Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Leonard Bingham Autobiography
Below is life sketch written by Leonard Bingahm about his own life.
We had a baseball team up String Town. We played with the Huntsvllle team, Eden and Liberty. The sleighing was great in winter, as was the coasting and skiing down the mountain slope. There was always plenty of ice to skate. All you needed was the ambition to participate. I liked to skate and got so I could cut figures.
We finished our grade school in Huntsville. Lorin and I still fooling people as to who was who. Many are the lickings I took for him and he will say the same. But we can't deny we had fun. When we got caught for some mischief, we would say it was the other one and there were times we avoided punishment. But there were the times we took it for the other one or both to make sure the right one was punished. So it had its advantages and disadvantages. I attended high school at the Old Weber Academy, now Weber College.
In 1916 I went to Idaho where I took up a homestead. I was there two years when I was called into the Army in 1918. I did not get overseas. I was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, Company I, First U. S. Infantry. I came home after the war ended in 1919. I farmed in Idaho that year.
In February 1920, I landed in Beckwith, Wyoming, ten miles south of Cokeville. My brother, Frank, had bought a ranch there. I was a junior partner in the Lincoln Ranch. It consisted of 3400 acres, 2200 was in hay and grain. I was there only six weeks when we heard our brother, Will, had died of influenza. Will's wife had died only two weeks before. This left five children without dad or mother. I took the first train back to Blackfoot to attend the funeral. After the funeral, I took Carvel back with me to Frank and Annie. They were going to keep him. I was wishing I was married so I could have taken one of those poor frightened kids.
From the time I was about five years old, I spent a lot of time at my brother, Frank's. He was a second father. I took his cows to the pasture, helped in the hay field, or what other odd jobs he might find for me to do. His boys were like brothers to me. Annie, Frank's wife, was good to me, too. Walter and Golden, Frank's two oldest boys, followed me around and we had lots of good times. Golden played the piano and we all sang. When we had nothing better to do, we sang to the cows.
On the Lincoln Ranch it fell to me to do the range riding. Golden usually went with me. It was Golden who went with me this time. It was fall, and we were riding for stray cattle. That night where we stayed the women had so many flowers in the room that it made me sick. We didn't sleep much anyway because when we were assigned beds there was a couch for one, and we were told the other could sleep with a man known as "Four thumbs”. The woman said he had just that — four thumbs. I hurried and got the couch. Golden took one look at Four Thumbs and said, "Move over, I'm sleeping with you". So we both slept on the couch. We rode to Davinson's Ranch the next day. They gave us a pup and we took it home to Carvel. Then Frank decided to move back to Utah. He bought a place in Morgan. I did not have capital to go on myself so I went to Randolph, Utah, and got a job working on the Diamond J. Ranch.
Sources:
Leonard Bingham
Autobiography
1893-1968
Autobiography
1893-1968
How we relate:
He is the father of Ella Mae Bingham McKinnon
Who is the mother of Don McKinnon
I was born on 6 October 1893 at Huntsville, Weber County, Utah. My first picture was taken when I was about six months old. It was a family picture with dad holding me and mother holding my twin brother, Lorin. We were both in dresses with a blond curl on top of our head.
I was the sixteenth child, my brother, Lorin, being the fifteenth. One of my early recollections was when I was four years old. 1 was sick and lying on the bed when my sister, Olive, came in. She said if I would let her remove my cold sore scab from my face she would give me something. I agreed and she gave me a package to open. It was my first store overalls. Before this all my pants had been made by my mother. I felt grown up with new store overalls.
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Erastus Perry Bingham Family - 1894 Back (L to R): Louisa Marinda, Olive Rebecca, Joseph Franklin,Albern Allen, Francis, Emeline Chastina. 4th row: Perry Alanson, Father Erastus Perry Bingham, Mother Emeline Clarissa Allen Bingham, Mary Lucinda. 3rd row: Clarence, Lorin (twin), Wilford Levi, Leonard (twin). 2nd row: Thomas Lorenzo, Erastus Edward, Ezra. Front: William Henry Erastus Perry Bingham Family - 1894 |
I started school when I was five years old for two months in the spring. The teacher could not tell Lorin and me apart. So we started fooling the teachers from time to time. If one of us had to stay during the noon hour, we took turns sitting in the seat while the other had lunch. We never missed our lunch and no one was the wiser.
