Personal History of Simeon Ralph Sterrett, part 3

            Simeon kept a journal while on his mission and in the following paragraphs much of this journal will be quoted.

            While traveling through Kansas he says he had the privilege of seeing the sun rise on the Kansas plains.  He said it was a grand sight, it was a little cloudy and the sun looked like a ball of fire coming out of the ground.  When he arrived at the mission headquarters all the Elders were gathering in to attend conference, which was held every six months.  The Elders were always called in to attend conference.  The next morning, March 15, Elder Gilbert Thatcher and three other Elders came in from the south.  Elder Sterrett was very glad to see Gilbert as he was from Thatcher also, and they had known each other most all their lives.  Brother James G Duffin was President of the South Western States Mission and was a very worth man.  Conference was held in Independence and while there, Elder Sterrett and Elder Thatcher visited the temple block.  Elder Sterrett in his journal says, “It filled my heart with joy to stand on the ground that had been dedicated so long for the building of the Lord’s House.”

When they returned to Kansas City on the 17^th they visited some places of interest there.  The Elders were also entertained at an oyster dinner given by President Duffin and attended an evening’s entertainment given by the Relief Society.  The entire mission was divided into three conferences: 1) Texas and Oklahoma, 2) Louisiana and Arkansas, 3) Missouri and Kansas.  The latter was called the Missouri Conference, with Brother Hamilton as conference President.  Elder Sterrett was assigned to labor in the Missouri Conference and his first companion was Elder William Adams from Old Mexico.  Their first field of labor was in Barry County, Missouri.

            They left Kansas City on the 19^th, went as far as Carthage on the train and the next day started to walk thirty miles to Barry Co.  The Elders traveled without purse or script, seeking shelter and food from the people among whom they labored.  They walked hundreds of miles, averaging from ten to seventeen miles a day.  Sometimes they slept in the woods and sometimes slept in the schoolhouses on benches, where they had held meetings.  They were also taken in and given food and entertainment by all classes of people.  Here in Barry Co they tracted and preached and held meetings when they could get schoolhouses or churches to hold them in.  It rained a great deal of the time and they walked many miles through mud and rain.

            On March 31 they held a meeting in a schoolhouse and I will quote a few lines from the journal.  “I took charge, my companion only spoke a short time, about twenty minutes and then I arose and talked on the life of Joseph Smith and the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me in great abundance.  I spoke with great power and in looking up scripture to prove a point all I had to do was to open my bible and there it was before me.  I occupied 30 or 40 minutes and this was my second time before the public out in the world preaching the gospel.  I acknowledge the hand of the Lord, for I realize I could not have done what was done through me by the Lord.”

            On April 4 they went to the town of Monett to labor and asked the mayor for the privilege of holding street meetings but were refused.  He said he would not tolerate it at all; he didn’t believe in their doctrine or polygamy.  They told him that they were not teaching that principle now, as it was forbidden by the laws of the land, so he told them that if they could get a church to preach in he had no objections.  While in Monett they rented a room and boarded themselves.  It took them three weeks to canvas the city of Monett.  Some days they had good success, had several gospel conversations and distributed many tracts.  On other days they would meet with much opposition.  One day on April 7, they went to the new part of the city to see the Directors of the School board to get permission to hold meetings in the schoolhouse, but their request was not granted.  I quote from the journal, “He was bitter and accused us of everything mean.  It was pretty hard to take, but one has a different spirit out here than he has at home.  He wouldn’t talk on the gospel, said the gospel we preached was alright but the other things was all wrong.  We tried to get him to tell us where we were wrong but he would do nothing but accuse us of all manner of crime and finally told us never to come in his house, so we left our testimony with him.  If it won’t do him any good now, it might meet him some other day in a *** he does not like.  We continued on all the rest of the day, had a pretty hard argument with two Baptists.  They would first deny one thing and then affirm it when it suited their purpose.  This was the hardest day for me so far.”

            On the 13^th they asked a preacher for permission to hold meetings in his church, the ME Church, but he refused.  The journal says, “He said he didn’t want to enter into a discussion tonight, said he knew all about Smith and the Mormons and the Mountain Meadow Massacre and Roberts.  Brother Adams told him that he guessed he had read lots of vile reports about the Mormons and in regards to the Mountain Meadow Massacre, that the Mormons had nothing to do with it and told him who Lee was.  I told him he should not judge the Church by the actions of an individual.  Elder Adams told him that Roberts was a man of God and all who done anything against him, would have it to meet as sure as there is a God in Heaven.  He bore his testimony to him and I gave him one of my cards with the Articles of Faith on and then we left him and come home.”

            On the 17^th the journal says, “Had a hot time with a Southern Methodist.  Brother Adams and he did most of the talking and when the preacher got too abusive and accused the Mormons of being connected with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, Elder Adams told him that was the blackest lie ever told, at which the preacher took offense and said he didn’t want us to ever approach him again, so we left him and com home.  They won’t any of them meet you on a scriptural argument for just as soon as you commence to clinch them on a point they will commence to abuse you and say all manner of evil against the Church.  I don’t believe its worth while contesting with them, it just causes strife and contention.

            On the 20^th they attended a beautiful Catholic service which they enjoyed very much.  He said the priest said that the different churches didn’t have any more faith than the Mormons out in Salt Lake.  On the 24^th the journal says, “We met a man this afternoon who thinks the negros are not human beings but beasts and he puts up quite an argument from the scriptures.  A man has got to be a walking encyclopedia to meet all the ideas that men can produce, but we don’t let on but make them think we know a little of everything.”

