In honor of Pioneer Day, we spent the last week talking about our Pioneer heritage, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and also as direct descendants of many Pioneers!
Last week I came across a new feature on the Church's family history site,
familysearch.org, that searches your family tree for your Pioneer ancestors. I knew that all branches of my family tree were members of the Church, and I had heard a few stories, but I didn't realize just how many came across the plains with the Saints. As I went through the list provided, I circled them on my family tree and read records and histories about my ancestors. I was completely sucked in!
I told my kids about some of the children that crossed the plains. One of my ancestors was 1 year old, another 5, and another 7 when they came to Utah. This made it more real for them to think of leaving everything that couldn't fit in a covered wagon (pianos, tables, beds, etc, the kids suggested) and walking all the way to Utah.
Out of about 300 Pioneer companies, two of my ancestors were Captains of companies. Another ancestor named Peter Conover was a bodyguard to Joseph Smith the prophet, and then the Captain of the Nauvoo Legion. He procured rock and lumber for the Nauvoo Temple and helped to build it, and there received his temple ordinances. After Joseph's death, Peter left with the Saints and traveled in Heber C. Kimballs' company. His wife died at Winter Quarters of typhoid fever, leaving him with 10 young children. He made it to Salt Lake with the help of a widowed woman, and later re-married. He was faithful his whole life, and did many things to build up the Church in Utah as called upon by the prophet Brigham Young. He raised and cut the first grain in Utah County, worked on building a fort in Provo Valley, and headed up many Indian raids to protect the Saints.
His daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, was only 13 when she crossed the plains, and when her mother died. She was the oldest daughter and much of the care of the children and housework fell to her. Later she married Gilbert Weaver, who was also 13 when his family crossed the plains. They settled in Cache Valley, and later were asked by Brigham Young to start a settlement by Bear Lake, now known as Paris, Idaho.
When we went through Paris on our way home from our family reunion in Wyoming, we stopped at the Paris Tabernacle and saw the name Weaver on a plaque commemorating the Saints who helped to build it. I also have many ancestors on my Mom's side who settled and built up the community, including my great X4 grandfather John Ulrich Stucki, who was the first Mayor of the city. Mike also has ancestors from there, the Shepherd's.
We made little covered wagons out of paper and TP tubes. As usual, the library had tons of books on the topic and we also checked out a short movie about some pioneer children.
It was a good way to dive deeper into family history, and I still haven't made it up for air! I am so grateful for all those who have come before me and made it possible for me and my family to be members of the church. We come from some strong stock!!
