EDWARD AND "ELIZA" BARBER JENKINS

EDWARD AND ELIZA BARBER JENKINS are the great-great grandparents of Mary Whittle Scott.  Click on "Mary's Pedigree" at the top of this blog.  EDWARD is #29 and ELIZA #30 at the bottom of the far right side of the pedigree.  We will be visiting several sites related to ELIZA on our Tooele field trip on Oct. 8th, as noted below.  (The sources for the information in this post are indicated by numbers in parentheses and listed at the end.)

EDWARD JENKINS was born on September 9, 1810 Mathon, Worcester, England. ELIZA BARBER was born August 22, 1813, also in Mathon.  They were married on June 14, 1838 in Colewall City, Herefordshire, England. Their first child, MARY ANN JENKINS (our ancestor), was born on Jan. 10, 1839 in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. (1,2)

EDWARD AND ELIZA were baptized in Oct. 1840. They were among the 600 converts of the United Brethren Church, who were taught by Wilford Woodruff. (2) There is a detailed account of this group of converts in a fascinating Ensign article, published in Jan. 1987.

Following is a quote from the article about the converts from the United Brethren, which no doubt applies to EDWARD AND ELIZA as well:

“Influenced by John Bunyon’s Pilgrim’s Progress, the early Puritan work which stressed deep personal piety and the need for the true Christian to view this life as a pilgrimage back to God’s presence, this group [the United Brethren] was open to the new revelation Elder Woodruff brought. Their habit of daily prayer and their stress on family life also assured his message a warm and honest reception....In 1875, Elder Woodruff looked back on his work among the United Brethren and recalled, ‘They as a people were prepared for the word of the Lord, and I wanted to catch them in the gospel net.’ He took great delight in his later years in proclaiming that very few of the converts from this area had left the Church. But he took no credit to himself for their conversion. ‘I brought eighteen hundred into the Church in that mission, and I will say that the power of God rested upon me and upon the people. There was a spirit to convince and a people whose hearts were open and ready to receive the gospel.’”

EDWARD AND ELIZA JENKINS came to America and settled in Nauvoo.  Tragically, EDWARD died of cancer on January 24, 1842, age 32.  On October 5, 1842, ELIZA gave birth to their second child, Sara Emma Jenkins. (1,2)

In 1845, ELIZA married JOHN ROWBERRY in Nauvoo. (1,2)  JOHN was born in 1823 in Bishops Frome, Heffordshire, England.  He was baptized a member of the Church in 1840 by Wilford Woodruff. (3) Eliza was 32 and John 22 when they married.  Since all three heard Wilford Woodruff preach, and the towns where they lived are only 15 miles apart, one wonders whether ELIZA AND EDWARD may have known JOHN in England.

JOHN AND ELIZA came to Utah in the Ezra T. Benson Company, arriving sometime between Oct. 25-29, 1849. (4)  Listed with them in the company roster are John Edward Rowberry (1 yr.) and Joseph Rowberry (3 yrs.), Sarah Emma Jenkins (6 yrs.), and MARY ANN JENKINS (10 yrs.). (4)

“John Rowberry, wife, and five children” are listed among the first five families who settled in Tooele on a marker placed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) in Settler’s Park in Tooele. (5)  We will visit this marker on Oct. 8th. (Click on this link, then click on Markers to see the inscription on the marker.)

My husband’s direct ancestor, JOSIAH HOWE CALL, is also listed on the marker!

DUP marker commemorating the first five families to settle in Tooele.

On November 24, 1849, Ezra T. Benson, JOSIAH CALL, Anson Call, and Judson Tolman, were granted the right to the saw and building timber in Pine Creek and Small (Middle) Creek Canyon, and the privilege of a mill site on Big (Settlement) Canyon Creek. (6)  JOHN AND ELIZA ROWBERRY and their five children arrived in Tooele in December of the same year.  In fact, the first dancing party occurred in BISHOP ROWBERRY'S house on Christmas Day 1849.  JOSIAH CALL whistled and someone had a Jews Harp, and that furnished the music! (7)

JOHN ROWBERRY was the presiding elder and bishop in Tooele for many years.  He was the first mayor of Tooele City and a member of the territorial legislature to which he was elected Aug. 7, 1851. (3) He became postmaster when a mail route was established in 1852. (8)

JOHN AND ELIZA had three additional children: Olive Jane, born in 1849, Permelia, born in 1850, and Eliza, born Feb. 29, 1852.

Sadly, ELIZA died on Oct. 3, 1852, at age 39.  JOHN married Mary Ann Gollaher on Jan. 31, 1853. (1)

Here’s the family history mystery that I believe is now solved:  The Scott brothers and their wives will likely remember the figurine below that Mary had in her possession:

Figurine handed down from mother to daughter or granddaughter since Eliza Barber Jenkins came to America.

I remember Grandma Mary telling me that the figurine was always passed down to the oldest daughter in the family.  She said it had been brought across the plains with the pioneers by one of their ancestors.  Mary had only sons, but I was the oldest granddaughter, so she said I would inherit it someday.  When Mary moved to Atlanta, she gave the figurine to Richard and Jeanene for safe-keeping.  Shortly before my mother passed away, I asked her if she knew where the figurine came from and she replied that Mary didn’t seem to know.  But a couple of days ago I figured it out (likely with help from the other side).

I believe the figurine belonged to ELIZA BARBER JENKINS ROWBERRY!

Here’s why:  (You can follow this on “Mary’s Pedigree” at the top of the blog. The birth order details are from our family genealogy database.)

Mary Ann Jenkins is the oldest daughter of Eliza Barber Jenkins.
Eliza Primrose Shields is the oldest daughter of Mary Ann Jenkins.
Margaret Shields Smith is the oldest daughter of Eliza Primrose Shields.  (Interestingly, Magaret had seven older brothers and was the last child born to Eliza Primrose!)
Mary Whittle is the oldest daughter of Margaret Shields Smith.

Now I have an even greater appreciation for this tangible reminder of the sacrifices of our ancestors as they left homes and family to follow a prophet's call, came across the plains to Utah, settled in the wilderness, and stayed faithful to their sacred covenants.

SOURCES:
(1) www.new.familysearch.org and family genealogy database.

(2) History of Tooele County, compiled by the Tooele County Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Bicentennial Edition, 1961.  Salt Lake City, Utah:  Publishers Press, 1975, pp. 574-575 (“Mary Ann Jenkins”).

(3) History of Tooele County, pp.566-567 (“John Rowberry”).

(4) Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868, entry for “E.T. Benson Company.”
URL: http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysearchresults/1,15792,4017-1-65,00.html.

(5) DUP Marker #1, featured on the Tooele County Daughters of Utah Pioneers web site at http://www.duptooeleco.org.  Click on “Markers” on the left-hand side.

(6) History of Tooele County, p. 20.

(7) Excerpt from Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 18, p.164.

(8) History of Tooele County, p. 26.

TOOELE ANCESTORS: JOHN AND PRIMROSE CUNNINGHAM SHIELDS

John and Primrose Cunningham Shields are the great-great grandparents of Mary Eliza Whittle Scott.  (Click on "Mary's Pedigree" at the top of this blog. John is #28 and Primrose #29 on the lower right side of the pedigree.)  Following is their history, taken from the records of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  We will be visiting a number of sites related to this family on Sat. Oct. 8, 2011, as noted in brackets below.

John Shields was born in Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland, on April 1805, to Robert Shields and Mary Melvane (Melvine) Shields. John’s father was a weaver, and he taught the trade to his son.  [The 1841 Scotland census shows John's father, Robert, and his family, living on Hairst Lane.  If this is the same as the current Hairst Street, then they lived very close to the current Renfew Town Hall, at the center of the city.]

Renfrew Town Hall on Hairst Street, perhaps the location where John Shields' father lived.

John Shields (1805-1887)

John Shields married Primrose Cunningham, daughter of Archibald Cunningham and Ann Primrose, on August 16, 1827. Primrose was born in Tradiston Gorbals Parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on August 17, 1805.

Primrose Cunningham Shields (1805-1878)

Eight children were born to John and Primrose, but only five survived to adulthood:  Mary Shields, Robert Cunningham Shields [our ancestor], Archibald Cunningham Shields, Primrose Shields, and John Cunningham Shields. John was a gifted musician. and he taught his children to play a variety of musical instruments.

When missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to Renfrew, John and Primrose welcomed them. Primrose Cunningham Shields was baptized on May 17, 1841, and John Shields was baptized on July 4, 1841. Following his ordination as an elder in January 1842, John Shields presided over the Renfrew Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On March 5, 1849, the Shields family sailed from Liverpool to the United States on the ship Hartley under the direction of William Hulme. At New Orleans, they boarded the vessel Marmaduke and headed for Saint Louis. Cholera broke out, and sixty passengers died, but the Shields family was spared. The Marmaduke caught fire at the landing, and the fire spread to a large area of the city.

After spending four days in Saint Louis, they embarked on the steamer Lightfoot and headed up the Missouri River for Council Bluffs. Cholera was again encountered on this trip and ten others died, but the Shields family remained in good health. Because of the strong current, the boat could go no farther than the Savannah landing in Andrew County, Missouri. The passengers were all put ashore and left to fend for themselves.

John’s daughter; Primrose Shields Lee, who was nine years old when her family immigrated, wrote the following:

“We boarded the ship Lightfoot and went up the Missouri River, But we were put off the ship far short of our destination and had to take refuge on the bank of the river. Father and the boys found an old log cabin where we took up our abode and had one good night’s rest.

The next night, a mob of about twenty men came and asked if we were Mormons. We said, “Yes.” They said, “Well, damn you! We are Mormon haters!” With that, they started to tear the fence down and threatened to kill us. Then Father, being inspired by the Lord, took his trombone and stuck the horn through the window and blew such a blast, it frightened the mob. They took to their heels and fell over each other in getting away. Thus we were preserved from the hands of the wicked demons.

The next day we went on to Council Bluffs and were all taken sick with chills and fever, but recovered. We had to live on corn meal, ground with a coffee mill. The boys put up a house, and we lived there for two years, working and enjoying the company of other church members.

In the early summer of 1852, our family started across the plains in Albert Merrill’s company Just after we had crossed the Missouri River [into Nebraska], Father was run over by a big wagon, heavily laden. We expected his life to be crushed from him, but the elders administered to him, and he was made whole by the power of God and was able to walk most of the way to the Rockies.

