Emmanuel Olaveson
Our third great grandfather from Grandma High’s fathers’ side.
Emanuel Olaveson lived in a small suburb town near Oslo Norway. Most of the people made their living by fishing and in the timber. Some of the most perfect mast poles in the world came from Norway. They raised oats and barley and rye in that area so they ate rye bread, oatmeal mush and potatoes which were very small. Most of their vegetables and other foodstuffs were shipped in and they exported fish and timber.
Emanuel Olaveson came home from work one night and heard the L.D.S. Missionaries holding a street meeting. He went home but kept thinking of what he had heard. The next evening he stopped again and was given some literature. He took it home and read it. When he had finished reading it, he said, “This is what I have been looking for all my life.” He joined the church soon after and came to America as soon as he could. He worked hard and sent for the rest of his family as soon as he had enough money.
Emanuel came in 1882 to Big Cottonwood just out of Salt Lake City and worked for Tom Gunderson, whom he knew in Norway. Then he bought 7 acres of land and built an adobe house on it. The house is still standing and is in use. He lived on this place till his death 2 June 1915.
The Life Summary of Anne Catherine
When Anne Catherine Christensdatter was born on 14 November 1834, in Spydeberg, Østfold, Norway, her father, Christen Andersen, was 36 and her mother, Johane Jonsen, was 40. She married Emanuel Olaveson on 8 May 1852, in Onsøy Kirke, Onsøy, Østfold, Norway. They were the parents of at least 9 sons and 7 daughters. She died on 13 May 1885, in Holladay, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 50, and was buried in Holladay, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. She was baptized the year before in 1884.
James Henry Denning and his wife Sarah Merrifield
Our second great grandfather on Grandma High’s mothers’ line.
They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1850. John Williams, his brother-in-law who had joined the LDS Church and was a missionary for the Church, baptized them Jan 5, 1850 at Abeceycan, South Wales.
On Feb 15, 1853 they went on board the ship called “International” to sail from Liverpool, England. Their baby, James Henry was three weeks old. The ship laid in the Irish Channel until 28 of Feb. before sailing. It was then waiting for favorable weather conditions. There were 425 Saints, under the direction of Christopher Arthur aboard. Baby James Henry took terribly ill on this hard two month voyage, he was thought to be dead, so they strapped his body to a board (as was the custom) and raised the board to shove him overboard. One of the saints shouted “Wait, I believe I saw the baby breathe.” They pulled the board back and unwrapped the baby and HE WAS BREATHING. He lived to fill a noble and wonderfully useful life, loved and respected by everyone.
They arrived in New Orleans Apr. 23, 1853. They came to Salt Lake City with Capt. Daniel Millers Ox team Co. There were 282 people, 70 wagons, 27 horses, 470 cattle, and 153 sheep. They left camp at Winter Quarters June 9. 1853. They endured great hardships, having to walk a great deal of the way. Food was rationed out to them. They all shared alike. After their arrival here Sept. 9, 1953, they settled in Bountiful, Utah.
Annie Dorthea Danielsen is our second great grandmother on Grandma High’s side. She was born in Norway in 1851. She married Carl Johan Olaveson (son of Emanuel Olaveson, the first convert on the Olaveson side) in 1878 in Norway. She was baptized in 1885. She emigrated with her son Hans to America and arrived in New York on the ship Wisconsin in 1885. I don’t know when her husband Carl emigrated, but he did. He died in Menan, Idaho after serving a mission to the Danish mission from 1911-1914, when he was 54 years old.
John Jones Williams and Mary Jones (third great grandparents on Grandma High’s side)
John Jones Williams was born August 12, 1823, on a farm called Blackthorn in the Brecknockshire, South Wales. He was the 7th of a family of 8, a son of Daniel and Ruth Jones Williams.
When he was a young boy he was apprenticed out to a horse shoer for seven years in England. The man to whom he was apprenticed was one of the king’s horse shoers who shod horses for the fox and deer hunts. John had to learn to work skillfully and quickly.
On his return to Wales he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized January 1850. The girl he was going to marry broke their engagement when John joined the Mormon Church.
Later, he and a friend, James Denning, married two sisters of Somerset, England whose parents disinherited them when they married Mormon boys. John married Jane Emma Merrifield, February 14, 1852. She was born November 4, 1833 near Bath Somerset, England. She was a daughter of Uriah and Jane Denning Merrifield. Her sister’s name was Sarah.
Both couples sailed for America from Liverpool, England, February 25, 1853 on the ship “International”. On the fourth day, while they were sailing on the Irish Sea, a baby girl was born to John and Jane. They named her Elvira Ann and she received special attention on the ship because she was born with two teeth.
James and Sarah had a baby boy born two weeks before they sailed. When Sara became ill, Jane nursed both babies.
After sailing for six weeks, they landed in New Orleans April 23, 1853. They crossed the plains in covered wagons and endured many hardships. John J. was captain over 20 teamsters and did the blacksmithing for the entire company.
The arrived at Salt Lake City October 17, 1853. Here John was reunited with his parents who had preceded him to America by two weeks. They all settled in Brigham City.
