Thomas Sirls Terry Family 1905

Amos Hunt History

Amos Hunt, son of John Hunt and Jane Coats was born Feb. 28, 1819, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He married Nancy Garret Welborn in 1840 on Dec. 21. She was born Aug. 7 1823, in Muhlenberg Co., Kentucky, and was the daughter of James D. Welborn and Malinda Newman. (Jane Coats was b. Rowan Co., North Carolina).

Amos Hunt and his wife Nancy Garret Welborn came to Utah with their family on Sept. 24, 1852 in Benjamin Gardner's Company.

The Hunts lost one child before leaving Kentucky. One died and was buried while crossing the plains. Not having any lumber, theytook the board they used for a table to make a coffin. They also put a board marker with the child's name on it at the head of the grave. Two days later as they were traveling down a river they saw the marker floating down stream. They didn't know how it got there unless the Indians had pulled it up. Amos Hunt assisted a company of handcart emigrants into Salt Lake Valley and took part in the Echo Canyon Campaign when Johnston's army came to Utah.

Arriving in Salt Lake Valley, Amos and his wife immediately began a life of pioneering. They lived in Ogden until the fall of 1861, when they were called to settle Utah's Dixie. The wagons formed a circle for the camping each night on the way to Dixie. One night they camped where there was snow and built a large bonfire in the circle of the camp. As they sat around the fire, elk came out of the forest right to the camp, likely drawn by the smell of the hay which the oxen teams were eating.

After coming to Utah Amos took a second wife. She was a tall, dark haired girl, by the name of Rebecca Wiggins. To this union were born three children. Elias, Eliza Ellen, and Cena Ann. Rebecca was the daughter of Ebenezer Fairchild Wiggins and Elleanor Moore Wiggins. She was born March 14, 1843 at Shakrag, Hancock, Illinois.

After reaching St. George, Amos moved his families to what is still known as the Touiquint field, south of the city at the foot of Main Street. They were camped on this land when the great flood of 1862 came which surrounded their house, the women and children having to be carried out.

Late that spring he moved with some catatle to the foot of the Pine Valley Mountains where the Blake and Gubler ranch was exstablished. During Amos' first year at the foot of the scenic mountain he cleared ground, built fences, corrals and started a log cabin. Before he could house his women folk, Rebecca gave birth to a baby girl. Cena Ann, now Mrs. Mathew Mansfield, was born in a wagon box fixed as comfortable as those times would permit. Stout hearted women, full of love for their Church and their men, faced all conditions courageously. Even the chill of that October 3, did not mar the arrival of a newborn.

In 1864, with several other families, Amos went to Clover Valley now known as Barclay. Tarlton Blair drove the ox team while Amos held the plow and plwed the first furrow at that place. Here they raised a few acres of grain. Knowing the habits of the Indians at this time, the men and women were apprehensive of their future and the safety of their families. Immediately upon their arrival they started to build a little fort. Soon there was a fenced fortress, one side of the fence forming a lane, and the other fside furnishing a corral for the cattle and sheep. Amos owned a small flock of sheep. The Indians camped on a side hill a short distances away and were soon discovered stealing the sheep. The people were forced to guard the corral at night, as the Natives tried on several occasions to stampede the cattle, having found this a successful way to secure some for themselves. In this group of settlers, one man, Dudley Leavitt, could talk and understand Indian. So with the great courage of the men, they fought the Indians, not by force of gun, but y wits and faith.

One night Amos Hunt's brother Bradford was standing guard, and as he walked down the lane to awaken the relief guard, he routed ambushed Indians, who immediately gave fight. In the encounter which followed, arrows and gunshot were exchanged in the darkness. One Indian was slain, and the white boys got some severe wounds. The alarm awakened all the settlers and left the scene vived in the memory of even small children.

Some of Amos Hunt's property was destroyed by the Indians. About August 1865, nine cows and calves were killed. In March 1866, nine dry cows and four oxen were killed; six tons of hay, three houses, fencing around the land, and corrals were burned. Food was very scarce and the family gathered salaratus from the ground by sacks full and hauled it to Beaver to trade for wheat to make flour.

To Amos, and to three little ones, it was a time when the bravest of hearts failed. The brace and beautiful Rebecca, though still in her youth, had been buried in the heart of Clover Valley. Pneumonia had struck this young wife of twenty-two years of age, and on September 19, 1865 she died. During this same summer hi son John Dudley also died. Just before leaving this plave three of his small boys were herding the sheep one afternoon when they heard the war whoop of Indians. Both the boys and the sheep grew excited and raced for the corral. The two older boys mounted buck sheep and went to town, leaving the youngest boy to make his own dust. As he recalls, he did this with some gusto, their faithful old dog rounding up the sheep and bring them into camp.

In the fall of 1866, the Indians got so bad that t he people had to move, and most of the families moved to Hebron, twhere they built a fort. While there another daughter, Angeline Hunt was born in a log house, October 7, 1869. While the mother and baby were still in bed, all the family came down with the measles except Amos, the father. There were twelve in all. Beds were all over the floor.

Amos, being a shoemaker, made shoes for his family and others. In later years he was quite prosperous. Hebron was laid out in five and ten acre lots, then the men drew for their allotments. Amos drew ten acres in the choice meadow bottom. it was not long before he had built a four roomed house, with a loft and stairway for Nancy. The heart of the wife and mother went into the making of a loving home.

In 1868-or 69 Shoal Creek was named Hebron. Perhaps Hebron came for the fond memories of his home in Kentucky where he spent many years as a young man growing up. Nancy Garret Hunt found refuge at last, and her great heart mothered many young ones, for it was to her home they came from far and near. It made her heart swell and her dim eyes sparkle to be the godmother of many. As the years passed, Amos and Nancy found the security and peace they had prayed for. He had a large herd of ccattle and a good ranch. The family milked cows and made butter and cheese. During the time when mining was good in Pioche, Amos took his butter and cheese out there and received a good price for it. He also had a share in the Washington factory, where he traded butter and cheese for clothing.

Amos moved to Wayne County when it belonged to Piute County and lived in what was the old Thurber town. He lived there for several years, then he moved back to the Dixie Country.

Amos' mother was living with him when she died. Nancy Garret Welborns parents never came to Utah. Her two sisters, Sarah Ann, who married Philip Cardon, and Francis, who married Edmund Thompson came to Utah.

Nancy died in Hebron on December 17, 1895 after which Amos Hunt went to live with his daughter Angeline Hunt Coleman. They later moved to Teasdale where Amos Hunt lived until his death at the age of 85. Behind him he left a great posterity that carried on the HUNT name. Surviving him at the time of his death were ten children, 89 grandchildren and 68 great-grandchildren.

(Published in Heritage Builders - History of John Hunt and Jane Coates and their descendants. Compiled by the Hunt Family Research Association and printed in 1961, page 87)

Amos Hunt and Nancy Garrett Welborne

Pictures of Amos and Nancy Hunt family

Thomas Sirls Terry

Thomas Sirls Terry and the story of Enterprise and Hebron, Washington County, Utah
W. Paul Reeves in "A Century of Enterprise 1896-1996"

In the case of Thomas Sirls Terry the story of Enterprise begins in Shreeville, New Jersey where his family had settled when he was around sixteen years old. It was there, in the fall of 1841, that Terry first heard rumors that "a man by the name of Joseph Smith had found a Gold Bible." It was not long thereafter that two Mormon missionaries, Joseph Newton and William S. Appleby, came to Pemerton, a neighboring town of Shreeville. Terry recalled: "There were a few of the men of our town who went to hear the Mormon Elders preach ... The next week, the Mormon Preachers were the general conversation. I listened, very anxious to learn all I could about the doctrine of these curious people." (11)

After nearly a month the Mormons came to Shreeville. "I listened very attentively to the remarks," Terry recalled, "I became convinced that the doctrine he advanced was true according to my understanding of the religion of Christ. I had, in my youth, gone to all kinds of meetings but never before did any preaching come with such force to my understanding as did the remarks of the Mormon Preachers."

Terry continued to attend the Mormon meetings until he became certain all the preaching was true and on, 12 March 1842, was baptized a member of the "peculiar" new religion. But by 1845, at age twenty, Terry was determined to leave home and set out on his own. "I thought I would see what the world was made of," he wrote, "but yet I had a greater motive to inspire me than all this, and this was that I had joined the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, and I was determined to gather to where the Saints were gathered."

Several odd jobs later, Terry had "some good clothing and sufficient money" to travel west and unite with the body of Mormons who were in the middle of their exodus from Illinois. In March 1847, he notified his family that he was going to start west, and despite his parents' attempts to persuade him otherwise, Terry remained resolute. "I was a Moromon, and was determined to gather with the Saints," he reasoned. Even though it was a time of difficulty for the saints as they were driven from Nauvoo the year before and were on the move, Terry would not be deterred. "Their God was my God and if they died, I could die with them."

On June 9, 1847, Terry joined with a company of Mormons leaving Council Bluffs, Iowa. He became part of a train of 656 wagons that journeyed for over three months across the semi-barren expanses of the midwest before arriving in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. It was there, in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains that Brigham Young determined to establish his Kingdom of God. And it was there that the first Mormon settlers in the Salt Lake Valley soon commenced building houses, clearing land and planting crops. As one of these initial settlers, Terry's first few years in the Great Basin were busy. He helped dig the first well in the valley as well as prepared the lumber for the first water wheel. The hard work notwithstanding, Terry still remembered those years as "a time of rejoicing among the Saints" because they "were now free from...oppression."

