My Second Great Grandfather, Robert Wilson.

      I have no concrete source documents of Robert Wilson's birth, marriages, death records other than what has been shown in 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 US Censuses. In the US 1880 Census it has his age as being 57 which he would be born in 1823 and in the Illinois Territory, USA. His children are listed in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses. His son, Robert Rich Wilson's death certificate lists his father as Robert Wilson and mother as Mary Elizabeth (no maiden name). -- Searched by Daniel E. Jacobsen, second great grandson.

Biography: Robert Wilson:

     Part of a letter written to Ilah Allgood Jacobsen from her Uncle Bernard John Wilson, about his father Robert Rich Wilson and grandfather, Robert Wilson:
     Dad's  father  (Robert Wilson) was a colonel having come west from the State of Virginia.  I'm not sure but somehow I seem to have it deep in mind that he eventually became a post trader at some western out-post and that was when dad (Robert Rich Wilson) was still a baby.
     Some history research by Ilah Allgood Jacobsen, great granddaughter of Robert Wilson:
1814-1821?
     Robert Wilson was a store-keeper in the army. He established the first post-office in Davis County in 1853.  He had daughter, Clara and son, Robert Rich.  The Newspaper-- the Smoky Hill and Republican Union, "states on 1 Apr 1871 a brief account of career of Robert Wilson.  At Fort Leavenworth from 1833 to 1842 as a sutler; in 1844 a sutler at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and also at Vancouver Island.  He was a sutler at Fort Kearney and Fort Riley,(Kansas).  Later years a superintendent of the Davis County, Poor Farm."
1862
     He was a Post-Trader at Fort Riley in Sep 1862 with his family with him.  He was a member of Pawnee Township association, organized 27 Sep 1854.  In 1844 he established a trading post in Salt Creek Valley near Salt Creek Bridge, and sold it in 1852 and became a sutler in Fort Riley.  With others he started a town in Humbolt in the summer of 1857.  In 1861 he was still a sutler in Western Kansas.  He was in Omaha, Nebraska in 1872.
1871
     Article written about Robert Wilson in the Union Paper, Saturday, April 15, 1871:
                                        A WESTERN CHARACTER:
     "We mentioned, not long since, that Robert Wilson, Esquire, was in Leavenworth, and took occasion to give some account of the varied life and experience of the man.  His first visit to Fort Leavenworth was in 1833, when Leavenworth was known only as a favorite retreat of coyotes and a good hunting ground.  He remained at the Fort til 1842, and then made a pleasant trip to the Rocky Mountains. Returning to the Missouri we find him next sutler at Council Bluffs in1844. He surrendered this position to join a party going to California, and soon reappeared on the surface as a sutler on Vancouver Island.  Once more he takes the back track and sutlerizeds at Fort Kearney, on the Plains.  He then returns again to Kansas, starts the town of "Pawnee," builds the first house at Fort Riley, and starts both the town and the first paper of Junction City.
      The sketch of Mr. Wilson's career is a mere skeleton outline of what he has really experienced.  One year he would be rolling in wealth and the next penniless, but his spirits never flagged, his heart never failed.  When things looked darkest he only worked harder.  He is still young, the picture of health and as full of new projects as an egg of substance. Although now located at Omaha we count him a 'Kansas man,' and a good type of those brave and intelligent pioneers to whom our country is so largely indebted for its rapid progress and development." - (Times and Bulletin.)

     Additional History research of Robert Wilson by great-great grandson, Daniel E. Jacobsen:
                   Leavenworth - Beginning to Bicentennial, By J. H. Johnson III:
                         KICKAPOO AND THE "OLD KICKAPOO" CANNON
      "Kickapoo was the outgrowth of disappointed town speculators who failed to get an original foothold in Leavenworth, and only partially so in Atchison," wrote H. Miles Moore in his "Early History of  Leavenworth City and County."
      "The truth was, Leavenworth was thought to be a little too strongly tinctured with Free Soilism and Atchison was already supplied with a full measure of the opposite extreme; and it required a fresh outbreak, a special geyser of their own, from which their super-abundant amount of gas, wind, froth, steam and mud might be emitted; for that reason Kickapoo was hatched or incubated from the mental and physical womb of old Mrs. West on, and which last effort threw the old lady into a decline from which she never rallied."
      Moore's reference was to the town of Weston, Missouri, from where pro-slavery adherents crossed the Missouri River with the objective of colonizing the Kansas Territory along slave state principles.
      Kickapoo township, situated in northeast Leavenworth County, was home first to the Kickapoo Indians, and beginning in 1844, a homestead for white settlers.
      Andreas places Major Robert Wilson as the first white resident of Salt Creek Valley and keeper of a trading post a short distance west of Salt Creek Bridge.
      On June 10, 1854, the first squatter meeting in the Territory was conducted in that trading post, Wilson having sold it to Major M. P. Rively.
      "It is generally admitted that Kickapoo City was laid out as a premeditated rival of Leavenworth, by citizens of Weston and Platte County, Mo.," stated Andreas."
      A large portion of the township, including the town site, was open to preemption, under the laws of the United States, and for this reason it was supposed that Leavenworth would find it hard to compete with her rival. And Kickapoo was, for some time, a bitter political as well as business rival." Emigration to Kickapoo was lively by November of 1854. with town lots being sold for up to one hundred and ten dollars each.      [page 47].
     These are a few statements or paragraphs I found in the book "The History of Fort Riley," about Robert Wilson:
     "Fifteen in all died on the third of August - Major Ogden, Mrs. Armistead, Mrs. Wood and two children, the major's orderly, and nine workmen. A few men were at work all the time and Mr. Sawyer encouraged them to continue, but their surroundings were distracting. A delegation waited on Mr. Sawyer and earnestly insisted that the balance due them should be paid and they allowed to go. Sawyer explained to them that, even if they were entitled to more pay, it would not be given to them, as there was no one to pay them, and the money was locked up in the safe, which could not be opened. A little after noon I galloped off to my camp on the Republican, found everything all right and no sickness among the fifty men there. I did not dismount, nor did I allow anyone to come near me. I returned to the cost about three o'clock and saw Mr. Sawyer and Reverend Mr. Clarkson sitting on the latter's front porch looking at a band of men in the middle of the parade ground. Sawyer called to me, and I hitched my horse and joined them on the porch. Mr. Clarkson made the following statement; Mr. Robert Wilson, the post sutler, who had a very large stock of goods in his store, had locked up everything and taken his family away in the morning accompanied by one of Major Ogden's clerks. Soon after I left, about one o'clock, the store was broken into by a gang of men, some goods scattered about, a barrel of whiskey rolled out, the head knocked in and, with tin cups, the men helped themselves. When well liquored up, led by a big stone mason, some of them broke open the building used for the ordnance department and armed themselves with guns, pistols and ammunition."     [pages 68 and 69].
1862
     There were no troops at the post at the time. Mr. Robert Wilson was post trader. Sept. 1862.    [page 84].
     The Chaplain's quarters, occupied by Chaplain Clarkson of Mr. Low's narrative, for several years and utilized as the chaplain's quarters until the rebuilding of the post in the eighties, is now building Ho. 123 and is occupied as a dwelling by southwest of the old chaplain's quarters, now designated as building No. 124, and occupied by a warrant officer of the school staff, was originally occupied by the post trader or sutler. It was built by Bob Wilson, the first sutler. Back of this building are two or three graves and there is a story to the effect that one of them is that of a woman who drowned herself In a deep well because of unrequited love. This house got the name of being haunted from that fact. In regard to this Mr. Faright states: " I told Mrs. Waters (wife of Mose Waters, who was then occupying the quarters) of this and asked her if she ever heard anything to annoy her. She did not know the house as the haunted house until I told her. She answered that when they went to live in it they heard terrible noises at night like a log chain being dragged. [page 88].
1854
     September 27, 1854, the Pawnee Town Site Association was organized, consisting of Major Montomery, Second Infantry, Commanding Officer at Fort Riley; W. A. Hammond, afterward Surgeon-General of the Arny; C. S. Lovall; Ed Johnson; Nathaniel Lyon; M. T. Polk; R. F. Hunter; R. S. Ogden; M. Mills; G. McR. Hudson; Janes Simons; D. H. Vinton; Alden Sargent; J. T. Shaaff; H. Rich; W. S. Murphy; Robert Wilson; J. M. Dyer; R. C. Miller; A. H. Reeder; A. J. Isaacks; J. B. Donalson; Rush Elmore, and L. W. Johnson.
1861
     Mr. George V. Martin in his article, "The Territorial and Military Combine at Fort Riley," states that fourteen of the above were officers of the army and five were territorial officials. Lyon, a captain in the 2nd Infantry, was afterward quite intimately connected with the history of Fort Riley and Kansas and was known as the "Hero of the Battle of Wilson Creek" where he was killed August 10, 1861.
1844
     Andrew Jackson Isacks was a lieutenant of infantry in the Mexican War and was honorably mustered out July 25, 1848. Robert Wilson was a military storekeeper in the army from 1814 to 1821. In l844 he established a trading post in Salt Creek valley near Salt Creek bridge. This he sold out in 1852 to Major M. P. Rively and became sutler at Fort Riley. Johnson, Ruch Elmore, Donaldson, Isaacks and Reeder ware territorial officers,  [page 102 and 103].