We arrived in Salt Lake City on Saturday, October 12, 1852. On Sunday we attended church and listened to President Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Jedediah M. Grant.  President Young instructed us to go to Tooele and make our home there. We went through snow one foot deep. We camped at what is known as the mouth of Settlement Canyon. [We will visit the pioneer marker at Settlement Canyon.]  We bent willows over so we could do our cooking under them. We slept in our wagons until we could build a log house. We had some bran bread, sego bulbs , and pigweed [amaranth] to eat, so were not bothered much with indigestion. The Lord was merciful and sent us “manna” from heaven, which settled on the willows. We gathered it in and served it fur our sweets.”

[Several of Tooele’s early settlers wrote about the “honey dew” that appeared on the leaves of the willows that grew at the mouth of Settlement Canyon. They gathered it early in the mornings before the insects came out, and used it as a sweetener.]

John Shields built a home that still stands at 33 South First West Tooele. [We can drive by this home.] He made his living as a weaver, using the skills that he had learned in Scotland. He wove a considerable amount of homemade cloth and taught his trade to others.

It was quite a feat to saw lumber in those pioneer days.  A trench was dug about five or six feet deep, and logs were sawed by placing them across the pit. One man would operate a large handsaw from inside the pit, and a second man would operate a saw on ground level. One of these pits was located near the corner of Vine Street and First West. John and Archibald Shields did a great deal of the sawing, and they were considered experts at this work. The Shields’ saw can be seen today in the log cabin owned by the Tooele Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  [Click on the link, then "Museums" to see the cabin, which we will be visiting.]

In the early days, the settlers of Tooele had no timepiece. They donated funds to purchase an eight-day metal clock for John Shields so that he could keep time for the rest of the town. The sturdy clock adorned the Shields' living room, and strict rules were observed to insure that it was wound regularly and correctly.  John would walk up and down the streets blowing his trumpet thirty minutes prior to church meetings, concerts, and other gatherings. He also blew his horn every morning to summon the herders who would take the town’s livestock out to graze. Later, when the town got a meetinghouse with a bell on it, he became the official bell-ringer. [We will see this bell on the marker for the first meetinghouse in Tooele. Click on the link to see photos of this and other markers of interest.]

"Old Tooele (South) Ward Church"
was located on the corner of Main and Vine Streets, now the plaque is on the "Bell Marker" which sits on the same location. (www.duptooeleco.org)

John Shields was a natural musician, and he could play practically any instrument he got his hands on. He brought several musical instruments with him from Scotland, including a fife, piccolo, trombone, clarinet, and flute. With Joseph Robinson and his two sons, Robert C. Shields and Archie Shields, he organized the first brass band in Tooele. His brass and military bands played for celebrations, parades, patriotic ceremonies, and visits by General Authorities. He also played the violin for dances and entertainments and was known for his fine bass voice. His sons and Robert Meiklejohn also played for socials where the Highland fling and other Scottish dances were enjoyed. The Shields’ grandchildren loved to sing and play musical instruments at their grandfather’s house. But when it was his bedtime, he sent them all home.

There was a military organization in Tooele as early as 1852, and John Shields served as a platoon captain in the Tooele Militia under the command of Major John Rowberry. He was also the battalion musician and played for maneuvers on their regular muster days.

John Shields was the leader of the first ward choir in Tooele. He also served his church as Sunday School clerk, beginning in 1856 and continuing for several years. He kept detailed accounts of the activities of the Sunday School in his beautiful handwriting. One of the assignments of the Sunday School was to teach young and old how to read. Some of the older citizens had never had that opportunity before. Shields also served as clerk of the Tooele Ward and as president of the 43rd Quorum of Seventy.

On November 3, 1859, John Shields married Isabella Sutherland McPherson Muirbrook as a plural wife. She was born on January 28, 1805. John and Primrose Shields had met her while they were still living in Scotland.

In February of 1864, the Tooele Library was organized. The History of Tooele County states that John Shields was the first librarian. However, The History of Tooele Stake states that Richard Warburton was the first librarian and John Shields was one of the officers of the library board.

Primrose Cunningham Shields died on July 4, 1878, at the age of seventy-three.  Isabella Sutherland Shields died on March 26, 1884.  John Shields died on January 5, 1887, at the home of his son Archie where he lived during the last months of his life. His funeral was held in the Tooele Ward, and he is buried in the Tooele Cemetery.  [If time allows, we can visit the cemetery and see his head stone. Click on this link to see a photo and find links to graves of other family members.]

SOURCE: Pioneer Pathways:  Pioneers of Tooele County, pp. 390-394. Daughters of Utah Pioneers May 2003 Lesson Book

Kenneth Wayne and Ann Bassett Scott Personal History

Kenneth Wayne Scott:  Early YearsBy his Wife, Ann Bassett Scott (November 1995)

Kenneth Wayne Scott was born November 6,1936, in Washington D.C, to Kenneth LeRoy and Mary Eliza Whittle Scott. His brothers Gerald LeRoy, Richard Gordon, and Walter Conrad proceeded him in birth; James Mitchell followed.
  

Mary holding Wayne, Gerald standing behind Walter

Wayne resided with his family in Washington until 1942, when his father's work as an official in the U.S. Department of Agriculture required they move to Kansas City, Missouri. This move was prompted by the decentralization of the Federal Government during World War II. After the war, his family returned to Washington without Gerald, who had married by this time. Thus, the setting for most of Wayne's early years was our Nation's Capital.

Wayne with his dad, Kenneth, his grandparents, Elzumer and Carrie Mae Scott, and his mom, Mary

Wayne with his grandmother, Carrie Mae Sallee

Early home life
Wayne's mother was a less-active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his nonmember father smoked a pipe for many years. They were both devoted, faithful parents and, taught their five sons positive values by example and by precept. Wayne's father traveled a lot for the government but was able to afford hired help for Wayne's mother. This enabled her to focus on the nurturing of these positive values within the hearts of their five active sons.

L to R: Gerald, Wayne, Mary, Walter, Kenneth, Mitchel, and Richard

Mom and Dad Scott provided many opportunities for their sons to become actively involved in positive pursuits. They took music lessons, enjoyed making things in the family work shop, entertained friends in their home, and worked on the family farm near Sykesville, Maryland, about an hour's drive north of Washington. As a small child, Wayne attended church with his mother at an LDS chapel at Sixteenth Street and Columbia Road in Washington—one of a few chapels on the east coast.

Walter, Richard, and Gerald, holding Wayne on his lap

Wayne's father also fulfilled a very positive role in nurturing his sons' spiritual values. Since his mother never learned to drive a car, his father often would drive them to church on Sundays. He evidently didn't just drop them off, but attended often with them. Although he wasn't baptized for many years, his many friends knew that he was a Latter-day Saint at heart.

The family farm provided opportunity for the boys to learn the value of hard work and develop many practical skills. Wayne learned to drive a tractor, harvest corn, lift hay bales and stack them on a moving wagon, shock barley, work in a hot and dusty hay loft, help put shingles on a three-story farmhouse roof and a variety of other tasks. He even donned a special outfit and with smoke drove a hive of wild honey bees from their long-standing home within the farmhouse wall.

Wayne caring for sheep at the farm

He joined forces with his younger brother Mitch, and a tenant's son, and—with guidance from Dad Scott— operated their own chicken business on the farm. Sometimes work on the farm required dragging supplies several miles from the car at the head of muddy country roads, across snow-covered fields to the farm house. Although there was usually more than they could do on this farm, Sunday was always a welcomed day of rest.

Interests and hobbies
In these early years, Wayne began to develop his great love and natural abilities in music and the arts. His mother said that when she'd take him to church as a little baby, he would start crying whenever the organist hit certain notes on the organ that were out of tune. She felt this was because Wayne had been blessed with a gift of perfect pitch which, later in Wayne's life proved to be true.

Later in life, he learned to tune pianos by carefully observing a professional piano tuner who came to their home.

Some of his abilities proved to be a little detrimental, however, when he later took piano lessons. He would beg Walt to play the pieces he was to perform for his piano lesson just before his music teacher, Mrs. Kroll, drove up to the Scott household in her Studebaker, to give him his music lesson—for a fee of $1 per hour. Wayne played the assigned pieces by repeating what he had heard his brother Walter play, rather than by learning to be proficient in reading the notes.

Wayne entertaining the family before a White House function.  Walt on the left; Mary and June on the right.

Each of his older brothers played an instrument so it was only natural for Wayne to develop a great desire to play one, too. When his arm grew long enough to operate a trombone slide, he began taking lessons.
To reach the home of his trombone teacher, a member of the National Symphony Orchestra, Wayne went by himself on a series of busses and streetcars across town (in the days when it was safe to do so in Washington D.C.).

Wayne took orchestra in junior high and high school, played in a pep band and in the Metropolitan Police Boys' Band. This latter band marched in parades in the Nation's Capitol and provided the opportunity for Wayne to attend its summer music camp in southern Maryland for two weeks each summer. His skills were especially recognized when he won first place in musical competition every year except one (when he used a baritone horn he had learned to play on his own).

Kenneth Wayne Scott

There were other special memories his musical abilities provided: He won a music competition in the Washington D.C. area, when he was about thirteen, and had the unforgettable experience of playing a trombone duet with Tommy Dorsey, a famous band leader of his day. Furthermore, he enjoyed earning spending money when he and six of his friends formed a group named the "Merry Makers" which played for many dances.

Wayne also began developing some of his artistic gifts when he was young. He created his own cartoon strips, simple sketches, wood carvings, and wood shop projects. He continued to nurture these artistic abilities and used them to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design at the University of Kansas.

In later years he continued to benefit from this gift when we needed art work for home evening lessons, gifts to give others, or enhance our home. Among all his creations, I think my favorites were the mural of the Sacred Grove on the east wall of our Rockville home, charcoal sketches of our children, and a likeness of the Prophet Joseph Smith created entirely with a stamp ink pad and Wayne's own thumb prints.

In addition to his musical and artistic interests in high school, Wayne was a member of the Key Club (which was something of a junior Kiwanis Club). He also became the president of a science club he helped form and a member of the National Honor Society because he did well academically in school.

Education and Schooling
Wayne attended Border Star Elementary School in Kansas City and Lynnbrook Elementary School, Alice Deal Junior High School, Woodrow Wilson High School, and George Washington University while living in Washington. During his two years at George Washington University, he studied mechanical engineering which was very helpful in his later obtaining his Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Industrial Design from the University Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. In 1960, he was selected by the faculty of his department as one of the outstanding senior students in his department and he was awarded a $25 Christmas Vesper Prize. In 1961, as he was nearing his graduation from K. U., he was offered a $750 scholarship from the School of Business for his scholastic achievements and to encourage him to pursue further studies in business administration.

Instead, he chose to get a job and marry.

