With God's help all things are possible

Autobiography
Harold R “Hal” and Mary Kay Southwick Bunderson
 
And Biographical Profiles of Our Parents, Siblings and Grandparents
The family history part of our genealogical research

CHAPTER 20

Biographical Profiles - Hal’s Immigrant Heritage

This chapter presents the available life stories of my Great-great-grandparents, Great-grandparents and Grandparents in chronological order of their immigration from England, Denmark or Sweden to America between 1856 to 1884; settling in Utah and Idaho Territories.
The life stories of other ancestors are sadly, not available.

Index

Background
· Overview of my immigrant heritage
· Utah and Idaho Territories - In a Historical Context
· Life on the American frontier in the mid to late 1800s - very hard
· Patronymics – Complex Scandinavian methodology for children surnames
· Possible origin of the name “Victor” in Swedish-Bunderson ancestry
· My Swedish ancestors; part of a larger migration to America
· Probable origin of the name “Norr” in family history
· Pedigree chart of my immigrant ancestors
· Church pioneer diaspora included ancestors; comparison to Israel fleeing Egypt
· The Church – ancestors - and the Jews - unique common-ground

My Great-Great-Grandparents who immigrated from England to America

· William Thomas Harris and Rebecca Morton – join Church, immigrate 1856

· Edwin Carter and Mary Ann Stockdale – Edwin dies
· Mary Ann remarries – Mr. Martin
· Mary Ann and children; join Church in 1863 and immigrate 1856

My Great-Grandparents who immigrated to America

England: William Morton Harris and Jane Carter – 1859 Handcart pioneers
· Infant William Morton Harris (1839-1870) – badly burned – naturopathic healing
· William Morton Harris exposed to deadly white-lead
· NYC – Jane Carter (1840-1933) works in a tailor shop – she and William meet at church
· William and Jane marry; start their 2,200-mile journey – NYC to SLC
· William and Jane; Handcart pioneers - Florence, Nebraska trailhead
· Jane pregnant – faced with go no go decision; Jane said, “On to Zion!”
· William Morton appointed wagon and team supervisor and Company Scout
· Two Indian braves shared fresh buffalo meat with the handcart company
· Indians visited camp – bonfire – pioneer dancing – Indians joined in
· Indian warriors in war paint rode by – human scalps on poles – three Indian prisoners
· Jane gives birth on the Great Plains – baby fine - prayer and fasting - Jane survives
· River crossing - wagon carrying Jane – driver made poor choice – close call
· After three months on the trail; their journey ends
· William Morton and Jane reside in SLC
· William Morton and Jane - homesteaders
· Tragedy - William Morton dies – age 31
· Jane marries neighbor William H. Robbins – has six more children
· Jane at Stone – illness – Irene cares for her – Jane dies; age 93



England: John Roe and Catherine Byatt
· John Roe and Catherine Byatt marry
· Family’s hopes dashed – John dies – Tuberculosis – age 31
· The widow Catherine and her children join the Church
· A threat and a bribe - Disavow your faith or you get nothing
· Catherine and her children immigrate to America
· Catherine remarries – dies in Utah Territory 13 years later



Denmark: Anders P. Pederson Norr and Fredrikke Pedersdatter
· Anders (1812-1863) and Fredrekke (1819-1899) – time and place of birth
· Anders dies – age 51 – Fredrekke must carry on
· Fredrekke, a single parent - provides for her children - joins the Church
· Fredrekke to the profane mob leader - “Go ahead and kill”
· Twelve-year-old Jorgina was the first to immigrate to America
· Fredrekke, Olef (Ole) and Mary immigrate
· But what about Caroline and Sena?
· Fredrekke in Brigham City, Utah - poor but self-sustaining
· Fredrekke gave the “widow’s mite” for Temple construction
· Fredrekke’s remarkable dream – she must do her and Anders Temple work
· Ole marries – Snowville, Utah - builds a home for his mother
· Self-reliant Fredrekke; teaches and nurtures her children and grandchildren
· Fredrekke - a naturopath
· God allowed Fredrekke to decide when it was time for her to die

Sweden: John Victor Masson Bunderson and Ingri Jenson
· John Victor Mansson Bunderson and Ingri Jenson or Peherson immigrate
· John Victor and Ingri – Mayfield, Utah - Rudimentary housing
· John Victor and sons build a house – John runs community grist mill

My Grandparents – American Immigrants

England: Thomas William Roe (1869-1920) and Lucy Ann Harris (1868-1956)
· Fourteen-year-old Thomas William Roe immigrates to America – Snowville, Utah
· Thomas’s benefactor – Bishop Arnold Goodliffe
· Lucy Ann Harris (Lucy) – born in SLC
· Lucy, go get the mail, but hurry, ranchers have seen wolves
· The wolf trotted when Lucy ran and walked when she walked
· Bullied at school, Lucy drops-out and goes to work – paid a “bit” a day
· Lucy was poor, but refused pity
· Lucy, a beautiful young woman – Jane arranged for her to live with friends
· Lucy and Thomas meet at church; fall in love
· Lucy and Thomas wanted to marry, but first, there’s the matter of the “Waltz”
· Thomas builds their house; he and Lucy marry – 1889
· Lucy’s first child; both critically ill – healed by the Lord
· The miracle strengthened many people’s faith in Jesus Christ
· Medical specialist: You cannot have any more children – she had seven
· Thomas serves a six-month winter mission – Sunday School curriculum
· The colt they planned to sell, reared, fell and broke its neck
· Miracle – Thomas needs socks – Lucy prayed – sheep left their wool
· Lucy’s quick action saved her baby’s life
· New job for Thomas and Lucy – manages office and kitchen at Bar M Ranch
· Thomas is called to be a Bishop - Lucy Irene is born
· Wife of a Bishop on the frontier – required hosting and cooking skills
· Annual fall trip – exchange wheat for flour - buy dried fruits and treats
· Thomas knitted Irene’s new red mittens – except for the thumbs
· Thomas’s humble, Christ-like forgiving nature
· Hot drinks mean tea and coffee – Faithful Lucy destroyed their tea
· Thomas and Lucy – innovation and beautification
· Thomas, a man with diverse abilities and callings
· Thomas called to be second counselor in Curlew Stake Presidency
· Thomas, secretary-treasurer – Deep Creek Dam construction project
· Dam construction brought telephone service to the valley
· “I will never forget the sight or sound of the roaring water”
· Tragedy – Thomas dies of a heart attack – age 51
· Lucy – faithful widow and single parent – takes charge of her circumstance
· Lucy’s declining years – dies, age 87

Denmark and Sweden: Mary Norr and William Victor Bunderson
· Mary Norr (Karen Marie Andersen)
· Mary, a good student
· Mary meets her future husband, William Victor Bunderson
· William Victor Bunderson (1858-1927)
· William Victor – age 14 – His turn to immigrate – travels alone
· William Victor arrived at the Tithing Yard – given bread – “No cake ever tasted so good”
· William Victor sent money for his parents to immigrate - sharecropper
· William Victor, age 20 and Mary, 17 are married
· William Victor and Mary’s children
· Willian Victor, – railroad construction worker – paid tithing first – spared serious injury
· Family moves to Snowville; a decision with profound unforeseen consequences
· Bishop Goodliffe encouraged William Victor and Sarah Ellen Harris to marry
· William Victor and Sarah Ellen Harris Bunderson – plural marriage
· Marriage, Polygamy, Politics and the Church – an essay
· U.S. Marshals sought to arrest William; “deputy fired – his gun jammed”
· Sarah – “fearing to hardly breathe” escaped
· William Victor, Mary and Sarah flee to Star Valley Wyoming - 1888
· William Victor, Mary and Sarah return to Snowville - essentially bankrupt
· Five-year-old Nephi dies – Measles
· William Victor, Mary and Sarah move from Snowville to Stone
· Mary - school to become a midwife and practical nurse
· Mary’s frontier midwife and medical practice
· Emergency – 20-mile trip – fresh horses stationed along the way
· Clyde, Mary’s trusted horse came to “say” goodbye - died
· Telegram from California – Eliza gravely ill – Mary must come - miracles
· Mary takes charge – baby recovers, Eliza dies, body returned to Snowville
· Family’s life after Eliza’s funeral
· True and faithful to the end, Mary dies, age 60
· Sarah Ellen Harris Bunderson - both my step-grandmother and great-aunt
· Sarah’s father dies when she was 6-years-old – raised by and uncle and aunt
· Sarah meets William Victor – becomes his plural wife
· Sarah and William Victor move to Cache Valley, Utah – William dies, age 69
· Sarah’s eulogy and poem dedicated to her husband
· William Victor, Mary and Sarah’s legacy – “by their fruits”
· Irony – A century after my family’s persecution by the law; I became an Idaho law-maker

Background
Settlement of the Great Salt Lake Valley began in 1847, twelve years before the first of my ancestors arrived in 1859. The original settlers were refugees from Illinois; persecuted for their religion, forced at gunpoint to flee their homes, city and 164 ft. high cut-stone Temple in 1846.

Overview of my immigrant heritage – My paternal ancestors are Swedish and Danish. My maternal ancestors are English. Those featured in this treatise joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church) in their native countries and immigrated to America; settling in Utah and Idaho territories. With minor exception, the life stories of those who did not immigrate are not available.

The first of my immigrant forebears came from England in 1856; at least two of them (see below) became members of a handcart company; a few hundred pioneers banding together, pulling and pushing small handcarts containing a few of their personal belongings – accompanied with several supply and infirmary wagons; traveling the last thousand miles of their journey across the wilderness of Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory (SLC); arriving in 1859.

Some of my English ancestors and all of those from Denmark and Sweden, immigrated to America after the Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Point, Utah Territory on May 10, 1869. They traveled by rail.

For centuries prior to the time my ancestors joined the Church, religious thought in their respective native countries was suppressed by the monarchies and their state-church – the two sustained each other.

However, invention of the printing press in the 15th century and Protestant Reformations that began in the 16th century, encouraged people to think for themselves on matters concerning Jesus Christ. Up until Martin Luther translated the Bible into German in 1534; King James of England translated it into English in 1611; it was generally a capital crime in each state-church country for laity to possess the Holy Bible, much less translate it into languages different from Latin. William Tyndale was burned at the stake for doing so in 1536.

With the softening of restrictions, non-state-church Christian religions which met government qualifications were allowed to teach and proselyte. The Church, qualified and it was in that environment that Church leaders began calling missionary volunteers to serve in the countries of my ancestors. (Appendix 2, 3, 4 and 5).

When bibles were finally made available, Bible-literate laity asked Gospel questions of their ecclesiastical leaders regarding inconsistencies between their doctrines, creeds and traditions – and the Bible; such as the nature of God, authority, infant baptism, faith and works and heaven and hell. Ecclesiastical leaders, forced to defend their practices; often gave answers that defied reason; bold statements and quotes, not to be questioned; a biblical phrase or two taken alone, that seemed to support their view; or with a non-answer, answer; “It’s one of God’s mysteries.” (Appendix 2).

However, my ancestors did not give-up. They followed Jesus Christ’s admonition to “ask, seek and knock;” desiring to find the “straight gate and narrow way” (Matthew 7: 7-14); choosing to follow the Apostle James’s advice to those who lack wisdom, “let him ask of God” (James 1: 5-6); and follow the Apostle’s Paul’s counsel to challenge; “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

When Church missionaries called at my ancestor’s homes and announced themselves as emissaries of Jesus Christ, they were welcomed. After they received scriptural answers to their Gospel questions, they prayed to know if it was true. Receiving a confirming witness from the Holy Ghost; they joined the Church and immigrated. (Appendix 1 and 6).
Commentary – One of my friends who was a member of a mainline Christian religion referenced his church’s “mystery” non-answers to his Gospel questions with a tongue-in-cheek, statement, “It’s the mysteries, the mysteries. That’s what I like about my church; is the mysteries.”

Utah and Idaho Territories - In a Historical Context – Many of my immigrant progenitors settled in or near present-day Snowville, Utah and Stone, Idaho. The William Victor Bunderson family lived in Wyoming Territory for three years.

When the first Church refugees from Nauvoo, Illinois arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake on July 24, 1847, the land was claimed by Mexico. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was raging, albeit most of the battles took place in present-day Mexico.

The U.S, Army recruited a force of over 500 men from the Church camps around Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1846 to fight in the war. When their unit, called the Mormon Battalion, was mustered out in San Diego in July 1847, the battalion would have the distinction of marching over 2,000 miles, the longest infantry march in U.S. Army history, and the only unit ever formed by the U.S. Army that was comprised of one religious’ faith. The Battalion did not encounter Mexican forces during their march across the southwest.

The war with Mexico officially ended near Mexico City on February 2, 1848. The “Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,” provided that Mexico would cede to the United States, 525,000 sq. miles of its land claims; everything south of the 42ndParallel, to specified lines that generally form the present-day boundary between the United States and Mexico.

The 42nd parallel was the dividing line originally negotiated between England and Spain. Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1810, but honored Spain’s treaty with England.

U.S. President James Polk signed a treaty with England (Canada) eighteen months earlier, June 15, 1846, wherein the 49th Parallel was established as the dividing line between the two countries; claims to what they called Oregon Country. As a result of that treaty, England gave-up its claim to 286,000 sq. miles of land south of the 49th Parallel to the 42nd Parallel.

From these “Treaty Lands,” Congress created several territories, including Utah (September 9, 1850), Nevada (March 2, 1861), Idaho (May 4, 1863) and Wyoming (July 25, 1968). Congress modified these territorial boundaries several times before granting statehood: Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864 – 36th state, Idaho, July 3, 1890 – 43rd state; Wyoming, July 10, 1890 - 44th state and Utah, January 4, 1896 – 45th state.

In establishing territories and states, congress retained the 42nd Parallel dividing line when it created the southern boundary of Oregon and Idaho and the northern boundaries of California, Nevada and Utah – however, the line was not surveyed.

The federal government’s surveyed the 42nd parallel in 1872 – the survey resulted in the restatement of the federal 1870 census. Idaho’s official 1870 population increased and Utah’s population decreased by 2,805 residents.

In Idaho, the change resulted in a 19 percent increase in the territory’s population; from 14,999 to 17,804 and made the city of Franklin, incorporated in 1860, Idaho’s oldest city. The city of Lewiston, incorporated in 1861, had previously held that distinction. (Lewiston was named after “Meriwether Lewis” of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803-1806). It was already a city when Idaho Territory was created in 1863 and the only town in Idaho Territory assessable by water - paddleboat from the Pacific Ocean. It was initially a trailhead tent-city for outfitting fortune hunters headed 75 miles east to Pierce, Idaho, where gold was discovered in 1860).

The settlers who resided on the north side of the 42nd parallel survey-line, which included my ancestors who lived in Stone, could no longer travel to SLC to do their territorial business; they had to travel northwest to Boise, more than twice the distance. (see Chapter 13 and Idaho’s 200 Cities, the East: page 44, Idaho/Utah Boundary Resolution).

Life on the American frontier in the mid to late 1800s - very hard – My progenitors were among the settlers who moved onto the desolate high-desert, sagebrush-covered foothills and valley of the Great Salt Lake. Almost everything they did was labor-intensive. The majority of their time and effort were spent on basic necessities; food, shelter and clothing:

Types of houses – Their first homes were often rudimentary; hastily built with their own hands. Some of the first homes were earthen dugouts, essentially root cellars. Many constructed log cabins with rock fireplaces and foundations. As soon as sawmills were available, they used sawn lumber to build new homes, similar to those many were forced to vacate in Illinois.

Heat and light - They used kerosene lamps or candles to light their homes and wood-burning fireplaces; later iron stoves to cook their food and provide warmth.

Food – They either raised their own food; grain, animals, gardens and orchards, or purchased it. They preserved their food by drying, bottling, pickling and storing it in cool root cellars they dug with pick and shovel. Some had community or co-op grist and saw mills, others were privately owned. Most farming communities had a general dry-goods store. Larger communities had a variety of specialty shops.

Ice - In the winter they cut blocks of ice from frozen lakes and ponds which they preserved throughout the summer by burying the ice-blocks in straw or sawdust in small windowless “ice-houses.” The insulated ice-blocks melted slowly – lasting several months.

Domestic water - Their water came from “surface” wells they dug by hand into the groundwater or bucketed from nearby streams or irrigation ditches; sometimes not using the water until the silt had settled to the bottom of the bucket.

Sanitary facilities - Their septic systems were small wood outhouses built on skids; set over pits they dug by hand; moved to new pits when required. They bathed in streams or in metal tubs using water heated on their wood-burning stoves. They washed their clothes by rubbing them over a washboard in a tub of hot water; using lye soap they made with animal fat mixed with a lye solution they collected by pouring rain-water through hard-wood ashes and filtered.

Travel conveyances- They traveled on foot, horseback or horse-drawn wagons, buggies and sleds pulled over roads that were essentially dirt trails. Winter travel could be particularly difficult for both horse and passenger. Good horses, harnesses and saddles were among the settlers prized possessions.

Health care – Compared to today, frontier health care was naturopathic to rudimentary. Sickness and death due to injury, lack of cleanliness, infection and communicable diseases were common. French microbiologist Louis Pasteur’s (1822-1895) work on microorganisms, disinfecting and vaccines did not begin to be generally accepted until the mid 1860s.

