter to Theodore Turley that the accused would not be tried:
“We have learned that the person who murdered Edmund Durfee…were discharged by the magistrate without examination. Our brethren went…as witnesses…, but returned unheard, and the farce closed sooner than…anticipated.” (HC, 7:532)
Governor Ford admitted that “The perpetrators of this (Durfee) murder were arrested and brought before an anti-Mormon justice of the peace and were acquitted, though their guilt was sufficiently apparent.” (Ford, History of Illinois, 2:300)
On 21 January 1846, two months after Edmund’s death, Lana received her endowment in the Nauvoo Temple and was sealed to Edmund, with Edmund’s brother Jabez standing in as proxy. On that same day, Lana and Jabez, who was himself a widower, were married for time only. Durfee children who also received their endowments were Martha, Tamma, Edmund, Jr., John, Delana, Abraham, and Mary.
Within three months of Edmund’s murder, the exodus of Latter-day Saints from Illinois began, and by fall, the vast majority had left for the Rocky Mountains. Lana and Jabez took her sons Jabez and Nephi with them, crossed the Mississippi River on the ice, and spent the winter in Winter Quarters.
We do not know for sure when Edmund and Lana’s son, Abraham Durfee, and Ursula Curtis were married, but both were nineteen years old at the time of the exodus, and on 17 May 1850, while crossing the plains, they had Mahala Ruth Durfee, who married Samuel Parker, Jr. about 1872 in Utah and had Mahala Strong Parker who married John William Hepworth 2 Dec 1891.
They were making plans and preparations to leave from Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, County, Iowa, for Utah in 1850, when Lana died at Mosquito Creek, close to Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Iowa on 19 May 1850. She was possibly buried in the Mormon Cemetery that is now the southeast part of Fairview Cemetery in Council Bluffs.
Charles B. Hancock, who went west and lived the rest of his life in Utah, wrote his recollections about the murder of Edmund Durfee, and also contracted with LDS painter, C.C.A. Christensen, to paint two LDS Church history scenes that depict the mob’s activities at Morley’s Settlement.
Edmund Durfee (sometimes spelled Durphy) was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, on 3 Oct 1788, a fifth-generation descendent of Thomas Durfee, an English immigrant to Rhode Island. Other ancestors were America pilgrims born in the late 1500’s and early 1600s. Edmund’s parents were Perry and Annie Salisbury Durfee. (Of biographical sketches circulating among descendents, the one most relied on is Dora D. Flack, “Edmund and Magdalena Pickle Durfee,” a typescript written in 1955. Use details are found in “Tamma Durfee Miner.”)
Edmund was seventeen when his father died. The next year, Edmund’s grandparents, James and Ann Durfee, moved from Tiverton to New York state and took with them Edmund and his brother, Jabez, James, and Perry. They settled in Broadalbin, Montgomery (now Fulton) County. In 1810, Edmund moved to Madison County, a bit farther west. There, he married Magdalena Pickle.
Magdalena’s ancestors had immigrated from Germany and Prussia to America and had lived in Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, New York. Magdalena was born on 6 June 1788, in Stone Arabia, New York, a daughter of John and Dolly Pickle. In 1790, her family moved to Lincoln, New York, where she grew to young adulthood. She met and married Edmund in Tiverton, Newport County, Rhode Island.
Edmund and Lana, as she was called, made their home in Lennox, Madison County, New York, where six children were born to them by 1820. About the year 1822, Edmund and Lana moved their family to Amboy, in Oswego County, New York, where they lived for the next eight years. They bought land, built a home, farmed, tapped a large stand of maple trees, and Edmund worked in the area as a carpenter and millright. Lana tapped the abundant Maple trees and made maple syrup.
Four more children were born into the family there, and two in Williamstown, New York. Their last child would be born in Ohio in 1835. (Sharon Beeson, “Edmond Durfee and Magdalena Pickle,” in Sharon Beeson, Ed., Edmond Franklin and Nancy Ellen Durfee, N.p.: Durfee Family Organization, 1991, 1-4; other branches of the family and early LDS records spell his name Edmund, not Edmond.)
Edmund and Lana’s children, their birthdates, marriage dates, and spouse names, and year of death are:
Martha was born in 1811, married Lyman Stevens in 1836, and died in 1874.
Tamma was born in 1813, married Albert Miner in 1831, and died in 1885.