Apparently this new freedom also gave Terry time to pursue interests of a personal nature. In December 1849, at age twenty-four, he married 16 year old Mary Ann Pulsipher whom he had met earlier that summer. The new couple "took up forthy acres of land on Little Cottonwood" where they built a house and began establishing a farm. In the ensuing years Terry continued to demonstrate devotion to his chosen faith. He filled a mission to the eastern states, became captain of a company of saints emigrating to Utah, and married two additional wives (his second wife, Eliza, was Mary Ann's younger sister). (14) Then, at the October 1862 church conference, he and his families were "called" to travel south and there help build the Cotton Mission and strengthen that portion of the "kingdom".

One missionary described it this way: "Brother Brigham wished us to go over the rim of the Great Basin south and down, down til we should come to the mild climate along the Virgin River, where we can raise the cotton, cane and fruits which are so much in need." (17)

Fewer than half of the nineteenth-century Mormons who colonized Utah's Dixie stayed. (18) Those who remained often did so out of a sense of duty to their faith and the "inspiried" church authorities who sent them there to live. Perhaps Terry typified the attitude of the more determined settlers when he wrote: "I had the spirit of perseverance. In my travels through life, when misfortune seemed to press down hard upon me, I always pressed forward the harder and would accomplish that which I undertook to do. And when famine and starvation stared me in the face...still I hung on to my faith and integrity in the Lord." (19)

This religious confidence certainly accounts for Terry's willingness to join the Cotton Mission and relocate his family to southern Utah. He sold his farm in November 1862 and, with his thirteen year old daughter Mary Ann driving one of the horse teams arrived in St. Geroge on New Years Day 1863. Terry spent the remaineder of the winter in St. George where both his wives gave birth to baby girls. In March of that year apostle Erastus Snow, leader of the Cotton Mission, called Terry to "take [his] families to Shoal Creek... to help establish a settlement there." (20) This move proved a joyful reunion for Terry's wives as their three brothers, John, Charles and William Pulsipher had been herding the St. George cattle there for nearly a year. In addition, Zerah, the father of these Pulsipher children, after his call to Dixie, had joined his sons on Shoal Creek in December of 1862, where he found the location to be "a very healthy section" despite its "obscurity".

The Pulsiphers and others had chosen a site about two-and-a-half miles east of the present town of Enterprise, and began constructing permanent dwellings. Despite their already friendly relations with the Native Americans, the Pulsiphers were still cautious. They built their first structure directly over a spring so if they ever came under Indian attack they could not be cut off from water. Their first homes were crude adobe dwellings with walls partly constructed of cedar and roofs of willow "stringers" that were then layered with bark and dirt. (28)

It was there that Thomas S. Terry, united with the Pulsipher's to manage the herd of the Cotton Mission. Soon other settlements started cropping up around them, and the number of Indian uprisings that plagued colonies throughout central and southern Utah increased. Prior to the Indian troubles, possibly as early as the summer of 1863, William and his father Zerah moved about eight miles west of the original settlement. (Terry became the owner of this post about ten years later and it became known as Terry's Ranch).

The Pulsipher-Terry clan wanted to find a placed where they could all live together. The scarcity of water limited their choices. They finally decided upon a spot located between these two sites called "Big Willow Patch" where the branches of Shaol Creek merged and the main stream curved in a big bend. In response to Erastus Snow's council ten families joined the Pulsipher-Terry group and built a fort at the Big Willow Patch. The fort consisted of two rows of pine and cedar log houses running east and west. All the houses were joined together with the doors and windows facing inside. At the center of the fort the colonizers dug a 20 foot deep well from which they carried water. At the west end they built "a nice log building for church services, school and amusement hall." (35)

Resdients at the fort soon dug a two mile ditch, planted gardents and brought about 25 acres of land under cultivation. They enjoyed a fairly comfortable life-style in their tiny colony and even found time for social activities. Three of the Hunt brothers, Johnathan, Jefferson, and Amos were good violinists and provided music for dances "at least once a week" during the winter season.

After Indian troubles had largely subsided the settlers grew anxious to leave the protection of the fort and colonize a new town. The high ground surrounding the fort was chosen and blocks were laid out. The town was named Hebron after the name for the biblical village where the prophet Abraham pastured his flocks and herds. Lots were chosen according to seniority with the best of feelings. (38)

Hebron residents were plagued with a variety of difficulties over the years that led to the gradual decline and abandonment of the town. A core group of residents seemed willing to persist despite an onaslaught of challenges. Thomas Sirls Terry was one such inhabitant. He became bishop of the Hebron congregation in 1877 after Bishop Crosby's house was destroyed by fire in November of that year. Crosby moved to Leeds. Even while serving as the new bishop of Hebron, Terry moved up to his "ranch" during the summer's to graze the cattle.

The United Order was set up in Hebron and Terry was asked to be the Superintendant. The Order seemed doomed from the start and in less than five months, Terry "rather abruptly resigned his office and went to work for himself and requested that his name be no more used in connection with the United Order." Others soon did likewise and gradually the Order faded. After a year it had all but disappeared in Hebron. (53)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Documentation: (11) Thomas Sirls Terry, "Thomas Sirls Terry (1825-1920)", in Terry and Nora Hall Lund, ed., "History of Thomas Sirls Terry Family" (n.p., 1954) 2-3
(14) ibid., 3-9. Terry's marriage to his third wife, Lucy Stevenson, proved to be shortlived. He married Lucy in 1857, but before long she had caused him "some little trouble." She partcularly enjoyed dancing and in the spring of 1861 became angry when Terry refused to take her to a dance. She consequently left him, apostatized from the church and "went off and married an outsider." in 1878 Terry took a fourth wife, Hannah Louisa Leavitt, who took care of him in his old age while living in Enterprise.
(17) John Pulspher, "The Journal of John Pulsipher," typescript, Special Collections Harold B Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
(18) Dean L. May, Lee L. Bean, and Mark H. Skolnick, "The Stability Ratio: An Index of Community Cohesiveness in 19th Century Mormon Towns..etc.
(19) Terry, 9.
(28) Fish, 35
(35) Fish, 43; Frei 30-31, Alydia T. Winsor, 3.
(38) John Pulsipher, journal
(53) Frei, 37-39; Huntsman diary, 1:76-79; Hebron Ward Record, 45. No explanation is given for Terry's
departure from the order but notes in the ward record for 2 August indicate that "Father Parker" visited Terry and reported that Terry "felt well and had no fault to find and no complaints to make of any one."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Terry bought land at Beaver Dam Wash as a place of "exile" from prosecution during the height of federal anti-polygamy raids. The Hebron Ward Record (p 227) in hindsight, noted: "Since the U. S. Deputy Marshals have been making raids upon the saints, Bp T. S. Terry has made him a home on the Beaver Dam Wash in the mountains south of Hebron where he has lived with one of his families in exile, only visiting the ward occasionally."

Enterprise, a small budding community about 5 1/2 miles east of Hebron, shown indications that the reservior project would succeed but Hebron residents still refused to join the venture. In fact, behind the leadership of George A. Holt, their new bishop. According to 1893 Hebron ward records, town "busy bodies" had been agitated for the replacement of Thomas Sirls Terry as bishop for some time. Many felt that Terry's "interest was not with the people of the town", as he was away much of the time with his family at Beaver Dam Wash. Others desired a "young man" to preside who could lead the town into prosperity. (16)

The reservoir is a big part of the history of Enterprise, but I have not included it here, but instead will place it with the Hunt histories as they were a big part of the success of that undertaking.

After many trials and hardships, Hebron was hit with a devestating earthquake 17 Nov 1902. It left most of the homes uninabitable. Eventually most of the people vacated Hebron and moved down to the edge of the Escalante Desert, where they founded Enterprise. While the moving process was going on, gradually the old town up in the canyon retained its name of Hebron, but at a meeting held October 18, 1905, the two settlements, Hebron and Enterprise, were joined together and organized as the Enterprise Ward with George Albert Holt, the former Bishop of Hebron as Bishop.

At the present time the little town of Hebron is abandoned, anda deep gully or washr uns through where once was the one main street and town. The little cemetery remains fenced in with a chain link fence.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dean Terry founded a little park at the east end of Enterprise called "Heritage Park". It is a tribute to his ancestors Thomas Sirls Terry and his three wifes, Mary Ann Pulsipher, Eliza Pulsipher, and Hannah Louisa Leavitt. On display are some of the tools and equipment used by Terry and his descendants at the Terry Ranch and also from the Beaver Dam homestead.

The Plaque on the Thomas Sirls Terry Monument in the center of the park states:

Thomas Sirls Terry
3 Oct 1825 - 12 Aug 1920

Thomas Sirtls Terry was born in Bristol Township, Bucky County, Pennsylvania, on 3 October 1825 to Thomas Sirls and Mary Ann Murkins Terry. Thomas went to work at the age of 7 in a local cotton mill. At 17 he was apprenticed to learn the trade of printing calico cloth.

Thomas first heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in November of 1841. He was taught and baptized by Joseph Newton on 12 Mar, 1842. Thomas was always true to his new faith. On 19 Jan 1847 he began the 1,030-mile jounrey west as a teamster, to be with other members of the church arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on 25 Sept 1847.