Crop-farming – Growing crops was hugely labor intensive. Land preparation, planting, and harvesting was done with horse-drawn equipment. Those fortunate to have irrigation water had to also level and dike the land for gravity-flow flood irrigation water diverted from streams and reservoirs in the higher elevations into canals and ditches dug by hand, horse-drawn plows and Fresno scrapers. Non-irrigated land was planted in the fall with hard winter wheat, barley, oats and rye. The seeds would sprout and began to grow before cold weather set-in. The plants then laid dormant until the snow began to melt; whereupon the plants continued to grow until summer when the seed heads matured and were harvested.

When the crops were growing, the plants were exposed to the vagaries of the elements; frost, hail, beating rain and heavy wind. Harsh storms at harvest time could be devastating. Hordes of Jackrabbits and other wild animals and insects were a constant threat.
Commentary – Even though life was hard, most of my pioneer forebears were a happy people with family-holiday traditions. My ancestor’s community and social life was enhanced by the Church which not only the focal point for religious worship, Church leaders promoted education and organized auxiliary activities such as community dances, stage-performances, theater, celebrations and holiday activities.

Patronymics – Complex Scandinavian methodology for children’s surnames – My Swedish and Danish ancestors gave their children surnames based on patronymic’s methodology that was disbanded in the early 1800s. Under that methodology, the last or surname of a newborn child was a derivation of the father’s first name. For example, if the father’s first name was Hans or Anders, the last name of their children would likely have been Hansen or Anderson, respectively; often ending the boy’s names with “son” for Swedes or “sen” for Danes and Norwegians - and dotter or datter (daughter of) for girls; sometimes abbreviated to “dr and dtr.” The practice for naming girls was later made consistent for naming boys.

Hence, Scandinavian names in today’s society, such as Anderson, Andersen, Peterson, Hansen and Jensen may not depict a blood relationship between parties with the same last name at all. It may only mean they have a paternal progenitor whose first name is Anders, Peter, Hans and Jens. In the case of Bunderson, I have a paternal ancestor whose first name is “Bonde or Bunder.” (see Probable origin of the name “Norr,” below).

Possible origin of the name “Victor” in Swedish-Bunderson ancestry – Many children in my Swedish lineage have the first or middle name of “Victor.” My father’s parents broke with that tradition when they named him William Rudolph.

The derivation of the name “Victor or Viktor” in my family is attributed to a legend; my great-grandfather, John (1831-1902), or an earlier male ancestor served in the King of Sweden’s Army. The tradition continued – his military unit, “the Kings Army,” won a decisive battle; hence the King honored his victorious soldiers by adding Viktor or Victor to their name.

John Victor’s son, Edward, tried to confirm the story. He found that his father indeed served in the Swedish Army before his marriage. However, Edward could not find any record of how long his father served; and whether the “King’s Army” was a special military unit or the name of Sweden’s army as a whole. Likewise, he found no evidence that the word “Viktor or Victor;” the middle name of all eight of John and Ingri’s children, originated because of a commendation bestowed by the King of Sweden on John or an earlier ancestor.
Commentary – If the King of Sweden had bestowed an honor of valor; you would think he would have used the Swedish word, “segrare” which has a similar meaning as the Latin name Victor or Viktor.

On the other hand, if the bestowal of honor did indeed occur, the Latin word Victor or Viktor could have worked, because the Latin-speaking Roman Catholic Church was Sweden’s state religion from 1164 AD until the king of Sweden expelled the Catholic church from his country; confiscated its property and made his newly created “Church of Sweden” the country’s state church in 1527 AD. (Appendix 4).

As a sidelight; use of the proper name Victor began to occur throughout Europe in the late 1800s. Queen Victoria of England had nine children, eight of whom married into the monarchies of European countries, including Sweden. Born in 1819, Victoria’s 64-year reign (1837-1901) called the “Victorian Era,” prompted the popular use of her name or some variant throughout Europe. However, it is not likely that Queen Victoria is the origin of the Victor name in my family because John Victor was born six years before Queen Victoria began her reign.

My Swedish ancestors; part of a larger migration to America – Approximately 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to America between 1865 (end of the Civil War) and 1910. The reasons for migrating were diverse, but likely included, repressive government, crop failures and famine; personal and religious freedom and restrictive land-ownership policies. The principal reason my forebears immigrated is because they had joined the Church and wanted to join the main body of members.

The “American dream” stood in stark contrast. Opportunity for immigrants to have free federal land (Preemption Act of 1841 and Homestead Act of 1862); personal, religious and political freedom; and the idea of “Give me your tired, your poor; your huddled masses yearning to be free;” (Statue of Liberty - 1875); was compelling to millions of immigrants. (Albeit, implantation of the “idea” of freedom and equality that began in 1776, is still a work in progress.).

My paternal great grandparents, John Victor and Ingri Bunderson and their children, were among those who came. (see below). After Sweden lost about ten percent of its population to immigration and famine, the monarchy and parliament began needed reforms.

Probable origin of the name “Norr” in family history - Mary Kay and I hired genealogists under Brigham Young University’s (BYU) genealogical assistance program in 1988 to audit the work previously submitted on my Scandinavian lines. We were concerned that because of patronymics, there could be errors. The BYU scholar’s audit revealed that the actual name of my Grandmother, who I knew as Mary Norr; was Karen Marie Andersen [daughter of Anders Pederson]. They found no evidence to support the name “Norr;” or its origin as a family name.

According to my grandmother, Mary’s life story recorded by her daughter, Olive Erickson, Mary did not like her given name Karen Marie. When she came to America, she changed it “Mary.”

In May, 1997, Mary Kay and I travelled to London, Wales, Sweden and Denmark with our friends Grant and Eddie Ipsen. Grant was a former mission president in Denmark. Our host in Denmark was Henning Fredrickson and his wife Sonia. Henning was a quasi-genealogist whose residence was in Roskilde, Denmark (20-miles west of Copenhagen).

At Henning’s request, I mailed a copy of my Swedish and Danish four-generation pedigree chart to him before we left home. After we arrived, Henning drove our rented car on excursions – including visits to the parish churches in which my progenitors likely attended. Buildings constructed in 1200 and 1300 AD by the Roman Catholic Church, but confiscated by the kings of Sweden and Denmark in the mid 1500s when they each expelled Roman Catholicism from their respective countries and made the Lutheran version of Christianity their state religion with themselves as ecclesiastical head. Henning told us the buildings were maintained at taxpayer expense (state-church).

Henning said that the name “Norr” is likely not the family’s real surname – but rather a geographical designation of where “my Anders Pederson family” lived visa-vie the parish church building. He speculated that because of patronymics, there were likely more than one “Anders Pedersen” family living in the parish. To keep the family’s strait, the priest likely wrote which direction from the church building they lived. Henning judged that my progenitors must have lived north of the building so the priest wrote “Norr,” the Swedish word for (north) next to their name in the parish membership book.
Commentary - The English word “north” is spelled “norr” in Swedish and “nord” in Danish. If Norr is indeed the family’s surname you would expect to see it in the original vital statistics records of earlier generations; and conforming with patronymic’s methodology. However, the BYU researchers found no evidence of either.

Pedigree chart of my immigrant ancestors– Except for deceased spouses, my immigrant progenitors referenced in the following chart, joined the Church in their native countries; sailed to America and traveled 2,200-miles overland from NYC to SLC, Utah Territory.


John Victor Masson Bunderson
William Victor Bunderson
Ingri Jensen (Jensdotter or Pehrson)
(father was Jens Pehrson)
William Rudolph Bunderson
Anders P Pederson (Norr)
(died in Denmark)
Mary Norr (Karen Marie Anderson)
Fredrickke Pedersdatter
William Oleen
Nona
Lloyd Roe
Delphia
Vernon Odell
Cleo R
Thomas R
Harold R (Hal)
John Roe (died in England)
Thomas William Roe
Catherine Byatt
Lucy Irene Roe
William Thomas Harris

William Morton Harris
Lucy Ann Harris
Rebecca Morton

Edwin Carter
(Died in England)
Jane Carter
Mary Ann Stockdale

Commentary - The times and circumstances in which the forgoing people lived are much different from today. However, the underlying principles that define lives, shape character and draw us closer to God are the same. We can learn, with hindsight, from those who have gone before and see the probable long-term consequences of our own choices.

English Prime Minister, Winston Churchill said, “The further back you look; the further forward you are likely to see.” Russian-American writer, Ayn Rand, said, “We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of reality.”

Our Father-in-Heaven’s Plan of Happiness; the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is reality; it does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever. (Hebrews 13: 8)

Because of Jesus Christ, everyone has “second chances.” Every person who has ever lived on earth will have the opportunity to hear the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and either choose to accept it, or not. Those who did not have an opportunity to hear the fullness of the Gospel in mortality, will hear it in the world of spirits, and choose. (1 Peter 3: 18-19 and 4: 6, and D&C 138). At the time of the final judgement and the veil of forgetfulness of our premortal life is removed from our minds, everyone will remember all; they will know and acknowledge Jesus Christ for who he really is; “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him; and given him a name … (that) every knee (shall) bow … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 9-11 and Romans 14: 11-12).

Those who choose Jesus Christ and repent, forgive, and strive to keep his commandments, covenants and ordinances will receive the full benefits from his redeeming sacrifice; a sacrifice that started in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he, a God, took upon himself the sins and transgressions of the world and bled from every pore; and ended on the Cross when he said, “it is finished.” (John 19:30). Because of Jesus Christ, we can become clean and live as eternal families in his environment; “though your sins be as scarlet; they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1: 18 and Appendix 1). For those who choose otherwise; “… ye have no promise.” (D&C 82: 10).

Those who choose to learn the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and act, by reading and humbly praying about it “with real intent, having faith in Christ,” can know the truth, because God will reveal it to them by the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. Thus, even in this troubled world, we each can each receive the peace and joy that comes from God to those who strive to keep His commandments, covenants and ordinances. (BM, Moroni 10: 4-5; Alma 32: 27-43 and Appendix 1).

Church pioneer diaspora – included ancestors; compares to Israel fleeing Egypt – Some of Mary Kay’s ancestors (Chapter 23) were part of several thousand Church members who were forced from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois; my ancestors came later. Their Exodus to the valley of the Great Salt Lake is remarkably similar to ancient Israel’s “Exodus” from Egypt; including leadership, destination, water crossings, wilderness, miraculous food-aid from wild birds, purpose and mode of travel:

• Both were led by prophets; Moses and Brigham Young
• Their “promised land” destination had similar geography and geology; both had a fresh water lake (Sea of Galilee and Utah Lake) that emptied through a river (Jordon) into a near-lifeless, land-locked salt water lake (Dead Sea and Great Salt Lake).
• Both Israel and Church pioneers founded many cities. Pioneers built throughout the Intermountain west, even the city of San Bernardino, California was platted in 1853; cardinal-direction, 96-foot-wide streets.
• Both were forced to cross a body of water; ancient Israel, the Red Sea; pioneer refugees crossed the frozen Mississippi River on February 19, 1846.
• Both consisted of large bodies of people who traveled in a wildness; 40 years for Israel, a thousand miles across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains for Church pioneers.
• Both had instances where quail flew into camp to provide food for starving people; anciently described in Exodus 16:13; for a body of 640 pioneers at Montrose, Iowa on October 9, 1846. Seagulls also saved the pioneers from starvation in 1848. When great clouds of crickets descended on the land, devouring everything green; thousands of seagulls came to the rescue; devouring the crickets and regurgitating the dead insects before returning to consume more.
• Ancient Israel and the pioneers were refugees looking a place to settle. Israel was fleeing Egyptian slavery; the pioneers were forced from their homes in the dead of winter by armed mobs.
• Both traveled by foot or animal-pulled conveyances.

My Great-Great-Grandparents who Immigrated from England to America
My Harris-Morton and Carter-Stockdale lines are English. These families joined the Church
and immigrated to America circa 1856. My other progenitors did not hear the fullness of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, join the Church and immigrate until the next generation.

William Thomas Harris and Rebecca Morton - immigrate 1856 - William Thomas Harris (1815-) and Rebecca Morton (1814-) and their five children; William Morton Harris (born October 29, 1839 - my great-grandfather), Andrew Edmond, Henry, Adeline Pamela and Charles) likely lived in Herefordshire, England when they were inspired to embark on the greatest adventure of their lives. They joined the Church in 1855 and soon thereafter immigrated to America and settled in the valley of the Great Salt Lake; a total distance of 6,000 miles.

When they arrived in NYC, they sought employment to earn money for the remaining 2,200-miles of their trip. While in NYC the family attended a NYC unit of the Church.

William Morton’s life story is included below. The life stories of the others are not available – hopefully, recorded by someone in my extended family.

Edwin Carter and Mary Ann Stockdale - Edwin dies - Edwin Carter and Mary Ann Stockdale (some records list her name as Mary Jane) were likely living in Prince Rock (Plymouth), Devonshire, England when their daughter, Jane, who would become my Great-grandmother, was born on February 16, 1840. Edwin was killed in 1842 in a black powder explosion at the quarry where he was working.
Commentary – Black powder was the most common, often unstable, blasting explosive until Dynamite was patented by Alfred Nobel, also founder of the Nobel Prizes, in 1867.

Mary Ann remarries – Mr. Martin - About three years following the death of her husband Edwin, Mary Ann Stockdale Carter married a man named Martin. Mr. Martin’s historical record is not available. However, he and Mary Ann had at least one child; a son they named James who would accompany his mother when she immigrated to America.

Mary Ann and children; join Church in 1853 and immigrate 1856 - Mary Ann Stockdale Carter Martin and her children joined the Church in 1853. On June 15, 1856 the family boarded the passenger ship “Thornton” in Liverpool, England and set sail for the Port of New York. Most of the passengers listed Utah Territory, USA, as their final destination.

The Ship’s passenger manifest included: Mary Ann Martin, age 51 – passenger number 332; (and her children) Jane Carter, age 17 – number 333; Mary Ann Carter, age 16 – number 334 and James Martin, age 10 – number 335.
Commentary – The passenger manifest referenced above, does not include the names of the Harris family. They apparently immigrated at a different time.

My Great-grandparents who Immigrated to America
All of my great-grandparents, except deceased spouses, joined the Church in their native countries and immigrated. Those from England came first, then Denmark and Sweden.

England – William Morton Harris and Jane Carter – 1859 Handcart Pioneers

Infant William Morton Harris (1839-1870) badly burned - naturopathic healing - When William Morton was a baby, his parents, William Thomas and Rebecca Morton Harris, left him in the care of a babysitter. But the sitter fell asleep. William Morton crawled near the fireplace where his clothes caught on fire, causing third-degree burns. Attending physicians offered little hope for his survival.

However, Irene recorded, “Through the tender mercies of the Lord and the confidence of an elderly neighbor woman who God inspired, William Morton survived.” That lady called at the Harris home and told William Thomas and Rebecca that she could heal their child. She came to see the baby each day. The baby screamed with pain as she removed the bandages and decaying flesh. After the wounds were cleaned, she applied soda to the raw flesh and applied clean bandages. William Morton recovered, but his wounds left scars - mostly around his midsection.

William Morton Harris exposed to deadly “white lead” - William Thomas and Rebecca Harris immigrated with their children; arriving in NYC circa 1856. Their son William Morton, who had worked for a printing business in England, found work at a NYC print shop. Tragically, the paints used in those days were generally mixed with white-lead, an ingredient later discovered to be deadly poisonous, over time. (see below, “Tragedy - William Morton Dies - age 31”).

NYC – Jane (1840-1933) works in a tailor shop – she and William meet at Church - When Mary Ann Stockdale Carter Martin and her children arrived in NYC in 1856, her two daughters, Jane and Mary Ann Carter found work at a tailor shop. Jane was particularly skilled in one of the last and critical steps in making tailored garments; measuring, cutting and sewing button holes.

They attended Church services in NYC at the same location William Morton and his family attended. William Morton and Jane met and fell in love.

William and Jane marry; start their 2,200-mile journey – NYC to SLC - The couple were married on July 4, 1858 in Williamsburg, Kings County, New York. William stood “six feet two inches tall, brown eyes and black wavy hair. Jane was five feet two inches, slim and attractive with brown eyes and hair. William was ordained a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood in August 1858.

The newlyweds decided they would join the main body of the Church in Utah Territory, where they would raise their family. They, like many others, evoked the scriptural term “Zion” as the name of their final destination.

The recorded history of the first 1,200-miles of their trip from NYC to Florence, Nebraska is not available. However, a record of the remaining thousand miles and three-months of their journey, the most hazardous part of their trip, is included herein.
Commentary – The term “Zion” is referenced numerous times in ancient and modern scripture to describe a geographical location; sacred places, and a description of character and attitude; “the pure in heart.”

William and Jane; Handcart pioneers - Florence, Nebraska trailhead - William Morton and Jane had been married ten months when they arrived in Florence, a trailhead for Church pioneers headed west. Too poor to buy a wagon and a team of horses or oxen, they made plans to join one of the handcart companies. William found work making handcarts.

The next handcart company leaving Florence for SLC was led by Captain George Rowley (some accounts misspell his name).
Commentary – Florence, Nebraska Territory, is located on the western banks of the Missouri River across from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Florence was the staging area for pioneers going to the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Today, Florence is a national historic district in North Omaha, Nebraska.