Edmund, Jr. was born in 1814, married Caroline Eliza Clark sometime, and died in 1861.
Dolly was born in 1816, married David Gardner in 1842, and died in 1885.
John was born in 1818, married Sarah Ann Wilcox sometime, and died in 1850.
Lana was born in 1820, married William Davis Dudley in 1838, and died in 1896.
William was born in 1822 and died in 1850.
Ephraim was born in 1824 and died in 1825.
Abraham was born in 1826, married Ursula Curtis sometime, and died in 1862+.
Henry was born in 1827 and died in 1827.
Jabez ws born in 1828, married Celestia Curtis in 1850, and died in 1883.
Mary was born in 1830, married Dominicus Carter in 1844, and died in 1885.
Nephi was born in 1835, married Amanda Thomas in 1857, and died in 1880.
New lands farther west attracted Edmund, and in June 1830, he sold his property and moved his family from New York state. Traveling via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, they sailed on Lake Erie and landed near Cleveland. In the township of Ruggles in Huron County (now Ashland County), about sixty miles southwest of Cleveland, they bought property and settled.
Religiously, the Durfees were Methodists and Campbellites, according to daughter Tamma. (Edmund and Lana’s daughter, Tamma, who later married Albert Miner, wrote an autobiographical sketch in 1880, “Tamma Durfee Miner.” Copies of it widely circulate among her descendents and one is filed in the LDS Church Historical Department Archives, cited hereafter, as LDSHD.)
During the Durfee’s first winter in Ohio, missionaries representing Mormonism, a new faith not yet a year old, won converts in the Kirtland area just east of Cleveland. By early 1831, founding Prophet Smith moved his followers from New York to Kirtland. From Kirtland, missionaries fanned out across northern Ohio. Two came to the Durfee’s neighborhood, Simeon Carter and Solomon Hancock, and converted the Durfees to Mormonism. (Solomon Hancock was born Aug. 15, 1794, in Maine, a son of Thomas Hancock and Amy Ward. His better-known brother, Levi Ward Hancock, became an LDS General Authority. Levi was nine years younger than Solomon. Solomon married Alta Adams in 1815, and he remarried in 1836 to Phoebe Adams. Solomon died near Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 2 Dec 1847. Simeon Carter was born on 7 June 1794 in Vermont or Connecticut, the son of Gideon Carter and Johannah Sims. In 1818, he married Lydia Kenyon.)
Edmund was baptized on 15 May 1831, by Simeon Carter and Lana on June 1, by Solomon Hancock. Children Martha and Edmund were baptized the same day as their mother. Daughter Tamma waited until after she married Albert Miner in August. Edmund was ordained an elder soon after his baptism. That fall, Edmund was listed as one of the local elders attending a major Mormon conference held in Orange, southeast of Cleveland. During the conference, he was ordained a high priest. (Minutes of a General conference of the Church at the dwelling of Brother Serenes Burnett in the town of Orange, Cayahoga County, Ohio,” in LDS Journal History of the Church, 25 Oct 1831.)
That December, 1831, he left home to do missionary work, leaving Lana alone with their family. He accompanied Elder Joseph B. Brackenbury on a mission to Chautauqua County, New York. They converted several before Elder Brackenbury became ill and died on 7 Jan 1832, apparently from being poisoned by opposers of Mormonism. (Journal History, Dec. 31, 1831, History of the Church, 7:523-524.)
In the spring of 1832, Edmund, with nine other converts, went to new Mormon settlements in Jackson County, Missouri, to put in grain and build houses, and then returned home. That fall he left home to go out proselyting as a missionary once again in New York. In May, 1833, he and his family moved into Kirtland, Ohio, and he was one of the twenty-four elders who laid the cornerstones of the Kirtland Temple. (Milton V. Backman, Jr., The Heavens Resound: A History of the Latter-day Saints in Ohio, 1830-1838, SLC, Deseret Book Company, 1983, p. 149.)
At a meeting on 7 Mar 1835, Joseph Smith noted down the names of all those who had assisted to build the Kirtland Temple, and then, those workmen present received blessings under the hand of Joseph Smith’s counselor, Sidney Rigdon. Edmund Durfee was one of them. (HC, 2:206.)
