As I was watching TV several days ago, I saw a little cottage in Manti, which was from pioneer days, but had been restored as a vacation rental home. It is right across from the temple. Interested, I got online to see how much it cost per night. Although out of my price range, I enjoyed looking at the photos. Somehow, in my web surfing, I came across a website that listed other historic homes in Sanpete County, UT. Knowing that some of our ancestors lived in Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, UT, I thought it would be interesting to see the pioneer-era homes and buildings in that town.
There were actually two families from whom we descend who settled in Mount Pleasant. One was the Niels and Maren Bertelsen family, of Denmark, who were the parents of Johanna Bolette Bertelsen and the grandparents of Emma Bertelsen Dalley. The other was the family I am currently researching - the family of Thomas and Christiana Watkins, of Wales. They were the parents of William Watkins, and grandparents of Martha Ann Watkins.
Thomas and Christiana Watkins emigrated to the U.S. in 1864. According to an obituary I found for their youngest daughter, Ann, they initially stayed in Rush Dale, Pennsylvania. I believe that one of their older daughters, Margaret, or possibly other friends or relatives, were living there, which is why they went there first. Ann joined them in 1865. She (and probably her parents) worked at odd jobs to raise enough money to finish their journey to Utah. Eventually they were able to take the train to Fort Laramie and then join an ox-team company, arriving in Salt Lake on 29 Aug 1868. Just a few days after arriving in Salt Lake City, Thomas, Christiana and Ann moved to Mount Pleasant. Ann married Bishop William S. Seely, the first bishop of Mount Pleasant and the leader of the ox-team company, on 25 Nov 1868. She was then 22 years old. They were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City by Elder Wilford Woodruff.
I knew that Thomas and Christiana Watkins were probably fairly poor. For one, they had to scrimp and save just to make it to Utah, and their children who emigrated to America came at various times. They had 7 children, as far as I know. The first, Mary, died in her early 20s. Margaret, previously mentioned, brought her children with her to Pennsylvania to join her husband there around 1862. I don't know if she or her family ever joined the church. William had come over in 1855, but as we know, was dead by 1859. Thomas, Jr. and Christiana, Jr. (do you call girls Jr. when named after their mother?) seem like they may have stayed in Wales, but I haven't researched them much. Those two were on the rolls of the LDS branch they attended in Wales. I don't know if they stayed active once the rest of their family left. Anthony, their next son, died as an infant, and then there was Ann, their youngest daughter.
On the 1870 Mount Pleasant census page they are listed on, they are the poorest people on the page, having fewer assets listed than everyone else. Knowing this, I thought it unlikely there would be too many records left behind about them, or any surviving property. However, it seems fortunate for us that their daughter Ann married a prominent, founding member of the community. According to this webpage, one of the homes still in existence is the Bishop Seely Home, which is now owned by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, who use it as a branch museum, or "relic home." I wasn't too surprised that his home still stands, as he was quite illustrious, but look forward to visiting it on a future trip. Perhaps there are other tidbits of information to be found there.
As I kept scrolling down the webpage, I noticed one residence on the National Register of Historic Places that caught my eye. It was the Watkins-Tholman-Larsen Farmstead at 422 E 400 S, Mt. Pleasant. Unfortunately, it did not tell me if this Watkins family was the same as ours, although it does have a photo of the home as it looks today. I assumed that with a common name like Watkins, and poor ancestors whose home likely didn't survive because it wasn't fancy enough for anyone to care about, it was unlikely to be our ancestral home. I did a Google search to see if I could find out which Watkins family owned this place, and much was my surprise when I saw this, the registration form used by the homeowners in 1996 to request the home be granted the status of a national historic place. It was indeed the home of Thomas and Christiana Watkins, built circa 1870. Thanks to these owners, the home was not demolished, although developers wanted to buy it and tear it down. Starting on about page 5 of the above link is a description of the home. Further down in the document (pg 8) is a history of the farmstead and a little of what the homeowners knew about the Watkins family. Apparently, they owners live in a new house built on the property, but have just kept the original home, granary and other features as they were historically. I would love to visit there too. It appears the Seely family owned a sawmill, and likely contributed materials to the Watkins family to build their home. Thomas died not too long thereafter, on 12 Dec 1875. Interestingly, Dec. 12th was the date that I found all this information. I can't help but feel I may be closer to finding out other important information. Hopefully the current owners would let me take a peek. At any rate, I think it's pretty neat that we can still see their home today. Maybe some of you will have a chance to explore the area as well. If you do, let me know!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Belinda Marden Pratt - Autobiography
As you know, we are descended from Parley P. Pratt and his wife Belinda Marden Pratt. The following is an autobiographical account that Belinda wrote in 1884 (aged 63). I obtained this from the Jared Pratt Family Association website (http://jared.pratt-family.org/parley_family_histories/belinda_marden_autobiography.html).
It is a very interesting story, and it's neat to hear the account of someone from that time period in their own words.
For some further reading on her life, especially after her arrival in Utah, you can check out the Jared Pratt Family Association website again (http://jared.pratt-family.org/parley_family_histories/list_parley_wives_histories.html). This particular page links to newspaper articles about her, her obituary, a letter to her non-member sister about polygamy, and histories written about her by her descendants. Well worth the time you spend reading, in my opinion. She seemed to be a remarkable lady.
It is a very interesting story, and it's neat to hear the account of someone from that time period in their own words.
Salt Lake City, Feb. 17th, 1884
I Belinda Marden Pratt was born in Chichester, Merrimack County, State of New Hampshire on December 24th 1820. Was the youngest child of my parents John Marden and Rachel Shaw Marden. Was the fourteenth child there being seven boys and seven girls. My parents were strictly moral and members of the Congregational Church. My father died just before I was fourteen years of age, aged sixty-one. My mother lived to the age of eighty-three.