1853 

     Robert Wilson was the first sutler and post trader at Fort Riley. He served from 1853 when the post was originally esablished, until June 27, 1863. He built the first house there, and operated a large dry goods establishment, which supplied soldiers and civilians at the fort. Wilson had been a military storekeeper and sutler at other military posts, including Fort Leavenworth and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

1855
     By order of Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, the boundaries of the reservation of Fort Riley were enlarged to include Pawnee. This order was not executed until the fall of 1855 when Colonel Philip St. George Cooke arrived from Texas with the Second Dragoons and pulled the houses down. At its height, Pawnee had about five hundred  inhabitants. Most accounts state that the capital building and Pawnee was planned for that purpose by Robert Wilson. Mr. George W. Knapp who was a settler in old Pawnee, stated that as near as he could remember the building was about 150 feet from the river bank, as the military road ran between the building and the river,      [page 108].
1857
     In the summer of l857 a town company was organized by Thomas Reynolds, A. J. Mead, J. R, McClure, Robert Wilson and Abram Barry. The company started a town, or rather selected a site, to which they gave the name of Humboldt. The object of the organizers was to locate their town on the abandoned town site of Mlllard but the attempt was a failure.   The history of Junction City actually began with the organization of the Junction City Town Company in the fall of 1857. The name Junction City was derived from the location proposed townsite at the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill forks of the Kansas River. The nickname "Junktown"  was first applied to the town by plainsmen in the early  days and was not first used in derision by military offers at Fort Riley, as has been commonly supposed J. R. McClure was president of this company. Daniel Mitchell secretary and Robert Wilson, treasurer. Other members were F. N. Blake,  John T. Price and P. Z. Taylor. The survey of the town site was begun in the latter part of December and finished in the summer of 1858. Work on the first building in Junction City began in May 1858. It was near the intersection of  Washington and Seventh Streets."    [pages 121 & 122].
1853
     The first post office in Davis County was that established by Robert Wilson, the sutler, at Fort Riley In 1853.  [page 126].

     William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Davis County. Part 4.
J Smoky Hill Township.--This township was organized August 7,1872. The first settler in the township was Thomas Reynolds, who settled there in 1853. The township embraces  all that portion of the county lying between the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers from their point of junction to the west line of the county. Fort Riley is within the limits of this township. It was also is this township that the old town of Pawnee was situated, the  founders of which were Col. Montgomery; U. S. A.; Surgeon W. A. Hammond, U. S. A.; Capt Nathaniel Lyon, U. S. A.; Robert Wilson, Post Sutler, and Robert Klotz. The town was founded in the fall of the year 1854, but was destroyed by the military in 1855, owing to its being located on the military reservation. In 1854, J. R.. McClure  located at Pawnee, followed m March, 1855, by G. F. Gordon and Abram and Marshal  Barry.
     A family by name of  Fleming also resided in. the township in 1854, as to this family is accredited the birth of the first child . which was born on December 20,1854, and to which was given the name of John. The first merchant in the township was John T. Price, who established a grocery store at Pawnee in 1854. The first couple married in the township were Thomas Jenkins and Ella Wicks, October 1, 1855. The first post office was established at Fort Riley in 1853, with Robert Wilson as postmaster.
1861
     The Smoky Hill and Republican Union informs us that in-November 1861, Robert Wilson was still sutler, as he was then advertising 1st paper at the "Oldest Established Trading Depot In Western Kansas." Under date of January 30, 1862, we find that the garrison of Riley consisted of two companies of volunteers.                                                               [page 144].
     On  page 155, it state: "During the years immediately following the Civil War, Wild Bill Hickcock, Buffalo Bill. California Joe, Comstock, Charlie Reynolds and other men later famous for their prowess with firearms were employed by the government as scouts. Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill were frequent visitors at Fort Riley and Junction City and, at least once or twice, Hickcock was at the Post in his capacity as scout. Mr. Henry Thiele told the writer he had seen Wild Bill stand on the corner of Sixth and Washington Streets in town, and with a six-shooter, shoot silver half dollars out of the cleft."  These scouts were often visitors to Robert Wilson's trading post in Fort Riley.
     Robert Wilson's grandson, Bernard John Wilson had giving a incident in his life, as follows: "Although very young, I still remember when Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill) visited Dad (Robert Rich Wilson) in Ogden at Grandfather's Lamoreaux's place, and they talked over old scenes of the battlefield.
1867
    Forgoing is a statement by (President) Ulysses Simpson Grant of Robert Wilson's application to become a sutler:
On April 15, , Robert Wilson, Denver, Colorado Territory, wrote to USG. "Understanding that a Military Post is about being established at or near Pueblo, on Arkansas River Colorado Ter. I respectfully apply to you for the position of Sutler. I have been Sutler at Fort Kerney Neb Ter. Fort Hall Utah, Forts Dalls & Vancouver in Orgon, and for ten years previous in 1864 at Fort Riley Kansas--I have addressed Letters to General I N Palmer, General P. St. Geo Cook, Genl James Totten, Genl Sturgess, Genl Sackett and Genl Denver---asking their recommendations to you.  All these Offices were acquainted with me during my Sutlership and I feel confident will endorse me favourably. As soon as these documents are returned, with endorsements, I will forward them to you, Soliciting your favourable consderation of this application..." ALS, ibid. On the same day, Wilson wrote to James W. Denver converning the appointment. ALS, Abid. On Apri 30, Denver, Washington, D. C. endorsed this letter. "Respectfull submitted to Gen. U. S. Grant with the remark that if Mr. Wilson is correct as to the law, the undersigned would regard it as a personal favor if he will grant Mr. Wilson his request. PayMaster Gen. Brice is well acquainted with Mr. Wilson." AFS, ibid.         
1871
    The Junction City Union of April 1, l87l, had a brief account of the career of Robert Wilson. "He was originally a Military Storekeeper in the army, serving as such from 1814 to 1821. He was a member of the Junction City Land Company and a member of the Pawnee Association, and brought the first paper press to Junction City. During his career he made and lost - several conformable fortunes for those days. He was at Ft Leavenworth from 1833 to 1842, presumably as sutler.  In 1844 he was sutler at Council Bluffs.  He was also sutler for a while at Vancouver Island and was the first sutler at Fort Kearney, as well as the first at Fort Riley. He built the first houses at the last posts. In later years he was Superintendent of the Davis County Poor Farm."           [pages 166 and l67].