In 1837, the Durfees moved to Caldwell County, Missouri, and settled at Log Creek, six miles south of Far West. Inn 1838-1839, they were expelled from Missouri with the Saints. Edmund’s namesake son signed a petition, seeking redress for losses his own family suffered when forced out of Missouri. His petition is illustrative of one type of loss out of many suffered by LDS families, including his parents.
I Edmund Durphy, Jun., solemnly declare that sometime in October in year of our
Lord One Thousand eight Hundred and thirty eight the Militia under the command of Generals Lucas Willson & Clark took possession of a house belonging to Uriah B Powell contrary to his wishes likewise that they the said militia burned timber belong to me that I moved in to the Citty Far West for a dwelling House.
Forced from Missouri by orders of the state’s governor, Lilburn Boggs, the Mormons headed east for the Mississippi River and crossed into Illinois for safety. Edmund and Lana settled in Yelrome, or Morley’s Settlement, Hancock County, Illinois, 23 miles south of where Nauvoo soon sprang into existence. (Ibid., 7:523-524).
Surrounding Nauvoo, which served like a hub, there grew up a ring of LDS branches in nearby towns or in solidly LDS settlements. Morley’s Settlement, also known at the time as Yelrome (Morley spelled backwards), and sometimes called Lima, stretched out near Hancock County’s southern line, shared with Adams County, Ill, a little south and west of present Tioga. When two Mormons, Isaac Morley and Titus Billings, made plans to settle there in early March, 1839, only one partial building stood in the area. That spring, many Mormon refuges from Missouri settled in the area, bought or rented land, and started farming. (Richard H. Morley, “The Life and Contributions of Isaac Morley,” (Master thesis, BYU, 1965, pp. 75-77, subsequently referred to as “Morley.”)
Apparently, the Durfees lived near the Hancock family---Solomon was one of the elders who converted Edmund and Lana back in 1831. Their area was sometimes referred to as the Hancock Settlement (within Morley’s Settlement). Another Mormon cluster was centered at Lima, within three miles of Morley’s Settlement, and just across the county line in Adams County. Church authorities in Nauvoo organized these two settlements into a single branch which became a stake, the Lima Stake. (Andrew Jenson, Encyclopedic History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p. 434.)
Lima existed before the Mormons arrived, and from the ranks of settlers already there came several anti-Mormon activists by 1844. Five miles north of Morley’s Settlement was a non-Mormon district, Green Plains, which became a staging place for raids against the Mormons. Warsaw, which became a hotbed of anti-Mormon activity leading to the murders of Joseph and Hyrum in 1844, was just ten miles northwest of the Durfees, and Carthage was seventeen miles northeast.
The Durfees lived in a community of practicing religionists, with Church meeting and weeknight prayer meetings held regularly. Church authorities often visited and preached there. Saints were the urged to donate money and materials for the building of the Nauvoo Temple. They participated in baptisms for the dead, apparently in Nauvoo. Branch records record that on 7 Nov 1840, Edmund and Lana Durfee, along with Albert Miner and five others, were baptized for the dead in behalf of people they once knew. A week later, Edmund and Lana were again baptized as proxies for deceased people. Some Saints in Yelrome were taught the not-publicly-announced doctrine of plural marriage. (Morley, p. 81.)
Yelrome was a stopping place for Saints and others traveling between Quincy and Nauvoo, so residents entertained lots of visitors. On 23 Oct 1841, Apostles Brigham Young, John Taylor, and Willard Richards held a two-day conference for the Lima Branch, consisting of 424 members, “mostly in good standing.” It was agreed that they men would donate one-tenth of their time and property to the building of the temple at Nauvoo. (History of the Church, 4:439-440.) During a conference on 13 May 1843, Elders Woodruff and George A. Smith lodged with “Bro. Durfee,” probably Edmund and Lana. A month later, a twelve-man high council was approved, making the stake organization much more complete. Isaac Morley was the stake president.
In mid-June, 1844, twelve days before Joseph and Hyrum were killed in Carthage Jail, several local anti-Mormons called on President Morley on a Saturday night and gave until Monday morning to make one of three choices for the settlement: (1) take up arms and ride with a vigilante group to Nauvoo to arrest Joseph and others; (2) move their own families to Nauvoo; or, (3) surrender their arms to the vigilantes and remain neutral during upcoming hostilities against Nauvoo. President Morley wrote and reported this to the Prophet Joseph, who told him to call up the troops of the Nauvoo Legion who lived nearby, and prepare to defend the settlement. He said, “Instruct the companies to keep cool, and let all things be done decently and in order.” Finally, the Prophet told Morley to report the threats to a judge and to the Illinois governor.