In 1849 Thomas became acquainted with Mary ann Pulsipher, the daughter of a porminent pioneer family, they married on Christmas day that year. On 6 May 1855, he took a second wife, Eliza Jane Pulsipher, the youngest sister of Mary Ann.

In October of 1856 Thomas was called to leave his families and farm and go on a mission. He labored in Philadelphia and New Jersey. He was released from his mission by Parley P. Pratt and was assigned as captain, of a company of the Saints going west.

In the fall of 1862 Thomas was called to the Dixie Cotton Mission in southwestern Utah. After spending the winter in St. George he moved his families to Shoal Creek (Hebron), Washington County, Utah. Later he built a ranch and stage station ... Moroni Springs west of Hebron.

In 1867 Thomas was ordained a high priest and called as bishop of the Hebron Ward. He served as bishop for 27 years. In 1878 he married his third wife, Hannah Louisa Leavitt. Because of the Edmund's Tucker act, in 1885 Thomas moved Hannah's family to the Beaver Dam Wash in Washington County, Utah.

Hebron was abandoned. Thomas and his family moved to Enterprise where he was called as patriarch of the area.

Perhaps the greatest written statement of Thomas Sirls Terry are his own words of encouragement to his 30 children. "When famine and starvation stared me in the face, and hunger had so weakened my mortal frame that when at my lobors I would have to sit down to rest in order to gain strength...still I hung on to my faith and integrity in the Lord...And when a mist of darkness had darkened the horizon of truth and when the prophets of God, who were slain for the testimony which they bore, by the wicken fiends of Hell, and when destruction seemed to the total overthrow of the whole church, my faith was still in the Lord, and would serve the God of Israel and would never let anything shake me from my firm position in the commandments of the Church. Therefore, my dear children, let nothing of an evil nature persuade you from a righteous course through life, and always carry out your righteous decrees and be firm in your determination."

Thomas Sirls Terry died 12 Aug 1920 at the age of 95 and was buried in Enterprise, Utah.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Extracted Marriage Records, LDS Temple Records, SL, UT M183393 1851-1854 Film

!THOMAS SIRLS TERRY, RHT's great-grandfather, was born 3 Oct 1825, at Bristol, Bucks, Pennsylvania. TST was baptized 12 Mar 1842. He may have been rebaptized at Winter Quarters in 1847. Thomas crossed the plains in 1847, as a member of Daniel Spencer/Peregrine Sessions Company. TST married MARY ANN PULSIPHER 25 Dec 1849, after a voice from Heaven told him whom he was to marry. He was called to leave his two wives to fulfill a mission to the United States and was a Wagon Train Captain on the way back to Utah, who experienced the raising of the dead. He dug the first domestic well in the Salt Lake Valley in the spring of 1848, on South Temple, 53 feet deep. He was married four times and raised 30 children to maturity. He was Patriarch and first bishop of Hebron. TST died 12 Aug 1920, at the age of 95, and was buried at Enterprise, Washington, Utah. A Pioneer Park was dedicated in his rememberance at Enterprise in 1996. RHT's lineage through TST is: THOMAS SIRLS TERRY > ALMIRA TERRY > LORA HARMON > ROBERT HENRY THOMPSON.

!Mormon Pioneer. [Bucks County Pennsylvania is often called Buckshire, Pennsylvania].
! A monument to Thomas Sirls Terry as the founder of Enterprise, Utah, was dedicated Sunday, 14 July 1996, at the crossroads just as one enters Enterprise from the south. TST was married 4 times and had 30 living children. TST was Bishop of Hebron [Heebrun], and is buried in Enterprise seven miles to the east of Hebron. Pioneer, Wagon Train Captain, Raised the dead, Patriarch, Master Printer, Missionary, Arrived in the valley September 1847, Learned penmanship and shorthand while crossing the plains at age 21, He dug the first well in Utah in the spring of 1848, worked for Apostle Parley P. Pratt, was told by revelation whom he was to marry. lived 95 years. TST dug the first domestic well in SLC, on South Temple Street, fifty three feet deep. He crossed the plains missing Nauvoo and the persecutions.
!"I enjoyed myself firstrate on the plains!" He was hired to drive the 3rd new conastoga wagon for Darwin Richardson the last lap of the journey. Grandmother Richardson rode with him in the 3rd wagon and taught him shorthand and penmanship as they traveled. He helped found Hebron (Heebrun), Utah. He married two daughters of Zera Pulsipher. Mary Ann settled in Enterprise, Eliza Jane in Panaca. TST died at age 95.
1841 - TST first heard Elders of the "Restored Church of Jesus Christ" in 1841.
1845 - TST was listed as a printer.
1847 - TST traveled West to join the Saints in 1847, arriving at Winter Quarters in June.
1847 - TST was baptized in 1847, at Winter Quarters, Nebraska, by Joseph Newton.
Also in June he started for the Valley.
1847 - TST arrived in the Valley in 23 Sep 1847. "I enjoyed myself first-rate on the plains!"
1847 - TST crossed the plains in 1847, as a member of Daniel Spencer's hundred, Perregrine Session's
fifty, and Elijah F Sheet's ten.
1848 - TST was ordained a "Deacon" in the spring of 1848, by Edward Hunter, Officiator.
1848 - TST dug the 1st domestic well in the Valley 53' deep on South Temple Street in the spring of 1848.
1848 - Crickets Attacked the crops in 1848.
1850 - TST homesteaded forty acres on Little Cottonwood Creek in 1850.
TST was rebaptized at Union Fort, Salt Lake County, Utah Territory.
1851 - TST was ordained a "Seventy" in 1851.
1854 - TST received his endowments 20 Mar 1854, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.
1855 - TST was sealed to his 2nd wife, Eliza Jane Pulsipher, 6 May 1855, in the Endowment House.
1855 - TST was assigned to the 29th Quorum of Seventy 6 May 1855.
1856 - TST filled a Mission to the United States. Reporting to President Erastus Snow in St Louis, he was
sent to Philadelphia.
1857 - TST was appointed Wagon Train Captain. Apostle Parley P Pratt asked TST to accompany him west.
While Parley went south to gather the company TST was released from his mission. He then
learned of the murder of Elder Pratt and was called to be Wagon Train Captain leaving Winter
Quarters 1 July 1857 and arriving in the Valley in September. He raised the dead.
Handcart Companies, Utah War, Move south to Springville, Return to Cottonwood,
Wife Lucy left him twice....
1858 - During "the move" in 1858, TST moved his family temporarily to Springville, but then back to Little
Cottonwood. He was then Counselor to Bishop Silas Richards.
1859 - TST attempted to raise sugar cane in 1859.
1860 - TST was listed as a farmer when the 1860 Federal Census was taken in Salt Lake City.
[was head of a household of ten, Real wealth of $350.00, Personal wealth of $500.00]
1862 - TST was called along with 200 other families to the Dixie Cotton Mission.
1874 - TST was visited by the Adversary. TST was then very ill.
1876 - TST was ordained a High Priest and set apart as Bishop in 1876.
1878 - TST was sealed to his 4th wife, Hannah Louisa Leavitt, 5 Apr 1878, in the St George Temple.
1885 - TST moved to Beaver Dam Wash south of Hebron during the anti plural-marriage raids.
1894 - Bishop TST presided over the Hebron Ward until it was discontinued 9 Sep 1894.
1908 - TST was ordained Patriarch 14 Jun 1908, & gave a Patriarchal Blessing to g-daughter Lora Harmon.
TST was a Patriarch in the St George Stake of Zion
1913 - TST's first wife, Mary Ann Pulsipher Terry, died 18 Sep 1913, and was buried in Enterprise.

MARRIAGES:

1. Mary Ann Pulsipher 25 Dec 1849 Salt Lake City Council House
2. Eliza Jane Pulsipher 06 May 1855 Salt Lake City Council House
3. Lucy Stevenson 27 Dec 1857 Salt Lake City Council House
4. Hanna Louisa Leavett 05 Apr 1878 St George Temple

DEATHS:

Thomas Sirls Terry: 12 Aug 1920 Enterprise, Washington, Utah, USA

1. Lucy Stevenson Camp Floyd , Point of the Mountain, Utah County, Utah, USA
2. Mary Ann Pulsipher: 17 Sep 1913 Hebron, Washington, Utah, USA
3. Eliza Jane Pulsipher: 05 May1919 Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada, USA
4. Hannah Louisa Leavitt 05 Jan 1938 St George, Washington, Utah, USA
1880 UNITED STATES CENSUS:

Census Place: Hebron, Washington, Utah
Source: FHL Film 1255339 National Archives Film T9-1339 Page 402C
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
Thomas TERRY Self M M W 55 PA
Occ: Farmer Fa: PA Mo: PA
Eliza J. TERRY Wife F M W 40 IL
Occ: Keep House Fa: --- Mo: ---
Sarah M. TERRY Dau F S W 15 UT
Occ: At Home Fa: PA Mo: IL
Rebecca J. TERRY Dau F S W 10 UT
Fa: PA Mo: IL
Frank D. TERRY Son M S W 7 UT
Fa: PA Mo: IL
Elthara TERRY Dau F S W 3 UT

Thomas Elmer Hunt Brand

Kelly cut the rounds of cedar (juniper) wood from the Hunt Ranch near Enterprise, Utah and then used the old brand to make a take-home gift for all of the children of Thomas Elmer Hunt, as well as the children of Ivin Elmer Hunt who was at the time using the brand after, and in memory of his father.

Kelly is now in possession of the Thomas Elmer Hunt brand.

