The Wyoming Woodticks. P. 1

On the McKinnon, Wyoming website (the city McKinnon being named after Archibald McKinnon Sr.), there are some memoirs written by the Stake President of the stake that was being formed there. Archibald was the 1st counselor and accompanied the stake pres on many occasions to the city - which is why they named it after him. Anyways, I will post every now and then a memoir written that has Archibald in it, or one that he was present for as he accompanied the author of the memoir.

They can all be found here:
http://www.mckinnonwyoming.com/the_wyoming_woodticks.htm

Below is written by Archibald Pullman - the first bishop in the McKinnon, WY stake.


In preparing this brief history of McKinnon, Wyoming, consideration is given to the origin of the Woodruff Stake of Zion, named after the late president of the Church, Wilford Woodruff. The McKinnon Ward became a vital part in the life history of President John M. Baxter, who was then president of the Woodruff Stake, and of his beloved uncle, President Archibald McKinnon. (McKinnon Ward became as his namesake).
The purpose of our people migrating into the McKinnon area was to homestead lands, in the hope of future security and happiness for their families. These were a hard-working people—good Latter-day Saints. Many were related through marriage. All the group had previous acquaintance with each other. Some had developed very intimate relationships. Others had had dealings with each other in the livestock business. This particular area afforded good land of 160 acres for each family, with grazing rights on the range for their livestock. In addition to this, desert entries could be taken up which would afford land holdings up to nearly 1000 acres for each family. This expansion of property over their previous holdings in Utah and Sanpete Counties greatly increased their potential for future success in the livestock business.

Their first consideration, however, was for their spiritual and social well-being. Through some missionary work and contacts with the stake authorities, a ward organization was effected in the 1918, involving some 300 souls.

I was the first bishop of McKinnon Ward. Many times we held campfire meetings when stake authorities visited us and we lacked conveniences for a large gathering. These were appointed to be held by a rippling stream of spring water which ran nearby and which made a perfect setting to listen to the counsel of this great man, President Baxter. We had a great interest in his exciting experiences in the building up of this far-flung part of his stake. He, in company with other stake officers, would travel from 90 to 100 miles by team and wagon, sleeping at night by the roadside, preparing meals as they traveled, and intermittently watering and feeding their horses as they traveled up steep hills and into passes where roads were hazardous and unprepared. It involved at times 10 to 12 days and 180 miles of travel to complete the circuit of the outlying wards and branches of his stake. This slow mode of travel gave opportunity for observation, not only of the condition of the people, but of the country in general.
One particular experience that President Baxter related was of great interest to our people. It involved a trip that he and his stake family took into our area on the way to Manila, some 15 miles beyond. President Archibald McKinnon was in company with his stake officers at that time. They had observed, during the day, many squatters settled upon various quarter sections of land. They camped that night on the very spot where we held campfire meetings. This particular spot seemed to be a prearranged place, as the spring of cool fresh water running through a grove of trees made a pleasant campsite. That evening comments were made by the group regarding the squatters. This conversation caused a deep contemplation in the mind of Archibald McKinnon. After the evening prayer he made this prophetic utterance. "Brethren, I want to say to you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that these squatters will never prove up on this land. There will yet come a day when a colony of Latter-day Saints will settle upon these lands, and they will prove up on them and make their homes here, becoming an organization of the Church in this very locality." This prophecy was made about the 1910. It was literally fulfilled. Peculiar as it may seem, President McKinnon died on April 22,1915, at the very time settlement began in this area – almost to the very day – by a colony of Latter-day Saints.

The success of our endeavors in this life cannot be claimed by one individual – nor can it be given to any one other. We ride, as it were, upon the shoulders of mighty men who have gone on before. Therefore, when a life combines not only goodness and virtue but also devotion to duty and patriotism in the spirit of sacrifice, and a deep, abiding faith in God, it becomes our duty to unfold such to our posterity.

by Archibald Pulham

McKinnon, Wyoming

Archibald McKinnon, Sr.