During the next two weeks, Mormons at Morley’s Settlement received personal threats from the “mob committee,” causing President Morley to have affidavits formally registered with the justice of the peace and given to Joseph Smith. One of these was signed by Edmund Durfee. The Prophet forwarded these complaints to Governor Tom Ford and U.S. President John Tyler. (HC, 6:481-483, 505-514.)
One affidavit said that two named men went to where Edmund Durfee was at work in a field and “said they had come to notify him that said Durfee must comply with one of the above propositions: if not that said Durfee would smell thunder” (HC 6:510). The ongoing threats and abuses eventually forced the Morley Settlement Saints to leave their homes and move to Nauvoo for protection.
The anti-Mormon zeal ultimately led to the murders of Joseph and Hyrum and the serious wounding of John Taylor on 27 June 1844. After those murders, the mobbers expected retaliation by the Nauvoo Legion. But the Mormons obeyed their leaders’ counsel to be calm and not seek revenge. The mobs disappeared and relative peace settled over Hancock County for about a year. The Morley Settlement Saints returned to their homes and resumed something of their normal family, farming, and community life.
Peace was short-lived, however. In February, 1845, trouble started all over again and lasted throughout the summer. In September, 1845, almost every Saint living in Morley’s Settlement was forced from home and their houses and outbuildings were torched by mobs. At this time, Edmund was about to turn 57 and Lana was 57. They were the parents of 13 children, 10 still living, 6 married, and 4 still at home, Abraham (18), Jabez (17), Mary (15), and Nephi (10).
President Morley had stayed until the end of summer, when he obeyed Brigham Young’s counsel to place Solomon Hancock in charge and move to Nauvoo. On September 12, Hancock called a council that decided to propose to the mob that the Saints would sell their deeded lands and improvements at low prices, “reserving to ourselves the crops now on the premise,” and as payment for their houses and farms would accept cattle, wagons, store goods, and other property. Their proposal received no particular answer. That evening, “they set on fire three buildings…, and we expect them to renew their work of destruction” (HC 7:441-42, CDHC, Roberts, 2:477).
Daughter Tamma Durfee Miner, living east of Nauvoo at the time, later told what she had heard from her parents about the burnings. “The mobocrats drove all of the people out of Father Morley’s Settlement, turned the sick ones out, drove them all out to live or die, rolled my brother Nephi up in his bed and threw him out doors when he was sick, and then set fire to their house by throwing some bundles of oats that were afire, on top of the house….They plundered, made fires, burned houses, furniture and clothing looms, yarn, cloth, carpenter tools. Even the iron from the tools they picked up and carted away in barrels. Every wall burned to ashes, and the mob went from house to house driving them out, it made little difference if they were sick or well, until every house in that town that a Mormon lived in was burnt” (Tamma Durfee Miner typescript).
Enos Curtis, who also lived with his family in Morley’s Settlement, and who would marry Tamma later (after she became a widow and he a widower), saw his family burned out too. Mobs came to the Curtin home while the men were away. They ordered the Curtises to vacate the house. Enos’ wife Ruth Franklin Curtis was too ill to move. Mobbers twice asked the family to leave and the third time they set fire to the house. “The women rolled Ruth up in a blanket and carried her out of the burning house.” When Mormon men rushed to the rescue, they put Ruth in a wagon because she could not walk. Mobbers chased the wagon, but when more Mormon help showed up, they desisted. (Fmily manuscript in the possession of William G. Hartley). When word of the depredations reached Nauvoo, Brigham Young called for volunteers to take teams to Morley’s Settlement and assist President Hancock in moving people, goods, and grain to Nauvoo (HC 7:440-41). Albert Miner, Edmund’s son-in-law, married to daughter Tamma, was among those who went to Yelrome to help. Over one hundred teams performed this rescue.
When the burnings stopped, Solomon Hancock returned to his property—his home had not been torched. The Durfees, however, their home burned to the ground, remained in Nauvoo, although Edmund was determined to go to harvest his crops (Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 19 Nov 1845). Refugees from the surrounding countryside poured into Nauvoo that fall, bring with them thousands of pounds of harvested grain. Placed in storehouses, it was sufficient to feed the populace of Nauvoo for perhaps two years (Morley, p. 95).