John and Charity Headstones up close

Headstones found in the Hunt Settlement, near Penrod, Kentucky. The cemetery is just beyond the Old Hebron Church.

Old Hebron, Kentucky Church

Photo taken by Allyson Hunt Wood of the old Hebron Church in 2006. What a wonderful experience to see where the older family lived.

Hunt Settlement, Kentucky

John and Charity Hunt Hunt settle near Penrod in Kentucky. This marker, photographed in 2006, stands as a memorial to these early settlers.

Jefferson Hunt

son of Amos Hunt and Nancy Garrett Welborne.
Husband of Celestia Terry.

Thomas Elmer Hunt Brand

This cattle brand was first registered and used by Thomas Elmer Hunt of Enterprise, Washington County, Utah.
It was second used by his son Ivin Elmer Hunt.
The right to use this brand is currently held by Ivin's son, Kelly.

Mary Ann Brown Pulsipher

	Husband: Zerah Pulsipher
	11 Children: Mary Ann Pulsipher (1816-1816) Iona Almira Pulsipher (1817-1868) Nelson Pulsipher (1820-1824) Mariah Pulsipher (1822-1892) Sarah Ann Pulsipher (1824-1909) John Pulsipher (1827-1891) Charles Pulsipher (1830-1915) Mary Ann Pulsipher (1833-1913) William Pulsipher (1838-1880) Eliza Jane Pulsipher (1840-1919) Fidelia Pulsipher (1842-1846)
	Father: John Brown Mother: Sarah Fairchild Show Pedigree

Mary Ann Brown was born on 2 Mar 1799 [or 22 Mar 1798?] in Kent, Conn. to John Brown and Sarah Fairchild Brown. She was known by the name Mary. They moved to Pennsylvania when she was six. She records: "My parents taught me to be honest, industrious, and to keep the Sabbath Day. They were very strict Methodists. When I was about 13 years old I thought I ought to join the Methodist Church. It was the only church I knew much about. The preachers came every week to preach at father's house. I told him I wanted to join the church and he said I could. I did not know but they would call on me to relate a great experience when I was converted, but I could not have told them. All they did was to put my name on the class paper for six month's trial. When six months were up the preachers said, `Here is Sister Mary. She is a good, faithful, worthy Sister. I motion that she be taken in full fellowship.' I was voted in."
"Perhaps one year passed and not a word was said about baptism. I said to the preacher, `Do you believe baptism to be a duty for us to obey?' He said baptism was not a saving ordinance, just to answer a good conscience. I said, `I see by reading the New Testament, I consider a duty -- a command.' He said, `What say?' I said there was only one way that looked to be right--to be immersed and buried in the water." The minister led her to the water and had her kneel in it. "He dipped a little water, said over the ceremony, and poured it on my head, while he stood on the bank--did not wet his feet. I thought if baptism was to answer a good conscience, I was not satisfied. It looked like mockery to me, but I had done my duty."
"I lived in Pennsylvania until I was married in 1815 [18 Aug. 1815, Susquehanna County] to Zerah Pulsipher.... We lived in Pennsylvania seven years...and moved to New York... There we heard the gospel preached for the first time by the Latter-day Saints."
"I think I was in the Methodist Church about 20 years before I heard the true gospel. We happened to see the Book of Mormon. We borrowed it, read it, and believed it, but did not know anything more about it. We were very anxious to know more about it. It wa not long before a Mormon preacher [Jared Carter] came. We had a great many questions to ask. He told us how the Book was found and translated. He said baptism by immersion was the only right way. It was for the remission of sins. I thought that looked right. In a short time some were ready to be baptized. I wanted to be at the first opportunity, but Satan thought he would hinder it. The night before baptism, I was taken very lame with rheumatism or something. I was so sick I could not get around much. As they were fixing to go, Brother Carter said to me, "Sister Pulsipher, if you will do you duty, you shall be healed." I took a cane and hobbled to the water and went in. It was a very cold day, but I came out well, left my cane, and went away rejoicing."
"It was not long before the news went around that Brother and Sister Pulsipher were Mormons. Some would not believe it until they came to see us. We had plenty of visitors. Some came to try to convince us that it was all delusion. They thought they could reclaim us, but went away disconsolate. Others came to inquire. They said if we had got something better, they wanted to know it. They would be baptized and go home rejoicing."
"We were baptized in the year 1832 by Jared Carter. He baptized about 20 in that place, then ordained my husband Zerah Pulsipher and left him to preside over the church. He baptized more. We stayed there about two years, then moved 20 miles to Fabius." Then they moved to Kirtland, Ohio.
"Went to Kirtland, there had my blessings from the first Patriarch in this Church, Father Joseph Smith [the Prophet's father]. He said I should have my friends with me in this church, and that I would be the means of saving and redeeming them. I believed every word, but did not understand how it could come to pass. I never had heard nor thought of being baptized for the dead. He said I had left all for the gospel, I should have a hundredfold in this world and in the world to come, life everlasting, with many more good blessings if I would be faithful."
After Zerah help build the temple, he was one of the council who led a large camp to Missouri. "We stayed in that place one month; then we were driven from there by the mob. Then we went to Far West and stayed there through the winter. Then we had to go again. We started in March [1839] for Illinois. We stopped about 25 miles from Nauvoo, in Bear Creek Woods" where they stayed about two years.
They then moved to Nauvoo where her last child Fidelia was born, an intelligent child who also died there at age four. They helped build another temple there and received their temple endowments there. "Then we started with the rest of the Church west to find some place where we could live in peace. We were two years, not forty, in going to Salt Lake. We helped cultivate the bare desert and make it `blossom like the rose.' My husband was one of the City Council most of the time we were there."
"Then we were called to go south three hundred miles and help cultivate another barren desert. We have lived ten years in this place, Hebron. We have enjoyed great blessings, lived in peace, none to molest or make afraid.... My husband was called away by death in January 1872. He lived to a good age, and then went down to the grave like a shock of corn, fully ripe. I am spared yet."
Eight years later, she added, "I am almost 81 years old, have lived and enjoyed myself well with my children along time....I pray that they may live in peace, be united, and keep all the commandments of God. If riches increase, set not your heats on them, but lay up treasures in Heaven. It is the only safe place that we can lay up riches. I would like to have my children live near together to help and comfort one another. May God bless you all."
Mary died on 7 May 1886 in Hebron, Utah and was buried there by the side of her beloved husband Zerah. Before dying she went to St. George and lived with her daughters Sarah and Eliza for several months and then returned to Hebron and lived with her son John for about two years.
Before she left Hebron she recorded on 16 Oct 1883, "I have been in Hebron from the beginning. I located with my boys as they were herding cattle at Shoal Creek when the main part of this country was a desert... With the help of my boys, I built the first house out of the fort. If I should die away from here I want to be brought back and buried here with my friends that are awaiting for me behind the veil. I have been in this church 52 years; passed the persecutions with the Saints, but never felt to complain, but that all would be well."
From the "Autobiography of Mary Brown Pulsipher" and also her children's words in Pulsipher Family History Book, Terry/Nora Lund, SLC, 1953, pp. 26-32. [Bracketed comments added by John P. Pratt]

Zerah Pulsipher Continues to Serve in Church

Church News Information ---

---

January 19, 1963 - Church News

With the help of two strong, young sons, Zera Pulsipher was able to mount his horse and ride out on the Iowa prairie to guard his herd of 18 precious cattle. One of the boys held Zera's crutches as the pale, father headed away from the settlement.

The sons turned to the more strenuous task of cutting and hauling logs hoping that all would go well with their father who was so weak that he could walk only with the aid of crutches.

Like many others of the refugees from Nauvoo, Zera had arrived at Winter Quarters early in 1847 nearly destitute. To secure food for his family, he had made a six weeks journey south into Missouri in the coldest time of the year. Exposure to storms and freezing weather for such a prolonged period seriously undermined his health.

The hardest work he could now do was that usually assigned to the younger boys -- herding cattle -- and even that was difficult for him. But as in all things, Elder Pulsipher was anxious to do whatever he possibly could.

His diligence and faithfulness had, in years past, attracted the notice of the Prophert Joseph Smith. The two men possibly had first met in Kirtland in 1835 when Zera had brought his family there to live. Zera was already a veteran in the missionary service of the Church at that time, having traveled and preached throughout the eastern states and Canada since his conversion in 1831. His efforts had led to the conversion of Wilford Woodruff.

Zera and his family remained in Kirtland until 1838. In March of that year, he had been set apart as a member of the First Council of Seventy. Later, when a large company of saints had left Kirtland for Missouri, Elder Pulsipher had been appointed one of their leaders.

They arrived at their destination only to be driven back to Illinois. During the period of relative peace in Nauvoo, he had worked with the rest of the members of the First Council to build up and strengthen the quorum of seventy.

Leaving Nauvoo in the winter of 1846-47, Elder Pulsipher made his home at Garden Grove and Winter Quarters for a time. He was captain of a hundred in a company of Pioneers that crossed the plains to Utah in 1848.

When he found that he could not secure enough flour for the needs of his large family at the lone mill that was operating in the valley, he built his own mill. When hordes of emigrants streamed through the valley the next summer on their way to the California gold fields, Elder Pulsipher could have sold all the Indian meal he could grind at $5 a bushel. But he preferred to sell it to his needy neighbors for $1.50.

He served for some years as a member of the Salt Lake City Council and continued his labors as one of the General Authorities.

