Thomas Edwin Ricks

Thomas E. Ricks is my 3rd great grandfather.


Thomas E. Ricks was born on the frontier of America on July 21, 1828 at Donaldson Creek, Kentucky to Joel Ricks and Eleanor Martin. His parents were converted to “Mormonism” in the year 1841. Tom did not commit to baptism in the church until after visiting Nauvoo, Illinois in 1843 and hearing the Prophet Joseph Smith preach. Tom’s family moved to Nauvoo and purchased a farm there in 1845. Tom attended the first conference in the Nauvoo Temple and was ordained an Elder in the Priesthood at age 17.


In 1844 he had an accident while breaking a horse. The horse landed on his left leg. As a result of this accident Ricks' left leg did not grow as long as his right leg. As a result, wearing a platform shoe, he walked with limp, and later used a cane.


As the Latter-day Saints fled their beautiful Nauvoo in the middle of winter, Tom drove a team across the frozen Mississippi River for the Charles C. Rich family, who were without means of transportation. The Ricks family later joined the Heber C. Kimball Company, which departed Winter Quarters on May 29, 1848, and arrived at the Elkhorn River, Nebraska, on the 1st of June. On the morning of June 6, 1848 an alarm sounded in the camp that the Indians were driving off the cattle, which had been grazing across the river some two miles away. Four boys jumped on their horses and rode rapidly about six miles downriver when they suddenly came upon a party of about ten Indians, who immediately fired at them. Tom was hit with three balls. Two balls lodged in his kidneys and another hit his backbone. He fell from his horse and lay on the ground. The other three boys exchanged gunfire with the Indians as they fled the scene. One Indian approached Tom with knife in hand, apparently attempting to scalp him. When Tom put up his hand to protect his head it so startled the Indian that he changed his plan, took Tom’s gun, and hurried on down the river. 


Years later Tom, speaking at a family reunion, told of a special spiritual experience that comforted him as he lay on the ground. While laying there weltering in blood, he thought of the condition of his father and family and how badly they needed his assistance, and wondering if he was going to die. While thus engaged in thought he heard a voice say audibly and clearly, “You will not die; you will live and go to the valley of the mountains and there you will do a great work in your day and generation.” Tom was later rescued and floated across the river on a buffalo hide and transported to camp in a carriage. When the company doctor examined Tom, he thought it too dangerous to remove the rifle balls. He dressed the wounds and expressed the belief that Tom couldn’t live more than a few hours. Heber C. Kimball and other priesthood brethren administered to him and promised him in the name of the Lord that he should recover and live to see the Latter-day Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. The journey to the western mountains was very trying and painful to Tom. The first time he was able to leave the wagon was at Fort Laramie. By the time the wagon train reached the Salt Lake Valley he had almost recovered from his severe ordeal. The balls were never removed and Thomas carried them in his body throughout his life.


He would later assist five additional groups of pioneers to make the same trek. In 1856, returning from a colonizing mission in Las Vegas, Nevada, he immediately left to be part of the rescue party sent from Salt Lake to assist the stranded Martin Handcart Company near the Sweetwater River.


A colonel in the Utah Militia, he was commissioned to locate a better route from the Cache Valley to the Bear Lake Valley, in Northern Utah. While thus engaged, he discovered a natural spring flowing from the cavity of a large rock. To this day, Ricks' Spring bears his name. It can be found on U.S.-89, between Logan Utah, and Bear Lake, on the Utah-Idaho boarder.


He was also an influential church and community leader in both Utah and Idaho. He is known as the founder of Rexburg, Idaho and participated in the founding of the Bannock Stake Academy, which would eventually evolve into Brigham Young University–Idaho. This school was named in his honor for a period of 99 years first as Ricks Academy (1902–1917) and later as Ricks College (1917–2001).


He served as a bishop and later as a stake president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Rexburg area.


He had five wives, Tabitha Hendricks, Tamar Loader, Elizabeth Jane Shupe, Ruth Caroline Dille, and Ellen Maria Yallop, and 42 children.


Thomas E. Ricks lived to see the fulfillment of the blessings he received. He was a true pioneer and was instrumental in the settling of the West. He died on Sept. 28, 1901. President Joseph F. Smith said at his funeral, “He will be remembered for his devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in doing whatever he was called to do.  It may be a long time before we find another man his equal in honor, mind, and unswerving loyalty to the cause of God and his people." 

Daniel Spencer Jr.

Daniel Spencer is my 3rd great-grandfather. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in New England, served as the mayor of Nauvoo, a captain during the saints' exodus to the Rocky Mountains, the 1st Stake President of Salt Lake, a counselor in the British Mission's Presidency and as a member of Utah's Legislature. This is his story and testimony in his own words:

"I was one of eleven children, born to Daniel Spencer and Chloe Wilson, my birth being on the 20^th day of July, 1794, at West Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. My father enlisted in the Continental Army at the age of sixteen and remained with it until he witnessed the surrender of Yorktown. He was the son of Peter and Ruth Emmons Spencer. Peter was a descendant of Gerard Spencer who settled at Lynn, Massachusetts in 1645, and whose daughter Mehitable, married Daniel Cone who was the first Cone that settled in America, the site of Hadam, Connecticut, purchased from the Indians March 1662. In the fall of that year, Gerard Spencer, Daniel Cone and twenty-six others, founded the settlement there. Gerard’s English ancestors were numerous in Bedford, England.