When we reached the third grade, they consolidated the schools String Town and Huntsville. This is when we learned to fight. It was fight or get beaten up. We would not have minded if they had all been our size, but the larger ones seemed to think it was a free for all. We might not have fared so well had it not been for my cousin, Josie Allen. She jumped in to help us out and soon they left us alone.
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Family of Erastus Perry Bingham & Emeline Clarissa Allen Bingham Back row: Joseph Franklin, Erastus Edward, William Henry, Thomas Lorenzo, Albern Allen, Ezra, Leonard, Lorin & Clarence Middle Row: Cedina, Louisa Marinda, Francis, Emeline Chastina, Erastus Perry Bingham, Emeline Clarissa Allen Bingham, Perry Alanson, Olive Rebecca & MaryLucinda Front row: Arnold Hyrum & David Moroni Not pictured: Wilford Levi (who died from typhoid fever in 1900) |
It was some time before this that my older brothers started losing their lunches at school. Someone was taking them just before lunch time. Mother always had doughnuts or pie in our lunches. I think this was the reason. When mother learned about this, she decided to do something about it. She ground some rhubarb root and added it to the next batch of doughnuts. Now all they had to do was wait. Soon the teacher decided three girls were leaving the room all too often and asked for the reason. Dave Newey, a cousin, offered this information. Mrs. Bingham's boys have been losing their lunches, so she added some "California quick silver" to the doughnuts. Now those girls have the "rocky mountain quick step". This was the end of the lunch stealing.
We always had a nice Christmas. We did not get as many presents as they do today, but we were satisfied with knitted mittens, socks and some little thing we might get. The family and friends were always dropping in.
We always had a nice Christmas. We did not get as many presents as they do today, but we were satisfied with knitted mittens, socks and some little thing we might get. The family and friends were always dropping in.
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| Twins Leonard and Lorin |
A tragedy came into my life when my brother, Wilford, died. Wilford was just older than Lorin and I. He took sick when we were at Grandma Allen's. Lorin and I pulled him home in our little wagon. We did not think he was that sick and we missed him terribly.
I believe we had more fun as boys than most boys today. We herded cows up South Fork Canyon in the spring. Then after we cut the first crop of alfalfa and timothy hay, we herded the cows in the fields. We knew where the best choke cherries grew, the best apples and watermelons, too. We were like the bears, we lived off the fat of the land. The fishing was good, the Sage Hens plentiful and there were plenty of deer in the mountains. Kid dances were a sport in the winter, too. When money was scarce we twins had it over the others and took turns dancing as most people could not tell us apart. Mother, though, never seemed to get us mixed up. We liked to go swimming and fishing. We had several good swimming places. One in South
I believe we had more fun as boys than most boys today. We herded cows up South Fork Canyon in the spring. Then after we cut the first crop of alfalfa and timothy hay, we herded the cows in the fields. We knew where the best choke cherries grew, the best apples and watermelons, too. We were like the bears, we lived off the fat of the land. The fishing was good, the Sage Hens plentiful and there were plenty of deer in the mountains. Kid dances were a sport in the winter, too. When money was scarce we twins had it over the others and took turns dancing as most people could not tell us apart. Mother, though, never seemed to get us mixed up. We liked to go swimming and fishing. We had several good swimming places. One in South
Fork of Ogden River.
We had a baseball team up String Town. We played with the Huntsvllle team, Eden and Liberty. The sleighing was great in winter, as was the coasting and skiing down the mountain slope. There was always plenty of ice to skate. All you needed was the ambition to participate. I liked to skate and got so I could cut figures.