At nineteen years of age I was married to Benjamin Abbot Hilton. We were married in Nashua, New Hampshire. A Baptist minister named Pratt performing the Ceremony. Our first home was in Amoskeag, then Manchester. And from there we moved to the city of Boston. My husband was an infidel on … -- believing in most things pertaining to religion. While I was continuably ambitious to find the right kind of religion, never feeling assured that those I was acquainted with were right.
In the winter of 1843 we were attracted by a handbill stating that a Mormon Preacher would hold three meetings in the Boylston Hall. Not having any particular thing to hinder we thought we would go in and hear him. The Elder was at prayer. And such a prayer! We stood in the aisle till he finished. I think the light of heaven rested down upon me, for the joy and peace I experienced was inexpressible. We attended the three meetings morning, afternoon, and evening. I had an overwhelming testimony that what he preached was true and was so rejoiced that I seemed to myself light as air, as though my feet scarcely touched the ground. Mr. Hilton felt different, thought it was a splendid doctrine to whip the sectarians but said I was too enthusiastic. I prayed after and much and felt great concern because my husband took so different views of it from what I did. I wrote my sisters, they thought I must be crazy. All opposed me and all I could do was to continually cry to the Lord. We continued to attend the meetings and one day in March my husband came home at an unusual hour and told me he was so wrought upon that he could not work or sleep and he would have to go and get baptized. Didn’t my heart rejoice? Then I could go and Oh what joy! We were baptized in Boston. It was so cold the ice had to be broken and held back with poles while we went in. I think it was near the last of March 1843. Don’t know the exact date. Every thing went on well for a time but it was not long before my husband began to doubt and feel ill towards the church and the brethren. He and some of his associates joined the Odd Fellows and he thought that better than Mormonism. We were baptized by Elder Ira P. Magin and I think confirmed by the same. I had a sorrowful heart all the time as Mr. Hilton got more and more bitter against the church. I was so conversant with the scriptures that with the testimony of the spirit I knew the doctrine preached by the Elders was true and I so much wished I could gather with the Saints at Nauvoo. In the spring of 1844 there were quite a number of the Elders from Nauvoo and the branch then in Boston was quite large. Parley P. Pratt and Erastus Snow, George Adams, and others were there. I did not mingle much with the Saints for fear of displeasing my husband. In the month of June eight of the twelve came east to electioneer for Joseph Smith for president of the United States. They were Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, and Lyman Wight. The rest I do not remember. An Elder invited Brigham Young to come to see me telling him my husband had apostized. He came and I told him I was about to go on a visit for some weeks in the country to see my husbands relations and mine also. He said, “When you go go to the clerk of this branch and get a letter of recommendation and I will call and see you again.” This was some time in July. He did not call again for they, the Twelve, got news of the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and made immediate arrangements to go home to Nauvoo.
I went according to the council of President Young fearing and trembling for fear Mr. Hilton would know it for he had got so bitter and so filled with the spirit of persecution; he let me have no peace day or night forbid me going to meeting or having any association with the Mormons as he chose to call them. I did not know what I was going to do or how I could live under the pressure for all my relatives were as bitter as he was. All I could do was to pray continually to the Lord and he surely heard my prayers. Without the thought ever having entered my heart to leave my husband I went to the clerk for my letter of recommendation although I could not see what good it would do to get it when I was just going on a visit. But to be obedient to the council of Pres. Young I went. Now see God's hand. The clerk proceeded to write and turned round and asked me how Mr. Hilton felt now about Mormonism. I told him he was going to have his name taken off the books for he did not believe anything in it etc. Lyman Wight stood by and heard the conversation and turning to me said privately, “Why don’t you go to Nauvoo?” I said, “How can I?” He said, “We, that is the Twelve, start in the morning; you could go with us.” I said, “My husband would not let me, and I was not going to start for the country till the next day after.” I said too, “I should not have money to go so long a journey.” Lyman Wight finally told me in the name of the Lord God of Israel if I would leave I would never see the day I would be sorry for it. I said I would go. He told me there was a sister in Utica, New York he thought would help me to money for my journey. He would go there if he could; if not, he would write to her. He gave me her address, and I accordingly got my letter, went home and began my preparations to leave. When the morning came for me to start on my visit, Mr. Hilton went with me to the depot and waited till the train started. Of course I had to start north instead of west to visit our friends. When I found my self alone at the first station I ordered my trunk and told the conductor I would have to go back to Boston. When I got back it was only nine o’clock, and I took a carriage and went to the United States Hotel because this was the nearest to the Western depot. I found I would have to wait till five o’clock in the afternoon before the western train started. I had not the least compunction of conscience or one thought I was doing wrong in leaving my husband. My heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving for I never doubted for one moment but what I should get along alright and that God would bless me. All the sorrow I had was for him and I pitied him more than I can express on paper.