During my childhood, the young and growing family of my father left no surplus means over and above their kind and generous support. Both parents were members of the Baptist church. They gave their children excellent advice by precept and example, and were held in high esteem by their neighbors, both rich and poor. They sent me to the district school during the winter months until I about eleven years of age. Through this opportunity I obtained a fair common school education. At twelve years of age I was sent to freight marble with a team to Hudson, distant about thirty miles. At the age of fourteen I was placed in charge of my father’s farm, and was accorded much praise for my successful management. In these early years I indulged a desire and hope to at some time become a merchant. At the age of nineteen years I promised my father if he would let me begin life on my own account, I would present him with the first hundred dollars I could save up. He consented to this, and I was hired by one Joseph Cone, living at Herr----ton, Lichtfield County, Connecticut, who sent me with team and wagon loaded with merchandise to sell in North and South Carolina. I worked for him for two years and then entered into business on my own account, and soon had several of my brothers engaged with me in merchandise in the two states named, and in Georgia and Alabama. We spent the winters South and the summers in the New England States. I made quite an amount of money and was able to do much more for my father than the hundred dollars I had promised him. About 1820, I entered into mercantile business in my native town, forming a co-partnership with Charles and Bilson Boynton, as silent partners. I turned in most of my salary as manager, together with my profits, into the general store, intending in time to become sole proprietor. During the time of this partnership, I embraced "Mormonism." Not long after this those two took the benefit of the bankruptcy act, through which I lost much means. Charles Boynton afterwards became a minister and acted as chaplain in the House of Congress. Sharp criticisms of their course in bankruptcy were very prevalent, and I presume would have been more so if a Mormon had not been the chief loser.

January 21, 1823, I was married to Sophronia E. Pomeroy, who was the daughter of General Grove Pomery (who was a member of the state assembly of Massachusetts, I think the year of 1801-2) by whom I had one son, Claudius Victor. She died October 5, 1832. Something over two years after her death I married Sarah Lester Van Schoonoven, who bore me two sons, who died early, and two daughters, Amanda and Mary Leone.

In my early years I had entertained great reverence for God, and had sought Him often in secret prayer, but could not unite with any of the churches, nevertheless, at one time there came to me the conviction that baptism by immersion was essential, and I journeyed about forty miles to my brother Orson’s, who was a close Baptist minister, and he buried me in the water, in the likeness of the burial and resurrection of Christ, but I refused to take membership in the Baptist Church.

During the winter of 1838, I met a Mormon elder on the street of our town who said he had been trying through the day to get a place where he could preach. He was poorly clad and some of his extremities were frost bitten and he was altogether a peculiar looking minister. Being chairman of the School Board, I told him he could have the schoolhouse to preach in, and I sent Edward Morgan (who for many years afterward kept a hotel at Lee, Mass.) to light and warm the room. When Morgan reached the house he found parties inside who had locked him out and refused him admission. When he reported this, I told him to take an axe and if the parties did not open the door to chop it up and warm the room with it. I took pains to spread notice of the meeting, and sent my son to invite the Presbyterian minister, Nathan Shaw, to hear the Elder. His answer was, "Tell your father I would as soon go to hear the Devil preach." This coming from an old friend, from one noted for his guarded and sanctimonious speech seemed to me marvelous. Later experience has solved it. The meeting was largely attended by members of the different churches, but at the close, when the Elder states that he was a stranger, 1300 miles from home without purse or script and asked if anyone would keep him over night, for Christ and the Gospel’s sake, not an answer came from any church member. After a painful silence, I stepped from my seat into the open aisle, and invited him home with me. I refused to discuss Mormonism with him, and next morning I took him to my store and clothed him comfortably. In about a month he came again. I obtained for him the Presbyterian meetinghouse, and entertained him as before. On leaving he left some books, these I read and soon became interested to the extent that I closed my store and business and gave my whole attention to comparing the claims of the Mormons with the Bible, and one forenoon while reading the Book of Mormon, the conviction came to me with great power that Mormonism was true, and involuntarily I exclaimed, "My God, it is true but it will cost me friends, kindred, and all I have on earth!"

A few days after this, I sent notice to the entire townspeople that at noon of a certain date, I should be baptized by the Mormon Elder. A vast concourse came to see the ice broken in the river, and the ordinance performed. After I was confirmed, I spoke to the people in a new language, which knowing me as they did created a profound sensation. I was ordained an Elder and did much preaching in Berkshire County.

On the 19^th of April, 1840, Elder Franklin D. Richards and Elder Stephen Burnham organized a branch in our town of thirty members. Among these was a merchant by the name of Crandall, and his wife, a sister of senator Concklin, another merchant by the name of DeVol who for some years was a judge at Council Bluffs, and still another merchant, a Mr. Hunt. Indeed without exception the standing of the members in society was the best, and few sections of our country have had greater testimonies of the truth of Mormonism than did that region. From the adjoining town came the Richards family, prominent for so many years among our people.