We finished our grade school in Huntsville. Lorin and I still fooling people as to who was who. Many are the lickings I took for him and he will say the same. But we can't deny we had fun. When we got caught for some mischief, we would say it was the other one and there were times we avoided punishment. But there were the times we took it for the other one or both to make sure the right one was punished. So it had its advantages and disadvantages. I attended high school at the Old Weber Academy, now Weber College.
In 1916 I went to Idaho where I took up a homestead. I was there two years when I was called into the Army in 1918. I did not get overseas. I was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, Company I, First U. S. Infantry. I came home after the war ended in 1919. I farmed in Idaho that year.
In February 1920, I landed in Beckwith, Wyoming, ten miles south of Cokeville. My brother, Frank, had bought a ranch there. I was a junior partner in the Lincoln Ranch. It consisted of 3400 acres, 2200 was in hay and grain. I was there only six weeks when we heard our brother, Will, had died of influenza. Will's wife had died only two weeks before. This left five children without dad or mother. I took the first train back to Blackfoot to attend the funeral. After the funeral, I took Carvel back with me to Frank and Annie. They were going to keep him. I was wishing I was married so I could have taken one of those poor frightened kids.
From the time I was about five years old, I spent a lot of time at my brother, Frank's. He was a second father. I took his cows to the pasture, helped in the hay field, or what other odd jobs he might find for me to do. His boys were like brothers to me. Annie, Frank's wife, was good to me, too. Walter and Golden, Frank's two oldest boys, followed me around and we had lots of good times. Golden played the piano and we all sang. When we had nothing better to do, we sang to the cows.
On the Lincoln Ranch it fell to me to do the range riding. Golden usually went with me. It was Golden who went with me this time. It was fall, and we were riding for stray cattle. That night where we stayed the women had so many flowers in the room that it made me sick. We didn't sleep much anyway because when we were assigned beds there was a couch for one, and we were told the other could sleep with a man known as "Four thumbs”. The woman said he had just that — four thumbs. I hurried and got the couch. Golden took one look at Four Thumbs and said, "Move over, I'm sleeping with you". So we both slept on the couch. We rode to Davinson's Ranch the next day. They gave us a pup and we took it home to Carvel. Then Frank decided to move back to Utah. He bought a place in Morgan. I did not have capital to go on myself so I went to Randolph, Utah, and got a job working on the Diamond J. Ranch.
I worked on the Diamond J. for a year. It was while working there I started going with the girl I married. I had met her two years before at a dance. We had a lot of fun that summer. There is a summer resort at Bear Lake with swimming, boating and dancing. Dancing was our main sport. Some horseback riding was also there. Mable and I were married on the 21st of February 1923. Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith performed the ceremony in the Salt Lake Temple. I continued working at the Diamond J. that winter. The following May I rented a ranch from my mother-in-law. We lived there for the next few years. Then she decided to sell and we moved to town.
On 3 December 1923 our first child was born, a boy. The doctor held him up, spanked him and said, "Here is your little sheepherder". ElMont was not fragile by any means, but I was afraid to handle him so I carried him around on a pillow. When he was about six weeks old, I decided to clean a chimney that had been giving us trouble. When I had finished I went to see if I had done any good. There was my tiny son lying on his pillow smiling up at me through his black face. I laughed for it was quite a sight.
Nineteen months later we were blessed with a little girl. She was born on 18 July 1925. We named her Ella Mae. You could say she was black when she was born for the cord was wrapped around her neck shutting off the air. Dr. Reay worked fast. Finally he said, "Here she is that was a close one, but we saved her. "As it turned out, she was our only girl. She had another close call when she was nine years with appendicitis. But we made that, too.
We had one more little bundle to complete our family. Twenty-three months later, we had another boy. Fred Brough Bingham was born 25 June 1927. All three have curly hair. By the time Fred came along, I felt more confident in handling him. I dared to pick him up and toss him around. He was a very good natured baby. When he was just big enough to walk, he followed his Uncle Eldon to a neighbor's where they were painting a car. He came back all painted up. He started young, for cars have been his main interest. He now has a nice garage in Ogden, Utah, "Bingham Garage". This is how he makes his living.