            They finished laboring in Monett on April 25^th and went again into the rural districts.  I quote from the journal, “Sat. April 26, 1902.  We shouldered our grips and went east on the road between Barry and Laurence Counties and began to enquire for the school directors.  After walking four miles, found them and got the Pluentdale Schoolhouse to hold meetings in.  We then started visiting the people and notifying them that we would hold a meeting in the schoolhouse Sunday evening at eight o’clock.  We visited the district and notified all the people and then at six o’clock we began to hunt lodging for the night.  Got refused seven times and by that time were getting pretty tired, having walked seventeen miles and hadn’t had anything to eat since morning, except some wild parsnips we had pulled and ate.  It was after ten and we went in the edge of the woods and built a fire under a big oak tree and we hadn’t been there long when six or eight of the settlers came and sat there till eleven o’clock and then they got up and bid us goodnight and went to their homes.  We got some dry leaves and made us each a bed, but the wind began to blow and it got so cold we could not sleep so at two o’clock we started for the schoolhouse and after walking three miles we got there at three o’clock and bu8ilt a fire in the stove and stretched ourselves out for a nap, after walking twenty miles on an empty stomach, but such is life in Southwestern Missouri, laboring as an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”

Personal History of Simeon Ralph Sterrett, part 2

            By now Soda Springs had become a summer resort town and social life was at its’ best.  What a time for a handsome cow puncher in his early 20’s to live!  Sim was over 6 feet tall, well built, with dark wavey hair and hazel eyes.  Mary Crandall had taught him the good manners and fine breeding she had learned as a girl.  This was tempered with an adventurous soul, charming personality and ready wit.  Little wonder that Sim was welcome in any social gathering, particularly where there were young ladies.

            Soda Springs was the social center for the surrounding communities and many young people came to the affairs from far and near.  It was on such an occasion that Sim met a tiny and lovely girl by the name of Minnie Harris.  Though she was very popular, Sim managed to escort her to some dances and on buggy rides.  This was followed by an invitation, in December of 1891, for Sim and his sister Ada to spend the Christmas Holidays at Minnie’s home.  Minnie’s parents had died and she was living with her sister Harriette.  As it happened, later on Minnie’s brother Walter married Ada and at the Christmas time Minnie and Sim became engaged.

            Announcement of the engagement wasn’t met with much approval, however, for, although Sim was popular and charming, his life had been filled with more adventure and roughness than was thought fitting for the daughter of Alexander Harris.  Harriette felt responsible for Minnie’s future.  Nevertheless, when Spring came, Sim rode to Mound Valley in a buggy and took Minnie to Soda Springs to be married in the home of his parents.  The date was 27 April, 1892.  Then they boarded a train for their new home, Hamsfork, Wyoming.  There Sim worked in a saloon and the life of a rough western town tried the love of the delicate, new bride.  But in November they returned to Soda Springs and on 29 December 1892 their first child, Mary Ruth was born.

            Two years later Sim bought a small farm in Gentile Valley and built a home for his family.  Simeon’s parents also came to live with them.  On 20 August 1894 their second daughter, Harriet Leah, was born.

            Some time later Sim took his family and went to live and work on the C.T. Woodall Ranch, 12 miles north of Soda Springs.  It was one of the largest outfits in that area and Sim was range foreman.  They left his parents at the farm and W.W. Sterrett became the first postmaster of Cove, Idaho at this time.

            Then on 10 January 1898 Simeon and Minnie became the parents of a third daughter, Mabel Josephine.  In the Spring they moved back to the farm in Gentile Valley.  Then two years later Mary Jane Crandall Sterrett died on the 26 March 1900.  A month later the fourth daughter was born, on 26 April 1900 and was named Sarah Dorleska, but later called Dorothy and Dot.

            Little of religion had entered into the life of Sim up to this time, although his parents were good, faithful members of the LDS Church and now his father had become a Patriarch.  But Minnie had a quiet influence on his life and with the growing family his sense of responsibility grew also.  Although he had been baptized as a child, the records had been lost and he was re-baptized 4 August 1900 along with Minnie, whose records had also been lost.  Simeon was ordained a teacher on 2 December 1900 by Bishop Ira Hogan, and an Elder on 3 March 1901 by Nathan D. Thatcher, who was ordained a Seventy Nov 4 1893 by Abraham H. Cannon; who was ordained an Apostle Oct 1, 1889 by Joseph F. Smith; who was ordained an apostle July 1, 1866 by President Brigham Young; who was ordained an apostle under the hands of Oliver Cowdrey, David Whitmer and Martin Harris -----uary 14, 1835; who was ordained under the hands of the First Presidency, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. ---------, -----y 14, 1835.

            In September 1901 Simeon received a call to go on a mission.  Before going into the field he attended missionary school at Brigham Young college in Logan for three months, from September 22 to December 20.  He was then released from the school and called to labor as a missionary of the LDS Church in Australia.  He felt that his financial circumstances would not permit him to go on a foreign mission so Brother Lewis S. Pond, the President of the Bannock Stake, advised the First Presidency to change his field of labor and he was then called to labor in the Southwestern States Mission.  He then arranged all his affairs, paid his debts, leased his hay land to William Larkin and got everything in first class shape so that his wife and father could manage the place while he was away.  He was compelled to sell a span of beautiful black horses which he prized dearly in order to raise money to help defray his expenses.  His father who was at this time carrying the mail from Cove to Thatcher, receiving twenty dollars a month and this would help support the family while he was away.