Here John’s skill as a smithy was an asset to the community as he made all kinds of farm implements, wagons and sleighs. He traveled extensively, gathering scrap iron which he used in his blacksmithing. While searching for scrap iron he traveled to Malad Valley for the first time. Only Indians lived in that valley then. He saw that the soil was good and there was an abundance of wild grass in the meadow lands with the possibility of irrigating higher land from mountain streams bubbling down from the canyons.
John married Mary Jones March 6, 1857, a daughter of Thomas and Ruth Thomas Jones. She was born January 12, 1837 at Port Maur Hanswel, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
About this time Brigham Young asked him to help colonize St. George, Utah. Owing to the fact that his parents were getting on in years and the trip south would be difficult, John asked to be released and to go instead to Malad Valley which had become a part of Idaho Territory established in 1863. John J. came to the valley with his family in 1864 and they were among the very first settlers to live where Malad now stands. Other men who brought their families that year were Benjamin Thomas, Williams Williams, William and Lewis Gaulter, James E. Jones, Daniel Thomas, Howell and John Harris. Mrs. Benjamin Thomas gave birth to a son who was the first white child born in Malad. The next year many families came.
One year after the John J. Williams family came to Malad the first LDS branch was organized with Daniel Daniels as bishop. While he was still bishop in 1870, John J. became a member of the bishopric. He also served as a counselor to Bishop George Stewart. John J. served also as president of the teachers and elders quorums. He held the office of bishop....
He helped survey the townsite of Malad and the Malad and St. Johns cemeteries John J. and his wives owned the land between 3rd and 4th North and 100 and 200 West in Malad. It is located diagonally east from the Malad Elementary school and at present, 101 years later, some of the land remains in the family. He built two log homes and a blacksmith shop on the block and later his sons built homes there. Both families helped homestead a farm on Deep Creek. The famed Williams Grove is part of the farm.
He was very industrious and his neighbors were often awakened in the early hours by the sound of his hammer and anvil. He was respected as the best workman in his line. The men used to say that if they had a technical piece of work, they took it to John J. Williams. If he couldn’t do it, none of the rest need try.
He planted a large orchard and specialized in grafting trees. With his skill in grafting, he grew a tree that produced 11 different varieties of apples.
He was arrested for polygamy March 19, 1886, and was liberated March 19, 1887 from a Detroit, Michigan prison. While he was there the officers treated him kindly. They let him stand guard while they slept.
He was always thankful for his membership in the church and his testimony; he considered it a privilege to pay tithing. He was honest. His word was his bond and be believed in doing good to all people. He taught his family to be honest in their dealings with their fellow men.
He died January 9, 1899, the father of 24 children. He reared 16 sons and daughter, the others died in infancy. Jane died May 27, 1900. Mary died February 27, 1913.
John J. Williams is honored annually when his descendants gather on or near his birthday, August 12. At this time, 1965, he has almost 2000 descendants. He was honored as one of the first settlers of Malad when the Malad Centennial was celebrated. He is also honored by having his picture and short account of his life published in a book of Utah Pioneers which is now kept in the Old State Capitol Museum at Fillmore, Utah.
A family record is being kept by Laveda Williams of Malad and Mattie Olaveson, Rigby, statistical secretaries of the John J. Williams Association. The family is grateful to them for their efforts and great amount of time they have spent in this work.
Mary Jones was born 12 January 1837 in Llansawel, Carmarthenshire, Wales. She was the daughter of Thomas Jones and Ruth Thomas. Mary was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 1 March 1850. In 1856, she immigrated to the United States, leaving Wales on 23 June 1856 and arriving in Utah on 2 October 1856. On 27 February 1857, she married John Jones Williams in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. In 1867, the family moved to Malad, Oneida, Idaho, and were among the first settlers there. Mary was the mother of twelve children: Azariah Franklin (1857), Rosanna (1859), Ruth Elizabeth (1861), Lodema Louisa (1863), Mary Ellen (1864), Clara Vilate (1867), Thomas Oliver (1870), Margaret Victoria (1872), George Jones (1874), Martha May (1876), Annie Sophia (1877), and Hannah Adell (1879). Mary Jones died on 27 February 1913 at Malad, Oneida, Idaho. She was buried on 3 March 1913 at the Malad City Cemetery, Oneida, Idaho, United States.
Clark Side
Mads Peter Rasmussen and Karen Petersen
Our third great grandparents on Grandpa Clark’s side
Peter had no desire to join the army, so he ran away and found success as a seaman. He loved the sea and loved the adventure at sea. Peter was serving on board a ship when he first met some Mormon Missionaries who had taken passage on the ship. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had been sending missionaries to Europe. Peter heard the missionaries preaching their religion and he was impressed. He took some of their literature and studied it. He was especially impressed with the Word of Wisdom and the abstinence of alcohol, coffee, and tea. This counsel went along with his mother’s advice to him regarding alcohol. Peter was baptized in Denmark on 27 Mar 1857, at 20 years of age. His parents and brother also joined the Church at the same time.
In 1849, Peter was First Mate on the William Tapscott, he was now 22 years old. The ship was chartered to take a group of Latter-day Saint immigrants to America from England. The William Tapscott set sail from Liverpool, England to New York on 11Apr 1859. There were 725 British, Scandinavian and Swiss Saints on board, nine different languages were spoken. While attending meetings on this voyage, he met a young Danish convert, Karen Petersen who was on her way to Utah. Karen was 27 years old to Peter’s 22 years. They were married on board the ship.