"In 1931 depression hit the country. Those who did not own a place large enough where they could make a living were hard hit. I was no exception. The next four or five years there were few jobs to be found. You made your own job or went hungry. I went to the canyon, hauled out logs wading in snow to my hips in winter. Ranchers who had always hired men now hired their son or relatives. It was in 1937 the contractors started to come in and I was able to get a few jobs again. The trouble was they were short lived and before you knew it you were out of a job again.
In 1942 I went to Ogden to see if I could get a job. War plants were opening up and many were being employed. I decided to try my luck. Two fellows went with me and we all found work. I got a job at Hill Field. Now called Hill Air Force Base. I worked as a carpenter and woodworker. I started in April and my family stayed in Randolph to finish school. I was unable to go home for ElMont's graduation in May. ElMont was very disappointed and so was I. I moved my family to Ogden the end of May. We have been had we made the move. Ogden had more opportunities to offer my family now they were getting older. I
worked at Hill Field for twenty-two years before retiring.
We lived in Randolph twenty-two years before coming to Ogden, so I left a few land marks there; I built our home there and have helped to build many of the buildings there. Some of which are: Scout House, County Fair Building, Rich City, Court House, Sinclair Station, Recreation Hall, remodeling the church house, homes and garages. I served on the Town Board for four years. I kept busy in the church, serving two Stake Missions. My last mission was in 1940 and 1941. Mable and I were both called along with ten others. We visited homes, held cottage meetings, also organized a Sunday School at Sage, Wyoming, twenty miles from Randolph. Four missionaries took turns supervising the Sunday School there. This was a happy time and we made lots of friends. We hope we did some good. The last year I was Branch President and Mable was Secretary.
On 3 December 1923 our first child was born, a boy. The doctor held him up, spanked him and said, "Here is your little sheepherder". ElMont was not fragile by any means, but I was afraid to handle him so I carried him around on a pillow. When he was about six weeks old, I decided to clean a chimney that had been giving us trouble. When I had finished I went to see if I had done any good. There was my tiny son lying on his pillow smiling up at me through his black face. I laughed for it was quite a sight.
Nineteen months later we were blessed with a little girl. She was born on 18 July 1925. We named her Ella Mae. You could say she was black when she was born for the cord was wrapped around her neck shutting off the air. Dr. Reay worked fast. Finally he said, "Here she is that was a close one, but we saved her. "As it turned out, she was our only girl. She had another close call when she was nine years with appendicitis. But we made that, too.
We had one more little bundle to complete our family. Twenty-three months later, we had another boy. Fred Brough Bingham was born 25 June 1927. All three have curly hair. By the time Fred came along, I felt more confident in handling him. I dared to pick him up and toss him around. He was a very good natured baby. When he was just big enough to walk, he followed his Uncle Eldon to a neighbor's where they were painting a car. He came back all painted up. He started young, for cars have been his main interest. He now has a nice garage in Ogden, Utah, "Bingham Garage". This is how he makes his living.
"In 1931 depression hit the country. Those who did not own a place large enough where they could make a living were hard hit. I was no exception. The next four or five years there were few jobs to be found. You made your own job or went hungry. I went to the canyon, hauled out logs wading in snow to my hips in winter. Ranchers who had always hired men now hired their son or relatives. It was in 1937 the contractors started to come in and I was able to get a few jobs again. The trouble was they were short lived and before you knew it you were out of a job again.
In 1942 I went to Ogden to see if I could get a job. War plants were opening up and many were being employed. I decided to try my luck. Two fellows went with me and we all found work. I got a job at Hill Field. Now called Hill Air Force Base. I worked as a carpenter and woodworker. I started in April and my family stayed in Randolph to finish school. I was unable to go home for ElMont's graduation in May. ElMont was very disappointed and so was I. I moved my family to Ogden the end of May. We have been had we made the move. Ogden had more opportunities to offer my family now they were getting older. I
worked at Hill Field for twenty-two years before retiring.
