Remembering
Genevieve Leaver Barnes
GENEVIEVE LEAVER BARNES
Remarks by MARY BARNES MCKEE BECHTOL
Genevieve Leaver Barnes was born September 28, 1881, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann Leaver. She was the middle child in the family, the oldest being a girl, the youngest being a girl, with 3 older brothers and 3 younger brothers. . She always said that she didn't feel that she really had a sister with the older one so much older and the younger one so much younger, but that she always had a close relationship with her brothers.
When Genevieve was born she had a veil over her head. She often told about this which was like a very, very thin skin that covered her face. It was supposed to give a special power. Gypsies have this to tell fortunes. This was told in the family for a number of years. It was interesting that later in life, mama did tell fortunes and did seem to have the ability to foretell the future. It was often wondered if it was tuned in with the being born with this veil. Mama was a very dark child. Her skin was fair, but her hair was dark and her eyes were jet black and as dark as can be. It used to upset her when she was little because people would ask her if she was Jewish. Apparently that was kind of a prejudice at that time. She attended elementary school - going with her younger brother, Earl. She said that she always resented Earl because he was always getting into mischief and it was her job to keep him in line. After finishing elementary school, she went on to secondary school, Later she went to college at the University of Utah. This was really exceptional for a girl at that time. After attending for l year, she then worked for her brother-in-law Dr. Stauffeur. She was a nurse in his office as well as a receptionist. Maybe that is where Julie got her love for nursing.
She met daddy when he came to stay at the Leaver home. After 1 year of college he went on his mission. At that time a person had to be 21 years old before they were called on a mission, which lasted for 3 years. When he returned he was 24 years old. They were married the following year and they were each 25 years old.
As a child, mama was very interested in art and felt that at some time she would like to become an artist. When she became a teenager she did a good deal of painting on vases and dishes. She really had a special skill in this area. Mama was a very graceful person. She loved dancing and social activities. She told about the time her brother who did not live in Salt Lake came to visit and told her she could have a choice. He would buy her either a bicycle or a big doll. She said she knew she should ask for a doll because she was a girl, but she wanted a bicycle so badly .
Mama and daddy were married 3 years before Bonnie was born. They had just about given up all hope of having a child and you can imagine their joy at having a daughter. Apparently the birth must have been very difficult and following this mama got what was known then as milk leg. which is now phlebitis. She was down for about a year while her older sister, Mamie, took care of Bonnie. Her leg was always weak and from that time on mama always wore an elastic stocking from the toe up to the knee. Imagine putting an elastic stocking on every day. This greatly limited her in physical activity. She couldn't dance. She couldn't walk any great distance and there was a general physical weakness.
Then I was born 3 1/2 years later.(Mary) That seemed to be the family. We contented ourselves that there would just be the two of us, even though mama and daddy both wanted another one. There was never a child that was so wanted, so adored as Miriam when she came, eleven years later. The family of four adults just waiting for this dear little one to be born.
Mama was 25 when she was married. She was married to daddy for 24 years.
She was 49 when he died. I remember when mama said 24 years later "I have been a widow for as long as I have been married to your father." She went on to live another 10 years beyond that time. The biggest portion of her life was that of a widow. Roughly it was about 1/4 of her life as a girl before she was married, l/4 of her life married, then 1/2 of her life as a widow. She was left with 3 children. Bonnie was close to 21, I was 17,and Miriam had just turned 6 when daddy died.
Mama had never worked in her life, but she undertook many different kinds of jobs to support her 3 girls. She worked in the county clerk's office. for the tax commission during a certain time of the year. She also sold cosmetics. She was very ambitious, but this was during the depression and it was a real struggle. She had the house made over so that she could take in boarders. There was always someone living there after that to help her with the expenses.
Mama was a very talented person in art., especially painting. She loved to write. She loved to read. She must have grown up during the time when young people memorized poems. She could recite all of the poems of the great writers. It gave her a great deal of pleasure in reading them. Mama was not musical. It seems strange because her mother was musical as well as both of her sisters. However, she could tell if Bonnie's violin was the least bit off tune. She wanted her daughters to be musical. She felt it was a very special talent that she did not acquire. When she was young she must have enjoyed a lot of dancing. Mama was very active in church work. She had a true testimony of the gospel. She found great joy in service in the church, particularly with the young people. She was president of the Young Women's Association for years,and was instrumental in the roadshows that won awards during the years. A dance was held at the church each week. The first ward was known for their activities which was due to a lot of mama's pushing and being responsible for them. Mama had many, many friends. It was said that her older sister had boy friends, her younger had girl friends, but mama had both boy and girl friends. She never lost her friends. As years would go by, she would still have her many friends, who were very close to her.
People in the ward and the neighborhood always looked to mama for help, for understanding, and she was always there willing and able to help them. I can honestly say that I never heard my mother nor my father say a cross word to the other. I think that's almost unbelievable, but its true. Our home did not have quarreling. It did not take place.
Mama and daddy didn't quarrel between themselves and didn't quarrel with us.
Mama's way of punishing us was to let me go and sit on the bed until I was ready to be a good girl again. or just mainly go to my room. I do not recall my mother ever raising her voice, ever screaming at me, ever calling me any names, but it was all love, and all positive. I think this is reflected. Bonnie, Miriam, and I have never had words.
When I think of families where people are quarreling, where they don't speak to each other, where they are in conflict, I think that maybe example is a lot of it. We surely had a good example in our home. Daddy could have a temper, but it was not let out on mama or on us girls. It might be someone else, but not on someone in the family.
We loved to play cards. We would sit around in the evening and play cards. Mama also liked bridge. She was interested in most social activities. She was a beautiful seamstress. As children she would make all of our clothes. She would design them and make them and they were just lovely. We were the best dressed children in the school because of the work that our mother did. When we got older we undertook to sew our clothes and she always encouraged us to do it.
I think that one of the joys that we had was the fact that mama always remained mentally alert, creative, so interested in many things to the age of 83 There was no diminishing of activity that was mental or enjoyment of friends. She would always read the paper, watch TV, and could always tell us of everything that was going on. She always had an intense interest in church activities. About the last 10 years, she failed physically. This was difficult when she was not able to go to church as she was used to doing. She spent much of her time in bed. Yet whenever you saw her you always felt that she was so glad to see you, that this was a very special thing that you were doing, and that in no way were you obligated to come to see her. It was just a joy to go to see her. All of her friends felt the same way about her. Mama didn't complain. She always said that she would live as long as she wanted. The time came and she said "OK I have lived long enough." She thought she would die immediately. We did too. It went on a few months. A few months in the time of God is nothing. We felt that she was fortunate to choose some of these things that were important in her life. She was truly a beautiful person.- one that was adored and loved by many. She unselfishly gave of her love as well.
.. .
Remarks by GENEVIEVE BERENICE (BONNIE) BARNES JONES
We had the best mother anyone ever had. She was understanding of our wants,and she was instrumental in helping us set goals in the things we wanted to accomplish in our lives. She allowed us to follow our interests, didn't try to influence us regarding the courses we had taken in school, or anything we wanted to do that was right. For example, when I was a little girl, I heard Melba Lindsay Burton play the violin. I said that I would love to take violin lessons from her. Mama and daddy immediately bought me a violin and I took violin lessons from Melba. Mama sewed dresses for Melba to pay for my lessons because Melba was not able to buy clothes that fit her because Melba was a midget. She was an accomplished violinist. I took lessons from her for many years.
Daddy took us on many trips. They also allowed us to go with our friends on many trips. For instance, Mary and I went to California and other places many times. Mama made us feel special and praised us often, whenever we did anything praiseworthy. The gifts that she gave to us and to the family at Christmas and birthday were chosen with much planning. She didn't buy the first thing she saw, but she would buy what we would like or we needed and she would always buy just the right thing. She taught us to be thrifty, as also did our father, which has been a help to us all our life.
She was very artistic and as Mary said she painted with water colors when she was younger. She was very aware of color combinations in home furnishings, in clothes, in food, and the colors in nature particularly.
She adjusted remarkably well after daddy's death, in spite of financial difficulties. When daddy died I was the only one working and it was during the depression. She managed and we got along until she got a few jobs herself and was able to take in boarders.
Mama was the one who introduced me to Relief Society. After Randy was born she took me to Relief Society. Before he was born I was not able to go because I was working at Hill Field and it was held during the week . She took me the first time and I went every time until I went back to work again. I particularly enjoyed going to Relief Society with my mother.
She always took her children to church. She didn't expect them to go by themselves, but she and daddy always took us to all of the meetings.
Mama needed to have an outlet for self expression. She wasn't satisfied to have a clean house, to stay at home, and work there all the time as did many women of her generation. She was the MIA or mutual president for two years. She was a beneficial influence on the youth. She composed the road- shows that were given every year. She redecorated and remodeled our home and the furnishings. She was a beautiful seamstress as Mary has said.
When Ann was a child, she saw a dress in the window of Auerbach's store which she copied and then made Ann one exactly like it. It was a very expensive dress. She was able to do that and also create her own patterns for dresses.
Mama was a very good cook. The things I can remember best are bread (white hot bread), parker house rolls which Mary and I make, pies, and cakes. For Thanksgiving we had a dinner much like the one we had tonight. In fact it tasted much like mama's dinner. She always had stuffed dates. She would make fondant like Miriam does for her cherry chocolates and stuff the dates with the fondant. Tuna fish was one of the special things that she cooked with too. She had some sea shells that she got in California. Miriam and I still have them. She creamed the tuna fish and put in sliced olives to make them look festive. It was a special dish for us. She put bread or cracker crumbs on top. We thought this was a very special treat. She also made tuna fish salad. It was made with whipping cream, walnuts, and many other ingredients.
She had a love for good books. Before she was married, while she was working for Dr. Stauffer, she purchased a set of Shakespeare's plays. She also had many scriptures and commentary of the scriptures.
I'd like to tell you now what Layne said about her. He said that she was a very good influence on the children and on the grandchildren. He remembers her helping them with their talks. Baby sitting for her was an educational experience. She always taught the children something. She didn't just give them something to play with and leave them while she did something else. She never spanked a child in her life,- her children or her grandchildren. When the grandchildren didn't do what they should, she would have them sit on a chair in the corner until they were good and ready to come back.
She was very open minded and she respected other's opinions.
REMARKS BY MIRIAM BARNES LAVENDER
I think that one of the things that I appreciate about mama is that she not only taught us by example but that also she gave me opportunities to do things. I remember a lady down the street who was elderly, who lived in a stone house. Her daughter, Agnace, took care of her. Every so often mama would make candy. She would send me down to give it to Agnace for Agnace's mother. who would always say "Sweet, Sweet" because that is what she would like to eat. Mama was thoughtful and liked to serve, but she always gave me the opportunity to deliver it so that I could have the satisfaction and see the importance of that. I think I have grown up with recognizing the joy of serving.
As has been said, she was very artistic. She enjoyed painting. She was interested in colors. In her later years, I remember she remodeled her home and put up wallpaper and painted many things. She enjoyed doing all those things. I was especially interested in her poetry. Whether she wrote the poems for me or not I always felt that she did. I remember one when I was a little girl.
Children wake at break of day
Full of vim and vigor
Shame that we can't bottle it
And save till they grow bigger.
Before I went to St. Louis for my dietetic internship, mama wrote a verse for me.
You are my mirror daughter dear
May you have light to see
That every act and deed you do
Reflects on me.
There are many others that she has written also. She always encouraged us with education and she told me when I was a little girl that daddy wanted me to have an education. She said that daddy would be watching me from heaven and that he wanted me to have an education and so she really encourage me to get it. I remember I didn't know just what field to major in, but mama had a friend who was a dietitian. As we talked about it, I thought this might be a good field and that is why I went into dietetics.
Mama had a testimony of the gospel. She went to church with us. I remember when she taught in Relief Society, the Cultural Refinement lesson. I remember her preparing the lessons at home, in praying to the Lord to help her in the preparation, and in the presentation of each lesson. I also remember that she drew and painted individual for everyone at the Relief Society luncheons. She did this for many years. Each placecard was artistic and original.
When Matt and I were married, mama made a card that we gave to each one who attended our wedding reception. On it she wrote in her beautiful penmanship:
When all the excitement is over
And we're just plain Mr. and Mrs.
We'll think of you friends who came tonight
To give us your very best wishes.
She painted violets on each card with this verse.
In later years mama enjoyed reading and also writing. This was a source of stimulation to her intellectually.
Mama took an interest in things of the world, in her family, and especially in each of her daughters. As a young girl she started me on a collection of little toy dogs. Aunt Norma wrote to us from various part of the world and I collected post cards from her travels. Mama also encouraged me to collect the little cartoon on the editorial page of the newspaper. She was interested and encouraged me to be interested in things of the world.
As mama's physical strength weakened, she relied more on her spiritual and mental abilities. She never complained, but took delight in enjoying things of the family and things of the world and keeping up to date on what was going on about her. I remember when Ken died and the poem she for Mary which we copied on the thank you notes:
Every cloud has a silver lining
Each dark day a ray of light.
How can we know how many love us
(or how can we know what strength's within us)
If we never see the night?
Remarks by GEORGE STANLEY LAVENDER - grandson
I had two grandmothers. One of them I didn't know, so she is the only grandmother that I knew. I learned to love, appreciate, and respect her. As I look back upon the things she taught me in my life, she was a person who never said an unkind thing about anybody. She was caring and loving for other people. She was also a person for which education was very important. When I was little attending school, I came home with my weekly reader. She had me read it to her so that I could practice my reading. She also had me practice the different skills that were in there about the different countries She was very knowledgeable about countries and about the world. I remember one time I had something I had to do on a country. I picked Russia. Since she was an artist, she helped me draw the face of the head of Russia who was Nikita Khrushchev at that time. When I took it to school I got an outstanding grade on it because there was such good work and detail on it. She instilled in me the importance of art. She also helped me with speaking.
I remember when I had to give talks in church that I would be able to give talks without reading them. Children like to read their talks, but from a young age I was able to give talks from memory. I think that has helped me today even in my work and in church work.
She also instilled in me the importance of the gospel and a desire to go on a mission. I had a desire to go on a mission because of the example she set and the example of prayer.
As was said she was very talented in art. I got a tablet one time from school. She helped me draw different birds because she liked to draw nature scenes. She also helped me to draw trees. I remember when I went to junior high school I was the only one in my class who could draw a tree with the leaves off. Many people could draw a tree with the leaves on, but I could draw trees in the winter time with only the branches.
I remember when I was four years old and I woke up in the mourning and my parents weren't there . Nana was there and she told me that I had a little sister. Also the first day of first grade, she watched me and I had another little sister.
I remember the last year when she was really sick and I was in the seventh grade. I used to come home every day after school and talk to her about what I had done in school. I think that talking to her about school really helped me in recognizing the value of education and doing good in school She was always concerned about doing your very best. She was a great help.
13.2.09
John George Barnes
A biography of John George Barnes, from a recording by his daughter, Mary Bechtol around 1985.
John George Barnes
The following is a narrative by his daughter, Mary Barnes Bechtol:
Daddy was born 100 years ago come this July 23rd. He was born in Kaysville, the oldest of eight children, two girls and six boys, three of the boys are surviving. The Barnes family in terms of his grandfather had come over and settled Kaysville and were very industrious far reaching people who could see the possibilities of various industries and became soon involved in purchasing land, in farming, in having stores, and in operating just about all the facilities there.
Now, Daddy was the oldest in the family and I'm not sure myself whether his father went on a mission to England while he was born or just right after he was born, but at that time it was very common for young men to go on missions even if they were married and even if they had a family and they left the responsibilities for the rest of the family to take care of.
Daddy, as a youth, was not well. He had what was known as rheumatic fever which resulted in a severe heart condition that greatly limited his physical activity and, although he loved sports and loved games, he was one who had to stand by and watch others. I know this was awfully hard on him because the family really was a rather sports minded group of people.
Daddy was, as a boy, very very blond; bright blond hair, very fair skinned, blue eyes, a light intense blue, kind of deep seated as Miriams's are, undoubtedly Miriam resembles him more than any of us. Now Mama tells about Daddy being such a blond when he went on his mission and when he returned he had dark hair and a swarthy skin as a result of the California weather. She said the physical change was just amazing. He always had very thick hair; even to the time of his death his hair was straight, but very very thick and beautiful.
Daddy in stature was about average size, about five foot nine and a half, and usually weighed around 150 pounds. A little broad shouldered, with shorter arms and legs; so he gave more of the impression of being maybe a heavier person, while actually he really wasn't. He was always meticulously dressed, he would wear dark suits, white shirts, ties, shoes that were always carefully polished, and I think took a good deal of pride in his appearance.
Now, when Daddy finished school in Kaysville, I don't believe they had a high school there at that time, because other members of his family came down to Salt Lake to go to high school and I think this was probably true with Daddy although I am not sure. They had West High here and most of them from Kaysville would come down to West High and then after finishing high school go to the university here. At that time, Mama's family lived on 1st West between 1st and 2nd North. They had a large house there and they would take in roomers. One of Daddy's cousins, by the name of Daily, had boarded there when he went to college and so he arranged for Daddy to go and live there and that was how Mama and Daddy met.
At the end of going to college for a year, Daddy was called on a mission. Incidentally, Mama was going to college at the same time and, of course, it was unusual for a girl to go to college then, but the Leavers were a family that was very much tuned into education. So Daddy then was called and went go on his mission. It was the California Mission, but he served mainly in San Bernadino. He just loved that part of the country, he loved the people, he loved the experiences he had as a missionary and when he returned from the mission, at this time Mama and Daddy became engaged. Mama, in the mean time had been working for her uncle, that would be Dr. Leaver Stauffer. She would work in the office, it was almost like an assistant nurse and enjoyed it very very much.
They were engaged, I guess for several years, before they were married. At that time, a person wasn't married until they I guess could really afford to be. They had the pictures of Mama and Daddy for the wedding, showing the beautiful wedding dress Mama had. The reception was held at the home of her sister and brother-in-law. They were married in the temple and had the reception there and she often told about the beautiful wedding presents they received; the cut glass, the silverware and things.
They went on a honeymoon to California, taking the train and then when they came back lived in what must have been like an apartment for some period of time. They bought the house here the year before Bonnie was born and at time this was a rather new kind of a subdivision, they were building the houses along here. The man who built the house, actually, had built this house for himself, so they considered this house was better built than some of the others in the neighborhood and they were very happy and lucky to get this house. At that time, I think you all know what the house looked like. It was quite different than it is now.
Now, going to Daddy, I think if one were to use one word to describe him, one would say friendly. He knew everybody, he liked everybody, and everybody adored him. He had friends everywhere. The trolley ran up and down the street here, there was a streetcar right in front of the house. At that time there were very few cars. Our aunt and uncle had an electric car, but there weren't very many cars. Daddy would take the trolley. The trolley would stop at the corner down there and you would know the minute Daddy got off the car. You could hear his voice speaking to everybody all the way up the street. And every little girl that he saw was Sarah and every boy was Jack and it didn't matter what their name was they were Sarah and Jack. They all loved him calling them all Sarah and Jack. He had a very special greeting for each one of them and each of the neighbors just loved him. He had a real ability of expressing himself verbally. He talked deeply and well. He had a beautiful voice; strong, good enunciation, but he could not write. His writing, Miriam, was even worse than ours. It was just terrible. He could put words down, but it was difficult to read them. Maybe we come by it honestly.