In 1846-47, it was called Winter Quarters; a place where many of the first refugees fleeing armed mobs in Nauvoo, Illinois held-up for the winter. Winter weather was upon them when they arrived; forcing them to made make-shift shelters by cutting trees, willows, grasses, sod and any other building or insulating material they could find. Over 600 died from exposure and disease and are buried in the community cemetery.

Handcart companies – Handcart companies were organized by Church leaders to make it possible for the poorest of the pilgrims to successfully make the final 1,000-mile leg of their arduous journey. Four to six people were assigned to each handcart. Accompanying each company of handcarts were several canvas-covered supply and infirmary wagons pulled by horses or oxen.

The Rowley Handcart Company was the eighth of ten handcart companies organized by Church leaders over the five-year period 1856 thru 1860.

Captain Rowley was 32 years old – a proven leader with musical talent. He also knew the trail, having previously made the trip. The Rowley Handcart Company consisted of 235 people ranging from infants to age 70; six different nationalities/languages were represented. The company started with 60 handcarts; each handcart carrying blankets, extra clothing and a few personal possessions. Rowley’s wife and children were members of his handcart company.

The Mormon Trail – The Mormon Trail is now part of the National Trails System that includes the Oregon and California pioneer trails and the Pony Express. The Mormon Trail is the 1,300-mile route Church refugees took from Nauvoo, Illinois to SLC. It paralleled the Oregon-California Trails for much of the distance to Fort Bridger, Wyoming, where it turned in a southwesterly direction to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The combined Oregon-California Trail continued in a northwesterly direction through southeast Idaho until the California Trail split-off southwest of Fort Hall, continuing on through the City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho; upper northwest Nevada, then on to the California goldfields. The Oregon Trail had several cutoffs but generally continued northwest to Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley.

Jane pregnant – faced with go no go decision; Jane said, “On to Zion!” - Jane was over 7-months pregnant in Florence when on June 9, 1859, the call went-out for volunteers to join Captain George Rowley’s handcart company.

William was worried; maybe they should wait. He feared the strain on Jane delivering her first baby on the open Plains and three months of wilderness travel would be too much for her and their baby. The prayerful couple considered their options – should they go or wait a year.

Recognizing Jane had to be the decision-maker, William asked her, “What shall we do?” Demonstrating her indomitable strength of character, faith and courage, Jane responded, “On to Zion!”

William immediately went to Captain Rowley and told him that he and Jane would be joining his handcart company.

William Morton – appointed wagon and team supervisor and Company Scout - Captain Rowley called William to be wagon and team supervisor and company scout. His duties were to supervise the wagon drivers, oversee the maintenance of the handcart company’s eight canvas-covered emergency supply and infirmary wagons that went ahead the company and scout the trail ahead.

Because Jane was close to delivering her baby, she may have ridden in one of the infirmary wagons; albeit walking could sometimes be more comfortable than riding in a bouncing, rocking and jolting wagon box.

The company encountered Native American Indian warriors’ multiple times during their journey. However, their prayers for safety were answered, as none of the Indians treated them with hostility. In fact, on two occasions (below), Indian warriors were kind to the travelers.
Commentary – Following evening meals, Rowley and others in the company with musical instruments such as a violin or harmonica, brought the company together for campfire singing, dancing, drama performances, talks, instructions and other activities that addressed needs and provided a pleasant respite from the rigors of the day before they retired.

Two Indian braves shared fresh buffalo meat with the handcart company – One evening, two Indians rode into camp – Captain Rowley and a few of the men were communicating with them when one of the braves saw a few buffalo grazing in the distance. The braves dropped the trappings from their ponies and with weapons in hand, raced off toward the buffalo.

The people in the company watched until they were out of sight. An hour later, the braves returned with strips of buffalo meat laid across the backs of their ponies. They gave some of the meat to the pioneers, picked-up their trappings and rode off. The fresh meat was a welcome gesture of kindness to the pioneers whose food supplies were limited.

Indians visited camp – bonfire – pioneer dancing – Indians join in - Another time after the company had stopped for the night and eaten their meal, they gathered around the main campfire for their customary activities, including music and dancing.

While the square dancing was in process, a band of Indian braves rode into camp to observe the spectacle; pioneers’ singing and dancing in the light of the campfire. The Indians watched and listened until the festivities ended and a closing prayer offered. Then the Indians walked into the campfire light and began their own dancing and chanting around the fire. The pioneers were impressed; they witnessed part of a real pow-wow.

Indian warriors in war paint rode by – human scalps on poles – three Indian prisoners - One day a large band of Indian warriors came near to the pioneer’s caravan; stopped and observed for several minutes; then turned their horses and rode off – much to the relief of pioneers.

However, on July 9th, Jane recorded that another Indian war party passed near their camp. Jane said the warriors were large men, wearing few clothes – their faces were painted with black and white stripes across their faces and bodies. They carried lances from which hung human scalps. In front of the warriors walked three prisoners with their hands tied; an Indian woman and two boys likely in their early teens.

The next morning William and another man rode back to look for two lame oxen they left in a grove of trees the preceding day to rest. The oxen were gone, but their search revealed the grisly sight of the three Indian captives hanging by their feet from trees; their bodies cut in half.

When the people at camp heard the news, they concluded God had blessed them again. It was providential that the two oxen came-up lame and had to be left behind to rest. They speculated that after the Indians carried-out their prisoner executions; they were impressed to not attack the handcart company, but rather take the two oxen for food and ride on.

Jane gives birth on the Great Plains – baby fine – prayer and fasting - Jane survives - A month into their trek, Jane gave birth to a healthy boy, Charles Edwin at Chimney Rock Nebraska. However, the delivery was difficult and ten days later, Jane came down with rheumatic fever and was near death. She received blessings; William and the entire camp fasted and prayed daily in her behalf. Jane recovered but was very weak. Captain Rowley assigned mother and child to ride in the infirmary wagon and the caravan moved on.
Commentary – Prayer is an integral part of Church doctrine; praying to our Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13); Jesus Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (John 17: 1-26); the resurrected Jesus Christ praying with the assemblage of Nephites in the new world (BM, 3 Nephi 17: 1-23); the boy prophet, Joseph Smith went into the grove of trees in upper New York state to pray and ask God which church was right and was visited by our Father in Heaven and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ (PGP, Joseph Smith History 1: 15-20 and James 1: 5). All Church meetings are opened and closed with prayer; expressing gratitude, praying for Church and government leaders and others who need help. Families and individuals are counseled to have daily prayer.

The pioneers in the Rowley Handcart Company had prayer in their daily assemblages and likely named in their prayers each member of the company who needed special assistance.

River crossing - wagon carrying Jane – driver made poor choice – close call - When the handcart company reached the North Platt River in Nebraska, William rode his horse across the river several times scouting for a crossing where the river was shallow and the river bottom hard – avoiding deep holes and pockets of quicksand that lay disguised under the water. He said if the company followed the diagonal crossing he marked, the handcarts and the wagons could safely cross on hard riverbed; the water current would help push their carts and wagons across the river.

All was well until the foolish driver of the wagon carrying Jane and her baby decided he could take a shortcut and drive his two-teams of oxen straight across the river. However, when he reached mid-river, the front feet of the first yoke of oxen slipped into a hole; hitched to the wagon; they couldn’t swim out and began to flounder, slowly pulling the wagon and other team with them.

William, seeing the emerging tragedy acted quickly. He raced to the floundering oxen, walked the wagon tongue to the lead team and unhitched them so they could swim to freedom. Other men caught hold of the freed oxen and led them to the back of the wagon where they hitched them up and began pulling the wagon backward while William was still standing on the wagon tongue batting the face of the other team of oxen with his hat - encouraging them to back up to safety.

With the tragedy averted and the entire company safely across the river, William and a few men went back to the treacherous hole to measure its depth. They tied a rock to the end of a long rope and tossed it into the hole – the rock did not hit bottom.

After three months on the trail; their journey ends - The Rowley Handcart Company arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 4, 1859. Sadly, five of the 235 pioneers who began their trek three months earlier, died and were buried in route.
Commentary – Ten years after the Rowley Handcart Company arrived in SLC, the nation’s first Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed with the driving of the “Golden Spike” at Promontory Summit, west of Corrine, Utah Territory - May 10, 1869. A journey that took the handcart company three months could now be completed by rail in three days.

William Morton and Jane reside in SLC – The Harris family lived in Salt Lake City area for a decade. Jane and William Morton had six children: Charles Edwin (1859-1938), Mary Jane (1861-1922), Adeline (1863-1863 – lived one day), Sarah Ellen (1864-1956), William James (1866-1929) and Lucy Ann (my future grandmother (November 19, 1968 – February 3, 1956). Jane became adept at drying meat for her family and for sale.
Commentary - There is little information about the family during their decade in the SLC. William undoubtedly found employment and Jane added to her practical skills needed for frontier living; drying meat, making lye soap, carding wool, dying and spinning yarn, braided-rug-making, knitting and sewing.

William Morton and Jane – homesteaders - William and Jane were anxious to find farmland. However, they did not have enough money to buy a farm and with the large number of Church converts that had come into Utah Territory over the preceding two decades, the best arable federal land along the Wasatch Mountain front had already been claimed. Albeit, Church leaders were directing settlements throughout the Intermountain West.

William and Jane learned there was arable federal land north of the Great Salt Lake in northwest Box Elder County near the town of Kelton, a railroad depot on the new Transcontinental Railroad line. The depot was a trailhead for passenger and freight traffic between Boise and other cities to the north.

William and Jane’s brother-in-law, Thomas Showell, went to Kelton where they likely rented horses at the Kelton livery stable and rode out to investigate potential farmland in 1869. They apparently liked the open land around the Curlew Sinks six miles southwest of present-day Snowville where the tailings water from Deep Creek sunk into the porous high-desert soils.

The only buildings standing at the Sinks were an abandoned stagecoach stop and a rustic cabin occupied by an unmarried young man named William Horan Robbins (Robbins). Robbins had started a garden which he irrigated with water diverted from Deep Creek.

Robbins was born in England on July 18, 1848 and served in the British army before immigrating to Canada; then to the United States; filing a homestead claim at the Curlew Sinks on June 1, 1869.

William Morton filed a homestead claim and proceeded to build a home for his family; likely using lumber he brought in by railcar to Kelton then hauled to his homestead by wagon. Jane and her five children likely traveled by rail from SLC to join him when their home was ready.

Jane said that living at the Sinks was difficult; a constant struggle to survive. She saw many settlers pass by, but they did not stop. However, William and Jane were not dissuaded by the traveler’s rejection; they felt they could make their homestead work.
Commentary – The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed U. S. citizens and non-citizens who signed a statement of intent to file claims of up to 160-acres of surveyed federal land free of charge. If they lived on their claim for five years and improved it, they receive deeds, free and clear.

Tragedy - William Morton Dies - age 31 – Jane recorded when her daughter Lucy Ann was about 15 months old, William, became very ill. By the following Sunday he was bedfast; by Monday morning he could only speak in a whisper.

He asked Jane to bless and pray for him. She cried as she knelt by their bed and “prayed as she had never prayed before.” At the close of her prayer, William said "Amen.” Then feeling easier, he set-up in bed and asked for the children to come. He kissed each one fondly and bade them good-bye. His last words were to his oldest son, Charlie, "Be a good boy." He then bowed his head and breathed his last on April 11, 1870. His family was grief-stricken. They had only lived at the sinks for a year.

With William’s sudden death; Jane assessed her options and chose to stay in her new home with her five children; six miles from the hamlet of Snowville with only one neighbor in the desolate place; William H. Robbins.
Commentary – William Morton’s cause of death was not diagnosed for many years. When information became available about the hazards of white lead and matched those facts with William Morton’s work experiences; it was clear his symptoms were characteristic of lead poisoning. William likely breathed lead dust and fumes while working for his England and NYC printing-business employers.

White lead was a base ingredient in paints; a pigment that accelerates the drying process and causes paint to be more flexible and durable. Workmen mixing and using the paints could not avoid breathing the lead dust and fumes. Small amounts of lead can be expelled from the body, but when inhaled or ingested in large concentrations; it accumulates and becomes a poison; causing a slow death.

In the early 1900s, nations across the globe began banning the use of white lead. In the U.S., children were still contracting lead poisoning from exposure or eating flakes of lead-based house paints. Congress’s last act was to ban lead from all paints in 1978.

More than a century after my great-grandfather mixed white-lead oxide into print-shop inks and paints, I had work-experiences with lead that gave me first-hand knowledge about the insidious nature of the poison that took his life.

After I graduated from high school, I worked for an automobile-battery manufacturing company in Ogden, Utah (1955-1958). My work included handling dry lead oxide and hot liquified lead. Federal law required every workstation have large vacuum-suction pipes drawing lead dust and fumes away from the worker. Each month, production employees had their blood tested for lead-poisoning. (Chapter 1).

As a partner with Arthur Andersen & Co in Boise in 1977, I was assigned to be the engagement partner on the annual financial audit of the massive Bunker Hill Mine complex in Kellogg, Idaho; hard-rock mining, processing and extracting lead, zinc, silver and gold from ore.

The smelting process emitted lead dust and other contaminants into the air. Lead and other heavy-metal contamination in the “Silver Valley” caused the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to declare Kellogg and other valley locations, Superfund Sites in 1983. The offending business owners were required to clean-up the sites; including removal of all lead-contaminated soils in the cities and replacing them with clean top-soil. (Chapter 11).

Jane marries neighbor, William H. Robbins – has six more children – Two years after William Morton died, Jane married William Horan Robbins, on July 14, 1872, he was 24 years old and she was 32. Robbins moved into the home William Morton built.

A short time after her marriage to Robbins, Jane arranged for her children, except 4-year-old Lucy, to live with extended family in the Salt Lake City area and attend school with their cousins. Jane said she kept Lucy because she could not bear parting with her youngest child.

Jane and Robins had six children: Rosella, who died as an infant (birth date unknown), Bert Bross, (born June 29, 1874), Arthur William (September 18, 1876); twin girls that died shortly after birth in 1880 (name’s unknown) and a daughter, Pearl (October 19, 1881).

Jane at Stone – Illness – Irene cares for her – Jane dies; age 93 – It is not known when Jane and Robbins moved from the Sinks to the Snowville-Stone area. However, my sister Nona, said when Jane was in her mid-seventies, her health began to fail; she was in pain and had increasing problems caring for herself. Nona said as a young girl. she accompanied our mother to visit her grandma Harris. She would help mother bathe Jane and put freshly-washed sheets on her bed.

Nona said sometimes while they were doing Jane’s housework, grandma Harris told them stories about her and William Morton’s life crossing the plains in 1859 (recounted above).

Jane was 93 when she passed away in Stone on August 7, 1933 and is buried in the Snowville cemetery. Nona and some of her cousins were flower girls at their great-grandmother’s funeral.
Commentary - William Morton and Jane’s decision to homestead at the remote “Sinks” six miles from Snowville had profound unforeseen consequences; largely due to William Morton’s untimely death a year after they moved.

His death set the stage for an incredible chain of events. Jane and her only neighbor, Robbins, would marry. Jane would send her four older children to live with relatives in SLC who became their surrogate parents and insured her children would receive a formal education. Jane would bear six children by Robbins; three of whom would die as infants.

Jane’s decision to keep her and William Morton’s youngest child, Lucy Ann, with her had life-changing consequences. As soon as Lucy became a teenager, Jane helped her get a job in Snowville; domestic worker, living in her employer’s home; receiving limited formal education. Lucy Ann would meet English immigrant, Thomas William Roe in Snowville. Both 19-years-old, would marry and become my maternal grandparents.

Two of Jane and William Morton’s daughters would return to Snowville as adults: Mary Jane would marry my great uncle Ole Jensen Andersen Norr. Sarah Ellen; would become the second wife of my paternal grandfather, William Victor Bunderson.

England: John Roe and Catherine Byatt

John Roe and Catherine Byatt marry - My maternal great-grandparents, John Roe (1842—1873) and Catherine Byatt (1840-1895) were living in Derby, Derbyshire (county) England when they were married in 1863. The young couple moved into a new home just before their second child, Thomas William, who would become my grandfather, was born on March 31, 1869.

Irene (my mother) recorded that her father, Thomas William, said that his father, John Roe, was a minister in the local Congressional Church. The Roe family were well situated in their community with prestige and above-average wealth. Thomas’s parents named him after his grandfather. As was common with people of means; when Thomas was three years old, his parents enrolled him in school.

Thomas described his mother, Catherine, as “a refined and educated lady - well trained as a seamstress and homemaker. Though they were people of means, they were frugal.”

Irene said that she learned frugality and provident living from her father. When Irene saw women spending money in a manner she thought frivolous, she would sometimes remind her children, “A woman can throw more money out the back door with a teaspoon than her husband can bring in the front door with a scoop shovel.”