We lived in Randolph twenty-two years before coming to Ogden, so I left a few land marks there; I built our home there and have helped to build many of the buildings there. Some of which are: Scout House, County Fair Building, Rich City, Court House, Sinclair Station, Recreation Hall, remodeling the church house, homes and garages. I served on the Town Board for four years. I kept busy in the church, serving two Stake Missions. My last mission was in 1940 and 1941. Mable and I were both called along with ten others. We visited homes, held cottage meetings, also organized a Sunday School at Sage, Wyoming, twenty miles from Randolph. Four missionaries took turns supervising the Sunday School there. This was a happy time and we made lots of friends. We hope we did some good. The last year I was Branch President and Mable was Secretary.
I am now a High Priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Some church assignments I have filled are: Teacher in Sunday School, also in Sunday School Superintendence, teacher in M.I.A., Scout leader, Work Director of the Church Welfare Program and two stake missions. In my high priest quorum, I was secretary for two years, assistant Group Leader for three years and Group Leader for three years. I was ward teacher supervisor for five years and have always served as a ward teacher.
One of my worthwhile accomplishments was the building of our home in Ogden. I built on in Randolph, but it was not all we hoped for, so I promised my wife I would build her a larger and nicer one some day. Our Ogden home was the fulfillment of that promise.
In May 1962, I retired from my job at Hill Field. My wife and I are spending the winter in Mesa, Arizona. Our daughter lives there. Our boys in Ogden, so we intend to spend the winters here where it is warmer and the summers in Ogden where we can spend time with our boys and their families. Next week, 21 February 1963, we will celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary.
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Mabel Brough Bingham |
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| Leonard Bingham |
Added by me:
Leonard's wife, Mabel died about 3 years later in December of 1965 of Colon Cancer. He married Edna Raines civilly in ____. Leonard was in a car accident which did not kill him though he never fully recoverd and he died on October 8, 1968 and is buried next to his forever sweetheart Mabel in Ogden, Utah.
Sources:
- 1963 Autobiography of Leonard Bingham found in the book: The Descendants of Erastus Bingham and Lucinda Gates
- Photos of Leonard reterieved from my father's family history items
- Erastus Bingham family photos given to me by Stephen McDonald - Great Grandson of Erastus
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Working on the railroad
Below are pictures of men working on the railroad in Utah.
On May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit (56 miles from Ogden), the first of five transcontinental railroad 's were completed. Alanson Allen and Erasust Perry Bingham were among the people that worked on it and were there the day the last spike was driven. These pictures are from Utah's historical archives.
Working on railroad.
Day of railroad completeion.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Archibald McPhail and Jane McKinnon
This is interesting in our family history in part that the Bingham and Mckinnon line crosses here...just a few generations before Ella Mae and Byron get married and it crosses again. Jane McKinnon is Archibald McKinnon's older sister. Archibald is who Byron comes out of and Jane is who Ella Mae comes out of.
Below is an excerpt of the pioneer company journal written by James Willie:
Julie Rogers is a contemporary artist who paints pictures of stories of the pioneers and the selflesss acts that they did. She painted 3 of Archibald and his story. They are below.
How we relate:
Parents of Jane McPhail Peart
who is the mother of Mary Jane (Mae) Peart Brough
who is the mother of Mable Brough Bingham
who is the mother of Ella Mae Bingham McKinnon
who is the mother of Don McKinnon
Archibald McPhail was born on May 11, 1816 in Renfrew, Scotland. His parents’ names were Archibald McPhail and Margaret Milloy.
On April 26, 1839 Archibald McPhail and a woman named Elisabeth Love booked their names for three days proclamation of banns on purpose of marriage with their Parish. (The banns of marriage was a public announcement from the Christian church of the impending marriage. The purpose of banns was to enable anyone to raise any legal impediment to the marriage, prevent marriages that are invalid. People would “book” their names for a few days in advance of the marriage to give people a chance to bann it).