Ann Bassett engagement announcement

K. Wayne Scott and Ann Bassett, married 20 Nov. 1961

In 1970, after we were married, he received his Master of Science in Education Degree from the State University College at Brockport in Brockport, New York. He was blessed to be able to work on this degree in conjunction with his work at Eastman Kodak Company, coordinating a joint research project in individualizing educational activities. He received an "A" average for his overall grade.

Formal schooling has only been a part of his education. He read a lot to acquire knowledge or new skills, refined through practical experiences. He took a course in time management, read books on a variety of subjects: business managerial and marketing, speech, speed reading and comprehension, memory improvement, history (especially American history), computer programs, and finances.

He was taught different styles of writing by some of America's top writers, including Howard Flieger, (Editor of U. S. News and World Report), Austin Kiplinger (noted author of a national business newsletter), and Robert L. Breeden (of the National Geographic Society).

He learned much about the printing business and creating radio features as we created products to raise money. We created and sold a Family Tree game we jointly created and sold church wide. In addition, Wayne learned a great deal about producing and narrating one minute radio features for military networks in the U.S. and overseas.

Courtship and marriage
During the fall of 1960, while attending BYU, I started corresponding with my future husband, Kenneth Wayne Scott. He was a senior attending Kansas University in Lawrance, Kansas and was serving with my brother, Richard (Dick), in the Stake MIA. When Richard and his wife, Janice, told him how much alike he and I were, Wayne initiated a letter to me. Being told before hand by Janice of Wayne's good character, I replied to his letter. We began to know each other quite well through the written medium.

Wayne came to Provo during his spring vacation to meet and court me for the week. We first met April 1, (April Fool's Day) 1961. Then, during the summer of 1961 after he had graduated, I went to Kansas to stay with my brother Richard's family while Wayne lived with his brother Gerald's family nearby. Wayne worked for a small engineering firm. I got a job teaching swimming and later worked in a dry cleaning store.

Because he was about to be drafted, however, Wayne felt he needed to enlist in the air force. I was left in Kansas City while he spent a month in basic training at Lackland Air force Base in Texas. Upon his return from Texas, we became engaged and on 20 November 1961, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity.

Kansas City years
We rented our first home. It was a little one-bedroom home at 7733 Madison St. in Kansas City, Missouri. Wayne's air force unit had been called to serve a year of active duty because of the Berlin War Crisis of 1961. He, therefore, worked full time for the Air Force Reserves and commuted to nearby Richard Gabaurs Air Force Base.

On many week ends, he worked for Jensen Engineering Company, a small engineering firm. He worked for this firm from 1961-1962.

During these years, we enjoyed our association with our two brothers and their families Our three families would frequently get together to play board games or have family nights together. Perhaps these times together helped Gerald become active in the Church and his family become members.

Of course, we took the opportunity to visit many of the church historical sights nearby while we lived in Kansas City, such as Independence, Missouri and Liberty Jail.

Help perfect saints in Savior's family in K.C.
We enjoyed many activities and callings in the Church during this time: We were assigned to promote the ward building fund and were chaperones at a stake youth conference; Wayne continued to serve on the Stake MIA Board. I served as a Mia Maid teacher and coach of the girl's basketball and volleyball teams. In addition, I sang in an excellent Relief Society Singing Mothers choir and we both sang in a superb ward Choir directed by Bob Downs who later taught music at BYU. I had the opportunity to sing a few solos in these groups. Wayne and I also took part in a church musical, "Promised Valley" presented in our stake.

Rochester, N.Y. years
Upon release from active duty in the air force in August of 1962, Wayne began looking for another job. We stayed at Mom and Dad Scott's home on Porter St. in Washington D.C. on, the boarder of Bethesda, Maryland while he searched. His search led him to Eastman Kodak Co. in Rochester, New York where he accepted a job as an industrial designer at Kodak's Hawk Eye facility. We lived in Rochester and then in Greece, New York for nearly eight years.

Our first home in Rochester was a three story, two-bedroom apartment at 32 Keeler St. just a few blocks from Wayne's work. In December of 1966, we moved into our first purchased home at 285 Barmont Dr. in Greece, New York, a suburb of Rochester.

We were so thankful to be in our own home which the Scott folks helped make possible. It was a three-bedroom, one bathroom rambler with a big kitchen, and a spacious paneled family room in the basement. It had plenty of space for food storage in another part of the basement. The back yard was fenced and had many flowers, a big patch of raspberries, and some fruit trees.

For a short time before our children began to come along, I helped supplement our income by working as a medical assistant and receptionist for Dr. Edward Schnorr, an Internist.

Wayne's work with Eastman Kodak
1962-1970: Eastman Kodak: (Rochester, New York) This job was his first full-time industrial design job. He first worked in the Apparatus and Optical Division of the company. During this time he was awarded ten design patents for microfilmers, readers and associated projects. In 1965, he was the chief designer and project leader for the Kodak CAPAL System remote and computer-assisted training which was featured in the opening of the Kodak Marketing and Education Center in Atlanta. His later work with Kodak became more focused on exploring ways Kodak could assist in education. He was Kodak's coordinator of joint research with the State University of New York for individualizing learning experiences.

He was one of three involved in a new Learning Systems Lab in the Kodak Research Laboratories; a consultant to the Greece, New York, School District; and primary developer of a computer-photography-based training console. Perhaps his most important work was as coordinator of Joint Research in. Education for Kodak at the State University of New York. Here he served as chairman of a special task force to develop a resource management system for programs of individualized instruction. His work was featured in the 1968 Kodak Annual Report and in Kodak advertisements in noted scientific and educational journals.

Our first four children born
It was while we lived in our apartment that our first three children joined our family and our fourth arrived while living in our Barmont home.

We had been trying unsuccessfully to have children for the first two years of our married life. When I finally became pregnant, I miscarried during the first three months of pregnancy. We were especially grateful, therefore, when our first child, Shannon, arrived on March 20, 1964. Our second daughter, Catherine (Cathie), followed soon after on November 5, 1965. Our only son, Andrew Bassett, arrived almost exactly a year later on November 7, 1966. Lorraine (Lorrie) joined us on May 23, 1968. All of them were delivered by Dr. Robert A. Clark at Rochester General Hospital (formerly Northside Hospital) in Rochester, Monroe Co., NY.

Back row:  Lorraine, Cathie, Shannon. Front row:  Andrew, Kim, Ann holding Carrie, Wayne

Having our children so close together was both a blessing and a challenge. It was a challenge physically to care for their individual needs and to go anywhere with four children under five years of age. It was a blessing in that we could do so many things that interested all of them together.

Family times (Perfect the Saints in our home)
It was about this time that Priesthood Correlation came to the forefront in Church government. The Church really began stressing family home evenings and each year published a free family home evening manual. We were excited about this concept and began to practice it in all earnestness! In fact, family night became the focus of our weeks activities. During the week, many of the children's activities were spent preparing to give the family home evening lesson. We made puppet shows, scroll theater stories, home movies, acted out stories from the manual or from family histories, gave talks which gave an overview of the Book of Mormon using visual aids as prompts. Frequently, we would use this times to get organized as we taught the children the "why" and "hows" of keeping order in the home or to prepare for upcoming events.

Perhaps one of the most memorable family times waswhen we tried to teach our children a little family history. We created a camp ground in our back yard. A tent was set up. The children's wadding pool was inflated and filled with water. The hibachi barbecue was readied for our camp fire, and a chuck wagon created to serve our meal from.

At the beginning of family night, we took the children for a long walk around our block. After our hike, they changed into their swimming suits inside the tent and went for a swim in their wadding pool while dinner was being set out. Hot dogs were cooked over the camp fire, and the meal was served from the chuck wagon, and eaten as we sat on a blanket in front of the tent. After the meal, we showed them pictures of, and told them stories about, their pioneer ancestors.

Back row:  Kim, Andrew, Lorraine. Front:  Cathie, Carrie, Shannon

We captured many of these Family Home Evenings with camera and placed them in the beginning volumes of our family yearbooks. (See "Introduction" regarding our family year books.) We discovered that by reviewing these yearbooks from time to time, we could reinforce lessons taught during these family times and could remember them longer. Thus, we, in essence, could get "double milage" from our family times together.

Learning, Education, Career Development fostered
We encouraged the children's academic education. I read to them almost every day at nap time and played many fun and educational recordings at bed time. All the children knew their alphabet, numbers, colors, and could write their names before entering kindergarten. As I recall, all of them could even read or were on the verge of reading when they entered kindergarten. The television show, Sesame Street, was a big help in teaching them. It had premiered when Shannon was just old enough to begin appreciating it.

Wayne and I tried to help set a good example for them. His work led him to Brockport, NY where he was able to work for Kodak in trying to develop ways they could use photography in education. In the process of doing his work, he was able to get his master's degree in Educational Administration. We also both belonged to a study, group in which we studied current affairs and topics of interest.

Genealogy game (Redeem the dead)
It seems that Wayne and I were both given a desire to teach creatively. Shortly before Cathie was born, Wayne conceived the idea of a genealogy game to help encourage people to get involved in doing their own research. It was quiet a learning experience to create, produce, market, and distribute this game we called Family Tree. I'm not sure I'd ever do it again but we really gained an education. Eventually this game was repackaged and sold through Bookcraft Publishers in Salt Lake and later through the Church to help raise funds for the Washington D.C. temple.

Church callings (Perfect Saints in Savior's family)
While living in Rochester, I served as the Stake Primary Secretary, Stake Primary President (6/1963 - 1966?); Family Relations Class teacher in Sunday School; ward's young women camp director; Primary and Sunday School choristers, ward Relief Society homemaking counselor.

Wayne served as second counselor of the Rockville Ward Bishopric. As I recall this calling led him to be a chaplain at the world's Scout Jamboree which he attended. After he was released as a member of the ward Bishopric on October 10, 1965, he was called to be the Stake Young Men's Superintendent (now called President). Thus, with my calling as the Stake Primary President, and at least two (perhaps three?) small children, we had many pressures upon us. We each had to travel the stake frequently to visit the unites from Buffalo, NY on the west to Syracuse NY and beyond to the east—an hours distance each way from Rochester. In addition, we both were responsible to conduct leadership training meetings every month for the units of the stake. This became a bit too much for both of us to handle, so I was released and given other minor callings so I could have more time to nurture our children better.

This calling as stake Primary President, however, was a marvelous opportunity for me to grow personally and to associate with wonderful people, among them Lenora Doxy, a counselor on the Primary General Board of the Church, whom we housed and hosted when she visited our stake.