In 1866 Peter decided to move to Farmington, David Co. Utah. He kept the property in Richville, but also bought a farm with an adobe house on it in Farmington. There George Henry was born on 8 Sept 1866. Then a few years later, on 7 May 1869 twins, Joseph Soren and Ane Margaret were born. Shortly after this, his wife left him. Karen took all of the children, except the oldest, Peter, and went to Richville where her parents were living. Peter gave Karen their home in Richville, a team of oxen, some cattle and other property. He kept the team of horses and the property in Farmington He was very broken up over this separation. They divorced in 1871. 3 Peter was very upset over this separation and prayed very earnestly to the Lord to know what to do. He saw, in a dream, a woman selling some of his produce at the hotel where she worked. When Peter actually saw her (Anna Gertrude Clawson) he immediately told her that she was to be his wife because he had been shown it in a dream. Peter called her “Annie”. Annie had just joined the Church, and immigrated from Sweden; and she thought this very strange conduct, but she too soon came to believe as he did, that it was the right thing for them to do. They were married 25 Jan 1870 in the Salt Lake Endowment House. They were both 34 years old. They lived in Farmington the remainder of winter, then moved to Montpelier, Bear Lake Co, Idaho, taking their cattle and equipment with them. They secured land and quickly built a home.
Peter’s first wife, Karen, married John Cheney who belonged to the Mormon Battalion. John was very good to Karen and her four children. Karen bore him 2 children David James and Achsa Elizabeth or Axie Cheney. John Cheney died 15 Mar 1875 leaving Karen with six children. Karen next married Peter Neilson who was not a member of the church. He wanted to be called “Mr. Neilson”. He told Karen he wanted to build her a new home, so George Henry helped his mother move into a sod home on Wilson Lane. Karen soon realized her marriage was a mistake. Mr. Neilson did not like children and was mistreating Karen’s children. Mary, uncomfortable with Mr. Neilson, married Arthur B. Clark at an early age to get out of the house. Upon finding out, Mr. Neilson ordered them out of the house and told them never to return, since they didn’t ask his permission. When visiting, a neighbor and friend discovered how cruelly Karen and the children were treated and quickly sent word to Peter. “Rasmussen, if you think anything of your children, you had better go to them.” Peter left right away to find out what the trouble was. He found Mr. Neilson had sold Karen’s property and cattle without her consent, and had talked her out of her very nice home to live in a sod home. There was no new home started. Peter hired a lawyer and Mr. Neilson was prevented from selling any more property. Of course, they separated and Karen was persuaded to move to Bear Lake where Peter could look after the children. Karen lived with Peter and Annie for a short time, while Peter was securing a home for Karen and the children. Peter and Karen had a desire to remarry. Peter’s two wives readily agreed; however, the Church Authority stated Karen forfeited her right to be his wife and if they were to marry, they would both be excommunicated. Therefore, Peter would not marry her. Karen did not forgive him for many years and by that time, he was dead. Peter provided for her and the children for a summer and winter. Annie helped watch the kids and loved them as her own. The children helped Peter with the cattle and also in the blacksmith shop. Karen returned to Richville. George Henry returned with his mother and saw her settled before returning to Montpelier and working on the railroad. Karen earned a living weaving carpets in Richville. Peter did a lot to build the community of Montpelier. He built and owned a Salt Works that became very successful. He sold the Salt Works to ZCMI Salt Co. He worked on the railroad, cut and sold ice, raised cattle, worked as a blacksmith, and even started a freighting business. There were many different jobs—all very successful. Peter was a good businessman and a good manager. He always provided well for his families and wanted them to have the best of everything available, but he expected them to take care of things and work hard.
Daniel and Elizabeth (Gower) Clark
Our third great grandma and grandpa from Grandpa Clark’s fathers side
Daniel Clark and Elizabeth Gower were married 27 Oct 1839 in the St. Mary Magdalen parish church, Colchester, by William Murray. Elizabeth Gower was born 20 Feb 1819 in Little Baddow, Essex County, England the daughter of William Gower and Elizabeth Nunn. Elizabeth was a resident of Colchester at the time of marriage so was most likely working in her trade at sewing and draping. Daniel was listed as a shoemaker and they lived at #3 Magdalen Street. Their business would be on the ground floor and their residence above. The Gower's were rather well to do as indicated from the will of Elizabeth's grandfather and were quite numerous in this part of Essex. Daniel Clark loved music and he developed his talents at every opportunity, learning to play the Concertina, the Fife, and other instruments. He had a good voice and loved to sing. Elizabeth shared in all this with him. He was a good workman and did well in his trade, making 2 Daniel Clark & Elizabeth Gower fine shoes. Elizabeth bore six children to Daniel by the summer of 1851: Elizabeth Frances, Sarah Annie, Rebecca Angelina, Daniel, who died at 4 months, Ellen Victoria, William Gower, who died at one month of age. In the summer of 1851, a momentous occurrence came into the lives of the Daniel Clark family. A young missionary by the name of Charles William Penrose, a recent convert from London, and his companions, Thomas St. Alner, and Henry Mariman came to the Clark home, bearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through Joseph Smith in these Latter Days. Daniel & Elizabeth were moved by the Spirit and the testimony of these young men and they soon accepted their message and were converted to the 'Mormon' religion. Elizabeth gave birth to their seventh child Catherine, on 7 Sep 1851, and when she was three days old Daniel was baptized, 10 Sep 1851, and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11 Sep 1851, both by Elder Richard Coleman. As soon as she had recovered from the birth of Catherine, Elizabeth was baptized 29 Nov 1851 and confirmed 30 Nov by Elder Richard Coleman. On this same day 30 Nov 1851, the baby Catherine was blessed by Elder Richard Coleman.