The Wyoming Woodticks - pt 3

On the McKinnon, Wyoming website (the city McKinnon being named after Archibald McKinnon Sr.), there are some memoirs written by the Stake President of the stake that was being formed there. Archibald was the 1st counselor and accompanied the stake pres on many occasions to the city - which is why they named it after him. Anyways, I will post every now and then a memoir written that has Archibald in it, or one that he was present for as he accompanied the author of the memoir.

 Below is a memoir written by Archibald Pullham - the first bishop of the McKinnon ward.

TRAGEDY AT MOUNTAIN VIEW

Writes President John M. Baxter, "In the spring of 1905, President Archibald McKinnon, Thomas Tingey, George A. Neville, and I made a tour of the state. We spent two weeks making this visit. While on this tour after leaving Milburn, we went to Mountain View, where we found the people in a state of excitement. A woman and a little boy undertook to cross Smith’s Fort River. The melting snows had swollen the stream, and the current was very swift. The party drove a team into the river, and the current took the team and wagon down the stream. In some unaccountable way, the little boy got out, but the woman and the horses were drowned. The boy had just reached the store at Mountain View when we arrived there, and we joined in the search for the woman. We found the horses and wagon some distance below where they went into the stream, but the woman was not with the outfit. The horses were both dead when we found them. We kept up a search for the woman all day—without success. The next day her body was found—some two miles below. This was the same woman who came to the meeting at Lone Tree last year with her little boy on the night we had organized the Sunday School among the cowboys."

I thought this would be of interest as we remember Mountain View—a mail station during the years of our sojourn in McKinnon. It was one of the central exchange stations on the old-type telephone, the handle of which we turned and rang for various stations outside of Mountain View.

Many similar experiences were had by President John M. Baxter in organizing the outlying areas of his stake. He had many wonderful experiences. Archibald McKinnon, his uncle, accompanied him throughout all of those early experiences.

We come now to April 22, 1915—and the death of Archibald McKinnon. Writes President Baxter, "Archibald McKinnon, my uncle, and first counselor in the stake presidency, died at Randolph April 22, 1915. His funeral was held in connection with a stake conference which was held on April 24 and 25 at Randolph. President McKinnon was like a father to me when I was a child, and I grew up under his care and instruction. In my young manhood he was my bishop and directed my spiritual activities. When I became a man, my uncle and I became companions and were very much attached to each other. When I was chosen bishop of Woodruff Ward, we became more closely associated than ever. We traveled together to conferences in the Bear Lake Stake and discussed the problems of our respective wards. With our unity and affection, the people of Randolph and Woodruff became very closely united. When I was called to be president of Woodruff Stake, he was still bishop of Randolph Ward and fully sustained me as his president.
"Nothing of any importance was done in the Woodruff Ward on which I was not counseled. When President Byron Sessions was released as my counselor, my uncle was chosen to succeed him and continued in that position until he died.

"President McKinnon was faithful unto the last moment of his life. He never shirked any duty that was required of him at any time. He was wise in counsel, kind to everyone, honest in his dealings with his fellowman, strict in obedience to the commandments of God, and devoted his life freely to the service of the Lord. The speakers at his funeral were Apostle Heber J. Grant, Joseph W. McMurrin, George A. Peart, and Bishop . Many beautiful floral offerings and manifestations of esteem were attendant."

Continuing the history which President Baxter has written, I quote another passage:
"We had called our settlement "Mountain Home" for many years. The name "Mountain Home" was changed to "McKinnon" on September 8, 1922, in honor of President Archibald McKinnon."