Even though we had four children under five years of age when I was called into the ward Relief Society Presidency, I wanted this opportunity to serve and grow but was only able to serve a few months before we moved to Rockville, Maryland.

Trips and historical sights (Perfect the saints)
While in Rochester, we enjoyed many visits to the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, Fayette, and other church land marks. Each year, we would assist at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Wayne directed traffic and designed the first information booths erected around the field where the audience sat to watch the pageant. I helped serve lunches at the Palmyra chapel for visitors and assisted with the bazaars the Relief Society used to have at the chapel.

Shortly after Lorraine was born, two of my brothers, Art and Dick, and their families joined us and our three older children. (Lorraine was left with church members and we took two of their children in exchange.) We formed a car caravan and traveled to visit the birth place of Joseph Smith in Sharon, Vermont. There we camped on the grounds of the visitors center and had fun exploring the area together.

There were a few major trips to Idaho and Utah to visit Grandma and Grandpa Bassett. In doing so we visited Kirtland, Ohio, Winter Quarters, church sights in Utah, Yellowstone National Park, and Jackson Hole (Wyoming). Frequent trips were made to Washington D.C. area to visit Wayne's parents and brothers. We especially remember the fun times we had with all Wayne's family at Christmas times.

Major national and world events (Great and terrible days of our time.)
We were living at our Keeler St. apartment in Rochester, when we learned about the assassination of the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. We watched television news reports of man's first landing on the moon from our home on Barmont Drive.

Our compatibility
Wayne and I basically were of the same character, but as I grew to really know Wayne, I found that there also were many differences in our personalities. But we have learned to respect, complement, and strengthen each other.

Whereas I tend to be more left brain in my thinking (i.e. systematic, goal oriented with a step by step plan, cautious, pragmatic, exercising works and then faith), Wayne tends to be more right brain in his thinking (wholeistic, creative, an eternal optimist; faith and then works. He often began building before carefully counting the cost.) I tend to be more the brake, whereas, Wayne has been the accelerator.

This is not to say one personality is better than another, but that we think in different ways. We have tended to balance each other as well as improve each other. I'm sure we would not have had some of the opportunities for growth we have enjoyed in our marriage, if it had not been for Wayne's great faith in the Lord and his willingness to take risks. But, perhaps, some of my pragmatic thinking also has rubbed off on him during our years together.

Above all, Wayne has been a loving and considerate husband and father. He always has honored his priesthood, endeavoring to serve the Lord, his family, and others—frequently at great personal sacrifice. The children and I have had to rely on his great faith and firmness of testimony many times to get us through challenging times. He has set, and continues to set, a positive example for us to follow.

One of his great strengths is that he works well with people. We would frequently be the last to leave Church or other meetings because he would be engaged in a conversation with someone. He has been instrumental in helping many, including some of his home teaching families, work through their personal challenges— even some of very serious natures. This gift of dealing with people enabled him to network with others, including some very influential people, who have in turn, blessed our lives

Move to Rockville, Maryland
In 1970, we decided to move to Washington D.C. area to help Wayne's brother Walt and V. Dallas Merrill start their own company called Leadership Systems, Inc. Thanks to Mom and Dad Scott, we were able to find and secure a nice home at 5013 Russett Rd., Rockville, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C. It had four bedrooms, two baths, a family room with a fireplace, and a big fenced-in back yard. It was only twenty minutes drive away from the Washington D.C. temple which was then under construction. Our home was centrally located to fairly new grade schools, junior and senior high schools, and to nice shopping centers. It seemed unbelievable we could be purchasing such a nice but modest home. It proved to be an ideal place to raise our growing family.

Birth of our last two children
Our family was growing not only in age (Shannon entered first grade when we moved here) but in number as well After another miscarriage, I gave birth to Kimberly (Kim) on July 3, 1972 and after a tubular pregnancy, I gave birth to Carolyn (Carrie) on October 2, 1979. They both were delivered at Montgomery General Hospital in Olney (Sandy), Montgomery County Maryland by Dr. Peter Flaherty.

Career Development and proclaim the gospel
1970 -1976 Leadership Systems: (Silver Spring, MD. Wayne's brother, Walt, and V. Dallas Merrill began their own business to help train leaders and talked Wayne into leaving the security of Eastman Kodak. He became vice president of this small company. Although their business soon folded because the government funds from which they derived most of their business, were cut back. Wayne gained a lot of valuable training in leadership skills and marketing skills.

1976-1990;1993-1995 American Family Society (AFS): Desiring to spend full time at helping to build up Zion and at the same time earn a living, he established the American Family Society with help from outstanding men and women. His goal was to help strengthen family life and at the same time, hopefully, prepare them to receive the Gospel.

Back row:  Shannon, Andrew, Kim, Lorraine.  Front:  Cathie, Ann, Wayne, Carrie

Reflecting back on these years, he was able to accomplish much. A few examples: He helped the Million Dollar Round Table (an insurance organization) and National Association of Life Underwriters establish a nationwide public service program to encourage families to spend quality "FamilyTime" each week. An L.D.S. president of MDRT, Rulon Rasmussen, had begun the program.

President Ronald Reagan's Pollster, Richard Wirthlin created an opportunity for Wayne to launch "The Great American Family Awards Program", with First Lady, Nancy Reagan as Honorary AFS Chairman. She hosted six annual consecutive White House ceremonies—emceed by NBC's Willard Scott— to honor exemplary families.

Nancy Reagan, Wayne Scott, and Willard Scott

Board member Bob Johnson produced a half-hour T.V. show. Art Linkletter (a TV personality) and Austin Kiplinger (publisher of a national news letter and an AFS board member) hosted this show which was aired on the Military Network. President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan also joined with AFS in a 30 second TV spot for National Family Week. (See "Part 7" for more details.)

Wayne, second from left, participates in a Senate hearing

Another short television spot was prepared to help First Lady Barbara Bush promote her literacy program. The military network also aired short radio programs prepared by AFS.

Wayne (far right) participating in an event with President Spencer W. Kimball

Some of Wayne's writings were published in national magazines and in local and national newspapers. He was interviewed on many talk shows, including a national network television show "The Today Show" for a few minutes. He was a guest speaker at meetings and conventions and presented a number of workshops. He provided family-building resources and ideas to thousands of families in the United States and some in foreign countries especially through MDRT and the military.

He published and disseminated newsletters, a Family Forum newspaper insert delivered to 520,000 homes, thousands of FamilyTime calendars, and a Family Builder a family-strengthening resource (of which Ann was primary author). By the end of 1995, more than 50,000 of these family builders had been sold nationally with many going to military bases overseas. Wayne and I prepared a few 90 second spots aired over the military radio networks.

Ann and Wayne Scott family

Although, he was not famous, as all of these accomplishments may lead one to believe, publishers of "Whose Who in America" requested he submit information about himself to this noted publication. Wayne credits the Lord for any successes he may have had for truly it was mainly through the Lord's help that he was led to many prominent, influential generous leaders and perhaps hundreds of volunteers that made all these accomplishments possible. Hopefully, then, with all those who have helped, Wayne has been able to make some small contribution to the strengthening of family life in America.

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Walt Scott: Sharing A Few Thoughts From My Life

Mary Lee has asked those of our generation to tell a little about our lives. Writing a more detailed and comprehensive story is on a part of my agenda I haven’t gotten to yet. After all, I don’t want to do that too soon, the best may yet be ahead. Instead, the following deals with a couple of my interests and how they have contributed to a number of personal missionary efforts.

Walter Conrad Scott

Though I have made many efforts to share the Church’s message with others, I never had a chance to serve a full time mission because of the Korean War. I guess I have long wanted to do something that might be a suitable substitute.

Back in the late 1970’s there was an article in the Ensign Magazine reporting on a church study to determine what percentage of the adults in North America were likely to be willing to listen to the missionaries. I was quite surprised at their findings: only 2%. I thought about the parable of the sheep in which 1 out of a flock of 100 was lost. It looked to me like the statistics were upside down. I understand a more recent study puts the number at 1%!

Over the years, on those rare occasions when I would see “Uncle Richard,” I would ask him what the church was doing to improve that situation. My interest was both serious and for fun. When we retired to Florida, we had a family reunion at our house. It was pretty much limited to our generation. At one point the five brothers were together in a situation that looked promising for trying that question again. This time, to my surprise, Uncle Richard got up, walked over to me, look me right in the eyes, stuck his finger in my stomach and said, “This is a serious problem and you are going to do something about it!” Well I laughed and said “Yeah, but it’s not my problem!” We all laughed and then had a little discussion among the brothers. The outcome was my commitment to see what I could do, with the proviso that if I could demonstrate something that helped the situation, I would expect the church to then take over.

You will notice how clever he was. He didn’t ask me to do anything. He didn’t even declare that he was prophesying. I guess he just knew me well enough that he knew what was likely to happen.

You probably don’t appreciate how much has changed since that meeting. Though it has only been about five years, two very significant things have happened. First, the controversy about the church, raised by the scrutiny of the church, prompted by Mitt Romney’s run for the presidency, opened many eyes to the deplorable lack of accurate information and the great amount of false information about the Church that many non-members believe. Stimulated by this, there has been a great deal of progress in using technology to correct these problems. I have come to view member missionary efforts as having two objectives:  to inform and, if the contact shows interest, to prepare for the missionaries. I have also concluded that while many members would like to be involved in sharing the church’s message, not nearly enough is being done.

My first effort to respond to Uncle Richard’s challenge was designed to address this opportunity created by Romney. I had been working on a book and decided to hurry that project along and publish it just about the time of the 2008 election. It was entitled The Mystery and Controversy Surrounding ‘Mormonism’. The purpose of the book was specifically to inform. The book was in two parts, the first addressed specific questions that had arisen and the second contained more detailed information. Briefly, the “mystery” was attributed to the fact that the gospel and church have been restored by divine means, thus in ways the average person would consider “mysterious.” The “controversy” was attributed to the deliberate efforts of leaders of other churches to define us incorrectly to protect themselves. It was really fun to explain this, using direct quotations from such people!  [See articles on the book at www.californianewswire.com and www.enewschannels.com.]

That book is still available. I have no idea what the total impact has been. I used press releases and an article in Meridian Magazine (www.ldsmag.com) to get the word out. I was really surprised that my website got hits from all over the world. While I don’t have any way to judge the full impact, I have been personally involved in several experiences.