Soon after joining the Mormon Church the Clarks became heir to the slander, ridicule, and even persecution, that was being heaped upon Mormons throughout all of Britain. Even Daniel's business began to slack off. The children were no longer allowed to attend the schools and what education they received had to be provided in the home. Even their baptismal services were held in secret and sometimes at night to avoid the jeering onlookers who often resorted to rock throwing and mudslinging. Their Church Meetings were often interrupted and sometimes broken up.
Uppermost in the minds of the Clarks was to be able to emigrate to Zion, which to them was to Utah. Every effort was made to gather funds enough to make this possible. By April of 1861 it was decided that the three oldest should go on ahead to Utah. With what the family had saved and the help of the 'Perpetual Emigration Fund' this became possible. The three girls left Barking, went to Liverpool and registered with the imigration office of the Church. On 23 April 1861 the clipper ship 'Underwriter' sailed from Liverpool with 624 Mormon Emigrants aboard under the Presidency of Milo Andrus, Homer Duncan, and Charles William Penrose. Three of Daniel and Elizabeth’s daughters, Elizabeth Frances Clark, age 20, Sarah Annie, age 19, and Rebecca Angelina, age 17 were members of this company.
The three girls were greatly missed in the Clark home after their leaving for Utah. The Missionaries continued to frequent the home as sort of a headquarters and the children especially enjoyed their stories about faraway Zion and the wonders of America. Almost the entire Branch were making every effort to accumulate the means necessary to enable them all to emigrate, possibly as a body.
As soon as they arrived in Utah the three Clark girls sought and found work. Sarah and Rebecca were married before the end of the year and Elizabeth in the spring. They each found ways to send a little to help to bring the rest of the family to Utah. Elizabeth especially helped, in that she gleaned wheat for five dollars a bushel and sent one hundred dollars. Daniel is said to have exclaimed upon its receipt 'now we can go to Zion. Lizzey has sent the money.'
The names of the Daniel Clark family were removed from the Barking Branch Records of England 31 May 1864, the reason being that they 'emigrated.' In the next three days arrangements were made and they boarded the ship 'Hudson', prepared their quarters, and made ready to sail. They were cleared at customs and stood ready to leave the evening of 3 June 1864, awaiting the tide. At 3:00 a.m. the following morning the Hudson was taken in tow at the Customs Office at Gravesend by a steam-tug. They were taken to the open water at Margate where the tug left them to sail under their own power on the wind. A pilot on board would guide them for a few days.
John Parker and Marie Scott- third Great Grandfather and Grandmother on Grandpa Clark’s mother’s side
(There’s a lot of discrepancies in this record. I’m not sure what to believe, so this is the best I could come up with):
John Parker was born April 28th 1818 at Leicester, Leicestershire,England,christened April 28th,1818. He was a delicate child when young. He was married to his first wife Marie Scott in 1837. To this was union was born six children four boys,and two girls(names)Jane Parker,William(no.1) Parker, William(no.2)Parker,Nephi Moroni Parker,Alma Moroni Parker,Louise Parker. His wife died either in 1851 or 1864. There are different records, but she was baptized in 1852.
He remarried or entered plural marriage two years later and had several more children.
On February 25,1844 he was baptized a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by Isaac Moore, confirmed on February 25,1844 by Thomas Margretts at Leicester,Leicestershire,England.
He was then called to be a missionary and sometimes he would have to walk ten to fifteen miles to the meeting, but he was faithful to his church. While he would be on his missionary work some would throw eggs at him. His door was always opened to the missionaries.
He them had the desire to come to Zion. He then went to work to save money to come to America. First he sent his son Alma to America, then his daughter Rose,then son Thomas. In 1877 he then migrated from Leicester,England to America with the rest of the family, but one daughter; who had married.He had buried in England, six sons and one daughter and wife Marie Scott. That was sorrow, but he was willing to make the sacrifice for the Gospel. While on board of ship his small daughter Agnes (with his second wife, not Marie Scott) was standing by his side she stepped upon the siding of the ship and a wave hit the side of the ship and her feet slipped from under her; she held to the railing of the ship by her hands. He caught her by her clothes and pulled her back and cuddled her to him and took her to her mother, and told her what had happened, and she said it was the hand dealings of the Lord that her life was saved. He arrived at Liberty Idaho November 17,1877. He lived in Liberty that winter then moved to what was called South Liberty. The following spring him and his family built a house piece of land that was his son, Thomas.
David James Ross and Helen Miller
Our third great grandma and grandpa from Grandpa Clark’s mother’s side.
David James Ross was born August 12th, 1822 to Robert Ross and Margaret McBain, in Scotland. Helen Margaret Miller was born February 8th, 1819 to John Miller and Helen Crichton in Scotland..