I went according to the council of President Young fearing and trembling for fear Mr. Hilton would know it for he had got so bitter and so filled with the spirit of persecution; he let me have no peace day or night forbid me going to meeting or having any association with the Mormons as he chose to call them. I did not know what I was going to do or how I could live under the pressure for all my relatives were as bitter as he was. All I could do was to pray continually to the Lord and he surely heard my prayers. Without the thought ever having entered my heart to leave my husband I went to the clerk for my letter of recommendation although I could not see what good it would do to get it when I was just going on a visit. But to be obedient to the council of Pres. Young I went. Now see God's hand. The clerk proceeded to write and turned round and asked me how Mr. Hilton felt now about Mormonism. I told him he was going to have his name taken off the books for he did not believe anything in it etc. Lyman Wight stood by and heard the conversation and turning to me said privately, “Why don’t you go to Nauvoo?” I said, “How can I?” He said, “We, that is the Twelve, start in the morning; you could go with us.” I said, “My husband would not let me, and I was not going to start for the country till the next day after.” I said too, “I should not have money to go so long a journey.” Lyman Wight finally told me in the name of the Lord God of Israel if I would leave I would never see the day I would be sorry for it. I said I would go. He told me there was a sister in Utica, New York he thought would help me to money for my journey. He would go there if he could; if not, he would write to her. He gave me her address, and I accordingly got my letter, went home and began my preparations to leave. When the morning came for me to start on my visit, Mr. Hilton went with me to the depot and waited till the train started. Of course I had to start north instead of west to visit our friends. When I found my self alone at the first station I ordered my trunk and told the conductor I would have to go back to Boston. When I got back it was only nine o’clock, and I took a carriage and went to the United States Hotel because this was the nearest to the Western depot. I found I would have to wait till five o’clock in the afternoon before the western train started. I had not the least compunction of conscience or one thought I was doing wrong in leaving my husband. My heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving for I never doubted for one moment but what I should get along alright and that God would bless me. All the sorrow I had was for him and I pitied him more than I can express on paper.
(22 of July 1844) At five o’clock I started in a second class train thinking to save money by it, but a drunken man was so insulting I was obliged to call the conductor and get on a first class car and pay full price. Got to Springfield, Mass. the first night and staid at a hotel. At seven in the morning started for Utica arriving about seven in the evening, took a carriage and drove to Sister Monroe's as Brother Lyman Wight directed. He was not there but had written to her asking her to help me to means to prosecute my journey to Nauvoo. I found her and her daughters and sisters a very agreeable family and we had a night of rejoicing, but I never told them I had been married neither my right name for I feared I might get into trouble if I did. I never at any time made a confidant of any person so no one could say I told them anything and so give a clue that my husband or relatives could trace me. Sister Monroe was a widow and said she had no immediate means she could pay. I told her I was a dress-maker and she set me plenty of work. I made dresses and satchels for two months and then her sister, now Sister Ruth Kimball, and me started on our journey alone about fifteen hundred miles to Nauvoo. I need not say we had many adventures traveling, as we were alone without a protector, and some not very pleasant ones, but the Great Father protected us and we accomplished our journey in safety, arriving in Nauvoo the last of September. It was midnight when the boat on which we were traveling touched the landing at Nauvoo.
James Monroe, a brother to Ruth Reese, came for us and escorted us to Sister Blasurous who was a sister to Ruth. I soon found employment at dressmaking and many kind friends. Pres. Young welcomed me and blessed me. In my mind I had accepted all the revelations of God, Polygamy included. But on account of the sayings and doings of some of the brethren and sisters I suffered the temptation of Satan to nearly overcome me so far that I thought I would have nothing to do with it. I mean Polygamy. A good sister where I was staying called in Pres. Young to talk to me. He instructed me in the principle and desiring with all my heart to understand the truth. I testify that the Holy Spirit of God rested down upon me and it was made plain to my understanding that it was a divine principle, and with great joy of heart I accepted it, and never from that time to this, 1889, has there been a doubt in my mind concerning it.
My husband Mr. Hilton obtained a divorce from me by the false swearing of apostates.
I was sealed to Parley P. Pratt on or about the twentieth of November, 1844 in one of the chambers of the house of Erastus Snow. I was sealed to this, one of the first apostles of this dispensation, by Pres. Brigham Young, for time and all eternity. There was but one witness, Bro. Erastus Snow.
On or about the first of December Mr. Pratt was appointed and set apart for a mission to the Eastern States to take charge of the churches in the Atlantic States. As I was without home or relatives in this part of the country he wished me to follow him. I will not attempt to tell the joy that filled my heart. I had never expected to have so great a privilege. He gave me means to go and accordingly I started a day or two after he did. After arriving at St. Louis went on the same boat with him to Pittsburg and Wheeling, Virginia. From there we crossed the Allegania Mountains by stage to Willmington, there by rail to Philadelphia; here we were obliged to wait a few days for money and then we went on to the city of New York by mail and arrived Christmas Eve. He to visit some of the Saints and I to find a boarding place among strangers for it was not known that the sealing power was preached except by a few of the Saints. I found a boarding place and paid my expenses sewing. After a short time I rented a house and Mr. Pratt boarded with me. I commenced dress-making and knitting baby socks which I sold by the dozen earning from fifty cents to a dollar a day nearly all the time I was there, besides my house work and washing. Mr. Pratt was called home to Nauvoo in Aug. 18, 1845 and I started with him. We came home by the Erie Canal and Lakes, journeying from Chicago to Nauvoo by land. I went to Mr. Beach’s tavern to board while Mr. Pratt went to his house. After a while it was arranged for his wife Mary and I to commence keeping house in rooms upstairs in Mr. Pratt’s house.
On or about the first of December Mr. Pratt was appointed and set apart for a mission to the Eastern States to take charge of the churches in the Atlantic States. As I was without home or relatives in this part of the country he wished me to follow him. I will not attempt to tell the joy that filled my heart. I had never expected to have so great a privilege. He gave me means to go and accordingly I started a day or two after he did. After arriving at St. Louis went on the same boat with him to Pittsburg and Wheeling, Virginia. From there we crossed the Allegania Mountains by stage to Willmington, there by rail to Philadelphia; here we were obliged to wait a few days for money and then we went on to the city of New York by mail and arrived Christmas Eve. He to visit some of the Saints and I to find a boarding place among strangers for it was not known that the sealing power was preached except by a few of the Saints. I found a boarding place and paid my expenses sewing. After a short time I rented a house and Mr. Pratt boarded with me. I commenced dress-making and knitting baby socks which I sold by the dozen earning from fifty cents to a dollar a day nearly all the time I was there, besides my house work and washing. Mr. Pratt was called home to Nauvoo in Aug. 18, 1845 and I started with him. We came home by the Erie Canal and Lakes, journeying from Chicago to Nauvoo by land. I went to Mr. Beach’s tavern to board while Mr. Pratt went to his house. After a while it was arranged for his wife Mary and I to commence keeping house in rooms upstairs in Mr. Pratt’s house.