In 1840, the first Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was organized in Paisley, Scotland by Orson Pratt on May 8. Archibald and Elisabeth were baptized two months later on July 19. On August 3rd of the same year of 1840, Archibald and
Elisabeth had their first son, John, in Argyll. Later the next year, Archibald was ordained a Teacher.
Elisabeth had their first son, John, in Argyll. Later the next year, Archibald was ordained a Teacher.
On September 5, 1842 they had a daughter and named her Henrietta. Archibald worked as a boot and shoemaker and they lived in Renfrewshire for the next few years. The family also had opened their home as a boarding home for saints to live.
In May of 1847, Archibald’s wife Elisabeth died at the age of 28, leaving him a single father of two young children. In July of that year, Elisabeth’s sister Jane Love went to live at the home of Archibald to care for her older sister’s children. Jane was baptized right after hearing the gospel that was taught to her in the McPhail home. Robert Baxter was a man that was boarding in their home and he eventually married Jane the next year. They continued to live with Archibald and care for the children.
On March 4, 1848, Archibald, along with about 12 other saints, were excommunicated from the church for unknown reasons. (I am going to find out why. Some sources say that he was ordained an Elder in 1849 – but that doesn’t fit in the timeline, so I need to find that out as well)
On December 4 of 1849, Archibald McPhail and Jane McKinnon were married. Some records have stated that Jane McKinnon and Archibald’s first wife were first cousins.
In 1851, the McPhail family was living in Greenock, Scotland. Archibald was 35, Jane 28, John 11 and Henrietta was 9. Henrietta and her stepmother Jane did not get along. Henrietta wrote later in her life that she and Jane were never on friendly terms.
Sadly in 1854, Archibald’s son died at age 14. This event may have spurred Archibald and Jane to be rebaptized as they were reconfirmed in 1855 on November 4th with about 12 other people at the Port of Glascow. Also in 1855, Robert and Jane Baxter leave with the Saints for America.
According to research done by McPhail and Peart descendents, Jane McKinnon had a sister named Catherine McKinnon McDonald. She had a daughter named Jane McDonald that was born in 1852. There are notes on an archival sheet of Archibald and Jane that say they adopted this little girl. Jane (the daughter) was found on the 1856 census, but not before. (I’m going to look more into this)
Henrietta was baptized in March of 1856 and in May of that year, they embarked on the ship The Thornton and left for America, James G. Willie was the leader for this journey. They arrived at the New York Port a month and a half later in June. While in New York, they boarded a steamer boat and sailed to Ohio, and then to Chicago where they took a train to Iowa City on June 26.
When they arrived in Iowa, the saints built the handcarts themselves and outfitted each cart with 90 days rations. The company was divided into 20 carts per group with a man placed over each group. Archibald McPhail was chosen to preside over one of these groups. In his group there were 100 saints. The company left for Salt Lake on August 27, 1856 – which was late in the year for saints to travel across the plains. This pioneer company became famous for all the trials they went through.
He was a captain in the Willie handcart company. He was a captain of 100. In this group there were two women who constantly lagged behind the others. Archibald’s daughter Henrietta tells of what happened:
"A terrible blizzard had been raging all day and when they reached camp Father found one of his group was missing. There were two old ladies in his company who often lagged behind, coming into camp later. When this one didn’t soon follow, Father felt it was his duty to go back after her. It was indeed an undertaking for one so exhausted by the lack of food and nearly perishing with cold. But he cheerfully accepted his responsibility and went in search of the woman. He found her sitting by the wayside on the other side of a frozen stream they had crossed earlier. He pleaded with her to come on, but she refused saying she was going to stay there and die. There was nothing to do but cross the stream and get her. He picked her up and as they recrossed the stream with his burden the ice broke and he was soaked with icy water to the waist.By the time he reached camp his clothes were frozen to him and he was taking heavy chills. The air was cold and wet and the men were so weak and hungry they could not go in search of dry wood to make a fire. So without anything warm to eat or drink, he was placed in a cold bed with the covering of the handcart pitched over him for a tent. There was a strong wind blowing which blew the tent over three times and they stopped trying to keep it up. He was in a high fever and Henrietta sat by his bed, brushing the snow from his face as he lay dying.