My Second Great Grandfather, Thomas Rees.

Rees Family is in the Allgood Pedigree Family Line.

Thomas and Rebecca Rees Children

Thomas Rees

Rebecca Williams Rees

THOMAS REES - POOR WELCH IMMIGRANT
Submitted By:   LaRon Taylor  
Thomas Rees, b 4 Jan, 1820, Pembroke, South Wales, md Rebecca Williams 8 Apr, 1841, d 8 Sept, 1892, Wayne County, Utah. 


     This biography is a story of conversion and of a struggle to come to Utah that took years and cooperation of a faithful son. 
     Just 8 days before the Royal Astronomical Society was formed in England (1), heaven sent a choice spirit to earth to experience mortality under the tutelage of Thomas Rees Sr., and Eleanor Furlong, his parents. Thomas was born in humble circumstances and remained poor throughout his life, yet he was rich in spirit. 
       As Thomas grew into adulthood he was raised in the farming community of Talbenny until he met Rebecca Williams from the neighboring town of Walton West. The two fell in love and were married. They remained in Talbenny on a farm while raising their family, which eventually grew to twelve children. It was difficult to make a living on a farm, so the children had to help their father scratch out their meager living. Thomas Matthew Rees (Brigham Rees’s son) wrote that the children began working the farm from sunrise until sunset when they were 6 years old, so they didn’t have time for school. 
      The physical description and character of Thomas Rees and Rebecca Williams was given by their grandson, Thomas Parley John: “Grandfather was a fine looking man. I have heard it said that he was six feet , two inches in his stocking feet. No one had a better friend than grandfather Rees was. When he was a young man in the old country, he was mowing hay with a scythe and in going from one field to another with the scythe over his shoulder, fell and cut his back. From this time until the day he died he walked bent over, using two walking sticks…Grandmother was a rather small woman not so short but quite thin. She loved her bible and knew its contents well. Her patients [patience] was much more limited than grandfather’s. She made the best biscuits and butter that I have ever tasted (3).”  
     The twelve children of Thomas and Rebecca were Mary b 15 Sep, 1841, Rebecca b 11 Dec, 1842, Elizabeth, b June 1844, Betsey, b 25 Mar, 1845, Brigham, b 9 Apr, 1851, Heber, b 1852-3, Ellen, b, 22 June, 1854, Noah, 14 Aug, 1857, Margaret, b 15 Nov, 1859, Lettice, b 29 Dec, 1860, and Thomas Parley, b 2 June 1864. The family struggled to maintain a living on the farm, which was referred to as the “North Crocket Farm”. In 1865, Thomas sent Brigham (then 14 yrs old) to the home of a stone mason so he could learn to cut and lay stones because he wanted Brigham to have a better life than he. This would later prove a great blessing for the entire family (4). 
     Thomas didn’t believe in the teachings of the church that was forced upon them by England when they conquered Wales, but he had a strong belief in God. He believed that God had saved his life when he had fallen on the scythe because he was bleeding profusely until he prayed, and the bleeding stopped after the prayer. This probably set the stage for his conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When the missionaries came, he and his family readily accepted the gospel. 
     After they were baptized in 1866, Thomas and his family wanted to go to Utah with the saints, but he didn’t have the money to do so. Thus, their pioneer pilgrimage began on their destitute little farm in Wales with an effort to save money for the journey. It took until 1868 for them to save enough to send Brigham and one of his older sisters to Utah. They sent them off with instructions to save money and help the rest of the family to come. Brigham sailed to the states on the steamship Colorado. If his sister traveled on the same ship with him, it was Elizabeth because she is the only one to closely match name and age (5). The ship carried 600 saints bound for Utah, and was the last of the year. It departed Liverpool on 14 July, 1868 (6), and arrived at the Castle Garden Immigration center of New York on 7 August, 1868 (7) They traveled by train to Florence, Nebraska (another account says the train took him to Wyoming), then walked the last 800 miles from there to Utah because the rail hadn’t been completed to Ogden yet. Records record him arriving in Utah in 1869, so he must have been delayed en-route. Brigham would have been one of the last of the pioneers to walk to Utah before the Golden Spike was driven in Ogden.  A Compilation of notes of the Ship Minnesota's Passage Liverpool to New York.

Brigham Rees

     When he arrived in Salt Lake City, he was told the only work was at the new mine on the west side of the valley, so he threw his blanket back over his shoulder and crossed the valley on foot in search of employment. His skills were needed, so he was hired by the Bingham Copper Mine and began saving money for his family back in Wales. It only took two years for Brigham to save enough money to bring the rest of his family to Utah. By that time, they were able to come all of the way overland on the train, so the journey was much easier for them. One puzzlement was that the Castle Garden Immigration list didn’t contain the names of Thomas or his family members coming to New York in 1871 or 1872.  Perhaps they landed at a port to the south. Read: A Compilation of notes of the Steamship Colorado.
     At some point, Thomas Rees learned to be a shoe cobbler because his grandson said he did this type of work in Utah. They lived in Salt Lake City for a time before moving to Portage, Utah. They moved S-S-W a few miles from Portage to the location now listed as Washakie and lived in a one room log house with a dirt roof. Some Shoshone Indians were probably there at the same time with Chief Washakie leading them. Nothing has been found of their relationships with Thomas Rees and family, but Brigham Young later established that town as the first Indian farming community in 1881 (8). Thomas Rees and family may have moved back into Portage, or may have continued in Washakie with the Indians for a time. The next record is one showing Thomas Rees dying on 22 Nov, 1885 but no details surrounding his death have been found. Nevertheless, his youngest son, Thomas Parley Rees moved to Rabbit Valley (Loa & Bicknell, Utah) in 1892 and farmed there. Rebecca moved with him because she passed away in Thurber (now Bicknell), Utah on 8 Sep, 1892. 
     This family lived a life of poverty as they worked to establish themselves in fellowship with the saints in Utah. Though poor in worldly possessions, they were truly rich in faith and were familiar with the peace that comes through obedience and love. 