The Barnses basically are not, I would say, artistic people. They are not tuned into the arts. Now Daddy liked music, but the music he liked was bands. He liked seeing the bands, he loved marching music, he liked dancing music. He loved to dance. We had a phonograph in the corner there, one of these you would wind up and he had all of these dance pieces and he loved to dance. Now Mama had suffered from milk leg following the birth of Bonnie and she was not able to dance. So he would dance around the rooms here with Bonnie and me and I'm sure we were both the best dancers there were at our age because we had a lot of practice with our father. And when Miriam came along, he would take her, dance around the room every night to the tune "Oh You Beautiful Doll, You Great Big Beautiful Doll". He would sing along with it and his singing was terrible, but the music was there and Miriam just loved dancing with Daddy and this was when you were a year old maybe two years old.
Daddy was a very intelligent man, particularly in worldly ways. He knew everything that was going on in the world. You couldn't mention any country that he couldn't tell you exactly where it was, what went on there, everything about it; every state in the Union, every capitol, what was taking place. We took two newspapers, a morning and night one, and he read them cover to cover. As soon as we got a radio, he would listen to all the news on the radio. We took at that time about three weekly magazines and he would read each one of them and could just really digest them. He was interested in the economic situation, he was interested in politics, and he was the strongest Democrat there was in Salt Lake. Of course, all the Barenses were Democrats. He was active in the Democratic party, would often be chairman, going to many conventions. Mama's family was just as strong Republican. Neither one could in any way convert the other, so we were always very divided with Daddy being a Democrat and Mama a Republican.
Well, I was a Republican. I think Bonnie and I lined up with Mommy and we were Republicans. Until Daddy died, and at that point I became Democrat. Then I married Todd and became a Republican again. So I guess I kind of fluctuate.
And he liked politics. He liked to know what was going on in the country. He liked to know what was going on in the city. He knew the people individually. He would go and talk with them. He had opinions. He had issues. He had commitments and he would stand up for them.
Daddy was a born salesman, this was his work, this was his interest, this was the thing he could really succeed at. He took great pride in selling, in really knowing the commodity he was selling, having confidence in it and knowing the people. He was good at it, really really tops. People admired and respected him, especially and particularly his honesty. Now he worked with a Kaysville cannery, he was a salesman for them which at that time was to sell to wholesale grocers, which meant he would contact all the wholesale places, he would go to the stores and places around and offer them the Kaysville Layton milk that was also near the cannery.
I guess really the most important thing is his life was his wife, were his children. He was a husband and a father. I honestly never heard my mother and father say a cross word to each other. I never heard an argument. I never heard either of them ever raise their voice to the other. Daddy absolutely adored Mama. It was beneath him to in any way raise his voice or criticize her. She was just absolutely perfect as far as he was concerned.
Now Daddy did have a temper and he could let it out on other people, but it was never directed towards Mama. And he felt that his children were without out doubt the most perfect children that ever could be. And looking at the group that we have here today I can well understand, I think, possibly that was passed down to the grandchildren and great grandchildren. But he made us feel that we are special. And I know in our blessings it said you had the right to choose our parents and I thought boy, we sure knew what we were doing because we sure chose the very very best possible.
Daddy loved to be with the family, he loved to do things with us. We didn't have baby tenders very often, because the family was doing things together. Now Daddy's health was not good because of his rheumatic fever. He would come home and by evening he was worn out. He did not like to go out at night or be out late. So, the evenings were spent here at home. If we went to eat, we would go out and have lunch. We would go to matinee's, he loved to go to shows. But they were a matinee and then we would come home. This was more our way of living. He loved to go to sports events. He never missed any high school tournament games; basketball, football, or anything. And I always thought I was the luckiest girl in this whole city because some boys, their fathers would take them to games, but I was the only girl whose father would take her to the games. And I'd be as excited as I could be because my father was taking me to the championship games. This was just when I was a little little girl.
He instilled in us very very early that education was important, that we were to go to college, that we were to become trained in professions, that our role would be that of a wife and mother, but we had more to offer beyond that and that in no way should we be satisfied with less than we could achieve. The goals he set for us were high, I can remember so often his saying, "Yes you did good on that but you could have done better, you've got the ability. Don't settle for less than you are capable of." They used to give these tests in school and my goal was to one time make a perfect test and of course it was impossible. The raised them up so high that nobody could ever do it, but I didn't know that. But I just thought it was a good idea anyway, to sometime be perfect.
He used to love to help us with our school work. He would take us to the library (at that time the library was downtown) if we had special projects. He would take us there and help us choose books and come home with a stack of books like that. And then spend time going through the books to find the things that were most pertinent to the particular report that we were working on. He was right along with us on every aspect of our school work, just as interested in what we were doing as most mothers are.
Now, I would say Mama was very warm to the artistic things with us. She loved the painting, the music, and the writing of poetry; but Daddy was more into the math, looking up the facts, just doing well on all those things. So Bonnie and I were actually exposed, I guess, to just about everything.
I wanted to say that Daddy, I don't think, was as involved in the church as Mama would have liked him to have been. Now much of this again was because of his health. He'd go to night meeting, he'd do his church duty, but when it came to working out night after night, physically he could not do it. So he said, "The best thing is for me to stay home and take care of the children and Jenny, you go." So Mama was always involved in all of the church things and Daddy was free to be here and take care of the children.
I can remember once when they called Daddy and wanted him to be a seventy and Daddy said "What are you supposed to be able to do if you're a seventy, what are the requirements for being a seventy." They said a seventy is a minute man. You should be free at a minutes notice to go on a mission anywhere in the world. Daddy said "No way. No way am I physically able to leave my family and go on a mission, so I'm sorry, I cannot be a seventy." Do you remember that Bonnie. I remember so clearly him saying "I'll work as an elder, I'll do my best, but physically I could never go on a mission. I couldn't handle anything like that again." He recognized his limits and he lived with them and he did his best to not let them get in the way of the family.
Miriam, when you were little I think one of his joys was, after dinner, everybody was kind of busy and it would be time for you to go to bed and he'd take you in and lay you down in your crib and he'd lay in the bed by you. He'd reach over and take your hand and you'd both go to sleep and he'd have a nap holding your hand. This would go on each evening and then he'd get up a little bit later and say "That was a real nice nap I had but holding your hand each night while you went to sleep was just a very very special thing." There was no baby that was so loved and so adored as was Miriam. She had a mother and father and two sister who had just waited and waited for this dear gal to come.
Of course Daddy had wanted...I don't know whether he wanted a son or not. He love girls so much. I think he would have been proud of a son, but he sure never made anybody feel he was let down because you were a girl. Mama did get pregnant when I was eight years old, lost the baby, and it was a little boy and there was sadness at that time but still Daddy said "Well, Heavenly Father, for some reason, felt this is the was it would be."
Daddy had a love of people who needed help. He was always there to help a widow. When Mr. Romney, down the street, had a stroke and was just paralized for several years, just living in that home, there wasn't a single day went by that he didn't stop on the way from the bus stop coming home to go in. I don't think that Mr. Romney could talk then, he could hear and his eyes registered the appreciation of Daddy telling him everything that was happening in the world that day and what a beautiful world it was. And it was none of this coming in and feeling sorry for you. It's this is a real joy I have of coming and sharing with you all the beautiful things that are going on in the world today. They said that Mr. Romney's eyes just beamed. And when Daddy died, he let them know that he wished it could have been him and that Daddy could have lived.
When Daddy became ill, it was again his stomach trouble, and he had difficulty keeping food down. Moma would cook a dinner and Daddy would come home and he'd say "I'm sorry, I just can't eat" and would have a bowl of bread and milk and go to bed. And Mama would never say a word about the dinner she had cooked and that he had hardly eaten any of it. This went on for I guess close to a year, when he was operated on. At that time they thought he had an ulcer. At that time Uncle Keith found there was a milignancy and it had gone to the point where the entire stomach was involved. They removed part of the stomach. Keith said to me, "your dad's going to have about a year to live." I am sure he told Daddy that. I imagine Mama was told that. Mama and Daddy never discussed it with me. It was around Thanksgiving time. Then he had a good year, but about in January he developed a hernia and I can remember so well the night Bonnie and Mama had gone to Mutual and I was home studying and Daddy was here and of course Miriam was here and he told me, he said "I don't know. Today I noticed this big hernia." He said "I know it's the beginning of the cancer again coming back." It's the only time I ever saw my father cry. Then it just became progressively worse. Daddy went on working every day, he didn't let down one single bit. He was just as cheerful and happy to everyone.
A Friday morning came and Daddy said "I don't feel very well today but I've got a few calls I've got to make." So, he went to work, but he came home about noon that day and he said "I just don't feel up to it. I really sick." By the next morning he said "I just don't think I can get out of bed, I'm sick." It happened that Uncle Keith was having to go back to Washington D.C. I don't know whether grandpa was back there seriously ill visiting, or what it was, but it was an emergency that he had to go back. So he came down and said that it was the cancer causing the trouble and he said "You know his heart has always been so bad, his heart will not take much of it, but let him be out of the pain as much as possible." And he said "Here's all the medicine you'll need to kill the pain, here's the needle, this is the way we give it. Give it just as often as he feels pain. There is no point in suffering." I can remember I had never given anybody a shot in my life and here I was left with all this medicine. We gave it and Daddy never once complained about how the shots were given.
This was on a Saturday, and Sunday we were giving shots pretty often, Monday again, Tuesday he died. Now if you can think of a person going to work on Friday and the next Tuesday dying, that quick. You see at that point they didn't take them to the hospital and give them everything to sustain their life, they said "Your times come, we'll make it as easy as we can." But I've always been so grateful that Daddy didn't have to suffer on and on and on. His life was complete at that time and I know it was so much easier on Mama and Miriam and Bonnie and me, it not dragging on for months. Knowing him a live person and in just a matter of a few days it was over.
I might say one of the greatest joys of Daddy's life was he'd get up early in the morning (he was a farmer as a child) and he adored calling people, waking them up getting them out of bed. This was just wonderful. "It's 7:00, time to get up." He had read the paper, he enjoyed this hour all by himself, it was just heaven. If you weren't up by 7:05 he come in and say "It's time to get up, it's time to get up" until you were up.
He was without doubt the greates chauffeur that ever could be. When we got our car, at that time I was about thirteen, I think (Miriam was about a year). He would take us everywhere. I was going to the East High seminary and we'd load the car up with people, all the girls and fellows, and he'd take us up to seminary. We met a seven in the morning, it had to be before school began. He'd take us all up to seminary every morning. If we were going to a football game, he'd drive us all up to the football game and then pick us up when the game was over.
It was just wonderful the way he enjoyed being with his family and with his daughters and taking us places. I sincerely feel (I had just turned seventeen when Daddy died and Bonnie was twenty), I really think he would have had real difficulty accepting son-in-laws. I don't think anybody could have measured up to what he would want. I really don't. Do you Bonnie. I mean dating was a problem. It really was with Daddy. He just didn't see why you had to be out that late, why you had to go out that often. I mean that family should have been enough. It was just almost that feeling. I do think that he would have just loved to have his daughters wait to get married because he loved them so and wanted them home with him so much.
He always felt that Miriam was the most extra little bonus that came along and there was no father that ever had another little girl like that. And people would say "At your age, it's your daughter?" and boy was he proud. He felt Bonnie was the most talented young girl that ever could be. And with her beautiful hair, she had long hair that curled a lot like Susan's, it wasn't quite that thick but it had just about that much curl to it, and those blue eyes and thought she was just a dear.
So I felt when Daddy died and we started to think of the stone and the marker, the only appropriate thing was Daddy. That was it. It was wonderful. I feel personally most fortunate to have had the mother, the father, the sisters, brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and now the grand ones. It's been truly a wonderful, joyful family; a happy family; a family that has appreciated and loved each other, a family that gives support when it is needed, one that has all the attributes that one would ever hope or wish for. And when I think of Moma and Daddy, the others are up there now isn't glorious that they are having this day together. This is wonderful. They are with us. They are with us whenever we need them. And I think we give them a lot of pleasure. I think Mama and Daddy are just as thrilled today at seeing all of these beautiful little kids running around as we are. They are just as proud with each achievement they have made. This is them, still living here on this earth. I think we should all be truly proud of a heritage that is ours and the great things the future is going to hold for us.
Matt Lavender said the following:
Harry Morris, our neighbor, when he would speak to me of your dad, he said "I remember him because we all used to meet him at the streetcar and he'd always have his pockets full of candy. All of the children, just about the time he was coming home, and he would give the candy to the kids." Harry told me "You know he was just a mischievous as we were. I remember him going out there and putting pennies on the streetcar tracks to see if the streetcar mashes them." Harry said that he mashed his share of pennies. Harry said, "He was one of the best fellows we had, and I remember when he used to take Miriam for walks." Harry said that she sure had a good father.
John George Barnes
The following is a narrative by his daughter, Mary Barnes Bechtol:
Daddy was born 100 years ago come this July 23rd. He was born in Kaysville, the oldest of eight children, two girls and six boys, three of the boys are surviving. The Barnes family in terms of his grandfather had come over and settled Kaysville and were very industrious far reaching people who could see the possibilities of various industries and became soon involved in purchasing land, in farming, in having stores, and in operating just about all the facilities there.
Now, Daddy was the oldest in the family and I'm not sure myself whether his father went on a mission to England while he was born or just right after he was born, but at that time it was very common for young men to go on missions even if they were married and even if they had a family and they left the responsibilities for the rest of the family to take care of.
Daddy, as a youth, was not well. He had what was known as rheumatic fever which resulted in a severe heart condition that greatly limited his physical activity and, although he loved sports and loved games, he was one who had to stand by and watch others. I know this was awfully hard on him because the family really was a rather sports minded group of people.
Daddy was, as a boy, very very blond; bright blond hair, very fair skinned, blue eyes, a light intense blue, kind of deep seated as Miriams's are, undoubtedly Miriam resembles him more than any of us. Now Mama tells about Daddy being such a blond when he went on his mission and when he returned he had dark hair and a swarthy skin as a result of the California weather. She said the physical change was just amazing. He always had very thick hair; even to the time of his death his hair was straight, but very very thick and beautiful.
Daddy in stature was about average size, about five foot nine and a half, and usually weighed around 150 pounds. A little broad shouldered, with shorter arms and legs; so he gave more of the impression of being maybe a heavier person, while actually he really wasn't. He was always meticulously dressed, he would wear dark suits, white shirts, ties, shoes that were always carefully polished, and I think took a good deal of pride in his appearance.
Now, when Daddy finished school in Kaysville, I don't believe they had a high school there at that time, because other members of his family came down to Salt Lake to go to high school and I think this was probably true with Daddy although I am not sure. They had West High here and most of them from Kaysville would come down to West High and then after finishing high school go to the university here. At that time, Mama's family lived on 1st West between 1st and 2nd North. They had a large house there and they would take in roomers. One of Daddy's cousins, by the name of Daily, had boarded there when he went to college and so he arranged for Daddy to go and live there and that was how Mama and Daddy met.
At the end of going to college for a year, Daddy was called on a mission. Incidentally, Mama was going to college at the same time and, of course, it was unusual for a girl to go to college then, but the Leavers were a family that was very much tuned into education. So Daddy then was called and went go on his mission. It was the California Mission, but he served mainly in San Bernadino. He just loved that part of the country, he loved the people, he loved the experiences he had as a missionary and when he returned from the mission, at this time Mama and Daddy became engaged. Mama, in the mean time had been working for her uncle, that would be Dr. Leaver Stauffer. She would work in the office, it was almost like an assistant nurse and enjoyed it very very much.
They were engaged, I guess for several years, before they were married. At that time, a person wasn't married until they I guess could really afford to be. They had the pictures of Mama and Daddy for the wedding, showing the beautiful wedding dress Mama had. The reception was held at the home of her sister and brother-in-law. They were married in the temple and had the reception there and she often told about the beautiful wedding presents they received; the cut glass, the silverware and things.
They went on a honeymoon to California, taking the train and then when they came back lived in what must have been like an apartment for some period of time. They bought the house here the year before Bonnie was born and at time this was a rather new kind of a subdivision, they were building the houses along here. The man who built the house, actually, had built this house for himself, so they considered this house was better built than some of the others in the neighborhood and they were very happy and lucky to get this house. At that time, I think you all know what the house looked like. It was quite different than it is now.
Now, going to Daddy, I think if one were to use one word to describe him, one would say friendly. He knew everybody, he liked everybody, and everybody adored him. He had friends everywhere. The trolley ran up and down the street here, there was a streetcar right in front of the house. At that time there were very few cars. Our aunt and uncle had an electric car, but there weren't very many cars. Daddy would take the trolley. The trolley would stop at the corner down there and you would know the minute Daddy got off the car. You could hear his voice speaking to everybody all the way up the street. And every little girl that he saw was Sarah and every boy was Jack and it didn't matter what their name was they were Sarah and Jack. They all loved him calling them all Sarah and Jack. He had a very special greeting for each one of them and each of the neighbors just loved him. He had a real ability of expressing himself verbally. He talked deeply and well. He had a beautiful voice; strong, good enunciation, but he could not write. His writing, Miriam, was even worse than ours. It was just terrible. He could put words down, but it was difficult to read them. Maybe we come by it honestly.
The Barnses basically are not, I would say, artistic people. They are not tuned into the arts. Now Daddy liked music, but the music he liked was bands. He liked seeing the bands, he loved marching music, he liked dancing music. He loved to dance. We had a phonograph in the corner there, one of these you would wind up and he had all of these dance pieces and he loved to dance. Now Mama had suffered from milk leg following the birth of Bonnie and she was not able to dance. So he would dance around the rooms here with Bonnie and me and I'm sure we were both the best dancers there were at our age because we had a lot of practice with our father. And when Miriam came along, he would take her, dance around the room every night to the tune "Oh You Beautiful Doll, You Great Big Beautiful Doll". He would sing along with it and his singing was terrible, but the music was there and Miriam just loved dancing with Daddy and this was when you were a year old maybe two years old.
Daddy was a very intelligent man, particularly in worldly ways. He knew everything that was going on in the world. You couldn't mention any country that he couldn't tell you exactly where it was, what went on there, everything about it; every state in the Union, every capitol, what was taking place. We took two newspapers, a morning and night one, and he read them cover to cover. As soon as we got a radio, he would listen to all the news on the radio. We took at that time about three weekly magazines and he would read each one of them and could just really digest them. He was interested in the economic situation, he was interested in politics, and he was the strongest Democrat there was in Salt Lake. Of course, all the Barenses were Democrats. He was active in the Democratic party, would often be chairman, going to many conventions. Mama's family was just as strong Republican. Neither one could in any way convert the other, so we were always very divided with Daddy being a Democrat and Mama a Republican.
Well, I was a Republican. I think Bonnie and I lined up with Mommy and we were Republicans. Until Daddy died, and at that point I became Democrat. Then I married Todd and became a Republican again. So I guess I kind of fluctuate.
And he liked politics. He liked to know what was going on in the country. He liked to know what was going on in the city. He knew the people individually. He would go and talk with them. He had opinions. He had issues. He had commitments and he would stand up for them.
Daddy was a born salesman, this was his work, this was his interest, this was the thing he could really succeed at. He took great pride in selling, in really knowing the commodity he was selling, having confidence in it and knowing the people. He was good at it, really really tops. People admired and respected him, especially and particularly his honesty. Now he worked with a Kaysville cannery, he was a salesman for them which at that time was to sell to wholesale grocers, which meant he would contact all the wholesale places, he would go to the stores and places around and offer them the Kaysville Layton milk that was also near the cannery.