 Then President Baxter relates in his history that on one of his trips to Manila, Brother McKinnon accompanied him and they camped on the spot that I had previously mentioned—where the McKinnon Ward is now located. "He reiterated by saying to me, "John, you will see that day when there will be a settlement of Latter-day Saints on this spot, as I have predicted in the past." A few years later this prediction was literally fulfilled. He little thought then, however, that the settlement would be named after him."

http://www.mckinnonwyoming.com/the_wyoming_woodticks.htm

The Wyoming Woodticks - pt 2

On the McKinnon, Wyoming website (the city McKinnon being named after Archibald McKinnon Sr.), there are some memoirs written by the Stake President of the stake that was being formed there. Archibald was the 1st counselor and accompanied the stake pres on many occasions to the city - which is why they named it after him. Anyways, I will post every now and then a memoir written that has Archibald in it, or one that he was present for as he accompanied the author of the memoir.

 Below is a memoir written by John Baxter - the stake president of the area. (Also our great great great cousin):

THE REORGANIZATION OF THE MANILA BRANCH

AND AN ATTEMPT TO ORGANIZE

A SUNDAY SCHOOL AMONG THE COWBOYS OF LONE TREE

"In September of 1904, in company with Andrew Jensen, assistant historian of the Church, with some of our Relief Society sisters and sisters of the Primary association (we were accompanied also by Archibald McKinnon of the stake presidency), we made a trip toward the Manila Branch, 125 miles from the Woodruff Ward on the Henry’s Fork of the Green River. On the way, about 32 miles southeast of Lyman, there is a little village called Lone Tree, where a few families had located; and although we knew it was a pretty wild place, we thought we might organize a Sunday School there. A house had been built, not far from the road, among some of the pine trees. Here we saw children playing around the house. We drove up to the house and I, on entering, found a woman with a very large family of children. They were in very destitute circumstances. The children were very shy, not having been accustomed to seeing strangers. I told the lady that we thought it would be nice to organize a Sunday School there and, said I, "I see you have a lot of children here that need the benefit of a Sunday School. What do you think about it, milady?" She said, in a very drawling tone, "Wal, I dunno, but I don’t think it would work. They tried it once before, and it didn’t go. The cowboys rode into the house and shot up all the windows—scared the kids nearly to death—and broke it up, so I don’t think it’ll work." I said to her, "If we organize a Sunday School, would you send your children?" She said, "I reckon I would, but I don’t think it’ll work." I said to her again, "We are thinking of holding a meeting in the schoolhouse on our return. Do you think the cowboys will interfere with us?"" She answered, "Wal, I donno. They might shoot around, but I don’t think they would shoot you. They shot a man here last week, but he needed killin’."

"In thinking about this, I thought the prospect of our having a Sunday School at Lone Tree was very flattering. We thought we would try, so we posted a notice on the schoolhouse door, appointing a meeting on the following Monday evening at eight o’clock. The sisters pled with us not to attempt this meeting, but Brother Jensen and I thought it would be all right, so we went on to Manila, and there we held a branch conference and installed Peter G. Wall as bishop of the contemplated ward. Brother Jensen obtained his historical data, and after spending a pleasant time with the people of Manila, we drove back to Lone Tree."

"Arriving there a little before sundown on Monday evening, we heard of a man by the name of Harry Bullock, who had relatives in Provo, Utah, who were members of the Church, and we thought that he would be all right for superintendent of the Sunday School if he was a member of the Church; so we drove to his house. Now Mr. Bullock was not at home, but his wife was there, and they had a large number of hay men. They were just in the middle of haying. The wife hesitated for some time before she let us in but finally did ask us to come in. The boys took care of the team. She was preparing supper for the hay men and said that as soon as they were through with their supper, she would prepare some food for us. We had not been there long before the cowboys came in from the hay field. They were galloping as fast as the horses could run—shouting and yelling at the top of their voices. Our ladies were very nervous and did not want to stay, but there was nothing else to do. While the boys were eating I told them the object of our visit and asked them to come to the meeting. They said, "Shore, we’ll come." One said, "When you organize a Sunday School here and make it go, I will show you a white cow!"