The temple was completed so far as to give endowments therein, and sometime in December I received my endowments and blessings therein and was again sealed over the altar.
On January first, 1846 I had a son born who was named Nephi by his father. Sometime in this month or the first of February, I received my second anointing in the temple.
The persecution of the saints became so great that the authorities of the church and many of the saints had to bid farewell to their homes in Feb. and we crossed the Mississippi river about the 14th of this month. It was extremely cold and my babe only six weeks old. I had not recovered my strength but a merciful Providence sustained me and by degrees I gained strength.
It was a terrible journey from Nauvoo to the Missouri river. It stormed almost continuously snow and rain and the earth was so soaked that the poor horses and cattle could drag us but a few miles in a day. We arrived in July to the Missouri river near Council Bluffs and camped for several weeks.
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Dec. 2005]
[Added by Carrie Despain:] This is all Grandma wrote but according to history they camped there at Council Bluffs while Grandfather Pratt went back to England to preside over the British Mission. They finished their journey to Salt Lake Valley after his return. Arrived in Salt Lake Sept. 1847. I think it was the next May after that (1848) that Uncle Binnie and Aunt Lynn [Abinadi and Belinda] were born; some of the first twins born in Salt Lake. At that time she nursed twins for six months without tasting bread.For some further reading on her life, especially after her arrival in Utah, you can check out the Jared Pratt Family Association website again (http://jared.pratt-family.org/parley_family_histories/list_parley_wives_histories.html). This particular page links to newspaper articles about her, her obituary, a letter to her non-member sister about polygamy, and histories written about her by her descendants. Well worth the time you spend reading, in my opinion. She seemed to be a remarkable lady.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
An Exciting Discovery
I want you all to know that miracles do happen. For the past 3 years, on and off (yes, I do sort of have a life outside of family history), I have been researching William Watkins and Charlotte George, the parents of Martha Ann Watkins Dunn. This last week, I got answers to some questions I had long been wondering about.
From what Grandpa Dunn told me when I interviewed him in 2004, William Watkins and his wife, Charlotte George, had come from Wales and crossed the plains in the Edward Bunker handcart company, arriving in Utah in 1856. Martha was born in Payson, UT in 1857. Shortly thereafter, William abandoned the family to join the California Gold Rush. He supposedly made some money and acquired some land, which he bequeathed to Martha, but was murdered in 1859. The supposed land grants never materialized. Charlotte then married a man named Thomas Wilson Stewart, who had come to Utah with the U.S. Army to quell the supposed Mormon rebellion. Thomas later ended up joining the church.
Since that interview, I have gradually found various historical records to support Grandpa's account. I first found passenger records for Charlotte George and William Watkins. Charlotte came from northern Wales, county of Flintshire. She was 24 and single (a spinster) in the spring of 1855 when she traveled aboard the William Stetson with other Church converts. They embarked in Liverpool, and landed at Castle Garden, NY, the precursor to Ellis Island.
William, a 20-yr-old miner from southern Wales, also came to the U.S. in the spring of 1855. He set out from Liverpool as well, but aboard the Chimborazo. It too carried a large number of LDS converts, and arrived in Philadelphia. Neither Charlotte nor William appeared to be traveling with any family members, although they probably knew at least a few of the members they traveled with. Many families did not have enough money to emigrate together, and this was probably the case with their families. I later found out that William's parents, Thomas & Christiana Watkins, came to Utah in 1868 with his youngest sister, Ann. She married William Seeley, the leader of their company, and the three of them settled in Mount Pleasant, UT near the Seeley family. William had other siblings too, but I am still trying to find out more about them.
The next thing I found was an 1851 Wales census record for Charlotte, as a 21-yr-old. Unfortunately, she was listed in the household where she worked as a domestic servant, rather than in the household of her parents. Her birthplace was listed as Tryddyn (now Treuddyn), Flintshire, Wales. Assuming that she would have been christened into the predominant Anglican church, this led me to her birth/christening record, showing her parents to be Richard George and Ann Hughes. Her birth was given as June 1, 1830. I then found her parents' marriage date of Mar. 27, 1829 on the same microfilm. Sadly, neither Richard's nor Ann's parents were given on the marriage record. Although I searched to see if there were any other children born to Richard and Ann, I found none. Perhaps they moved to a different village. I have also been unable to locate them in the census so far, so I thought perhaps they had died at a young age, or the census enumerator missed them. I have since learned that some of the census records for Flintshire were lost, so that could also be part of the problem. At any rate, I had no idea whether Charlotte ever had any siblings.
I often wondered about William and Charlotte and the circumstances of his leaving the family. I wondered what age Martha was when this happened. Considering that he supposedly died in 1859, I knew that Martha would never have known him, being at most 2 years old when he died. Throughout her youth, she would have gone by her stepfather's last name of Stewart. He would have been the only father she knew. Thomas and Charlotte went on to have two more daughters - Mary Lydia and Charlotte Ellen. Mary Lydia was either stillborn or died on the same day she was born. Charlotte Ellen, 8 years younger than Martha, resided in Ogden after her marriage, where Thomas & Charlotte also lived until their deaths. When Charlotte was about 61, she and Thomas adopted a young girl named Luella McElhone. At least, I found a newspaper article that stated they were desirous of adopting this girl, with consent of her widowed (and somewhat notorious) mother, who was not able to properly care for her. I posted this information about Luella on New Family Search.