My Great Grandfather, George Allgood

Some Interesting Facts Concerning George Allgood:
     George Allgood is the son of John Allgood and Lucy Platts Allgood, all of their family were born in Lestershire, England. George Allgood was born April 10, 1846.
     Lucy Platts Allgood and her three children, John, George and Jane immigrated to America, USA. They left and departed Liverpool, England, on 21 May 1864 and arrived to New York on the 23 Jun 1864 on the ship General McClellan. Read the Voyage Notes of the Ship General McCellan.

George was 18 when they immigrated. His father, John did not immigrate at this time.
     In 1864, Lucy Platts Allgood, her sons, John, George; daughter, Jane; came to Utah from England.  They came by rail as far as the Missouri River, and then joined Captain Rawlin's company and walked to the Salt Lake Valley. Lucy's son George was ill with pneumonia when they entered the valley. There was nothing of great interest that happened to the company as they traveled to the Valley. They entered the Salt Lake Valley in the month of September of that year. Read a Trail Excerpt of the John S. Rawlins Pioneer Company.

     George Allgood fought in the Black Hawk War.  He was one of the first to open a coal mine in Coalville, Utah  in 1872.  In 1874 there was a blast that had gone off in the the mine and all of the men couldn't be accounted for; George then went into the mine to warn the others and was the last out and just before he got out a blast went off and pinned him to the ground under a large lump of coal, crushing  his left leg. He spent 2 years in and out of hospital and nursing care and finally had to have the leg amputated. He was 30 years old.

      In 1876 he met and married Letty Rees who was 16 years of age, and they were married on the 3rd of July of that year.  After the loss of his leg and the bitter dissappointment of loosing the mine to unscrupulous partners and unable to work in the mine, he entered into the lime business for many years until his health failed, suffering great pain from ulcers.  He did odd jobs. The last two years of his life he was an invalid. His death came March, 12, 1909.
     He was also known as being an accomplished violinist, and spent many hours playing for the pleasure of others. He was the father of eight children.
     This was written by Letty Rees Allgood his wife.

My Great Grandfather, Robert Rich Wilson

BIOGRAPHY: ROBERT RICH WILSON

          A letter written to Ilah Allgood Jacobsen from her Uncle Bernard John Wilson about his father, Robert Rich Wilson:

Robert Rich Wilson

       "My father had his first marriage beyond which the door was locked  as far as we children were concerned and I believe also to great extent as far as mother too was concerned.  I'm sure this was intentional in respect for his new family. From scraps of information from different sources I ascertain the following:
       Dad's father (Robert Wilson) was a colonel having come west from the State of Virginia.  I'm not sure but somehow I seem to have it deep in mind that he eventually became a post trader as some western out-post and that was when dad was still a baby.
       It has been said, I don't remember the source, that Dad when a sucking baby was kidnapped and turned off an indian women's breast and later retrieved by his parents.
       I ascertain that Dad was a scout for General Custer, and was the first, or one of the first on the battlefield after the Little Bighorn massacre. He would have been in the battle had he not been away to the bedside of his sick sister in Chicago, Illinois.
      Although very young, I still  remember when Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill) visited Dad in Ogden at Grandfather's Lamoreaux's place, and they talked over old scenes of the battlefield.
       Dad's prior marriage was to a Carter girl of a very reputable family. By their marriage Dad had a son named Devoe, who after his mother passed away, was raised  by  the  Carter family. Devoe, my half brother, although possibly still alive, I've never seen.
      I'm finding it increasingly difficult to reveal any certainties of my father's life or of my mother's life prior to my childhood. All I know are wee bits of truths and possible some untruths which I've never given any serious consideration."

My 3rd Great Grandfather, Andrew Lacey Lamoreaux

Lamoraux Family is in the Wilson Pedigree Family Line.
     Andrew was born in Green Bay, Ontario, Canada. He became an Educated Physician by vocation, stalwart convert to Mormonism, and became Mission President to France.
     He fulfills prophecy given by Joseph Smith., "Missionary Not to Return."   Elder Erastus Snow, in writing to George A. Smith on 3 September 1865, related that in 1839 the Prophet (Joseph) had uttered a prophecy as he pronounced a blessing upon Andrew L. Lamoreaux, who was about ro depart on a mission within the United States.
        The Prophet "laid his hands on Elder Lamoreaux and blessed him, and prophesied upon his head, that he would go on a mission to France, learn another tongue and do much good." This did, in fact, occur when Andrew was called as the President of the French Mission on 15 September 1852.
         But Joseph Smith also said something during this blessing that caused him great sadness. The Prophet stated that Andrew 'would not live to return to his family.' Upon saying these words Joseph wept, but he said that "it was pressed upon him and he could not refrain from giving utterance to it.
        Elder Lamoreaux talked with his family about [the prophecy] when he left them in 1852, and endeavored to persuade them that this was not the time and mission upon which he should fall, but to believe that he would at this time be permitted to return again. When, he [Church periodical called the Luminary] brought the tidings of his death [on 13 June 1855 from cholera] they exclaimed, "Surely, Brother Joseph was a prophet, for all his words have come to pass.'"
      Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saing Biographical Encyclopedia ( Salt Lake City:  Deseret News press, 1901), 3:667.

     Andrew Lamoreaux came with his family (included was my 2nd Great Grandfather, William George Lamoreaux) and emigrated to mountains of Zion in the Salt Lake Valley. They departed with the Willard Richards Pioneer Company on the 3 July and arrived there from 10-19 Oct 1848. There were 526 individuals in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Winter Quarters, Nebraska. Read Trail Excerpt: Richards, Willard, to Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball.

The following is a biographical experience of Dr. Andrew L. Lamoreaux on April 20th 1855 as departing on the ship Chimborazo from Liverpool to Philadelphia:
      The ship Chimborazo, Captain Vesper, cleared on the 13th instant, with 432 souls on board, for the port of Philadelphia, of which number about 200 are passengers hence to Utah by the P. [Perpetual] E. [Emigration] Fund. Elder Edward Stevenson, late president of the Gilbraltar Mission, is president of the company, which consists of about 70 souls from the Channel Islands, in company with Elders A. L. Lamoreaux, late president of the French Mission; about 200 from the Principality.
      His experience is noted in: The History of the Chimborazo Emigrating Conference: Organized April 12th 1855.
       Friday, (April) 20th.  A baby, named Mary Price, aged 2 years, daughter of Jeremiah Price, being nursed by her little brother fell off the hatchway on the deck. She fell on the frontal region of the skull just over the right eye. She was picked up [p.9] in an instant, and was bleeding profusely from nose and mouth--she seemed to spit the blood out to [KEEP?] from choking. Speedily her blood [face] was covered with blood, the skull over her right eye was very much swollen, and her little eye closed up. After having bled considerably in a sitting position Elder Lamoreaux came down, and promptly and energetically attended to the case as surgeon, stripped the child, washed the blood off, applied solution of camphor and bandaged the head--then laid her in a blanket, and placed her in the charge of a sister who volunteered to be nurse. The Saints sympathized much with the parents, and rendered every assistance necessary and possible. Elders Stevenson, Jeremy & Mills, administered in the ordinance of the gospel for the restoration of the child, Mills anointing and Jeremy sealing it. Elder Lamoreaux paid every possible attention to his little patient, which seemed to revive wonderfully. Indeed had not some extraordinary power assisted, she must have been killed.