"After finishing their meal they retired to their bunkhouse, and after we had eaten, it was time for us to go to the meeting. We had to walk about half a mile to the schoolhouse. It was very dark, and we had to go through the woods. One of the ladies took Brother Jensen by the arm and the other took me by the arm—one on each side of me. I never had ladies cling so tight to me before or since as those ladies did that night. When we arrived at the schoolhouse, no one was there. We found a coal oil lamp, lit it, and set it upon the cupboard in the center of the hall. Then we sat down and waited. About nine o’clock a woman with a little child came in. At ten o’clock a number of cowboys came. They had their leather chaps, with spurs—their six-shooters hanging at their sides. At eleven o’clock we commenced our meeting, with quite a little congregation. The cowboys were no particular about making any noise. They did not take off their hats but acted as if they had never been in a meeting before."

"Brother Jensen was the first speaker. He had recently returned from the Holy Land and carried with him some souvenirs, among which was a Star of Bethlehem which he had bought at Bethlehem, some stones from Mt. Carmel and the Sea of Galilee, and other little trophies. Showing these and talking of his travels through Palestine was quite interesting to that group of listeners. I then addressed the assembly, speaking of the organization of the Sunday School and of the benefit that it could be to the children of the community. Incidentally, I said that sometimes, under the auspices of the Sunday School, we got up dances. One of the cowboys started yelling, "Whoopee, let’s have a Sunday School!" The others all agreed with similar shouts, so we proceeded to organize.

"We chose Harry Bullock as superintendent. He could raise no objection because of his absence. Two girls who had attended the BYU at Provo, Utah, volunteered to assist. They were voted in, and we finally effected an organization. The voting seemed to be very amusing to the cowboys. One fellow sitting near the center of the room first voted with one hand, then with both hands, and finally with his hands and his feet also. As the voting continued., his enthusiasm seemed to increase. After returning home, I learned that the Sunday School lasted two weeks. The girls went on the roundup with the boys out on the range, and the Sunday School was broken up. Several years later, however, we did organize again and had a good Sunday School at Lone Tree, which is still functioning."

Found at:
http://www.mckinnonwyoming.com/the_wyoming_woodticks.htm

Death Certs

Death Certificate for Archibald McKinnon (Sr.)



Death Certificate of Mary McKay McKinnon



Did you know?

Did you know that the Bingham and McKinnon families were always meant to be together?

Not only with Gene and EllaMae, but generations before.

You see our Gene McKinnon's great grandpa on his dad's side, Archibald McKinnon Sr, and Ella Mae Bingham's great-great grandma on her mom's side, Jane McKinnon McPhail, were brother and sister.

Archibald and Mary part 3

In 1861, Mary met Archibald McKinnon, a fellow Scottish immigrant, and they were married on August 9, 1861.  They had a little house in Salt Lake where they lived for ten years and began their family together.  While living in Salt Lake, Archibald and Mary had 4 children: Robert (b1863), Archibald Jr. (b1865), Peter (b1868), and Malcolm (b1869).

In the spring of 1862 he joined the artillery and was a member of the expedition sent to the Morrisite camp, on the Weber, in June, 1862. The Morrisite War, was a  short but unfortunate episode in Utah history. The Morrisite camp was a group of Mormon apostates led by a church member named Joseph Morris who believed he was a prophet. Morris  taught that Brigham Young was a fallen prophet, about 200 former LDS members  followed him. Morris taught that there would be an immediate second coming of Christ. This teaching led his followers to spend their earnings carelessly, and feel as though did not have to heed the laws of the land. They stole cattle, trampled crops and refused to pay taxes. There was a warrant out for the leader’s arrest, but not one surrendered until the Utah militia responded. Ultimately the Morrisites surrendered after about 5 people were killed.

Archibald had the opportunity during perilous times to serve as a body guard for the prophet Brigham young.  He also worked as a special policeman in the Salt Lake Theatre for many years.     In 1864 he opened a harness shop on Main Street with a friend, and made enough money to build a new home the following year.   

