Ethel

Jorja decided to do her family history essay on her great grandma Ethel, Scoop's mom. She asked me to send her some pages from our family history book. Here are a few I sent. Interesting that she went through the Spanish flu epidemic while she was in high school and graduated 100 years and 3 days before Jorja. Kind of cool.

Graduating classes were sure small back then

Jorja had a fantastic time at USULC. She bonded with another rookie ambassador named River. Jorja was in charge of Hillcrest and River had Tooele. Their schools were in the same group so they ended up spending lots of their time together. River leaves for his mission the beginning of July. I think he's going to Guatemala, but I'm not sure.

Jorja & River

Lately I have been watching BYU Sports Nation while I exercise. They mentioned how the evening sessions of conference have been discontinued. I looked it up and it's true. I thought it was funny I found out about that while watching a sports show. Other things that happened today.... Mike and the kids came home from the cabin. I was gone picking up Jorja from Utah State. Jorja bought Maysen and I an alumni hoodie, so that is cool. Everyone his home tonight! Yay. Mike discovered that Cream, one of our ducks, has died. Boo. She was really sick. It looked like she had a tumor in her leg. She could barely walk, so it wasn't a huge surprise. That is about all, except this "green" smoothie picture I took to send to Rachel.

Winter Quarters

David and Mandy made us delicious waffles for breakfast.  Their little boy loves his waffles just like Stockton.  With chocolate syrup!  Actually he goes one step farther than Stockton.  He mixes his chocolate syrup up with whipped cream.  Preston loved that.  He would dip his raspberries in them.

We were all able to shower this morning.  It was SO nice of David and Mandy to take such good care of us and let us use their home.  We left in time to get to 9:00 church.  After church we drove to Pioneer Courage Park in downtown Omaha.  I remember seeing these statues from the tour bus with my dad several years ago.  I always wanted to go back and walk around them.  Well, I was able to go back, but we couldn't find a place for the motorhome to park.  Drat!  Mike drove around the block a couple of times so we could get a good view of some of them.  David, Mandy and Jordyn will have to check this out and tell me how it is.

After circling the statue block a few times we made our way to Winter Quarters.  Mike teased me saying, "Look, we could have just come straight here!"  This statue isn't as big as the others though.

Mike, Maysen, Jorja, Stockton, Preston

We watched a movie about Winter Quarters.  I never realized that they were only allowed to stay here for two years, and they were granted that because so many people left with the Mormon Battalion.

Stockton getting comfy

 Preston loves to be like Stockton

 Jorja looks creepy

 Preston pushing a handcart

We had relatives die here on both sides of the family.  My several great grandparents had a little baby die at 13 days old.  Mike's several great grandpa, Stillman Pond, had several children die here.  President Faust talked about Stillman Pond in his February 2006 First Presidency Message.  This is what he wrote, "For some, the suffering is extraordinary.  In the early days of the Church Stillman Pond was a member of the second quorum of the seventy in Nauvoo.  He was an early convert to the Church, having come from Hubbardston, Massachusetts.  Like others, he and his wife, Maria, and their children were harassed and driven out of Nauvoo.  In September 1846 they became part of the great western migration.  The early winter that year brought extreme hardships, including malaria, cholera, and consumption.  The family was visited by all three of these diseases.

Maria contracted consumption, and all of the children were stricken with malaria.  Three of the children died while moving through the early snows.  Stillman buried them on the plains.  Maria's condition worsened because of the grief, pain, and the fever of malaria.  She could no longer walk.  Weakened and sickly, she gave birth to twins. They were named Joseph and Hyrum, and both died within a few days.

The Stillman Pond family arrived at Winter Quarters, and like many other families, they suffered bitterly while living in a tent.  The death of five children coming across the plains to Winter Quarters was but a beginning.

The journal of Horace K. and Helen Mar Whitney verifies the following regarding four more of the children of Stillman Pond who perished:

"On Wednesday, the 2nd of December 1846, Laura Jane Pond, age 14 years, ...died of chills and fever."  Two days later on "Friday, the 4th of December 1846, Harriet M. Pond, age 11 years, ... died with chills." Three days later, "Monday, the 7th of December, 1846, Abigail A. Pond, age 18 years, ... died with chills."  Just five weeks later, "Friday, the 15th of January, 1847, Lyman Pond, age 6 years, ... died with chills and fever."

Four months later, on May 17, 1847, his wife, Maria Davis Pond, also died.  Crossing the plains, Stillman Pond lost nine children and a wife. He became an outstanding colonizer in Utah and later became a leader in the quorums of the seventy.  Having lost these nice children and his wife in crossing the plains, Stillman Pond did not lose his faith.  He did not quit.  He went forward.  He paid the price, as have many others before and since, to become acquainted with God."

Pretty crazy stuff.  I am so glad my trials are not the same as the pioneers.  We found the names on the monument in the graveyard. Stockton is pointing to William Lovell, the baby that died on my side of the family.  Jorja is pointing to the Pond family.