At October General Conference, LDS leaders instructed the Saints to be ready to leave Illinois by the next spring. But despite the promises to depart, arsonists resumed their work that month. Enos Curtis, in a 25 Oct 1845 affidavit, testified that on or about October 18, he saw two houses and three stables burning and two mobbers with guns running from the fires. He also saw a widow named Boss’s house burning on October 21 in the same area (HC 7:488).
While most of the residents of Morley’s Settlement had fled, a few remained or returned. Solomon Hancock, whose home had not been burned, was one of them. His home became a temporary inn and his yards a place to deposit the gathered crops until they could haul them away (Charles Hancock Recollections, p. 35).
Major William H. Warren and his troops were in the area, sent to guard the Hancocks and the crop gatherers. Militia officers had boarded with the Hancocks for some ten days, but then they left to visit friends and said they would be back soon. Almost immediately, the mob spirit rekindled and arsonists again went on the war-path. On Saturday, November 15, Edmund Durfee returned from Nauvoo to Morley’s Settlement “for a load of grain.” He and relatives dug potatoes and gathered corn that day, took the harvest to Solomon Hancock’s, and went to bed for the night.
Charles Hancock was there that night when nightriders torched his family’s buildings and shot and killed Edmund Durfee. He wrote down what happened:
“Some boys were a sleeping in our barn, it being well filled with unthreshed wheat, oats, corn and hay. Horses in the stable and cows in the yard, it being well nigh covered with dry rubbish where feeding was done. About 11 o’clock the boys were awakened by the noise of fire, smoke and light, they saw the fire running to the barn, as the wind blew lightly that way; my brother George informed father at the house, he came to the scene in his night clothes, they raked the straw from the barn, took the horses from the stable and let the cows out of the yard, they ran from the barn when out, as scared.
Father went to see what was there, a man stepped from behind a tree and fired a gun at him the shot taking no effect, a shrill whistle was heard and some sixteen men arose that were secreted behind the log fence, with which the yard was built and shot at the boys in the yard, the bullets lodging in the barn and fence on the opposite side, no one being hit but an elderly man by the name of Edmund Durphy. A bullet striking him in the hollow of the neck, cutting but one thread in a woolen necktie that was around his neck and he fell dead at once.”
Charles said that his father told the boys to get their guns and defend themselves.
“The mob fled, setting some fires as they went back from whence they came, I followed some distance the moon shining bright, I could plainly see their tracks in the road as they came and went back towards Lyma, a town some five miles off from whence they came. Durphy and some of his boys had been gathering their corn and digging their potatoes, and securing them at our place, so that they could be got for winter, his house and wheat being previously burned by mob violence.”
(Charles Hancock Recollections, p. 34)
Edmund’s grandson, Mormon Miner, who was very young at the time, wrote in his autobiography that his grandfather was shot by a man named Snyder who did it to win a bet of two gallons of whiskey. According to Mormon, some time after this, Snyder, in a drunken row, was shot and the wound never healed. He actually rotted alive with the stench so offensive that his friends forsook him, although he lingered for months before he died. How Mormon ever learned this is not known—the story needs corroboration before it can be trusted. However, Joseph Smith’s History of the Church mentions the whiskey bet, saying the mob boasted, after the murder, that they had fired at Durfee on a bet of a gallon of whiskey that they could kill him the first shot, and they won (HC 7:524).
Such a story, if true, indicates that Durfee was the selected target, not Solomon Hancock or simply any Mormon in rifle range. Durfee’s house was the first one torched back in September, so if he were singled out to be shot in November, possibly somewhere, somehow, he had become a personal enemy of one or more men in the anti-Mormon crowd. There is no evidence whatsoever that Durfee or his family members were ever accused of any wrongdoing or misbehavior, let alone some major act that would warrant his being killed. No anti-Mormons afterwards said or even hinted that Durfee might hae “had it coming.”
Not until the next morning, Sunday, November 16, did the Quorum of the Twelve learn of Durfee’s murder. That day Sheriff Backenstos rushed this message to the Twelve:
“On last night Elder Edmund Durfee was basely murdered by the mob in the Green Plains precinct, what shall be done to avenge his blood? The troops afford us no protection” (Ibid., 7:525).