  Archibald loved music and studied it whenever he had the opportunity. It is told that he had beautiful voice and wrote many songs. A great blessing he felt in his life is when he had a opportunity to study music under the famous George Careless while living in Salt Lake.

 When Congress passed the Homestead Act of 1862, Brigham Young became anxious to obtain control of the land before non-Mormons did.   In May, 1871, Brigham Young called Archibald, Mary and their children to move to the Bear River Valley. They, along with his sister, Jane, and her son, John M. Baxter, and others with whom he was associated moved to Randolph that late spring. They brought two teams of horses and wagons, milk cows, seeds, plants, and fruit trees.  Mary brought along her treasured flowers and rose bushes, but they did not survive the intense winters there. She eventually was able to raise gardens and several varieties of hardy flowers. The trees froze out during their first winter there.

          
            Randolph was a challenging place to live. All the new settlers endured many hardships in the area. The first winter living in Randolph, they lived in a covered wagon and a tent, and had a hard time trying to keep warm. The next spring they began to clear the land and build a house and tried to raise a garden. The season in this valley was very short and they soon learned that fruit and anything that needed a long summer was not for them, and there were many times they were hungry and cold. Harsh winters affected the settlement of the Bear Lake Valley. Randolph and Woodruff (a city next to Randolph) average only 57 frost-free days a year and once held the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in the state (-50 F. degrees on February 6, 1899).

Shortly after settling in Randolph, Mary and Archibald were both called to positions in the church. Mary was called to be a member of the Relief Society presidency, and worked for many years in that position, helping with the sick and sewing for and feeding those in need. Archibald was called to act as second counselor to Bishop Randolph Stewart. He also organized a ward choir and served as its leader. At the same time he organized a Sunday School with George Alma Peart (also in the Byron McKinnon family line) and William Rex. They had 15 members. There was no piano or organ and so they sang a capella.

 

Randolph’s First Choir

(We have a few direct relatives in this choir whose

 names are highlighted in red)

Back Row Left to Right: Sarah Tyson, Mary McKay McKinnon, Comfort Pead, Mary Brough Rex, Sarah South, Jane Peart, Louise Park Harper, Jane Brough McKinnon (Archibald's plural wife - she is also in our Bingham line)

Front Row Left to Right: William Tyson, Sarah Ann Tyson, Archibald McKinnon Sr., Bishop Randolph Stewart, Cornelius Evans, William Rex and George Alma Peart Sr.

              
  Throughout the first decade of living in Randolph, Mary and Archibald had six more children:  Randolph Stewart (b.1871), Samuel (b.1873), Lemuel (b.1875), John Francis (b.1877) Donald (b.1879) and Mary (b. 1881).  In total, Mary and Archibald had 10 sons, and her last child was a daughter.  Mary taught her sons to help her in the three room house built of logs and they each had daily household chores.  While Mary worked at home and in the community, Archibald was assessor for Rich County, and later served in other county offices from 1872 through 1878.

Jane Brough

On July 10, 1879, he was called by Brigham Young to obey the law of plural marriage by marrying Jane Brough, who was sealed to him in the Endowment house in Salt Lake City.  Jane Brough is related to our family through the EllaMae Bingham side. She had polio when she was a child and as a result walked with crutches the rest of her life. Jane had 11 children with Archibald and lived in the same house as Mary. The house was full but the two families were very close.

                Archibald became a member of the territorial legislature in 1880. During his term, the important law was passed that made water rights personal property. That same year, Archibald was called as Bishop in Randolph – which he served for 21 years.

When Archibald became Bishop, Mary’s responsibilities became greater. Her family was gradually becoming larger and she was responsible for entertaining the church authorities who came to visit in Randolph. She was also responsible to take care of the tithing, which was always paid “in kind” by butter, eggs and garden produce and even cattle. They had to all be taken care of.   Back in the earlier days of the church tithing which was paid in kind,  was collected and stored in local church warehouses and redistributed throughout the area to individuals and other communities in need. Sometimes the item would be sold at market where the money profited would go to the church. Many time it was months before it could be sold or used by those in need, and Mary had to keep the butter in stone jars, clean chickens and ready them for the market as well as go to the sick and dying.