Thomas described Derby as a beautiful town, pleasantly situated in a valley that opens on the south into a flatland of farms and villages. In the 1870s, the town had both unimproved roads and cobblestone streets lit at night with oil lanterns. A stone, three-arch bridge crossed the River Derwent. A brook, that ran through another part of town, had nine rock bridges to allow street crossings.
Commentary - In 1870, Derby had a population of about 70,000. Today, the population exceeds 250,000. The city is situated in the East Midlands Region of England – noted for its agriculture, limestone quarries and light manufacturing industries. The River Derwent is no longer navigable; its water diverted for domestic use in the greater Derbyshire area.

Congregational churches gained a level of prominence in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; an outgrowth of the Protestant Reformation that began in the 16th century when King Henry VIII confiscated the Roman Catholic Church’s property, expelled or executed its clergy and installed the Church of England (Anglican) as the country’s new state-sponsored religion with him the supreme head. (Appendix 2 and 3).

During the next two centuries, religious toleration laws were passed in England that allowed conditional protestant worship. The puritan movement developed during that period. Congregationalists in England were an outgrowth of the puritan movements; generally teaching Jesus Christ is the head of each congregation.

Family’s hopes dashed – John dies – Tuberculosis – Age, 31 - In 1873, John contracted consumption (tuberculosis) and died. In John’s case, complications from the disease included infection of the bone, settling in one leg (osteomyelitis). John’s physicians hoped to save his life by amputating the leg – but to no avail. At John’s death, he and Catherine had three children; Watkin Lewis, age seven, Thomas William, age four and Florence, eight months.

English law at the time, denied women the right to own property (see “A threat and a bribe …,” below). In Catherine’s case, she was not allowed to inherit her deceased husband’s estate. John’s brother (JB) was the legal administrator with sole control and discretion over how the estate assets were spent. For the next decade, JB apparently withdrew funds from John’s estate for Catherine and her children’s support and education.

At school, Thomas had a reputation as being very bright but mischievous. The school’s Headmaster told Catherine he overlooked Thomas’s mischief because he always completed every class assignment perfectly.
Commentary – Tuberculosis was called consumption or the White Plague in the 1800s. The disease is highly contagious. However, in those days, its contagion was not understood. John’s family speculated he contracted the disease from exposure to England’s cold, damp weather. However, he likely contracted it from coughing church parishioners who were infected – or when visiting the sick.

The widow Catherine and her children join the Church – A decade after John died, Catherine and her three children invited Church missionaries into their home to hear their message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. They all joined the Church in 1882.
Commentary – England’s Toleration Act of 1688, granted conditional religious freedom to certain Christian churches who had a membership base in the country and met other specified conditions. Because of that and subsequent religious toleration laws; the Church was allowed to begin proselyting in England in 1837. (Appendix 2 and 3).

Catherine and her children’s conversion stories are not available. However, subsequent events illustrate their decisions were not casual, they were committed. They received deep spiritual testimonies of truth from the Holy Ghost which they could not deny. In fact, John’s brother used his legal power to put each of them to a test; offering them money and position if they would apostatize from their new religion. (see below).

A threat and a bribe - Disavow your faith or you get nothing - When Catherine’s relatives learned she had joined the Church, some of them went to great lengths to dissuade her and her children from their decision.

Under English law at the time, Catherine and her children essentially had no rights to their husband and father’s estate. John’s brother (JB) was the administrator with apparently sole desecration over how it would be distributed. He threatened Catherine and her and John’s children; “If you don’t leave the Mormons; you and your children will get nothing!”

Demonstrating indominable courage, Catherine and her children refused to cave to JB’s ultimatum. Consequently, the man used his legal power to carry out his threat; blocked his brother’s wife and children from receiving their inheritance; apparently, keeping it for himself.

Thomas William told his daughter, Irene, that Watkin Lewis, received an equivalent of $100 and a gold pocket watch. He received $50 and a gold watch. No comment about Florence.
Commentary – Prior to 1870, a married woman in England essentially had no legal identity or property rights, except for a dowry she received from her father. Upon marriage, any property she had, other than for any dowry, became the legal property of her husband.

Parliament’s Passage of the Married Women’s Property Act of 1870 allowed a married woman to hold title to property she earned or inherited. The Married Woman’s Property Act of 1882 moved the needle a bit further by providing that a married woman had legal identity separate from her husband and gave her the right to own, buy and sell her separate property.

Four decades later, Parliament’s Property Act of 1922 allowed a husband and wife to inherit each other’s property. Parliament passed law in 1926 that essentially gave women the same property rights as men. Woman’s suffrage came to England in 1928, eight years after it became constitutional law in the U.S. (19th Amendment).

England’s “Married Woman’s Property Act of 1882” was likely in effect when JB gave his ultimatum to Catherine and her children. The record is not clear what property Catherine owned separate from her husband’s estate, but she apparently had sufficient to care for her children, book ship-passage to America, train-fare to SLC and establish a new home.

The value of John’s estate is not known. But JB obviously thought it was large enough to dissuade Catherine and her children to comply with his self-serving dictum.

There is also no record of how JB distributed his brother’s estate. However, since he did not disburse it to john’s heirs, it was apparently his decision; even keep it for himself.

Those who abuse their power and harm or take advantage of widows and orphans in any manner, are addressed disparagingly in the scriptures: “… when they (people) get a little authority or power as they suppose, (they) begin to “exercise unrighteous dominion.” (D&C 121: 39). “I will come near to you to judgement; and I will be a swift witness against … those that oppress … the widow and the fatherless … saith the Lord of Hosts.” (Mark 24: 5). The Apostle James; “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father are this; to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction …” (James 1: 27)

Catherine and her children Immigrate to America – Catherine and likely her daughter Florence and Watkin Lewis traveled together. Thomas William may have traveled at a different time. Irene said when Thomas William arrived in New York City (NYC), he was met by Bishop Goodliffe, who was likely assigned to meet arriving Church members and help them make travel arrangements to Utah Territory. He invited Thomas to live with his family in Snowville and work in his general mercantile store (see Thomas William Roe, below).

Catherine remarries – dies in Utah Territory 13-years later - Catherine married Charles E. L. Jackson and they settled in Salt Lake City.

Irene wrote that Catherine spent the last of her savings to finance her husband, Jackson’s, three attempts at starting a business. At the time of her death, thirteen years after coming to America, she was working as a seamstress.

According to Catherine’s death notice reported in The Deseret Weekly (notice undated, but likely in May 1895), “Catherine was baptized in Derby by John A. Sutton, September 23, 1882 and died, May 16, 1895 at age 54. She leaves behind her husband, two sons and a daughter.”

Denmark: Anders P. Pederson (Norr) and Fredrickke Pedersdatter

Anders (1812-1863) and Fredrickke (1819-1899) – time and place of birth – My great-grandfather, Anders P. Pederson (Norr) was born on June 27, 1812 in Tostarp Keldby, Praesto, Denmark, the son of Peder Rasmussen and Kirsten Rasmussen.

My great-grandmother, Fredrickke Pedersdatter or Pedersen was born April 3, 1819 in Malby, Frederikeborg, Denmark, the daughter of Peder Jorgensen and Karen Jensen.

Anders and Fredrickke had six children; Caroline Andersen (1846), Hansine Andersen (Sena - 1848), Peder Rasmussen Andersen (1851 – 1864), Christine Jorgene Andersen (1853), Ole Jensen Andersen (1857) and (Mary) Karen Marie Andersen (1861). Because of patronymics, all of the children’s surname was a derivation of their father’s first name, “Anders.” The last name, “Norr,” the Swedish word for “north” was likely added later by their Church of Denmark parish priest (see Patronymics and Possible derivation of the name ‘Norr,” above).

The family lived in a white stucco-type, thatch-roof home; typical construction in Scandinavian countries. The Danish monarchy approved the School Act of 1814 which made it possible for children to receive up to seven years of state-sponsored education. That is likely the maximum level of education my Danish ancestors received.

Anders dies - age 51 - Fredrickke must carry on – Anders was a carpenter and home-builder. While building a house for a neighbor and working on the roof, he began to feel weak. He told the other workman he was going home. When he got off the ladder, he took his boot off and saw it had filled with blood – likely a ruptured artery – he died that night; October 31, 1863, age 51. A year later, 13-year-old Peder (Peter) died in a drowning accident.

Their daughter, and my grandmother, Mary Norr (Karen Marie Andersen or Anderson) was two years old when her father died.

Fredrickke, a single parent - provides for her children - joins the Church - With her husband gone, Fredrickke was the family’s breadwinner. She worked for more affluent families in her community, selling her skills as a seamstress and domestic worker. She often went to their homes to clean, sew and mend their clothing and linens – often exchanging her labor for food. Mary accompanied her mother; but was generally denied access to the house; she had to play outside by herself until her mother completed her work.

Fourteen months after Anders died; Fredrickke was taught the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ by Church missionaries in her home. She received a burning testimony of its truthfulness and on January 1, 1865, she and her children who were over eight-years-old were baptized.

Fredrekke to the profane mob leader - “Go ahead and kill”- One night, bigotry raised its ugly head in the lives of Fredrickke and her children. Church missionaries were teaching a Gospel lesson to a group of Fredrickke’s neighbors who had assembled at her home.

Several local ruffians heard of the cottage meeting and showed-up with mischief in mind. At the conclusion of the meeting, the missionaries invited all in attendance to kneel in prayer. Fredrickke’s 12-year-old daughter Jorgina (Jeanne) whispered to her mother, “As long as they keep praying, no one will get hurt.”

Jorgina was right, when the prayer concluded, the gang knocked over chairs as they rushed forward; overpowered the two missionaries and drug them to a nearby Inn. There, they abused them, holding them on their back and shoving the neck of a liquor bottle into their mouths; forcing the alcohol down their throats, choking them, similar to waterboard torture. After the missionaries were half-unconscious, the mobsters left them lying in a corner and turned their attention to drinking and storytelling among themselves; until one of them noticed the missionaries were gone!

Enraged that their prey had escaped, they determined that Fredrickke probably knew where. They would begin their search at her residence.

When the drunken mob approached Fredrickke’s home, they were met by a stern-faced, 45-year-old, five foot six-inch-tall woman standing in the entrance; hands on hips and with her feet planted firmly in the door frame. In no uncertain terms, she ordered them to leave.

The leader of the mob approached Fredrickke with his drunken chums at his side, bent down so that he was in her face and in a sneering, domineering voice demanded she tell them where the missionaries were; “If you don’t tell us, we will kill you.”

With indomitable courage, Fredrickke stood her ground, looked the profane mobster in the eye and defiantly exclaimed, “Go ahead and kill!”

The drunken mob-leader and his followers cowered. Fredrickke’s fierce determination and courage intimidated them. With a flurry of verbal cursing’s and threats, the drunken band withdrew; literally slinking away into the shadows of the night.
Commentary – The missionaries did return to Fredrickke’s home. But rather than sending them away, she directed them to go to her attic. Fredrickke, her children and the missionaries had undoubtedly prayed for help; indeed, there were other forces at work that night.

The Church of Denmark is the country’s state religion and teaches a version of Lutheran theology. In the 1860s, Sweden’s religious toleration laws were relaxed; allowing approval for certain other religions. However, the practice of religious tolerance among the populace was another matter.

Twelve-year-old Jorgina was the first to immigrate to America – One of the Church-convert families in Fredrickke’s community (name unknown) were in process of planning their immigration to America in 1867. They offered to take Jorgina with them, likely because they had a daughter the same age. The couple said they would care for Jorgina as their own until Fredrickke could immigrate and come to their home in Utah Territory.

Fredrekke agreed to the generous offer. She commented on how she would miss Jorgina, but she knew it would be best for her daughter.

Fredrekke, Olef (Ole) and Mary immigrate - Fredrickke and her two youngest children, Ole, age 12, and Mary, age 8, left Denmark for America on July 10, 1870, three years after Jorgina.

When they reached New York, 22 days later, their ship was required to anchor two miles offshore; quarantined until authorities were satisfied no one on board had a communicable disease. Once their ship was cleared, the passengers passed through the Castle Gardens processing center, traveled by train to Ogden – then on to Brigham City where they were reunited with Jorgina – a happy reunion indeed.

Jorgina would later marry Hans Miller and settle 115 miles south in Sanpete County, Utah before she and her husband traveled 300 miles north to homestead in Albion, Idaho.
Commentary – Castle Gardens was the predecessor to Ellis Island immigrant processing center that started in 1892. Fredrekke’s record did not name Castle Gardens, but it was the only one.

But what about Caroline and Sena? - The record is not available as to why Fredrekke’s two eldest daughters, Caroline and Hansine (Sena) did not travel with Fredrickke, Olef and Mary to America. However, we know that Caroline eventually came to Utah, married Jens Nielsen and moved 150-miles south of Salt Lake City to Orangeville, Utah.

There is also limited information about Sena who stayed in Denmark. There is evidence that she had a child out of wedlock and worked as a wet nurse to support her child. She later married Maagens Olsen in Denmark and died December 9, 1883, age 35.

Fredrekke in Brigham City, Utah – poor, but self-sustaining – The family that took Jorgina with them settled in Brigham City (The name of the family is not known.). Fredrickke obtained housing in Brigham City and lived there for nine years; providing for herself and young children.

Fredrickke’s trade included washing, cording and spinning wool into yarn which she used to knit stockings and gloves for sale. She washed and cut worn-out clothing and other fabric into strips; braided the strips and sewed the braids into throw-rugs of varying sizes; some customers brought their own rags and hired her to make their rugs. She also acquired a manually-operated carpet loom to expand her product-line. Fredrekke taught her skills to her children and grandchildren.

Fredrickke gave the “widow’s mite” for Temple construction - Responding to a fundraising effort for temple construction, faithful but poor Fredrickke, picked wool off barb-wire fences left by herds of sheep driven on the fenced roads. She processed this “free” wool, into yarn and made stockings; selling them for 50 cents a pair and donating the money to the temple fund. (see below, My Grandparents – England - Thomas William Roe and Lucy Ann Harris; Miracle - Thomas needs socks - Lucy prayed – sheep brought their wool.).

Fredrickke’s remarkable dream – she must do her and Ander’s Temple work - While living in Brigham City, Fredrickke’s late husband Anders, came to her in a dream. In her dream, she saw Anders cutting wheat with his scythe and tying it into sheaves for threshing. Anders asked if she would tie his bundles for him. Fredrickke awoke with the distinct understanding that her dream was symbolic; Anders wanted her to perform their Temple marriage and sealing ordinances; “tying” their family together for time and eternity.

Undoubtedly with the help of her children, Fredrickke immediately gathered the necessary vital statics for her family, went to the Logan Temple and perhaps with Ole acting as proxy for his father, had all of Anders Temple ordinance work completed; baptism, their eternal marriage and sealing their children to them.

Ole marries – Snowville, Utah - builds a home for his mother – Fredrickke’s son Olef (Ole), married Mary Jane Harris, older sister to my maternal grandmother, Lucy Ann Harris, on October 27, 1881 in the Logan Temple.

Ole had a homestead claim near Snowville and built a home and out-buildings for his farm animals. He also built a one-room log home two rods (32 feet) away from his and Mary Jane’s home for his mother. He then moved Fredrickke from Brigham City to her new home. Fredrickke resided in that home until she passed away 20 years later.

Fredrickke’s daughter, Mary and her husband William Victor Bunderson, moved to Snowville the following year and built their home about a block away from Fredrickke. Mother and daughter were able to maintain their close relationship. (See below, My Grandparents; Denmark and Sweden: Mary Norr and William Victor Bunderson).

Self-reliant Fredrickke; teaches and nurtures her children and grandchildren – Fredrickke continued to earn her own way; making articles of clothing and rugs which she sold. Her grandchildren often came to visit her spotlessly clean home to develop needle-work skills, hear her stories and learn words, phrases and songs in Danish.

Fredrickke had a good singing voice and loved to sing the Danish songs she learned as a girl. She was a devoted member of the Church – rarely missing a Church service or meeting. She particularly enjoyed working in the Relief Society, the Church’s organization for women. She had a testimony of tithing and was quick to teach the importance of being a full tithe payer.

Fredrickke; a naturopath - Fredrickke had a reputation for effectively using her naturopathic skills, herbs and methods to help those who were ill or injured. With the closest medical doctor over forty-miles away, many sick or injured people in the small frontier community called on Fredrickke for assistance.
Commentary – Fredrickke’s example of helping the sick likely influenced her daughter Mary, to attend the Church-sponsored nurses training school in Salt Lake City and become midwife and practical nurse (see below).

God allowed Fredrickke to decide when it was time for her to die - As Fredrickke aged, many people were amazed that her dark brown hair didn’t turn grey; few wrinkles marked her face.

In her patriarchal blessing, she was promised she would be allowed to live until she decided it was time for her to go … when she became tired.

Two days prior to her death on July 8, 1899, Fredrickke participated in Relief Society – singing the congregational hymns, “like a nightingale.” The next morning, she was not feeling well and stayed in bed. Mary was with her when a neighbor, Mrs. Margaret Cottom came to visit. Mary, left to walk to her house to make breakfast for her mother. After Mary left, Fredrickke asked her visitor to kneel by her bed and ask the Lord to take her home as she was tired and she could do no more here. The astonished, but faithful Sister Cottom obliged.

A short time later, Mary returned with breakfast. Fredrickke sat up in bed and visited with her daughter for a while and then said, “Now Mary, I’m tired and want to rest, please let me go.” A few minutes later, this good, faithful and courageous 80-year-old woman passed away to join her sweetheart Anders and their two children, Peter and Sena who preceded her in death. Her patriarchal blessing was fulfilled.