Elder Pulsipher was released from the First Council of the Seventy in April 1862, and was subsequently ordained to the office of patriarch.

In 1863, he was called to assist in the settlement of Washington County in southern Utah. He spent the last nine years of his life in the town of Hebron near St. George. There he died at the age of 82 on Jan. 1, 1872.

Zerah Pulsipher

Pioneer story of early Mormon polygamist, Zera Pulsipher

Zerah Pulsipher

HISTORY OF ZERAH PULSIPHER

As Written by Self

(Found in an old trunk where he kept his papers)

(Sentence construction and punctuation left as he wrote it)


(Computer files generated from OCR Software and restored on 2/16/1997)


I was born June 24, 1789, the name of my parents were John and Elizabeth Pulsipher, my grandfather whose name was David Pulsipher was supposed to be a decendant from Ireland. I have not much knowledge of his ancestors. He brought up a family in Connecticut, New England. In the year 1769 he came to a new state called Vermont, went up the Connecticut River to Bellows Falls. Went five miles back to a place afterwards called Rockingham, an entire wilderness country, where. seldom a blow had been struck by a white man. There he selected and obtained 500 acres of land and proficed or predicted things that would take place in years to come, which was a site for a meeting house, burying ground back of it and a town site where water power was erected.


He cleared some land, built a "Public House" or "Tavern". He helped establish a settlement and converted the wilderness into a fruitful field. This is where I was born. But when the Revolutionary War commenced my father was very young and being away from home one day he heard that the British Army had destroyed some Military stores at Concord, New Hampshire, and being fired with indignation he sought for a recruiting officer and enlisted for one campaign. When he returned home and informed his father of the circumstances, the old gentleman told him that he was too young and that he would enlist and go with him. Accordingly he did, and they both went to Boston, Massachusetts. In the memorable Battle of Bunker Hill. the 17th of June 1775, there they stood side by side and fought with about 13 Americans against 3000 of the British for about two hours. When the enemy after firing Charleston and wending around under the smoke, had nearly surrounded that wing of their own army, when they saw a small gap to retreat through which was then continually plowing the ground with balls from the shipping. But while they were going out my grandfather saw one of our men wounded and crawling away on his hands and knees. In the meantime a British soldier ran him through with a bayonet, being filled with indignation at such rank breach of the laws of all civilized nations he immediately stopped, amid scenes of death and carnage, loaded his gun and shot that man down before he left the ground and then obtained a safe retreat. I speak of this to let my posterity know that our ancestors were clothed with that steady unshaken determination in time of the most immanent dangers that are incident to human life.


In a few weeks after this my grandfather died with cramp rheumatism in his breast, (no doubt heart ailment). My father served his time out and returned home and attended to the care of a family, married Elizabeth Dutton and raised a family of seven sons and three daughters.


My oldest brothers name was Oliver, who raised a large family in tie state of New York on Lake Ontario, The second was David, who raised a family, living with my father in Vermont, where .he died. John also married, but had no children. Solomon married and died in the war of 1812, with England - without child. I am the next, have raised a large family. Elijah has raised a family. Arunah the seventh has a family. My oldest sister Elizabeth married and raised a family by a man named Lloyd (Lord) E. Archer. Poly, my second sister, married a man by the name of Dexter Newton, raised a family in the state of New Hampshire. My sister Sybbel, married man by the name of Abram Newbury and lives in the state of Iowa.


My, father was absolute in his family government, kind and affectionate to all his friends. His common practice was to make a feast once in a year and invite some of the poorest people that were in the town and seemed to take pleasure in their company. I lived with him twenty--five years and never knew him to turn a beggar away empty, He lived to the age of seventy-eight and my mother to eighty-six.


But to return to my own history, - when I was but a child I frequently had serious reflections but never prayed. When I was a small boy my father was taken sick for some time I was not much concerned, 'til I heard some of the neighbors say that Mr.Pulsipher, must die. This put me to thinking that if my father should die that a large family of small children would be left without a head to the open winter subject to many disasters that were incident to human life. I could not bear the thought. An impression immediately came to me that I must go to the barn and there pray for his recovery. I turned and ran as fast as I could and when I got there I was about to bow down when something informed me that if I did I should die there and never return, which scared me so that I turned and ran back as fast as my legs would carry me. But my Father in Heaven took the will for the deed and restored my father to health,


Nothing of important nature happened for a number of years till I think I was about fourteen or fifteen years of age. When one evening as I was sitting by the fire-side in my father's kitchen alone, a sudden influence over-powered my mind to such an extent that I lost sight of every-thing on earth for some time, I never knew how long. Suffice it to say, that it was necessary that more preparation should be made before I should be willing to pass the Vale of Death. Though I could not be reconciled to souls left in Hell fire to all


Eternity as I had been taught by the Sectarians, still there were some things among the Sects that appeared reasonable, I have often heard my father say that the signs of Christ's second coming was often seen and that he would come before many years should pass away. And if he did not live to see it, likely his children would.


However, when I was about twenty-one I married a very agreeable companion, lived with her about one year when she died leaving one child which we named Harriet. After the death of my wife (Polly or Mary Randall) I had some anxiety about her state and condition, consequently in answer to my desires in a few weeks she came to me in vision and appearing natural looked pleasent as she ever did and sat by my side and assisted me in singing a hymn - beginning thus: "That glorious day is drawing nigh when Zions Light Shall Shine." This she did with a seeming composure. This vision took away all the anxiety of my mind concerning her in as much as she seemed to enjoy herself well. This hymn which she introduced and sang with me applied to the great work of the last. Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. This inspired about ten years before Joseph Smith had discovered the first Revelation of the work of the last days. My mind became calm as respecting her condition in the spirit world.


In the year 1814 I hired a farm at Bellows Falls on the Connecticut River and being alone gave my brother John the privilege to work it with me. In the fall of that season there were the most extrodinary Northern Lights that I had ever saw, it was the cause of many speculative notions among the people but my father said it was the signs of the last days and of Christ's second coming. I regarded my father's remarks as specimens of good sense.


I soon wound up my business in that country and went to Pennsylvania, in Susquahannah County. A new country where there were much good timber. I built a mill, cleared a farm and married a wife by the name of Mary Brown. A very agreeable companion by whom I have a large family of kind children. I stayed in that country about eight years and labored very hard rafting on the Susquahannah River, and many times my life was much exposed but I stayed in that country about eight years and removed to Oneadago County in the state of New York. I then lost my only son by the fall of a tree which caused much grief to me in that place.


I had many agreeable friends and good society there. I bought a farm and built a mill. I also built a meeting house for the Baptist Church which I was then associated with. In the summer of 1831 I heard a Minister say that an ancient record or Golden Bible in Manchester near Palmyra which remark struck me like a shock of electricity at the same time thought it might be something that would give light to my mind upon principles that I had been thinking of for years and many times I had remarked that if the pure church with its gifts and graces was not on the earth, if so I had not found it. But I should be happy enough to find it in my day.


I embraced it accordingly in the fall of 1831 there was a Book of Mormon brought into town I succeeded in getting it I directly read it through twice gave it a thorough investigation and believed it was true and the winter following Jerod Carter came that way from a mission to Vermont or Lake George. As soon as he came into town I, with two Methodist Preachers went to see him after a reasonable introduction I questioned him upon the principles of the ancient gospel with all its gifts belonging to it. I asked him if he believed it, he answered in the affirmative. I asked him if he had ever laid hands on the sick and they had recovered. Yes, he said he had in many instances.


He preached the following evening to a crowded congregation, held up the Book of Mormon and declared it to be a revelation from God. I could not gain-say anything he had said, he sat down and gave liberty for remarks, the congregation seemed to be in a maze not knowing what to think of what they had heard. I arose and said to the congregation that we had been hearing strange things and if true they were of the utmost importance to us. If not true it was one of the greatest impositions and as the preacher had said that he had got his knowledge from heaven and was nothing but a man and I the same, that I had just as good a right to obtain that blessing as he, therefore I was determined to have that knowledge for myself which I considered it my privilege, from that time I made it a matter of fervent prayer.

I think about the seventh day as I was thrashing in my barn with doors shut, all at once there seemed to be a ray of light from heaven which caused me to stop work for a short time, but soon began it again. Then in a few minutes another light came over my head which caused me to look up. I thought I saw the Angels with the Book of Mormon in their hands in the attitude of showing it to me and saying "this is the great revelation of the last days in which all things spoken of by the prophets must be fulfilled." The vision was so open and plain that I began to rejoice exceedingly so that I walked the length of my barn crying "Glory Hal-la-lu-ya to the God and the Lamb forever."


For some time it seemed a little difficult to keep my mind in a proper state of reasonable order, I was so filled with the joys of heaven. "But when my mind became calm I called the church together (note: he was their minister) and informed them of what I had seen. I told then of my determination to join the Church of Latter Day Saints, which I did and a large body of my church went with me. I was ordained to the office of an Elder and went to preaching with considerable success at home and abroad. I had the privilege of baptizing Wilford Woodruff on the 31st of December, 1833, at Richland, New York.


At length there came one or two Elders there with enthusiastic spirits which led the church into diversion which caused me a journey of 325 miles to get council to settle the difficulty. I remained in that part preaching in regions around and had the privilege of baptizing many into the kingdom ti11 the spring of 1835, in which I gathered up the remnants of that church and went to Kirtland. There I assisted in the building of the Temple; in the winter of 1836 I received my first endowment in that house, with about 300 Elders.