Charles Denney, Jr. Brother-in-law and Long Time Friend of My Great Grandfather David Leaker

The Denney Family is in the Leaker Pedigree Family Line.

       David and Charles were good friends a great part of their lives. Charles writes in his diary of immigrating to the America USA. Charles travels by himself without his family at the age of 16.
        I left London, or rather home, No. 32 City Garden Rose, City Road, London, about 4 p.m. May 23, 1866 and went down to the London docks, and went on board the American [p.11] Congress, a very fine sailing vessel. I was seasick for about 3 weeks straight ahead. I really thought that I was going to die but about three weeks after we started Brother John Nicholson, one of the presidents of the vessel, gave me about a tablespoon full of brandy & I began to mend from that time.
       I helped to serve out the provisions on board the ship. We used to have some good times on board, singing, dancing & etc. We had pretty good weather, very little storms, and a generally prosperous voyage, landing in New York on July 4, 1866, rather the 5th. I had my bunk on the 2nd deck. On board I got acquainted with a number of boys, one whose names was Robert Pike who was drowned soon after leaving New York as he was passing from the steamer to the shore. He was much respected by all on board. His body was found about two days after the Saints left the New Haven steamboat station where he was drowned.

John D. Holladay Pioneer Company (1866)
Departure: 16-18 July 1866 
Arrival: 25 September 1866
Company Information:  350 individuals and 69 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40 miles south of Omaha).

       I left New York on the afternoon of the 5th and arrived at New Haven steamboat station by the next morning. Stayed there all day. [p.12] In the afternoon we took the cars for St. Joseph, Missouri which occupied about 6 days. We arrived at St. Joseph early in the morning and were to leave about 7 or 8 o'clock upon one of the river steamers for Wyoming, Nebraska. While the men were unloading the luggage from the cars to the steamer, Brother Riter & myself went into the town to buy some provisions for those who had none to last them two days on the boat, the length of time the steamer took to travel from St. Joseph to Wyoming. And while we were gone they had finished loading the luggage and while we were returning to the boat we heard the steamboat whistle, and when we came in sight of the landing, saw the steamer about half a mile on her journey up the river & we were left behind. We made the best we could of it, & went back to where we had bought the forty loaves of bread and got them to take them back and spent the most of the day there. We found that the folks that kept the store were apostates. They had been to Utah and had gone back dissatisfied.

Charles Denney, Jr.

        While in St. Joe, [as] it is called, I visited one of their meetinghouses with a young boy who went to act as deacon & clean up the [p.13] house. It was in this place where I first tasted gum, the boy giving me a piece. 6 p.m. the 2nd day, visited the marketplace & bought some mutton & potatoes which the storekeeper where we bought the bread kindly cooked for me to take with us on the boat.
         The first night after arriving in St. Joseph I slept in a wagon box on some hay. The next night we went and slept on the steamboat so that we would not be left behind again, and on the second day after, in the afternoon, we reached Wyoming where I found my luggage, a box, and a sack which contained all that I possessed in this world consisting of some clothing, a few tools, & etc. I stayed in Wyoming that night, & the next afternoon started on the journey across those long, dreary, desolate plains about a thousand miles to our destination. I was in one respect more fortunate than many others, some of them having to stay in Wyoming 5 or 6 weeks. On the next day after my arrival in Wyoming, one of the brethren asked me if I would not like to go on. I told him yes, & he told me to get my luggage and get into a wagon that was just ready to start, and, after they had taken [p.14] away my box from me, as being too heavy to take along, and putting all my things into my sack, I started on my journey with about 500 others in about 60 wagons, across the plains.  The captain of the company [was] Brother Halliday . .
       Here I knew scarcely anybody, almost an entire stranger in a strange land. yet I did not feel discouraged, but still desired to go on to the valleys of the mountains. On the first afternoon we traveled about a mile, just to say we had made a start & then camped for the night; The first evening we camped, the captain of the company, Bro. Halliday of <Alpine or> Am. Fork Utah Co., Utah, called the camp together, & held a meeting, instructing the Saints in regard to their duties, the dangers of the people, in leaving the main camp, giving good, kind, fatherly advice, &c. We then had prayers and retired for the night. We used to have even prayers every evening previous to retiring, about 8 o'clock, which I think I never missed. I enjoyed good health, the whole journey through, although I did not have as much food as I could have eaten.
       It must have been about the 14th of July 1866, when I left Wyoming for Salt Lake City. We traveled the old road, that is the road the pioneers traveled, I think or at least the one traveled by the Saints for a number of years, previous to this time. As I did not keep a journal, of course I must depend on my memory for what I write now.
       In the wagon, that I was put in there was (2) two families; Bro & Sister Balmforth, and six children, and Bro & Sister Isaac Woods, no children, making eleven in all. On our wagon cover our teamster wrote the name of "Weber Sal," & that is what our wagon was known by, our teamster's name was Joe [blank space], from Weber, a pretty good kind of man, but rough like the rest of the teamsters; on another wagon was, "Pony Express," "to Salt Lake, Pike's Peak, or Bust by Golly," on another "The Mountain Boy," The Pony Express was driven by Mart Lenzi, or as he used to be called "Pony" because he was a short, stumpy sort of a fellow, and full of his fun, another wagon was driven by Tom Brown, which was loaded with coal oil for the old Tabernacle, and the Theatre.    
      Most of the wagons have some church freight in them, in addition to the emigrants & their luggage. There was nothing particularly exciting in our journey: But I will remember the first death that took place on the plains, the scene I shall never forget. I think it was about two 2 weeks after we started on the Plains, I think it was a sister. A rough box was made somewhat in the shape of a coffin, with no lining, or anything of that kind, the grave was dug on a hill a little way from the side of the road, and the train was stopped for noon, and she was buried, and in the afternoon the train went on, almost as though nothing had happened.
     We had about 6 deaths on the plains, all buried alike, on the road here and there we would see a piece of wood about the size of a pickett stuck up, it was the tomb "stone" of some weary emigrant, who tired of the long and weary journey, by the ox teams, has taken his last long rest, or perhaps a toil worn Saints, who, with his hand cart had given up under what might be considered one of the most wearisome and laborious journeys ever undertaken by man or woman in this or any other generation, another tombstone would mark the last resting place of some loved son or daughter, who, overtaken by cholera or other disease incident to the plains, had bid their parents gone or brothers & sisters go on while they, weary of the March, laid down for their last long sleep. In other places nothing but two cross Bones of oxen would mark the grave of the sleeping traveler, with his or her name written on the bones. These land marks were not touched by the travelers, but left all alone in the solitude of death, with none but the eye of that all seeing God, who does not let even a sparrow fall to the ground without his notice, to watch over them.
      Others were not so fortunate, if it might so be called, as to have even a box to be laid in, but had to be rolled in a blanket, and in that way were buried. Here and there might be seen holes in the ground about 10 or 15 feet from the graves, which were made by wolves, who in their desperate hunger had burrowed into the graves and feasted on the remains of some buried traveler. But let us leave this dreary scene & take another view of this long march.
      As we traveled on day after day, we would see herds of Buffalo, deer, and other wild animals that inhabit this Great American desert, some of our teamsters take their rifle in hand a perhaps be forturnate enough to kill one, when the most favored ones in camp would get a small piece of this fresh meat, which was considered quite a luxury, others would shoot a rabbit or two, &c. The principle food that I got was flour and bacon, one pound of flour per day was all I was allowed, and about 1 pound of bacon per week. The flour I used to make into dumplings and the bacon I used to fry, on one occasion I had a treat in the shape of a couple of rabbits heads, which I cleaned and boiled, and thought I had a feast. As we journeyed up the Platte river I used to go a fishing and would cook what I caught for supper. I used to do all my own washing, as I did not know anyone scarcely that I thought would do it for me. I enjoyed good health, all the way across the plains.
     One night in particular I must speak of as being the first that I ever passed in the open air, in the pouring rain. There was no room in the wagon for me & I had to walk about the whole of the night as I could find no dry place to lay down in, the rain poured down very hard, and I was dripping wet through the whole night; I thought the morning would never come. We could get no fire, & I could get no shelter. But I felt that it was alright.
     The teamsters used to have some good times, at night, they would have their dances, songs, games &c., but I felt too strange to try to join in with them. The night herders used to sleep in the wagons during most of the day & watch the cattle at night, and protect the train from Indians raids while the others slept. The train which started out ahead of us from Wyoming was attacked by Indians and a number of their <oxen> driven off, so that they had to leave a great part of their luggage behind, we passed the same spot 2 days afterwards and saw their luggage, but, as we ourselves were heavily loaded, we could not take any of their luggage along. There was nothing connected with our journey very much different to what all others, who traveled the same way, experienced.
      One night, however, I must write about, as it seemed to me, at that time, the longest night I every saw. In the afternoon it commenced to rain, and continued to do so up till dark, it was now bed time, but I had no place to lay my head, the wagon, then containing 10 persons, was too crowded, and the ground was soaking wet, & I had but 1 knotted quilt for bed clothes, I laid down under a wagon for a short time but was soon sopping wet, I could do nothing else but walk around all night in the rain, & I thought the morning would never come. At about 6 o'clock the rain quit, & I gathered some "Buffalo Chips," dried Cattle dung and made a fire, and dried myself as best I could. One young woman, <I think her name was George before she was married,> acted very kind to me on one occasion, & I must never forget it, she told me if I would carry her some water and some "buffalo chips," she would wash my shirt & quilt for me. I carried the water for her, also the "wood," then she told me her mother said she could not do it, so I had to do it myself. The way I used to wash my shirt was like this—I would go into the water with it on, then after I had splashed about a while, and rubbed my shirt I would lay it on the bank to dry while I went into the water again , so you see I was clean myself and had a clean shirt to put on.
     When we had got a good way on our journey a Bro Meiks took me to drive a team for him for about 2 weeks till we arrived on this side of Green River, when he took a different road & I left him. When at Weber a person wanted to hire me, But I wanted to come to Salt Lake, so I did not stop there.
     It was on the night of the 25th of September, 1866, that we made our last camp out. Early next morning we were up and doing. This place I think, must have been what is called Hardy's station. The most of us <boys> put on some of our Sunday go to meeting clothes, and started off to walk to the city ahead of the train, but it seemed a tremendous long walk, in Parley's Canyon. We met several parties who had came to meet their friends & relatives, but I thought I had no one to meet me, so I journeyed along, till I came to the mouth of the Canyon.
     I shall never forget my feelings as I looked upon the city of Salt Lake from the bench at the mouth of Parleys Canyon, it seemed so beautiful to me. I walked down the road till I came to a place between the Cotton factory of President Young to what is known as Smoots factory, about a mile ahead of me. I saw a couple of teams, and I said to myself, I'll rest here till these teams pass me, then I will proceed on my journey, so I sat down by the roadside til the first one, a horse team came up, the man who was driving it asked me if I knew a boy in the train, which was then coming into sight, by the name of Charley Denney. I replied "I'm the one." He said, "jump on, & I'll take you home,["] but did not tell me his name, & I did not know him. In a little while I found out that it was my Brother-in-law, David Wm. Leaker, and the young woman who was riding with him was my cousin, Caroline West, and she gave me a couple of nice ripe peaches, the first I ever had tasted in my life.
        