                During this time in history, a manifesto was signed seeking out the men who practiced polygamy making it an illegal act. The United States marshals spent a great deal of time after that in searching for those who were polygamist men. Archibald was arrested September 3, 1888, charged with “unlawful cohabitation”, and ordered to appear before the U.S. Commissioner in Logan.  He was sentenced to three months in the penitentiary, plus court costs. While he was in jail, he learned of the death of his 2 year old year old son, William George (Jane’s son), sadly he was not allowed to be released for his funeral.

He was released March 9, 1889, and returned home. In October of 1889, he moved Jane and his family to Fish Haven, Idaho to prevent further incarcerations.  Jane and the children lived there for 5 years, but Archibald being bishop in Randolph could only spend 1 week out of each month with that family.

Life continued on in the little town a Randolph, in 1900 Archibald was Rich County Treasurer and  a year later he was called as the first counselor in the Woodruff Stake Presidency (his nephew was the Stake President). He served as a counselor for almost 14 years.   

                After his passing, Mountain Home, Wyoming, in the far reaches of old Woodruff stake, changed its name to McKinnon, Wyoming in his memory.

Archibald died April 18, 1915. His Death Certificate states that he died of "Chronic Instestinal Nephritis", apparently brought on by "La Grippe" (the flu).  After he died, Mary moved in with her only daughter, Mary McKinnon Rees and lived 10 more years and died on August 4, 1925. Few facets of pioneer life in Randolph were untouched by Archibald and Mary McKinnon’s lives.   

Sources:

• Randolph a look back
• Conquerors of the West: Stalwart Mormon Pioneers by Florence C. Youngberg
• http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=214
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/person.php?id=77835
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/voyage.php?id=326#accounts
• ttp://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/records.html#ar
• http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/narrative/1,18046,4981-1-52,00.html
• Atkin, Luella M., “The Happiest Day of his life, “ Juvenile Instructor, 1 Feb 1901 76-79  http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-4670,00.html
• http://homepage.mac.com/venitar/Genealogy/Histories/RobertMichie/MichieToUtah.html
•  http://mormonhistory.org/content/view/297/88/lang,en/
• http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/m/MORRISITES.html
• http://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_counties/rich.html
• http://cpluhna.nau.edu/Research/ecology_and_mormon_colonization.htm

First McKinnon in America - Part 2

Part 2 continued from this post.

           In 1861, while living in Salt Lake City, Archibald McKinnon Sr. met a girl named Mary McKay who was also from Scotland. They were married in the endowment house, on August 9, 1861.

          

         Mary was born in Scotland on November 16, 1838. Her parents were Robert McKay and Agnes Shields.  She was the sixth out of seven children – three having died within their first year of life.  Her father worked as a weaver and mother stayed at home with the children. When Mary was about 9 years old, their family came into contact with the LDS church and knew it to be true. Robert and Agnes were baptized and confirmed on December 21, 1847. Mary and her siblings were baptized later on. Mary on October 10, 1850. Mary’s biography talks about how when her family joined the Mormon church, her neighbors and family friends became bitter and unfriendly, which increased their desire to go to Utah with the rest of Saints.

            Mary, her parents and her little sister left Scotland and boarded the Ship “Isaac Wright” on March 5, 1855. Mary’s two older siblings had left a few years before to prepare a home for them in Utah.

The ship arrived at Port in Massachusetts, and the McKay family decided to stay there for in order to earn money to buy supplies before their journey westward.  The had stayed in Massachusetts working in Cotton Mills at Holyoke for about three years when they  decided to continue on. They met at the gathering place with the rest of the saints traveling with them at Florence, Nebraska on June 6, 1859. They were soon on their way across the plains using handcarts. Many families used handcarts because they were less expensive.