After my baptism, my good father and mother and my good Baptist brother Orson told me in an interview that they did not wish any further association with me until I gave up my awful delusion. However, in time I performed the same ordinance for my brother as a Mormon elder that he had once performed for me as a Baptist elder and I had the pleasure of gathering Father and Mother to Nauvoo.

I had accumulated considerable property, owning much real estate, but I learned that a general impression prevailed that all Mormons must gather to Nauvoo, and that this property would be got from me very cheap if they combined to without offers. Under these circumstances I approached a man who had been trying for some time to sell a heavily wooded and timbered farm of a hundred and sixty acres, with a share in a sawmill. I told him I would give him so much for the property on the condition that no one should know of my offer until the execution of the deeds. He complied with this, and as soon as the townspeople knew it the reports flew around that I was not going to Nauvoo, that I was too smart to let the ‘Mormon’ leaders get my means.

In the meantime I contracted with the proprietor of the Angles Iron Furnaces to deliver several hundred cords of wood; bought horses and wagons, entering in to business as though I should remain there a lifetime, using my mill right to saw whatever timber was fit, into lumber. This placed me on about the same business vantage ground that I had held before baptism, which I improved in disposing of all my real estate, except the 160 acres farm to good advantage. I realized in wood and lumber from the farm almost its first cost, and had it left for sale on the basis that whether it brought much or little, it was almost all clear profit. I traded it for a good figure for broadcloth and satinet, and with short warning, in company with my brother Hyrum, Daniel Hendricks and their families and mine, started with teams and wagon for Nauvoo, and in that way traveled from West Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts to Salt Lake City, presumably as long a wagon ride as any of the gathered Saints have had. In leaving my native town, I had many warnings from many well meaning friends, who were so fully prejudiced against Mormons as to consider that no good thing could come to me and my family by going among them. Prophecies were plentiful that I should lose all my worldly possessions and promises abundant that if I would write back that I wished to return they would raise means for my deliverance.

Though I have been peeled, robbed and driven by a mob, I have prospered in worldly things far more than those who gave me warnings, and the acquaintance I formed with Joseph Smith confirmed my faith in the work I embraced. I entered considerable government land adjoining Nauvoo, fenced and improved a 160 acre farm six miles out of Nauvoo, built a good substantial two-story brick house and a good barn and outhouses in the city.

In 1842, I filled a mission to Canada; in 1843, I filled a mission to the Indian Nation, and during that year was elected a member of the City Council of Nauvoo, and in 1844, by vote of the council was elected Mayor of that city and held the office until its charter was repealed. The same year I was sent on a mission to Massachusetts. During these years threatening of the mobs had been violent. Joseph and Hyrum Smith had been cruelly murdered while under the protection of the governor of the State, and in February 1846, I with many others were forced to flee from Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi on the ice, and seeking refuge in the wilds of Iowa with snow on the ground. We here lost some of our dearest friends and relations by the hardships and exposures they were called to meet, principally among them my brother Orson’s wife, daughter of Deacon Samuel Curtis, Canaan, Columbia County, N. Y. Her death and that of others was directly due to our compulsory exodus from Nauvoo. Her father, mother, and kindred were according to the light they had, exemplary and devoted Christians. To such as these were the western mobocrats appealing for countenance and aid, while they were hounding their children to most cruel deaths. Not many weeks after my brother Orson lost his wife, my wife Mary weakened under the exposure and hardships of the journey, and was like many others, laid to rest by the roadside, none of their kindred having today any recognition of where they lay.

I wish here to make affectionate and honorable mention of my brother Hyrum, whose life before association with our people, and his devotion and loyalty to the Gospel after embracing it, was worthy of the highest and noblest recognition. He had left Nauvoo with the first outgoing Saints as Captain of Fifty in the Company of Hundred, organized under my presidency. During the journey from Nauvoo to Garden Grove, he organized the labor force of the camp, and took contracts from the settlers bordering our route of travel, to chop timber, split rails, and thereby procuring sustenance for the camp, and acquiring other much needed means for the feeble and ailing. The next morning after his arrival at Garden Grove he voluntarily started back to Nauvoo. Through great efforts he succeeded in emigrating from there several poor families, also sold some of the property left there by the three Spencer brothers, taking payment in stock cattle but immediately trumped up writs where manufactured, and attachments issued to hold the property until the mob which was gathering should come into Nauvoo. By almost super-human efforts, he escaped with the cattle and means, reaching the camp of the saints at Pisgah, although he did so as a martyr—his exposure, anxieties, and labors had killed him. He died some miles east of Pisgah, and his body was brought there for burial, his grave being fenced and marked by two stones, inscribed with the letters H.S.