I labored to support my family and in the fall of 1837, I went to Canada on a mission, raised a branch of 29 members. I returned January, 29, 1838, to Kirtland. I was ordained to the Council of First Presidency of Seventies. (Notes I took a mission south of Susquanahaunah and Delware Rivers, preached considerable, established a branch with some persecution. One day I stopped my carriage at the hitching post before a large house, where I saw a number of women looking out the window. They were entire strangers too, as I had never seen then before. One woman met me at the door, called me brother, and said she had a vision she saw a Mormon Elder drive up to the yard, observe the horse and carriage and person, and as soon as she saw me she knew I was the one. We called a meeting and I preached there that night.)


The season following there arose a great persecution. the Saints were able to escape in the best manner they could. Joseph was carried away in a box nailed on an ox sled to save his life. Old father Joseph was taken out of a window in the right and sent away horseback. After the most of the saints were gone to Missouri I remained in Kirtland with about four of the First Presidents of Seventies. We continued to hold our meetings in the Temple. Accordingly, while we were at a meeting one Sunday, we took a notion to put our property together and remove in that way and when we had made that calculation we felt a great flow of the spirit of God, not withstanding the great inconvenience we labored under for want of means. We lacked means to move ourselves and many poor that were yet remaining that had neither clothing nor teams to go with.


But when they, heard that we were going together and would help one another they, wanted to join us and get out of that Hell of persecution. Therefore, we could not neglect them for all there was against them was that they were poor and could not help themselves. We continued to receive them till we got between five and six hundred an our hands. According to our covenant we had got them to move or stay there with them so we found we had got a Job on our hands. We counciled together from time to time on the subject and came to the conclusion that we could not effect the purpose short of the marvelous power of God by the power of the Priesthood. Therefore, we concluded to best go into the Temple in the attic story and pray that our Father would open the way and give us means to gather with the saints in Missouri which was near a thousand miles away. Accordingly,, one day while we were on our knees in prayer I saw a messenger apparently like an old man with white hair down to his shoulders. He was a very large man near seven feet high, dressed in a white robe down to his knees. He looked on me then turned his eyes on the others and then to me again and spoke and said, "Be one and you shall have enough". This gave us great joy; we immediately advised the brothern to scatter and work for anything that they could get that would be useful in moving to a new country. Some went to making staves to sell an the Lake shore, among which I was one. I think it was in the month of March that I was at work in the woods about nine o'clock in the morning there appeared to be a mighty rattling of wagons at the south. I suppose it must be as much as a dozen wagons rattling on peddle stones, it continued to draw nearer till I discovered it to be in the air and as it drew near I heard the sound of a steamboat puff; it passed immediately over our heads and went on about one mile to Kirtland Temple, there it appeared in the form of a steamboat loaded with passengers. Old Elder Beamen who was the President of the Elders, had appointed them a few months before but had been dead a short time, he was in the bow of the boat. He was singing and swinging his hat till it came in front of the Temple. It then divided in two parts, the one was black the other white; the white went west and the black went north.


The explanation of the phenomenon we saw with much clearness. When with in a few months from that time there was a division of the authorities of the church. A number of the Twelve and First presidents of Seventies descended and led many after them but the pure in heart went west. But we observe while we were attending to our prayers in the Temple from time to time there was a curious circumstance transpired.


A Methodist meeting house stood a few rods from the Temple which took fire one night there was a brand of fire thrown into the Temple at a window but went out. Most of the people being very hostile, the mob laid the charge of burning the house to the Council of Seventies. There was no doubt but they fired it themselves hoping by that means to get a pretex for our destruction but we knew we were innocent and trusted in Cod. We continued our course steadily along and paid no attention to them., There was a universal determination that we should never leave that place in a company and they knew as well as we that the poor could not go out alone; therefore, they had a deep plot laid for our destruction.


But we knew where our hope was grounded kept our steady course preparing to go out in a company well organized. But as I related to the burning of that house, they raged to a great extent because most of them supposed that we had actually done it. But as the Lord dictated to the great leader of that mob who had once been a Morman and well calculated to carry out his devilish designs was held by the power of God so that he had a vision and saw those that fired the house and seemed to be greatly astonished for a while and then met with the mob and informed them that it was not the Council that burned the house and he knew who it was but dared not tell on account of the law because he could prove only by vision, which they would not believe and still swore vengence on us. But he swore by all the Gods that lived that he would have revenge on them if they lost a hair of our heads. He had a large store of goods and could swear and get drunk. He had some influence with them so that we were preserved by the hand of God


We obtained money and clothing for the company and the 4th day of July this man that had led the mob invited me to take all our teams and company and camp in a clover field which was about one foot high. I thanked him'and embraced the officer. The next day we all went out all in order as we said we would in the beginning with about 65 teams and seventy cows. Nothing transpired for some weeks until we got to Dutton and got out of money. The people would take nothing of us but money for our expenses and at a high price too. We went into council and prayed to God for money and provisions. Accordingly the Lord sent a Turn-Pike Jober after us to get us to do a job for him. We therefore agreed with him for a job of twelve hundred dollars which we did in good order with his acceptance. He then wanted us to do another job, it was then very dry and the wells so low that it was difficult to get water for our animals in the dry part of the country if we should go on. But we inquired of the Lord for what was best and we were impressed to go on, not knowing what we should do for drink but the day following there fell such a flood of water that the low places in the country were full and we got along very well. When we got into Illinois a few of our company stopped and further on in Illinois, Joseph Young with others stopped. The remainder of us went an continually hearing reports that there was war in Missouri and if we went on we should be killed by the mob. But we went in good order, keeping guards all the time. When we arrived within five miles of Far West, which was the Metropolis of the Church in Missouri, there Joseph and Hyrum met us, greatly pleased that we had arrived with so large a company. They conducted us on to Far West and we camped around the Temple cellar as they had it dug.


In the morning, the first of October, 1838, Joseph came to me and said he wished me to take company and go to Diemmon, Davies County., about 25 miles North which would take us two days and advised us to guard our wagons during the night. I informed him that his advice was good but we had not been without a guard since we left Kirtland. However, we went on to the place appointed and found a few brethern there surrounded by numerous mobs. Being greatly rejoiced to see us come and we were as glad to get through for we had been on the road with a large company from the 5th of July to the 3rd of October. We suffered the perils of a hard journey for near one thousand miles among a hostile people, but the Lord had brought to try us to see what our faith was made of. We expected we had got home where we could locate our families and prepare to build up Zion, therefore we sold our loose property for improvements, subject to free nation rights.


The people being much opposed to our faith decided to drive us out of the Country and obtain their farms back again that we had paid for. To carry this out they began to burn their houses and then go to the Governor and swear that we had drove them out of their settlements and burned their buildings. Davies County was a beautiful place situated on Grand River. First rate land and plenty of good timber where we supposed there had been an ancient city of the Nephites as the hewn stone were already there in piles also the Mount or Alter built by Father Adam, where he went to offer sacrifices when he was old. Leaning upon his staff, prophesying the most noted thing that should take place down to the latest generation, therefore it was called "Adamondiamon".


There we stayed about a month, being continually annoyed by mobs and thieves stealing everything that they could lay their hands upon that belonged to people of our church. In the time I was there I assisted to build sixteen houses and the longest that I lived in one was four days. I had a large family with an aged mother; I think I never slept many nights while I was there without having my sword and pistols by my bed and frequently called by the sound of the Bugle to defend the people from mobs, yet all the while we expected to stay there and by faith and works retained our places.

Then one day there came two messengers from Far West and informed us that Joseph, with others of the authorities of the church at Far West were delivered into the hands of the mob and that they (the mob) had three thousand men and the word from Joseph to us was that they would be likely to come here soon and advised us to lay away our arms, go to work and submit to anything that they should say. This struck us with a great depression of spirit, not knowing how to comprehend the ways of God. We had expected to stay there, locate our families and preach the gospel, but we were disappointed and right afront us we knew not and were left in a perfect state of suspence. But we knew nothing than to abide by the word of the Prophet. But in this conflict of feeling I walked away from the company where I had received the above information toward the grove and said in the anguish of my soul, "Lord what does all these things mean?" The answer to me was instantaneous, though in-expressed "Be still and know that I am God". In a moment I was at rest and happy in my condition. I returned immediately back to the company that I had left and said to them, "I have no fear for God will provide a way for our escape". So we trusted in Him but if we had not have received word from Joseph we should have been very likely to have sent hundreds of them to hell, cross lots, for there were about 130 of us well armed. There was but one place where they would be likely to cross the river in a line exactly in front of our cannons, well loaded with small slugs of iron. We had not only our houses, lands, wives and children, but the House of God to fight for. But the Lord's "Be still, and know that I an God" was with us. Therefore, we were quiet, bearing the afflictions that were laid upon us. We went to our labors, soon after this. I, with other people, went across the river three times to gather corn, when 800 of the mob were seen coming upon us; as they came up to the gate where we were at work, they halted and sent a messenger to inform us that we were then prisoners, I happened to be an a load the nearest to them, they directed their attention to me and said we must go with them. I observed to them that we were there gathering for our families and cattle which they were in view of. They then said we might fill our wagons, get some boys to drive them home and go with them.