            The family traveled in the George Rowley Handcart Company, leaving on June 9, 1859. This was the eighth handcart company to come across. Within it were about 235 people using 60 handcarts and 8 wagons.

Having worked in Massachusetts prior to the trek, the McKay’s had earned money to help them be well-prepared for the hard journey. As the weeks passed, the food became scarce and hunger set in. They were all very relieved when they reached their destination. They arrived in Utah on September 4, 1859. Below is an excerpt from a man named in the same company who was telling his memories of the trek:

“ At night we placed a double guard, and, it being a dark night, we put out our fires early to prevent the Indians from seeing us. We drew our carts close together and longed for daylight to come. Some went to bed, and when all was perfectly still, we were aroused by one of the most hideous noises that I ever heard. It was the Indians. Some of them had on buckskin suits covered with bells. They sang, and jumped, and knocked down one of our tents that was full of people, mostly women and children. It was no wonder the women screamed and the children cried; as we all thought it was an Indian war dance, of which we had heard so much.

The Indians, perceiving our fear, took advantage of it. They had what was fun to them, but to us there was no fun in it. We were already up when the day dawned and were soon traveling with the hope that we should see the Indians no more; but we had traveled but a few miles when a number of them came as fast as they could ride, shouting like demons, with their long hair flying in the breeze. They tormented us for hours, and this, our fist Indian experience, was a terror to us in very deed.

Our hard work gave us keen appetites and most of us ate our rations in about half the time that they should have lasted. Then we would ask for more, and, of course, we got it. As we had only seventy pounds of flour for ten weeks; (unless we could make the trip in less time) it followed that we should have to go short at the latter end. We had scarcely reached half way when we found, to our sorrow, that our provisions were nearly gone; then each person had to do with one pound of flour for two days and we felt the pangs of hunger. We had four persons to each cart. Our four consisted of myself, your grandma and our two children. Thus, there being but two of us to pull our cart it made our work very hard indeed. One day as we were traveling along, in this hungry condition, I saw a sheep some distance from the road. I was at once impressed to try to get it. Accordingly I pulled our cart on one side of the road. Seeing what I was doing, our companions made fun of me, but I started out, at the same time offering up a silent prayer to our Heavenly Father to assist me, and to my joy it was but a short time until I caught the sheep and I assure you it was a very good mutton. This was a great help to us, and we divided the meat with those who had small children.

We traveled on until the next day, when, to our sorrow, our rations were reduced to a pound of flour for four days, and then we felt more than ever the pangs of hunger; children were crying for bread and their parents were unable to give them any.”

           

            Mary’s family settled for in Salt Lake City. Her father started working as a Weaver again, and they lived a happy family life with the saints around them. Though she was happy in Utah, Mary often talked about her old life in Scotland and her happy life there. In 1861, Mary met Archibald McKinnon, a fellow Scottish immigrant, and they  were married on August 9, 1861.

Source

Sources:

• Randolph a look back
• Conquerors of the West: Stalwart Mormon Pioneers by Florence C. Youngberg
• http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=214
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/person.php?id=77835
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/voyage.php?id=326#accounts
• ttp://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/records.html#ar
• http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/narrative/1,18046,4981-1-52,00.html
• Atkin, Luella M., “The Happiest Day of his life, “ Juvenile Instructor, 1 Feb 1901 76-79  http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-4670,00.html

·         http://homepage.mac.com/venitar/Genealogy/Histories/RobertMichie/MichieToUtah.html

First McKinnon in America (for our family) - Part 1

 Archibald McKinnon Sr. and Mary McKay

How we Relate:

They are the parents of Archibalde McKinnon JR,

who is the father of Archie Leo McKinnon,

who is the father of Byron Eugene McKinnon

who is the father of Don McKinnon

♥

Archibald McKinnon was born June 20, 1837 in Argyle shire, Scotland, and was the youngest of nine children who filled the home of Donald and Mary McClellan McKinnon. When he was nine years old, the family moved to Greenock, Scotland and lived there for nine months. During this time in Scotland, there was a great famine going on and many people were struggling to survive. This famine greatly increased immigration to Canada, and the United States. While living in Greenock, his father and older sister, Catherine, both died of Typhoid Fever. Three months later the rest of family moved on to Paisley, Scotland.