In response to my post on this subject, a lady named Jean replied that she had a letter written by Charlotte Ellen Stewart (who was her great-grandmother). This letter was written in the 1920s. I was ecstatic at the prospect of learning something new, and asked if she might send me a copy of the letter. I didn't hear back for 2 weeks, and thought I might never, until this week when she replied. She said the letter was too old to photocopy well, but she typed out part of it for me and paraphrased some of it. This is what she said:
Quoting from Charlotte Ellen: “Charlotte married a man by the name of William Watkins in Wales and in 1855 immigrated to the U.S.A. and all her folks but she and her husband came on to Winter Quarters in Dec 1855 and stayed there until the next June and came west with Captain Bunkers Co. of handcarts, left Winter Quarters the 10th of June 1856 and arrived in Salt Lake Sept same yr. They went on to Payson where he had a sister living, a Mrs. Seeley, she is still living & was 94 last Jan. They bought team & wagon in Salt Lake & on Sept. 29 her husband left and went with some emigrants that were going to the Gold Fields of Calif. & she never seen him again, & on the 31st of Oct. there came up an awful storm & she was sleeping in the wagon close to Bishop Simons house, & in the morning they didn’t see her about & went to investigate & her baby had been born sometime during the night & she was unconscious & the baby almost died, but they both lived & the baby is my only relative in the world & lives in Idaho & this husband was killed in Calif. in 1859.”
From what Grandpa Dunn told me when I interviewed him in 2004, William Watkins and his wife, Charlotte George, had come from Wales and crossed the plains in the Edward Bunker handcart company, arriving in Utah in 1856. Martha was born in Payson, UT in 1857. Shortly thereafter, William abandoned the family to join the California Gold Rush. He supposedly made some money and acquired some land, which he bequeathed to Martha, but was murdered in 1859. The supposed land grants never materialized. Charlotte then married a man named Thomas Wilson Stewart, who had come to Utah with the U.S. Army to quell the supposed Mormon rebellion. Thomas later ended up joining the church.
Since that interview, I have gradually found various historical records to support Grandpa's account. I first found passenger records for Charlotte George and William Watkins. Charlotte came from northern Wales, county of Flintshire. She was 24 and single (a spinster) in the spring of 1855 when she traveled aboard the William Stetson with other Church converts. They embarked in Liverpool, and landed at Castle Garden, NY, the precursor to Ellis Island.
William, a 20-yr-old miner from southern Wales, also came to the U.S. in the spring of 1855. He set out from Liverpool as well, but aboard the Chimborazo. It too carried a large number of LDS converts, and arrived in Philadelphia. Neither Charlotte nor William appeared to be traveling with any family members, although they probably knew at least a few of the members they traveled with. Many families did not have enough money to emigrate together, and this was probably the case with their families. I later found out that William's parents, Thomas & Christiana Watkins, came to Utah in 1868 with his youngest sister, Ann. She married William Seeley, the leader of their company, and the three of them settled in Mount Pleasant, UT near the Seeley family. William had other siblings too, but I am still trying to find out more about them.
The next thing I found was an 1851 Wales census record for Charlotte, as a 21-yr-old. Unfortunately, she was listed in the household where she worked as a domestic servant, rather than in the household of her parents. Her birthplace was listed as Tryddyn (now Treuddyn), Flintshire, Wales. Assuming that she would have been christened into the predominant Anglican church, this led me to her birth/christening record, showing her parents to be Richard George and Ann Hughes. Her birth was given as June 1, 1830. I then found her parents' marriage date of Mar. 27, 1829 on the same microfilm. Sadly, neither Richard's nor Ann's parents were given on the marriage record. Although I searched to see if there were any other children born to Richard and Ann, I found none. Perhaps they moved to a different village. I have also been unable to locate them in the census so far, so I thought perhaps they had died at a young age, or the census enumerator missed them. I have since learned that some of the census records for Flintshire were lost, so that could also be part of the problem. At any rate, I had no idea whether Charlotte ever had any siblings.
I often wondered about William and Charlotte and the circumstances of his leaving the family. I wondered what age Martha was when this happened. Considering that he supposedly died in 1859, I knew that Martha would never have known him, being at most 2 years old when he died. Throughout her youth, she would have gone by her stepfather's last name of Stewart. He would have been the only father she knew. Thomas and Charlotte went on to have two more daughters - Mary Lydia and Charlotte Ellen. Mary Lydia was either stillborn or died on the same day she was born. Charlotte Ellen, 8 years younger than Martha, resided in Ogden after her marriage, where Thomas & Charlotte also lived until their deaths. When Charlotte was about 61, she and Thomas adopted a young girl named Luella McElhone. At least, I found a newspaper article that stated they were desirous of adopting this girl, with consent of her widowed (and somewhat notorious) mother, who was not able to properly care for her. I posted this information about Luella on New Family Search.
In response to my post on this subject, a lady named Jean replied that she had a letter written by Charlotte Ellen Stewart (who was her great-grandmother). This letter was written in the 1920s. I was ecstatic at the prospect of learning something new, and asked if she might send me a copy of the letter. I didn't hear back for 2 weeks, and thought I might never, until this week when she replied. She said the letter was too old to photocopy well, but she typed out part of it for me and paraphrased some of it. This is what she said:
Charlotte George was born 1 June 1830 at Tryddn, Flintshire, Wales to Richard George and Ann Hewes. She was the oldest of 11 children - 9 boys and 2 girls. Her only sister died at the age of 15. She was baptized into the LDS Church by Bro. Joseph Parry in Wales Feb. 1854. Her people were among the first to join the church in that part of the country.
This baby was Martha Ann. Charlotte Ellen was married to Thomas Wilson Stewart in 1862. He came with Johnston ’s Army to kill the Mormons and joined the church and was baptized in the Ogden River the 3rd of March 1860 or 61, by John R. Pool. They were endowed 9 Dec 1865 in the Endowment House, and on Aug. 2nd 1865 Charlotte Ellen was born in Logan , Utah .