BIB: Denney, Charles. Reminiscences and diary (Ms 1820),

My Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Denney, Second Wife to David Leaker.

Elizabeth Denney Leaker

      My grandmother, Florence Leaker's mother,
Elizabeth immigrated to America USA at the age of 17. She came across the Atlantic on the ship Hudson on the third of June 1864. A Compilation of General Voyage Notes of the ship Hudson.  She arrived on 19 July 1864 in New York on the ship Hudson with 1038 LDS passengers and Church Leader, John M. Kay, presiding. She came and arrived without family. On the ship's manifest it was noted that she was a spinster.

     On the ninth of August 1864 she started her emigration to the Salt Lake Valley with the pioneer William Hyde Company. There were 350 individuals and 62 wagons in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40 miles south of Omaha) She made the trek with Ann and Priscilla Boyd, Henry Code, and the Daniel Clark family.
     William Hyde's Church train with 62 ox-drawn wagons left Wyoming, Nebraska Territory, on August 9. Wyoming was a Missouri river port founded in 1855 and used as the principal outfitting place by Mormon companies from 1864 to 1866. It was located 44 miles south of Omaha and 6 miles north of Nebraska City. Mormons were attracted to the port city of Wyoming because of its expansive staging ground and distance from Nebraska City. It was just far enough away from the rough elements and lures of Nebraska City, yet close enough that they could easily connect with the Nebraska City-Fort Kearny Cutoff. This cutoff was established about 1860 by military freight contractors and Nebraska City businessmen. It was the shortest route from the Missouri River to Fort Kearny and became a secondary route of the Oregon Trail. It ran 169 miles directly west and shortened the distance from the old Ox-Bow Trail by about 50 miles. From William Hyde's company became one of the largest death tolls among the Mormon wagon companies. Read Narrative of the William Hyde Pioneer Company.
     She became acquainted with David William Leaker soon after her arrival. David took Elizabeth as his second wife on the 25th of March 1965 where they were sealed in the Endowment House in the Salt Lake Valley. David was age 33 and Elizabeth was age 19.

Easter 2012

On Saturday the 7th of April, the Jacobsen Clan had their annual Easter get together at Oma & Opa's (Debbie and Dan's house). We had a nice Easter dinner, goodies, chatted and looked at old snap shots when the kids were little, and then the Easter Egg Hunt.
                                               
Here is the Clan: Jacobsens, Christensens, Browns and Daltons...............

                                                                   

Our New Grandson, Levi, Arrives

      We received a call late morning on the 7th of March from Phil that our daughter Camille had arrived at the Twin Falls Hospital. She was going to give birth to her third child. This time it was going to be a boy! So Mom and I put a few things together and made a quick trip to Twin Falls Idaho. We arrived about four in the afternoon just about three hours after her delivery. Camille did great and her delivery went well.. His sure a cute little fellow! He surely looks like "a little Phil."