I worked with a couple of sister missionaries with one of their investigators. He was a guy about 40-45 years old. After a couple of meetings it seemed to me like he was enjoying their attention but not taking them very seriously. At the end of that second meeting the Spirit prompted me to get a copy of the book from my car and give it to him, with the suggestion that he read it. The next meeting was quite different. Neither of us said anything about the book to the missionaries, but I noticed he was able to answer and even anticipate their questions. At the end of that meeting, he said goodbye to the missionaries but asked me to stay. He wanted to know where all the information had come from and said that it had been a real eye opener for him. He was much more serious and engaged in subsequent lessons and it wasn’t long before he was baptized.

Another experience started with a man who had just joined the Church. I was assigned as his home teacher, so I thought I would see how the book worked as a source of new member lessons. One week after I gave him the book, he got up in priesthood meeting and went on and on about how excited he was about the materials in the book. The book filled in a lot of missing information for him. He has since given several copies to friends.

A third experience was quite amazing. I graduated from high school in 1949. I was the president of a class of about 300. Through the years, the thought has often come to me, “What can I do to share the message of the restoration with members of that class?” In October of 2009, we held a 60th reunion. One of the organizers knew about my book and asked me to bring several copies. One of his reasons was the fact that one of our class members had become the head of the Dept of Religion at George Washington University. He wanted me to share the book with him. I did so with very disappointing results. He was completely brainwashed by those messages of “controversy” and very impressed with his own “expertise.”

We had a luncheon as part of the activities. I was asked to make a few comments. Knowing that this would happen, I used another of my interests as part of a strategy for reestablishing communication with these old classmates. I gave each person one of my CDs of music from the era when we were in high school and college – the Swing Era. As you might imagine, I was careful to stamp my name, address, phone number and email address on the CD sleeve. I returned to my table, where there was a copy of my book in plain view. The meeting broke up and we all went our separate ways.

A couple of weeks later I received a call from a lady who was at the reunion. She said she called because she wanted to know how in the world I made that music. I had explained that each recording is made in one pass and that I only use one finger at a time in the right hand and two in the left. (You might like to go to www.musiciremember.com where the whole story, a video demo and dozens of sample songs are available.) There is a lot going on in each recording.

After we chatted for a few minutes she told me the real reason she had called. As she left the luncheon, she had passed my table and she said that it was almost like something had turned her head and pointed it right at my book! She also explained that the last two seats at the luncheon were right next to her. The last couple to arrive happened to be the daughter of Earnest Wilkinson, who had become president of BYU the year we graduated, and her husband. Sister Wilkinson and my caller had been good friends in high school. She had also been the only other LDS in our class. A pure coincidence, of course!

I explained a little about the book. She then told me that the truth was that something had really been “nagging” at her to call. She mentioned that she was a widow so I asked her if their marriage had been a good one. She said it sure had been and that she was expecting to spend eternity with him. She took the bait! At that point I told her that I would like to send a copy of the book, explaining that it would tell her some things she would need to do to have that expectation fulfilled.

A couple of weeks later she called back. Was she ever excited! She had read the book several times and exclaimed that for the first time in her life she knew where she had come from! This lady was a very active leader and teacher in a major protestant church, but she had realized that something was missing. She also told me that she had had what she was quite confident had been a vision in which she had seen her mother, father and husband, all of whom had told her, everything was fine but it was not time for her to join them. That presented an opportunity to talk about how they were being taught or had been taught the fullness of the gospel and to discuss what she could do for them in the temple.

Because she was so excited, I asked her if she would like to have me contact the missionaries for her. The answer was no, and then she explained that a pair of sister missionaries had been tracting in her neighborhood about 30 years earlier. As she watched them being rejected, she felt sorry for them When they knocked on her door she invited them in out of sympathy. Though she was not interested in their message, they had left a copy of the Book of Mormon, which she had never read but still had in her possession, even though she had moved several times.

Not long after that, I got another call. She said she could not put the Book of Mormon down. She agreed with everything she was learning. I asked her again about contacting the missionaries. “Oh could you?” When that conversation ended, I called Uncle Mitch, to see if he could make the arrangements for the missionaries to teacher her. As he and I were talking on the phone, Mitch was composing an email with the subject “Convert Looking For A Missionary.” 

Shortly thereafter, she invited me to baptize and confirm her in Potomac, MD. It was a great experience. I met the elders and the mission president. The president told me that they “had never had anyone anywhere near as well prepared.” I also learned that after their first lesson, the elders told an assistant in the mission office, “She was teaching us!” She was confirmed at about 12:30 pm Sunday and at 7:30 pm she was speaking in the Visitor’s Center Auditorium at the Washington Temple on “Why I Believe.” She has since been to the temple and been sealed to her husband! She has been welcomed with open arms by many ward members, including members of the Marriott, Foulger and Pratt families, whom some of you probably know.

Several times she and I talked about how she had been so obviously prepared by the Lord. He truly had a plan for her. I don’t know, perhaps she was the reason I had occasionally wondered how I might do something to share our message with members of that high school graduating class. This lady was not a “golden contact.” She was platinum!

For me, after many years of frustrating conversations, trying to be a member missionary, I have finally taken the time to put the “big picture” together. It is not going to work for everybody, but should for some. You can appreciate how easy this whole experience was for me. I had a strategy and a tool. Our conversations were very simple. I didn’t have to do hardly anything!

I mentioned a second book. It is called “What On Earth Is Going On?” It shares a lot of the materials with the first book but is organized quite differently. It has both the objective of informing and, for those who are touched, preparation for the missionaries. The approach recognizes that just telling people our message isn’t likely to cause them to change. People usually don’t make changes in their lives until they become uncomfortable with their present situation. Sometimes natural experiences such as a death or birth in a family or serious health or other problems can produce this effect. For this reason, this book attempts to produce some discomfort with the status quo by focusing on problems we all face in the world today, encouraging introspection and then presenting solutions or new ideas. The book makes the point that it is hard to win a game in which you don’t understand either the object or the rules. This approach takes advantage of the great strength and blessing that comes from a knowledge of the plan of salvation.

The new book was published in March and is available in both printed form and as an ebook on Amazon Kindle. The ebook approach has the great advantage of very low cost and immediate delivery. Amazon now has a way for one to loan such a book for a two week period.

I have another website, www.member-missionary.com, which explains how to use this book as a member missionary tool. I’m not trying to sell books but to encourage members to get involved in simple, low risk member missionary experiences using the book as a tool. It won’t work for everyone, but should be good for those who have a decent education, and thus might be willing to do a little reading. Such people are not easy for the missionaries to contact in today’s world. They are the kind of people members need to introduce to the missionaries. They are also the kind of people who are more likely to have good families and to become a real source of strength to the church.

A very good friend of mine, who has had an outstanding career and who converted after years of investigation has told me that had he had the information in the book he would have joined the church years earlier. He is the kind of person who needs the “big picture” which the book provides. He has served as a Stake President more than once, Mission President, and as a member of the Temple Presidency. He wrote the forward to the first book and has been a great supporter.

I also need to use the great multimedia resources the church is producing on lds.org, mormon.org and Mormon Moments as we try to share the church’s message. They are very good by themselves and can be used to augment the approach I have been working with. Doing so adds a different dimension, focused more on our culture, in appealing multimedia formats. This just might move someone from simply becoming informed to becoming interested in meeting with the missionaries.

Walt Scott
May 11, 2011

P.S. After learning that I had created the two websites referenced above, one of my grand daughters looked at me and said, “Hum, Grandpa Geek.”  I’m not sure I know quite how to take that!

[Mary Lee adds:  When I googled Uncle Walt I found another website with a short bio on his life at http://www.positivemusicanddownloads.com.  Thank you, Uncle Walt, for inspiring us with your missionary efforts and your music!]

THOMAS LEVI AND MARY AMELIA FULMER WHITTLE

Thomas Levi and Mary Amelia Fulmer Whittle are the great grandparents of Mary Eliza Whittle Scott.

The first account was written by Ruey Pond Bernhisel, granddaughter of Thomas Levi Whittle.  I have added additional information and sources in square brackets in Sister Bernhisel’s account.  Other histories and accounts of family members follow later in this post.  Thomas Levi Whittle also appears in Wikipedia!  Click here to read the article and access related links.

Life Sketch by a Granddaughter
Thomas Whittle, born in Montreal, Canada, 21 May 1812, and Mary [Amelia] Fulmer, also of Montreal, born 18 June 1817, were married in the year 1833. He, a youth of twenty-one years, and she a mere girl of sixteen.

THOMAS LEVI WHITTLE (1812-1868)

MARY AMELIA FULMER WHITTLE (1817-1893

Little has been preserved of their childhood and adolescent years, though it is known that Mary was deprived of all scholastic advantages, and she grew to womanhood unable to either read or write anything other than her own name. It was hardships and overwork in her youth that caused her to marry at so early an age.
[An online history of Leamington, Ontario, Canada indicates that Thomas Levi’s father, Thomas Whittle, and Mary Ann Fulmer’s grandfather, Phillip Fox, were among the first to settle in Mersea on the northwestern shore of Lake Erie, just south of Lake St. Clair, in1835.  At the time, the land was covered in dense forest.  Like most settlers, they had acquired their land from Col. Thomas Talbot, the eccentric Irishman who laid out Talbot Road along an old Indian trail.]

Thomas and Mary were both religiously inclined and first heard the principles of the Gospel from the Elders of the Mormon Church who were sent into Canada shortly after its organization. They received the glad tidings and were soon baptized and confirmed members of the newly found faith.

[According to LDS Church records, Thomas, age 25, and Mary, age 18, were baptized by Zera Pulsipher on 22 Nov. 1837.  It must have been hard for their families, newly settled on the Canadian frontier, when Thomas and Mary immigrated to join the Saints, since there was no doubt much left to do to clear the land, plant crops, etc. The records also show that they already had two children by this time, John, age 2 ½ , and Mary, age 4 months.] 

They witnessed many things which strengthened the testimony they had obtained, one of which is an incident that occurred shortly after their conversion. Returning from church one day, they saw a light resting on a bridge that lay directly in their path.

Upon arrival at the place where the light shone forth it moved forward and continued as though lighting their way until it reached their house, and then it disappeared. "Mary," said her husband, "this will ever be a light to our feet and a guide to us through life."

They undoubtedly felt the spirit of gathering, which was so much in evidence at that time, for at an early date they moved from Canada into Michigan, thence to Quincy, Illinois, where their son George [our ancestor] was born [in 1840], and later they moved to Nauvoo, the birthplace of Zera [in 1843] and Emaline [in 1845]. [Some records indicate that our ancestor, George Page Whittle, Mary's grandfather, was actually born in Nauvoo.] 

They heard the Gospel from the lips of the Prophet himself, and later carried to Utah the photo of both Joseph and his wife Emma, which had probably been given to them by members of the Smith family and was treasured by them as long as they lived.  [I wonder where that photo is now!]