I guess really the most important thing is his life was his wife, were his children. He was a husband and a father. I honestly never heard my mother and father say a cross word to each other. I never heard an argument. I never heard either of them ever raise their voice to the other. Daddy absolutely adored Mama. It was beneath him to in any way raise his voice or criticize her. She was just absolutely perfect as far as he was concerned.
Now Daddy did have a temper and he could let it out on other people, but it was never directed towards Mama. And he felt that his children were without out doubt the most perfect children that ever could be. And looking at the group that we have here today I can well understand, I think, possibly that was passed down to the grandchildren and great grandchildren. But he made us feel that we are special. And I know in our blessings it said you had the right to choose our parents and I thought boy, we sure knew what we were doing because we sure chose the very very best possible.
Daddy loved to be with the family, he loved to do things with us. We didn't have baby tenders very often, because the family was doing things together. Now Daddy's health was not good because of his rheumatic fever. He would come home and by evening he was worn out. He did not like to go out at night or be out late. So, the evenings were spent here at home. If we went to eat, we would go out and have lunch. We would go to matinee's, he loved to go to shows. But they were a matinee and then we would come home. This was more our way of living. He loved to go to sports events. He never missed any high school tournament games; basketball, football, or anything. And I always thought I was the luckiest girl in this whole city because some boys, their fathers would take them to games, but I was the only girl whose father would take her to the games. And I'd be as excited as I could be because my father was taking me to the championship games. This was just when I was a little little girl.
He instilled in us very very early that education was important, that we were to go to college, that we were to become trained in professions, that our role would be that of a wife and mother, but we had more to offer beyond that and that in no way should we be satisfied with less than we could achieve. The goals he set for us were high, I can remember so often his saying, "Yes you did good on that but you could have done better, you've got the ability. Don't settle for less than you are capable of." They used to give these tests in school and my goal was to one time make a perfect test and of course it was impossible. The raised them up so high that nobody could ever do it, but I didn't know that. But I just thought it was a good idea anyway, to sometime be perfect.
He used to love to help us with our school work. He would take us to the library (at that time the library was downtown) if we had special projects. He would take us there and help us choose books and come home with a stack of books like that. And then spend time going through the books to find the things that were most pertinent to the particular report that we were working on. He was right along with us on every aspect of our school work, just as interested in what we were doing as most mothers are.
Now, I would say Mama was very warm to the artistic things with us. She loved the painting, the music, and the writing of poetry; but Daddy was more into the math, looking up the facts, just doing well on all those things. So Bonnie and I were actually exposed, I guess, to just about everything.
I wanted to say that Daddy, I don't think, was as involved in the church as Mama would have liked him to have been. Now much of this again was because of his health. He'd go to night meeting, he'd do his church duty, but when it came to working out night after night, physically he could not do it. So he said, "The best thing is for me to stay home and take care of the children and Jenny, you go." So Mama was always involved in all of the church things and Daddy was free to be here and take care of the children.
I can remember once when they called Daddy and wanted him to be a seventy and Daddy said "What are you supposed to be able to do if you're a seventy, what are the requirements for being a seventy." They said a seventy is a minute man. You should be free at a minutes notice to go on a mission anywhere in the world. Daddy said "No way. No way am I physically able to leave my family and go on a mission, so I'm sorry, I cannot be a seventy." Do you remember that Bonnie. I remember so clearly him saying "I'll work as an elder, I'll do my best, but physically I could never go on a mission. I couldn't handle anything like that again." He recognized his limits and he lived with them and he did his best to not let them get in the way of the family.
Miriam, when you were little I think one of his joys was, after dinner, everybody was kind of busy and it would be time for you to go to bed and he'd take you in and lay you down in your crib and he'd lay in the bed by you. He'd reach over and take your hand and you'd both go to sleep and he'd have a nap holding your hand. This would go on each evening and then he'd get up a little bit later and say "That was a real nice nap I had but holding your hand each night while you went to sleep was just a very very special thing." There was no baby that was so loved and so adored as was Miriam. She had a mother and father and two sister who had just waited and waited for this dear gal to come.
Of course Daddy had wanted...I don't know whether he wanted a son or not. He love girls so much. I think he would have been proud of a son, but he sure never made anybody feel he was let down because you were a girl. Mama did get pregnant when I was eight years old, lost the baby, and it was a little boy and there was sadness at that time but still Daddy said "Well, Heavenly Father, for some reason, felt this is the was it would be."
Daddy had a love of people who needed help. He was always there to help a widow. When Mr. Romney, down the street, had a stroke and was just paralized for several years, just living in that home, there wasn't a single day went by that he didn't stop on the way from the bus stop coming home to go in. I don't think that Mr. Romney could talk then, he could hear and his eyes registered the appreciation of Daddy telling him everything that was happening in the world that day and what a beautiful world it was. And it was none of this coming in and feeling sorry for you. It's this is a real joy I have of coming and sharing with you all the beautiful things that are going on in the world today. They said that Mr. Romney's eyes just beamed. And when Daddy died, he let them know that he wished it could have been him and that Daddy could have lived.
When Daddy became ill, it was again his stomach trouble, and he had difficulty keeping food down. Moma would cook a dinner and Daddy would come home and he'd say "I'm sorry, I just can't eat" and would have a bowl of bread and milk and go to bed. And Mama would never say a word about the dinner she had cooked and that he had hardly eaten any of it. This went on for I guess close to a year, when he was operated on. At that time they thought he had an ulcer. At that time Uncle Keith found there was a milignancy and it had gone to the point where the entire stomach was involved. They removed part of the stomach. Keith said to me, "your dad's going to have about a year to live." I am sure he told Daddy that. I imagine Mama was told that. Mama and Daddy never discussed it with me. It was around Thanksgiving time. Then he had a good year, but about in January he developed a hernia and I can remember so well the night Bonnie and Mama had gone to Mutual and I was home studying and Daddy was here and of course Miriam was here and he told me, he said "I don't know. Today I noticed this big hernia." He said "I know it's the beginning of the cancer again coming back." It's the only time I ever saw my father cry. Then it just became progressively worse. Daddy went on working every day, he didn't let down one single bit. He was just as cheerful and happy to everyone.
A Friday morning came and Daddy said "I don't feel very well today but I've got a few calls I've got to make." So, he went to work, but he came home about noon that day and he said "I just don't feel up to it. I really sick." By the next morning he said "I just don't think I can get out of bed, I'm sick." It happened that Uncle Keith was having to go back to Washington D.C. I don't know whether grandpa was back there seriously ill visiting, or what it was, but it was an emergency that he had to go back. So he came down and said that it was the cancer causing the trouble and he said "You know his heart has always been so bad, his heart will not take much of it, but let him be out of the pain as much as possible." And he said "Here's all the medicine you'll need to kill the pain, here's the needle, this is the way we give it. Give it just as often as he feels pain. There is no point in suffering." I can remember I had never given anybody a shot in my life and here I was left with all this medicine. We gave it and Daddy never once complained about how the shots were given.
This was on a Saturday, and Sunday we were giving shots pretty often, Monday again, Tuesday he died. Now if you can think of a person going to work on Friday and the next Tuesday dying, that quick. You see at that point they didn't take them to the hospital and give them everything to sustain their life, they said "Your times come, we'll make it as easy as we can." But I've always been so grateful that Daddy didn't have to suffer on and on and on. His life was complete at that time and I know it was so much easier on Mama and Miriam and Bonnie and me, it not dragging on for months. Knowing him a live person and in just a matter of a few days it was over.
I might say one of the greatest joys of Daddy's life was he'd get up early in the morning (he was a farmer as a child) and he adored calling people, waking them up getting them out of bed. This was just wonderful. "It's 7:00, time to get up." He had read the paper, he enjoyed this hour all by himself, it was just heaven. If you weren't up by 7:05 he come in and say "It's time to get up, it's time to get up" until you were up.
He was without doubt the greates chauffeur that ever could be. When we got our car, at that time I was about thirteen, I think (Miriam was about a year). He would take us everywhere. I was going to the East High seminary and we'd load the car up with people, all the girls and fellows, and he'd take us up to seminary. We met a seven in the morning, it had to be before school began. He'd take us all up to seminary every morning. If we were going to a football game, he'd drive us all up to the football game and then pick us up when the game was over.
It was just wonderful the way he enjoyed being with his family and with his daughters and taking us places. I sincerely feel (I had just turned seventeen when Daddy died and Bonnie was twenty), I really think he would have had real difficulty accepting son-in-laws. I don't think anybody could have measured up to what he would want. I really don't. Do you Bonnie. I mean dating was a problem. It really was with Daddy. He just didn't see why you had to be out that late, why you had to go out that often. I mean that family should have been enough. It was just almost that feeling. I do think that he would have just loved to have his daughters wait to get married because he loved them so and wanted them home with him so much.
He always felt that Miriam was the most extra little bonus that came along and there was no father that ever had another little girl like that. And people would say "At your age, it's your daughter?" and boy was he proud. He felt Bonnie was the most talented young girl that ever could be. And with her beautiful hair, she had long hair that curled a lot like Susan's, it wasn't quite that thick but it had just about that much curl to it, and those blue eyes and thought she was just a dear.
So I felt when Daddy died and we started to think of the stone and the marker, the only appropriate thing was Daddy. That was it. It was wonderful. I feel personally most fortunate to have had the mother, the father, the sisters, brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and now the grand ones. It's been truly a wonderful, joyful family; a happy family; a family that has appreciated and loved each other, a family that gives support when it is needed, one that has all the attributes that one would ever hope or wish for. And when I think of Moma and Daddy, the others are up there now isn't glorious that they are having this day together. This is wonderful. They are with us. They are with us whenever we need them. And I think we give them a lot of pleasure. I think Mama and Daddy are just as thrilled today at seeing all of these beautiful little kids running around as we are. They are just as proud with each achievement they have made. This is them, still living here on this earth. I think we should all be truly proud of a heritage that is ours and the great things the future is going to hold for us.
Matt Lavender said the following:
Harry Morris, our neighbor, when he would speak to me of your dad, he said "I remember him because we all used to meet him at the streetcar and he'd always have his pockets full of candy. All of the children, just about the time he was coming home, and he would give the candy to the kids." Harry told me "You know he was just a mischievous as we were. I remember him going out there and putting pennies on the streetcar tracks to see if the streetcar mashes them." Harry said that he mashed his share of pennies. Harry said, "He was one of the best fellows we had, and I remember when he used to take Miriam for walks." Harry said that she sure had a good father.
Dimon McFerson
DIMON RUNNELLS McFERSON
Dimon Runnells McFerson was the son of William McFerson and Miriam Runnells McFerson. He was the fourth child of ten children, five brothers and five sisters. He was born at Newport, New Hampshire, June l5, 1809.
Many of his relatives fought and took active part in the Revolutionary War. There is a tradition among some of the descendents of the John Runnells, who was the grandfather of Dimon McFerson, that John earnestly desired to join his father and brothers in the Revolutionary War, and was only dissuaded by the entreaties of his friends, being but sixteen years of age at the breaking out of hostilities.
When Dimon was about nine years old, his father's family moved to western New York. The country there at that time was a barren wilderness, but after a few years of hard work, the McFersons had a very good farm, and father was able to provide well for his large family. Dimon's father died in May 1825 at Freedom, New York.
Shortly after the organization of the L.D.S. Church some Mormon Missionaries came to the vicinity of where the McFerson family were living. When the McFersons heard the message from the Mormon Elders, it seemed so true and clear to some of them that as a result Dimon, his mother, and several other members of the family joined the Church. Dimon was baptized on 1834.
The McFerson family disposed of their property in western New York, as they were anxious to join the main body of the church. They journeyed to Missouri and settled in Caldwell County, where on February 17, 1839, he married Omilla Savage. She died May 1, l841. She was the mother of two children, the first a son, Thomas Jefferson, dying in infancy, and the second Amilla Jane, who as a child went through the persecutions of the Church in Missouri and Illinois. She came to Utah with her father in 1851 and in 1857 was married to Reddick K. Allred of the Mormon Battalion fame. They were among the first called to settle in San Pete County where she made her home until her death in 1910.
Dimon McFerson was with the Saints when they were driven out of Missouri and located in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. Here he worked on the. Nauvoo Temple for some time, and was well acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith. He was in Nauvoo at the time of the martyrdom of these two brothers. He was present at the meeting when the mantel of Prophet Joseph fell on President Brigham Young. He always testified that he knew President Young was the rightful successor to the Prophet Joseph.
Dimon Runnells McFerson was the son of William McFerson and Miriam Runnells McFerson. He was the fourth child of ten children, five brothers and five sisters. He was born at Newport, New Hampshire, June l5, 1809.
Many of his relatives fought and took active part in the Revolutionary War. There is a tradition among some of the descendents of the John Runnells, who was the grandfather of Dimon McFerson, that John earnestly desired to join his father and brothers in the Revolutionary War, and was only dissuaded by the entreaties of his friends, being but sixteen years of age at the breaking out of hostilities.
When Dimon was about nine years old, his father's family moved to western New York. The country there at that time was a barren wilderness, but after a few years of hard work, the McFersons had a very good farm, and father was able to provide well for his large family. Dimon's father died in May 1825 at Freedom, New York.
Shortly after the organization of the L.D.S. Church some Mormon Missionaries came to the vicinity of where the McFerson family were living. When the McFersons heard the message from the Mormon Elders, it seemed so true and clear to some of them that as a result Dimon, his mother, and several other members of the family joined the Church. Dimon was baptized on 1834.
The McFerson family disposed of their property in western New York, as they were anxious to join the main body of the church. They journeyed to Missouri and settled in Caldwell County, where on February 17, 1839, he married Omilla Savage. She died May 1, l841. She was the mother of two children, the first a son, Thomas Jefferson, dying in infancy, and the second Amilla Jane, who as a child went through the persecutions of the Church in Missouri and Illinois. She came to Utah with her father in 1851 and in 1857 was married to Reddick K. Allred of the Mormon Battalion fame. They were among the first called to settle in San Pete County where she made her home until her death in 1910.
Dimon McFerson was with the Saints when they were driven out of Missouri and located in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. Here he worked on the. Nauvoo Temple for some time, and was well acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith. He was in Nauvoo at the time of the martyrdom of these two brothers. He was present at the meeting when the mantel of Prophet Joseph fell on President Brigham Young. He always testified that he knew President Young was the rightful successor to the Prophet Joseph.
John R. Barnes Biography
BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN R. BARNES
John Richard Barnes was born July 28, 1853 at Sandy Bedfordshire England, Died January 21, 1919. Died Tuesday evening at about seven o'clock. The funeral of John R. Barmes was held on Sunday January 2S, 1919 at twelve o'clock in Kaysville Ward.
He left his native land on the 28th of March 1855, for the gospel of Jesus of Latter-day Saints which he proved himself by his words.
Later arrived in Utah October, 16th, 1855.
Was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints April 28th, 1848.
Was ordained a Priest September 1st, 1850.
Was ordained an Sider May 15, 1856. A seventy February 19th, 1857. A High Priest January 29, 1877. Was ordained a High Priest and set apart a first Counselor to Bishop Peter Barton who had recently been appointed Bishop of the Kaysville ward which office he held until he was released on Feb. 29th, 1907, being about thirty years counselor to Peter Barton.
A Patriarch Aug. 15th, 1916, he blessed or gave blessings to about 75 or it may be a few more.
ANCESTORS ON MY FATHERS SIDE
William Barnes my father was the son of Thomas and Fanny Day Barnes was born Oct. 26th, 1792, at Bedford Bedfordshire England, died September 9th, 1880 at Kaysville, Utah at the time
of his death he held the Priesthood of an Elder.
My sister Anne Barnes Smith was born March 6th, 1817. Died June 5th, 1871.
My brother William J. Barnes born Aug. 20th, 1820, died November 14th, 1895. He fell from a wagon and broke his neck, was buried November 17, 1895.
My sister Sarah Barnes Layton, born July 6th, 1826. Died September 15th, 1906.
ANCESTORS ON MY MOTHERS SIDE
My mother Elizabeth Jeffries Barnes born October 15, 1795. Died, November 25th, 1869.
My grandmother Sarah Jeffries died February 15th, 1860 aged Ninety years.
My grandfather, John Jeffries died January 7th, 1618, In his fifty second year, born December 2nd, 1766.
My Great Grandfather John Jeffries died February 18, 1829 aged 97 years.
My aunt Sarah Jeffries was bom July 14, 1800.
My uncle William Jeffries was born February 18th, 1805.
SISTERS OF MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER
Ann Clarke Jeffries, my Great Grandmother.
Elizabeth Jeffries.
Sarah Jeffries.
Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Sarah Clarke Rawlins.
William Thompson. Son of Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Henry Thompson. Son of Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Elizabeth Jeffries. My Great Aunt.
ANCESTORS OF EMILY SHELTON BARNES.
Emily’s father, George Shelton born July 6th, 1804. Died March 12th, 1891.
Emily’s mother. Mary Franklin Shelton, Born November 29, 1802. Died, December 1875.
Emily’s sister, Jane Shelton, born June 24th, 1828. Died February 4th, 1595.
Emily’s brother. William Shelton born, September 6th, 1853. Died, March 24th, 1854.
Emily’s uncle, John Franklin, born October 26th, 1819.
Emily’s uncle, William Franklin, born July 19, 1816.
Emily’s aunt. Ann Franklin, born December 1st, 1805.
Emily’s aunt. Sarah Franklin, born October 17th, 1808.
Emily’s aunt. Susan Franklin, born April 1st, 1811.
Emily’s aunt. Elizabeth Franklin, born October 23rd, 1813.
Brother of Adams Franklin. John Franklin
Brother of Adams Franklin. William Franklin.
Sister to Adams Franklin. Susan Franklin.
Sister to Adams Franklin. Ann Franklin.
Emily’s grandmother. Ellen Martin Franklin wife of Adams
Franklin.
Emily’s uncle. William Shelton, Born May 2.
Emily’s great uncle. George Shelton.
On the 24th, of August 1875 my wife Emily Shelton Barnes had been very poorley for some weeks and on Thursday 26th, of August she gave birth to twins, boy and girl, the dysentery continued and inflammation and fever being in the bowels a trouble she nearly died when her first baby was born. She got worse and expired at five o'clock on Monday morning August 30th. The deceased was buried at four o'clock P.M. the following day. A large number of persons three to five hundred with forty six wagons and carriages attended the funeral. Peace to the departed. A few days after the mothers death the babies commenced failing and on Sunday September 12th in the morning at fifteen minutes past two, the little boy breathed his last. He was blessed by his father receiving the name of Charles David. September 7th, 1875. The little girl was blessed and the name of Emily given to her September 8th, 1875 by her father. She died September 18th, 1875 and was buried the following Sunday. Both babies rest in the same grave with their mother.
Emily Shelton Barnes born February 6th, 1835 at Northill Bedfordshire England. Married to John R. Barnes at Liverpool, England March 23rd, 1853, died August 30th, 1875. Emigrated with John R. Barnes in 1853. Peace to the departed. Our children were as follows:
Mary Elizabeth Barnes Gailey. Daughter of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Was born at Kaysville, Davis County September 23rd, 1858. When eight years old was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was a faithful member. On November 28, 1878 she married John W.