David was baptized by LDS missionaries in Edinburgh on December 27th, 1841. He was 19 years of age. Helen was baptized by LDS missionaries in Dowally on October 27th, 1842. She was 23 years old. Very little is known about either of these families or of the youth of David or Helen. David had spent some time in the military in Scotland, serving in the Highland Regiment. They must have met each other through their association with the church. They were married in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland on January 1st, 1846.
They emigrated from Scotland shortly after their marriage and joined the Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois the summer of 1846. The exodus of the saints from Nauvoo was in process, having started February of that year. David and Helen saw firsthand the persecution of the saints in Nauvoo and continued their own journey to Winter Quarters on the Missouri River.
In May of 1852 David was released from his mission. He returned home and in response to a general call for all saints from St. Louis to Council Bluffs to come to the Salt Lake Valley, he sold all of his property and prepared to go west with his wife and daughter. They crossed the plains in the 5th company of the season, led by captain John Tidwell. According to David's brief journal entry, “we got along well and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the Fall of 1852”.
David was often called upon to travel with Brigham Young and on several occasions to speak in Stake Conferences. In 1855 he spoke at a Conference in Provo in which he made some rather controversial comments. Although it is not known exactly what he said, it caused quite an up-roar. His comments were later approved by Brigham Young.
Great sorrow came to David when his wife, Helen Margaret Miller Ross, died November 17th, 1858 at 39 years of age. This was a terrible devastating blow from which he never recovered. Helen’s three children went to live with David’s other wife, Mary Ann, and her two sons.
In addition to David’s work at the store, military school, and the Nauvoo Legion, he also worked for Brigham Young taking care of his horses, barns, and machinery. In April of 1864 David was called and set apart for a “military mission” in the territory, as an extension to his position as a Colonel in the Nauvoo Legion. In this capacity he made numerous tours of inspection and instruction in support of the territorial militia. In June of 1865, he and Brigham Young and a large party of citizens met with Indians in the south end of Utah Valley to discuss a treaty. During the latter half of 1865, all of 1866, and into early 1867 he traveled throughout all of Utah, often with Brigham Young, encouraging military preparedness.
Within his regiment in the Nauvoo Legion, many of his own men were without guns and ammunition. His appeals to his superiors to buy these items apparently fell on deaf ears and so when some of his men told him that if he would order the guns for them they would pay the money in the Fall when their crops "came in", he went beyond his authority and ordered the guns for several of his men, trusting in their promises to repay. The guns were charged to the Nauvoo Legion and when some of the men failed to repay in the Fall when their crops "came in", Colonel Ross had a big problem. He must have struggled with this for several months but it finally came to the attention of Brigham Young. This went against all of the principles of financial prudence that Brigham Young taught and he turned against Colonel Ross and told him he had committed an unforgivable error. Heber C. Kimball and others tried to intervene to bring about a reconciliation but Brigham Young refused to even see his former trusted officer and confidant. Colonel Ross was released from his "military mission" and stripped of his rank and position in the Nauvoo Legion. This was the worst thing that could have happened to David Ross. The Nauvoo Legion was his life, outside of that he was just a store clerk. He apparently tried to find solace in a bottle and the results were summed up in an article in the Deseret News dated April 17th, 1867.
NOTICE is hereby given to the public that David J. Ross has been cut off from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for drunkenness, lying, and swindling. The said Ross has left the city for California, we think under the assumed name of Donald McBain. The saints and public abroad should be on their guard against his false representations, and not be deceived into trusting him or leaning on him or giving him means. We take this method of giving publicity to his past disgraceful conduct.
His wife requested, and was granted, a divorce.
In about 1885 he moved to Colorado near Denver and continued working in the mining business and running a shoe making/repair shop on the side. By 1900 the family had lost track of him. His son, David James Miller Ross, launched an effort to find him. He tracked him down with the help of the Church, through tithing receipts. He had faithfully paid his tithing for 25 years to his old Ward in Salt Lake City. His son went to Colorado and brought him back to Freedom, Wyoming, where he remained the rest of his life.
He died in 1909, at the age of 88, while in a creek. He got a cramp and drowned.
At the age of 78 years David was re-baptized by his daughter Helen's husband, Arthur B. Clark. David worked in a small shoe shop built for him in Freedom until his death in 1909 at the age of 87 years. He was buried in the Freedom City Cemetery.
The following article appeared in the Deseret News following his death. (One cannot help but notice the difference in the tone in this article compared to the nasty one written in the same newspaper in April of 1867).
Deseret News
Freedom, Wyoming Sept. 3, 1909
“David J. Ross, well known in Utah in the 1860's and who was a guard at Brigham Young's gate, was drowned in a shallow creek at Freedom, Wyoming August 29th. He had just entered his 88th year, and his mental powers were much impaired. It appears that he waded into the water and took cramps and then fell over and was drowned.
He was a colonel in the Nauvoo Legion and was among the few who had military training in the early days, which he acquired in the Highland Regiment in Scotland, and so he became active in drilling the Legion throughout Utah.
He possessed poetic talent of a very fair degree and took delight in sending his intimate friends letters in verse, the poets John Lyon & Henry Naisbet among the number. He was ever steadfast in his testimony of the truth of the restored gospel. He left a sister Margaret in Salt Lake, a brother Alexander near Ogden, and three sons and a daughter with large families. The burial took place at Freedom September 1st.”