In pursuing our journey west from this point we followed the Indian trail across Iowa to Council Bluffs, camping much of the time in close proximity to Indians, and herding our cattle on their grounds. We had not trouble with them for while we were suffering so cruelly from the Christian mobs the hearts of the savage seemed changed, and softened and true sympathy was extended by them to us in a most touching degree. It was here proved as it has been often proved by our people, that having the gospel they had also with them the power of God unto Salvation.

We tarried during the winter of ’46 and ’47 near the banks of the Missouri River. I acted as Bishop during these memorable months when the very essence of manhood and womanhood was tested, and I leave this affirmation that the test was not only heroically met, but met with that divinity of patience and that only a people can show who are divinely inspired.

I fitted out from this camp Francis Cobbs, Elijah Newman, and Levi Kendal with two yoke of oxen, wagon provisions, seed grain, farming tools, etc., and who came as pioneers, arriving at the site of Salt Lake City on the 25^th of July 1847, and if their testimony be true, these oxen drew the plow that turned the first sod in Utah Territory.

After the pioneers left, my re-organized company of 100 started west in June with Ira Eldredge as Captain of Fifty, following on the Indians and trappers’ trail which led to the north fork of the Platte River. This journey was a continuous panorama of incidents. Only an arm's length as it were, back of us was our old New England life, our New England relatives and associates, our fine homes and farms, and still nearer, only a short drive back, lay the home and farm which we had just been driven from into exile, but here morning, noon and night, this seemingly boundless plains, red men by the thousands, buffalo by the tens of thousands. Here to us was a new world. Here for weeks no rain fell, and for months no dew cooled or moistened the arid air. Here the very atmosphere seemed to lie and deceive in all the estimates of distance. Objects seemingly ten miles away would prove to be twenty or more. Here an animal could be killed at eventide, "jerked," hung by the wagon side, and cured without taint as we traveled on. We had read of the children of Israel in the Wilderness, but here were the children of Israel in very fact. These ancient ones were scientifically preserved by God. So were we. Their famine was fed by manna, ours with quail. They subdued enemies with the sword, ours, the most savage of savages, were softened and made in some respects to minister to our wants. I wish it to go on record that the hand of God was as much or more visible with the modern Israel, in bringing and planting and successfully sustaining them in this then desert land, as it was with the ancient Israel. When all the facts come to light it will be the pleasure and justice of the world to acknowledge it. Then it will be no longer said, "that the Lord God liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt," but "He liveth who hath brought Israel out of all countries in the latter days."

I reached the present site of Salt Lake City with my company September 24, 1847, and was the first eastern emigrating company organized in June at the Elk Horn, to reach the valley, and to move into what has been called the Old Fort.

I engaged in farming and various industries, forming at one time a partnership with Jacob Gates, J.C. Little and my son in opening a ranch in Rush Valley, from which we were unjustly ousted by Johnson’s Army at a loss to us of many thousands of dollars, and by members of whom my nephew Howard O. was afterwards nearly murdered.

I have realized the blessings of God in sustaining a large family in this once desert, having had in addition to the wives before named, Emily Thompson, by whom I had two sons, Jared and John D., and four daughters Aurelia, Sophia, Emma and Josephine. December 27, 1856, Sarah Jane Grey was sealed to me, who bore me three sons, Orson, Mark and Grove, and one daughter, Sophronia. Elizabeth Funnel was also sealed to me, by whom I had four daughters, Georgiana, Elizabeth, Chloe and Cora, and one son Henry Wilson. The name of ‘Wilson’ was given to this son in memory of Judge Wilson of Richmond Hill, Canadagua County, N.Y. who married my sister Electa, who was the mother of Marcus Wilson, author of the series of schoolbooks known as the "Wilson Series." Mary Jane Cutcliffe was also married to me by whom I had three daughters, Alvira, Lydia, Amelia and one son Samuel G.

On February 7, 1849, I was appointed President of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. At the general conference, Sept. 6, 1850, I was appointed with Edward Hunter and Willard Snow as a committee "to take care of and transact the business of the fund of gathering the poor." In 1852, I was appointed a missionary to Europe, arriving there December 20^th. On the 14^th of May 1853, I was appointed first counselor to the President of the British Mission. March 15, 1856, I left Europe to act as agent in the United States to forward the through emigration of Saints to Utah. The outfitting points were Iowa City, Iowa, and Florence, Nebraska, from whence I arrived in Salt Lake City, October 4, 1856, to resume the duties of my calling as President of the Stake.

I have served as member of the Legislature of Utah, in the House 1851-2, 1856-7, 1858-9; and in the Council, 1861-2, 1862-3 and 1864-5.

In reply to the oft repeated question what were my motives or expectations in coming to Utah, I can only answer they were about the same as those of my Pilgrim forefathers, to found a commonwealth where I could worship God unmolested, and to aid in the fulfillment off a prophecy made by Joseph Smith before his death "that the Saints should become a numerous people in the Rocky Mountains."