Gailey. On the 25th of August 1879 a son was born to them and they named him John Richard Gailey. On the first day of February 1881 her second child was born, a fine boy weighing twelve pounds. She appeared to be gaining strength and doing well until early in the morning of the 18th of February when she
complained of violent pain in her head and requested her husband to go for her father and stepmother which he did and upon his return he found, his wife unconscious, in -the course of the day other friends and neighbors gathered. In doing what they could to alleviate her sufferings but without avail. The next morning medical aid was obtained but nothing seemed to help the patient. She gradually grew weaker and on the forenoon of the following day, Sunday, it became apparent she could not last long. Consciousness never returned and she continued to sink until seven minutes past seven P.M. February 20th, 1881, when she breathed her last, surrounded by her husband and other relatives and friends. On the following evening the body was taken to her father's house and the next day at noon carried to the meeting house by six young men associates of herself and her husband. The funeral services were conducted by Bishop Peter Barton. A very large number of people being in attendance sixty five teams with an average of about five persons to each team followed the remains to the grave. Thus passed away an affectionate and faithful wife and mother and a beloved daughter and sister. Her stepmother Elizabeth Geeves Barnes cared for the children John Richard Gailey and Arthur Franklin Gailey.
John George Moroni Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born March 5th, 1860. Baptized by Robert Egbert, October 1, 1868. Confirmed by Mark Beazer and others October 1st, 1868 and received his endowments and at the same time was ordained an Elder May 8th, 1876. Married Miriam McPherson September 9th, 1880. J. G. M. Barnes was ordained a seventy and set apart for a mission by George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, being in the month of September 3rd, 1882.
Arthur Franklin Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes, born October 3rd, 1861. Baptized May 16th, 1872 by William L. Payne. Confirmed the same day by Rosel Hyde. Married Miss Elizabeth Sansame May 15th, 1885.
Jane Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born September 4th, 1865, died December 4th, 1865.
Richard William Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born April 15th, 1866. Baptized June 3rd, 1875 by Ezra Williams. Confirmed the same day by Rosel Hyde.
Ordained an Elder March 23, 1884.
Wilford Shelton Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes born October 18th, 1867. Baptized June 1876. Ordained a teacher February 24th, 1884. A priest. Rebaptized and confirmed November 21st, 1892 by John G. M. Barnes. Ordained an Elder November 21st, 1892 by his father John R. Barnes. Received his endowments in the Logan Temple November 23rd, 1892. Ordained a Seventy by Seymour B. Young, December 1st, 1892, and on the following morning started on a mission to Great Britain leaving Kaysville at 7:15 December 2nd, via Union Pacific Railway. Returned home Sunday March 24th, 1895. Married Ellis Hilsted June 24th, 1897.
Ernest Barnes son of John R. Barnes and. Emily Shelton Barnes born August 25th, 1869. Died October 13th, 1870.
Herbert James Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes born March 10th, 1872. Died January 1st, 1880. On the 12th day of May, 1874 my wife Emily Shelton Barnes gave birth to a still born boy.
Elizabeth Geeves Barnes born March 6th, 1836 at Beeston Bedfordshire, England. Married to John R. Barnes, December 1865. Died March 26th, 1896 at Kaysville, buried March 29th. On the tombstone over her grave in the Kaysville Cemetery appears the following inscription:
"The deceased was an affectionate wife and a kind mother to the motherless."
The reference is to her sweet, motherly devotion to the young children of Emily Shelton Barnes, Richard and Frank Gailey.
George William Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Elizabeth Geeves Barnes, born December 20th, 1869. Baptized June 20th, 1878. Ordained a deacon February 24th, 1884. Ordained a teacher, a priest and an elder, Married Martha Amelia Jones March 4th, 1897.
Emily Stewart Barnes born May 3rd, 1846, at Colmworth, Bedfordshire, England, Married to John R. Barnes, November 29th, 1869 in the old endowment house.
Our children are:
Royal C. Barnes son of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born May 27th, 1871. Baptized by Wm. Blood. Ordained a Deacon February 24th, 1884. Ordained a teacher. Accepted a position with the Deseret National Bank at Salt Lake City, December 9th, 1889. Married Maud Mary Lawson, June 10th, 1897.
Minnie Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes born October 2nd, 1872. Baptized October 3rd, 1880, by Wm., Blood and confirmed same day by John R. Barnes. Married to Henry H. Blood, June 4th, 1896.
Emily Maud Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born July 8th, 1875. Baptized August 5th, I883, and confirmed same day. Baptized by Wm. Blood, confirmed by E. A. Williams.
Martha Ellen Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born August 9th, 1877. Baptized September 15th, 1885 by Wm. Blood. Confirmed same day by her father, Peter Barton and others. Died March 21st, I925 at Salt Lake City in the L.D.S. Hospital.
Mary Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes. Born October 20th, 1879. Baptized November 8th, 1887 by J.G.M. Barnes. Confirmed November 20th, 1887 by John R. Barnes
Elizabeth Beatta Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born October 27th, 1881. Baptized and confirmed May 25th, 1890. Married Lawrence C. Blood September_____ in the Salt Lake Temple.
Claude Teancum Barnes son of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born February 15th, 1884. Blessed May 1st, by John R. Barnes. Baptized by Wm. Blood June 25th, 1892, confirmed same day by E. A. Williams. Ordained a Deacon February 22nd, 1897 by James Smith. Ordained a teacher March 12th, 1899 by Thos. F. Roueche. Appointed Pres. Deacons Quorum 1697. Appointed Pres. Teachers Quorum January 28th, 1900 by Bro. J. R. Barnes. September 17th, 1899, commenced school at the University of Utah. October 1st, 1900, recontinued school. September 15th, 1901, recommenced school. Have determined to study for Law. July 1901, appointed to the office of Sunday School teacher in the Kaysville Sunday School. July 1902 visited Cripple Creek, Colorado, with father and mother. Object, delegate Trans. Miss. Commercial Congress. During the summer of 1902 I acted as reporter from Kaysville to the Salt Lake Herald, enjoyed it very much. Received call from Pres. Joseph F. Smith to attend L.D.S. University for a month or two beginning September 8th, 1902. After which I am to go on a mission. The youngest missionary that ever left Kaysville. Ordained an Elder, Sunday November 20th, 1902, by Walter Cottrell. December 4th, 1902 received his endowments in the Salt Lake Temple. December 12th, 1902 was set apart for a mission to Great Britain by Seymour E. Young (he being mouth), John Henry Smith, Rulon S. Wells and Arthur E. Barnes. Started on his mission the following morning December 15th, at 7:10 A.M. Labored the entire time in the West End of London making specialty of street preaching, in July and August 1904 spent eight weeks traveling in Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany. December 17th, 1904 released prematurely to accompany Mrs. Goddard and son home to her dead husband in Utah. February 6th, 1905 gave lecture on Rome in meeting house. February 6th, 1905, recommenced studies at U. of U. October 1905 to June 1906 studied Law, the whole year at the University of Chicago. Elected President of "The Stump" the largest debating society in school. August 6th, 1906 married to Miss Annie E. Knowlton in the Salt Lake Temple.
Hazel Elaine Barnes daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes born September 11th, 1887. Blessed November 3rd, 1887. Baptized October 3rd, 1895 by J. G. M. Barnes, confirmed same day by Thomas F. Roueche. Married to Richard Ambrose Hart June 17th, 1914.
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John Richard Barnes was born July 28th, 1833 at Sandy, Bedfordshire England. He was the youngest child of William and Elizabeth Jeffries Barnes. His parents were of the working class and early in life taught their children to labor and the writer remembers well his early experience in picking up potatoes and other work in which he was capable of performing. For his services he would usually receive six pence (twelve cents) per day, when not at work he had to attend the village school, when he was about eleven and a half years old he engaged with the school teacher to do chores for his food and schooling. This arrangement continued for fourteen months and the education gained during this period has been a great help to him through life. In the spring of 1846 a storekeeper by the name of John Sergeant offered him a situation in his store which after due consideration was accepted (although the school teacher tried hard to keep him). He received for his service with Mr. Sergeant one shilling or twenty five cents per week and board for the first year, he continued with Mr. Sergeant for nearly seven years receiving an increase in his salary from time to time so that when he quit. he was getting twenty pounds or a little more than one hundred dollars per year in addition to his board. While in the employ of Wm. Sergeant he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In the fall of 1850 he was ordained a Priest which office he held at the time of his emigration. He in company with his parents, also his brother and his brothers wife and family of five children started for Utah on the 19th, of March 185S. Prior to this he had become engaged to Miss Emily Shelton who at the same time started with him for Utah and whom he married at Liverpool on March 23rd, 1863. Elder Robert Campbell performing the ceremony. The ship Falcon on which they crossed the Atlantic to New Orleans was detained in port a week longer than was expected but about noon on Monday March 28th, she weighed anchor and started on her way. The journey to New Orleans occupied seven weeks and two days. On arriving at New Orleans the company were put on board a steamer which started in a few hours for St. Louis at which place the company changed steamers and arrived in due time at Keokuk, Iowa, here they were detained two weeks, finally all being ready a start was made for Utah, Elder Appleton Harmon being Captain of the Company. Nothing unusual occured on the journey and he with the company reached Salt Lake City on the 16th day October of the same year his wife having preceded him several days she being met on Harns Fork by a brother-in-law, Wm. B. Smith.
On October the 17th, he arrived in Kaysville and was made welcome to the home of his sister and brother-in-law Wm. B. Smith who kindly furnished a home for all the family until the next summer. Early in December he commenced teaching school for thirty dollars per month and continued this vocation for six months. During the winter evenings he and his wife made straw braid which the latter sewed into hats the following spring for which hats she found a ready sale. At the close of school June 5, 1854 he worked for a time on. the Fort wall and later worked in the harvest field for Bro. John Marriot. During the fall he succeeded in building a one story adobe house with a dirt roof, the door to this house he made himself and also laid the floor, he also made a table and some seats out of slabs, during the winter of 1854 and 1855 he again taught school for a short term. The spring of 1855 opened very early and as the wheat began to show the grasshoppers commenced hatching and soon devoured the greater part of the crops, as a result but little grain was raised and bread stuff became exceedingly scarce.
The subject of our sketch however, was more fortunate than many others, he succeeded in raising 15 bushels of wheat on five acres of land this wheat he threshed with a stick, this labor occupied six days. Before the next harvest many suffered for lack of food but through the mercy of a kind Providence both
he and his wife had enough to eat. In the following winter he again taught school and when spring opened he dug his lot of 1/4 of an acre with a spade and planted a garden which was quite productive and proved to be a great comfort. He also worked at farming cultivating a few acres of land on his own account. In the fall of 1856 he bought a yoke of steers and also an old wagon and from this on better prepared to cultivate the soil, get wood from the mountains, etc.
In the fall of 1857 he being a private in Captain Samuel Henderson’s Company of Infantry was called to go to Echo Canyon expecting there to make a stand against the troops of Uncle Sam, remaining in the canyon three weeks the company was ordered to return to Ogden after a days rest they were ordered North by way of Cache Valley to Marsh Valley where they stayed four days, at the expiration of this time orders were received for the boys to return home which they did by way of Malad Valley. He took part in the move of 1858 going south to Utah County returning as soon as the opportunity was given.
From this time on he occupied his time for a few years chiefly in tilling the soil. In 1862 he took part in what is known as the Morrisite fight on the Weber river being one of the possee which accompanied Colonel R. T. Barton. In the early sixties he was appointed Postmaster at Kaysville on January 14, 1863, which position he held for several years when a press of other business compelled him to resign. About the year 1863 he commenced the business of merchandising beginning with a very small stock of goods kept in the house in which he and his family resided; as soon however as circumstances would permit he built a new house for his family and continued to use the old one as a store until 1869. About 1867 he formed a copartnership with William Stewart for the purpose of tanning leather, this business was continued for years or until after the advent of the Union Pacific Railroad when leather was imported and sold at such prices that made a further continuance of the business unprofitable hence the partnership was dissolved.
The business of merchandising proved very satisfactory and steadily increased in volume. In this business he was greatly assisted by his wife Emily Shelton Barnes who attended to the business in his absence. In December 1865 he married his second wifd Elizabeth Greeves.
In the year 1868 a cooperative movement was started in Salt Lake City. This move soon spread and early in the spring of 1869 a company was formed in Kaysville (not incorporated at this time) under the name of Kaysville Cooperative Mercantile Institution, to this Company Mr. Barnes sold his stock of merchandise for something over four thousand dollars taking stock in the Company to the amount of three thousand dollars, he was chosen Superintendent or Manager of the business, which position he has held from that time to the present time of writing February 6th, 1902. This business has been very successful, it never having failed of paying a large yearly dividend. On November 29, 1869 he married his third wife Emily Stewart thus proving by his works his faith in the principle of plurality of wives, of the truth of which he received a testimony when only a youth in his native land, this testimony he kept to himself until after the principle was made known to the world.
Shortly after the organization of Z.C.M.I. or Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution and the Deseret National Bank he took stock in both of these Institutions and has ever since owned stock therein. The latter commenced business September 1st 1871. Later he became a Director in both of these companies.
When commencing his business career he made up his mind not to go into debt, a rule he has with few exceptions strictly adhered to. In the year 1874 he paid a visit to his native land starting on the 27th of May and returned on the 27th of August, being absent from home just three months. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention which assembled in Salt Lake City February 19th, 1872.
In April 1877 he attended the dedication of the St. George Temple. In the latter part of August of this year he went to Chicago to purchase goods for the firm of Barnes and Davis, Salt Lake City.
In the year 1882 he took a trip to California, on this trip he was accompanied by his eldest son John G. M.
On the 22nd of February 1867 he was arrested on a charge of unlawful cohabitation taken to Salt Lake City before Com. McKay and placed under $1500.00 bond. A few days later he was arraigned before Judge Zane and entered a plea of not guilty. Three or four days before the time set for trial which was in the fore part of April he felt strongly impressed to go to Salt Lake City which he did and there met an old acquaintance with whom he had done business years before; this man was Isadore Morris, who when he learned the condition of affairs, promised to do all in his power to have the case postponed, the acquaintance up to this time had been slight but the efforts of affairs, Morris proved successful and thus a firm friendship was formed which has proved as enduring as life. On Sunday morning the day before the one set for trial Mr. Barnes received word that the efforts of Mr. Morris had been successful, he having obtained a promise that when the case would be called in Court it would be postponed for the term. With this good news came a message from President John Taylor that he (Mr. Barnes) should see Mr. Morris the following morning before the time of holding Court and endeavor to get the case of Bro. Wm. Blood which was set for the same time postponed. To comply with this request seemed difficult. The acquaintance with his friend, Morris, was slight and the time intervening short, he however determined to try and accordingly he started from home about four o'clock in the morning, prepared to go to the Penitentiary, should the news he had received concerning the postponement of his case prove incorrect.
Arriving in Salt Lake City about seven A.M. he soon learned where his friend lived, as he approached the house he saw his friend outside on the sidewalk and approached him with a great deal of timidity, his friend very kindly greeted him and assured him his case would be postponed. The time had come to make the request in behalf of Bro. Blood. At first the request was not favorably received but after a few minutes conversation a promise was given by Mr. Morris that he would do what he could. The hour for trial arrived and when the Clerk called the case of John R. Barnes, also that of Mr. Blood they were on motion of Attorney Richards continued for the term. The experience gained during these events strongly impressed the subject of our sketch that it is good to obey the counsel of the Servants of God also to follow the impressions of the Holy Spirit.
His case was again called up during the first week in September, but through the influence of his friend Morris it was again continued for the term.
Early in April 1888 it became apparent that the case would be called up during the April term of Court and after considering the matter Mr. Morris made up his mind he would visit President Cleveland in the interest of the Mormon people in general and especially in the interest of two or three of his friends.
On the 30th of April 1888 the long pending trial came on and upon his (J. R. Barnes) pleading guilty he was sentenced by Judge Zane to three months imprisonment in the Penitentiary and to pay a fine of three hundred dollars, the same afternoon he was taken to the Penitentiary where he met several friends who had preceded him on a similar charge. He was treated kindly by the Warden Wm. Pratt during his stay in prison, While these events were passing his friend Isadore Morris was doing his best bringing all the influence he could to bear upon President Cleveland to pardon his friend Barnes. In this he succeeded and on the 22nd of June he (Barnes) was released from the Penitentiary, he in the mean time having received a full and unconditional pardon from President Glover Cleveland. At the Penitentiary he was met by his son Arthur Franklin with a conveyance to take him to Salt Lake City, on his arrival there the city appeared
more beautiful than ever before. Remaining in Salt Late City a few hours he took the afternoon train for home where he arrived in due time thankful for the privilege of again meeting his family and friends and grateful to the Almighty God for the protection and blessings he had received flaring the trials he had passed through and in no way regreting the experience he had passed through, in fact, it may be said his experience had broadened his views and had created in him a greater degree of charity for his fellow men.
He immediately resumed his usual avocation and from time to time increased his business relations as opportunity presented.
He was present at the laying of the capstone of the Salt Lake Temple, April 6th, 1892 and during the following year contributed one thousand dollars towards the completion of the sacred edifice. He was present at the dedication thereof, April 6th, 1893.
The Barnes Banking Company was organized at Kaysville and commenced business early in January 1891.In the organization of this company he took a prominent part subscribing for three fifths of the stock and at the organization of the Company he was elected President and his son R. W. Barnes was appointed Cashier. About the same period the Kaysville Co-operative Mercantile Institution was incorporated. This Company had been doing business for more than twenty years or ever since 1869 during which time he had been its Superintendent which position he continued to hold after the incorporation, being assisted however by his son John G. M. Barnes.
I visited the Mine Winter Fair in California in the spring of 1894, with some of my family: A. F. Barnes and wife. Royal C. Barnes and Minnie A. Barnes and others.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1895 and assisted in framing the Constitution of the State of Utah. At an election held on the 5th day of November 1895 he was elected Senator from the third district and accordingly took his seat in the first Legislature of the State of Utah which assembled January 6th, 1896. On the 13th, of the same month he was taken violently ill with stomach trouble, a malady from which he had suffered much for thirty five years. He was unable to attend the afternoon session and returned home suffering greatly. After several weeks he improved somewhat and made another effort to attend the session of the Senate but after attending one session was compelled to return home, his sickness increased and many of his friends despaired of his recovery. He was reduced to a mere skeleton weighing at one time only ninety pounds. While in this condition he was visited by Apostles Joseph F. Smith, Francis M. Lyman and George Teasdale who washed and anointed him and also administered to him praying earnestly for his recovery. In this administration they were assisted by Bro. W. Stewart, Bishop Peter Barton and others. His friend Isadore Morris was a constant visitor and did all in his power to comfort and cheer the sick one, the same may be said of many others. Many earnest prayers coupled with fasting were offered up for his recovery. Medical aid was called, five doctors being present on one occasion, their efforts however gave but little relief. At length however, the faith and prayers of his brethren and sisters and the untiring efforts of his devoted wife Emily Stewart, who tenderly nursed him through his long sickness, prevailed. A change for the better took place, not however until he had been brought to the verge of death he himself believing on one occasion that he was dying. Improvement was slow and it took more than a year before recovery was complete. While he was very low his wife Elizabeth Geeves was taken down with pneumonia, and on the 26th of March she breathed her last. Apostles John W. Taylor and Abraham H. Canon attended her funeral. President John W. Hess was also present.