The sheriff attended the LDS leaders’ council meeting that evening and gave a verbal report about the murder (Willard Richards Journal, Nov. 16, 1945). Nauvoo police officer Hosea Stout recorded in his diary entry for November 16, that after dinner he met with the Nauvoo Police “and there was informed that Br Edmund Durfee had been shot dead by the mob on Bear Creek.” Stout then penned the detailed about the mobbing that he had heard:
“The mob had set some straw on fire which would communicate with his bard & he on discovering the fire ran in company with some other brethren to put it out and was fired upon by the mob who concealed in the darkness. One ball went through his breast and he died in a few moments. He had been driven into the City by the mob during their house burning in September last & had gone down there in company with some other brethren to take care of his grain and thus fell a martyr to his religion.”
Stout diaried that Edmund’s body had reached Nauvoo that day and he, Stout, went to view it—“a melancholy scene” he said.
He was in a heart rending condition all steeped in his gore and his numerous family all weeping around him. The scene is one not to be forgotten. He was one of the oldes(t) in the church having been in the church almost from its rise and had passed through all the persecutions & vicissitudes of the Church & was a faithful brother” (Diary entry for 26 Nov 1845, in Juanita Brooks, ed., On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844-1861, 2 vols., 1964, University of Utah Press, 2:92).
That Sunday night, November 16, state attorney Mason Brayman in Carthage wrote to a state official, possibly Governor Ford, and shared what he had heard about the murder:
“Today information came of an attempt to burn the house of one Hancock, a Mormon near Lima during last night—and the murder of a man named Durfee under the following circumstances, as related by a son of Hancock, who brought the intelligence this afternoon. Hancock’s house had been threatened. Last night, a company of men set fire to a stack of straw near the barn. Persons sleeping in the barn came out, and while endeavoring to prevent the fire from reaching the barn, were fired upon. They started to go to the house—a general volley was fired, killing Durfee on the spot. No shots were fired by the Mormons. On firing, the villains fled, setting fire to a crib of some hundred bushels of corn as they went. None were identified, but I think they can and will be” (Mason Brayman Papers, Nov., 16, 1845, microfilm copy, HBL Library, BYU).
Edmund’s daughter, Tamma, heard that the attackers started fires in different places—corn, rib, shucks of corn, dry rails and dry shacks “and it burned a little and went out” (Tamma Durfee Miner)
James H. Woodland, who was at the Hancocks’ when Edmund was killed, filed an affidavit, sworn before Justice of the Peace Aaron Johnson. Woodland testified that on Saturday night he saw fire, and he with others “turned out to suppress the flames.” While raking hay away from the barn, he heard a whistle on the east and one of the west, after which six guns were discharged at him and others. The fourth shot killed Durfee who was hit just above his heart and died instantly (HC, 7:529-30).
A brief description of the murder was included in History of the Church, under the date of November 15, 1845:
“A considerable party of the mob set fire to a stack of straw near Solomon Hancock’s barn and concealed themselves. Hancock and others went out to put out the ifre which was the only way to save the buildig, whenthey wer fired upon by the burners, and Elder Edmund Durfee was killed on the spot, many balls flew around the rest of the brethren, but none of the rest were hurt.” (HC, 7:523)
Governor Ford’s history of Illinois says of the Durfee murder:
“The anti-Mormons also committed one murder. Some of them, under Backman, set fire to some straw near a barn belonging to Durfee, an old Mormon seventy (really 57) years old; and then lay in ambush until the old man came out to extinguish the fire, when they shot him dead from their place of concealment.” (Ford, History of Illinois, 2:299-300)
Edmund Durfee’s body was buried in the cemetery east of Nauvoo up Parley’s Street. His brother James is also buried there, whose headstone is still standing in the north part of that recently reclaimed and beautified cemetery.
