Life History of Robert Bodily Jr.

From: Craig Bodily’s Bodily/Barlow Genealogy Website

I was born 9 March 1844 at Oxfordshire, England. In the year 1846 I moved with my parents to South Africa. We first settled in Cape Town at the extreme south end of the continent. My father, being a Stone Mason, was employed by the English Government on the fortification of the town.

After that work was completed we again moved around the end of the continent to a place called Algoa Bay or Port Elizabeth there my father again followed his occupation and built and contracted building houses and stores and it was there we first became acquainted with my fathers particular friend, John Stock and family, Mrs Jane Rich’s father, now of Roosevelt. I will mention a few things I do recollect while we were living in Algoa Bay. My father was building houses and stores. One day my brother Wm was climbing up on the cupboard, his foot slipped and down came Wm with the cupboard on top of him. The cupboard was made in two sections the upper part came down and such a mess one seldom sees. There was broken dishes, eggs, sugar, and such things as are in the kitchen and Wms nose was bleeding. It sure was a mess. My mother had to write a note to father and have him bring home a fresh supply of everything. One day father was having some plowing done and Wm was leading the oxen when he stumbled and fell down and the oxen were walking over him.

Port Elizabeth was built on a rocky sidehill and a good many goats were used for milk instead of cows, on that account. There were no street cars or other modern conveniences at that time. Everything was done by horses or oxen. When up in town, one could look down at the ships laying in the bay at anchor. It was a beautiful sight to see. They were all sailing vessels as steam was but little used then. I can recollect seeing men excited running to and fro and looking down into the ocean. I could see the reason. A school of whales came by spouting and before you say cat they were out in boats after the whales and afterwards a great black spot could be seen on the shore. They had 2 or 3 there. They are killed for the oil, and they are very profitable.

My father in a few years concluded it would be better for the family to go on a farm. He bought a farm about 40 miles up country from Port Elizabeth on an old government grant of 640 acres of land. The ones living on said government grant are supposed to keep everything that would be needed by the army moving up and down the country, such as provisions and so on. In addition he carried on wagon making and blacksmithing so us boys were put to learning a trade. My brother William learned wagon making and I learned to blacksmith and brother James learned to paint. Wm was a great lover of horses and nothing suited him better than to ride a horse. Each of us had a horse. I seldom cared to ride and the result was Wms horse was kept rather thin while mine was fat and I could hardly manage him. I can recollect while we were learning a trade, I a blacksmith and Wm a wagon maker, I would coax him to go up the river and look at things, Father would come on top of the hill and call. I would always manage to have Wm in the front. He would never run from father but would walk right straight up to him and while father was dusting his coat a little I would be getting for home as fast as possible. When father got home I was blowing the bellows like a good boy. I have often wondered why he did not dust my jacket too but I believe he blamed Wm for it when really it was me that was doing the mischief. I can recollect the horse,a red roam, we used for all purposes, his name was prince. We hauled water for domestic purposes on a two wheel tank. We lived about 3/4 of a mile from the river. We would drive into the river, fill the tank and off for home. Once while my next youngest brother James was wheeling a barrow full of green corn, he stubbed his toe and struck a rock with his knee. It commenced swelling and he was a cripple for 18 months. The doctors did not seem to do him any good and he suffered very much pain. One day some soldiers camped at our place and an old army surgeon asked mother if she bad blistered it and she answered no. He told her to blister it and in the morning it sure was blistered. Mother tapped it and let out the poison and he began to get well. I recollect while we lived at Bushman river my father had a lot of men working for him. It took a lot of meat for their food. He sold a great amount so he kept cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. I herded the hogs and father bought a pony so I could ride. Things went fine for awhile but after awhile the pony got so used to turning he could turn about as quick as the hogs. Instead of turning on the pony, I would go on straight ahead and of course I would light on the ground. As a general thing, the pony would stop and let me catch him but sometimes he would have special business at home and would make tracks for home, then my troubles began. It was almost impossible to keep shoes on me and there I would be bare footed and there was a grass burr. It had 3 prongs sharp and whichever way it laid there would be a sharp prong sticking up ready to stick into my bare feet.

Once while our goats were out on the range, a pair of tigers got busy and killed some of the goats and my older brother Wm, Myself and a servant, a Hottentot, pursued them with some dogs. We had some very fine breed of dogs, a cross between a bull dog and a greyhound. We soon caught up with them and the dogs would tree them. The female took off in one direction and 2 of the dogs and we followed a large fellow with three of the dogs. He was about 9 or 10 feet long. When we would get close he would jump on the ground and the dogs would bounce onto him. He got so he did not relish the treatment he got from the dogs, so we finally got close enough to get a shot at him, Wm shot him. We used to have great fun hunting wild hogs by moonlight. We had spears and the dogs would get one on each side of the hog and hold him by the ear and then someone would use the spear. The party generally consisted of myself, my brother Wm and a servant or two. I tell you it was fun for us youngsters. You could hear Mr Pig squeal for a long way off and sometimes it would be in some jungle and almost impossible to get where the dogs were with the hogs.