He had understandably gone through many years of depression and general spiritual decline and had penned the following poem during this period of his life:
"Ode to Melancholy"
The world is but a wilderness
where tears are hung on every tree,
for thus my gloomy fantasy
makes all things weep for me.
Come let us sit and watch the sky
and fancy clouds, where no clouds be
grief, is enough to blot the eye
and make heaven black with misery.
Why should birds sing with merry note
unless they were more blessed than we.
No sorrow ever chokes their throats,
except sweet nightingale for she
was born to pain our hearts the more
with her sad melody.
Why shines the sun except that it
makes gloomy nooks for grief to hide
and pensive shades for melancholy,
when all the earth is bright besides.
Let clay wear smiles and green grass
mirth shall not win us back again,
whilst man is made of his own grave
and fairest clouds but gilded rain.
William Moore Allred and Orissa Angelia Bates (this is our third great grandparents on Grandma Clark’s side)
William Moore Allred was born in Bedford Co., TN on Dec. 24, 1819. He was the fifth child and second son of the 13 children of Isaac Allred and Mary Calvert. The family moved to Monroe Co. Missouri about 1831 and settled near the Salt River. On Sept. 10, 1832 William was baptized by George M. Hinkle and joined the LDS Church (Mormon) along with other family members. He first saw Joseph Smith when the church leader came to Allred Settlement as he led Zion's Camp toward Jackson Co. The Allreds moved to Clay Co. in 1835, but were driven to Caldwell Co. the next year.
William became involved in the resistance to the mobs while still in his teens, participating in the battle of Crooked River and other skirmishes. He is the "Captain Allred" who led the capture of the shipment of mob arms. He was among those who surrendered and was disarmed at Far West, Missouri. He then fled to Quincy, IL as a fugitive to escape the recriminations decreed against the leaders of the resistance to the mobs. He later returned to Far West to help his family remove to Illinois. Then he was very sick for almost a year.
The Allreds settled in Nauvoo, IL where William met and married Orissa Angelia Bates on Jan. 9, 1842. The ceremony was performed in the home of Apostle Orson Pratt by Mayor John C. Bennett. The Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Emma were present. William paid $150 for a lot near the temple site, where he built a small brick house. He sold it all for $35 when they left.
William worked on the Nauvoo Temple throughout its construction period. There was little money. He sold the cloth he had aquired to make a coat in order to buy bread. Through experience in the building of the Nauvoo Temple he learned the building trade which he followed the remainder of his life.
Joining the Nauvoo Legion, William was commissioned a Captain. He also had a close association with the Prophet Joseph Smith. He played ball with him, was present to hear a number of prophecies and was among those present when Joseph bid them farewell as he rode off to Carthage and martyrdom. He was present at the meeting of August 8, 1844 in which both Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young stated their cases for leadership of the church. He was convinced that "the mantle of Joseph" fell upon Brigham. William and Orissa received their endowments in the new temple on Jan. 3, 1846. They left Nauvoo in the spring. Owning no wagon, they were transported to Winter Quarters by Orson Pratt, who was William's brother-in-law, having married Orissa's sister. They later settled at "Allred Settlement" near Council Bluffs, Iowa.
William found employment to aid in preparation to move to Utah. He acquired two cows and raised and broke some steers, and he worked at a wagon shop. After working hours he worked at building his own wagon. He later proudly reported that he was one of the few who had no wagon breakdown on the trip west. William migrated to Utah in 1851. He took charge of Orson Pratt’s wagons as well as his own-a taxing experience.
Orissa passed away in 1878 leaving four small sons. William later married Mary Osborne, a widow, who cared for him and his sons. In 1893 he moved with some of his sons to the new settlement in Star Valley, WY. There he built a two room frame house just like those he had built at Bear Lake Settlement. It was there at his home at Fairview, Wyo. that he passed away on June 8, 1901. He was buried beside Orissa at St. Charles, ID.
Throughout his life after 1844 William observed June 27th, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, as a special day.
At Salt Lake City William's little daughter, Adeline, who had become blind, was blessed by Joseph Smith's Uncle John and immediately healed. William was present in 1853 when the temple block was dedicated and also when the cornerstone of the temple was placed. He moved to the Toole area in 1855, where he served in a bishopric. In 1857 he married Martha Martindale. She died in 1860 leaving a small son who Orissa raised as one of her own. In 1858 William took part on the Utah War serving as Sergeant of the Guard.
In 1864 William was among those called to settle the Bear Lake Valley of Idaho/Utah under the direction of Apostle Charles C. Rich. According to his journal he built "about the first house in St. Charles. He helped build sawmills, gristmills and homes in that area. When frost took his wheat he went to Soda Springs and worked for wheat to make bread for his family. At different times he served in the following positions: Stake Superintendent of Sunday Schools, agent for both Deseret News and Juvenile Instructor, Justice of the Peace, County Clerk, County Recorder & Pound Keeper.
WILLIAM MOORE ALLRED AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
As I did not keep a diary, I write this from memory, commenced in St. Charles, Bear Lake Co., Idaho, June 22nd, 1885, after I was sixty-five years old.