John R. Barnes was appointed a member of the Advisory Council of the World's Congress Auxiliary on Farm Culture and Cereal industry, and a member of the World's Agricultural Congresses to convene in the City of Chicago during the week Commencing Monday, October 16th, 1893. John R. Barnes was one of the guarantors of the Worlds Fair Loan whereby Utah was enabled to be represented at the Worlds Columbian Exposition at Chicago in the year 1893.
In the month of April 1900 he with his wife and daughter Emily Maude attended as delegates the Trans. Mississippi Commercial Congress at Houston, Texas and in July 1901 attended a meeting of the same body at Cripple Creek Colorado being accompanied by his wife and son Claude Teancum.
In August 1902 he and his wife Emily S. and daughter Martha Ellen accompanied quite a number of friends from Salt Lake City to St. Paul, Minnesota as delegates to the aforesaid Congress. After the Congress closed this party, twenty in number, continued their journey to Duluth by rail thence by steamboat Via Lake
Superior and Lake Michigan to Chicago stopping at different points on the way. On leaving Chicago most of the party paid a visit to Carthage, Illinois where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Patriarch Hyrum Smith were martyred for the truth's sake, they were shown the room where the martyrdom occurred. A hole in the door where the bullet passed through which killed Hyrum is still to be seen. A visit was also made to Nauvoo which at this date contains many evidences of the industry and thrift of the Saints who were so ruthlessly driven from there in 1846 by an infuriated mob of ruffians. Prior to the expulsion of the Saints, Nauvoo and vicinity had a population of nearly twenty thousand, at this date (1902) Nauvoo has a population of fourteen hundred. Early in the year 1902 he assisted in forming a company known as the Kaysville Canning Company. The object of the company being to can tomatoes and other products, this company had a successful run the first year.
On the 13th of December his son Claude Teancum left on a mission to Great Britain.
On the 14th of September 1903 he in company with his wife and three of his daughters (Mary A, Elizabeth B. and Hazel E.) left home to attend a meeting of the Trans. Mississippi Commercial Congress at Seattle, at the close of the Congress they in company with some friends took passage on a Steamer for Alaska going as far North as Skagway where they stayed a few hours, returning to Seattle on the same steamer. The party reached Home in safety on the 11th of September, (an error here in date).
In the early part of July 1904 he (In company with his wife and daughter Mary Ann) visited the Louisiana Exposition at St. Louis and while there attended the Democratic National Convention as an alternate. During this trip they spent three days in Chicago. During the succeeding four years he made several trips to different cities attending congresses in the interest of the Trans. Mississippi Commercial and Irrigation organizations. He also continued his active business career and at this writing February 7th, 1909, holds the following positions: president of Barnes Banking Company, Vice-President and Treasurer of Kaysville Canning Company, Director or the Kaysville Brick Company, president of the John R. Barnes Company, a family organization, Vice-President of the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, a Director in the Provo Woolen Mills Company, which Company shortly after went into liquidation. A Director in Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution also a member of the Executive Committee of the same Institution. A Director in the Deseret National Bank. Director In the Deseret Savings Bank. Director in the Home Fire Insurance Company, and Vice-President of the Wabash Mining Company.
On the 24th of February 1907 Bishop Peter Barton was released from the Bishopric of the Kaysville Ward which carried with it that of his counselors (John R. Barnes and E. H. Sheffield). John R. Barnes had been associated with Bishop Barton as his first counselor from the time of his appointment until his release, a period of nearly thirty years.
During December 1909 the writer with his wife, and daughter spent about four weeks in Los Angeles. Early in the year 1911 himself and wife spent four to five weeks in the sane city going by way of San Francisco. In the spring of the same year the Davis County Canning Company organized of which Company the writer was chosen President. This Company erected a Cannery at Syracuse on land purchased from: the John R. Barnes Company and commenced canning tomatoes in August, owing to early frost the tomato crop was quite short, being about half of an average.
At a State Democratic Convention held in Salt Late City May 1912, the writer was elected a delegate to the National Democratic Convention which convened in Baltimore June 25, 1912. He attended this convention and cast his vote for Wilson for president, first, last and all the time. His wife accompanied him and during this trip they visited Pittsburgh, Washington and New York. During February and March 1914, spent a few weeks in California, also during the same months in 1916. Accompanied by his wife he attended the National Democratic Convention held at St. Louis June 14, 1915 at which convention Woodrow Wilson was nominated (for a second term) for President of the United States.
A certificate was given John R. Barnes which stated that he was duly elected to the office of Director of Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution, for the year ending April 5, 1919. Signed by Joseph F. Smith. A like certificate was given him by the same company which stated that he was a director for the year ending April 5th, 1918. Signed by Joseph F. Smith. John R. Barnes attended the Trans. Mississippi Congress on the following dates as well as the dates before mentioned. St. Paul, August 19-22, 1902, Omaha 1895, Salt Lake City (Vice-President). 1897. Houston, Texas April 17-21, 1900. Cripple Creek, July 16-19, 1901. National Immigration Congress. Albuquerque, New Mexico, September, 1908. Ogden, September 15, 1903. Boise, Idaho, September, 1906.
John Richard Barnes was born July 28, 1853 at Sandy Bedfordshire England, Died January 21, 1919. Died Tuesday evening at about seven o'clock. The funeral of John R. Barmes was held on Sunday January 2S, 1919 at twelve o'clock in Kaysville Ward.
He left his native land on the 28th of March 1855, for the gospel of Jesus of Latter-day Saints which he proved himself by his words.
Later arrived in Utah October, 16th, 1855.
Was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints April 28th, 1848.
Was ordained a Priest September 1st, 1850.
Was ordained an Sider May 15, 1856. A seventy February 19th, 1857. A High Priest January 29, 1877. Was ordained a High Priest and set apart a first Counselor to Bishop Peter Barton who had recently been appointed Bishop of the Kaysville ward which office he held until he was released on Feb. 29th, 1907, being about thirty years counselor to Peter Barton.
A Patriarch Aug. 15th, 1916, he blessed or gave blessings to about 75 or it may be a few more.
ANCESTORS ON MY FATHERS SIDE
William Barnes my father was the son of Thomas and Fanny Day Barnes was born Oct. 26th, 1792, at Bedford Bedfordshire England, died September 9th, 1880 at Kaysville, Utah at the time
of his death he held the Priesthood of an Elder.
My sister Anne Barnes Smith was born March 6th, 1817. Died June 5th, 1871.
My brother William J. Barnes born Aug. 20th, 1820, died November 14th, 1895. He fell from a wagon and broke his neck, was buried November 17, 1895.
My sister Sarah Barnes Layton, born July 6th, 1826. Died September 15th, 1906.
ANCESTORS ON MY MOTHERS SIDE
My mother Elizabeth Jeffries Barnes born October 15, 1795. Died, November 25th, 1869.
My grandmother Sarah Jeffries died February 15th, 1860 aged Ninety years.
My grandfather, John Jeffries died January 7th, 1618, In his fifty second year, born December 2nd, 1766.
My Great Grandfather John Jeffries died February 18, 1829 aged 97 years.
My aunt Sarah Jeffries was bom July 14, 1800.
My uncle William Jeffries was born February 18th, 1805.
SISTERS OF MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER
Ann Clarke Jeffries, my Great Grandmother.
Elizabeth Jeffries.
Sarah Jeffries.
Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Sarah Clarke Rawlins.
William Thompson. Son of Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Henry Thompson. Son of Elizabeth Clarke Thompson.
Elizabeth Jeffries. My Great Aunt.
ANCESTORS OF EMILY SHELTON BARNES.
Emily’s father, George Shelton born July 6th, 1804. Died March 12th, 1891.
Emily’s mother. Mary Franklin Shelton, Born November 29, 1802. Died, December 1875.
Emily’s sister, Jane Shelton, born June 24th, 1828. Died February 4th, 1595.
Emily’s brother. William Shelton born, September 6th, 1853. Died, March 24th, 1854.
Emily’s uncle, John Franklin, born October 26th, 1819.
Emily’s uncle, William Franklin, born July 19, 1816.
Emily’s aunt. Ann Franklin, born December 1st, 1805.
Emily’s aunt. Sarah Franklin, born October 17th, 1808.
Emily’s aunt. Susan Franklin, born April 1st, 1811.
Emily’s aunt. Elizabeth Franklin, born October 23rd, 1813.
Brother of Adams Franklin. John Franklin
Brother of Adams Franklin. William Franklin.
Sister to Adams Franklin. Susan Franklin.
Sister to Adams Franklin. Ann Franklin.
Emily’s grandmother. Ellen Martin Franklin wife of Adams
Franklin.
Emily’s uncle. William Shelton, Born May 2.
Emily’s great uncle. George Shelton.
On the 24th, of August 1875 my wife Emily Shelton Barnes had been very poorley for some weeks and on Thursday 26th, of August she gave birth to twins, boy and girl, the dysentery continued and inflammation and fever being in the bowels a trouble she nearly died when her first baby was born. She got worse and expired at five o'clock on Monday morning August 30th. The deceased was buried at four o'clock P.M. the following day. A large number of persons three to five hundred with forty six wagons and carriages attended the funeral. Peace to the departed. A few days after the mothers death the babies commenced failing and on Sunday September 12th in the morning at fifteen minutes past two, the little boy breathed his last. He was blessed by his father receiving the name of Charles David. September 7th, 1875. The little girl was blessed and the name of Emily given to her September 8th, 1875 by her father. She died September 18th, 1875 and was buried the following Sunday. Both babies rest in the same grave with their mother.
Emily Shelton Barnes born February 6th, 1835 at Northill Bedfordshire England. Married to John R. Barnes at Liverpool, England March 23rd, 1853, died August 30th, 1875. Emigrated with John R. Barnes in 1853. Peace to the departed. Our children were as follows:
Mary Elizabeth Barnes Gailey. Daughter of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Was born at Kaysville, Davis County September 23rd, 1858. When eight years old was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was a faithful member. On November 28, 1878 she married John W.
Gailey. On the 25th of August 1879 a son was born to them and they named him John Richard Gailey. On the first day of February 1881 her second child was born, a fine boy weighing twelve pounds. She appeared to be gaining strength and doing well until early in the morning of the 18th of February when she
complained of violent pain in her head and requested her husband to go for her father and stepmother which he did and upon his return he found, his wife unconscious, in -the course of the day other friends and neighbors gathered. In doing what they could to alleviate her sufferings but without avail. The next morning medical aid was obtained but nothing seemed to help the patient. She gradually grew weaker and on the forenoon of the following day, Sunday, it became apparent she could not last long. Consciousness never returned and she continued to sink until seven minutes past seven P.M. February 20th, 1881, when she breathed her last, surrounded by her husband and other relatives and friends. On the following evening the body was taken to her father's house and the next day at noon carried to the meeting house by six young men associates of herself and her husband. The funeral services were conducted by Bishop Peter Barton. A very large number of people being in attendance sixty five teams with an average of about five persons to each team followed the remains to the grave. Thus passed away an affectionate and faithful wife and mother and a beloved daughter and sister. Her stepmother Elizabeth Geeves Barnes cared for the children John Richard Gailey and Arthur Franklin Gailey.
John George Moroni Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born March 5th, 1860. Baptized by Robert Egbert, October 1, 1868. Confirmed by Mark Beazer and others October 1st, 1868 and received his endowments and at the same time was ordained an Elder May 8th, 1876. Married Miriam McPherson September 9th, 1880. J. G. M. Barnes was ordained a seventy and set apart for a mission by George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, being in the month of September 3rd, 1882.
Arthur Franklin Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes, born October 3rd, 1861. Baptized May 16th, 1872 by William L. Payne. Confirmed the same day by Rosel Hyde. Married Miss Elizabeth Sansame May 15th, 1885.
Jane Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born September 4th, 1865, died December 4th, 1865.
Richard William Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes. Born April 15th, 1866. Baptized June 3rd, 1875 by Ezra Williams. Confirmed the same day by Rosel Hyde.
Ordained an Elder March 23, 1884.
Wilford Shelton Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes born October 18th, 1867. Baptized June 1876. Ordained a teacher February 24th, 1884. A priest. Rebaptized and confirmed November 21st, 1892 by John G. M. Barnes. Ordained an Elder November 21st, 1892 by his father John R. Barnes. Received his endowments in the Logan Temple November 23rd, 1892. Ordained a Seventy by Seymour B. Young, December 1st, 1892, and on the following morning started on a mission to Great Britain leaving Kaysville at 7:15 December 2nd, via Union Pacific Railway. Returned home Sunday March 24th, 1895. Married Ellis Hilsted June 24th, 1897.
Ernest Barnes son of John R. Barnes and. Emily Shelton Barnes born August 25th, 1869. Died October 13th, 1870.
Herbert James Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Emily Shelton Barnes born March 10th, 1872. Died January 1st, 1880. On the 12th day of May, 1874 my wife Emily Shelton Barnes gave birth to a still born boy.
Elizabeth Geeves Barnes born March 6th, 1836 at Beeston Bedfordshire, England. Married to John R. Barnes, December 1865. Died March 26th, 1896 at Kaysville, buried March 29th. On the tombstone over her grave in the Kaysville Cemetery appears the following inscription:
"The deceased was an affectionate wife and a kind mother to the motherless."
The reference is to her sweet, motherly devotion to the young children of Emily Shelton Barnes, Richard and Frank Gailey.
George William Barnes son of John R. Barnes and Elizabeth Geeves Barnes, born December 20th, 1869. Baptized June 20th, 1878. Ordained a deacon February 24th, 1884. Ordained a teacher, a priest and an elder, Married Martha Amelia Jones March 4th, 1897.
Emily Stewart Barnes born May 3rd, 1846, at Colmworth, Bedfordshire, England, Married to John R. Barnes, November 29th, 1869 in the old endowment house.
Our children are:
Royal C. Barnes son of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born May 27th, 1871. Baptized by Wm. Blood. Ordained a Deacon February 24th, 1884. Ordained a teacher. Accepted a position with the Deseret National Bank at Salt Lake City, December 9th, 1889. Married Maud Mary Lawson, June 10th, 1897.
Minnie Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes born October 2nd, 1872. Baptized October 3rd, 1880, by Wm., Blood and confirmed same day by John R. Barnes. Married to Henry H. Blood, June 4th, 1896.
Emily Maud Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born July 8th, 1875. Baptized August 5th, I883, and confirmed same day. Baptized by Wm. Blood, confirmed by E. A. Williams.
Martha Ellen Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born August 9th, 1877. Baptized September 15th, 1885 by Wm. Blood. Confirmed same day by her father, Peter Barton and others. Died March 21st, I925 at Salt Lake City in the L.D.S. Hospital.
Mary Ann Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes. Born October 20th, 1879. Baptized November 8th, 1887 by J.G.M. Barnes. Confirmed November 20th, 1887 by John R. Barnes
Elizabeth Beatta Barnes, daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born October 27th, 1881. Baptized and confirmed May 25th, 1890. Married Lawrence C. Blood September_____ in the Salt Lake Temple.
Claude Teancum Barnes son of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes, born February 15th, 1884. Blessed May 1st, by John R. Barnes. Baptized by Wm. Blood June 25th, 1892, confirmed same day by E. A. Williams. Ordained a Deacon February 22nd, 1897 by James Smith. Ordained a teacher March 12th, 1899 by Thos. F. Roueche. Appointed Pres. Deacons Quorum 1697. Appointed Pres. Teachers Quorum January 28th, 1900 by Bro. J. R. Barnes. September 17th, 1899, commenced school at the University of Utah. October 1st, 1900, recontinued school. September 15th, 1901, recommenced school. Have determined to study for Law. July 1901, appointed to the office of Sunday School teacher in the Kaysville Sunday School. July 1902 visited Cripple Creek, Colorado, with father and mother. Object, delegate Trans. Miss. Commercial Congress. During the summer of 1902 I acted as reporter from Kaysville to the Salt Lake Herald, enjoyed it very much. Received call from Pres. Joseph F. Smith to attend L.D.S. University for a month or two beginning September 8th, 1902. After which I am to go on a mission. The youngest missionary that ever left Kaysville. Ordained an Elder, Sunday November 20th, 1902, by Walter Cottrell. December 4th, 1902 received his endowments in the Salt Lake Temple. December 12th, 1902 was set apart for a mission to Great Britain by Seymour E. Young (he being mouth), John Henry Smith, Rulon S. Wells and Arthur E. Barnes. Started on his mission the following morning December 15th, at 7:10 A.M. Labored the entire time in the West End of London making specialty of street preaching, in July and August 1904 spent eight weeks traveling in Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany. December 17th, 1904 released prematurely to accompany Mrs. Goddard and son home to her dead husband in Utah. February 6th, 1905 gave lecture on Rome in meeting house. February 6th, 1905, recommenced studies at U. of U. October 1905 to June 1906 studied Law, the whole year at the University of Chicago. Elected President of "The Stump" the largest debating society in school. August 6th, 1906 married to Miss Annie E. Knowlton in the Salt Lake Temple.
Hazel Elaine Barnes daughter of John R. and Emily Stewart Barnes born September 11th, 1887. Blessed November 3rd, 1887. Baptized October 3rd, 1895 by J. G. M. Barnes, confirmed same day by Thomas F. Roueche. Married to Richard Ambrose Hart June 17th, 1914.
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John Richard Barnes was born July 28th, 1833 at Sandy, Bedfordshire England. He was the youngest child of William and Elizabeth Jeffries Barnes. His parents were of the working class and early in life taught their children to labor and the writer remembers well his early experience in picking up potatoes and other work in which he was capable of performing. For his services he would usually receive six pence (twelve cents) per day, when not at work he had to attend the village school, when he was about eleven and a half years old he engaged with the school teacher to do chores for his food and schooling. This arrangement continued for fourteen months and the education gained during this period has been a great help to him through life. In the spring of 1846 a storekeeper by the name of John Sergeant offered him a situation in his store which after due consideration was accepted (although the school teacher tried hard to keep him). He received for his service with Mr. Sergeant one shilling or twenty five cents per week and board for the first year, he continued with Mr. Sergeant for nearly seven years receiving an increase in his salary from time to time so that when he quit. he was getting twenty pounds or a little more than one hundred dollars per year in addition to his board. While in the employ of Wm. Sergeant he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In the fall of 1850 he was ordained a Priest which office he held at the time of his emigration. He in company with his parents, also his brother and his brothers wife and family of five children started for Utah on the 19th, of March 185S. Prior to this he had become engaged to Miss Emily Shelton who at the same time started with him for Utah and whom he married at Liverpool on March 23rd, 1863. Elder Robert Campbell performing the ceremony. The ship Falcon on which they crossed the Atlantic to New Orleans was detained in port a week longer than was expected but about noon on Monday March 28th, she weighed anchor and started on her way. The journey to New Orleans occupied seven weeks and two days. On arriving at New Orleans the company were put on board a steamer which started in a few hours for St. Louis at which place the company changed steamers and arrived in due time at Keokuk, Iowa, here they were detained two weeks, finally all being ready a start was made for Utah, Elder Appleton Harmon being Captain of the Company. Nothing unusual occured on the journey and he with the company reached Salt Lake City on the 16th day October of the same year his wife having preceded him several days she being met on Harns Fork by a brother-in-law, Wm. B. Smith.