            On February 14, 1902 another baby girl was born to them.  They named the baby Neta and when she was three weeks old a farewell party was held for Elder Sterrett at which he received nineteen dollars from his many friends which was really quite a large amount at that time.

            On 17 March 1902 he bid his family of five girls goodbye and started for Salt Lake City.  It must have been with heavy hearts that the family separated, but they had faith that it was the wise thing to do, as was proven as time passed.

            On 12 March 1902 he was ordained a Seventy and set apart for his mission in the Salt Lake Temple Annex by Brother Joseph W. McMurrin.  He left the same day for Kansas City, the headquarters of the mission.  That mission comprised of the states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.  It has been divided many times since then.

Personal History of Simeon Ralph Sterrett, part 1

Personal History of Simeon Ralph Sterrett

            Simeon Ralph Sterrett was born March 1^st 1870 in Paris, Bear Lake Co, Idaho.  His Father William Wilson Sterrett and his first wife Mary Jane Crandall were called by Brigham Young to accompany Charles C Rich and his families to make a settlement in Paris, Idaho in 1863.  Back in 1855 WW Sterrett and Mary Jane, had been called by President Young to go help establish Fort Supply in Wyoming and while there they adopted a little half breed Indian baby.  They named his Charles.

            Mary Jane longed for children but never did have any of her own.  The family of Thomas and Ann Oakey came to Paris to live; they had eight living children.

            After having been married for sixteen years and realizing now she could never have children of her own, she gave her consent for her husband to take another wife, so on June 15^th 1865 Sarah Ann Oakey, daughter of Thomas and Ann Oakey, became the plural wife of William Wilson Sterrett, they were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake, and she became the mother of his four children.  Joseph Kimball born 20 sept 1868 and Simeon Ralph born 1 March 1870 were both born in Paris Idaho.  Then the family were called with several other families in the church, to go to Soda Springs, Idaho to help build up that settlement.

            Here Simeon’s father filed on a quarter section of land, built a large Hotel called the Sterrett House, the first Hotel built in Soda Springs; He also built a new home.  Mary Jane lived in the home and Sarah Ann, Simeon’s Mother lived in the Hotel.

            Here in Soda Springs she had two more children, Thomas Alexander born 9 Feby 1872 and Ada May born 25 Nov 1873.  Sarah Ann was much younger than her husband and his first wife, and difficulties arose so Sarah Ann left her husband and went back to Paris to live.  So it was that Simeon, his two brothers, his sister and his adopted brother were lovingly cared for by Mary Jane Crandall Sterrett.  Simeon never saw his real Mother again until he was a grown man.

            Later in life his real mother, Sarah Ann became a beloved Grandmother to Simeon’s children and fulfilled a rich and serviceable life becoming the mother of other children than those she left behind so early in her life.

            Simeon was one year old when the family moved to Soda Springs Idaho where he spent the next six years, and much of the rest of his life.  Here it was that Simeon’s father built that large Hotel and he and his wife Mary Jane managed it.  The town of Soda Springs derived its name from the many mineral springs surrounding it, and had just been settled by a number of families who were sent there by President Young.  The area at this time was still in a wild and undeveloped state.  Buffalo roamed the plains, Elk and Deer were plentiful in the hills, and some of the Indians were still hostile.  This had been a choice hunting ground for the Indians, with its snow-clad mountains, clear streams, abounding in fish, and choice grazing lands for the wild herds.  These same advantages attracted the settlers and later many sheep and cattlemen, who made the valley one of the largest stock ranges in the West.

            This was the environment in which Simeon spent most of his lifetime, either in Soda Springs or the nearby towns and ranches.  His schooling consisted of three months during the winter when the school was open, the teaching of his parents and his own desire to learn.  His father and mother being very active in the LDS church, and knowing of its many and varied opportunities for learning, and having taken advantage of these opportunities themselves, instilled into his heart a desire for an education, this together with his individual efforts made of him a self-educated man.

            In 1877 his father moved his family to Gentile Valley, about eighteen miles south and west of Soda Springs.  Large bands of Indians still roamed the country and would pass their homes, sometimes stealing what they could, and often coming to the house to beg food.

            While Simeon was still a small boy his Father went to Montana to find work in order to support his family.  The faithful mother left alone with her small brood and fearful of the Indians, and ----- that they were camped nearby, would gather her children together and would take them up to the attic.  There she would make beds for them and pull the ladder up behind them all.  Then she would sit all night guarding their lives with an axe in her hands.  Life being all adventure to little Simeon and his brothers, these times seemed to be a special treat.

            Horses early became Simeon’s greatest love.  When only 11 he went to work for Sol Hale receiving 50¢ a day.  The money wasn’t nearly as important as the lessons he learned in bronc riding.  Mr. Hale would strap him to a wild horse and make him ride till his nose would bleed, but Sim loved the chance to work with horses.  When 13 he herded horses for A.D. Young, son of Brigham Young.  As years went by he became an expert rider and broke horses for many big outfits.

            The family had been living in Gentile Valley, 18 miles from Soda Springs but in 1885 they returned only to find the town had been over run by gold prospectors.  In 1870 gold had been discovered in the nearby Caribou Mountains and so now Soda Springs was the typical rough, lawless gold town of the old west.