We outfitted for this great journey with oxen, cows and a wagon in which we had hard tack, bacon, beans, potato chips, potato starch, dried pumpkins, all in small amount, crossing the Mississippi River on the ice in the winter of 1846. All that I had from then till landing in Utah, Sept. 1847, I had to haul on wagons-- food, bedding, tools, seeds, all kinds of hardware, seed grain, chicken, cats; everything save our clothing which we carried easily on our person, and were not heavily weighted either, when we came to live six months on a ration of two ounces of flour a day from which to draw physical strength to carry the burden incident to carving out a home in the desert resulted in a lack of weight (physical weight) a blessing rather otherwise.

I wish at the close of this memoir to bear record of a most interesting incident. When our first sowing of wheat headed out, hordes of crickets assailed it with such destructiveness that forty-eight hours would have seen the entire settlement left without a vestige of grain substance. What would have been our fate here, left wholly destitute, over 900 miles from any supplies, in the fall of the year, can easily be conjectured, especially as we had not faster transportation than ox teams. At this critical time, thousands of gulls came to our rescue, sarcastic, infidelic statements have been made that the gulls were here before us and that they came to the destruction of the crickets by instinct. I ask how that instinct brought them in, just the forty-eight hours that saved the settlement? And I will venture the assertion that an honest person cannot be found who witnessed that occurrence, and has lived to the present, but will testify that there was a ratio of a thousand gulls to one hundred that was ever seen here by us before, or has been here since.

I foresee a future when the conditions of these people will be largely changed, when the culture of the world will seek to measure arms with the simplicity and inspiration of the Gospel.

If these voicings of the pen should ever reach the Saints of the Salt Lake Stake over which God honored me to preside for some nineteen years, it will be years after my natural voice will be hushed. But I desire to emphasize a great truth once uttered by a great worthy, ‘God revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets,’ and there is safety for the individual, and the people in the channels they pilot."

Elizabeth Funnell Spencer

Elizabeth Funnell Spencer is my 3rd great-grandmother. We named our daughter Audrey Elizabeth after her. She was a member of the Willie Handcart Company whose experiences were made into the movie 17 Miracles.  

Elizabeth was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England on May 24, 1833. Her father, Robert Funnell (1794-1851) was a silk weaver in the community. Her mother was Mary Ann Rice Winter (1795-1878). There were eight children in the family. Seven died some of small pox, leaving Elizabeth as the only surviving child. Elizabeth had poor health as a child but helped support the family by working long hours in a shoe bindery at age ten. The family joined the Mormon Church and were baptized on May 1, 1846. After her father died, (1851) Elizabeth’s mother ran the Conference House in Norwich where the missionaries stayed and held their meetings. As a mission president, Daniel Spencer visited the conferences and on occasion had tea with Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth and her mother set sail from Liverpool on Sunday, March 4, 1856 on the immigrant ship Thornton. They traveled with assistance from the perpetual emigration fund. There were 764 saints on board the ship under the direction of James G. Willie. They arrived in New York on June 14, and continued by rail arriving at Iowa City and Florence as the headquarters. Elizabeth and her mother spent several weeks in Iowa City making preparations by handcart. The handcarts were made by the men of the company while the women sewed tent covers. One oxen-drawn wagon was provided for each 100 handcarts. Limited luggage of seventeen pounds was allowed, so Elizabeth wore several skirts as a means of getting them to the valley.

She and her mother (age 61) were assigned to the fourth handcart company under James Willie. By the time preparations were completed, the season was late for travel. They left Iowa City July 15, 1856 with 120 handcarts (500 pounds each), 5 wagons (3,000 pounds flour each), and 500 saints. Sandy roads, repairs, lost cattle, thunderstorms, and building coffins delayed the company. September found them still camped on the Platte River near Elk Horn. The handcart axles were made out of wood and would get ground out by dust. Efforts were made to keep the dust out by wrapping leather from bootlegs or tin from their tin-plates. There was great lack of proper lubrication for the axles. They used bacon, already totally insufficient for their wants, to grease the axles. Some used soap, of which they had but little. The company traveled 10 to 20 miles a day. When they lost some of their cattle, they did not have enough oxen left to put one yoke to each wagon. The teams could not pull the wagons; and, as a last resort, they unloaded the flour and put an extra 100 pounds on each cart. Daniel and others returning to the valley after completing their assignments saw that they were far behind schedule. After giving encouragement to the saints, they hurried on to the valley to send back supplies with all possible dispatch. Upon Daniel's and Franklin D. Richard’s arrival in the Salt Lake Valley on October 4, they reported to Brigham Young the conditions of the late immigrant companies. Sixty relief wagons loaded with provisions were immediately sent. Elizabeth’s mother never gave up hope that help would come. She saw in a dream a man ride to camp on a white horse. A few days later, Joseph A. Young, mounted on a white horse, rode to camp telling them relief wagons were coming. It was heart rendering news and spurred the saints onward. 

The nights were colder, and they could see snow mantled mountains in the distance. At first deaths occurred irregularly but then more frequently and it was unusual to leave the campground without burying one or more persons. The snowstorms hit and many suffered from dysentery. Camped in deep snow, goods gone, Captain Willie left camp in search of Brother Young and the rescue wagons. He was gone three days. "Such craving hunger I never saw before any may God in his mercy spare me the sight again," one member of the company recorded in his diary. Help came in the evening of the third day, but nine more people died that night. For the first time in quite a period, songs of Zion were heard in camp. They arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley on Sunday, November 9, 1856. Elizabeth had been warned in England not to make the trip because of her poor health. But because of her faith and determination, she not only walked across the plains, but never had a sick day in her life. 