On October the 17th, he arrived in Kaysville and was made welcome to the home of his sister and brother-in-law Wm. B. Smith who kindly furnished a home for all the family until the next summer. Early in December he commenced teaching school for thirty dollars per month and continued this vocation for six months. During the winter evenings he and his wife made straw braid which the latter sewed into hats the following spring for which hats she found a ready sale. At the close of school June 5, 1854 he worked for a time on. the Fort wall and later worked in the harvest field for Bro. John Marriot. During the fall he succeeded in building a one story adobe house with a dirt roof, the door to this house he made himself and also laid the floor, he also made a table and some seats out of slabs, during the winter of 1854 and 1855 he again taught school for a short term. The spring of 1855 opened very early and as the wheat began to show the grasshoppers commenced hatching and soon devoured the greater part of the crops, as a result but little grain was raised and bread stuff became exceedingly scarce.
The subject of our sketch however, was more fortunate than many others, he succeeded in raising 15 bushels of wheat on five acres of land this wheat he threshed with a stick, this labor occupied six days. Before the next harvest many suffered for lack of food but through the mercy of a kind Providence both
he and his wife had enough to eat. In the following winter he again taught school and when spring opened he dug his lot of 1/4 of an acre with a spade and planted a garden which was quite productive and proved to be a great comfort. He also worked at farming cultivating a few acres of land on his own account. In the fall of 1856 he bought a yoke of steers and also an old wagon and from this on better prepared to cultivate the soil, get wood from the mountains, etc.
In the fall of 1857 he being a private in Captain Samuel Henderson’s Company of Infantry was called to go to Echo Canyon expecting there to make a stand against the troops of Uncle Sam, remaining in the canyon three weeks the company was ordered to return to Ogden after a days rest they were ordered North by way of Cache Valley to Marsh Valley where they stayed four days, at the expiration of this time orders were received for the boys to return home which they did by way of Malad Valley. He took part in the move of 1858 going south to Utah County returning as soon as the opportunity was given.
From this time on he occupied his time for a few years chiefly in tilling the soil. In 1862 he took part in what is known as the Morrisite fight on the Weber river being one of the possee which accompanied Colonel R. T. Barton. In the early sixties he was appointed Postmaster at Kaysville on January 14, 1863, which position he held for several years when a press of other business compelled him to resign. About the year 1863 he commenced the business of merchandising beginning with a very small stock of goods kept in the house in which he and his family resided; as soon however as circumstances would permit he built a new house for his family and continued to use the old one as a store until 1869. About 1867 he formed a copartnership with William Stewart for the purpose of tanning leather, this business was continued for years or until after the advent of the Union Pacific Railroad when leather was imported and sold at such prices that made a further continuance of the business unprofitable hence the partnership was dissolved.
The business of merchandising proved very satisfactory and steadily increased in volume. In this business he was greatly assisted by his wife Emily Shelton Barnes who attended to the business in his absence. In December 1865 he married his second wifd Elizabeth Greeves.
In the year 1868 a cooperative movement was started in Salt Lake City. This move soon spread and early in the spring of 1869 a company was formed in Kaysville (not incorporated at this time) under the name of Kaysville Cooperative Mercantile Institution, to this Company Mr. Barnes sold his stock of merchandise for something over four thousand dollars taking stock in the Company to the amount of three thousand dollars, he was chosen Superintendent or Manager of the business, which position he has held from that time to the present time of writing February 6th, 1902. This business has been very successful, it never having failed of paying a large yearly dividend. On November 29, 1869 he married his third wife Emily Stewart thus proving by his works his faith in the principle of plurality of wives, of the truth of which he received a testimony when only a youth in his native land, this testimony he kept to himself until after the principle was made known to the world.
Shortly after the organization of Z.C.M.I. or Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution and the Deseret National Bank he took stock in both of these Institutions and has ever since owned stock therein. The latter commenced business September 1st 1871. Later he became a Director in both of these companies.
When commencing his business career he made up his mind not to go into debt, a rule he has with few exceptions strictly adhered to. In the year 1874 he paid a visit to his native land starting on the 27th of May and returned on the 27th of August, being absent from home just three months. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention which assembled in Salt Lake City February 19th, 1872.
In April 1877 he attended the dedication of the St. George Temple. In the latter part of August of this year he went to Chicago to purchase goods for the firm of Barnes and Davis, Salt Lake City.
In the year 1882 he took a trip to California, on this trip he was accompanied by his eldest son John G. M.
On the 22nd of February 1867 he was arrested on a charge of unlawful cohabitation taken to Salt Lake City before Com. McKay and placed under $1500.00 bond. A few days later he was arraigned before Judge Zane and entered a plea of not guilty. Three or four days before the time set for trial which was in the fore part of April he felt strongly impressed to go to Salt Lake City which he did and there met an old acquaintance with whom he had done business years before; this man was Isadore Morris, who when he learned the condition of affairs, promised to do all in his power to have the case postponed, the acquaintance up to this time had been slight but the efforts of affairs, Morris proved successful and thus a firm friendship was formed which has proved as enduring as life. On Sunday morning the day before the one set for trial Mr. Barnes received word that the efforts of Mr. Morris had been successful, he having obtained a promise that when the case would be called in Court it would be postponed for the term. With this good news came a message from President John Taylor that he (Mr. Barnes) should see Mr. Morris the following morning before the time of holding Court and endeavor to get the case of Bro. Wm. Blood which was set for the same time postponed. To comply with this request seemed difficult. The acquaintance with his friend, Morris, was slight and the time intervening short, he however determined to try and accordingly he started from home about four o'clock in the morning, prepared to go to the Penitentiary, should the news he had received concerning the postponement of his case prove incorrect.
Arriving in Salt Lake City about seven A.M. he soon learned where his friend lived, as he approached the house he saw his friend outside on the sidewalk and approached him with a great deal of timidity, his friend very kindly greeted him and assured him his case would be postponed. The time had come to make the request in behalf of Bro. Blood. At first the request was not favorably received but after a few minutes conversation a promise was given by Mr. Morris that he would do what he could. The hour for trial arrived and when the Clerk called the case of John R. Barnes, also that of Mr. Blood they were on motion of Attorney Richards continued for the term. The experience gained during these events strongly impressed the subject of our sketch that it is good to obey the counsel of the Servants of God also to follow the impressions of the Holy Spirit.
His case was again called up during the first week in September, but through the influence of his friend Morris it was again continued for the term.
Early in April 1888 it became apparent that the case would be called up during the April term of Court and after considering the matter Mr. Morris made up his mind he would visit President Cleveland in the interest of the Mormon people in general and especially in the interest of two or three of his friends.
On the 30th of April 1888 the long pending trial came on and upon his (J. R. Barnes) pleading guilty he was sentenced by Judge Zane to three months imprisonment in the Penitentiary and to pay a fine of three hundred dollars, the same afternoon he was taken to the Penitentiary where he met several friends who had preceded him on a similar charge. He was treated kindly by the Warden Wm. Pratt during his stay in prison, While these events were passing his friend Isadore Morris was doing his best bringing all the influence he could to bear upon President Cleveland to pardon his friend Barnes. In this he succeeded and on the 22nd of June he (Barnes) was released from the Penitentiary, he in the mean time having received a full and unconditional pardon from President Glover Cleveland. At the Penitentiary he was met by his son Arthur Franklin with a conveyance to take him to Salt Lake City, on his arrival there the city appeared
more beautiful than ever before. Remaining in Salt Late City a few hours he took the afternoon train for home where he arrived in due time thankful for the privilege of again meeting his family and friends and grateful to the Almighty God for the protection and blessings he had received flaring the trials he had passed through and in no way regreting the experience he had passed through, in fact, it may be said his experience had broadened his views and had created in him a greater degree of charity for his fellow men.
He immediately resumed his usual avocation and from time to time increased his business relations as opportunity presented.
He was present at the laying of the capstone of the Salt Lake Temple, April 6th, 1892 and during the following year contributed one thousand dollars towards the completion of the sacred edifice. He was present at the dedication thereof, April 6th, 1893.
The Barnes Banking Company was organized at Kaysville and commenced business early in January 1891.In the organization of this company he took a prominent part subscribing for three fifths of the stock and at the organization of the Company he was elected President and his son R. W. Barnes was appointed Cashier. About the same period the Kaysville Co-operative Mercantile Institution was incorporated. This Company had been doing business for more than twenty years or ever since 1869 during which time he had been its Superintendent which position he continued to hold after the incorporation, being assisted however by his son John G. M. Barnes.
I visited the Mine Winter Fair in California in the spring of 1894, with some of my family: A. F. Barnes and wife. Royal C. Barnes and Minnie A. Barnes and others.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1895 and assisted in framing the Constitution of the State of Utah. At an election held on the 5th day of November 1895 he was elected Senator from the third district and accordingly took his seat in the first Legislature of the State of Utah which assembled January 6th, 1896. On the 13th, of the same month he was taken violently ill with stomach trouble, a malady from which he had suffered much for thirty five years. He was unable to attend the afternoon session and returned home suffering greatly. After several weeks he improved somewhat and made another effort to attend the session of the Senate but after attending one session was compelled to return home, his sickness increased and many of his friends despaired of his recovery. He was reduced to a mere skeleton weighing at one time only ninety pounds. While in this condition he was visited by Apostles Joseph F. Smith, Francis M. Lyman and George Teasdale who washed and anointed him and also administered to him praying earnestly for his recovery. In this administration they were assisted by Bro. W. Stewart, Bishop Peter Barton and others. His friend Isadore Morris was a constant visitor and did all in his power to comfort and cheer the sick one, the same may be said of many others. Many earnest prayers coupled with fasting were offered up for his recovery. Medical aid was called, five doctors being present on one occasion, their efforts however gave but little relief. At length however, the faith and prayers of his brethren and sisters and the untiring efforts of his devoted wife Emily Stewart, who tenderly nursed him through his long sickness, prevailed. A change for the better took place, not however until he had been brought to the verge of death he himself believing on one occasion that he was dying. Improvement was slow and it took more than a year before recovery was complete. While he was very low his wife Elizabeth Geeves was taken down with pneumonia, and on the 26th of March she breathed her last. Apostles John W. Taylor and Abraham H. Canon attended her funeral. President John W. Hess was also present.
John R. Barnes was appointed a member of the Advisory Council of the World's Congress Auxiliary on Farm Culture and Cereal industry, and a member of the World's Agricultural Congresses to convene in the City of Chicago during the week Commencing Monday, October 16th, 1893. John R. Barnes was one of the guarantors of the Worlds Fair Loan whereby Utah was enabled to be represented at the Worlds Columbian Exposition at Chicago in the year 1893.
In the month of April 1900 he with his wife and daughter Emily Maude attended as delegates the Trans. Mississippi Commercial Congress at Houston, Texas and in July 1901 attended a meeting of the same body at Cripple Creek Colorado being accompanied by his wife and son Claude Teancum.
In August 1902 he and his wife Emily S. and daughter Martha Ellen accompanied quite a number of friends from Salt Lake City to St. Paul, Minnesota as delegates to the aforesaid Congress. After the Congress closed this party, twenty in number, continued their journey to Duluth by rail thence by steamboat Via Lake
Superior and Lake Michigan to Chicago stopping at different points on the way. On leaving Chicago most of the party paid a visit to Carthage, Illinois where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Patriarch Hyrum Smith were martyred for the truth's sake, they were shown the room where the martyrdom occurred. A hole in the door where the bullet passed through which killed Hyrum is still to be seen. A visit was also made to Nauvoo which at this date contains many evidences of the industry and thrift of the Saints who were so ruthlessly driven from there in 1846 by an infuriated mob of ruffians. Prior to the expulsion of the Saints, Nauvoo and vicinity had a population of nearly twenty thousand, at this date (1902) Nauvoo has a population of fourteen hundred. Early in the year 1902 he assisted in forming a company known as the Kaysville Canning Company. The object of the company being to can tomatoes and other products, this company had a successful run the first year.
On the 13th of December his son Claude Teancum left on a mission to Great Britain.
On the 14th of September 1903 he in company with his wife and three of his daughters (Mary A, Elizabeth B. and Hazel E.) left home to attend a meeting of the Trans. Mississippi Commercial Congress at Seattle, at the close of the Congress they in company with some friends took passage on a Steamer for Alaska going as far North as Skagway where they stayed a few hours, returning to Seattle on the same steamer. The party reached Home in safety on the 11th of September, (an error here in date).
In the early part of July 1904 he (In company with his wife and daughter Mary Ann) visited the Louisiana Exposition at St. Louis and while there attended the Democratic National Convention as an alternate. During this trip they spent three days in Chicago. During the succeeding four years he made several trips to different cities attending congresses in the interest of the Trans. Mississippi Commercial and Irrigation organizations. He also continued his active business career and at this writing February 7th, 1909, holds the following positions: president of Barnes Banking Company, Vice-President and Treasurer of Kaysville Canning Company, Director or the Kaysville Brick Company, president of the John R. Barnes Company, a family organization, Vice-President of the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, a Director in the Provo Woolen Mills Company, which Company shortly after went into liquidation. A Director in Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution also a member of the Executive Committee of the same Institution. A Director in the Deseret National Bank. Director In the Deseret Savings Bank. Director in the Home Fire Insurance Company, and Vice-President of the Wabash Mining Company.
On the 24th of February 1907 Bishop Peter Barton was released from the Bishopric of the Kaysville Ward which carried with it that of his counselors (John R. Barnes and E. H. Sheffield). John R. Barnes had been associated with Bishop Barton as his first counselor from the time of his appointment until his release, a period of nearly thirty years.
During December 1909 the writer with his wife, and daughter spent about four weeks in Los Angeles. Early in the year 1911 himself and wife spent four to five weeks in the sane city going by way of San Francisco. In the spring of the same year the Davis County Canning Company organized of which Company the writer was chosen President. This Company erected a Cannery at Syracuse on land purchased from: the John R. Barnes Company and commenced canning tomatoes in August, owing to early frost the tomato crop was quite short, being about half of an average.
At a State Democratic Convention held in Salt Late City May 1912, the writer was elected a delegate to the National Democratic Convention which convened in Baltimore June 25, 1912. He attended this convention and cast his vote for Wilson for president, first, last and all the time. His wife accompanied him and during this trip they visited Pittsburgh, Washington and New York. During February and March 1914, spent a few weeks in California, also during the same months in 1916. Accompanied by his wife he attended the National Democratic Convention held at St. Louis June 14, 1915 at which convention Woodrow Wilson was nominated (for a second term) for President of the United States.
A certificate was given John R. Barnes which stated that he was duly elected to the office of Director of Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution, for the year ending April 5, 1919. Signed by Joseph F. Smith. A like certificate was given him by the same company which stated that he was a director for the year ending April 5th, 1918. Signed by Joseph F. Smith. John R. Barnes attended the Trans. Mississippi Congress on the following dates as well as the dates before mentioned. St. Paul, August 19-22, 1902, Omaha 1895, Salt Lake City (Vice-President). 1897. Houston, Texas April 17-21, 1900. Cripple Creek, July 16-19, 1901. National Immigration Congress. Albuquerque, New Mexico, September, 1908. Ogden, September 15, 1903. Boise, Idaho, September, 1906.
John R. Barnes - A Trip to England
A Trip to England
Left Kaysville 7:08 A.M. May 27, 1874. Arrived at Ogden 7:45. Left Ogden at 9:00 A.M. Train stopped three minutes at Uintah. Although the train consisted of only ten cars yet the two engines appeared to labor hard going up Weber Canyon until the Bridge at Devils Gate was crossed when they increased their speed. The weather was cool and pleasant with indications of rain.
Shortly after leaving Weber station we passed through two tunnels, also crossed the Weber river several times the road appears to be in good condition, the bridges firm and substantial. About 1:00 o'clock our appetites began to remind us that something was necessary to strengthen the inner man and me and my
companion dined off cold chicken. Our whole company began to have more cheerful countenances. I feel confident that what ever object a person may have in view few can leave home, family and friends without a pang.
On approaching the head of Echo we found the grade very steep. Passed through another tunnel and saw for the first time in my life a steam shovel. After crossing the summit it commenced raining quite fast.
Arrived at Evanston at 1:30 P. M. Stopped half an hour for dinner. After leaving Evanston we passed through a number of long snow sheds.
From Bridger the road runs through quite a level country until it approaches Green River. On arriving at Green River I noticed quite a number of very pretty cottages evidently used by the employees of the Railroad Company.
We stayed twenty minutes for supper. Shortly after recommencing our journey we fixed for the night, had a comfortable night's rest although we did not sleep much. At day light on the 26th, passed Fort which has a very pretty clean appearance. Saw two boys in blue on Seubry. A few miles beyond on a small eminence to the left I noticed a solitary grave around which was a very neat enclosure which forcibly reminded me of my errand to search after my progenitors.
During the forenoon, deer or antelope were frequently in sight. The country from Bridger to Laramie is dry, barren and almost worthless for agricultural purposes. It looks as dry as September. Shortly after leaving Sherman we passed through several miles of broken country scattered thinly over which were Cedar trees which seemed to struggle hard for a stunted existence.
I forgot to mention Laramie at which place we took Breakfast at 10 o'clock. It is quite a thrifty looking place for its size. There is a very fine Hotel there. Arrived at Cheyenne at 2 o'clock P.M.· Stayed twenty minutes for dinner. Cheyenne appeared to be laid off with an eye to business but looks very different to our Utah settlements as there are no gardens, no water in the streets and scarce a tree to be seen while as far as the eye can reach every thing looks dry and barren. Rain, I am told, seldom falls here and everything seems to indicate that such is the case. I noticed quite a number of good buildings in the town. Here is a junction of the Denver road.
Shortly after leaving Cheyenne we struck a gently undulating plain or valley where but little expense had been Incurred preparing the road bed. This valley appeared of little use for agriculture, there being but little water and from all appearance very little rain falls, there being no timber and but little vegetation of any kind. Crossed the North Fork of the Platte about 2 A.M. The soil shows more moisture and as we pass on grass becomes abundant and here and there homesteads present themselves to view betokening civilization.
One hundred miles from Platte Bridge we passed the town of Kearney, a thriving little settlement. (Distance- from Ogden to New York 2435).
Breakfasted May 29th at 8 A.M. at Grand Island. We are now passing through a fine country for agriculture and erelong it will become a prosperous district. Already I see farm houses dotted in all directions. At the crossing of Loupfork the company have erected a very substantial wooden bridge resting on stone pillars.
North Bend 62 miles from Omaha, can produce more shade trees than all the rest of the towns we have passed since leaving Utah. Stopped 20 minutes at Fremont for dinner. (Fremont is 47 miles from Omaha) Shortly after saw the first fenced field since leaving Utah.
Arrived at Omaha at 3 P.M. ,after changing cars we crossed the Missouri River on the new Iron Bridge which is a beautiful structure. It bore the weight of the train apparently without a tremble. I could not but think of the difference between crossing this bridge and the difficulties encountered in crossing this stream twenty years ago. After crossing we were soon on board the Chicago V.M.W. Cars and in about thirty minutes started on our way to Chicago. Evidences of wealth began to multiply. I took a sleeping berth in a Pullman Car. Had a comfortable nights rest. In the morning a beautiful country presented itself to our view. Plenty of timber. Fine homesteads and well fenced fields together with the cattle feeding on the green pastures betokened ease and comfort. Breakfasted at London. I got a first class meal for seventy five cents. Throughout our journey from Council Bluffs to Clinton we traversed a beautiful rich verdure and as we rode along all nature seemed to smile. In every settlement Churches judging from the steeples are very abundant. Saw shortly before reaching Clinton a small flock of very fine sheep, the first we have seen.
(Traveled on C. and N.W. R.F. from Omaha to Chicago).