Postscript: Following Fredrickke’s death, her grey cat that for many years had laid at her feet while she did her needlework, came-up missing. Three days later, the children found the cat in the corner of the root cellar, meowing. The cat would not leave the cellar. The children brought a saucer of milk to the cat, but the cat would not eat. The next day, the cat died.
Commentary – We cannot comprehend the depth and breadth of Jesus Christ’s redeeming sacrifice. However, we are taught that every mortal creature has a spirit; we all lived before coming to mortal earth and all will be resurrected; “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15: 21-23). Our relationship with animals in mortality, as with other people, can continue beyond the grave. (Appendix 1)

Sweden: John Victor Masson Bunderson and Ingri Jensen

John Victor Mansson Bunderson and Ingri Jenson or Peherson immigrate – My Swedish great-grandparents Immigrated to America in 1874. They were born in Saby (town), Malmahous (county), Sweden and Rya, Malmahous, Sweden on April 11, 1831 and May 31, 1833, respectively.

John Victor (1931-1902) and Ingri (1833-1913) were married November 4, 1854; likely by the local Church of Sweden priest - they were age 23 and 19, respectively. (Appendix 4).

There is no record of what John did for a living, albeit, his son Edward wrote that he served in Sweden’s Army before he married. Most people living in Sweden in the late 1800s were agrarian, earning their livelihood from the land. Many who lived near the Baltic Sea were involved with the fishing industry.

At the time they joined the Church circa 1865, John Victor and Ingri had four living children and one that had died. They had three more children after they joined the Church. Soon after his conversion, John Victor was ordained to the priesthood and was authorized to baptize his children who were over 8-years old; including William Victor, my grandfather.

John and Ingri planned to immigrate to the United States as a family and settle in Utah Territory. However, they had insufficient money to book passage as a family; they would have to immigrate sequentially - the oldest children would go first. They likely developed their immigration plan soon after their conversion, because some of their extended family had also joined the Church and immigrated - settling near Ephraim, Utah. Some of these relatives offered to meet and care for John and Ingri’s children as they arrived by rail in Salt Lake City.

The two eldest children, Mary and Peter would go first. William Victor would follow; traveling alone; age 14.
Commentary – People who joined the Church in Europe generally sought to immigrate to America and join the main body of Church in the West where there was free federal land for settlement under the Homestead Act of 1862.

Church leaders facilitated the immigration of Church members to America. Missionaries were called to organize families into groups. Those immigrating from non-English speaking countries were generally met by a bi-lingual missionary who would be their English interpreter.

For those needing financial assistance, the Church established a self-funding program called the “Perpetual Immigration Fund.” Immigrants who received financial supporked to work after they arrived in America to repay the money advanced to them from the fund – thus replenishing the fund for others.

John Victor and Ingri – Mayfield, Utah - Rudimentary housing – John and Ingri arrived in Utah with their young children in 1874; first living in Ephraim, then settling 18 miles south in Mayfield, Sanpete, Utah (135 miles south of Salt Lake City).

John Victor’s brother Edward recounts that the Mayfield community leaders invited John, Ingri and their young children to live in the town’s public hall until they could construct a home.

John Victor and Ingri soon acquired a small parcel of land outside of town where John and his sons used a pick and shovel to dig a large “dug-out” where they would live until they could build an above-ground home with logs or sawn lumber.

After John Victor’s family moved from the hall to their dug-out home, a deadly diphtheria epidemic swept through town. Because the family was isolated from the main settlement, Edward said the family escaped the contagion.

He said one family in town lost four children; a pitiful sight to see the father placing his children’s caskets on his wagon to take them the cemetery for burial.
Commentary - The public hall was a large log structure used for Church and other meetings.
“Dug-out” homes were temporary shelters dug into the ground or into hillsides. For the roof, they generally used juniper wood that is almost impervious to rot; making a dense mesh of logs, limbs and branches; upon which they placed native-grass sod and some of the excavated dirt.

After they built their permanent log or sawn-lumber homes, the settlers generally converted their old dug-out lodgings to root cellars.

Those who had had diphtheria were immune from the disease. The first diphtheria vaccine was invented in 1921. The disease is now largely eradicated in countries where children receive vaccinations for childhood diseases.

John Victor and sons build a house – John runs community grist mill - The next summer, John and his two sons, William Victor and Peter built a two-room house for the family.

Some of the community leaders constructed grain-storage silos and a grist mill; likely powered by a diverted stream of water. They hired John Victor and Ingri to operate the mill and manage the business; positions they held for many years. The mill sold prebagged flour, rolled oats, cracked wheat and other processed grains. Farmers could either sell their grain to the mill or trade it for flour or other prebagged items.

When John and Ingri retired from their mill job, they bought a small farm outside of town and built a house where they lived until they died; John on October 30, 1902 at age 71; Ingri; October 5, 1913, age 80.

My Grandparents – American Immigrants

All of my grandparents, except Lucy Ann Harris, joined the Church in their native countries

and immigrated to America. Lucy Ann was born in America to immigrant parents



England: Thomas William Roe and Lucy Ann Harris

Fourteen-year-old Thomas William Roe Immigrates to America – Snowville, Utah - Irene records when Thomas arrived in NYC in 1883 at age 14, he was met by Bishop Arnold Goodliffe who was likely in New York to help Church immigrants make their travel arrangements and perhaps purchase dry goods for his general store. Goodliffe offered Thomas a job, working in his mercantile store and living with his family in Snowville.

Thomas and Bishop Goodliffe likely traveled by train from NYC to the railhead at Kelton, Utah; then traveled by wagon or buggy to Snowville.
Commentary - America’s first transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869, went across the top of the Great Salt Lake where railroad officials built a depot named Kelton in northwest Box Elder County, about 35-miles southwest of the future city of Snowville. The Kelton Depot was a railhead for freight and passenger traffic that traveled the wagon road (Kelton Road) to destinations north; principally to Boise, the territorial capital of Idaho.

The Kelton Road and Depot were gradually abandoned after the Oregon Short Line Railroad completed its line from Granger Wyoming, through eastern and southwest Idaho to Huntington, Oregon in 1884. That new rail line created a critical link between the commerce centers of Omaha, Nebraska and Portland, Oregon; essentially creating another transcontinental railroad. The line passed through American Falls, Idaho about 60 miles due north of Snowville.

Thomas’s benefactor; Bishop Arnold Goodliffe – Fifty-year-old Arnold Goodliffe who helped Thomas in NYC in 1883, was ordained the Bishop of the Curlew Valley Ward, coincident with Church President Brigham Young organizing the Box Elder Stake in 1877. Goodliffe arrived in the Curlew Valley in 1876 and helped plat the town of Snowville; named in honor of Church leader, Lorenzo Snow. He founded his retail business, the “Snowville Mercantile Store,” at the same time.

Goodliffe was highly esteemed by Curlew Valley residents. As Bishop, he was a tireless worker in fulfilling his ecclesiastical calling; caring for the people’s spiritual and physical needs as best he could. As a businessman, Goodliffe’s store was a community gathering place where people came to buy consumer goods, pick-up and deposit their mail and hear the latest news.

Goodliffe took Thomas into his home and treated him as though he was a son. Thomas was able to learn retail merchandising and receive hands-on accounting and record-keeping experience for which he was trained in England.
Commentary – Goodliffe’s general store housed the Snowville post office which likely consisted of two wooden boxes; one for incoming mail and one for outgoing. People sorted through the letters and packages in the incoming box to find what was theirs.

Snowville’s 4,600-foot elevation is 300 feet higher than Salt Lake City and 1,800 feet higher than Boise. Geographically, the Curlew Valley begins above present-day Holbrook, Idaho and continues southward through Stone and Snowville. A free-flowing, artesian-fed, crystal-clear stream named Deep Creek, flows through the valley. The valley is named after the valley-nesting Curlew Snipe, a specie of waterfowl characterized by a long, slender downcurved bill.

Lucy Ann Harris (Lucy) - born in SLC – Lucy is the sixth and last child of William Morton Harris and Jane Carter Harris (their third child died as an infant). Lucy’s parents joined the Church in England and immigrated with their families to America around 1856. They met and married while living in NYC and were handcart pioneers arriving in SLC in 1859. (See my great-grandparents, above).

Lucy was born October 19, 1868 in Mill Creek, Utah; nine years after her immigrant parents arrived. A year later, her parents moved to the “Sinks,” six miles SW of what would become Snowville where they had filed a homestead claim and built a house.

A year later, Thomas died. Lucy’s mother. Jane, remarried and sent her four oldest children to live with relatives in SLC. Four-year-old Lucy stayed with her mother.

Lucy, go get the mail, but hurry, ranchers have seen wolves – Lucy was around 10-years-old when her mother asked her to go to Snowville and pick-up the family’s mail; a task she had done many times before. Jane routinely received letters from her children and extended family in SLC.

Their home was adjacent to a seldom-traveled wagon road blazed through the sagebrush-covered high desert. Some of the sagebrush was taller than Lucy. If she walked fast, she could make the 12-mile-round-trip in five or six hours. However, there were ant hills, insects and other critters along the road; thinks that an inquisitive child found interesting. If she stopped to play, her trip on the lonely trail took longer.

There was likely no more than eight hours of daylight remaining when Lucy set-out barefooted for Snowville. Her mother admonished her to hurry – she must be home before dark because ranchers had seen wolves around their cattle.

Lucy always tried to obey her mother, but apparently didn’t appreciate the urgency; she stopped to play. With mail in hand, it was sunset when she remembered her mother’s warning and began to hurry home.

The wolf trotted when Lucy ran, and walked when she walked – The sun had set when Lucy sensed something was watching her. She glanced back and saw a “huge Grey Wolf.” The predator was stalking her; when she ran, the wolf would trot - holding his distance; when she was out of breath and had to walk, the wolf walked.

It was dusk when she heard her mother calling her name over the tops of the sagebrush. Too frightened and too out-of-of breath to call-out; she kept going. When Lucy finally broke onto the cultivated farmland around their home, she saw her mother afar-off holding her oil lamp high while worriedly calling Lucy’s name.

Drawing upon her remaining strength, little Lucy burst from the sagebrush covered desert and ran as fast as she could into the “circle of light” emitted from the wick-flame in the burning lamp and threw her arms around her mother’s waist.

Jane saw the wolf as it emerged from the sagebrush; its eyes reflecting the light from her lamp. The predator stopped at the edge of the clearing and was pacing back and forth; apparently wanting to attack but leery of getting too close to the bright flame.

Jane held her exhausted daughter with one arm; half-dragging her as she walked backwards to the cabin porch; at the same time holding the lantern high with her other hand to discourage the predatory animal from attacking. As she backed-up, Jane screamed to her husband, William Robbins, for help.

Robbins came out of their small house with his military rifle in hand, took aim between the wolf’s glistening eyes and fired – the beast dropped dead.

Bullied at school, Lucy drops-out and goes to work – paid a “bit” a day - A short time after the wolf incident, the family moved to a home in Snowville. Lucy desperately wanted to go to school and become a refined woman. However, she was embarrassed because she had no shoes and her clothes were shabby. Some of the children teased her to the point she begged her mother to allow her to drop out of school and go to work. After five weeks, her mother consented – Lucy’s formal education ended – except Sunday school and home schooling.

Lucy became a domestic worker for a Ms. Holtz. She worked 12-hour days and was paid one-bit a day; 12 ½ cents. Lucy said she worked hard and saved her money. Her first purchases were a pair of shoes and calico for making a dress.

With her mother’s help, Lucy learned arithmetic and learned to read by using the scriptures as her principal text. With sheer determination; she learned how to read and write “very well.” She memorized numerous verses of scripture; many of which she still recited when she was 87 years old. After she married, her more educated husband, Thomas, became her tutor.

Lucy strived to never miss her church meetings – she was awarded her own Bible in recognition for a hundred percent attendance at Sunday school for three consecutive years.
Commentary – The “bit” terminology, meaning one eighth of a dollar or 12.5 cents, stems from U.S. colonial days when Spanish coins were in circulation. The Spanish “pieces of eight” silver coin, also called the “Spanish Dollar,” was equivalent to eight small Spanish silver coins called real, royal – or “bit.”

The “Mint Act” passed by congress in 1792 established the U.S. dollar as the country’s principal currency. However, acceptance of other countries hard coinage was common for many years. The “bit” terminology for the Spanish 12.5 cent equivalent coin was adapted to two U.S, coins: two-bits for a quarter, or 25-cent piece; and four-bits for a half dollar or a 50-cent coin. The two-bit and four-bit terminology had common usage in the U.S. through most of the 20th Century.

There were no child labor laws when Lucy was a child, and attending elementary school was not compulsory. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, prohibited most employment of minors; established the 40-hour work week; time and a half for overtime and a national minimum wage.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (served 1933-1945) called the Fair Labor Standards Act the most important “New Deal” legislation passed since the Social Security Act of 1935.

Lucy was poor, but refused pity – As a young girl, Lucy did not own a coat. When the weather turned cold some of the children at Sunday school asked, “I bet you’re cold?” Lucy responded, “No, I am not cold at all, I ran all the way.”

Lucy, a beautiful young woman – Jane arranged for her to live with friends - As a teenager, Lucy was growing into a beautiful young woman and was developing many friends. Jane was uncomfortable with Lucy living at home with her stepfather. Thus, she arranged for Lucy to room and board in Snowville with friends.

Lucy and Thomas meet at Church; fall in love - Thomas had 10-years of formal education (trade school) in England – he was taught accounting and bookkeeping. After immigrating at age 14, he lived in the home of Arnold Goodliffe; working in Goodliffe’s mercantile store for room and board and gradually developing a bookkeeping business on the side. He had a quaint English accent and was very affable.

Thomas was the same age as Lucy and found her very attractive. His Church calling at the time was the ward dance director. No calling could be better suited to help their young romance grow.

For Lucy’s part, she said she admired Thomas’s good looks, education, outgoing personality; refined, well dressed, talented harmonica player and skilled at carpentry and woodworking. She liked the fact that he bore a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and his Restored Gospel.

Lucy and Thomas wanted to marry - but first, there’s the matter of the “Waltz” - At one of the ward dances Thomas was teaching Church-approved dances, which included the Waltz. He invited his fiancé, Lucy to be his partner to demonstrate the new dance. Some people in that frontier community, including Lucy’s mother Jane, felt this new dance step was sinful; Jane forbade Lucy to participate. Lucy was torn – but decided to obey her mother.

Thomas was frustrated and according to Lucy, Thomas took matters into his own hands. He went to Jane privately and told her that Lucy was going to be his wife. There was nothing wrong with the Waltz as it was part of the Church-approved dance course. He emphasized that (19-year-old) Lucy was old enough to do as she pleased, including joining him on the dance floor. Jane backed off and Thomas and Lucy demonstrated the Waltz.
Commentary – Perhaps Jane remembered she was 19 when she married Lucy’s father, William Morton Harris.

Thomas builds their house; he and Lucy marry - 1889 - After they were engaged, 19-year old Thomas, purchased 40-acres in Stone, platted the barnyard and built their house. They were married November 18, 1889 in the Logan, Utah Temple.

It is unclear when he constructed their root cellar, surface well, out-house, barnyard buildings, corrals and fences. However, he likely constructed most of those facilities before they were married. Thomas may have also prepared his fields and planted dry-land winter wheat, pasture grass and hay in the fall of 1889.

The next spring, they planted a garden. At the same time, Thomas kept-up his public accounting and bookkeeping practice.
Commentary - Thomas was skilled at carpentry and wood-working. He likely constructed their home and outbuildings himself, except for help lifting and setting heavy beams and roofing materials. After they were married, Thomas built a horse-drawn cutter [sleigh] with curved runners.

Lucy’s first child; both critically ill – healed by the Lord - Two years after Thomas and Lucy were married, Lucy gave birth to her first child in their home with the help of a midwife. Florence Jane was born on October 22, 1891. However, things did not go well. Lucy and the baby were very sick – Lucy had to force herself to eat; baby Florence was fed milk with an eye dropper. Lucy and the baby became increasingly weak; five months passed.

Thomas was setting on the edge of Lucy’s bed holding her hand when Lucy told him she sensed an evil power in the room. Thomas thought she was delirious and at death’s door when a knock came at the door. It was Bishop Arnold Goodliffe and his wife Lizzy. Bishop Goodliffe said, “Lucy, the Lord has sent me to give you a blessing. Satan’s power over you is broken; you will recover.”

Then, assisted by Thomas, Bishop Goodliffe gave Lucy a Priesthood blessing. Lucy said that as the men placed their hands on her head, she felt the room fill with light and a feeling of warmth and peace come over her.

After the blessing, Bishop Goodliffe took Lucy by the hand and said, “Come, Lucy, you must get up.” Lucy got out of bed and set in a rocking chair. It was the first time she had sat in a chair since before her baby was born. When they brought the baby to her, Lucy said that she was shocked to see her eyes – they had been swollen shut with infection before, but now, they were clear. Her breasts that had been dry, now had milk for her baby.