Accordingly we did. They went about a mile and halted. We were surrounded by a strong guard for some time and then discharged and sent home to await their trip into town. We had not gone more than 50 or 100 rods before we heard a volley of guns fired. I would think from fifty to one hundred. The balls came there among us. We looked around and saw a company supposed to be one hundred men paraded a little to the south of the main camp. They also gave a second shot; we kept a sturdy walk as though nothing had happened.. for they hurt none of us. We went home the same day into Diammon, took all arms from the people and then put strong guard around us.


In that time we were often ensulted by scoundrels in the shape of men which brought us near a fight, but the commander stopped it however. He prowled around there for a number of days and then gave us ten days to get out of that place or the mob would be set loose upon us. This had been the case all the time but now we had nothing to defend ourselves with. Besides there were many poor people that had no teams and many widows that had nothing but small children.


I immediately got my horses shod and took my family, a widow and family, another family all to one lead and moved to Far West, then returned back after another family. This was among the last that went out while the mob were prowling about stealing all they could find but although I was alone the last night I lay down by the side of my horses and saved them and went the next day and got the other family and carried them to Far West. This was the last of November; we were all destitute for grain or feed for our teams, our fields of corn were 20 miles off among the mobs as was also what few cattle we had but the most of our corn was destroyed before we could get it. We therefore, had hard living through the winter. After I had obtained a little meal for my family I went away up to the Platt Country with my team to get work for money to move out of the State in the spring as the edict of the Governor was that we should never raise any more crops in that state.


I obtained some money and returned to my family, but while I was gone I was obliged to stay at a mob tavern one night, alone, where they were very hostile. I did not like their appearances but I was obliged to stay there or run the risk of freezing on the great cold Prarie, therefore, I had to watch as well as pray. But in the later part of the night I heard people in the lower part of the house in much, commotion. I heard them saying they never saw such things before. They seemed to be much astonished at what they saw in the heavens. I raised myself up in bed, and looked out and saw a very bright circle around the moon with a very bright half circle at the outside of that with a very bright spot at the side of that nearly as big as the sun, then another appearent sun in the northwest with another in the southwest, which gave a very extraodinary appearance. This gave them such a fright that they could pay no more attention to me, so I went on in peace.


But I prepared to move to Illinois. I took my horse and rode to Richmond to get my gun that they took from me at Diamonn in the war. I obtained it and prepared to move in March. I buried my mother there on a divide near Plum Creek. We succeeded in moving to Gurney; I found rents on houses so high that it would be hard for a poor man with a large family as I had to obtain a living and get anything ahead. Therefore, I took my horse up the river to Lyma and found a forest of about 11 miles square and considerable game in it. I went into the timber with Brother Burgess. I lost one horse moving from Missouri., my son-in-law lost one too, and had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prarie.


I borrowed another horse and went to Illinois with my family and then returned for the remainder. We went into Bear Creek timber and with one horse and our hands, built three homes, cleared 13 acres of land and put it into crops, but we had nothing to live on until the crops were ripe. Brother Burgess and boys were strong to work out but I was not able to do so on account of the exposure that I had past. Therefore, I could not do a days work in a day. I knew not how to obtain food for my family. While hesitating upon these things, I dreamed that I was going to make boxes and measures and also dreamed how to make a frame to turn them in and dreamed that my women and children were making baskets and that I went to sell them. In the morning I went and found some excellent timber for that purpose and made the frame according to the pattern that I had seen and also found some suitable timber for baskets.


The women went to work according to their direction from me. We soon obtained a small load and went out into the settlement and sold them directly for every kind of provisions that we wanted to live upon and some money. In this way we got along until harvest.


This season one of our neighbors from Nauvoo came for help in sickness and informed us that there was not well ones enough to take care of the sick. I sent my daughter and sister there to help take care of the sick. I promised them that I would come to conference and see them. Accordingly, when the time came, I took my carriage and went up. Went first to the place where my daughter was, and found the house shut up, window curtains drawn. I knocked at the door, and a faint voice answered, I went in and found a large family and every person laying prostrate. My daughter was the last one that came down and she had been down about one week having the whole family to nurse night and day, she could not endure it. When I entered the house she heard my voice and she sprang from the bed and said, "Father, you have come. I want to go home." I told her to get ready and I would go and look for my sister. I went where she was and found her and the family in the same situation. I put a bed into the carriage and went home the same day and nursed them three months before I could heal them.


It was thought that my daughter would die but I did not give her up, but I called to the bed one day to see her close her eyes in death. I saw her apparently breathing her last. At that instant the Spirit of God came upon me. I said, "Mariah, do you want to live to raise a family, keep the commandments of God and do all you can to build up Zion?" She opened her eyes and said she did. I said to her, "Then, you will live." The hour she sat up in bed and immediately got well, as did also my sister.


I would like to tell another little incident that happened. There was a man with a family come into the church, who lived about fifteen miles from me, who had a brother-in-law that was possessed with the Devil, and was chained in a tight room. Numbers had been there to administer to him, but to no effect. I went there to preach in the after part of the day. The man got loose and was breaking down the ceiling. They had been in the habit of getting a very strong man to help on such occasions, and were about to send for him in a hurry. I desired them to let me see him before they did. They were afraid he would come out and kill some of them. With much persuasion I got them to unlock the door of his room, but of all the rough language and profane swearing, and threatening anyone who came in sight, I had never heard before. They said he was dangerous to encounter with, but I entreated him to let me open the door. I had full confidence that I could handle him, with the help that God would give me. I was satisfied that they did not understand my, intention.


I looked through the crack of the door. When he caught my eye he bawled out "Old Pulsipher, I know you of old." At that instant I burst the door open. He stood with a sharp stick in his hand drawn back ready to stab me. Although he was a stout man and full of violent passion, I closed in with him so quick that he did not know what was up till he lay on his back, and I holding him while they bound him again. The family seemed a little surprised, however, before I left next morning the man whose name was Samuel Newcomb wished me to come and stay with him one year. He would give me large wages for he said that I could handle the sick man with ease and he could leave his family and home with more safety. He was a man of considerable business and property to manage. I asked him if he wished to gather up to Kirtland with the church. He said he would if he could sell his farm. He wanted $1,611 for all. We arranged for him to go the next spring, and I took the whole care of the wild man. I recollect at one time upon the matter of his feeding, he flew into a rage all at once and broke loose. I was at work in the barn and a messenger came running for me, said the man was killing his mother. I rushed into the room, took him by the shoulders and shook him and said, "Sam, what are you about?" He in a moment left his raging, dropped his head and became docile till he was bound again. Later on we counciled with old Father Smith and he advised us to get seven Elders of good report, and fast and pray till he was delivered. We consulted the family, who had not kept the word of wisdom, but they agreed to do it. We therefore, took the man, loosened his hands, administered to him in a room by ourselves, and I do not remember of him having a raving spell after that for six months. Then the Devil entered him again. We were called for the second time. The family had promised to keep the covenants, but we found they had returned to the old practice of breaking the Word of Wisdom. We therefore sent a message to Father Smith, and he said if they would not keep the covenants we might go about our business and let them all go to Hell together.


I labored to support my fardly and in the fall of 1837 1 went to Canada on a mission, raised a branch of 29 members, returned January 29, 1838 to Kirtland. I was ordained to the Council of the First President of 70's.


After we had lived in this place near two years, Joseph requested the first Presidents of Seventies to come to Nauvoo; I being one of that number I immediately repaired to Nauvoo and located in its vicinity, made a farm, lived comfortably and assisted in building the Temple. But Missouri mobs were continually seeking the life of Brother Joseph. I think there had been some forty raisings against him without success.


These mobbers finally came to the conclusion that the law could not reach him but powder and ball could. Therefore, they organized a mob of about 200 men, put him in Carthage jail with Dr. Richards, Hyrum Smith and John Taylor. The mobs came and broke the jail, shot Joseph and Hyrum and wounded John Taylor. (This being done it gave us a hard shock and caused much mourning) by shooting four balls into him. The fourth saved his life, striking his watch which was in his vest pocket. After Joseph had fell dead one of the ruffins made a move to take off his head but a singular light shown around him (Joseph) that struck the man with fear. They therefore, flew in every direction and disappeared. Our brothern went and brought them home and buried the dead and restored the wounded.


At this time the mob expected we should rise and give them battle; we thought best not to do it. We just kept still and continued our work on the Temple, finished it and got our End. But at that time most of the 12 were absent on missions. Sidney Rigden, who aspired for the Presidency came and called the church together and presented his claim for the Presidency. But the 12 soon came hone and appeared on the stand at the day appointed for choosing. Sidney made his plea. Brigham Young began to speak and at that time I sat with my back towards the stand as did many others. And when Brigham spoke he spoke with the voice of Joseph and we turned around to see Brigham speaking in Josephs voice and behold Joseph's mantle had fallen on him. The people understood it in the same way. Brigham stood at the head of the Twelve therefore the church turned to him.


Persecution continually waxed against the church. They thought it best to go to a more secluded land accordingly in January, 1846. I had ntoice to be ready at three days notice to leave on account of so many attempts to destroy the church. At length I had the notice and started with good team the 2nd day of February, crossed the Mississippi River and went as far as Sugar Creek, till the cold weather broke.


There were about 500 of the heads of the church here. I went back once, gave my son orders to sell what property he could and take the family and follow as soon as the spring opened. We went on from Sugar Creek in the Spring, but streams and tempests opposed our march till late in the season.