His family was introduced to Mormon Missionaries in 1851.  He joined the LDS church on July 26, 1852 when he was 15 years old.

When Archibald was about 17-18 years old he apprenticed to learn the shoemaker’s trade. Apprentices were the boys (aged 10 to 20) who were indentured to serve as apprentices to craftsmen and merchants who were freemen (not servants or dependants.) Frequently, an apprentice was related to his master, or later married his master's daughter.

Shortly thereafter, in 1855 - just being 18 years old, he traveled alone and crossed the Atlantic in the ship “Samuel Curling” to united with the rest of those from his church. The ship set out from Liverpool on April 22, 1855. There were about 617 passengers aboard, 581 of them being LDS passengers making their way to Zion.  There is a story told by a passenger of the Samuel Curling that the captain of the ship had told the saints that he in his long experience as a seafaring man had never encountered the horrible storms that they passed through and knew the worst was yet to come. The captain was worried and disheartened, but the leader of the saints to  him to not worry because the storm was about to end. He told some of the saints that while the storm was raging, he saw the ship surrounded by "scores of angels, who stood in a circle around it with joined hands."  The ship reached its port at New York on May 22, 1855. Not one person died during the voyage across the sea.

After reaching New York, most of the Mormon passengers left to begin the rest of the journey to Zion. They left New York by steamboat to get to Philadelphia. Once arriving in Philadelphia, they were placed on a railway train heading for Pittsburg. After arriving at Pittsburg, they boarded another steamboat and continued on to St. Louis where they proceeded to Kansas. This was all done within about 7 days.

Archibald was directed to cross the plains into Utah with the Milo Andrus Company which led 461 people to Utah. They left Kansas on August 4, 1855. Due to the late start, the company leader pushed them to go faster than what was comfortable. Many people of the company called him a bully and didn’t like him. But looking back to the Martin and Willey handcart companies that were stranded in the mountains during winter, the push to go fast was imperative.  They arrived in Utah on October 24, 1855.

                Archibald stayed a few weeks in Salt Lake City after arriving, and then traveled to Provo where he found work as a shoemaker and in the tanning business. In the spring of 1856, Archibald went to Palmyra, Utah - two miles from the present Spanish Fork, to try to get a job he had heard about. He told the story of having just a few cents in his pocket, so he started out alone, hitchhiking. After going quite a way, he became uncertain and went behind a tree to pray, being a truly religious man. He continued along and soon saw some children playing. They came to him and he learned they were the youngsters of people with whom he had become very good friends with while crossing the ocean. The little ones took him home, and the family welcomed him with great rejoicing, as though a son had returned.

                By late 1859, he had moved back to Salt Lake City. He was then employed by Howard Egan (Howard's and Archibald's grandchildren married each other years later) to take charge of the mail and pony express station near the Bluffdale called "Jordan Narrows".  Due to attacks from local Indians, this route was quite an undertaking, but he stuck with it for 3 years.

           

Pony Express Jordan Narrows Marker located at:

17800 S Redwood Road
Bluffdale, 84065
Salt Lake County

        
    In 1861, while living in Salt Lake City, he met a girl named Mary McKay who was also from Scotland. They were married in the endowment house, on August 9, 1861.



To be continued.....

 Sources:

• Randolph a look back
• Conquerors of the West: Stalwart Mormon Pioneers by Florence C. Youngberg
• http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=214
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/person.php?id=77835
• http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/voyage.php?id=326#accounts
• ttp://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/records.html#ar