Lucy told Irene of other events that happened that night. Her sister, Sarah, asked her husband to hitch the horses to their buggy. She said, “Lucy is better, I know it - I feel it.” She made a batch of biscuits and tea, added a dish of blackberry jam that Lucy liked and they drove to see her. Lucy told Irene that it was the first substantial food she had eaten for days.

Lucy’s mother, Jane, also received an impression that Lucy was well; arriving about the same time as Sarah. Another relative, “Uncle Joe,” awoke and said to his wife, “The Lord has made himself evident in this town tonight, Lucy is better.”

The miracle strengthened many people’s faith in Jesus Christ - Lucy could not walk immediately. At a time when wheelchair technology in the U.S. was in its infancy, Thomas affixed casters to a straight-back chair; thus, allowing Lucy to navigate around her house – she even washed their clothes. However, Thomas hung the wet garments on the outside clothesline and brought them in for Lucy to fold when they were dry.

For several weeks after her recovery, women held their Relief Society meetings in the Roe home so Lucy could participate. Many women, reflecting on Lucy’s miraculous recovery, said they enjoyed just setting quietly and feeling the peaceful spirit in Lucy and Thomas’s home.

About two months after receiving her blessing, Lucy was walking. However, the disease left a stiffness in her right leg – she had a slight limp that lasted for the rest of her life.
Commentary – When it comes to matters of heath, Church members are counseled to keep God’s health laws and enlist the help of available physicians and surgeons. Priesthood blessings should be given and families and friends should fast and pray for the afflicted person – there can be no miracle without faith. When medical practitioners can do no more, the Lord can heal. (Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks, Healing the Sick – address given April 2010, Ensign Magazine.).

Medical specialist: You cannot have any more children - she had seven - After Florence was a year old, Lucy wanted more children but was unable to get pregnant. She and Thomas went to Salt Lake City to consult a medical specialist. After his examination, he told them that Lucy was not physically able to have any more children.

However, Lucy and Thomas had great faith that the Lord would heal her body. They went to the Temple and prayed. Lucy received a Priesthood blessing. In her blessing, she was told she would have a son who would be a blessing in her life; and she would have more children.

Soon after those experiences, Lucy became pregnant with their first son, William Ray (Ray). Indeed, Ray was a blessing in her life. When he grew to be a man, he bought the farm across the road from his parent’s property. After his father died, Ray carefully watched-out for his mother. Lucy joined Ray and his wife Lola and their children for meals and Ray maintained and operated her small farm for her. In total, Lucy and Thomas had eight children; seven of whom grew to maturity.

Thomas served a six-month winter mission – Sunday School curriculum - In the late fall of 1893, Thomas was called to serve a six-month mission at BYU in Provo. Irene said Thomas’s duties had something to do with developing a new Sunday School curriculum.

Thomas was inclined to reject the call; reasoning his family had limited money and Lucy was not well. However, Lucy insisted he go; the family had enough food storage in their cellar for winter; hay and grain in the barn for their livestock; she and the children would be fine.
Commentary - Sunday School, then called the Parent Sunday School Union, only had children attendees in 1893. Adult Sunday school courses were added in 1904.

The colt they planned to sell, reared, fell and broke its neck - Thomas and Lucy felt they could finance Thomas’s mission by selling their 3-year-old colt for $100. However, when the purchaser arrived, the horse, which was previously calm, fought the halter rope held by the purchaser, reared up, fell backward and died instantly with a broken neck. Thomas and Lucy were heartsick; Thomas again suggested he reject the call. But Lucy held firm. She said, “You must go, the Lord will provide.”

The members of the Snowville ward held a dance and raised $33.50 for Thomas’s mission. Thomas likely made the 150-mile trip to Provo by rail.

Lucy, who was pregnant, cared for her baby Florence and obtained cash by washing and ironing clothes. When it became too hard for her to stand; she knitted articles of clothing or crocheted lace to sell.

Miracle - Thomas needs socks - Lucy prayed – sheep left their wool – While on his winter-time mission, Thomas wrote to Lucy and asked if she could knit a pair of socks for him as “his were completely worn out.”

With no yarn or money, Lucy did as she had done so many times before; she prayed for help. She was awakened the next morning by a loud rumble around her house. Frightened at first, she became less concerned when she heard sheep bleating, dogs barking and men yelling. A large herd of sheep was passing through during the early morning darkness. The animals had been on the road, but broke free; running through the barbwire fences lining the road and through their barnyard.

When the sheep herders finally got their animals under control and had moved down the road, Lucy stepped outside and saw big wads of white wool wrapped around the barbwire fences; wool pulled from the backs and sides of the sheep as they wildly pushed and shoved under and through the fences.

Lucy was overjoyed. She immediately took burlap bags and filled three of them with the wool she unwound from the wires. Her prayer had been answered.

She needed soap to wash the wool, so she hitched-up their horse to the buggy and with her baby, drove to Bishop Goodliffe’s mercantile store and asked for 25 cents worth of soap on account – to be paid with nitted stockings and mittens she would make from the wool and sell to him. Goodliffe offered to give her the soap, but she refused; she wanted to pay her own way.

With her package of soap in hand, she went home and washed, carded and spun the wool into yarn and wound the yarn into skeins. She gave yarn on the skeins a second wash and hung it to dry on 18-feet of clothes-line wire strung on the backs of chairs through her warm house,

Two weeks after receiving Thomas’s letter, she had knitted several pair of stockings and little booties for Florence and the baby she was expecting. Bishop Goodliffe purchased some of the stockings for resale. With that money, Lucy paid her loan, purchased items she needed and paid the postage for mailing her package containing three pair of stockings to Thomas. She still had yarn left over for storage.
Commentary – Lucy’s purchase of soap on credit was a common practice of that day. Farmers often bought goods at the general store and made payment when they sold animals or harvested and sold their crops. Years later, banks made farm loans on similar terms.

It is the nature of sheep to follow a leader. If the lead animal goes through a fence, the whole herd becomes uncontrollable; racing to follow the lead sheep. In the winter, the sheep’s wool is a thick mat - typically 3-5 inches in length – wool to be sheared from off the sheep in the spring, bagged, loaded on rail cars and sold.

Synthetic fibers, such as nylon became popular in the 1950s. Until that time, natural fibers such as wool, cotton and silk were prominent. The military made most of its uniforms from wool.

With the advent of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, and the wool-uniforms demands from the military, the sheep industry flourished. The railroad played a critical role in shipping sheep long distances. After WWII, the sheep industry went into sharp decline. Synthetic fibers replaced or was blended with natural fibers to produce many fabrics; consumer demand for lamb and mutton in the U.S. fell precipitously. There were over 2.5 million sheep in southern Idaho circa 1950. Today, there are likely no more than 25,000.

Lucy’s quick action saved her baby’s life - Thomas returned from his mission on May 12, 1894, seven days before their son Ray was born. Lucy’s mother, Jane, came to help in the delivery. However, shortly after the baby was born, the baby ceased breathing - his complexion turned dark. Jane thought the baby had died. Lucy raised-up from her bed, grabbed her newborn son, held him close to her and thrust her fingers deeply into his mouth and scraped-out the mucus that had accumulated in his throat. The baby began struggling, crying and breathing. Faithful Lucy felt she was inspired to take that prompt action; the Lord blessed her again.

New job for Thomas and Lucy – Manage office and kitchen at Bar M Ranch – Upon returning home from his mission, Thomas was offered employment with the Bar M Cattle Company, a large cattle operation 40-miles south of Stone at Promontory, Utah.

Thomas would essentially be the general manager of the office and the hospitality part of the business. He was to keep the company’s books and records, oversee the company store, the small packing plant where cattle and hogs were butchered and cuts of meat preserved for the cooks who were preparing daily meals for company personnel and visitors. Lucy would plan the meals and be the chef and nutritionist. They would both supervise the kitchen staff and the employees assigned to clean the dining and lounge areas and sleeping quarters.

Thomas and Lucy enjoyed the work and planned to stay, however, two-years later, Lucy became pregnant. Unable to continue her duties. she returned home, opened their house and prepared to deliver her baby. According to their plan, Thomas would stay on at the Ranch until his replacement was found.

Four days after Thomas returned home in the spring of 1896; Lucy gave birth to their third child, Charles Lawrence. Thomas resumed his public accounting practice. Lucy was a counselor in the ward’s young women’s presidency. Tragically, Charles Lawrence died March 22, 1898.

Thomas is called to be a Bishop - Lucy Irene is born - Apostle Rudger Clawson ordained 33-year-old Thomas a High Priest and the Bishop of the new Stone Ward in August, 1902. (Thomas was ordained a Seventy in 1891.).

Four months after Thomas became a Bishop, Lucy gave birth to Lucy Irene (Irene), their fifth child and second daughter on December 23, 1902.

Wife of a Bishop on the frontier - required hosting and cooking skills – Lucy sustained her husband’s calling as Bishop, but perhaps not fully appreciating what her role as a Bishop’s wife would be. However, because of her Bar M Ranch hosting and meal-preparation experiences, she was prepared for what seemed to be a constant stream of visitors. Some traveled for hours by horse and buggy to see the Bishop. Many travelers were invited to have meals with the family. Those who traveled long distances, and it was late, were invited to stay the night.

Thomas and Lucy tried to be self-reliant; prepared for any eventuality. Their cows, pigs, chickens’ turkeys and geese allowed them to have milk, butter, cream, cheese, eggs and meat. Their large garden; produce to eat fresh and can and bags of potatoes, carrots and parsnips for the root cellar where the temperature generally stayed at ground temperature; 55 degrees year-round (Electric refrigeration did not come to the valley until the 1940s).

Irene said their cellar had floor-to ceiling shelves her father built on which they stored hundreds of glass jars filled with colorful vegetables, fruits and meats that her mother and father canned with a water-bath canner heated on her wood burning stove; colorful curtains hung in front of the shelves.

Irene said when they butchered large animals (pork and beef) in the fall, they stored many cuts in large earthenware crocks; one crock had sugar-cured pork and the other corned beef.

So that they could have fryer chickens to slaughter (six to eight weeks), Lucy and Thomas bought two kerosene-fueled incubators for hatching up to 340 chicken eggs at a time; and bird brooders for keeping the young chicks warm until they grew feathers.
Commentary – Thomas and Lucy viewed their roles as servants of Jesus Christ. They did everything they could to help others. They increased the number of chickens, larger garden and canned food for the sole purpose of hosting visitors.

Annual fall Trip – exchange wheat for flour - buy dried fruits and treats - Each fall, Thomas loaded his wagon with bags of grain to take to the grist mill, likely in Brigham City; a four-day round trip. He sold some of the wheat for cash and traded the rest for flour. He went alone because there was a limit on how much his horses could pull – no more than their own weight.

Irene said father’s return was very exciting; bags of flour to last the winter; bags of dried peaches, prunes, apricots, pears and raisins which Lucy rehydrated to make pies. He always brought a case of oranges, a sack of unshelled peanuts; hard candies and containers of smoked herring filled his big wooden bucket.
Commentary – My mother grew-up enjoying smoked herring and canned sardines in tomato sauce; likely a carryover from her father’s life in England. As a boy, I remember enjoying the canned sardines mother brought home from the grocery store; not so much any more.

Thomas knitted Irene’s new red mittens – except for the thumbs - Irene said her father knew how to knit. He would knit stockings right along with Lucy.

It was winter when Irene showed her well-worn mittens to her father. Thomas said he would knit new ones for her and asked her to choose the color of yarn she wanted from the yarn storage basket. She chose red. Her mother questioned her selection because red was for trimming - but her dad defended Irene’s selection and began knitting.

Irene said her dad didn’t know how to knit thumbs so her mother finished the job. Irene wrote, “no little girl could have been happier; new red mittens.”

Thomas’s humble, Christ-like forgiving nature – Thomas contracted a disease that was going around the valley. He was serving as Bishop of his ward at the time and asked his two councilors to fill-in for him. One man in his ward had a child who was also very sick. This man sent for Bishop Roe to come immediately to give the child a blessing – he would not accept anyone else – he insisted it was the Bishop’s duty to personally give the blessing.

Thomas was too sick to go – others were sent. The man was angry that Thomas did not come. Even though his child recovered several days later, the man came to Thomas’s home to vent his feelings. Thomas tried to reason with the fellow, but to no avail.

After the man left, Thomas, seeing Irene had overheard, sat her on his knee and said, “I am sorry you were in the room and heard that. I do not want you to repeat anything you heard to anyone. The man was very angry and I don’t think he knew what he was saying. As far as the names he called me, they can’t hurt me, he will have to answer for that at another time.”

Irene said she never told the story to anyone until she recorded it in her history – without mentioning the man’s name.
Commentary – In this encounter, Thomas exhibited the Christ-like qualities we all should emulate; and the angry man chose to not demonstrate. In the face of anger and vitriol, Thomas showed kindness, patience and forgiveness. Our exemplar, Jesus Christ, did the same; “…wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men. (BM, 1 Nephi 19: 9-10).

“Hot drinks mean tea and coffee” – Faithful Lucy destroyed their tea - When Irene was a young girl around 1910, her father came home from a Church leadership meeting and said the prophet announced that the term “hot drinks” referenced in the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89), meant tea and coffee – and Church members were to stop consuming those beverages.

However, tea was the traditional drink of the English. Thomas and Lucy drank tea with each meal. Upon hearing the news, Lucy said, “If that’s what the Lord requires, that’s what we will do.” She got up, walked to the cupboard, removed their canister of teabags and dumped them into the firebox of their burning stove.

Irene said that that experience left a lasting impression on her in two ways. It was the first time she saw her thrifty mother throw anything away. Secondly, it illustrated her parent’s faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. They wanted to keep all of God’s commandments.

Thomas and Lucy – Innovation and beautification - Irene said Thomas sought to encourage the valley’s settlers to diversify their farming businesses. In one case, the Roe’s and two other families started an innovation that changed the livelihoods of many area farmers. They bought hand-crank separators to extract the cream from the milk. They sold their cream to a commercial creamery in Tremonton – shipping the cream in five-gallon cans on the mail wagon.

They used the residual milk solids and whey for either making cottage or hard cheeses for their own consumption or sale - or they fed it to their pigs and poultry – which they also sold. The upshot of their success was that many small farmers did likewise and prospered.

Years later, the creamery sent trucks to each farm to pick-up ten-gallon cans of raw milk and deliver it to the creamery for processing.

Thomas and Lucy also began raising turkeys for sale in Tremonton. Soon other farmers started doing the same thing. Thus, another cash crop for the area farmers began.

Thomas began raising honey bees using beehives frames divided into 10-pound sections of honeycomb which they packaged and sold to merchants in Tremonton and Brigham City.

Irene said her parents worked to beautify their home with flowerbeds. Thomas kept his fences in good repair and his barnyard clean and organized. Irene said that her parent’s gardens were a joy to behold and were almost always free of weeds. She said that the children received five cents a row for weeding; money they saved for the celebrations in July and Christmas.
Commentary – Milk processors still pick up fresh milk at each dairy farm, however, ten-gallon milk cans are now collector items. Fresh milk is now immediately cooled in large refrigerated bulk tanks at each dairy farm and insulated tank-trucks collect the milk each day. Whereas the average dairy herd was less than 20 milk cows in the mid-1900s; some dairies today milk more than 10,000 cows.

Throughout their lives, Irene and Billy tried to emulate Thomas and Lucy’s attractive garden and flowerbeds. As a boy, I often woke-up to the sound of a hoe cutting weeds near my bedroom window; mother working to beautify her home and yard. I suspect she also had something else in mind; she was sending a message – get out of bed, get dressed and come out and help. Today, I would give anything to be able to work with my mother in her beautiful flower-gardens.

Thomas, a man with diverse abilities and callings - Along with being a public accountant and keeping the books for local businesses, Thomas was a U.S. Land Commissioner, whose duties, among other things, included oversight of Homestead Act filings and land ownership transfers. Such duties necessitated him being a notary republic.

Church leaders often called upon Thomas to audit the financial records of adjoining stakes and sometimes was asked to come to the general Church offices to work; sometimes staying a week or two in Salt Lake City.

Irene said that when he was home, her father often worked at his desk from morning to night, but he always took breaks to be with his children.

Irene said it seemed visitors came to see her father almost every day. When this happened, he stopped what he was doing to respond to them. Irene said her father was witty and seemed to always have a joke when people came by; something that brought a smile and helped them feel more relaxed.
Commentary – In writing these family histories, I was struck by the similarities between some of my Grandpa Thomas Roe’s experiences and my own. He was a public accountant and served as a Church auditor. I am a CPA and served five and a half years as the Church’s Idaho Area Auditor-Trainer – reporting on the financial audits performed by stake auditors in the 103 stakes in the Idaho Area. I sometimes went to the Church offices in Salt Lake City for training.

Thomas – called to be second councilor in Curlew Stake Presidency - The Curlew Stake was created May 22, 1915 - Thomas was released as Bishop of the Stone Ward and set apart as the second counselor in the Curlew Stake Presidency. The stake offices were at the Snowville Ward meetinghouse, about three miles south of Thomas’s home in Stone.

The new Curlew Stake was created by reducing the geographical boundaries of two stakes; the Malad Idaho Stake and the Box Elder Utah Stake. The new Curlew Stake had seven wards and two branches.