      Levi's sisters (Bailey and Lilli)  were happy to see their brother. Bailey liked holding her brother, but Lilli just wanted to run around the hospital. This I believe is our 17th grandchild. Grandma (Oma) Debbie stayed with them a week as she said, "To help take care of things." A couple of weeks later they came to see us.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Great Grandfather David William Leaker's first wife, Ann North

         Ann was born 11 May 1834 in Bridgewater, Somerset, England. Her and David were married 17 Feb 1850 in St. Mary's Parish, Bridgewater, England. In David's History he relates the following: "I was walking up town with my brother. My wife Ann that is now, was on the street talking to a companion of her's. I asked my brother if he knew who that young lady was. I told him that she would be my wife if ever I had one.  He told me she was sister to the wife of a man by the name of James Jones.
       As I  was acquainted with him I soon had a chance to get acquainted  with her; six weeks after being acquainted we were married from the church of England."
       David relates their conversion to Mormonism: On a  "Sunday we went to a meeting in the evening.   Elder William Easton  preached on the first principles of the gospel. After the meeting closed the saints gathered around us to see what we thought of the principles that he spoke on. We told them it was bible doctrine. We were struck with the unity which prevailed with the saints.
        Me and my wife made some remarks on the good feeling that prevailed among the saints that Wednesday evening following. We went to meeting again and like-wise on Sunday.   Sunday night we gave in our names for baptism... We were baptized on March 30th 1853 by Elder William Easton into a branch called the Walworth."
       It has been said by her descendants that she never had given birth to her own children.

      Excerpt of Caravan Voyage Notes
       With her husband they immigrated to America USA the 18 Feb 1856 and departed on the ship Caravan from Liverpool, England. and arrived the 27 March 1856 at Castle Gardens in New York. On the ship manifest a child was included as traveling with them by the name of Mary Ann Leaker (age 7, born in 1849.  As descendants of David and Ann Leaker, thus far we have no knowledge of this child.
      There was no evidence of this child (Mary Ann) emigrating with them when they departed with the Edward Stevenson Pioneer Company (1859) crossing the plains to the Salt Lake Valley.
      David and Ann came with the Edward Stevenson Pioneer Company. The company states that there were: 285 individuals and 54 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha).  Trail excerpt my David W. Leaker
They departed with the Edward Stevenson Company on 26 Jun 1859 three years later than when

they had landed by ship at Castle Gardens in New York.
      They arrived with the Edward Stevenson Company in the Salt Lake Valley on 2 September 1859.
      A few years later David married a second wife Elizabeth Denney. With Elizabeth, they had 10 children. Elizabeth's first child died. It was agreed upon with his two wives that the first living child would be raised by Ann, the first wife.  This child was named: Mary Annette and was called Netti. Hense, Ann North Leaker was called Netti's Mom. All the other children were raised by Elizabeth.

      There was an article in then Deseret Evening news on May 30th 1904 that tells the death of Ann

Leaker which is noted as follows:  Died While Driving --  Mrs. Ann North Leaker Stricken With Apoplexy Last Night.
     While out driving shortly after six o'clock last evening.  Mrs. Ann North Leaker of 642 east First South street, was stricken with apoplexy and with a few minutes was dead.

     Mrs. Leaker was accompanied by her nephew, W. J. Leaker, city plumbing inspector.  They had been driving for about 30 minutes and were on Main street when Mrs. Leaker complained of a sudden dizziness and urged her nephew to turn towards home and drive fast.  He did so, but at State street and First South, enduring agony, Mrs. Leaker told him to stop at the drug store for assistance.  In a few moments Dr. Johnson and Dr. Benedict were at work on the patient, who was carried into the drug store, but she grew rapidly weaker and almost before anybody present realized it, she was dead on an improvised couch in the store.
     The remains were taken to the undertaking establishment of Joseph William Taylor.
     Mrs. Leaker was the widow of David W. Leaker.  She was 70 years of age and leaves a son, Patrolman C. J. Leaker and an adopted daughter, Mrs. M. S. Neslen.

History of My Great Grand Father, David William Leaker - Beginning Until Leaving to America (USA).