            Fifteen years old and full of love of adventure, young Sim turned his attention to mining.  He drove stage and freight wagons, prospected and mined.  Here was a young boy through the ages of 15 to 18 handling a heavy wagon drawn by 6 and 8 horses down the treacherous mountain passes.  He must have learned a great deal about horses and exhibited fine skill to have been entrusted with such an important job.  Although this road around Caribou Mountain did have its sharp curves and dangerous dugways, where the slightest mishap could have sent drivers and outfit crashing down the steep mountain side, it also was very picturesque.  The divides and country around being covered with beautiful wild flowers, dense underbrush, large quaking aspen groves, tall stately pines; Then there was the many varieties of wild fruit which grew in the valleys and on the mountain slopes, and it was not an uncommon site to see the bears feasting on these fruits and berries.

            But even the adventure of a mining camp was not enough to hold the attention of this boy.  Hearing of a murder in the vicinity of the mining camp, he hired someone to relieve him of the duty of driving the stage and went off with a friend to view the scene of the crime.  They then decided to build a raft and take a trip down the Snake River.  They traveled for two days passing through Brown’s Canyon and arriving at last at the mouth of Cherry Creek, six miles from Idaho Falls.  They never forgot this trip which was a favorite story for his grandchildren during the late years of his life.  He would always add some spicy tales and said, they called me slippery Sim, the Snake River Pirate.

            At nineteen he left the fading mining camp to punch cattle and ride broncs.  He worked with many big outfits including the “Warbonnet”, brand S-E outfit – one of the largest in the West during those days.  He was considered one of the best bronc riders—and was still a young boy.

            The Warbonnet outfit, an English cattle syndicate, and the first big company to operate in the area near Soda Springs came in the late seventies’ and established a head quarters ranch on Grave Creek on the south side of the Blackfoot river.  More than fifty riders were employed at the ranch for the fall round up.

            One of their riders, young “Sim Sterrett”, many years later, wrote a letter to the local paper in which he recounts some interesting facts concerning the Warbonnet Outfit.  Among other this he says;

            “Just a few remembrances of the past.  In the early eighties there came to the rangeland north of Soda Springs a cow outfit known as the Warbonnet, or S-E Outfit.  Their summer camp was on Corral Creek, known as the Bull Corall.  Their winter range was on the Fort Hall bottoms on Spring Creek, which emptied into Portneuf River.

            “This outfit had the largest collection of “Williams” or “Bills” among their riders of any outfit in the country.  The Foreman was WF Mellick –‘Nebrasky Bill’; his assistant was Bill Hannum-‘Cheyenne Bill’, who later became foreman; Bill McDaniels-‘Bilious Bills, ‘Bill Edward‘, ‘Black Bill’, ‘Scaly Bill’; One just plain ‘Bill’, and ‘Wee Willie’ the cook.  Then there were a lot more of various names who made this outfit the biggest in the country.  They ran about ten to twelve thousand cattle.

            “When they came to town everybody knew it.  They were wild and fearless.  Drinking, shooting and gambling were their hobbies.  But they were a fine bunch of men to work with; big hearted and true blue to each other.

            “I went to work for this outfit about the time Cheyenne Bill took over, and stayed with them two or three years until they went north to Montana to the Milk River Country.

“Tom, my brother, went north with them and saw the end of a fine old cow outfit.  They hit that country when they had one of their hardest winters, and they lost ninety percent of the outfit that winter.  I understand they never tried to make another roundup, went out of business entirely.  So ended one of the Big Cow Outfits.  Possibly you have seen the picture of the old cow fighting the wolves away from her calf, and under the picture the name, “Last of the Ten Thousand,” painted by Warbonnet Cowboy, Charley Russell.

“(Signed) S.R. Sterrett”

Mr and Mrs George W Gorton

Exerpt from Tosoiba:  "Sparkling Waters"

Published by Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Camp Meads
Soda Springs, Idaho.  1958. p 251-253.

George W Gorton was born on March 3, 1846 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, son of Job P and Deborah Sweet Gorton.  He was a descendant of Samuel Gorton of Providence, Rhode Island, who helped Roger Williams in the colonization of Rhode Island.

George Gorton served in the Union Infantry and Pennsylvania Cavalry during the Civil War.  He came to Soda Springs at the close of the conflict and was employed at the Oneida Salt Works, first as bookkeeper, and later as superintendent of the plant.

On November 3, 1877, George W Gorton married Leah Waylett, daughter of William and Sarah Waylett of Malad, Idaho.  He took his bride to live at his home in "Lower Town."  In 1889 he purchased the merchandise and business of Hezekiah Moore & Company and established Gorton's Wholesale & Retail Supply Store.  This store is the present Stockmen's Supply.  Later he purchased the Louie Ardner Saloon, which was housed in the present warehouse south of the railroad track.  The Gorton family moved from "Lower Town" to a home near the store in Soda Springs.  This house was moved and is now located directly east of the C G Rose building and is the oldest home still in use in town.

The children in this family were:  Henry, Mable, Gettie (Daisy), Edith and Georgia, (died at seven months), Deborah, George, Ralph and Rees (twins), Jay P, and Kenneth.  The diphtheria epidemic of 1890 brought tragedy to this home as well as many other homes.  Within two weeks all the girls succumbed to the epidemic.  They were buried in what is now Fairview Cemetery.  This cemetery ground was given to the city by Mr. and Mrs. Gorton.

George W Gorton was a deputy United States Marshal under Governor Fred T Dubois, and held positions of County Commissioner, County Treasurer and Assessor, school trustee, and assumed many civic responsibilities.  He was Representative in the State legislature when Soda Springs was a part of Bingham County.  Through the efforts of Mr. Gorton, Soda Springs was incorporated as a village in 1896 and he served as one of the first village trustees.  He was a member of the Odd Fellow's Order, and affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Idaho Falls.