The Church records show that Martha was sealed to Thomas Wilson Stewart & Charlotte George on the 3 April 1914 in the Salt Lake Temple.
Although there were some discrepancies between the letter and the historical records I have found, the most interesting parts were learning that Charlotte had 10 siblings I never knew about (and now need to try and find), that perhaps others of her family members joined the Church too (whatever happened to them all?), and also the circumstances surrounding Martha's birth. It looks like William was a certifiable rat, but Charlotte and Martha were spared and presumably ended up happy. Wow, that was a lot of stuff. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. :)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Dunns in the Idaho State Archives
While here in Idaho, I thought I'd take advantage of the Idaho State Archives to do research on our family's activities here. Josh & I went to Boise last weekend and compromised - a trip to the archives for me and a trip to Roaring Springs water park for him (although we did both together - it was a long day).
Before I went, I did a surname search on the Idaho State Historical Society's website. The hits it came up with were all for court cases in Owyhee County, which is where Samuel Crandell Dunn, Sr. & family lived for quite some time. There are also quite a few books and newspapers on microfilm at the archives, but those aren't organized by surname like the court cases. That's why I started with those. Plus, they seemed intriguing. Some of the court files had just one or two sheets in the folders. The archivist said they had gone through many of the files and purged all but the most basic information. Of course, the last case I looked at was the thickest folder in the whole box (almost 3" thick). I didn't have time to read everything, so I pretty much skimmed over the files and tried to summarize the cases as I understood them. (And some of them were hard to follow; I had to re-read a lot of things due to all the legal jargon.) Hopefully I'll do these summaries justice (no pun intended).
Case #1 - C.A. McMaster v. Dunn
C.A. McMaster, Plaintiff v. S.C. Dunn, Defendant
This ridiculous case managed to drag on for 10 years! Poor S.C.
I'm not sure if this case pertains to Samuel Crandell Dunn, Sr. or Jr. Samuel Sr. was a rancher in Three Creek, Owyhee County, and Samuel Jr. followed in this profession as a young man too, eventually owning quite a bit of property and cattle himself (in Owyhee County). Samuel Sr. would have been about 66 in 1919, and is listed in the 1920 census as living in Owyhee County. I believe Samuel Jr. and his family were living closer to Jerome, in Jerome County or Twin Falls, in Twin Falls County, at this time. Three of his daughters were born in Jerome between 1917-1921. Also, the case below originated in 1919 and lists Samuel Jr. as a resident of Twin Falls. So I'm not sure if that actually clears anything up...Samuel Jr. and his family seemed to move around a fair amount, while Samuel Sr. seemed to remain in the Three Creek area most of his working years. So I suppose if had to pick one, I'd say this case is more likely related to Samuel Sr. (This is the reason I won't name my children after one of their parents - it can be confusing in many instances.)
Case #2 - Dunn v. Reynolds
So we know this case is definitely about Samuel C. Dunn, Jr. However, the name A.C. Reynolds also rang a bell with me when I saw it. Samuel Jr.'s younger sister Neva (2 years younger than he) was at one time married to Allen C. Reynolds. I found a marriage record for them in 1905 in Mountain Home, Elmore, Idaho. They were married by a minister of the Congregational Church, and Neva was 18 years old at the time of marriage. I'm not sure about Allen's age. Apparently, it didn't last, since in 1919, Allen is listed as a single person. It seems Samuel Jr. had a somewhat strained relationship with some of his younger siblings. The 5 siblings older than him had all died relatively young, so he was essentially the oldest for most of his adult life. This probably was just one contribution to the conflict that existed between them. Another cause of dissension between them was likely due to the lifestyle choices of some of his siblings, as evidenced by the case below.
Case #3 - Three Creeks Land & Livestock Company v. Dunn
Three Creek Land & Livestock Co., Plaintiff v. S. V. Dunn and James Dunn, Sr., co-partners; S.C. Dunn & James Dunn, Jr., Defendants
It would seem that Stewart V. and James F. Dunn, two of Samuel Jr's younger brothers (47 and 40 years old, respectively), were the primary perpetrators of this act. James Dunn, Jr. was likely James Edward Dunn, the 18-year-old son of James F. Dunn. I don't know who S.C. Dunn refers to. Was it their 85-year-old father, or was it their older brother Samuel Jr (53 yrs old)? Were James Dunn, Jr. and S.C. Dunn accused just because they may have worked with and were related to Stewart and James F? If so, I could definitely see how that may have negatively impacted the family dynamic. And why was the case dropped? Perhaps there wasn't enough evidence to convict them, although having livestock with someone else's brand on it seems pretty convincing... Dad thought that Three Creek Land & Livestock Co. actually belonged to Samuel C. Dunn, Sr., which is a possibility. In a letter written by Emma Dunn, Samuel Jr.'s daughter, in 1932, she refers to Stewart as "Stew of the 7U." The 7U was the Three Creek Land & Livestock Co's brand. So whoever owned the Three Creek Land & Livestock Co. must have employed Stewart at some time. If the company was owned by Samuel Sr., he may have decided to drop the case against them. After all, he did move in with Stewart's family in Buhl in 1939. At that point, his wife Martha had passed away 9 years before and he was advancing in years. This is something I'd like to look into another day. I would like to go to the Owyhee County Historical Society, as I'm sure they'd have some information on the Three Creek Land & Livestock Co. For now, we'll just have to wonder.
Case #4 - First National Bank v. Dunn
First National Bank of Idaho, Plaintiff v. S.C. Dunn, et al.
Action for Foreclosure of Mortage
Not a lot of information here. It seems the Dunns, who once owned quite a bit of property and stock, had less luck in later years, which may be why some of them resorted to borrowing other people's.
The Farm Directory for Owyhee County, 1918/1919 lists the amount of property owned by some of the family members, which is neat.