HISTORY OF DAVID WILLIAM LEAKER

                                            Written With His Own Hand
       I,   David  William  Leaker, was born in Bridgewater, Somerset, England in the year 1832. January 10. Baptized, October 30th 1852.
             I am writing this from memory in the year 1891, so I will not be able to give date, but if any come to my memory I will note them the first instance that come to my memory.  When I was quite young the family was taken down with the measles  and before we got strong from the decease the family was taken down with the smallpox and that decease left me blind.   My mother took me to the hospital. For about two years and with the Mercies of the Lord and the skill of the doctors, I received my sight.  But I could not take a book to read for my eyes were weak for years so that left me with a limited education.
      The next that occurred to my mind.   I went to take a bath and near came drowning, but the Lord was merciful to me and saved me from a watery grave.
      The next thing that came to my mind was a very narrow escape of my life while working as a delivery boy in the butcher business.   I was driving a flock of sheep to the pasture when one of then was crowded of (off) the road into a large  stream  of water, I could not get it out my self, as I had a horse, got on it and road to get some help.   As I was riding very fast I came to a draw bridge.   The horse fell with my left leg under him and dragged me the length of the bridge with my self on the iron flange that was there to keep the wagons from the foot path. I was taken to the hospital and then spread the report that I was killed.  When I came to my senses the doctors told me that I had a very narrow escape of my life, and the wound of which I will take to the grave with me.
   After my accident when I was able to work I went to work again at my place for a few months, but my father thought the wages was so low for a journeyman butcher; that he persuaded me to come and work with him and learn the carpenter trade  as he was a contractor, and master builder.   He thought he could make a good mechanic of me but I did not like the carpenter trade. He asked  me what trade I would like and I told him black smithing.   He got me a place in a large factory.  I  went on  trial  to  see how I would like it; before I was bound apprentice, but they kept me as a helper for several  months.   I told my father, I thought that was no place to learn a trade. For there were young men that was very near out of their apprenticeship, that had just learned how to make one article and that was all they knew.
       So my father took me from there and bound me as an apprentice to my cousin (?) by the name of Richard Gould.  So near as my memory will  serve me, I was there between three and four years. He (his) use to go on spree about once a year. I always knew when he was going for he would put me on piece work.   He would give me two weeks work before he left the shop.
       I had to make so many hundred staples for a day's work, and so many saucepan handles. I use to work a few hours over in the week so I could quit early on Saturdays.  He had a parish apprentice and when the master was away this time he also left.  They use to keep pigs.  The wife wanted me to fetch swell for them and clean the knives and forks and boots and shoes.  I told her that I could learn that at home. With that she began to whip me.  I took off my leather apron and fought her off, that being Saturday nights and Sunday.
       I  packed  up my clothes in order to leave on Monday for I was afraid they would put me in prison if I want back to work as they are vary strict with there apprentice in England.  I started vary early on Monday morning.  I walked to enter in Devonshire.  I pawned my clothes there as I was short of money and obtained a night's lodging.  The next day I walked to a town by way the of Dollish (sp) and I got work, I had to work all night and next day and night before I could get any rest.
      There is one thing that escaped my memory that is in relation to my mother.   One night as my mother had put the children in bed.  It was not long before they commenced to cry.   My mother want up stairs, to see what was the matter with them.   There was some rats which had got in the house and they commenced to bite the children. They came from our next door neighbors.  We knew there were rats around there; for they used to keep pigs.  My mother told them that she was urging to put some poison for the rats, but they wanted her to wait till they had killed the pigs.  My mother took the children in her arms and was bringing them down stairs.  She was scarred (sp) and in coming down in a hurry, she slipped and fell to the bottom of the stairs.  She was near confinement.  When the baby was born his back was broke and my mother died.
      While  I  was in Dolliss I had to sleep in the shop, as I did not have time to look for a place where   I could board and  lodge. We got in our pay every two weeks when I received my wages.  I sent to the pawn broker for my watches when 1 received my clothes.   I  cleaned up and started to find me a place to board.   I found (an) old place after a long search.  I found an old couple that would take me in.  They were vary kind to me. He was I local preacher in the (blank) church.  I ask(ed) him if he would write to my brother for me to let him know where I was, so that we might keep up a correspondence with him.
       I worked there a few months and received word from home that my sister Sarah was dead,   I went home to the funeral and after she was buried.  I went back to work.  I used to work one weekday shift and one night shift.   So after a little when I returned, I asked Ken Knight if he would write to my father. He told me he wanted me to write to him myself.   I told him I could not write. He wanted me to learn so he set me some copies to practice on. And in short time I was able to write a little.
      While working there I sent for my brother Charles to come there to work. So we worked there till the work was getting finished and they began to shorten hands.  We were discharged; so we went home, and I left him there as I was not of age.  I had to leave home again as my (register? sp,) heard I was there.  He talked of having me arrested and put in prison till my apprenticeship expired.   I left home and traveled to Somerset, there I got work that was the fall of the year.
       I  worked there that winter, in the spring I finished up the work and left there for Wales.   I worked there a short time and left and went to a place called Glimorshire in Wales.  Then  I left there and worked my way back home. While I was home, this time the Cholera broke out, and I had a half sister die with it.
       As I could not get work then, I went into Dositshire.  While on the road there was a dog follow me and I soon found that he was a good hunter;
       After  working  a  short  time I  thought I would like a rabbit for Sunday dinner, so Saturday night I started with a companion and the dog to get one.  We were not disappointed, for the dog caught a hare and a few rabbits, but we were disappointed  in  our Sunday  dinner.
       As we were returning home we were overtaken by the keeper and some farmers that he brought with him.  They took the hare from us and got a wagon and took us to Dositshire to lock us up for poaching.  But as it  was Sunday, the law would not allow them to lock us up for poaching.  They took our names address and the dog so they could arrest us on Monday.  Wether they came for us on Monday or not, I do not know for we were on the road before Monday morning.
       I  traveled  to  Cornewell  and  got work and staid (sp) there some months then left because they would not raise my wages. While traveling I met a young man by the name of George Emery, so we traveled together and got work in Kamshire (sp).  We were companions for quite a long time.  We finished the work there and started to hunt work.  We went to London and there obtained it. We worked there for several months then got on a spree and lost our job, so we started out again to hunt a job.  We traveled through Kent Er--(sp) down to lands-end and could not obtain work.   We then went back to London, you must be sure we were very hard up by this time. We got work in London again and worked there for some months.
       My mate fell out with the boss and we left and traveled a long way around and worked our way to Yorkshire and started work at a place called Arbary Hill.   By this time we learnt (sp) a lesson, not to quit a job when we got one.   So we worked there quite a while.
       We had quite forgot our experiment what we suffered an that trip. We
went on another spree and lost our work again.  As we were leaving Arbary, we were very humble at that time.  The spirit of the Lord came upon me at that time and while that was upon me I wished I had lived in the time of the Savior.
       We traveled and got work in Berkshire and worked their (sp) the winter till we finished )up the job.  We started to hunt work. We  traveled through Glostershire, but could not obtain it; so we lade our way to Bridgewater.   There we got work. I worked in the blacksmith shop, that was in the year 1852.
       I was walking up town with my brother. My wife Ann that is now, was on the street talking to a companion of her's. I ask(ed) my brother if he knew who that young lady was. I told him that she would be my wife if ever I had one.  He told me she was sister to the wife of a man by the name of James Jones.
       As I  was acquainted with him I soon had a chance to get acquainted  with her; six weeks after being acquainted we were married from the church of England.   I worked there a few months when I fell out with the man I was working with and left and went to London.   I got work in a shop in Commercial Street and sent for my wife that was closed to the White Chapel branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We often passed there and would ask each other and wonder what sect that was. We wondered what they believed in, but could not get any information from our inquiries.  But the time was drawing near that we could get the information we desired.
       I  left the place I was working and went to work in a shop in the Old Kent road.   There was a man by the name of William Smith that worked there. He had embraced the gospel; he told me of the doctrine that they believed in and gave me an invitation to go to the meetings. The first meeting we attended was a testimonial meeting. On Wednesday  evening me  and my wife talked the matter over while we were walking home.   We thought it was very strange that the saints could say that they knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and they knew that God had restored the Gospel again never more to be taken from the earth, and Joseph Smith was an instrument in his hands in restoring the gospel in this last dispensation and fullness of time.
       The next Sunday we went to meeting in the evening.   Elder William Easton preached on the first principles of the gospel. After the meeting closed the saints gathered around us to see what we thought of the principles that he spoke on. We told them it was bible doctrine. We were struck with the unity which prevailed with the saints.
        Me and my  wife made some remarks on the good feeling that prevailed among the saints that Wednesday evening following. We went to meeting again and like-wise on Sunday. Sunday night we gave in our names for baptism.
        I had a vision. The first I had was from the evil one. He  tried  to persuade  that the gospel was not true,   He told me I would live to pass through many troubles  and much persecution.  I found that to be true,  I told him to leave me and so he did.  I was also blessed with a glorious vision from the lord after the evil one left me.  That cheered me up and I thought I could go through any thing for the gospel sake. We were baptized on March 30th 1853 by Elder William Easton into a branch called the Walworth Branch, and in a short time we left that branch and joined the White Chappel Branch.
       I was appointed to labor as a teacher with Elijah Pierce and to go out an the street to preach the gospel. There was man by the name of Eckburn who was an apostate; who used to follow us and cause us considerable trouble, but the Lord always's brought us out all right.

       We  left and joined the Iseleton Branch where I was appointed a teacher in the Sunday School,   I was also called to act as teacher, likewise (to)go out and preach the gospel on the streets, and we would meet with opposition, but the Lord  would always bring us out victorious.  We left Iseleton Branch London on the 13th of February 1856, and went by rail road to Liverpool and went on board the ship Carravan.  Reminiscences of David 
       After the Saints went on board the ship 14th of February, they found It had too much freight on, and the government would not allow it to sail. So they took out some of the freight and when they had taken enough off, they gave her permission  to  sail.  This made it the 15th when Captain Sandes ordered the anchor raised.   We had a prosperous voyage considering the time of the year.
       We had one storm that took our  fore mast away, and we had one sailor thrown out of the rigger and killed.  We met one more squall that we were not able to do any cooking for three days. The captain told us if it had not been a good ship, the  sides  of  her,  would of been staved in.   As we were loaded with rail-road iron and lead, as the ship would roll the weight (and) would shift from side to side, and we thought that the ship would be staved in. But (with) the faith of the saints and the blessings of the Lord we arrived in New York.
       During the voyage there were three children born, one passenger died, and one couple married.   We arrived in New York on the 27th of March 1856,  There was a sister and daughter by the name of Durr who found lodging for us.    We left Castel Gardens the same day that we arrived. The next day I got a (way)-? and fetched our luggage from there.