George W Gorton died January 6, 1899 at the age of fifty-two in San Diego, California.  Mrs. Leah Gorton was left with the general store, which the eldest son, Henry, managed for twenty-four years.  The ranch, ten miles north of Soda Springs, was managed by her son, George.  Ralph is County Treasurer and Rees served as Auditor's Clerk, until his death, December 1955.

The Gorton family were stockholders in the Bank of Soda Springs.  Mrs. Gorton was the bank's first depositor.  She was active in lodge work, being a charter member of the Leah Rebecca Lodge, Woman's Benefit Association, War Mothers and American Legion Auxiliary.  She was also prominent in political and civic affairs.

Leah Waylett Gorton was born at Salt Lake City in 1855 and died in Soda Springs on November 20, 1932.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Gorton are buried in Soda Springs Fairview Cemetery.

Voyage of Ship Windermere

(Condensed from W W Burton's Account)

Note:  This is from a copy made on March 23, 1944, from the British Mission records of 1854 by Evelyn A Sessions.  It is of interest to the Sterrett family because among the passengers of the ship Windermere were George Benjamin Craner, 54, his wife Elizabeth West Craner, 56; and his children Harriett, 20 (who later married Alexander Harris and was the mother of Emma Arminta Harris Sterrett); Ann, 15; John, 11; and Martha, 9.

On Wednesday, February 22, 1854, the ship Windermere sailed from Liverpool with 460 passengers.  As the vessel started in motion, the songs of Zion, blending in soul-inspiring harmony, thrilled the souls of the passengers and their many friends standing on the shore gazing at the departed vessel, shouting farewell, good-bye with eyes streaming with tears,  doubtless recalling that only the night before seven vessels with all on board went down in the depths of the channel.

As the land disappeared in the distance the sweet singing ceased and many began to feel sick.  About 8 pm the first day at sea, an old gentleman named Squires died.  All that night the wind howled fiercely; the sea was rough; the ship was driven from its course towards the Isle of Atan.  About 11 pm off Holly Head, which is a most dangerous point, and the scene of frequent shipwrecks, was passed.  On the morning of the 23rd Father Squires, who died the night before, was thrown overboard.  The sea was still rough and the wind was blowing.  During this day the Windermere sailed by the remains of a wrecked vessel.  Masts, sails and other fragments were floating around.  Likely, a few hours previous many despairing souls had tenaciously clung to these same objects for relief for no signs of life remained and the rolling waves swept over the bodies of the lifeless sleepers, while the wind howled its requiem for the dead.

Some were now beginning to recover from sea sickness, but many were still ill, and some confined to their berths.  About this time flying fishes were seen which would rise from the water and fly a short distance and drop into the water again.  Life on the Windermere was now growing monotonous, for its accommodations were poor for so many passengers, and then it did not sail like the ocean steamers now do which are propelled by steam.  The Windermere was eight weeks, four nights, and five days sailing from Liverpool to New Orleans, which can now be made in six or seven days.  We were on the Atlantic Ocean about seven weeks without seeing land.

On the 12th day of March, from 7 to 8 in the morning, an exceedingly fierce storm arose.  The wind roared like one of our mountain winds, the masts cracked and the sails were cut in pieces.  The captain of the Windermere expressed fears that the ship could not stand so heavy a sea, and in speaking with Daniel Garn, the president of the Saints on board, said, "I am afraid the ship cannot stand this storm, Mr. Garn, if there be a God, as your people say there is, you had better talk to Him if He will hear you.  I have done all that I can for the ship and I am afraid with all that can be done she will go down."

Elder Garn went to the Elders, who presided over the nine wards in the ship, and requested them to get all the saints on board to fast, and call a prayer meeting to be held in each ward at 10 am and pray that we might be delivered from the danger.  The waves were lashed with white foam, the storm continued in all its fury, but precisely at 10 am the prayer meeting commenced and such a prayer meeting few have ever seen.

The ship rolled from side to side.  On one side the Saints were hanging by their hands, and on the other they were standing on their heads.  Then the ship would roll on the other side which would reverse their positions.  About this time the large boxes which were tied with ropes under the berths broke loose and with pots, pans and kettles rolled with terrible force on each side of the vessel.

Although the prayers were fervent and earnest, as the pleadings of poor souls brought face to face with danger and death, they ceased their prayers to watch and dodge the untied boxes, and great confusion prevailed for some time.  The wind roared like a hurricane.  Sail after sail was torn to shreds and lost.  The waves were very large and as far as the eye could reach seemed to be one angry mass of rolling white foam.  The hatches were fastened down.  This awful storm lasted about 18 hours, then abated a little, but it was stormy from the 8th of March until the 18th.  Observation taken by the quadrant showed that the ship was in the same latitude as it was on the 8th.

On the 14th of March, which was two days after this terrible storm, the smallpox broke out.  One of the three sisters was taken down with it.  She had a light attack and recovered, but her two sisters then came down with it and both died, and after that 37 others, 40 in all, came down with it.  Three days after the breaking out of the smallpox, the ship took fire under the cooking galley.  At this time we had not seen land for three weeks or more; when the cry of "Fire! The ship's on fire," rang through the vessel, and wild excitement and consternation prevailed everywhere.  The sailors plied water freely, all the water buckets on board were brought into use and soon the fire was under control.