On December 27, 1856, Daniel stopped by Mrs. Funnell’s house and asked if Elizabeth wanted to be married to him. Elizabeth (age 23) became the wife to Daniel (age 62) in a joint ceremony with Mary Jane Cutcliffe and Sarah Jane Gray in Brigham Young’s office on that day. Elizabeth lived in the adobe home along with the other wives. There was no room for Elizabeth’s mother, so she boarded next door at C.V. Spencer’s house. On February 13, 1857, Elizabeth was re-baptized by Daniel in the Jordan River. The following day, February 13, she was sealed to him in the Endowment House with Brigham Young performing the ceremony and William W. Phelps and Samuel Sprague as witnesses.

When Daniel died (age 74) in 1868, Elizabeth (age 35) was left with five children to support from ages 10 to 3 months: Henry Wilson (my great-great grandfather), Georgiana, Mary Elizabeth, Chloe Louisa, and Cordelia. She brought her mother to live in the home with her and also Mary C. Cooper (age 77) who was a dear friend of Daniel’s from Nauvoo. Elizabeth shared the home with Mary Jane Cutliffe. They divided the home, Elizabeth living in one half at # 10 and Mary Jane living in the other half at # 9. 

In 1882, Mary Jane moved to Pleasant Green, and Elizabeth’s mother had died (1878) so Elizabeth moved her family to # 163 5^th East. Elizabeth used her sewing talents to help support her young family. From her home, she walked to Fort Douglas to sew for wives of the soldiers stationed there. She earned 50 cents for a full days work being paid in coins which were scarce.

In 1904, she lived with her son, Henry Wilson, and took in boarders for a year then moved in 1906 with her daughters Mary Elizabeth and Cordelia to # 279 F Street, where all three continued their dressmaking. 

Elizabeth died on September 21, 1920 at age 87. She was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery on September 24. She had been a widow for 52 years. Elizabeth was known for her sunny smile. She was always thankful for the health she had and never complained to her family. She was easy going and quick witted. She often told interesting stories of pioneer days to her family.

Newton Lacey

Newton Lacey is my great-great-grandfather. He owned the Naborhood Bakery, which was moved from it's original location in Sugarhouse to Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah in 2000.

He was born December 27, 1875 at his family home on Larg Street in Wooten-Under-Edge, England to John and Julia Sims Lacey. Mrs. Palsar and Anna Sims, who was his great-aunt, were the midwives. Newton was the 4^th child of 13, one who was stillborn. This is his story in his own words:

“We always knew what was happening when Aunt Anna came to stay. That meant a new baby brother or sister.

My father was a wheelwright making wheels for wagons. He never made more than 18 schillings a week. (25 cents a schilling).

My mother was a milliner and had a little business from time to time. She made hats and remodeled them for people. But even with this we still had a struggle financially.

For Christmas we would get an orange or apple. No toys. Maybe a dip (a little basket filled with sawdust and a few little toys hidden in the sawdust). This would cost one penny.

Mother did most of the disciplining. Father was baptized into the Episcopal Church and was the chief bell ringer. He peeled the bells once during the week and every Sunday morning and evening. Every time someone important died he would toll one certain bell that sounded like a foghorn for five minutes. Father would ring the bells and then come home, not very often staying for service. I remember the Sexton in the Episcopal Church had a long stick and when we were not at our best he would rap us on the head. That was one of the reasons we went to the Congregational Church.

I remember Queen Victoria's 50^th coronation anniversary. We all celebrated and I was 6 years old.

We all went to public schools. It cost 2 pence or 4 pennies each week for each of us. Later the free school system came to be which was a help to us. I was a good student and always loved history. I left school at the age of 14 and went into an apprenticeship to learn the art of pastry cook. I could not get married during this apprenticeship. I received one schilling a week for the first year, two the second, three the third and four the fourth and last year.

My first job was as a pastry cook in the town of Wellingborough. Room and board was 50 cents a week.

A the age of 23 I met Annie (Sarah Ann Crisp). We were married in the Congregational Church in Wellingborough. A few years later we moved to Luton where we had our own business. But it was not too good. We had two children, one girl and one boy, Ethel [my great-grandmother] and Reginald. Then one summer Annie gave birth to another boy, but Annie didn't make it. She died a few weeks after John Harold was born.

Later, I met Cissie (Emma Elizabeth Kurr). Cissie used to bring pork pies to my bakery for me to bake. She used to get a little mad because I wouldn't charge her. Then I asked her mother for her hand and she consented. We were married December 29, 1911 in the Congregational Church. (Newton was 36 and Cissie was 29 years old). After this we worked together in the bakery until 1914.

I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints through the missionaries and then came to America, leaving my family behind until I was sure we could make it in this new land. I went straight to Salt Lake City, Utah. Two days after I arrived I found a job at Morrison Meat Pies.