Thomas – secretary-treasurer - Deep Creek Dam construction project - Thomas was one of the leaders pushing for construction of an irrigation dam on Deep Creek; at a narrow natural gorge about four miles north of Stone; a likely Carey Act project.

The 1884 Carey Act allowed private construction of dams on federal lands and drainages. The development company constructed the dam and canals to the farms; the farmers were individually responsible for constructing the irrigation ditches on their property. The development company made its money by selling water-rights to the farmers, a farm-collateralized obligation. To avoid foreclosure, annual fees had to be paid.

Pratt Irrigation Company of Salt Lake was the Deep Creek Dam developer and contractor. They employed Thomas Roe as their project’s secretary-treasurer. He was to manage the office, keep the books and records, including payroll. The company had an office facility on site with an apartment where Thomas stayed overnight when he worked late.

The backwater from the earthen dam created a reservoir a quarter mile wide and four-miles long (Stone Reservoir). When the reservoir was full, the water’s elevation was 4,596 feet; more than 50-feet higher than the land in Stone and Snowville. Thus, providing a strong head of gravity flow irrigation water through the canals to the irrigation ditches on each farm. Stone Reservoir continues to be a popular recreation destination for boaters, anglers and campers.

Dam construction brought telephone service to the valley - To facilitate communication from the dam site to company officials in distant locations, Thomas and others provided the impetus for bringing telephone service to the valley circa 1915. Irene said when her father was working long hours at the dam, he sometimes called home twice a day.

“I will never forget the sight or sound of the roaring water” - As the dam was nearing completion, many of the Pratt Irrigation Company officials came to view the work. Irene said her father called home and asked Lucy to bring the family to see the near-completed dam and meet company officials. She said the family rode in their white-top buggy; her older brother Ray, drove the horses.

When they arrived, Irene said her father proudly introduced each member of his family to the dignitaries. The water was running three-feet deep as it went over the spillway; creating a roaring, cascading waterfall. Eighteen-year-old Irene said, “I will never forget the sight or sound of the roaring water.”

Tragedy - Thomas dies of a heart attack – age 51 - Thomas was at the dam site when he had a heart attack and died on April 17, 1920. At that time, his two oldest children, Florence and Ray, were married. Harold would marry two months later. Irene would marry Billy the following year. The other three children were ages 14 (twins) and 10. The dam was completed in 1921.

Lucy – faithful widow and single parent – takes control of her circumstance - Thomas’s death was particularly devastating for Lucy. Irene said her mother had depended on Thomas for almost everything; now he was suddenly gone. They had a mortgage on their home and farm. There would be no more income from Thomas’s employment and businesses. They had limited savings and no life insurance (Life insurance was at best an emerging product in 1920). The family was financially vulnerable.

On the positive side, Lucy was courageous and resourceful. She adapted to living without her sweetheart by earning money taking-in washing and ironing. Enlisting the help her children, she continued running their small farm. She developed a plan to gradually pay-off the mortgage and provide for her family. Irene said they never went hungry; even during the time her mother fell and was injured; one time fracturing her leg bone and another, hurting her ribs. The children worked to fill the void.

Lucy’s declining years – dies, age 87 - Lucy lived nearly 36 years after her husband died. She spent her last year’s either living in her home near Ray or visiting children. Her home in Stone was within walking distance of Ray’s home; where she routinely walked for meals and spent time with Ray and his wife Lola, a particularly kind, warm and charming woman. She often stayed months at a time in Irene’s home in Tremonton or Estella in Salt Lake City.

Caring for Lucy became more complicated because of her increasing health problems; multiple mild strokes and dementia. Lucy died in Stone; February 3, 1956, age 87
Commentary - Irene wrote, “She lived through some very hard times and feared famine … her faith and testimony in Jesus Christ and his Restored Gospel sustained her. She was an honest tithe-payer. Her desires were to keep God’s commandments, do good and follow the advice of God’s living prophets.”

Denmark and Sweden: Mary Norr and William Victor Bunderson

Mary Norr (Karen Marie Andersen) – (1861-1922) - My paternal grandmother was born in Melby, Fredericksburg, Denmark on December 8, 1861. She immigrated to America with her mother, Fredrickke Pederson (Norr), when she was 8-years old; the youngest of six children born to Fredrickke and Anders Pederson (Norr) who died in Denmark, October 31, 1863.

Mary, a good student – When Fredrickke arrived in America with her two children Mary and Ole, they settled in Brigham City, Utah Territory in 1870. Mary attended elementary school and worked hard to learn the English language with minimal Danish accent.

When Mary was 10, she earned money babysitting. By the time she was 13 she had mastered many of the needleworking skills taught to her by her mother.

Mary Meets her future husband, William Victor Bunderson – In the spring of 1878, 16-year-old Mary left Brigham City to visit her married sister, Jennie (Jorgina) Miller in Mayfield. While there, she met and was courted by 19-year-old William Victor Bunderson.
Commentary - When Jennie arrived in America, she changed her given name from Christina Jorgina to Christine Jorgene, nickname, Jennie. Mary did likewise, her given name in Denmark was Karen Marie.

Mayfield is a small agricultural community located 135 miles south of Salt Lake City. The first settlers came in 1871, seven years before William Victor and Mary were married. The town had a population of 330 in 1880; principally Scandinavian converts to the Church

William Victor Bunderson (1858-1927) – My paternal grandfather, was born in Glomslov, Runneberga, Sweden on October 12, 1858. He was the third of eight children born to John Victor Mansson Bunderson and Ingri Jenson Peherson. He joined the Church in Sweden, along with his family, circa 1865. The family immigrated to America sequentially, oldest children first. (see My Great-grandparents who immigrated to America - John Victor Bunderson and Ingri Jenson Peherson, above).

William Victor - age 14 – His turn to immigrate – travels alone - William Victor said he always had a strong testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. While still a boy, he said he (presumably with his family) faithfully attended his Church meetings each Sunday morning; walking seven miles to the city of Landskrona on the Baltic Sea.

When it became William Victor’s turn to immigrate, he would have to travel alone. The record is not clear, but William Victor likely traveled with a group of Swedish converts who boarded a ship in Denmark (1872), sailed to NYC; then traveled by train to SLC over the new transcontinental railroad line that had been completed three years earlier.

When he reached Salt Lake City, someone was to meet him at the Church’s Salt Lake City Tithing Yard and take him to his aunt Engeborge Ahlstrom who had settled 50 miles southeast of Salt Lake near the town of St. John.
Commentary – The “Tithing Yard” was an innovation used by the Church in the early settlement years to help people in each of the many new communities live the Lord’s law of tithing (pay ten percent of their increase).

The first settlers arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 were refugees from Nauvoo, Illinois; driven from their homes by armed mobs. They were soon joined by thousands of converts from the eastern U.S and immigrants from other countries. The Church needed to build infrastructure in each new community. Hard currency was scarce, so the Church accepted in-kind tithing donations; both commodities and labor.

The tithing yard facilitated a type of bartering. Unemployed people were given jobs building infrastructure and paid with food and goods donated by others. Many people donated a tenth of their time on infrastructure projects, such as meetinghouse and Temple construction. Those who could not work, received an order from their Bishop; the order was filled at the Tithing Yard; no one was to go hungry.

Today, the Church’s welfare and humanitarian-aid systems operate on a very large scale. Production from Church-owned farms are harvested and processed in Church-owned processing plants by Church volunteers and distributed around the world to people in need, both Church members and non-members. Coordinating with official relief agencies, Church volunteers often travel long distances to help those suffering from natural disasters; food, supplies and labor.

William Victor arrived at the tithing yard – given bread – “no cake tasted so good” - When William Victor arrived in Salt Lake, he was directed to the Tithing Yard where he was to meet someone who would take him to his aunt Engeborge. He said he waited in the Tithing yard for 10 days before anyone came. At first, people paid little attention to the timid young teenager from Sweden who was just learning to speak English.

Finally, after three days, a man approached him and asked if he could help. When William Victor communicated he was hungry; the man gave him a loaf of bread. Years later, William Victor told his son William Rudolph that “no cake ever tasted so good.”

William Victor sent money for his parents to immigrate - sharecropper - William Victor said he found employment to pay back his aunt for money she had advanced for his immigration and sent $80 to his parents in Sweden to help them immigrate.

William Victor continued to work in St. John until he had purchased a team of work horses and a riding horse. At age 19, he moved to Mayfield where his parents had settled and became a sharecropper (a tenant farmer whose rent was a percentage of the harvest). It was there that he met Mary Norr, a Danish immigrant visiting her sister.

William Victor, age 20 and Mary, 17, are married - Mary and William Victor were married on October 12, 1878 in the Salt Lake City Endowment House. Coincidently, their marriage was on William Victor’s 20th birthday; he was three years older than Mary.

The young couple lived on their 15-acre farm in Mayfield. Mary was quite witty and energetic; an excellent dancer with a beautiful singing voice. In competition with other women during a community dance, Mary won the waltz contest.

Mary learned how to speak English at an early age and had little accent. On the other hand, William Victor spoke broken-English with a heavy Swedish accent. Mary became his tutor, teaching him how to read and write in English.

William Victor and Mary’s children - A year after marriage, Mary had their first child November 4, 1879, Minnie Elizabeth. However, the baby became ill with phenomena and died a month before Mary gave birth to their second child, Mary Eliza, on April 2, 1881.

William Victor found part-time work driving a freight wagon. William Victor and Mary would eventually have eleven children: Minnie Elizabeth (1879-1881), Mary Eliza (1881-1908), my father, William Rudolph “Billy” (1882-1951), Rufus Alvin (1885-1932), Lillie Rachel (1887-1965), Olive Fredrekke (1890-1961), Moroni (1890-1891), Nephi (1892-1895), Arnold Delos (1894-1957), Leah Louise (1898-1968) and Irvin Quale (1901-1972).

William Victor - railroad construction worker – paid tithing first – spared serious injury – The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway Company (now Union Pacific) announced in in the spring of 1881 that they were hiring men for 18 months, paying “cash wages to build a narrow-gage rail line between Denver and Salt Lake City, estimated completion, March 1883.”

William Victor, along with many other men in his job-starved community saw the offer as a fabulous opportunity and signed-up. The workers would be away from home most of the time – only brief visits allowed. On the first visit, William Victor brought home $350 for his work to date. Even though they were poor, he and Mary paid $35 tithing.

One of William Victor’s responsibilities was setting black blasting powder charges to break-up rock formations ahead of track bed construction. At one site a carless worker carelessly flipped his cigarette butt on spilt blasting powder. The ensuing explosion severely burned William Victor but he recovered quickly and returned to work. He thanked the Lord for saving his life.
Commentary – Railroad officials undoubtedly had safety policies that the cigarette smoker violated. William Victor did not describe the details of the accident. However, the fact that he said his life was preserved, suggests the blast may have been lethal.

Family moves to Snowville – a decision with profound unforeseen consequences - In the late spring of 1882 Mary received a letter from her brother Ole who was living in Snowville and had built a home for their mother, Fredrickke, on his property. Ole said that he and Mary Jane would sell 4-acres of their farmland to them for $25. William Victor and Mary accepted, however, Mary was pregnant. They would delay their move until after her baby was born and the weather warmed in April, 1883.

Mary delivered their third child, my future father, William Rudolph, on December 25, 1882 in Mayfield. Four months later, Mary and her children took the train to Brigham City where they stayed with her sister Jennie Miller until Ole came with his wagon to take them to Snowville, 50-miles northwest. William Victor drove their team of horses and wagon loaded with their possessions 250-miles north to Snowville.

Mary’s trip was uneventful; not so for William Victor; the front axle on his wagon broke just outside of Ogden. It cost him $17 and two-days delay to get it repaired.

After they bought their land; they marked-off their homesite and barnyard, prepared the soil and planted their garden. William Victor hauled logs from wooded canyons over 20-miles west. By fall, he had constructed a 18x22-foot 3-room log cabin and pens, corals and fences for their farm animals; all within walking distance of Fredrickke and Ole’s homes.

Bishop Goodliffe encouraged William Victor and Sarah Ellen to marry - Arnold Goodliffe was the Bishop of the Church’s Snowville Ward (ward boundaries encompassed most of the Curlew Valley). He practiced plural marriage, however, they were childless marriages. Goodliffe and his wives owned and operated the general mercantile store that served the valley.

Because of his business and Church calling, Goodliffe and his wives likely knew every family in the Curlew Valley. The Goodliffe’s were known to be humble and spiritual. Acting on impressions received from the Holy Ghost, Bishop Goodliffe was decisive in discharging his responsibilities. He and his wives went out of their way to visit, bless and help the sick and the poor; foster parents in some cases. (See above - England: Thomas William Roe and Lucy Ann Harris: Thomas’s benefactor; Bishop Arnold Goodliffe and Lucy’s first child; both critically ill – healed by the Lord).

Sarah Ellen Harris, daughter of Jane Carter Harris (Robbins) and sister to Ole’s wife, Mary Jane, returned to Snowville from SLC; likely staying with them. Goodliffe served as Bishop in the ward Sarah Ellen and my progenitors, William Victor and Mary Bunderson lived. Presumably for unknown, likely pragmatic reasons, Goodliffe encouraged William Victor and Sarah Ellen to marry.

In the Church, those who practiced “plural marriage” had to be recommended by Church leaders for moral worthiness and receive approval from the first wife.

Mary had difficulty giving her approval. She said she fasted and prayed, asking the Lord to give her assurance it was the right thing to do; loosing 30 pounds from her 130-pound frame in the process. However, she said she received a spiritual experience that convinced her the marriage was right. From that point on, she was at peace and helped prepare for the wedding.

William Victor and Sarah Ellen Harris Bunderson – plural marriage – Twenty-five-year-old William Victor married 19-year-old Sarah Ellen Harris on June 12, 1884 in the Logan Utah Temple. Because Sarah is the daughter of my grandparents, William Morton and Jane Carter Harris and sister to my grandmother Lucy Ann Harris; she is both my grand aunt and step-grandmother.

William Victor built a 2-room house for Sarah and him on the same 4-acre lot he and Mary purchased and built their home a year earlier.

Living in a remote frontier village in 1884, news traveled slowly. William Victor, Mary and Sarah likely had no concept that William’s marriage to Sarah was in violation of law. However, that fact would become abundantly clear after congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Antipolygamy Act of 1887. William was an accused felon, wanted by the law.

William Victor was my only ancestor that practiced plural marriage. However, Church approval of plural marriage impacted my other ancestors along with every member of the Church (see “essay” below).

Marriage, Polygamy, Politics and the Church – an essay – God’s law concerning marriage is: “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the family is central to the Creator’s Plan for the eternal destiny of his children … The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances available in holy Temples make it possible … for families be united eternally … Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children … The sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between men and women legally wedded as husband and wife.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World” [1995] The First Presidency and the Council of Twelve Apostles, and Appendix 1).

“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else,” (D&C 42: 22-29).

“There shall not be any man among you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall have none … For if I will, sayeth the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.” (BM, Jacob 2: 27-30, circa 544 BC).

The Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to conditionally restore the practice of plural marriage in 1843, in partial response to his question regarding why ancient prophets such as Abraham, Jacob (Israel) and Moses had more than one wife. (D&C 132).

God did not give his specific reasons why he commanded polygamy restored; we only know that he did - for his own purposes; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 55: 8).

Plural marriage in the Church was made public in 1852, five years after the main body of Church members began arriving in the valley of the Great Salt Lake; diverting water from streams into newly constructed irrigation canals; platting the arid high-desert wilderness into irrigated farms, interspersed with emerging cities, platted with 96-foot wide streets laid-out in cardinal directions.

Congress passed three major anti-polygamy laws between 1862 and 1887. The last law, the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 and attendant test-oath laws were prosecuted. The actions were targeted to destroy the Church by confiscating Temples and other Church property, incarcerating polygamous men, impoverishing and bankrupting their families and disenfranchising monogamous men (the vast majority of male Church members) of their right to vote, hold public office and serve on juries (Civil rights that they already denied women, men of non-white ethnicity, felons [polygamy was a felony] and those they classified as mentally impaired.).

The Church contested the constitutionality of the Edmunds-Tucker Act in the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law constitutional in 1890. Facing confiscation and desecration of sacred Temples and other Church property and the requirement that the Church and its members obey the laws of the land (PGP, Articles of Faith 12), the Lord commanded then Church president, Wilford Woodruff to issue the “Manifesto” in 1890; prohibiting further plural marriages by Church members. (D&C, Official Declaration 1). After 1890, U.S. Marshals stood down and congress made Utah Territory the State of Utah, six years later.

Fast forward 119-years, June 26, 2015; the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that same-sex marriage between consenting adults was legal. In its dissent, the minority wrote, “It is striking how much the majority’s reasoning would apply with equal force to the claim of a fundamental right to plural marriage.”

It is noteworthy, that in the event a future U.S. Supreme Court rules that polygamy is the law of the land, as they did same-sex marriages, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not go there, because God is not there.

If that event occurred, the position of the Church would remain constant - ancient Apostle Paul said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13: 8) - but the law of the land, already changed for same-sex marriages, would have fully changed; 180 degrees.

Church-members were in process of reclaiming the sagebrush-covered plains of the Great Basin; diverting streams, cultivating irrigated farms, orchards and gardens and building towns and cities when my ancestors joined the Church in their native countries and immigrated to America.