They suffered the hardships incident to the time when the Saints were driven from comfortable homes and their property either burned or given into the hands of howling mobs. They witnessed the ill-treatment of their friends and experienced trials themselves. They knew pain and anguish arising from the loss of their Prophet and probably saw the bodies of their beloved leaders as they lay in state prior to their secret burial.

Mary Fulmer Whittle was present on the occasion when the Saints had met to hear Sidney Rigdon, then purporting to be their rightful leader. She saw Brigham Young when he arose to speak and she witnessed the mantle of Joseph resting upon his form and features. This occurrence left no doubt in her mind as to the rightful leadership of Brigham Young. Preparatory to leaving Nauvoo they had parched a quantity of corn which they had expected to take along as food, but which for some reason was left and later served as a bed for Thomas when he was forced to return for a cow that had broken loose and gone back home. At that particular time he laid in the attic of his abandoned home until time when he could escape without being seen.

Their next abode was at Winter Quarters and one has only to read the history of those days to know the bitter experience of want, sickness and in many cases death. Fortunately the Whittles came through without losing any members of their family.

A few faith promoting incidents in the life of Thomas Whittle have been handed down to members of his posterity, as a testimony of God's protection and mercy which He extends to His faithful children.

While in Winter Quarters, a young man, Thomas Ricks, was shot and wounded by the Indians as he watched and herded cattle. Searching parties were sent out to bring him into camp. His father, Brother Ricks and Thomas Whittle were some distance away from the group. Suddenly, they found themselves surrounded by Indians and a gun pointed in their faces. "Well," said Brother Ricks, "I suppose our time has come." "No so," said Whittle, "for we are in the hands of the Lord." Finally the chief rode up in an excited state, the others mounted their horses and rode away leaving the two men much frightened, but unharmed.

[You can read contemporary accounts of this event which took place on June 6th, 1848.  There are three accounts, one by Peter Wilson Conover, another by Norton Jacob and a third by Heber C. Kimball.]

Another time they were without water while they were traveling. The horses tongues were hanging from their mouths, and people were suffering from thirst. The day was warm, [the] sky was clear, with no sign of relief. After supplicating to the Lord, a cloud appeared, and in a short time rain fell in such quantities as to fill both buckets and barrels with the much needed water. Again the lives of these two faithful men were spared.

Thomas Whittle and family crossed the plains in the [Heber C. Kimball] company of Saints. They reached Salt Lake City in 1848. They settled in the 17th ward, and must have had ample rooms as Mrs. Whittle later told of renting a part of the dwelling to a widow woman and her family.

In 1849 Brother Whittle went to California and joined others in their search for gold. It was while there that he received a call to go and help open up a mission on the Sandwich Islands. In 1850 he with nine others Elders, one of whom was George Q. Cannon, went in response to a call and after two years of service he returned to Salt Lake City, Utah.  [More to follow about his journey to California and mission call.]

In 1853 the Whittle family moved to Fort Herriman where they lived for one year. It was while residing at this place that he had occasion to thank his Heavenly Father for another miraculous escape from death.

Riding down the canyon on a load of logs, he was thrown under the load as his wagon tipped over. He looked up to see two men coming toward him from the side of a mountain and then he was rendered unconscious. Upon regaining his senses he found he was standing by his wagon which had been lifted into place. His first thought was to get on his load and continue his course, but a voice nearby told him to mount one of his horses as he was badly hurt. This he succeeded in doing but was forced to give the horses free reign, and he was carried to the gate of a man named Butterfield, at one time owner of the horses. With difficulty he was removed from his mount, and taken into the house. There he was nursed back to health by a young woman, Mary Jane Butterfield, whom he later married as a plural wife in 1863. Four children were born to them, namely: Minerva, Edwin, Almond and Mary.

In the fall of 1853 a daughter, Josephine, was born to Mary Fulmer, but she died when she was two years of age. Their next move was to Grantsville, Tooele County, Utah, where two more children were born, William and Aroetta, making a family of nine children. Here they lived in a cabin erected as a temporary shelter until they could become permanently located.

They moved to Richmond in 1860 and in time were residents of the fort erected as a temporary protection against the Indians. They later acquired an adobe house of three rooms, built on the corner east and opposite the Park School house of today. Here it was that Mrs. Whittle, then a widow, took in boarders and strove in different ways to care for her two children.

Thomas Whittle was an energetic church worker and at one time served as a counselor to Bishop Marriner W. Merrill. He was also interested in civic affairs, and because of his agreeable and pleasing manner made friends with young and old. On many occasions, he succeeded in getting in with groups of rowdy youngsters bent on nights of true adventure and mischief and in a short time he had them all home in bed. He was a peacemaker and was many times called to settle disputes and bring harmony where people were laboring under wrong impressions and misunderstandings.

His untimely and accidental death at the age of 56 was caused by the falling of a log while he was engaged in the erection of a house, and occurred 3 July, 1868. On the following day 4 July the flags at Richmond were hung at half mast, attesting the love and esteem of his neighbors and fellow townsmen. His wife lived to the age of 76 and after a life of usefulness, died of pneumonia, 6 Jan 1893 at Lewiston, Utah.

They were both buried in Richmond and their numerous descendants constitute one of the foundation families of Utah and Idaho. 

Temple Ordinances and Church Service
Thomas Levi Whittle, age 33, and Mary Ann Fulmer Whittle, age 28, received their endowments in the Nauvoo temple on 1 Jan 1846.

The original Nauvoo temple.  Source:  www.classic.lds.org

Thomas was set apart by Levi W. Hancock on 8 Oct. 1844.  Thomas was a member of the 9th and 24th Quorums of the Seventy in Nauvoo.  His name can be seen in the copy of the register at the Seventy’s Hall in Nauvoo.

[Sources: Nauvoo House Ledger, Book C, p. 177; Rowena Miller Files, Nauvoo Lands and Records Office, Nauvoo Restoration, Inc.; Black, Susan Easton, Membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848, 46:40-42; Black, Susan Easton, Nauvoo Seventy Membership: Annotated Index.]

Thomas was sealed to his two wives, Mary Ann Fulmer and Mary Jane Butterfield, on the same day, 7 Aug. 1953. The sealing must have taken place in the Endowment House, since the earliest temple in Utah (Logan) was not dedicated until 1863.

The date for his sealing to his parents, Thomas Whittle and Elizabeth Levi , is give as 15 Nov. 1929.  [Source: www.new.familysearch.org]

Whittle Property in Nauvoo
Thomas bought and sold several land parcels in Hancock County, Illinois.  He purchased  the first parcel on 1 Aug. 1841 and sold the last on 21 May 1846.  (Detailed records from the Hancock County Deeds records are available through the Nauvoo Land and Records Office.)

Location of some land parcels owned by Thomas and Mary Whittle, circled in black in the northwest section.  Map provided by Nauvoo Land and Records Office.

The information below by Reva Whittle Wilson was obtained from the Nauvoo Land and Records Office:


The following notice was copied from The Nauvoo Neighbor, Vol. 2, No. 2, page 4, 28 Feb. 1844.  The notice appeared in several issues before and after that date.

"Land for sale:
The subscriber has a beautiful lot of land amounting to upwards of eighty acres, within two miles of the city, which may be had on reasonable terms. An undisputable title can be given, and if required a short credit will be given for part of the purchase money.  The land lies on the old LaHorn Road, near Mr. Suffocals.  The subscriber will sell smaller parcels to suit purchasers.
Ths. Whittle"

From this it appears that Thomas had sold property in Canada, which enabled him to buy so much land in Nauvoo.  In his father’s will, Thomas and his older brother, John, were each to receive one shilling in currency, which indicates that they had already received their inheritance from their father.  The younger brothers were each to receive 10 acres of land in the 5th concession and 12 acres in the 6th concession.  This was probably the amount that Thomas and John had received

Memories of a Daughter
This account is taken from "Life of Aroetta Whittle Pond," by Bernhisel, Ruey P.[the same granddaughter who wrote the account above], The Thomas Levi Whittle Family Bulletin, 1964.

Aroetta Whittle Pond (1857-1934) and Brigham Pond (1853-1933)

Aroetta Whittle Pond, daughter of Thomas Levi Whittle and Mary Fulmer Whittle, was born in Grantsville, Tooele County, Utah, October 29, 1857 in a humble cabin with small windows and a dirt roof, through which the water filtered and dripped into vessels which were placed around on her mother's bed and at various places throughout the room.

At this time her father was serving in the Militia which had been sent to stay the advance of Johnson's Army, then entering the Territory for purposes unknown to the saints.

In 1860 her parents moved to Richmond, Utah and her first memories date to the days when she lived in the fort, erected there as a protection against Indian attacks; she later recalled and described many thrilling experiences and incidents associated with those times.  On one occasion a poor frightened squaw rushed into the fort and begged to be sheltered from her people, whom she said were seeking her to take her life.  She remembered the first death that occurred in Richmond—that of a young man, and told of the stir and sensation it created.

Aroetta's childhood days were wholly devoid of luxuries and boasted of very few comforts.  Many are the times she ate and relished the syrup that her mother made by boiling beet juice to a consistency that it would spread.  She recalled the day when a piece of bread and cane molasses was a treat, and the occasion when a fried cake served as a Christmas gift.

Being poor, however, didn't entirely exclude the longing for pretty things.  She described the dresses she wore as a child, one of which attracted the admiration of a boy friend, for, after seeing her wear it, he asked if he might take her to a party.  To his great disappointment she failed to wear the new dress and when asked the reason, she told him her mother wouldn't let her.  "Well," said he, "if I had known that I wouldn't have taken you."

Later when the town boasted of a store, she saw and ardently craved a pair of shoes, the tops of which were prettily decorated, but the purchase her mother found impossible to make.  Aroetta, however, succeeded in earning the price of the shoes by nursing the small children of her sister Emaline, and she brought criticism on her mother for the extravagance she exhibited in making so costly a purchase.

Aroetta was a great admirer of her father, and like most daughters, loved to talk of his virtues and kindness.  His death, when she was eleven years, was a tragedy in her young life and sorrow she felt for a long time.

Her first real home was an adobe house of three rooms, the walls of which were whitewashed and the floors bare, but kept spotlessly clean by frequent scourings and scrubbing.  Here Aroetta received training in cleanliness, the fruits of which was ever prevalent in her own home and passed on as a heritage to her daughters.  Here she, with her mother and brother Will, spent her girlhood days and from various narratives depicting her life at that time, one would judge them to be happy ones.  On many occasions she, with other young men and women, participated in dancing parties and suppers, sleigh rides, canyon excursions and many other forms of entertainment characteristic of normal youth.