I can recollect the farming was very much different from the modern way of farming. We used to plow the ground with a large awkward looking thing called a plow and 4 yoke of oxen hitched to it. We would then sew the wheat broadcast then go over it with a brush drag. That was all that was required until harvest, then the same ground was again plowed and sowed with corn, mellon, and squash seed sown broadcast then gone over with a drag and that was all that was required until it was harvested. Melons, squash and corn you seldom see, it would be amusing to see how it was done. A boy or man would have raw hide straps on each of the head oxen heads and he would lead them. It would take two of the native men to hold the plow, a great awkward thing with a long beam. Where we lived there were for our neighbors Boer farmers. Then there were Kaffirs, a race of people with fine physical forms and curly hair endowed with the power of endurance. Then came the Hottentot a small race of people copper colored with curly hair. Then came the Bushman, a still smaller race of people with curly hair, copper colored. These people did a good deal of the labor such as farm work and herding cattle and sheep. Africa was a great place for wild animals of all kinds and a great number of snakes, many kind of animals corresponding the deer, but with smooth horns, buffalo and elephants and several kinds of monkeys and baboon and animals like a monkey but much larger, the Orangutan. There was also the Alligators and Crocodile. Africa abounded with all kinds of wild fruit and wild honey, it was a tropical area. All kinds of fruit grows there without fear of frost. The hot winds come from the north off the Sahara Desert. Winter here, is summer there, for we are across the Equatorial line. The sun is in the north instead of the south.

That was all that was done until harvest time. Then men, mostly natives, would harvest it with a sickle, circular in form and barbed on the inside. They would grab a hand full of grain with the left hand and cut it with this sickle with the right hand and lay it in piles big enough to make a bundle. It would be bound and stood up in shocks and as soon as dry enough, it would be hauled and thrashed by placing a layer on the ground inside of an enclosure. Horses or cattle would be turned in and driven until the grain was tread out of the straw then blown out with wind until clean enough to use. The same ground would be plowed and planted to corn, squash and perhaps melons, broadcast and harrowed or drag as before and that finished the work until harvest.

My parents were of a religion called the Church of England which believed in a God without body, parts or passions. Mother taught us to pray, and although we were praying to a God that did not exist, I feel thankful that my mother taught me to pray because it was a good habit. While we lived in the city we always went to church on Sunday and when we moved into the country mother and father would have us gather together; there being no preacher. Mother would have us read a few verses in the Bible and she would tell Bible stories such as Abraham’s life, and Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, especially Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the children of Israel and all their journeys, and of Moses who was raised up to deliver them.

I recollect how interesting they were and the impressions they made on me, for I have not forgotten them yet. And this is about the way things went until the year 1858. It was reported there was a very curious sect in town and what bad people they were. They were gaining converts, quite a few, and this particular friend of father’s had joined them. A short time after this, who should come but this friend, John Stocks, and an Elder from Utah to pay our folks a visit, with the result that the whole family joined the church. When they joined they had no idea of coming to Utah, but soon after joining the spirit of gathering came over them and father commenced making preparations for leaving.

March 22, 1860 we started for Utah. There must have been between 50 and 60 in the company. We sailed on an old wooden vessel called the Alacrity and we had not been going long before something began to happen. We began to be sick with what is called sea sickness, and sick one surely is. You are so sick you would just as soon die as live, but as a general thing, in a few days we were alright. Then how hungry one would get, you could eat anything and never get enough. In a few days we called at Cape Town where we took on more passengers, here I could see the works my father helped to build about 14 years before. Well we now leave Africa for America, our next stop being the Isle of St. Helena. This island is under British control and here is where Napoleon was banished by the British government, when captured by that government. Napoleon was that great French ruler and here he lived and died. We could see the fort from where we were in the harbor.

Some of the passengers went ashore and some more were taken on board. While laying in the harbor we could see fishermen catching fish. They would take a hand full of minies, very small fish, and throw them into the water close to the boat. The fish would come right up to the boat to get the minies and the men would soon fill a boat. The water seemed to be alive, there were so many fish. A lot of coconuts were raised there. This was the last place called at until we reached Boston, U.S.A. The morning we caught sight of the Isle of St. Helena my youngest sister Lucy was born. It took us about 75 days to make the trip from Port Elizabeth to Boston. This ship was a wooden sailing ship. The wind was coming from the course we wished to go making it slow work. It took a great deal of time. Once we were in a blizzard for two or three days. We drifted along way out of our way. It was a long tedious journey especially for the older people, as of course the load fell on them. The youngsters did not care so much about it for there was something now to be seen all the time, different kinds of birds and different kinds of water animals, and sometimes we would see a ship coming. So it went until we came to Boston, U.S.A.