I frequently went forward to Pioneer the way and organize places for the poor to stop that was not able to go any farther. In May I took my team and went back to meet my family and found them in Lee County, with two teams, a few cows and a few sheep. My sacrifice there was about two thousand dollars. We went on and crossed the Missouri River that season and established a place called Winter Quarters. That fall and winter, which was 1846 and 47, the church suffered exceedingly. When we got there we found so many sick and dying by exposure that I took my team and what help I could raise and drew timber four miles and built six houses. Then I was obliged to go down to Missouri for provisions, was gone about six weeks in winter, camping out, exposed to all the storms that is common in that season of the year.

I brought home what I could, when I got home I was so far exhausted by exposure that I could not walk one step without two crutches, I then sent my boys again, while I took care of the cattle which amounted to 13 head. Many times I went on my crutches to get on my horse, then rode all day to save my cattle from the Indians, who were continually killing them.


That winter was a sorrowful time for the church. Five hundred of our young men were demanded by the General Government through the influence of Old Tom Benton, who was a noted mober in the first Missouri persecutions, and was then in the Senate. This left the church with old men, children and many poor women, while their husbands were fighting the battles of the United States.


There were not well people enough to take care of the sick and dying. My boys continued to team through the winter till they both got sick. John was laid on the bed and was near the gate of death for a long time, when I was called in to see him breath his last. He was taken with pneumonia what many people think to be certain signs of death. He looked very much like it to be sure. When I came in the doctor and my family stood around the bed. I called to him and he opened his eyes. I said, "John, you are not going to die now. I cannot spare you now, you must get well to help us move through the mountains." He immediately began to vomit a large quanity of the most filthy matter I ever saw come from a person's stomach, as black almost as ink. From that hour he began to recover, and soon got able to drive a team.


In the spring the Church Leaders organized a company of about 50 wagons and we started for Salt Lake. I was advised to take ten wagons and go ahead and assist in making roads, but such storms followed us as I never saw. The highest and driest land in the country was soaked with water so that it was difficult to get along with a wagon. One morning I got on my horse and rode back a few miles to see how the company was getting along. I saw a man walking, with a rubber coat on. I asked him how they got along and he said "first rate"; he put his hands in his pockets and they were full of water.


Parley P. and Orson Pratt and myself went forward, to look for location for the poor, and such as could not go on. We found a grove of timber and called it Garden Grove, a convenient place for a settlement. I then unloaded my wagon and delivered my load of flour and bacon and went back to look after my family. I met them not far from the Mississippi River - 1847. One boy got his leg broke and one man broke his arm in my company, but I set them and they soon got well.


We arrived in the Valley about the 23rd of September, 1847, with all our stock except the sheep. Those we lost at Winter Quarters. We immediately prepared to build. I found grain scarce and hard to get. John Kneff was building a mill, the only one in the Valley. I sold three cows to pay his workmen that I might get grain after he got his mill to running. I went to him for $20 in grain but he said he could not let anyone have more than half that sum, and that was not half what I had paid for. This made me feel very disagreeable because I had a large family and three other families of my friends that had no way of helping themselves and money would not buy it.


I thought on it one night and then come to the conclusion that I would build a mill and take a part of the toll of the grain that was in the Valley. Accordingly, I rallied my help, went onto the mill sight, dug a hole in the bank to live in through the winter about the first of December, and we commensed getting timber, without feed for our cattle and but little for ourselves. We continued our labor with about half rations upon all the different branches of the work till the first of March. By that time we got the first grist mill started and timber out for a saawmill. When done, I ground for one-sixteenth while others ground for one-twelveth. From that time we had bread to eat with all our families. I have seen the hand of God in preserving ourselves and cattle while the snow was three feet deep in the canyon where we got the timber and some of the time more than one foot in the Valley. And we had not as much fodder as could be carried in one load, and when I looked upon the circumstance I could not comprehend it in any other way but the marvelous power of God in sustaining them.


1850 - This was a hard season for many after we got our mill running we had enough but lived prudent on account of so many that had none. Indian meal would command $5.00 per bushel but so many poor had none that I sold all I had to spare at $1.00 per bushel, though I was offered $5.00 by those that were going to California, but their gold would not buy it of me when so many poor were starving. There were some informed me that they had not Any bread in their houses for six weeks and came to me to buy bran but I sold none, but gave them that. This scarce time caused people to scratch for life to raise grain, but the crickets were very trouble-some and destroyed many crops in 1851. But in 1852 the gulls came and destroyed them according to the word of the Prophet.


We built a house 34 by 30 on the corner of block 82 on Jordan street, The next season we built a large barn and made a farm over Jordan about two miles off which gave us a good chance to keep cattle, there was nothing then of a very extraordinary nature with exception of Brother Brigham preached continually to bring the church to obedience, but they were growing rich and careless. Till about the time of the October Conference in 1856 when I understood Brother Brigham to say that the Lord would wait no longer. I think he did not define what chastement testimony that some uncommon event was near at hand, but I was not aware that I had become so dull and careless relatire to my duty, till Brother Kimball called on me in public to awake to my duty. I began to call more fervently on the Lord. I soon saw that Brother Kimball was right and that I was holding a high and responsible station in the church as asleep with many others.


Brother Grant who was one of Brigham's counselors was authorized to preach repentance to the people and to a good effect. I with the associates of my Council went before Brother Brigham and informed him that if he knew of any others that would take our places better, magnify it for the interest of the Kingdom than we could, he was perfectly at liberty to do so, but he told us to go and magnify our calling ourselves. There was much confessing among the people of their faults. Brother Brigham gave some strong prophetic language relative to the United States of America. I think not far from this the President and Congress became very hostile to us and seemed to have design to brand us like themselves or destroy us. Therefore, they sent an army to bring us to or destroy us, but we thought it not best to bring them in among us because we did not like their hostile spirit nor their habits. Therefore, we sent a few of our young men to meet them which brought them to a stand for further consideration. In the spring following, all the north part of the Territory moved south till the army passed through to their quarters at Camp Floyd.


But previous to this the President and Congress saw their mistake in sending the army here. Notwithstanding, they had charged us with treason and many other offenses, they sent commissioners here, forgave all our sins against them and wished peace and tranquility. Accordingly we all moved back to our possessions peaceably. In the meantime, we were rather destitute of clothing but speculators followed the army and brought more goods to the valley, than was ever brought before. So that the people were decently clothed. All this we considered direct from the hand of God to supply our wants. But evils have followed the army, such a herd of abominable characters have come in their wake, that lying, gambling, robbing, stealing. and murdering till it seemed as though they were determined to break up all law and order in the Territory.


They brought with them much liquor which still furthered them in their abomination, and many of our people who were weak joined with them in their wickedness, especially the rising generation who imitated their habits. This gave us some trouble to keep the church in orders Brother Brigham preached continually to bring the church to obedience, but they were now careless.


We had some trouble with the Indians, but nothing in consequence of our being driven out from the United States. I think all the wars we have had with the Indians have not as yet made us so much trouble as the army's sent from the United States.

 
I still continue my labors in town and on my farm what time I could get I had much labor too among the Seventies remaining councilor. I was frequently out four or five evenings a week besides day meetings.


In March of 1857, I married Martha Hughes, daughter of James and Ann Picton Hughes. She bore me five children.


I discovered that with age that I had approached that it began to wear upon my constitution, I was advised by some to give up my presiding and let a younger man take it that envoked upon it. I therefore gave it with the privilege of remaining in the body of the Seventies or join the High Priests Quorum. I therefore have yet remained in the body of Seventies, considering they were both embraced in the Melcezedic Priesthood. It was a matter of indifference with me.

However the Southern Mission that had been in action for some time had some influence with me, partly on account of its necessity and partly on account of some of my boys that were called there. Therefore, I said I did not know but that I would go there if the Presidency thought it best, but no sooner than they heard of it they sent me an order to go with my family. I therefore put myself in the way of selling my property. My boys heard of it and came to help me move to Dixie. Accordingly the fall of 1862 I removed to Shoal Creek, where my boys were keeping a herd for the Southern people. I found it to be a very healthy section and I enjoyed myself very well, considering the obsecurity of the place. We were a great distance from the abode of the white men, in the very midst of the roving red men.

I will now reflect back to the time our family meetings convened. The first was on February, 1855. 1 called my children together at my house in Salt Lake at this meeting and said, "I want to instruct you a little and give such advice which I hope you will remember. First get the spirit of the Lord and keep it, the most of you have the Priesthood and you will be likely to use it to govern your families and bring up your children.


"When a man has a number of good children he loves all of them. If the destroyer comes to take one of them which will he give, most likely the one he cannot keep, of course. Which child can't you keep by the prayer of faith and the authority of the Priesthood? Pray mighty to God let your thoughts be raised in prayer day and night, that you may have the spirit of the Lord to be with you. Never speak till you know what you are going to say. Never whip a child in anger, be sure that the spirit of the Lord dictates you when you groom your children. Never let your girls go with men that you do not know for some men have the fever of seducing therefore, beware who they go with. Some women think if their husbands get another wife they cannot love them any more but they are under great mistake for he can love one hundred as well as the sun can shine upon each of them in a clear day - if God requires you to get them. Such idle thoughts Should be banished from their minds forever. Why is it so, because it is God's order, a man may love his wives just in proportion to their acts of kindness to him. I beg of you mothers to take care of your children while they are with you. I now will give way for you to speak." Then each child would bear their testimonies. These meetings were held regular once a year and recorded until his death.


He was instrumental in building the town of Hebron. There he died January 1. 1872 at the age of 84. This day closed another chapter in the Book of Life for one of God's chosen and noble sons.