When the last of the three sisters, who took the smallpox, died, it was evening.  WW Burton thought he would get a good place from which to see the body thrown overboard; so he got outside the vessel and seated himself on the ledge extending out from the deck, placing each arm around a rope that led to the rigging.  His feet were hanging over the ocean, and the ship was sailing about 10 knots per hour.  By this time darkness was fast setting in, but here he sat waiting to get a good view when the corpse would be thrown into the watery grave, where some said sharks were constantly following for prey.   Brother Burton went to sleep and the funeral passed without his knowledge.  The sound of feet walking on the deck roused him from his slumber.  A chill ran through him; his hair almost stood on end when he sensed his condition.  Here he had been asleep, his feet hanging off the side of the vessel which was rocking to and fro.  He wondered how he had escaped falling overboard.  It was now totally dark.  He climbed into the ship and resolved never to expose himself so again.  About this time the stench of the smallpox was fearful in every part of the vessel.

Emma Brooks was the name of the young lady just thrown overboard.  Her sister Fanny had died the same day about half past one o'clock pm and was also thrown overboard about two o'clock.  The funeral services were very impressive; a funeral at sea is the most melancholy and solemn scene, perhaps ever witnessed, especially when the sea is calm.  A stillness like that of death prevailed with us while an old sailor, at intervals, would imitate the doleful tolling of the bell of some old church, such as heard in some parts of England.  Funerals were becoming frequent.  About the time the Windermere had been about six weeks out from Liverpool and the passengers had never seen land from the time they had entered thee Atlantic.  The days were now generally mild and the weather very pleasant.  The sun set in grandeur and the bright, pale moon seemed to be straight above our heads.

On the 8th of April we came in sight of the Island of Cuba.  On this day, about 10 o'clock am, a young man named Dee died of smallpox.  At the time of his death the wind had ceased blowing, not aripple upon the waters.  The sea appeared bright and clear, and seemed as smooth as a sea of glass.  The young man that had just died wsas sewed upin a white blanket and at the feet was placed a heave weight o voal.  A plank was then placed with one end resting in the porthole in the side of the ship and the other near the man hatchway.  The body was then placed on this plank.  The doleful tolling of the bell began.  Elder McGhee made a brief address, suitable for the occasion and offered a short prayer, after which the body and bedding of the young man were thrown overboard.  The ship was standing perfectly still and the body could be seen sinking in the water until it appeared no longer than a person's hand.  Some thought it was seen sinking for full 15 minutes, others still longer; some said half an hour.

The passengers of the Windermere had passed througha terrible storm, the panic created by the ship taking fire, their number decreased by smallpox, still another fearful calamity threatened them.  The fresh water supply was getting short, and the store of provisions was failing.  The passengers were now limited to one hard, small sea biscuit for a day's rations.  The captain sent some sailors in a small boat to intercept a ship that was passing in hopes of getting more provisions, but they failed.  The Windermere now passed the western points of the Island of Cuba.  The passengers had a good view of the lighthouse located on the most western point.  The Gulf of Mexico was before them.  The Gulf Stream flowed in lake a vast river.  Just think of this stream 500 miles across it, very deep and constantly flowing.

On the morning of the 20th of April the ship entered the mouth of the Mississippi River.  The passengers were more glad to look upon the plantations of orange groves that bordered the banks of the river than the great strong surging waves of the Atlantic which they had left behind them.  Sometimes the negroes would call from the shore and bid the emigrants welcome.

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The Windermere set sail 22nd of February 1854 from Liverpool, England, arrived at New Orleans 23 April.  During the voyage contrary winds were encountered, arising at times to heavy gales.  But at the end of five weeks favorable winds set in and the ship made 1000 miles in four days.

After 15 days sailing, smallpox broke out on board and spread rapidly as the vessel neared the tropics, until 37 passengers and 2 of the crew were attacked, but at the crises the malady was suddenly checked in answer to prayer.

Six marriages were solemnized on board, six births and 10 deaths occurred.

On the morning after arriving at New Orleans 11 persons suffering with small pox were sent to the Luzenberg hospital according to orders from the health officers at the port.  Elder Long and 5 others were selected to remain at New Orleans to attend the sick until they were able to go on.

The rest of Daniel Garn's Company continued the journey from New Orleans on the 27 of April 1854, on board a steam boat and arrived at St. Louis a few days later, from whence the journey was continued to Kansas City.

Millennial Star, Vol 16 pp 140, 293, 345, 477
Church Emigration, Vol 2 p 185-186

Of the Craner family who were on this ship, the father, George Benjamin Craner died of Cholera while crossing the plains to Salt Lake City.  He was buried in the same grave along with a young girl and a child, because the people were dying so fast, they didn't have time to dig enough graves,

Sarah Dorleska Sterrett's Patriarchal Blessing

January 6, 1906
Cove, Idaho

A Blesssing given by W W Sterrett, Patriarch, to
Sarah Dorlesky Sterrett,
daughter of Simeon Sterrett and Emmie Harris
born April 22, 1899 at Cove, Idaho

My dear little grand daughter Dortha Sterrett, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and by virtue of my calling as patriarch.  I place my hands upon your head and seal upon you a patriarchal blessing, and I say unto thee my dear child that thou has been highly favored of the Lord in having the privilege of taking a body upon the earth through goodly parents when the gospel in its fullness was again upon the earth.