For the next year I saved all the money I could and borrowed a little and sent for my famil. Zcissie's sister Hilda came over with them. We rented a home on Angela Ave.--33^rd South—for a short time. Morrison Meat Pies went broke shortly after that and I had to seek employment elsewhere. I found a job through Brother Ball in our ward at the United Bakery. This was uptown so we had to move closer and ended up in Mr. Anderson's home on the west side. It wasn't long after that that we bought our first home on Arctic Court (4^th North and 2^nd West).

My salary was about $16 a week but we just couldn't make ends meet. We had our mortgage with Deseret Federal and they were very good to us and didn't force us to pay. They knew we were having it rough. This went on for about six months and then things started turning for the better.

Ethel was married while we lived here and Reg joined the Navy. He wasn't old enough but told them a good story. He was always a good talker. When Jack was old enough he joined the Merchant Marines.

I remember Jack bringing home a console radio fro us. He paid for it all on his own. It was a fine one, too. I was offered a foremanship at Lippman's Bakery. Two years later I invested in a little bakery of my own on 21^st South and 6^th East (609 E. 21^st S) with a big house for the family attached to it. This was in 1930. We called it the Naborhood Bakery, which is the Danish spelling.

Things were mighty slow and we were worried about things. Of course these were the Depression years. Then a Mrs. Dunford came to me and asked me to bake whole wheat bread according to her recipe. She would sell it to the Relief Society sisters. Of course she didn't know that I used my own recipe, but she didn't seem to know the difference. She worked up quite a business, which helped meout too. Clayton Dunford did the delivering. When Mrs. Dunford died her boys took over. They worked for about 8 years and then decided to go out on their own. All in all we lived there about 12 years and they were pretty good years. We moved to 2522 Chadwick St. I retired from business and worked hard to get to that point.”

Newton and Cissie lived there for several years and spent much of their time doing temple work. As they grew more elderly it was harder for them to take care of their home. They moved into a apartment on the north side of their daughter Vera's home. Cissie fell and broke her hip and passed away a few days later at the age of 84 in 1966. Newton became quite feeble but still had a sharp and witty tongue. He enjoyed visits from his family. He was a grand old gentleman who stood only 5' 1” tall. He had a good life he could be proud of. Newton passed away on May 19, 1968 at the age of 93.

Mary Chilton Winslow

Mary Chilton Winslow is my 9th great-grandmother. She was a pilgrim who came on the Mayflower and was at the first Thanksgiving. This is her story:

Mary Chilton was born May 31, 1607 in Sandwich, Kent, England, and was the daughter of James Chilton of Canterbury and his wife (possibly Susannah Furner).  When Mary was just two years old, excommunication proceedings began against her mother, who had attended the secret burial of a child of Andrew Sharpe.  The child was buried in secret because they opposed the "popish" burial ceremonies required by the Church of England.

Mary and family then came to Leiden, Holland, and joined with the Pilgrims' church there.  In 1619, when she was twelve, her father and oldest sister were caught in an anti-Arminian riot and her father was hit in the head with a stone--an injury for which he would have to seek out a surgeon.

By legend, Mary Chilton was the first female passenger to step ashore at Plymouth, reportedly so excited that she jumped out of the small boat and waded ashore onto Plymouth Rock.

Her father died on December 8, 1620 aboard the Mayflower and her mother died six weeks later on January 21, 1621, also aboard ship, both of "the first infection of the disease" according to a report by Governor William Bradford in 1650. Once orphaned, it is believed she became the ward of Myles Standish or John Alden. Mary's sister Isabella who married Roger Chandler, and who came over later, is the only of his other children known to have come to the colony. Mary was given three shares in the land division of 1623, one for herself and one each for her deceased parents. Her property was situated between those of Standish and John Howland.

She was one of eleven minor girls on the Mayflower. Of these, she was one of the nine to survive the first year at Plymouth and would have been present at the time of the famous First Thanksgiving in 1621. In contrast, only four of the fourteen adult women survived the first year.

She married John Winslow (possibly on October 12, 1624) and became the sister-in-law of Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow. They had ten children: John, Susannah (my 8th great grandmother), Mary, Edward, Sarah, Samuel, Joseph, Isaac, an un-named child who probably died in infancy, and Benjamin. All but Benjamin married, and Benjamin's birth is the only one listed in the records of Plymouth colony: "1653. Plymouth Regester of the Beirth of theire Children… Beniamine, the sonne of Mr John Winslow, born the 12th day of August."

Sometime after the birth of Benjamin, John and Mary moved to Boston. There John Winslow is said to have prospered as a merchant. The place of their first residence is not known.

On the 16th of June, 1671, John and Mary transferred their church membership from Plymouth to the Third Church in Boston (Third Church is now called the Old South Church; the present Old South Meeting House was built about 50 years after Mary’s death).

On the 19th of September, 1671,  John Winslow bought,  for the sum of L500 in New England silver money, "the Mansion or dwelling-house of the Late Antipas Voice with the gardens wood-yard and Backside as it is scituate lying and being in Boston aforesaid as it is nowe fenced in And is fronting & Facing to the Lane going to mr John Jolliffes." The house, on today’s Spring Lane, no longer exists.