I was born on the 24th of Dec., 1819, in Bedford County Tennessee, fifty miles south of the City of Nashville. My parents were very religious. I believe they belonged to the Presbyterian Church. I never had much chance for an education, and it was very old fashioned at that. I remember of going to Sabbath school a few times where I was born and a few times to the camp meetings, but yet I was too young to understand much about doctrine. When I was about ten or eleven years old, my parents moved to Missouri about five hundred miles north and settled in Monroe County on the state road in 3 miles of one of the three forks of Salt River. We found this to be quite a different country. Where I was born I do not remember of ever seeing the snow over six inches deep. Perhaps it would go off [the] next day, and then it would be mud. The first year we lived in Missouri, I think the snow fell in Nov. about two feet deep and stayed on the ground all winter. Towards spring there came a thaw and then froze a crust on the snow so we could walk on it. As there were plenty of deer in that country (it being new country), we could go out and find the deer, and when they would jump they would break through. The dogs could run on top of the snow so we could catch them. While living at this place, I killed the first deer I ever killed. I was about twelve or thirteen years old. I remember the first winter I frosted my feet some and could not be out much for a long while. My two younger brothers Reddin A. and Reddick N. (twins) had no shoes, and my oldest Brother, John E. would bring in wood for us. We would spell and read, and that was the way the twins commenced to learn to read. If I remember right I was the first school teacher they ever had, and that was the first school I ever taught, and the only one (with only two scholars).
I think in the fall of 1831 I first heard of the people called Mormons (Latter Day Saints). Hyrum Smith and John Murdock were the first I heard preach. While living at this place, Father went out one day and killed two deer before breakfast. When he came home, there was a man with his family there just moving into the country by the name of Bell. When he saw the two deer, he said with an oath "Allred and Bell shall never go to hell."
In 1832 George M. Hinkle, Danial Cathcart, and James Johnson came along and raised up a branch of the church called the Salt River Branch. I was baptized in Salt River on the 10th of Sept. 1832. There were 19 baptized that day including my parents and one or two of my sisters. The gathering place for the saints was in Jackson County about two hundred miles west of here.
In 1833 the church was driven from Jackson County. My father had sold his farm to move up there, but when he heard they were driven out, he rented the farm that the man had that bought his. He changed houses and stayed there one year. While living here, I first saw Joseph Smith the Prophet (in 1834), as he was going up in what was called Zion's Camp. While living here my Brother Harvy, when he would laugh his mouth would draw around to one side. Father sent for the Elders and he was healed immediately.
We then moved to Clay County, I think in 1835, where the saints had settled after being driven from Jackson County. I think we lived there one year, in 1835, and the people became so hostile we had to move to Caldwell an adjoining county; a still more thinly settled country (1836). Many of them I presume were out laws that had fled from other parts. We lived there about two years and was getting a pretty good start; broke ground in Far West for temple in 1837.
My father had quite a large family in all nine boys and four girls. The oldest girl died before I was born. We suffered considerably from persecution and exposure. Persecution still increased, and finally Governor Boggs ordered out the militia of the state against us. I was in pretty much all the campaigns and troubles. In 1838 I went with a company to assist a settlement that was besieged by the mob in the town of Dewit on the Missouri River in Carroll County. We arrived there in the night, and it was decided to go and attack the mob that night.
A little more about Orissa: She was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. When the Relief Society was organized in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, Orissa Angelia Bates was one of the original founding members of that women's organization. Before she became a RS member in March, 1842, Orissa had just married her husband, William Moore Allred, three months earlier in January. In 1851, she and her family migrated to Utah as pioneers and settled in Idaho.
Phineas Wolcott Cook and Ann Eliza Howland (our third great grandparents from Grandma Clark's paternal line)
Phineas Wolcott Cook was born August 28, 1819, at Goshen, Litchfield County, Connecticut. He is the son of Phineas Cook and Irene Churchill. Phineas married Ann Eliza Howland 1 January 1840 at Howlandburg, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sixteen children blessed their union: Charlotte Aurelia, Daniel Webster, Harriet Betsey, Eliza Hall, Augusta Precindia, Phineas Howland, Phoebe Irene, Vulcum, Ann Eliza (twin) and Alonzo Howland (twins), Mary, Henry Howland, Martha, William, Aurelia, and Hyrum Howland.
Phineas and Ann were baptized 14 May 1845. The Cook family came to Winter Quarter in the fall of 1846. Phineas was chosen a "Pioneer of the Mountains" to go with the first party in 1847, but becuse his wife and a child were very ill and he, himself weak and ill too, he was assigned instead to stay at Winter Quarters and help prepare to go west in 1848. Two children Charlotte Aurelia and Daniel Webster, died at Winter Quarters. The family traveled to Utah in the Brigham Young Company in 1848. They began their journey from the outfitting post at Winter Quarters, Nebraska on 5 June 1848 and arriving in Salt Lake 20-24 September 1848. There were 1060 persons in the company of which four belonged to the Phineas Cook family, Phineas (28), Ann Eliza (24), Harriet Betsy (3) and Augusta Precinda (infant).