Our Father has given His angels charge of thee and as thou art innocent and pure thou shalt be preserved from the powers of evil.  Thou art of Israel through the loins of Ephraim and a lawful heir to all the blessings promised His children and thou hast been born through the new and ever lasting covenant, and thy name is written in the Lamb's book of Life and thou wilt live upon the earth to fill the full measure of thy creation, thou wilt live to become a mother in Israel and have a posterity of sons and daughters who will be mighty to take vengeance on the enemies of the Lord.  Thy name will always be held in honor in Israel.

You will always have plenty of this worlds good, and have peace and comfort in your habitation and no one will ever be turned from your door hungry and you shall have the ministering angels and the gift of tongues will be given you.  You will become one of the sweet singers of Israel and all the gifts and blessings of the Gospel will be yours for the asking.  You will live to see the third generation of your children.

I seal these blessings of health and strength upon you.  I seal you up unto eternal life, and have part in the first resurrection and receive a full and complete salvation and exaltation with all your father's house.  According to your faithfulness I seal all this upon you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Our Great-Grandparents Conversion and Journey to Zion

by Josephine S Davis

Thomas & Ann Oakey

The Church was little more than three years old when Wilford Woodruff, destined to become its fourth president, entered the waters of baptism.  Under the voice of the Prophet Joseph Smith he grew in gospel knowledge.  When called to the apostleship six years after his baptism, he became intimately acquainted with the stirring events and powerful personalities that made up the early history of the Church.  From the beginning he sought to proclaim the new found truth to others.  That was a gospel obligation.  Successfully he filled mission after mission.  The large and remarkable results of his proselyting, especially in England, have become a Mormon classic.  He is surpassed by no missionary of these latter days.

On his first mission to England he converted one thousand people, among these were a sect called United Brethren.  I quote Elder Woodruff:  "I was called by revelation to go to John Bendows to preach the Gospel.  I went there and found over six hundred people called United Brethren and among them were eighty-three preachers and they were in the Gospel net.  I, through the blessing of God and with the assistance of Brother Young, George A Smith and Willard Richards caught the whole flock and baptized every soul except one solitary person into the church and kingdom of God.  Many of them are here in this room today.  I mention this just to show our position.  We traveled without purse and script, and we preached without money and without price.  Why?  Because the God of Heaven had called upon us to go forth and warn the World."  (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p 312)

Our great-grandparents Thomas and Ann Oakey were among these converts.  Thomas Oakey was one of these preachers and when someone asked him to preach a sermon he said, "No, I haven't the authority.  I will never preach again util I have the proper authority given to me."  Grandma Ludlum (Sarah Ann Oakey) told me this.  He was converted and baptized by Wilford Woodruff on the 5th of April 1840.  He later baptized his father-in-law William Collett and many others.  They were the parents of ten children, two died in England.  They worked hard and saved what little they could to gather to Zion with the saints.

On May 4th 1856 a sailing vessel, Thornton, left Liverpool, England with eight hundred Mormon immigrants and among them were Thomas and Ann Oakey and their large family.  Sarah Ann (our grandmother) spent her fourth birthday on the great Atlantic Ocean.  It was a long voyage for ships in those days, for it took six weeks before they landed in New York City.  Although Sarah Ann was only four years old, she could always remember walking off the gang plank of that ship.

They came by train to Iowa City, Iowa and stayed there for three weeks building handcarts and getting provisions ready for the journey ahead.  It was late in the season and carts were built of unseasoned wood.  They left in August, everyone walking except babies and children under six.  The provisions were taken in wagons pulled by oxen and mules.  Each night the father of the family would go to the provision wagon and get bacon and rice and they were allowed to have one pound of flour apiece.

When they arrived at Winter Quarters in Florence, Nebraska, the brethren in charge of the handcart companies were reluctant to let them continue on at such a late date.  The immigrants were wholly ignorant of the country ahead and unused to the rigors of camp life.

G D Grant and W H Kimball were superintending the season's emigration.  Should they attempt to cross the Rockies before Winter snows set in or delay util the following Spring?  Then their Captain, James G Willie, called for a vote.  As the vote was called these sons and daughters of foreign lands--simply clad, travel worn, and dusty--pressed eagerly upon their leader to render a decision in the affirmative.

Captain Willie himself was returning from a mission in England.  His family was in Utah and he too was eager to start.  Captain Willie was to guide them across the continent but there were sub-captains of ten, fifty, and one hundred.

They formed a colorful spectacle as the winding train of vehicles, drawn or pushed by men and women, moved forward between occasional supply wagons and small herds of milk cows.  They numbered 404 souls.

Sarah rode in the cart but her seven-year old brother Reuben walked every step of the way.  At night when Sarah would look ahead and see the Captain give the stopping signal, she would say, "I can get out and walk now mother, for I can see where we are camping."  The ladies would take their aprons full of buffalo chips into camp for fires.

After the evening meal, a circle would close around the community fire.  Then softly across the dying embers all voices joined in singing those lines which encouraged thousands to go on, when enthusiasm lagged.  It became the common heritage of foreign as well as native tongues:  "Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear, but with joy wend your way."

Their traveling across the plains was slow, making an average of twenty miles a day.  Pulling their handcarts loaded with their belongings through deep sand and over mountainous trails was too much for many of the saints, and many of them collapsed.  They had to stop where there was water not only for their own needs but also for their livestock.

After they had traveled several weeks, some of their cattle which pulled the wagons were lost.  Some thought they had been stampeeded by buffalo or Indians.  Scouts were sent out to find them which delayed their journey, but the animals were not found.  This delay made their food more scarce and their supply of flour was cut down to one-half and then to one-fourth pound per person.  In Wyoming they met Indians who had dried buffalo meat.  The captain said if they had a blanket or a trinket to spare they could trade, but that nothing from the provision wagon could be spared.