Stockton & Jorja pointing to their ancestors names

 Pond Children

 Baby William Lovell

We were given a map where you could find the different places people are buried.  It is still a bit confusing.  We did our best, but we might not be completely perfect.

Maysen Abigail Pond is buried

 Stephanie close to where Baby Lovell is buried

We walked around the Winter Quarters Temple for just a bit.  Temples sure are beautiful!  I laughed as I put these next few pictures in.  I kept hearing a Sesame Street voice saying, "Near.....Far....Near....Far...."

Maysen, Mike, Stockton, Jorja, Preston

 Stephanie, Maysen, Jorja, Stockton, Preston

 Mike

Preston took my camera once we were back in the motorhome.  He took A LOT of pictures of Jorja.  She had no idea for most of them. Here are just a few.

Jorja

 Stephanie & Jorja

We left Nebraska and crossed into Iowa.  We crossed across this weird bridge, but I can't remember exactly where.

Our next stop was the Kanesville Tabernacle.  I knew that this is where Brigham Young was officially sustained as the prophet.  He had been acting as the prophet for three years before this.  I didn't realize what a large community this was at the time.  The saints stayed here for 6 years.  This is where the Mormon Battalion left from.  I didn't realize what an important part the Mormon Battalion played in the Gold Rush. Crazy!

Mike, Preston, Jorja

The rest of the day was spent driving to Minnesota.  Mike cooked dinner in a little crockpot on the way.  It was nice to have the food all done so we could eat right when we arrived.  Plus, it was pretty good.

 Minnesota!

We stayed in a parking lot of a Truck Stop.  We arrived in time for Mike, Stockton and Preston to watch Battlebots.  They were happy about that.

Jorja

 Minnesota Unlocked!

Pretty nice way to spend a Sunday.

Gentleman George

Mike told the kids about their great-great-great grandfather the other day.  His name was George William Smith, but he went by George W. This is how we are related to Henry B. Eyring.  He is descended from George W's brother, Thomas X.  If I remember right.  Anyway, George W was born in England in 1823.  He married Catherine Wooten when he was 22 years old and she was 17.  They were baptized into the church three years later by Elder John Mead.  Thomas X also joined the church.  They were the only ones in the family that did.  In April 1854 they left England for New Orleans on a ship named The Clara Wheeler. Their fifth child was born in Echo Canyon as they arrived in the Utah Valley.  A little girl they named Annie.  Two days later they made it to Thomas X's house.  He had arrived in Utah two years before.

In England, George made straw hats.  By necessity, he now had to learn to become a farmer.  He was terrible at it.  He had a hard time plowing straight, so his rows were always weavy.  Makes sense for a weaver I guess!  He also always worked in his 'swallow tailed coat', because this is the only coat he had left.  All the others had worn out.  This is how he earned the nickname 'Gentleman George'.

George William Smith

Soon after they arrived in Farmington, they were asked to go help settle Muddy Valley, Arizona.  There were already settlers there who paid their taxes and even had a representative in the legislature.  When the state lines were officially run, it was discovered they had actually been living in Nevada.  Nevada was not friendly to Mormons and demanded years of back taxes.  The people could not afford this and received permission to abandon this city.  George W arrived in Muddy Valley about the time this was happening.  He ended up staying a few months, one winter, and then going back to the Salt Lake Valley.  He settled right around where Mike now works.  Life is sure easier for us now!

John Borrowman

We decided that we would learn about an ancestor every Family Home Evening.  I thought I should write down what we learn here.  Mike talked about one of his ancestors last week.  Gentleman George.  I'll make that into another post.  Today it was my turn.  I decided to talk about John Borrowman, mostly because of the framed Ensign article at my Grandma's house.  It was called Half a Penny and a Pearl, or something like that.  Anyway, when I looked him up on familysearch, someone had added a life sketch.  That was helpful, and he was born on Mike's birthday!  I had just asked if we should have a prize if any of our ancestors are born on our birthdays.  Mike says he didn't hear me say that.  Maysen confirmed that I started to say something like that and then got distracted.  I'm sure she is right.  Anyway, this is John Borrowman's life sketch copy and pasted from familysearch.

John Borrowman was born May 13, 1816, in Glasgow, Scotland, son of William and Marion Hannah Borrowman. When he was about 4 years old he went to Lanark, Canada with his parents (Ship: Commerce, 1820) and three sisters, Marion, Mary and Hannah (his oldest sister, Margaret, remained in Scotland until 1825). There he lived and grew to manhood,working in the lumber camps. While still a young man he was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was baptized into that church on June 7, 1843. 