Church Persecution and the intervening years, 1820 through 1890
My ancestors experienced both actual persecution and its aftermath.
The following outlies applicable Church doctrines and historical persecution events affecting
my early ancestors – and their descendants

Jesus Christ “was the great Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Messiah of the New ... He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.” (The Living Christ; The Testimony of the Apostles - 2000).

“… We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and will make an earth whereupon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” (PGP, Abraham 3: 24-25). “I, the Lord am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” (D&C 82: 10).

Jesus Christ is the pre-mortal created worlds without number under the direction of our Eternal Father. He suffered beyond comprehension when he sacrificed himself for the sins and transgressions of the world. His redeeming sacrifice began in the Garden of Gethsemane and ended on the cross; “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink - Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (D&C 19: 16-24, Matthew 26: 39 and Luke 22: 44, Appendix 1).

God’s ancient prophet Enoch saw the wickedness and goodness of man in vision; “And the God of Heaven looked upon the residue of the people and he wept … And Enoch said unto the Lord; How is it thou canst weep, seeing thou are holy; and from all eternity to all eternity? And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever; … The Lord said unto Enoch; because these thy brethren (those who made evil choices); they are the workmanship of mine own hands …” (PGP, Moses 7:24-69).

Thus, it is clear, when our magnificent Father-in-Heaven; with whom we all had a very personal relationship in our premortal world, weeps when we fail to live-up to our spiritual lineage.

Jesus Christ described this tangible relationship to our Father in Heaven to Mary following his resurrection: “Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father; and to my God and your God.” (John 20: 16-17). The Ancient Apostle Paul said; “We are also his offspring.” (Acts 17: 24-30).

Lucifer aka Satan, that old serpent, the Devil, is a spirit son of God who had significant prestige among all of God’s spirit children in our premortal world - until he rebelled; “And there was war in heaven;” wherein Satan and a “third part” of the hosts of heaven that followed him, were cast out to earth; “Wherefore because that Satan rebelled against me and sought to destroy the agency of man which I the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of the mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down. And he became Satan, yea even the devil, the father of all lies to deceive and to blind men and lead them captive at his will; even as many as would not hearken to my voice. … .” (PGP, Moses 4: 3-4; Revelation 12: 7-13 and 4; D&C 29: 36 and Appendix 1 and 2).

Satan seeks to prevent each of us from obtaining our legacy as children of God; “immortality and eternal life.” (PGP, Abraham 3: 25). Of Satan, Isaiah said, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For thou (Lucifer) has said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God … I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most high. Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying; Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, and did shake kingdoms …?” (Isaiah 14: 12-16).

The war for the heart, mind and soul of each man and woman continues; but the battleground has changed: it is no longer among us as spirit children of God in heaven; it is here, on earth. Satan wants each one us to fail in this, “our mortal proving-ground.” (PGP, Abraham 3: 25 – see above).

Satan will use every stratagem conceivable to bring us down. He promotes wars, horrendous atrocities; political and other conflicts between nations, religions, cultures and individuals; anything that will trample or distort truth and draw people away from our Father in Heaven and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and their pristine Gospel.

Lucifer and his followers knew us in our premortal world and can see how we act here on our mortal world. They know our weaknesses; whether it be pride, power, greed, immorality, fear, insecurity, self-doubt, desire to not see goodness or choose to rebel against it, choose to believe the ridiculous thesis that the Bible is all of God’s word (BM, 2 Nephi 29: 3-14), mummering, desire for mind-altering substances, giving-in to despair, laissez-faire attitude, indifference, lack of ambition/entitlement, want just enough to get by until I die, laziness, etc.

Satan tailors’ snares to entrap every person in their weakness. Many people are eager to oblige, “… but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).

Jesus Christ has promised we can win the war with Satan if we honestly seek to find the “narrow way” and hold on to the “rod of iron.” (Matthew 7: 13-14 and BM, 1 Nephi 11:25).

When we slip and do not repent, forgive and turn - to rely on the tender mercies of our Savior, Jesus Christ to redeem us; Satan wins; “… for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (BM, 2 Nephi 2: 27.).

Conversely, God sends his humble servants “two and two … into every city and place … said he unto them … the harvest is great, but the laborers are few … I send you forth as lambs among wolves …” (Luke 10: 1-21 and D&C 12 and 33: 3-11). “… I will take you one of a city and two of a family and I will bring you to Zion.” (Jerimiah 3: 14).

Persecution of God’s prophets and all those who strive to follow him and his Son, Jesus Christ, are repeated events during each of the seven dispensations of human history; many were persecuted, even unto death.

Adam and Eve ushered-in the first dispensation, followed by Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Moses. Our magnificent Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, ushered in the sixth dispensation with 12 Apostles. Joseph Smith ushered in the seventh and final dispensation with 12 new Apostles – the time the ancient Apostle Paul called, “… the dispensation of the fullness of times when he (our Father in Heaven) might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Ephesians 1: 10).

Each dispensation began with God introducing or restoring his authority and the fullness of his Gospel to the earth. Each of the first six dispensations ended in apostasy. The last dispensation, in which we now live, will conclude at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming.

Lucifer and his followers have played an integral role in the apostasy of each dispensation.
Jesus Christ said his followers should expect to be persecuted (John 15: 18-20), but the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, would be with them. (John 15: 26).

When the seventh and final dispensation began, Satan tried to stop it in its tracks – and failed. Joseph Smith recorded that as a 14-year-old boy, he went to a grove of trees near Palmyra, New York in the spring, 1820 and knelt in prayer; appealing to God for “wisdom” as to what he should do (James 1: 5); “… when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of the enemy which had seized upon me, and at the moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction – not to an imaginary ruin, but to a power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being - just at the moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me, I saw two Personages whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other – This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him.”
(PGP, Joseph Smith – History 14-20).

Jesus Christ essentially told Joseph that the time had come and America was the place he had prepared to restore his Church and the fullness of his Gospel to the earth for the final time; and that he, Joseph Smith, was called to be the prophet to lead that effort on earth. Joseph Smith learned he was foreordained in the premortal world to carry out that work. Foreordained as are all of God’s leaders; “chosen before (they) were born.” (Jerimiah 1: 4-5 and PGP, Abraham 3: 22-23).

It is noteworthy that America was the only country in 1820 that had personal and religious freedom as underlying principles of government (but implementation of those principles came slowly). The start of the restoration of the Church and pristine Gospel of Jesus Christ occurred 29-years after the new country’s Constitution and Bill of Rights were ratified in 1791 and five years after the War of 1812-1815 with Great Britain.

While the nation’s founding documents assured each person’s “inalienable rights” and “all men (and women) are created equal,” the majority of the early members of congress and the courts (and politicos of many states and territories) were comfortable with discrimination. When it came to civil rights, women and certain ethnic groups were relegated to second and third-class status. Thus, when it came to persecuting the Church and its members, politicos were already conditioned to overseeing inequality, discrimination and persecution.

In 1827, God gave Joseph Smith possession of an ancient record of God’s dealings with some of the former inhabitants of the American Continent which Joseph Smith translated “by the gift and power of God” and published the Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ and with supporters. founded the Church in 1830. (PGP, Joseph Smith – History: 15-20 and 27-73).

After the Church was officially organized and twelve new apostles called; the apostles and other converts were called to go on missions in the U.S. and foreign lands. Thousands of converts, which included my many of my ancestors, moved to join the main body of the Church. Local residents became wary of the rapid influx of new like-minded settlers. Local, then state and finally national politicos took notice and Satan-influenced hatred ensued.

Hatred, weaponized with political power, was ruthless. Politicos stirred-up vicious and even murderous persecution; the primary, Satan-motivated, objective: Destroy The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Church members were forced to move five times; from New York to Ohio; to Missouri and then to Illinois before they made their arduous 1,300-mile trek west across the then frontier of Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to the barren, sage-brush covered, high-desert foothills and plain of the Great Salt Lake Valley of the Great Basin; a place they called Zion.

The Prophet Isaiah saw our time and prophesized; “… in the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains ….” (Isaiah 2: 2); And a prophesy still in process of being fulfilled; “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as a rose … for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And parched ground shall become a pool … and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion.” (Isaiah 35: 1-2, 6-7 and 10).

However, the persecution was intense. Had it not been for Divine intervention at critical times, Jesus Christ’s Gospel and Church, like in previous dispensations, would not have survived. However, the latter-day prophets knew the Church would not only survive, but would fulfill its role and mission – membership is now approaching 17-million worldwide.

Politicos intent on persecuting the Church and its members would have done well to follow the admonition of Gamaliel who said to the persecutors of the ancient Apostles Peter and John; “And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; least haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5: 38-39).

Persecution timeline for the 70 formative years ending in 1890, follow:

• After Joseph Smith translated and published the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ and organized the Church in 1830. Persecution forced the Church membership to flee New York – they went to Kirkland, Ohio.

• While in Kirkland, and in their poverty, they built a three-story, 1,000 seat Temple edifice – still standing.
• Additionally, the Prophet privately told some of the Church leaders about his revelation concerning the principal of plural marriage. God did not give Joseph Smith specific reasons why he was restoring the practice - we only know that he did – and for his own purposes; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 55: 8).
• The influx of hundreds of new converts moving into the area to join the main body of Church and other factors caused resentment among the locals, resulting in conflicts. Church members fled Kirkland to the Independence, Missouri area in 1837.

• What happened in Missouri was similar to Ohio. Increasing numbers of Church members moving into the area caused major political unrest; mobs murdered Church members in outlying communities. Joseph Smith was charged with treason against the state and with a few of his associates imprisoned in “Liberty,” Missouri. Governor Lilburn Boggs issued his infamous “Extermination Order” in 1838, forcing Church members; men, women and children, on threat of death, to flee Missouri in the dead of winter. Joseph Smith’s guards allowed him and his associates to escape.

• Church refugees fleeing Missouri went east to a bend on the Mississippi River - Illinois side; a swampland that no one wanted. They purchased the land, drained the swamp and built from scratch a then-modern city, second only to Chicago in population, including a 164-foot-tall cut-stone Temple on a hilltop that could be seen for miles. They named their city “Nauvoo, the city beautiful.”

• But alas, they found no peace. Armed mobs first began attacking outlying farms. Joseph Smith was charged with criminal offences. Illinois Governor Thomas Ford, offered Joseph Smith protection if he rode 20-miles south east and surrendered at the county jail to await his trial for treason. He and three of his associates would stay in an unlocked cell. While under Ford’s “guaranteed” state-protection, Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered by 200 armed men with -black-painted faces.

• Knowing, Governor Ford could not be trusted; and in the face of growing lawlessness against Church members living on farms surrounding Nauvoo and the city itself; the then head of the Church, Brigham Young, the apostles and over ten thousand souls began leaving their warm homes in January, 1846, crossing the frozen Mississippi River to the Iowa side; to begin their 1,300-mile wilderness trek to the arid, desolate valley of the Great Salt Lake; “another place that no one wanted.”

• After the Church exiles left, tornado and fire gutted the Temple. Succeeding residents hauled away the cut stones. The Church acquired the land and reconstructed the Temple; an exact replica of the original; and dedicated the new, fully operational Temple in 2002.

• When the first body of refugees reached the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, U.S. Army recruiting officers caught-up with them and requested they assemble 500 volunteer soldiers to fight in the Mexican War (The Mormon Battalion marched 2,000 miles before being discharged in San Diego in 1847).

• When the advance party with Brigham Young reached (trading post) Fort Bridger in present-day Wyoming; wilderness trapper Jim Bridger told Brigham Young that it was not wise for a large body of people to settle in the Great Basin. “The land was so poor, he would give a thousand dollars for the first full ear of corn grown there.” (Today, the greater Salt Lake City metro area has a population of over 1.2 million.).

• About 55.000 Church members were in process of establishing settlements in the Great Basin when persecution took another turn. U.S. President James Buchannan, acting on uncorroborated assertions of revolt, dispatched 2,500 troops under the command of Colonel Albert S. Johnston (later Confederate general) to Church settlements in Utah Territory to put down the (nonexistent) rebellion.

• Buchannan made no attempt to send emissaries to Utah to get the facts before he sent an army. His advisors who made the false claims would later defect to the Confederacy.

• When Johnston’s army finally arrived in 1857; his troops marched through abandoned cities and farms; crops destroyed in advance – leaving his troops – and the settlers - with food shortages.

• Johnston dutifully set-up Camp Floyd/Crittenden south of Salt Lake City. The fort was abandoned when the garrisoned soldiers were reassigned to come back and fight in the Civil War (1861-1865).

• Abraham Lincoln was the new president, and the Church was loyal to the Union. The U.S. Army set-up military forts throughout the west where its garrisoned troops were tasked to resist Confederate soldiers should they come; protect Oregon and California Trail pioneers, gold miners and homestead settlers from Indian attack.

• Buchannan left a legacy of weak leadership. For one thing, he sent 15-percent of the U.S. Army on a fool’s errand to Utah to put down a non-existent revolt at a time when the real rebellion, slave-state secession, was happening in his back yard. Newspapers called Buchannan’s misguided foray across the country as “Buchannan’s Blunder.”

• Persecution against the Church did not end after Johnston’s army stood down; it just came from a different political forum.

• Western territories were being made states. Republican politicos were in power and believed Church members were Democrats that voted as a block. In Idaho, for example, Church membership was a fourth of the population; it could turn the election. The Republican politicos apparently thought polygamy was the Church’s “Achilles heel” which they could exploit for political advantage. They enacted a series of laws (see below) to destroy the Church and block its perceived Democrat vote. They “profiled” the Church and its members and repeatedly published distorted and absurd stories.

• The majority in congress sought to equate polygamy with immorality and profile the Church as a proponent. Albeit, sexual immorality is generally defined as sexual relationships outside of marriage.

• Today, there are about 60 countries in Africa and Asia whose population is principally Muslim. The laws of those countries authorize polygamy. Polygamy is not immoral in their culture. Those cultures deem extramarital affairs destructive to society. They are harshly critical of American cinema that glamorizes out-of-wedlock sexual relationships.

• The Morrill Act of 1862, made polygamy a felony in the territories (not the states). However, the law had issues and was not enforced. The Edmunds Act of 1882 had similar provisions, but was also ineffective.

• The Edmunds-Tucker Antipolygamy Act of 1887 had extensive enforcement provisions and was funded. President Grover Cleveland (served 1885-1889 and 1893-1897) did not sign or veto the bill, rather, he allowed the bill to become law without his signature. The Act was repealed by congress over a century later; 1998.

• The Act called for the confiscation of Church Temples, houses of worship and other property. The Church appealed the Edmunds-Tucker Act to the U.S. Supreme Court on constitutional grounds – but there was no stay-order while the case was being heard.

• Federal marshals were dispatched to certain territories (states were not covered in the law) - to hunt-down and arrest men who were believed to have married more than one woman in a formal licensed ceremony. Punishment for those found guilty; up to five years in prison, plus fines.
• Contrastingly, the law gave a free pass to polygamous-type relationships that were kept informal: Multiple premarital, extramarital, cohabitation and mistresses; relationships that often left a trail of broken homes and marriages, single parents and poverty. Relationships that if not consensual were often not reported as abuse because of the power held by the offenders, presidents, military, politicians, religious leaders, business owners and managers with hire-fire authority, etc. In a sense, congress was calling good evil and evil good? (Isaiah 5: 20).

• U.S, Senator from Utah, Reed Smoot, illustrated the duplicity of the law in 1896 during an interrogation in Senate chambers. One of the other senators asked him, “Senator Smoot, do you believe in polygamy?” Senator Smoot responded, “I would rather be a polygamist that poliged, than a monogamist that doesn’t monog.”

• Implementation of the Edmunds-Tucker Act produced harsh collateral damage – no welfare provision. It left wives and children financially destitute, mothers living on farms were particularly ill equipped to care for their children and operate the acreages carved out of a sagebrush-covered plain. The Act left many families essentially bankrupt.

• The Act also took a back-handed swipe at women’s suffrage. In 1887, United States law did not allow women the right to vote, hold public office or serve on juries. However, the constitutions of certain territories were before their time and had approved women’s suffrage.

• Wyoming was first to approve in 1869; Utah was second in 1870. However, demonstrating the duplicity of the majority in congress that passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act, they repealed the women’s suffrage provision in the Utah Territorial Constitution in 1887.

• However, when congress made Utah a state in 1896, Woman’s Suffrage was made part of the Utah State Constitution – still 24 years before it became U.S. Constitutional law (19th Amendment).

• Test Test-oath laws - Republican federal and territorial lawmakers had majority control in governments and wanted to keep it that way. Because of their perception that Church members were Democrats and voted as a block, they passed “test oath” laws that forced monogamous male Church-members (the vast majority of adult male Church members were monogamous) to either disavowed their religion by signing the test oath or forfeit their civil rights to vote, hold public office or serve on juries. Women and certain non-white races were already denied such civil rights.

• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1890 that the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1987 was constitutional.

• Church president, Wilford Woodruff issued the “Manifesto,” in 1890, prohibiting further plural marriages by Church members. (D&C, Official Declaration 1). The U.S. Marshals stood down in 1890 and Congress made Utah Territory a state in 1896.