Fruit does not seem to be cultivated, scarce a fruit tree to be seen until nearing Clinton when an orchard occasionally presented itself to view. A great portion of the fruit trees seen had a kind of blasted appearance from which I should judge fruit cannot be successfully raised. Corn appears to be the staple crop though a great deal of land is sown to other grain which looks well.
The bridge across the Mississippi I should judge to be half a mile long which is divided by an Island. The stream is divided into three parts where being two Islands at about equal distances from each other. The scene up the Mississippi presented a very beautiful animated appearance. The shores being lined with fine buildings of almost all descriptions. I saw only one steam boat and as she steamed out from shore added beauty. At Fulton on the banks of the Mississippi we passed through some beautiful groves of Hickory. From Fulton to Sterling we passed through a very fine country every where ease and luxury presented itself to view. It reminded me forcibly by Its fine groves of timber trees, excellent green pastures, well cultivated fields, and handsome dwellings of certain spots I have seen in England in my youthful days.
Good orchards have been plentiful during the last hours travel, While passing along I felt in my heart to say how long 0 Lord shalt these people dwell at east seeing they have the and driven the saints of the most high from their midst. To the minds eye at this is stained with blood but the Lord will yet reckon with then and reward then according to their doings.
Stopped twenty minutes at Dixon for dinner. After leaving Dixon the country appeared less desirable, the soil did not appear as rich and the evidences of wealth were less frequent.
Arrived at Chicago at 3:15 P.M. Chicago is a great business center; I think it does more in exchanging commodities than in manufacturing. Looked around some. Passed under the Illinois river through a tunnel extending two blocks it is a cool respite from the heat. Then we saw some very fine blocks of buildings.
Started from Chicago at 5:15 P.M. on the Pittsburgh Ft. Wayne and traveled very fast, stopped at Plymouth 20 minutes for supper. (Traveled from Chicago to Pittsburgh on P.F.W. and C.R.R.)
Sunday May 51st. Mansfield, in Ohio, on the edge of which are some large red brick buildings which look so very nice as the rays of the morning sun shone upon them. 110 miles from Pittsburgh we passed through the tower of Nassilooon, is not more than three rocks wide which detracts largely from the appearance of the ocean. Hacane located near the R.F. back the celebrated threshing machine works of Russil Company. They are very extensive. The soil of Ohio in my judgement is far inferior to that of Illinois but much better timbered than aforeseen to be greatly encouraged. In many places the soil seems too poor for agriculture purposes.
Stopped twenty minutes at Alliance for Breakfast.
We continued through a very hilly country fully timbered but very poor soil. The timber is principally oak and birch. I noticed a snail variety of timber full of white blossoms which added greatly to the scenery.
Apple orchards are quite plenty, We have hat crossed New Brighton which is located on the banks of Beaver Creak, a shallow stream about 200 feet wide. Across this stream in addition to the railroad bridge is a neat covered one for teams and pedestrians. Close beside the railroad are the gas works. They are much smaller than the Salt Lake City works. A little further on we got a good view of the Ohio river quite a number of barges lay on its placid waters, the waters are clear and appear deep. It is not at all swift and is probably from one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide. We are now nearing Pittsburgh;have made fast time running, sometimes 40 to 50 miles an hour and as we fly along on the Rim side the scenery on the opposite shore is truly grand. Hills covered with trees beautiful in sheer May attire in white with farm houses and cultivated lands and here and there a small town. On this side of the river on which we are traveling the houses and other fine improvements indicate we are approaching some great city sent themselves to view. We have just entered Alleghany which is a very black dingy looking place which is not doubt caused by the large amount of coal consumed here in the manufacture of Iron and industry for which it is Pittsburgh is justly noted for coal judging from the great number of iron works which present themselves to view. The streets are ridiculourly narrow. I think they are not more than thirty feet wide on an average, some of the widest may be 40 feet. Alleghany is connected with Pittsburgh by four fine iron bridges so arranged that there is a separate track on each for the railroad, teams and pedestrians, at least this is the case with the one in which we crossed. What I have written of Alleghany is equally applicable to Pittsburgh. I have not seen a town yet since I left home but what it spoiled with narrow streets. We stayed but a short time in Pittsburgh, just long enough to change cars and now we are off again on the Pennsylvania R. R. As we run out I notice some five villages with beautiful laid off grounds.
I forgot when writing of Alleghany to mention a very prettily laid off promenade given evidently open to the public. After running out a few miles we bid adieu to the Ohio River and strike boldly into the hills; we follow the course of a small stream for a number of miles. The water of this stream is of a very rusty yellow color evidently denoting iron and coal. Away for miles and miles we wind our course among the hills of Pennsylvania, the country appearing poor, the crops look very bad which I do not wonder at when I look at the soil. Thousands of acres of the cultivated land which I have passed today the farmers of Utah would not stick a plow in.
After traveling about one hour and a half the country begins to improve; on our right are peaks, a Catholic monestery located on an eminence, the scene from which must be grand and sublime at the time the Alleghany Mountains covered with timber present themselves to our view. At Blourschills we strike the Conewall river, a small river. The Scenery is grand, the hills covered with timber almost undisturbed by the hand of man if I except the road on which we are traveling. Have just passed the first pine trees since leaving Omaha. Johnstown is a fine settlement evidently sustained by mining from this point we begin to ascent quite rapidly. We are now in the coal region and coal mines are quite frequent. We have just passed through a tunnel 3/4 of a mile long. On the summit of the Alleghany mountains, these mountains present a splendid sight to the tourist, we are traveling on the side of the mountains in many places on dug where a slight mishap might precipitate we would fall from 100 feet to several hundred into a stream below.
Suddenly as we turn a curve the town of Altoona is presented to our gaze and as we walk to our dinner I do not doubt we will do justice to a good supper which I certainly did. Just after starting from Altoona a very heavy rain storm came on.
I just saw a little girl carrying a cat and I wonder if Jimmy was carrying his kitten. We have passed through another tunnel. Just before reaching Huntington we struck the head of an animal. Huntington contains some fine hotels and other buildings. It is located on the banks of the Inriate River. I have not seen what I call a decent river since I left Chicago. About 10 P.M. crossed the Lusgrienhanah a broad tranquil stream, in my judgment full as wide as the Mississippi at Clinton. I think it is about 7/8 of a mile across the bridge.
Arrived at Harrisburg at 10:40 P.M. It is a handsome station and well lighted with gas. From Harrisburg to Philadelphia I tried to sleep. Arrived at Philadelphia at 2:40 A.M. while there it rained quite fast. The station is not as handsome as Harrisburg. As we left Philadelphia day light dawned upon us shortly after crossing the Schatkil. It got light enough to see the landscape which appears quite level, very fertile and altogether beautiful. Green meadows, rich fields of grain prettily laid off grounds. Trees with folige of various hues all tend to make things look lovely. The only thing I saw to mar the scene is the ridiculously narrow streets and roads. In many places the shade trees meeting across the streets. Trees are of only a few years growth. I presume we are now twenty miles from Philadelphia and I do not believe I have seen a street more than 40 feet wide. While some of the roads are not more than 1 rod wide. At Trenton we crossed a fine river. The station here is draped in mourning in honor of the President of the road who I learn is dead.
New Brunswick is quite a nice looking town. It boasts several churches, we are nearing New York and a most delightful morning, a beautiful shower (which we encountered at Philadelphia) had extended along the route since leaving there and made everything look nice. The company are well except myself, tired and dirty.
We crossed from the Jersey Shore to New York on the P.R.R.R. Company's ferry boat. We happened to meet W. C. Staines who directed us to the Stevens House where we engaged rooms and were well treated. After cleaning ourselves up and getting breakfast we engaged passage on board the steamer Idaho for Liverpool taking intermediate passage. Having got our tickets four of our company, myself included, visited the vessel and returned via Broadway which give us a good chance to see a little of New York. Crowds of people were traveling both ways, the street was full of teams. Street cars are not run on Broadway. The buildings in New York are very fine and large, being five and six stories high. Towards evening I took a look at the shipping, saw several Lake steamers on the river just starting out. They present a finer appearance than an ocean steamer. On Tuesday morning June 2,1874 myself and. two others visited Central park. Time prevented us from seeing much of this charming place which we were told covered an area of several miles. The grounds are beautifully laid off and ornamented with beautiful trees and shrubs of various kinds. The walks are paved with a kind of cement at once clean and solid. I noted the entrance to the part we visited is a large collection of animals, birds, and reptiles which attracted considerable attention. We returned from our visit to the Park much pleased with what we had seen. After getting breakfast we began to fix for our journey across the ocean.
About noon we left the Stevens house and took the street car to Pier No. 46 North River where the steamboat lay at anchor. We waited some little time before going on board as the vessel was taking on corn. By 3 P.M. the passengers were all on board. The mails were taken on and we steamed boldly out bidding farewell to New York for a while, Every thing seemed to move along all right and before night fall the pilot left us. All hands appeared to have an appetite for supper but the next morning quite a number did not want any breakfast. I was one among this number. Sea sickness soon began to tell upon me. I could not eat anything and continued vomiting for two days which made me feel very low. I kept on feeling sick and eating very little until about the sixth day when I commenced eating a little. At this time a pain
in my stomach affected me considerably.
June 9th. The vessel is making good time; fully expect to be in Liverpool on Saturday. We passed a sailing vessel this morning.
June 12th. 8 P.M. Land is in sight on our left and flashes from a light house show themselves at intervals of a few seconds.
June 13th. Dressed myself and went on deck at 4 A.M. where I had a good view of the coast. The land seems to be well cultivated, the houses neat and clean nearly all being painted white. About six o'clock we anchored outside of Queenstown harbor; here we stayed a short time for passengers to disembark here; also the mail was sent on shore. All being ready the boat which came along side to take off the passengers etc., was let loose and off it steamed for Queenstown. We were soon under way again traveling down the coast of lreland for several hours. Before Night fall the Welsh coast -was in view.
June 14th. Early in the morning we anchored near the bar at the mouth of Mersey where we stayed until about 8 o'clock when we again started, in an hour or two we were met by a small steam boat onto which the passengers and their luggage were transferred. This boat landed us on the docks where the luggage was inspected by the custom house officers; this being through with we started for 42 Islington street from whence we soon went to the Caldeonian Temperance Hotel, Stafford Street. Here myself and Stewart got dinner which I much enjoyed. In the evening we met with the Saints. All the newly arrived elders were called upon to speak which they did, baring their testimony to the truth of the work of God.
The congregation was small out the spirit of God was there which makes all feel well. On Monday.June 15th after breakfast we walked to Guion and Co's. office where we cashed our checks for money deposited with them in New York. We saw some very fine draft horses which attracted our attention. After dinner we visited the museum where we saw many curiousities, ancient relics and specimens of animals, fishes and birds. We afterwards paid a visit to a large collection of wax work figures life size, some of them were life like in appearance, the figure of one old gentleman in particular was so much like life that I really
thought it was an old gentleman resting himself. In the evening we visited the Theatre opposite St. George's Hall. The appearance of the building inside is not equal to Salt Lake Theatre, the play was tolerably well performed but a frequent noise in the rear caused by parties visiting the bar caused us some annoyance. On Tuesday morning June 16th we took train at the Sune Street Depot for Sandy at which place we arrived at about half past one P.M. This being my native place; as I walked down the street I really felt I was a stranger in the place of my birth. I did not meet with any one who knew me but after conversing with a lady whom I knew when she was a child I made myself known to her, she is the wife of an old acquaintance of mine and when I met her husband a day or two after he welcomed me like a brother. After looking around a little I returned to the station, hired a conveyance and was soon on the way to my wifes friends. I found my mother-in-law at home, I introduced myself under a fictitious name, she received me very kindly and I soon made myself known to her. Then my father-in-law came in I tried the same game but he knew me and made me welcome. After tea I went with my father-in-law to see my sister-in-law Jane. She did not know me but made many inquiries after her sister and myself, after a time I told her who I was when she welcomed me very heartily. Brother-in-law soon came in and to him I was introduced.. I found him a good hearted jovial sort of man. They have two children, a boy and a girl, the little girl said she would like to go back to America with me.
June 17th. I went with Wm. Shelton to Biggleswade, deposited a draft for one hundred pounds with Hogg Sinsdell and Co. And got measured for a suit of clothes. Here I fell in conversation with a young man named Keep who after learning where I was from spoke in an unbecoming manner of President Brigham Young I answered him rather sharply and after conversing a short time he asked me if I considered his remarks insulting, I told him I did when he asked pardon after this we conversed a short time with a better feeling.
After dinner I met with two of my cousins with whom I spent an hour or two quite agreeably. The next day I spent in visiting my cousin Ezra and his wife. I also saw a few old acquaintances among them my wifes cousins: Wm. Hull and John Franklin, they inquired very cordially after their cousin and sent their kind love to her. I also met with Wm. Foxley. The next day (Friday 19th) I went to Sandy on my way there I met with Hannah Dazelyand she was very pleased to hear from her nephews and nieces the Larkinses. She is a very small woman. I met with John Rawson who inquired after James Rycraft, said he yet had a sixpence James gave him. He was quite pleased to hear about him. When at my cousin Ezra's I saw John Layton and gave him LI 16.00-sent to him by his brother Christopher for which he appeared very thankful. Saturday the 20th I spent the forenoon in looking around the fields and at the steam threshing machine at work. It did not thresh near as fast as the machines do at home. The wheat although considered first class does not equal our best Utah Wheat. In the afternoon I went to Ickwell, took tea with Jane, called to see Aunt Mary Franklin whom I found to be a pleasant middle aged lady. Her mother was present, she is quite old and infirm. I also saw Johnny Asplin and wife. He is lame and his wife is almost feeble. Jane accompanied me in these visits, she also conducted me to the Berry. We had a look at the Horses Carriages and harness and a walk through the garden to the lake which is an artificial one, the house and surroundings are altogether beautiful, but when I reflected how many in the surrounding villages struggle hard to support this magnificence in the shape of rent it cast a dark shade over all. It seams as much as a great many can do to keep poverty from their doors rents being very high.
Sunday 21st. Got a letter from Bro. Stewart, came to spend the day with me. In the afternoon we met with the saints (few in number) and enjoyed ourselves first rate. We took tea with Sister Young. In the evening we met with a few friends at Wm. Shelton’s among the rest Wm. Wakes and his wife Wm. Foxley.
Monday 22nd. Wrote up my journal in the morning, went to Ickwell with Mr. and Mrs. Shelton, dined with Wm. and Jane and in the afternoon visited Mrs. Young, also Mary Norman and her daughter Anne whom we found in midling health. We took tea with Aunt Humphries whom we found in rather poor health. I think she is dropsical. After tea went to Ickwell and called on Aunt Mary with whom we drank a glass of ginger wine. Had quite a pleasant chat with her father. We rode home.
Tuesday 23rd visited Mr. George Crawley with whom I spent a very pleasant day. He was very kind. We visited the Peel mansion and were very kindly shown through the grounds by the gardener; it is a delightful place in a very antic location. We also visited old Mr. Jeeves, Wm. Miller, James Watts and wife, Joseph Sutton, Same. Skiliter and his daughter Jane, James Denton, Miss Fane and Mrs. Thurley and Mrs. Gregory. In the evening returned to Wm. Sheltons, got a new suit off Mr. Keep for which I paid him L4.7.00. Rained for several hours, it was much needed.
Wednesday 24th. Stewart having spent the night with me, after breakfast Mr. Shelton drove us to Sandy Station where we took a train for Cambridge at which place we arrived at 9:10 AM. My cousin Mary was on the platform ready to receive us. I knew her at first sight which surprised me as she was only a girl when I last saw her. She conducted us to her home where we took lunch and rested a short time after which she conducted us to Mr. Stewart's relatives where we took dinner during the day we visited the Cambridge Fair. The horses present were of a very low grade generally. The chief attraction was riding ciruses or whirligigs for children run by steam. I did not think much of the fair.
Thursday 25th. We left Cambridge at 10:10 A.M. for Ipswitch. We had a pleasant journey, the crops upon the whole look poor. So far as I have traveled in England I do not think the crops any better than are raised in Utah. I am told the season has been very dry. A great deal of the hay will not produce more than one ton per acre. On arriving at Ipswitch I recognised my Aunt who with my cousin was waiting to receive us. We found the town very gaily decorated with flags, evergreens, etc. A military band was playing at the depot and paraded the streets after the arrival of the trains. I found my aunt and cousin well and my uncle, although very lame, as well as usual. After getting dinner Mr. Stewart, myself and cousin Matilda visited the flower and vegetable show. The display of flowers was quite large and exceedingly beautiful showing great care and skill in their cultivation. A few large plants the leaves of which were flowers in themselves were very beautiful, also some magnolia coxcombs as well as fuchias, greraniums, etc. The display of vegetables and fruits was very fine among which I noticed two grape vines in pots with 6 or 7 bunches of grapes on each. After we were through with the show my cousin took us through some of the principal streets which were beautifully decorated with flags of all nations hanging across the streets, various mottoes and decorations of evergreens together with the bells ringing and thousands of people promenading the streets made our walk quite delightful. In the evening we witnessed a grand display of fireworks the last piece of which was "Come Again Tomorrow".
Left Kaysville 7:08 A.M. May 27, 1874. Arrived at Ogden 7:45. Left Ogden at 9:00 A.M. Train stopped three minutes at Uintah. Although the train consisted of only ten cars yet the two engines appeared to labor hard going up Weber Canyon until the Bridge at Devils Gate was crossed when they increased their speed. The weather was cool and pleasant with indications of rain.
Shortly after leaving Weber station we passed through two tunnels, also crossed the Weber river several times the road appears to be in good condition, the bridges firm and substantial. About 1:00 o'clock our appetites began to remind us that something was necessary to strengthen the inner man and me and my
companion dined off cold chicken. Our whole company began to have more cheerful countenances. I feel confident that what ever object a person may have in view few can leave home, family and friends without a pang.
On approaching the head of Echo we found the grade very steep. Passed through another tunnel and saw for the first time in my life a steam shovel. After crossing the summit it commenced raining quite fast.
Arrived at Evanston at 1:30 P. M. Stopped half an hour for dinner. After leaving Evanston we passed through a number of long snow sheds.
From Bridger the road runs through quite a level country until it approaches Green River. On arriving at Green River I noticed quite a number of very pretty cottages evidently used by the employees of the Railroad Company.
We stayed twenty minutes for supper. Shortly after recommencing our journey we fixed for the night, had a comfortable night's rest although we did not sleep much. At day light on the 26th, passed Fort which has a very pretty clean appearance. Saw two boys in blue on Seubry. A few miles beyond on a small eminence to the left I noticed a solitary grave around which was a very neat enclosure which forcibly reminded me of my errand to search after my progenitors.
During the forenoon, deer or antelope were frequently in sight. The country from Bridger to Laramie is dry, barren and almost worthless for agricultural purposes. It looks as dry as September. Shortly after leaving Sherman we passed through several miles of broken country scattered thinly over which were Cedar trees which seemed to struggle hard for a stunted existence.
I forgot to mention Laramie at which place we took Breakfast at 10 o'clock. It is quite a thrifty looking place for its size. There is a very fine Hotel there. Arrived at Cheyenne at 2 o'clock P.M.· Stayed twenty minutes for dinner. Cheyenne appeared to be laid off with an eye to business but looks very different to our Utah settlements as there are no gardens, no water in the streets and scarce a tree to be seen while as far as the eye can reach every thing looks dry and barren. Rain, I am told, seldom falls here and everything seems to indicate that such is the case. I noticed quite a number of good buildings in the town. Here is a junction of the Denver road.