Not long after joining the Church he was called to fulfill a mission in Ontario, Canada. While on that mission, a strange incident happened. He was traveling on foot one day, in an open prairie country, with his companion, James Park (a cousin of the woman he later married). It was at the time when Brigham Young was called as President of the Church. These two companions were conversing with each other and wondering if Brigham Young was really the right man for the place, when suddenly they noticed a strange man walking with them. He started to talk to them and said, "You were wondering about Brigham Young. I want to tell you that he is the right man in the right place." They asked him where he came from as they had not seen him come. He replied, " You did not see me come and you will not see me go. Mr. Borrowman made up his mind that he would certainly see him go when he did go, so kept his eyes fastened upon him. They came to a stream, and he glanced down to see where to step. In the instant his eyes were taken from the stranger, he disappeared. They always thought that this man was John the Revelator.

It was on this mission that John Borrowman converted the Park family, among whom was Agnes T. Park, the woman who later became his wife. When he joined the Church, his father "cut him off with a shilling." This meant that nothing further could be claimed from the estate. William Borrowman also willed him the family bible, but wanted him to return to Middleville in order to claim it. Not another member of his family joined the Church. From Canada he went to Nauvoo, and there started with the Saints to come to the Rocky Mountains. 

When the President of the United States called for 500 able-bodied men, later called The Mormon Battalion, to fight in the war with Mexico, John Borrowman was among those who volunteered. They left Council Bluffs on July 16, 1846, and arrived in California at Sutter's Mill in the Spring of 1848, shortly after which gold was discovered. Some of this gold he brought with him when he left California. 

In October of 1848, he arrived in Utah. On January 9, 1849, he married Agnes T. Park. In November, 1853, they were called to help settle Nephi. They brought with them two small children. Three more children were born to them in Nephi, making five children in all: William Park, Jane Duncan, Agnes Thompson, John Park and Marion Hannah.

On October 26, 1869, he left for another mission to Canada, faithfully fulfilling this mission , returning to Utah two years later. He was Justice of the Peace in Nephi for 20 years, and held the position of Senior President of the 49th Quorum of Seventies for a good many years. He was a well-read man, and few men knew more about the scriptures than he. 

They built a small house and lived for two years or more on what was known as the "sawmill lot." Later they built another house and lived the remainder of their lives on the lot where our worthy Captain, Nellie S. Cowen and her husband now live. He served in the Indian Walker War before they came to Utah, and in the Black Hawk war served as a lookout, as he was then an older man and was classed as one of the "Silver Grays." John Borrowman died March 2, 1898. Five months later, on August 6th, 1898, he was followed by his good wife Agnes.

Here are a couple of pictures that I also found on the site.  The first is John Borrowman's coin.  It was on display at the church history museum at one time.  Although when Mike and I went there a few weeks ago I asked about it and the lady had no idea what I was talking about.  I'm glad someone took a picture of it and posted it on the family history site.

John Borrowman's coin

 John and Agnes Borrowman shortly after their wedding

 John Borrowman's obituary

We also talked about how when he was in the Mormon Battalion he was put on guard duty when he was completely exhausted.  He closed his eyes for a second and was caught right away.  He spent three days in prison.  Someone got mad that his sentence wasn't harsh enough.  They said it was better to have no punishment then a punishment too light, so he got released.  I think I got that story right.  It was hard to read because there was about a half a sentence missing about every other line.  I remember my grandma telling me this story as well.  We talked about how John Borrowman left his family and his inheritance to follow the gospel.  When he was in California and very successful during the gold rush, he immediately left it when he was called to come back to Salt Lake.  He also left his home and settled Nephi when he was asked to do so.  He put living the gospel and following the prophet above anything else in his life.  That is something to strive for!

Preston was really excited to do this and begged to be the one who got to go next.  We'll see what he comes up with.

John B. Millburn

Mike and I went to the Family History Library today.  Bro. Gray had told me there was something at the library I had to see.  He gave me the microfilm number.  It was an article written in 1905 about the death of my great-great grandfather.  The title was John B. Millburn Shot Down. It was crazy!  They printed all of the witness statements and everything. The story we were told was completely different than the one in the newspaper.  We were told that he was shot by the deputy of the day because he was looking for Butch Cassidy.  Butch Cassidy and my grandfather were friends.  We were also told he was unarmed.  The story in the newspaper is different.  He was shot in front of the saloon he owned and he was completely drunk.  He also had a gun and was threatening someone who was walking past his store.  This is one quote from the newspaper.  "What did he say in his language?  (The epithets applied to Bryner by Millburn as narrated by the witness Burns are not printable - Editor.)"  Oh boy did that make us laugh!  Most of the front page was taken up with this story.  They also had his biography a few pages later.  Besides the fact that it was a sad way to die, it was really cool to be able to read.  A huge step back in time.  It was awesome.  I'm so glad Brother Gray told me about it.

Stephanie

Mike and I decided to get something to eat.  We were walking around to see what was open.  We ended up eating at The Garden Restaurant.  It was delicious and check out the view!  We couldn't have planned it better if we tried!

Stephanie

 Mike

 I think it's funny how it looks like there is a chair in the temple.

Today is also my parents wedding anniversary.  They would have been married 44 years.  Stupid cancer.