Aroetta's Own Words 
"My Father Thomas Levi Whittle was a peace maker, an arbitrator, one who could effectively pour oil over troubled waters in the settlement of differences, difficulties and misunderstandings among friends and neighbors.  He was quiet, calm, collected, persuasive and unoffending.  I know of times when he would join young people gathered in groups about the community or in bob sleds, with mischief making pranks in mind, and in a short while have them quieted, happy and going in the direction of their respective homes.

Father was in charge of the local Militia, ever concerned about the peace and protection of the people in the community.  He and Christian Hyer served as counselors to Bishop Marriner W. Merrill.  He came across the plains numbered in the Zera Pulsipher Company in the summer of 1848.   [Church records indicate Thomas and Mary crossed in the Heber C. Kimball company; Zera Pulsipher was leader of their group of one hundred.]

My mother's name was Mary, but Father called her "Mollie."  He dearly loved fresh milk.  It was a major part of his diet.  I admired the way he quit the tobacco habit.  When he made up his mind to do, or not to do, he stayed with his decision.

While assisting his son Zera in the erection of a home he became a victim of a falling log.  I learned of the tragedy from Mary Ann Harris Whittle.  The two of us ran to tell my sister Emeline.  He did not live long, passing away on the third of July.  I was but eleven years old at the time and so fearful in the presence of a corpse.  Father did not look restful in his casket, which had been painted white.  In his honor the flag was flown at half mast.  The funeral service was held on the fourth, resulting in a postponement of Independence Day observances.

With Father gone, Mother, Will and I kept house by ourselves.  Our family was in two groups, nine years apart.  Emeline and I were the youngest in each division."

[Source:  The Thomas Levi Whittle Family Bulletin, 1964]

Account of Aroet Hale, Husband of Olive Whittle (Thomas Whittle’s Daughter)
This first-hand account from the journal of Aroet Hales gives a vivid–and charming–description of the experiences of young people crossing the plains.
 
I was Orgonized into Heber C. Kimble Company first Fifty. Henry Harrison [Harriman] Capt. of first Fifty. My Outfit consisted of two Yoak [yoke] of Oxen, and One Yoak of Cows. One Yoak of Oxen on one light wagon and one yoak of oxen and One Yoak of Cows on the hevy Wagon.

The Famley as follows, I[,] Aroet[,] was the Oldest. had Charg of the famley I was in my 20 Year. My Sister Rachel in her 16 year. My Brother Alma in his 12 Year. My Brother Solomon in his 9 Year. I was apointed One of the Hunters for the first 50[.] Oure [Ozro] Eastman was My Hunting Companion[.] Buffilo and Antleop was verry plenty full common up the Plat[te] River. We had good Luck and Surplide our Division with what Buffilo Meat they Needed while we wair in the Buffilo Country. Our travels acrest the Planes was a Long tiersom trip over One thousand miles with Ox teames. Was hard on Old People and Woman with Chraldren[.] The Young folks had injoyment. Presedent Young and Kimble was Verry kind and indulgent to the Young. They frequently Stop within a Mile or So apart. The Young yould [would] Viset from One Camp to the Other, and frequently would get musick and have a good Dance on the Ground. Some times the Older Folks would Join with us[.] On One Occation President Young took part in the Injoyment. I formed an acuantance with a Yound [young] Lady Crosing the Plains that I after wards Marr[i]ed. her Name was Olive Whittle, a Daughter of Thomas Whittle, formerly from Canada. So I done My Sparking along the road. So I did not have So much to Do after I got into the Valley.

Thomas Whittle Military Service
1861 Cache Valley Regiment. Thomas Levi Whittle was the commander of the 6th infantry battalion, with the rank of Major.  (Source: The Herald Journal (Logan), 9 Aug. 1987 and 13, Sep. 1987, A.J. Simmonds, Historian at Utah State University.  Obtained from Nauvoo Land and Records office, Apr. 2011).

Account Hand-copied by Mary E. Whittle Scott with Her CommentsTranscribed 21, 22 June 1995 by Gerald L. Scott, great-great grandson, Atlanta, Georgia. See additional documentation at the end of this section.
 
Thomas Levi Whittle, son of Thomas Whittle and Elizabeth Levi was born 21 May 1812 at Meresea Township, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Little is known of his early youth. He had a cheerful disposition, good character and learned easily. He was considered a peacemaker, was well liked by his friends, neighbors and his associates all through life. His education was limited, but at that early date this was not unusual.
        
He was married in 1833 at age 21 to Mary Amelia Fulmer born 18 June 1817, known as Polly. She was only 16 years old. They both lived in the same area of Canada. Being of the same temperament and disposition they found it easy to "live their lives together" . Soon after marriage, the young couple left Canada and went to Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.

Thomas Levi Whittle and his wife Mary were both religiously inclined and therefore found it easy to listen to the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They accepted the truthfulness of the Gospel, much to the disappointment of their parents. Thomas Levi Whittle was baptized a member 22 November 1837 by Zera Pulsipher and rebaptized in Salt Lake City 3 June 1849 by William Clayton.

They moved from Detroit to Quincy, Illinois. They left Quincy for Nauvoo, Illinois where they with others endured the hardships. We have only to read the Church history to become acquainted with the sufferings of this period of time. It was on 16 September 1845 that the Saints notified the "mob" of their intention to leave Nauvoo.

Mary Fulmer Whittle was present on the occasion when the Saints had met to hear the speech of Sidney Rigdon, then purporting to be the rightful leader of the Saints. She saw Brigham Young when he arose to speak and witnessed the "mantle of Joseph" resting upon his form and features. This occurrence left no doubt in her mind as to the rightful leadership of Brigham Young. [Addition by GLS:  Thomas Levi Whittle and his wife Mary Fulmer Whittle each received their Patriarchal Blessings on 19 April 1845 in Nauvoo under the hands of John Smith, an uncle to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who had ordained him a Patriarch.]

"The great Nauvoo exodus" officially began 4 February 1846 under the leadership of Brigham Young. From this location, the Whittles (for they had children now), [my grandfather George having been born at Quincy - MES], in company with other pioneers started the trek across the plains. For this historical trek, the Thomas Levi Whittle family was listed with the members of the Second Company, Second Division of the exodus to the Great Salt Lake Valley. In this organization, Heber C. Kimball was commander and Zera Pulsipher was Captain of one hundred. [Great grandfather Whittle traveled with the Zera Pulsipher unit of the Second Division - MES].

The Heber C. Kimball Company left the Elkhorn River crossing 1 June 1848 and arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley 20 September 1848. Thomas Levi Whittle and his family took up residence in the Northwest Central part of Salt Lake City later known as the 17th Ward.

In preparation for leaving Nauvoo, a large quantity of corn was dried for the journey West. But for some reason this was left behind. Grandfather had to return to Nauvoo for a cow that got away. He ate the corn that was left in the attic of his home, where he hid himself, until he could escape without being seen.

In 1849, gold was discovered in California by discharged soldiers of the Mormon Battalion. This event led to an Expedition to California by a company of Mormon  Elders, who started from Salt Lake City on Thursday 11 October 1849. They were to work for awhile in the gold mines after which some were to proceed on missions for the Church to preach the Gospel. The company consisted of Charles C. Rich, the General [great grandfather of Jeneane Scott], Major Hunt of the Mormon Battalion, Captain James M. Flake, Captain of the Company. George Q. Cannon, Joseph Cain, Thomas Levi Whittle, Henry E. Gibson and his brother Edgar, also other reliable men.

They were the first Company who ever undertook to go to California by the Southern route. They started out with only about thirty days provisions, yet they were sixty days on their journey. They went with pack animals, and in crossing the desert, had to turn back often to begin their march anew in some other direction. This made the journey very long and severe.  Killing all their animals, so that the last 350 miles were mostly made on foot. It was a splendid company of Brethren, so they were enabled to survive one of the hardest journeys ever made to the State of California. 

Before they were away from home by three hundred miles, General Charles C. Rich's mule gave out. A mule that won for itself quite a historical reputation.  General Rich, whose humane nature every Mormon knows, left his worn out mule along the way, to recover, while the Company went on. But every night the mule came into camp, having followed as fast as it could. Thus it recovered, and went through to California and became humorously famous for its utility–while others died and left their bones along the trail. The mule's name was Sim. The brethren with General Rich, whose mules were mostly worn out, were in the habit of hurrying off before the General's [mule - GLS], loaded down with their blankets and utensils. The kind, eccentric General would take his time and follow along leisurely with Sim. In an hour or two, Brother Rich and the mule would catch up with the rest, carrying their loads [they had intentionally left behind - GLS]. Charles C. Rich would hail them by, "Oh take that off and put it on Sim."   Thus Sim was a ludicrous pack animal to the Company and survived this most difficult journey--illustrating what the innate human kindness of General Rich effected even on perverse mule flesh.

This journey was full of incidents of historical interest. When the Company was about four hundred miles on the way, being a little Southwest of where Pioche (Nevada) is now located, they had traveled thirty six hours without water or grass. Nor had they seen signs of any. On the second day, after traveling all night, at about four o'clock in the afternoon, a tremendous rain storm came on, causing streams of water to run down the ravines. They unloaded their animals and filled every vessel they had with water. The thirsty souls thus refreshed in the desert by this providential rain, saw the Divine watchcare over them. They went on their way, thankful to Him who had sent the refreshing rains in the dessert.

After wandering in the dessert around this area they found they could not possibly get through to California by the westerly course. They turned about and followed the bed of a dry creek in a Southeasterly direction until they found an old Spanish trail from Sante Fe to Los Angeles, which they followed into California. They came through near the famous ranch of San Bernardino where they arrived barefooted and almost naked. Here may be told of their privations just before they reached the first settlement in California. They arrived late one night on the Mojave (Desert) without food. The next day they divided. One half keeping the trail with the animals while the other half scattered for the hunt. That day they managed to kill only one rabbit and one owl. Edgar Gibson killed the owl which was eaten as well as the rabbit, by the hungry men. The next day they concluded they were in the neighborhood of deer, and as it had snowed during the night making the ground too soft for travel they decided to layover for a general hunt for food. George Q. Cannon was sick that morning and Mr. Gibson was left to take care of him. All the rest went out to hunt food.