Shortly after leaving Cheyenne we struck a gently undulating plain or valley where but little expense had been Incurred preparing the road bed. This valley appeared of little use for agriculture, there being but little water and from all appearance very little rain falls, there being no timber and but little vegetation of any kind. Crossed the North Fork of the Platte about 2 A.M. The soil shows more moisture and as we pass on grass becomes abundant and here and there homesteads present themselves to view betokening civilization.
One hundred miles from Platte Bridge we passed the town of Kearney, a thriving little settlement. (Distance- from Ogden to New York 2435).
Breakfasted May 29th at 8 A.M. at Grand Island. We are now passing through a fine country for agriculture and erelong it will become a prosperous district. Already I see farm houses dotted in all directions. At the crossing of Loupfork the company have erected a very substantial wooden bridge resting on stone pillars.
North Bend 62 miles from Omaha, can produce more shade trees than all the rest of the towns we have passed since leaving Utah. Stopped 20 minutes at Fremont for dinner. (Fremont is 47 miles from Omaha) Shortly after saw the first fenced field since leaving Utah.
Arrived at Omaha at 3 P.M. ,after changing cars we crossed the Missouri River on the new Iron Bridge which is a beautiful structure. It bore the weight of the train apparently without a tremble. I could not but think of the difference between crossing this bridge and the difficulties encountered in crossing this stream twenty years ago. After crossing we were soon on board the Chicago V.M.W. Cars and in about thirty minutes started on our way to Chicago. Evidences of wealth began to multiply. I took a sleeping berth in a Pullman Car. Had a comfortable nights rest. In the morning a beautiful country presented itself to our view. Plenty of timber. Fine homesteads and well fenced fields together with the cattle feeding on the green pastures betokened ease and comfort. Breakfasted at London. I got a first class meal for seventy five cents. Throughout our journey from Council Bluffs to Clinton we traversed a beautiful rich verdure and as we rode along all nature seemed to smile. In every settlement Churches judging from the steeples are very abundant. Saw shortly before reaching Clinton a small flock of very fine sheep, the first we have seen.
(Traveled on C. and N.W. R.F. from Omaha to Chicago).
Fruit does not seem to be cultivated, scarce a fruit tree to be seen until nearing Clinton when an orchard occasionally presented itself to view. A great portion of the fruit trees seen had a kind of blasted appearance from which I should judge fruit cannot be successfully raised. Corn appears to be the staple crop though a great deal of land is sown to other grain which looks well.
The bridge across the Mississippi I should judge to be half a mile long which is divided by an Island. The stream is divided into three parts where being two Islands at about equal distances from each other. The scene up the Mississippi presented a very beautiful animated appearance. The shores being lined with fine buildings of almost all descriptions. I saw only one steam boat and as she steamed out from shore added beauty. At Fulton on the banks of the Mississippi we passed through some beautiful groves of Hickory. From Fulton to Sterling we passed through a very fine country every where ease and luxury presented itself to view. It reminded me forcibly by Its fine groves of timber trees, excellent green pastures, well cultivated fields, and handsome dwellings of certain spots I have seen in England in my youthful days.
Good orchards have been plentiful during the last hours travel, While passing along I felt in my heart to say how long 0 Lord shalt these people dwell at east seeing they have the and driven the saints of the most high from their midst. To the minds eye at this is stained with blood but the Lord will yet reckon with then and reward then according to their doings.
Stopped twenty minutes at Dixon for dinner. After leaving Dixon the country appeared less desirable, the soil did not appear as rich and the evidences of wealth were less frequent.
Arrived at Chicago at 3:15 P.M. Chicago is a great business center; I think it does more in exchanging commodities than in manufacturing. Looked around some. Passed under the Illinois river through a tunnel extending two blocks it is a cool respite from the heat. Then we saw some very fine blocks of buildings.
Started from Chicago at 5:15 P.M. on the Pittsburgh Ft. Wayne and traveled very fast, stopped at Plymouth 20 minutes for supper. (Traveled from Chicago to Pittsburgh on P.F.W. and C.R.R.)
Sunday May 51st. Mansfield, in Ohio, on the edge of which are some large red brick buildings which look so very nice as the rays of the morning sun shone upon them. 110 miles from Pittsburgh we passed through the tower of Nassilooon, is not more than three rocks wide which detracts largely from the appearance of the ocean. Hacane located near the R.F. back the celebrated threshing machine works of Russil Company. They are very extensive. The soil of Ohio in my judgement is far inferior to that of Illinois but much better timbered than aforeseen to be greatly encouraged. In many places the soil seems too poor for agriculture purposes.
Stopped twenty minutes at Alliance for Breakfast.
We continued through a very hilly country fully timbered but very poor soil. The timber is principally oak and birch. I noticed a snail variety of timber full of white blossoms which added greatly to the scenery.
Apple orchards are quite plenty, We have hat crossed New Brighton which is located on the banks of Beaver Creak, a shallow stream about 200 feet wide. Across this stream in addition to the railroad bridge is a neat covered one for teams and pedestrians. Close beside the railroad are the gas works. They are much smaller than the Salt Lake City works. A little further on we got a good view of the Ohio river quite a number of barges lay on its placid waters, the waters are clear and appear deep. It is not at all swift and is probably from one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide. We are now nearing Pittsburgh;have made fast time running, sometimes 40 to 50 miles an hour and as we fly along on the Rim side the scenery on the opposite shore is truly grand. Hills covered with trees beautiful in sheer May attire in white with farm houses and cultivated lands and here and there a small town. On this side of the river on which we are traveling the houses and other fine improvements indicate we are approaching some great city sent themselves to view. We have just entered Alleghany which is a very black dingy looking place which is not doubt caused by the large amount of coal consumed here in the manufacture of Iron and industry for which it is Pittsburgh is justly noted for coal judging from the great number of iron works which present themselves to view. The streets are ridiculourly narrow. I think they are not more than thirty feet wide on an average, some of the widest may be 40 feet. Alleghany is connected with Pittsburgh by four fine iron bridges so arranged that there is a separate track on each for the railroad, teams and pedestrians, at least this is the case with the one in which we crossed. What I have written of Alleghany is equally applicable to Pittsburgh. I have not seen a town yet since I left home but what it spoiled with narrow streets. We stayed but a short time in Pittsburgh, just long enough to change cars and now we are off again on the Pennsylvania R. R. As we run out I notice some five villages with beautiful laid off grounds.
I forgot when writing of Alleghany to mention a very prettily laid off promenade given evidently open to the public. After running out a few miles we bid adieu to the Ohio River and strike boldly into the hills; we follow the course of a small stream for a number of miles. The water of this stream is of a very rusty yellow color evidently denoting iron and coal. Away for miles and miles we wind our course among the hills of Pennsylvania, the country appearing poor, the crops look very bad which I do not wonder at when I look at the soil. Thousands of acres of the cultivated land which I have passed today the farmers of Utah would not stick a plow in.
After traveling about one hour and a half the country begins to improve; on our right are peaks, a Catholic monestery located on an eminence, the scene from which must be grand and sublime at the time the Alleghany Mountains covered with timber present themselves to our view. At Blourschills we strike the Conewall river, a small river. The Scenery is grand, the hills covered with timber almost undisturbed by the hand of man if I except the road on which we are traveling. Have just passed the first pine trees since leaving Omaha. Johnstown is a fine settlement evidently sustained by mining from this point we begin to ascent quite rapidly. We are now in the coal region and coal mines are quite frequent. We have just passed through a tunnel 3/4 of a mile long. On the summit of the Alleghany mountains, these mountains present a splendid sight to the tourist, we are traveling on the side of the mountains in many places on dug where a slight mishap might precipitate we would fall from 100 feet to several hundred into a stream below.
Suddenly as we turn a curve the town of Altoona is presented to our gaze and as we walk to our dinner I do not doubt we will do justice to a good supper which I certainly did. Just after starting from Altoona a very heavy rain storm came on.
I just saw a little girl carrying a cat and I wonder if Jimmy was carrying his kitten. We have passed through another tunnel. Just before reaching Huntington we struck the head of an animal. Huntington contains some fine hotels and other buildings. It is located on the banks of the Inriate River. I have not seen what I call a decent river since I left Chicago. About 10 P.M. crossed the Lusgrienhanah a broad tranquil stream, in my judgment full as wide as the Mississippi at Clinton. I think it is about 7/8 of a mile across the bridge.
Arrived at Harrisburg at 10:40 P.M. It is a handsome station and well lighted with gas. From Harrisburg to Philadelphia I tried to sleep. Arrived at Philadelphia at 2:40 A.M. while there it rained quite fast. The station is not as handsome as Harrisburg. As we left Philadelphia day light dawned upon us shortly after crossing the Schatkil. It got light enough to see the landscape which appears quite level, very fertile and altogether beautiful. Green meadows, rich fields of grain prettily laid off grounds. Trees with folige of various hues all tend to make things look lovely. The only thing I saw to mar the scene is the ridiculously narrow streets and roads. In many places the shade trees meeting across the streets. Trees are of only a few years growth. I presume we are now twenty miles from Philadelphia and I do not believe I have seen a street more than 40 feet wide. While some of the roads are not more than 1 rod wide. At Trenton we crossed a fine river. The station here is draped in mourning in honor of the President of the road who I learn is dead.
New Brunswick is quite a nice looking town. It boasts several churches, we are nearing New York and a most delightful morning, a beautiful shower (which we encountered at Philadelphia) had extended along the route since leaving there and made everything look nice. The company are well except myself, tired and dirty.
We crossed from the Jersey Shore to New York on the P.R.R.R. Company's ferry boat. We happened to meet W. C. Staines who directed us to the Stevens House where we engaged rooms and were well treated. After cleaning ourselves up and getting breakfast we engaged passage on board the steamer Idaho for Liverpool taking intermediate passage. Having got our tickets four of our company, myself included, visited the vessel and returned via Broadway which give us a good chance to see a little of New York. Crowds of people were traveling both ways, the street was full of teams. Street cars are not run on Broadway. The buildings in New York are very fine and large, being five and six stories high. Towards evening I took a look at the shipping, saw several Lake steamers on the river just starting out. They present a finer appearance than an ocean steamer. On Tuesday morning June 2,1874 myself and. two others visited Central park. Time prevented us from seeing much of this charming place which we were told covered an area of several miles. The grounds are beautifully laid off and ornamented with beautiful trees and shrubs of various kinds. The walks are paved with a kind of cement at once clean and solid. I noted the entrance to the part we visited is a large collection of animals, birds, and reptiles which attracted considerable attention. We returned from our visit to the Park much pleased with what we had seen. After getting breakfast we began to fix for our journey across the ocean.
About noon we left the Stevens house and took the street car to Pier No. 46 North River where the steamboat lay at anchor. We waited some little time before going on board as the vessel was taking on corn. By 3 P.M. the passengers were all on board. The mails were taken on and we steamed boldly out bidding farewell to New York for a while, Every thing seemed to move along all right and before night fall the pilot left us. All hands appeared to have an appetite for supper but the next morning quite a number did not want any breakfast. I was one among this number. Sea sickness soon began to tell upon me. I could not eat anything and continued vomiting for two days which made me feel very low. I kept on feeling sick and eating very little until about the sixth day when I commenced eating a little. At this time a pain
in my stomach affected me considerably.
June 9th. The vessel is making good time; fully expect to be in Liverpool on Saturday. We passed a sailing vessel this morning.
June 12th. 8 P.M. Land is in sight on our left and flashes from a light house show themselves at intervals of a few seconds.
June 13th. Dressed myself and went on deck at 4 A.M. where I had a good view of the coast. The land seems to be well cultivated, the houses neat and clean nearly all being painted white. About six o'clock we anchored outside of Queenstown harbor; here we stayed a short time for passengers to disembark here; also the mail was sent on shore. All being ready the boat which came along side to take off the passengers etc., was let loose and off it steamed for Queenstown. We were soon under way again traveling down the coast of lreland for several hours. Before Night fall the Welsh coast -was in view.
June 14th. Early in the morning we anchored near the bar at the mouth of Mersey where we stayed until about 8 o'clock when we again started, in an hour or two we were met by a small steam boat onto which the passengers and their luggage were transferred. This boat landed us on the docks where the luggage was inspected by the custom house officers; this being through with we started for 42 Islington street from whence we soon went to the Caldeonian Temperance Hotel, Stafford Street. Here myself and Stewart got dinner which I much enjoyed. In the evening we met with the Saints. All the newly arrived elders were called upon to speak which they did, baring their testimony to the truth of the work of God.
The congregation was small out the spirit of God was there which makes all feel well. On Monday.June 15th after breakfast we walked to Guion and Co's. office where we cashed our checks for money deposited with them in New York. We saw some very fine draft horses which attracted our attention. After dinner we visited the museum where we saw many curiousities, ancient relics and specimens of animals, fishes and birds. We afterwards paid a visit to a large collection of wax work figures life size, some of them were life like in appearance, the figure of one old gentleman in particular was so much like life that I really
thought it was an old gentleman resting himself. In the evening we visited the Theatre opposite St. George's Hall. The appearance of the building inside is not equal to Salt Lake Theatre, the play was tolerably well performed but a frequent noise in the rear caused by parties visiting the bar caused us some annoyance. On Tuesday morning June 16th we took train at the Sune Street Depot for Sandy at which place we arrived at about half past one P.M. This being my native place; as I walked down the street I really felt I was a stranger in the place of my birth. I did not meet with any one who knew me but after conversing with a lady whom I knew when she was a child I made myself known to her, she is the wife of an old acquaintance of mine and when I met her husband a day or two after he welcomed me like a brother. After looking around a little I returned to the station, hired a conveyance and was soon on the way to my wifes friends. I found my mother-in-law at home, I introduced myself under a fictitious name, she received me very kindly and I soon made myself known to her. Then my father-in-law came in I tried the same game but he knew me and made me welcome. After tea I went with my father-in-law to see my sister-in-law Jane. She did not know me but made many inquiries after her sister and myself, after a time I told her who I was when she welcomed me very heartily. Brother-in-law soon came in and to him I was introduced.. I found him a good hearted jovial sort of man. They have two children, a boy and a girl, the little girl said she would like to go back to America with me.
June 17th. I went with Wm. Shelton to Biggleswade, deposited a draft for one hundred pounds with Hogg Sinsdell and Co. And got measured for a suit of clothes. Here I fell in conversation with a young man named Keep who after learning where I was from spoke in an unbecoming manner of President Brigham Young I answered him rather sharply and after conversing a short time he asked me if I considered his remarks insulting, I told him I did when he asked pardon after this we conversed a short time with a better feeling.
After dinner I met with two of my cousins with whom I spent an hour or two quite agreeably. The next day I spent in visiting my cousin Ezra and his wife. I also saw a few old acquaintances among them my wifes cousins: Wm. Hull and John Franklin, they inquired very cordially after their cousin and sent their kind love to her. I also met with Wm. Foxley. The next day (Friday 19th) I went to Sandy on my way there I met with Hannah Dazelyand she was very pleased to hear from her nephews and nieces the Larkinses. She is a very small woman. I met with John Rawson who inquired after James Rycraft, said he yet had a sixpence James gave him. He was quite pleased to hear about him. When at my cousin Ezra's I saw John Layton and gave him LI 16.00-sent to him by his brother Christopher for which he appeared very thankful. Saturday the 20th I spent the forenoon in looking around the fields and at the steam threshing machine at work. It did not thresh near as fast as the machines do at home. The wheat although considered first class does not equal our best Utah Wheat. In the afternoon I went to Ickwell, took tea with Jane, called to see Aunt Mary Franklin whom I found to be a pleasant middle aged lady. Her mother was present, she is quite old and infirm. I also saw Johnny Asplin and wife. He is lame and his wife is almost feeble. Jane accompanied me in these visits, she also conducted me to the Berry. We had a look at the Horses Carriages and harness and a walk through the garden to the lake which is an artificial one, the house and surroundings are altogether beautiful, but when I reflected how many in the surrounding villages struggle hard to support this magnificence in the shape of rent it cast a dark shade over all. It seams as much as a great many can do to keep poverty from their doors rents being very high.
Sunday 21st. Got a letter from Bro. Stewart, came to spend the day with me. In the afternoon we met with the saints (few in number) and enjoyed ourselves first rate. We took tea with Sister Young. In the evening we met with a few friends at Wm. Shelton’s among the rest Wm. Wakes and his wife Wm. Foxley.
Monday 22nd. Wrote up my journal in the morning, went to Ickwell with Mr. and Mrs. Shelton, dined with Wm. and Jane and in the afternoon visited Mrs. Young, also Mary Norman and her daughter Anne whom we found in midling health. We took tea with Aunt Humphries whom we found in rather poor health. I think she is dropsical. After tea went to Ickwell and called on Aunt Mary with whom we drank a glass of ginger wine. Had quite a pleasant chat with her father. We rode home.
Tuesday 23rd visited Mr. George Crawley with whom I spent a very pleasant day. He was very kind. We visited the Peel mansion and were very kindly shown through the grounds by the gardener; it is a delightful place in a very antic location. We also visited old Mr. Jeeves, Wm. Miller, James Watts and wife, Joseph Sutton, Same. Skiliter and his daughter Jane, James Denton, Miss Fane and Mrs. Thurley and Mrs. Gregory. In the evening returned to Wm. Sheltons, got a new suit off Mr. Keep for which I paid him L4.7.00. Rained for several hours, it was much needed.
Wednesday 24th. Stewart having spent the night with me, after breakfast Mr. Shelton drove us to Sandy Station where we took a train for Cambridge at which place we arrived at 9:10 AM. My cousin Mary was on the platform ready to receive us. I knew her at first sight which surprised me as she was only a girl when I last saw her. She conducted us to her home where we took lunch and rested a short time after which she conducted us to Mr. Stewart's relatives where we took dinner during the day we visited the Cambridge Fair. The horses present were of a very low grade generally. The chief attraction was riding ciruses or whirligigs for children run by steam. I did not think much of the fair.
Thursday 25th. We left Cambridge at 10:10 A.M. for Ipswitch. We had a pleasant journey, the crops upon the whole look poor. So far as I have traveled in England I do not think the crops any better than are raised in Utah. I am told the season has been very dry. A great deal of the hay will not produce more than one ton per acre. On arriving at Ipswitch I recognised my Aunt who with my cousin was waiting to receive us. We found the town very gaily decorated with flags, evergreens, etc. A military band was playing at the depot and paraded the streets after the arrival of the trains. I found my aunt and cousin well and my uncle, although very lame, as well as usual. After getting dinner Mr. Stewart, myself and cousin Matilda visited the flower and vegetable show. The display of flowers was quite large and exceedingly beautiful showing great care and skill in their cultivation. A few large plants the leaves of which were flowers in themselves were very beautiful, also some magnolia coxcombs as well as fuchias, greraniums, etc. The display of vegetables and fruits was very fine among which I noticed two grape vines in pots with 6 or 7 bunches of grapes on each. After we were through with the show my cousin took us through some of the principal streets which were beautifully decorated with flags of all nations hanging across the streets, various mottoes and decorations of evergreens together with the bells ringing and thousands of people promenading the streets made our walk quite delightful. In the evening we witnessed a grand display of fireworks the last piece of which was "Come Again Tomorrow".
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