Dunn, C. - Owns 587.4 Acres in Sections 10, 15, 21, 22, 27, and 28, Township 15 South, Range 12 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $8,740.00. Improved - $400. (Improved means something was done to the land, like putting up a fence, digging a well, building a home or barn, etc.)
Dunn, S.C. - Owns 856.29 Acres in Secs. 4, 6, 7, 9, and 18, Township 16 South, Range 11 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $13,280. Improved - $500. Personal property valued at $17, 430.
Dunn, Stewart - Owns 160 Acres in Secs. 25 and 36, Township 15 South, Range 10 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $2,550. Improved $300. Personal property valued at $3,350.
Once again, it's a little ambiguous as to who the first two people refer to. I thought that Samuel Sr. often went by his middle name, "Crandell." That is how he is listed on his wife Martha's death certificate. Samuel Jr.'s wife, Lettie, always refers to him as Sam in her letters to family. However, one would think that Samuel Sr. would have more property than his son. Also, in the case of Samuel Jr. v. Allen Reynolds, the land mortgaged to Reynolds included Sec. 28 and Township 15 South Range 12 East, which apparently were the property of "C. Dunn." So if I had to make a decision, I'd say "C. Dunn" is Samuel Jr. and "S.C. Dunn" is Samuel Sr.
Just for fun, I entered the value of their property into a historical currency conversion website to see how much these amounts would equal in today's dollars.
C. Dunn's property, valued at $8,740 in 1918 would amount to $130,650 today.
S.C. Dunn's property, valued at $13,280 in 1918 would amount to $198,515 today. His personal assets, valued at $17,430 in 1918 would be $260,552 today.
Stewart's property, valued at $2,550 in 1918 would be $38,119 today. His personal assets, valued at $3,350 in 1918 would be $50,077 today.
Not sure how accurate that is, but fun to think about. Or maybe not. I could be the only one who finds this interesting...
Anyone with additional input/corrections/etc., please feel free to comment.
Before I went, I did a surname search on the Idaho State Historical Society's website. The hits it came up with were all for court cases in Owyhee County, which is where Samuel Crandell Dunn, Sr. & family lived for quite some time. There are also quite a few books and newspapers on microfilm at the archives, but those aren't organized by surname like the court cases. That's why I started with those. Plus, they seemed intriguing. Some of the court files had just one or two sheets in the folders. The archivist said they had gone through many of the files and purged all but the most basic information. Of course, the last case I looked at was the thickest folder in the whole box (almost 3" thick). I didn't have time to read everything, so I pretty much skimmed over the files and tried to summarize the cases as I understood them. (And some of them were hard to follow; I had to re-read a lot of things due to all the legal jargon.) Hopefully I'll do these summaries justice (no pun intended).
Case #1 - C.A. McMaster v. Dunn
C.A. McMaster, Plaintiff v. S.C. Dunn, Defendant
Complaint filed 14 Aug 1920
Judgment (verdict) filed 18 Apr 1930
Summary of Case: The plaintiff, C.A. McMaster, claimed that in Twin Falls County during July 1919, he delivered 4 cattle to the defendant, S.C. Dunn, at Dunn’s request, and that Dunn promised to pay him $1100.00 for them. Defendant denies that he requested to buy said cattle or any cattle at all, and denies that he promised to pay him any sum for any cattle.
Other Documents of Importance: Affidavit by J.F. Martin dated 25 Aug 1920 states that Martin has known Dunn for the last 2 years, and in that time he’s always lived in Three Creek and not in Twin Falls. (The trial began in Twin Falls County, and was later transferred to Owyhee County).
Evidence: 2 letters from Dunn to McMaster
(which I can provide scanned copies of to anyone who's interested - they are in S.C.'s handwriting)
Exhibit 1: Letter from S.C. Dunn to C.A. McMaster, dated 30 Jun 1919.
Mr. C.A. McMaster, Twin Falls Ida.
Dear Sir,
Your letter of 22 inst [meaning "of the current month"] to hand & note after looking at the 4 bulls that was left in a field at 3 creek for me, I have this to say, that you will have to get down consiterable on your price if you sell them to me - the bulls are not in any shape to go on the range on account of the condition of their feet. I will take the bulls if you will make the price right & if not you will find them in place they were left in by the man that drove them out
Yours truly,
S C Dunn
Exhibit 2: Letter from S.C. Dunn to C.A. McMaster, dated 25 Feb 1920.
Mr. C A McMaster, Twin Falls Ida.
Dear Sir,
I would like to get about 5 or 6 head of yearling bulls some time in April if you will put a price on them, that a man can afford to pay. I would also like very much to come to some understanding on price of the 4 you sent out last summer, you told me that we would get them 8 bulls for less than cost Three hundred dollars a head is too much to pay for bulls to turn on the range
Yours truly,
S C Dunn
Verdict: Jury ruled in favor of Dunn, finding that he had not agreed on an amount for the bulls in question, and was not responsible for payment.
Case #2 - Dunn v. Reynolds
S.C. Dunn, Jr., Plaintiff vs. A[llen] C. Reynolds et al., Defendants
Action for Foreclosure of Mortgage
Summary of Case: On 1 Jan 1919, in Rogerson, Idaho, A.C. Reynolds, a single person, obtained ranch land and stock from Samuel C. Dunn, Jr. in the amount of $17,000.00 to be paid in 6 years, with annual interest of 7%. Apparently, several years into this agreement, Reynolds realized he would not be able to meet this obligation.
“The defendant, A.C. Reynolds, is without means of caring for said property longer than the first day of March next [1923]; that he has no feed nor the means of securing feed and declares to the plaintiff that he will not be able to run the cattle any longer and to properly care for them nor to take care of the ranch…; that unless the court takes possession of said property, through its receiver, great and irreparable damage will be suffered by this plaintiff for the reason that the defendant, A.C. Reynolds, has no other property out of which to make good any loss suffered.”