A few hours after Durfee’s murder, before daybreak, Solomon Hancock sent his young son Charles to look for officers and soldiers—the ones who were supposed to be protecting the Mormons in the area. On the way to Lima, Charles met a man named Snyder, whom he knew was of the mob party, and was afraid of him. When he found the soldiers in Lima, he told them what had happened, and they told him to go home and they would be there soon. When Charles reached his house, his father sent him to Carthage to report to Major Warren. Charles eventually got to Major Warren, then helped him and his men locate the suspects and they took into custody fourteen out of sixteen.” (Charles Hancock Recollections)
The following morning, November 17, the prisoners were brought to the Hancock house “to see if any could be recognized.” But the Hancocks had been unable to see the attackers because of nighttime darkness. With officers present, Solomon Hancock asked the accused if any of them had anything to say against his character. Had he not been an honest man, a true patriot to the laws of country and God? They all agreed they knew nothing against the Hancocks. (Charles Hancock Recollections)
That same day, November 17, Apostle Orson Hyde, acting on behalf of the Twelve, wrote to Major Warren. Durfee was murdered by a mob, he said, “who fired a quantity of straw to decoy him out, and while he engaged in raking the straw so that the fire might not communicate with the buildings, six shots were made a him, one of which took effect in his breast and he died immediately…. Mr. Durfee was one of the most quiet and inoffensive citizens in these United States, and from our acquaintance with him, and from the nature of his business in securing his crops we are persuaded that his murder was wholly unprovoked.” (HC, 7:525)
The fourteen suspects were taken to Carthage and charged with killing Edmund Durfee. When court was convened, they were arraigned and proofs offered that they, plus two that escaped by taking a steamboat to Warsaw, were the ones who had loaded their guns at Lima, the evening of Durfee’s death, taken their liquor, gone to the Hancocks’ corral, set fire, and shot at the boys and men who were putting out the fire, and then returned to Lima the way they had come. (Charles Hancock Recollections)
But, as Charles Hancock recalled, even though Durfee had been killed and the Hancock family threatened, “the prisoners were discharged. The Prosecuting Attorney exclaimed, justice cannot be done in Hancock County, Illinois.” (Ibid.)
The official history of the Church notes that by November 18, the Twelve had received a letter from state attorney Mason Brayman desiring that any witnesses against Durfee’s murderers go to Carthage. He told the Twelve that three men had been arrested and charged with murdering Durfee: George Backman, a Mr. Moss (or Morse), and a Mr. Snyder. The Twelve called for any witnesses to go to Carthage the next day “to perform their part in another judicial farce.” (HC, 7:527)
The next day, November 19, the Nauvoo Neighbor issued an “Extra” edition with the headline: “Murder and Arson. Edmund Durfee Shot—Two Houses Burned.” It contained the basic facts of what it called the “bloody outrages of a midnight mob.”
On November 24, nine days after the murder, Apostle Willard Richards stated in a letter to Theodore Turley that the accused would not be tried:
“We have learned that the person who murdered Edmund Durfee…were discharged by the magistrate without examination. Our brethren went…as witnesses…, but returned unheard, and the farce closed sooner than…anticipated.” (HC, 7:532)
Governor Ford admitted that “The perpetrators of this (Durfee) murder were arrested and brought before an anti-Mormon justice of the peace and were acquitted, though their guilt was sufficiently apparent.” (Ford, History of Illinois, 2:300)
On 21 January 1846, two months after Edmund’s death, Lana received her endowment in the Nauvoo Temple and was sealed to Edmund, with Edmund’s brother Jabez standing in as proxy. On that same day, Lana and Jabez, who was himself a widower, were married for time only. Durfee children who also received their endowments were Martha, Tamma, Edmund, Jr., John, Delana, Abraham, and Mary.
Within three months of Edmund’s murder, the exodus of Latter-day Saints from Illinois began, and by fall, the vast majority had left for the Rocky Mountains. Lana and Jabez took her sons Jabez and Nephi with them, crossed the Mississippi River on the ice, and spent the winter in Winter Quarters.
We do not know for sure when Edmund and Lana’s son, Abraham Durfee, and Ursula Curtis were married, but both were nineteen years old at the time of the exodus, and on 17 May 1850, while crossing the plains, they had Mahala Ruth Durfee, who married Samuel Parker, Jr. about 1872 in Utah and had Mahala Strong Parker who married John William Hepworth 2 Dec 1891.
They were making plans and preparations to leave from Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, County, Iowa, for Utah in 1850, when Lana died at Mosquito Creek, close to Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Iowa on 19 May 1850. She was possibly buried in the Mormon Cemetery that is now the southeast part of Fairview Cemetery in Council Bluffs.
Charles B. Hancock, who went west and lived the rest of his life in Utah, wrote his recollections about the murder of Edmund Durfee, and also contracted with LDS painter, C.C.A. Christensen, to paint two LDS Church history scenes that depict the mob’s activities at Morley’s Settlement.
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