Phineas was a millwright, carpenter and cabinet maker, and worked on the first grist mills (Neff’s and Chase’s) built in Salt Lake Valley in 1849 and 1850. He located in Sanpete valley in the fall of 1850 and became one of the first settlers of Manti, where he built the first grist mill in connection with President Brigham Young and Isaac Morley. Phineas returned to Salt Lake city in the spring of 1853. In Salt Lake City he worked on the Beehive and Lion houses and made some of the first furniture manufactured from Utah pine.
About this time he was encouraged by Brigham Young to take plural wives. On 18 December 1853 he married Catherine McCleve and Amanda Polly Savage, daughter of the missionary he first heard the gospel from. To Phineas and Amanda's marriage four children were born; David Savage, Mary Rosalie (twin), Mary Rosalie (twin), and Joseph Savage. To Phineas and Catherine McCleave was born, Joseph Woolcott.
Phineas moved his family to Payson, Utah County in 1855; built an Indian farmhouse west of Spanish Fork. In 1857 he founded a settlement in the valley lying west of Payson naming it Goshen for his birthplace in Connecticut. There he acted as Bishop for three years.
In 1863 he went to Bear Lake and was among the first settlers. He built a hand mill to grind wheat; a grist mill in 1865; and later a saw mill; a shingle mill; a wool carding machine; etc.
Phineas married a fourth wife, Johanna C. Poulsen, 13 September 1873 in the Endowment House. Eleven children came to this marriage. Tekla Cornelia, Hilma Josephine, Alma (Alice) Elvira (all have the last name Palsdotter were adopted), Carl, Moses, Kib Phineas, Emerson (twin), Omer (twin), Parley Abraham, Delbert (adopted) and Idalia Johanna.
A fifth wife, Johanna Ulrika Lundren, joined the family 8 July 1880. No children blessed this union.
Phineas moved to Logan 1883-1884 and labored diligently helping with construction of the Logan temple. Upon completion he did much temple work for his father's family.
Phineas was arrested and convicted of so-called unlawful cohabitation. He served a term in the Utah penitentiary after being seventy years old. The last few years of his life he spent in Afton, Wyoming. He died a faithful Latter-day Saint July 24, 1900 at Afton, Wyoming at aged eighty-one years. He was burried 26 July 1900 in the Afton Cemetery.
More about Ann Eliza Howland:
ANN ELIZA HOWLAND COOK EXTRACTS FROM A SKETCH OF HER LIFE WRITTEN BY HER DAUGHTER HARRIET BETSY TEEPLES (Some spelling of names and events were changed to match her father’s diary. LAD)
Ann Eliza Howland Cook came from a large old pilgrim family. She was born at Stillwater, Saratoga Co., New York 18 July 1823. Her father was Henry Howland; her mother Phebe Baker. Her father never joined the church and went to San Francisco, California during the gold rush.
She married Phineas Wolcott Cook 1 January 1840. She was baptized 14 Sept. 1845 and in May 1846 they left home in Richland, Kalamazoo, Michigan to join the Saints at Winter Quarters (now Florence, NE). They traveled five months with ox team and arrived in Sept. 1846 (crossed the Missouri River October 1, 1846.) Their first abode was a make shift tent which leaked like a sieve. One week later during a downpour of rain, she gave birth to her fourth child, Eliza, 9 October 1846. Umbrellas had to be held over her bed to keep it dry, but because of exposure her health was so impaired that she had no milk for her baby and it died at the age of seven months. Their oldest child, Charlotte, had scarlet fever that fall and died 23 November 1847 at the age of six years.
Their second child, Daniel, had died at the age of two years in Michigan on 4 Sept. 1844, so they were left with little Harriett Betsy, age four years. Just before leaving Winter Quarters, on 9 March 1848, Augusta Precindia was born. With their two little girls they crossed the Plains in company with Brigham Young’s family, arriving in September 1848. They were in Y Company and thankful for their being spared from the many perils of the journey.
She lived in Salt Lake for some time. Her children attended school with the children of Brigham Young while here husband worked for Brigham. They were later sent to Manti, Payson, Goshen and Bear Lake and lived for some time in Cache Valley. During the time she lived in Goshen, she visited her parents, who were living in California. They had become rather wealthy during the gold rush, and they gave her $2,000 in gold and many lovely furnishings for her home, along with a fine mule team and wagon to return home in. She was always an inspiration to her husband, family and friends.
She was a true pioneer in every deed. During these trying years she bore eleven children, namely: Phineas Howland, Phebe Irene, Vulcum, Ann Eliza, (twins) Alonzo Howland, Mary, Henry Howland, Martha, William, Aurelia, and Hyrum Howland. While she was living at Swan Creek, Garden City was settled and she was called as the Relief Society President in 1828. She faithfully filled this position until her death on 18 May 1896 at her comfortable home in town, which her husband had built for her several years before so that she could be close to her duties.
Her husband had married (with her approval) three young women who bore him large families. She was a real mother and counselor to these girls and their children growing up together as one large family. She was charitable and generous and was a true ward mother to all, loved and honored by all who knew her. The gospel was very dear to her, she had left her family and all that was dear to her for it’s sake, and she lived a useful and beautiful life of service and sacrifice relying at all times on the Lord to help her through the trials she so bravely bore. She died with a strong testimony of the gospel and went to join her ten children who had preceded her in the great beyond, leaving six children , all faithful Latter Day Saints.
-Harriet Betsy