Below is an excerpt of the pioneer company journal written by James Willie:
"Archibald McPhiel, from Greenock, Argyleshire, Scotland, died about 2 a.m. aged 40 years. Much snow on the ground this morning & still more falling. Go down Echo Kanyon, roads very bad at the crossing of streams; forded Weber River & camped on its banks. It snowed most of the day. The camping ground presented a most dismal appearance, as we rolled on to it there being much snow on the ground & it being late at night. Rasmus P. Hansen, from Lan Denmark, aged 16 years, died this evening"
Church historian Paul Lyman said:
“Cold” was noted on the 3rd and the 5th. After mentioning a snowstorm coming on the evening of the 5th, the record for the 6th reported that “it snowed most of the day,” which caused people to start dying again.Archibald McPhail, like many unsung heroes, died simply doing his duty. He had been responsible for the 20 people assigned to his tent. On the evening of the 5th he noticed that one of two women who often lagged behind was missing. He went back along the trail and found her. She was on the opposite side of a creek. She refused to cross, saying she was going to die anyway and saw no need to cross only to die. He crossed over the creek on the frozen ice, picked her up, and started back across the ice. The additional weight of the woman caused the ice to break through and he was soaked up to his waist. He guided her into camp with his clothes frozen to his waist and legs. As the snowstorm raged, he went to bed on the snowy, cold ground wearing his frozen clothes. His wife used a handcart for a tent that night. Due to the wind, their handcart tent blew over three times. He died, with his wife holding him, never having gotten warm after rescuing his unnamed charge.1
Archibald McPhail left a wife and children ages 3, 4, and 15. With the death of Rasmus P. Hansen, Anna Hansen, age 40, his mother, was now alone. She had lost her husband on October 19th.
Echo Creek meandered back and forth across the canyon floor in 1856. The main trail crossed Echo Creek over a dozen times. In the heavy snow, the river crossings would have been even more difficult than usual. The journal confirmed that the road was particularly bad at the river crossings. The journal writer commented even more harshly on the campground. It was on the west side of the Weber River in the river bottom. It was late at night when they stopped and it had snowed all day. The snow-covered grass must have been particularly difficult to sleep on with their thin bedding. "
Julie Rogers is a contemporary artist who paints pictures of stories of the pioneers and the selflesss acts that they did. She painted 3 of Archibald and his story. They are below.
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| Bishop McPhail by Julie Rogers |
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| The Light Comprehendeth by Julie Rogers |
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| The Light - Archibald and Jane McPhail by Julie Rogers |
Archibald is well known for his courageous and selfless act. The missionaries at the Pioneer Trek locations and other historical sites all know about him and talk about him with reverance. Jane and her daughter continued on the trek. Henrietta was sent to live with and uncle. Jane later married Robert Baxter as a plural wife. He was the man who had boarded with them in Scotland. They later divorced and she married again. I will write about Jane in another post.
Sources:
- Mary Harper, “History of Henrietta McPhail Eckersell Utah Pioneer 1856,” Daughters of Utah Pioneers Library, Salt Lake City
- Artwork by Julie Rogers
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Hampson's
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| Veda and Haven soon after being married. |
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| Nancy, Murray and Santa! |
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| The Hampson family - Nancy, Haven, Veda, Murray Isn't my mom so cute?? |
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| Veda Selman Hampson |
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| Nancy and Murray - 1970 |
Friday, September 9, 2011
McKinnon's
Gene and Ella Mae McKinnon
1970
McKinnon Brothers
Kim, Don, Steve
1968 (my dad was going into the MTC)
Gene McKinnon
1969
Ella Mae and sons
1962
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