Sometimes an ox would give out and was killed.  Every part that was usable was used.  The boys around twelve years would cut pieces of hide off, burn off the hair, roast it a little and put it in their pockets for the next day.

One day a herd of buffalo came along in a straight line, and Captain Willie had part of the cart caravan stop and let them pass through.  One of the larger boys killed a cow and some of the families had a taste of fresh meat.  Their trials came when they were crossing Wyoming.

Fall came early with frosty nights.  Aspen groves turned yellow on the mountain slopes, and crimson patches of oak held foreboding of approaching Winter.  Far down on the plains of Wyoming the Willie Company moved hopefully up the Platte.

Emigration agents including Franklin D Richards, returning from England, having closed the business for the season at Iowa City, were hurrying to their homes in Salt Lake.  They passed the Martin and Willie handcart companies and realizing their predicament at this late date, promised that supplies would await them at Laramie and hastened on to Salt Lake to report their condition.

The morning of October 1st dawned upon a disappointed camp of men and women on the outskirts of Fort Laramie.  Provisions of food and clothing, upon which they depended, were not awaiting them.  The scant 17 pounds of clothing permitted each member gave little comfort on that frosty morning.  As they gathered shivering around the campfires to prepare a meager breakfast, there was lacking the usual banter.  The consciousness of threatening storms, decreased rations, and insufficient clothing was not easily shaken.

Day after day they pushed painfully forward.  "We traveled on in misery and sorrow," wrote one member, "sometimes we made a pretty good distance, but at other times we were able only to make a few miles progress."

The clouds grew darker and lowered.  A breeze from the North rustled through the last oak leaves clinging crisply to barren twigs.  The men cast anxious glances toward their mates.  Instinctively, children trudged more closely behind their parents.  A flurry of leaves broke through the moving line, and women drew their shawls a little more closely about them, bowed their heads a trifle lower, and plodded onward.

A gust of wind brought a flurry of snowflakes.  Their worst fear became a reality.  Hour after hour the treacherous snow piled up its death trap.  Shoes, worn through, exposed feet to its damp and chill.

Great-grandfather Thomas Oakey and two of his sons froze their feet and the ends of their toes were frozen off.  More serious still, cutting the food rations to a minimum could only preserve the supply a short while longer.

Thomas Oakey was ill part of the way and so Ann, his wife, had many hardships caring for him and her large family.  Ann waded and carried Sarah, Reuben and her husband on her back across the Sweetwater River.  He became so ill that on may days he was unable to finish the day's march and Ann would take her family to the campgounds and return to help her husband in.

It was conference time in Salt Lake City.  President Brigham Young stepped to the pulpit and addressed the saints gravely:  "My subject is this, on the fifth day of October, 1856 many of our brethren and sisters are on the pains with handcarts.  We must send them assistance.  The text will be 'to get them here.'  This is the salvation I am now seeking for, to save our brethren.  I do not want to send oxen.  I want good horses and mules.  They are in the territory and we mush have them.  Also twelve tons of flour and forty good teamsters."

Pioneer families recounted their scanty Winter stores, and within three days a relief train set out with their sacrifice.

Meanwhile the Willie Company was trapped in the earliest snowfall in the experience of the pioneers.  They had made a forced encampment two mile below Rocky Ridge on the Sweetwater.

Snow continued to pile up with recurrent storms.  The cry of babies against the bitter cold drove men in desperation through the blinding sleet for firewood.  Despite frozen feet and frost bitten fingers, the men maintained meager fires around which huddled mothers with feverish children.

The daily rations were cut again with a prayer that help would come on the morrow.  But the morrow, instead, brought death.  First one, then another, and another.  It was the men who died.  They were not sick, but chilled through, and among those who dug the graves in the morning were some who, before night had fallen, themselves required burial.  At one time, 13 were buried in one grave.  An evening came when each survivor received his portion of the remaining rations.  Their leader, Bro. James Willie went off by himself to supplicate the Lord in their behalf, and it was borne upon his mind that help was coming.

On October 20th, the first relief train drove into sight of the Willie Company.  It presented a pathetic spectacle.  One who was there wrote later, "Shouts of joy rent the air:  strong men wept till tears ran freely down their furrowed and sunburnt cheeks, and little children fairly danced around with gladness."  But not all rejoiced.  Already many had perished of whom nineteen were men.

Sarah Ann always remembered when a man cut off slices of dry bread and how good it tasted.

The emigrants were fed and given warm buffalo robes and were put into wagons and rode the remaining distance into Salt Lake.

The night before they arrived Thomas was very ill and Ann stayed up most of the night nursing him.  When she went to call the children she found her eleven-year old daughter, Rhoda Rebecca dead.  She had walked the entire distance without proper food and scant clothing and her frail body was unable to stand the grueling test and her Father in Heaven had called her home.  "And should we die before our journey's through, happy day, all is well."

The drivers wrapped the girl in a blanket and the parents were permitted to bring her into Salt Lake for burial.

They arrived in Salt Lake November 9th, 1856 and no pains were spared in Zion for their relief and comfort.

The Oakey family stayed in Salt Lake that Winter then moved to Lehi, Utah where they lived for ten years.  Thomas Oakey was ordained a patriarch.  They were called to help settle Paris, Bear Lake County, Idaho in 1865, just two years after Bear Lake County was settled by President Charles Coulson Rich.  They lived in Paris the remaining years of their lives.  They are buried in the Paris Cemetery.