On the first day on the Mojave, Captain Flake had shot at and wounded a deer, which had escaped. About noon of the second day, the two brethren in camp heard someone calling and Gibson, looking up, saw General Rich beckoning.  Going to help him, Gibson found that the General had dragged a dead deer on the snow as far as he could, which was supposed to be the deer wounded by Captain Flake. Gibson relieved the General and dragged the deer into camp, and before sundown there were seven deer laying around camp. That night the hungry brethren made a feast of venison, but it was so poor that under other circumstances they would not have eaten it. They had no salt to season it, yet the famished men looked upon this as another Godsend, and this food lasted them until they got into the first settlement.

The brethren went directly to Colonel Williams' ranch, about twenty five miles from the San Bernardino ranch. Peter Fife and Henry Bigler of the Mormon Battalion had barracked at Los Angeles and they knew Colonel Williams. The Company went to work for the Colonel, repairing his grist mill. They stayed with him a month. The Company had no animals, provisions or clothing to pursue their journey, but Colonel Williams fitted them out with groceries, one three yoke and the other two, furnishing them with groceries, 100 bushels of wheat, and $1000 in cash as a loan to take them to the gold mines. General Rich was responsible for that debt. After they got to work at the mines, in three days they had enough money to pay the debt. General Rich forwarded it to Colonel Williams, who, afterward told the brethren on their return that he had helped to fit out many of the gold finders' companies but that the Mormon Company was the only one which had faithfully discharged their debt.

Before they left Williams' Ranch, Howard Eagan had joined them with a company and during the summer, Eagan followed up these gold finders, from one claim to the other, establishing stores for their supplies.

Gibson and George Q. Cannon worked together on the same claim, thirteen of the brethren having remained together as a mining company under Captain Thomas Levi Whittle.

Of General Rich, Mr. Gibson says:
    General Rich was held in reverence by us all. He was a father to us throughout the journey. After we had reached Williams' Ranch, he was offered means by several who possessed money among the brethren to proceed with them direct to the gold mines; but he answered, “No, I shall stay with the boys." This fatherly care was returned by us with gratitude, for when the debt was discharged to Colonel Williams we gave the team to General Rich.

After working in the mines three months, George Q. Cannon went and clerked for Howard Eagan, but held his claim and furnished a man, until he was called with others to go on a mission to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. These Elders, called at that time by Amasa Lyman and Charles C. Rich, were: Thomas Levi Whittle, George Q. Cannon, John Dixon, Henry Bigler, William Farrar. Elder Hyrum Clark was called to preside over this mission in the Sandwich Islands.  Now known as the Hawaiian Islands. [Addition by GLS: Amasa M. Lyman ordained an apostle 20 August 1842 by Brigham Young, later excommunicated in 1870. Charles C. Rich ordained an apostle 12 February 1849 by Brigham Young.]

It was 18 October 1850 before they could start for San Francisco. Some left for Sacramento on the SS West Point, some on the SS Senator. All arrived at San Francisco 26 October 1850 and on 8 November 1850 passage was booked on the "Imaum of Muscat" for $40 in gold less 5% if the brethren would furnish their own bedding. Captain Rich was in charge and the eating and living conditions were considered very poor. For one week the sailing was delayed due to high wind, but on 22 November 1850 they started on their way. The voyage from San Francisco to the Islands lasted twenty days. Their arrival at Honolulu on 12 December 1850 was heralded by natives attempting to sell fruits and other foodstuffs.

On 14 December 1850 Thomas Levi Whittle was selected as a companion to Hyrum W. Clark, (the Mission President) and they were assigned the Island of Oahu (with headquarters in Honolulu).

Thomas Whittle and his companions sailed to Hawaii on this schooner, the Imaun of Muscat, in 1850.  Photo from Bybee Family Tree at www.ancestry.com

An unsuccessful effort was made to open a mission in Honolulu, difficulty in learning the Hawaiian language was believed responsible for this failure. Plans were made for an early return to America in February 1851. Five of the original members of the mission including Thomas Levi Whittle left Honolulu in March 1851. After 43 days on the water, with much sea sickness they finally arrived in America and soon returned to their respective homes, presumably by the same route used in going to California. [Addition by GLS - this very sketchy account of this remarkable effort does not do it justice. A far better perspective of this first missionary effort among these native island people can be found in George Q. Cannon - Mv First Mission - Bookcraft, 1988, Collectors Edition Series, published as: Three Mormon Classics.  It is well worth reading.]

During his absence on his mission to California and to the Sandwich Islands, his wife, Mary Amelia Whittle, rented part of the family home in Salt Lake City to assist in supporting the family. In 1853 Thomas L. Whittle moved his family to the Fort Herriman territory of Utah, where they lived for about one year. During this time, while he was alone getting logs from a nearby canyon, his wagon tipped over and he was thrown under the logs. Before losing consciousness he had seen two men coming towards him. On regaining consciousness, he was standing by his wagon, which had been righted. He was badly injured, and with extreme difficulty he succeeded in mounting one of the horses which took him to the farm of Thomas Butterfield, who owned the horse.  Thomas Butterfield's daughter, Mary Jane nursed him back to health and the friendship that was established later developed into romance which ended in marriage. Thomas Levi Whittle married Mary Jane Butterfield as a second and plural wife  7 August 1853 at the Council House in Salt Lake City being used temporarily for ordinance work until the Endowment House could be completed.  At this time plural marriage was permitted certain eligible persons under the polygamy laws of the Church, but were abolished later. Soon after this second marriage, the Whittle families moved to Grantsville, Tooele, Utah where other children were born.  In the spring of 1860 Thomas Levi Whittle with his families moved to Cache Valley in Northern Utah, settling at Richmond, Utah. Here he remained for the rest of his life, except for brief periods of outside employment which most of the Saints were forced to seek.

President Brigham Young, in the fall of 1859, had called for a settlement mission to the Cache Valley area, to which many of the Saints responded.  The route to Cache Valley was filled with several adventures and thrills as they traveled through Wellsville Canyon, now known as U.S. Highway #91, between Brigham City and WeIlsville Utah. Utah, at this time was a Territory of the United States and was not granted statehood until several years later.  While in Richmond, they lived for a time in the "Old Fort" erected for protection against the Indians, but later acquired an adobe house of three rooms. [Thomas Whittle is listed among the settlers in the Richmond fort in 1859. there is a "G. Whittle" listed as well, probably George Page Whittle, Mary's grandfather. He would have been 19 years old.  See the "Old Fort" link for details.]

Thomas Levi Whittle was a very energetic Church and civic worker, and because of his agreeable and pleasing personality, he easily made friends with both young and old. He was also known as a peacemaker and was often called upon to assist in settling disputes. He was a member of the 24th Quorum of the Seventy having been ordained 8 October 1844 by Levi W. Hancock. He received his patriarchal blessing from Patriarch John Smith at Nauvoo, Illinois.  He served as first counselor to Bishop Merriner W. Merrill of the Richmond Ward between 30 June 1961, when the Ward was organized, to his death in July 1868.

In addition to numerous faith promoting experiences, Thomas Levi Whittle and his first wife Mary Fulmer Whittle cherished the memory of having heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached in purity direct from the lips of Joseph Smith the Prophet.

In the fall of 1867, he was told by Heber C. Kimball that he had better get his temple ordinances done as this would be his last chance. He never lived to complete all of his ordinances. [As noted above, Thomas had received his endowment in Nauvoo in 1846 and was sealed to his two wives in 1853 in the Endowment House, so it’s not clear what “temple ordinances” Br. Kimball was referring to, unless it was his sealing to his parents.]

While assisting his son Zera in building a one room log house, he was struck by a falling log he had been lifting and was fatally injured--living only about one week. Thomas Levi Whittle died 3 July 1868 at the age of 56 in Richmond, Cache County, Utah.

Letters to and from George Q. Cannon about the death and funeral of Thomas Levi Whittle, July 5, 1868.  (Double click to enlarge.) Source:  The Bybee Family Tree, www.ancestry.com

At the time of death he was the father of thirteen children, nine by Mary Fulmer, his first wife, and four by Mary Jane Butterfield, his second wife.  On the Fourth of July 1868, the next day following his death, the Territorial Flag of Utah was flown at half mast as a tribute to the honor and esteem felt by his fellow associates and neighbors. Funeral services and burial were held at Richmond, Utah on 5 July 1868 where he was laid to rest in the family plot in the Richmond cemetery. [The newspaper account above indicates the funeral procession was the largest known in Richmond to that time.]  His first wife, Mary Fulmer, was buried in the family plot when she passed away 6 January 1893. His second wife, Mary Jane Butterfield, buried in the family plot of her second husband, Benjamin Landon Doty. 

Comments by Gerald Scott
The above is a transcription of a copy in my Mother’s own handwriting given to me [Gerald L. Scott] as a Christmas gift in December 1967. I was told by Mother on that occasion that she was going to present each of my Brothers with the same information, in her own handwriting. I have carefully transcribed this to share this valuable record with my Brothers and their families in the event they did not receive it from Mother.

This record, as transcribed below, was apparently submitted to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers "Files" by Mary E. Scott as evidenced by a handwritten notation on the original copy of this record. No date of such forwarding is recorded.  I do not believe Mother is the author of these writings but no mention is made of who the author might be other than from the documentation. Perhaps it is H. Ray Pond. While it is not very well written (it is transcribed exactly as Mother recorded it in her own hand), it affords a magnificent perspective of our remarkable ancestor-- Thomas Levi Whittle.  Gerald L. Scott

Documentation: The sources of the information contained in this biography are as follows and were identified by Mother on the last page of this Family Historical Record.

1.    Family traditions and relatives
2.    Patriarchal Blessings 9: pp.105 #328 (copied exactly)
3.    Prominent Men and Pioneers of Utah
4.    Journal of History - Supplement 9 & 16
5.    Journal of Hawaiian Mission
6.    C.R. Seventies Record: Book "B" 9th Quorum ic 24 Quorum R177 (copied exactly)
7.    Essentials of Church History - Smith
8.    Encyclopedia Britannia - Historical
9.    History of aValley
10.    Stalwarts of Mormonism - Preston Nibley
11.    LDS Ward Records for Salt Lake City 17th Herrman Grantsville Richmond (copied exactly)
12.    Biography of Minerva Whittle Allen
13.    Biography compiled by H. Ray Pond (copied exactly)
14.    Tullidge Historical Magazine
15.    Ogden and It's Representative Men
        
Note 1:  Thomas Levi Whittle Family Records in possession of Mrs. Audrey Peterson 1616 Maple Avenue Salt Lake City, Utah [a 1967 entry]

Note 2: Thomas Levi Whittle is the great grandfather of Mary Eliza Whittle Scott. He is the great-great grandfather of her five sons:  Gerald Leroi, Richard Gordon, Walter Conrad, Kenneth Wayne, and James Mitchel Scott.