Dunn sought, and was granted, foreclosure of the mortgage so that he could try to sell the property to someone else at auction and at least recoup his court costs and pay off whatever other debts he could. He received and sold the property, which was as follows:
40 Head of horses branded UX of Ï’ (frying pan A) on left stifle;
12 head of steers, more or less, one year & older;
83 head of cows, more or less, one year & older;
25 head of calves, more or less, under one year;
7 head of Hereford stock cattle;
South ½ of the Southeast Quarter of Section 20;
Northeast ¼ of Section 29;
Northwest ¼ of Section 28;
Township Fifteen, South Range 12, East of the Boise Meridian in Owyhee County, State of Idaho.
Verdict (filed 3 Apr 1923): “That the plaintiff herein, S.C. Dunn, recovered a judgment of foreclosure in the above entitled court against the defendant, A.C. Reynolds, which judgment was rendered on the 3rd day of April 1923, and thereupon an order of sale was issued…It was among other things ordered that Samuel C. Dunn the appointed receiver of certain cattle and ranch property in the section above referred to, with powers and duties set forth in said order, and that he be vested with the rights and powers of such receiver by filing a bond for the faithful performance of his duties in the penal sum of Two Thousand Dollars.”
Samuel C. Dunn, Jr. was at that time residing in the City and County of Twin Falls, and A.C. Reynolds in Rogerson, Twin Falls County. So, you could say he won, but not really. He apparently lost out on quite a bit of money as a result of the situation.
So we know this case is definitely about Samuel C. Dunn, Jr. However, the name A.C. Reynolds also rang a bell with me when I saw it. Samuel Jr.'s younger sister Neva (2 years younger than he) was at one time married to Allen C. Reynolds. I found a marriage record for them in 1905 in Mountain Home, Elmore, Idaho. They were married by a minister of the Congregational Church, and Neva was 18 years old at the time of marriage. I'm not sure about Allen's age. Apparently, it didn't last, since in 1919, Allen is listed as a single person. It seems Samuel Jr. had a somewhat strained relationship with some of his younger siblings. The 5 siblings older than him had all died relatively young, so he was essentially the oldest for most of his adult life. This probably was just one contribution to the conflict that existed between them. Another cause of dissension between them was likely due to the lifestyle choices of some of his siblings, as evidenced by the case below.
Case #3 - Three Creeks Land & Livestock Company v. Dunn
Three Creek Land & Livestock Co., Plaintiff v. S. V. Dunn and James Dunn, Sr., co-partners; S.C. Dunn & James Dunn, Jr., Defendants
Complaint brought 3 Aug 1938. Attorney for Defendants (none given); Attorney for Plaintiff: Chapman & Chapman, Twin Falls)
“Plaintiff is now and…was the owner of…the following described livestock, to wit:
Two dark brown geldings [work horses], about 7 and 9 years of age, respectively, weighing around 1400 pounds each, branded ‘7U’ on left stifle and branded ‘W’ on left shoulder;
that the value of said team of horses is $300…On the 31st day of July, 1938, the defendants without right and without the consent of plaintiff, took possession of said horses above described and have since detained and do now detain possession thereof against the will and without the consent of the plaintiff.”
So, yes, it does appear we have horse thieves in the family. However, the case was (inexplicably) dismissed by the plaintiff 10 Apr 1940.
Case #4 - First National Bank v. Dunn
First National Bank of Idaho, Plaintiff v. S.C. Dunn, et al.
Action for Foreclosure of Mortage
Complaint brought 24 Oct 1934. “On motion of plaintiff, it is hereby ordered that the above entitled cause be, and it is hereby, dismissed.” Dated September 20, 1937.
The Farm Directory for Owyhee County, 1918/1919 lists the amount of property owned by some of the family members, which is neat.
Dunn, C. - Owns 587.4 Acres in Sections 10, 15, 21, 22, 27, and 28, Township 15 South, Range 12 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $8,740.00. Improved - $400. (Improved means something was done to the land, like putting up a fence, digging a well, building a home or barn, etc.)
Dunn, S.C. - Owns 856.29 Acres in Secs. 4, 6, 7, 9, and 18, Township 16 South, Range 11 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $13,280. Improved - $500. Personal property valued at $17, 430.
Dunn, Stewart - Owns 160 Acres in Secs. 25 and 36, Township 15 South, Range 10 East Boise Meridian. Assessed at $2,550. Improved $300. Personal property valued at $3,350.
Once again, it's a little ambiguous as to who the first two people refer to. I thought that Samuel Sr. often went by his middle name, "Crandell." That is how he is listed on his wife Martha's death certificate. Samuel Jr.'s wife, Lettie, always refers to him as Sam in her letters to family. However, one would think that Samuel Sr. would have more property than his son. Also, in the case of Samuel Jr. v. Allen Reynolds, the land mortgaged to Reynolds included Sec. 28 and Township 15 South Range 12 East, which apparently were the property of "C. Dunn." So if I had to make a decision, I'd say "C. Dunn" is Samuel Jr. and "S.C. Dunn" is Samuel Sr.
Just for fun, I entered the value of their property into a historical currency conversion website to see how much these amounts would equal in today's dollars.
C. Dunn's property, valued at $8,740 in 1918 would amount to $130,650 today.
S.C. Dunn's property, valued at $13,280 in 1918 would amount to $198,515 today. His personal assets, valued at $17,430 in 1918 would be $260,552 today.
Stewart's property, valued at $2,550 in 1918 would be $38,119 today. His personal assets, valued at $3,350 in 1918 would be $50,077 today.
Not sure how accurate that is, but fun to think about. Or maybe not. I could be the only one who finds this interesting...
Anyone with additional input/corrections/etc., please feel free to comment.
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