John Winslow died in 1674. Mary made out a will on July 31, 1676 and died before May 1, 1679 in Boston.

Julia Maria Johansson/Wennersten Orth Trail

Julia is my great-great-grandfather's second wife. This is what I've been able to piece together of Julia's story:

Julia Maria Johansson was born on December 25, 1876 in Arvika, Varmland, Sweden to Johan Andersson Wennersten and Karolina Nilsson. She was the fifth of seven children: Kristina, Karl Johan (twins), Oscar, Johanna (Anna), Axel, and Nils Emil. Her father and one of his brothers changed thier last name to Wennersten (working with stone) and Karolina and Anna used that name as well, although Karl, Oscar and Axel kept the last name Johnson.

Sometime in 1880 or 1881 her father left for America. As far as we can tell, he did not come back or send for his family. In 1907 her mother, Karolina and older brother, Karl came to America to find him and it is unclear if they found him or not. Either way, they returned to Sweden without him.

Most of the children immigrated to America. Julia came around 1893. She was only 16. She came to Colorado as did Oscar, Axel and Anna. Around 1896 she married John P. Orth in Pueblo, Colorado. He was a widower with five children: Harold, Joseph Ivar, Mabel, Edith, and Carl William (my great-grandpa). Julia was quite young when she married and Harold was only 10 years younger than she was and it is assumed that this may have caused problems with their relationship.

The family lived in Ouray, Colorado where John worked in the mines. On April 1, 1905 he died in an avalanche while working on Hayden Mountain. After his death, it is believed that Julia left. Although the cemetery records indicate that his wife and five children were living in Toledo, Ohio, there is no other record that the children left Colorado.

In 1910 Julia was living in Marquette, Kansas with her sister, Anna, and her family. Carl William was only 11 years old when his father died. Harold tried to keep the family together and prevent Carl from being adopted, but after a sudden illness he died in May 1911. I wonder if Julia knew about Harold's death and returned to Colorado to find the other children or if she just came to live near her brothers, Oscar and Axel. As far as my family knows, she did not have any contact with any of them although she lived the rest of her life in Denver and Edith also lived most of her life as a nurse in Denver.

On October 7, 1911 Julia married Larsh Edward Trail in Denver, Colorado. She was 34 and he was only 22 years old. Her gravestone states that she was born in 1884. She must have said she was 8 years younger than she was because of the age difference. She died in February 1932 in Denver, Colorado. She never had any children of her own. Larsh died after a long illness in May 1947. They are buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

 The wedding of John Per Orth and Julia

 The Orth family

back: Edith, Joseph, Harold, Mabel

front: John, Carl, Julia

The gravesite of Larsh and Julia Trail in Denver, Colorado

Family History

I've always loved family history, but haven't been much of a genealogist until recently. You see, I come from a long line of pioneer ancestors. I figured there wasn't much else to be found in my family's history--it's all been done. But I do love the stories. One day I was reading through a book about my Swedish ancestors (my maternal grandmother's side) and came across my great-great-grandpa's second wife who was only mentioned by first name. Nothing else was known about her. Turns out she was a bit of a family mystery. I decided to see if I could solve it.

I've been working on finding Julia sporadically for a few years now. It's been an exciting and tedious process. There have been many spiritual experiences along the way and I've had a lot of help. I first found her on the 1910 census records, living in Kansas with her sister's family (and mother). I was so excited to find her there and now had an approximate birth year and maiden name. From there I began piecing together her sister's family history, trying to find someone with more information or a living relative. One day, quite miraculously, I found an entire family tree. It confirmed that I had been on the right track with the information I had found and more importantly I "met" a genealogist who has become just as interested in her story as I am. But the rest of Julia's story was still a mystery. It became my quest to try to find out if her rather tragic life had a happy ending. Finally a couple weeks ago I heard from my contact. Her cousin went through her mother's papers and found a pedigree chart. It had a husband listed for Julia (not my great grandpa). We found her! It felt like a major break in the case. 

After all this time searching I feel like I've come to know Julia, as well as her family and my family. I believe there is a strong bond between us and the people on the other side. I look forward to the day when I can actually meet her and learn her whole story.

Since then, I've found another family mystery of sorts when I realized that Aaron is actually a family name. Our Aaron was only a few days shy of being born on the anniversary of Aaron Cherry Day (Sept. 22 1957 in Texas). He was a great uncle (way back) who is often confused with my 6th great grandfather. I still have to sort them out on my pedigree chart.  He was a hero in the Revolutionary War and pioneer in Texas. His grave stone says he lived to be 110 years old (which probably isn't true). But he lived quite the life and it was great fun learning about him and trying to sort out which Aaron Cherry was which. It was tricky since they weren't very creative in their name choices back then.

Great Uncle Aaron Cherry

I decided that this would be a good place to tell some of my ancestor's stories. So I'm starting a new project to get as many posted on here as I can find.