I recollect what a heavy fog there was. The fog horns were blowing all the time. We in a short time disembarked and laid there for a few days. We now had to change from British money to American money and I recollect how awkward it was at first but we caught on after awhile.

Well we now start on our journey across t he great American continent. We start from Boston by railway. Railway then and now, are two different propositions. They were not so efficient as today, not so accommodating and comfortable to ride in, and not as well organized. We frequently had to wait sometime to make connections. They were more irregular and not as smooth as today to ride in. We kept on going until we struck the Mississippi River. We then went up the river on boat and arrived at a place called, if I recollect right, Anable, and there we lay for hours. As we lay there, there was another boat laying along the side of us and the passengers knew that we were Mormons. On that boat was a man cleaning the paddle wheels of the boat and of all the cursing that ever came out of a man’s lips, his was the worst I ever heard. All at once he slipped off and everything was quiet. When we left they were dragging the river but had not found him.

We continued up the Mississippi until we got to the mouth of the Missouri River. We disembarked from the boat and took a train again until we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we took the boat again up the Missouri to the Latter-day Saint outfitting station. Here we rested for sometime allowing more emigrants to arrive and also to gather an outfit such as wagons, oxen and other things needed for the journey across the plains. It was not safe for a few individuals to travel alone on account of Indians. By this time some of our company began to be short of money, so much so they thought they would have to stop. Father, having some money, helped 4,5, or 6 families and made it possible for them to continue their journey, much to their joy. We finally got organized with William Rudger as Captain and a man by the name of Lyman Johnson, if I recollect right, as a guide. We pulled out to the first water and camped. While there one of our company’s small children took sick and died. There was no lumber to be had to make a coffin, so father took the case his bass violin was being carried in and made a coffin. After laying it away we again got started. It was a comical sight to look at that outfit moving, the oxen were awkward and the drivers knew but little more than the oxen about that kind of work. The roads were very bad but the country was pretty level so we got along fairly well. The days were quite long and there was plenty of food and water for the cattle it being July 20th when we started from Florence. We would get into camp early and have plenty of time to rest. Just before camping you could see those not engaged in driving the teams out gathering fuel to burn. There being no wood in most places they would gather buffalo chips which consisted of the dry droppings of buffalo and cattle to burn in place of wood. As we traveled along we could see a great many buffalo feeding at some distance from the road. There were also quite a number of antelope, a small animal of the deer family. It had a white patch on its back and when it jumped this white patch would open and show white at a long distance.

As we traveled along we would see a piece of paper stuck on a stick of something, saying such and such a train had passed along on such a date. Occasionally we would see a grave where some poor soul had laid down their life for the truth sake, caused by the hardships endured on the way. It sure was a hard trip especially for those having large families, cooking, washing and all the things that pertains to housekeeping. As we drew near the end of our journey the days got shorter, grass, and water more scarce. Sometimes as we got put to bed and fed it was a wonder how those old mothers did it, but the Lord made the back for the burden and they seemed to be cheerful about it. As we crossed the plains we always laid over on Sunday and had meeting. That would comfort the people’s hearts. We looked forward to the day when we would arrive in Salt Lake City and that day finally arrived on the 5th of October, 1860. We camped on the square where now stands the city and county building. The next day being Conference we all went to the meeting and there for the first time we heard these great men, President Brigham Young and other good men whom we had not heard before. It sure was a spiritual feast. Soon after conference my father bought a place in the Sixth Ward and we wintered there. During the winter I put in considerable time hunting geese and ducks which helped some with meat for the table.

During the winter of 1860 and 1861 we lived in the sixth ward Bishop Hickentoper was a fine old man, everybody had a good word for him. We enjoyed that winter very much, the first thing to do was to get up the winters wood. We met up with the man by the name of Wesley John (I think), he was going after wood and I went with him, each of us had a yoke of oxen and a wagon. We went to the Canyons east of the valley at first but finally we went to the west of the valley. There we found the snow much deeper than the canyons on the east of the valley. It was waist deep and I, never being in snow, was in poor shape to take care of myself. We made our bed on the sidehill, cutting oak brush and piling it up against standing brush on the lower side to make a place level enough to lay down on. Oh what a night, my feet were frozen so I could not get my shoes on and to make matters worse there was 1 foot of snow that night. Next morning we started. If I recollect right, it was 30 or 35 miles to S.L. City. It took us until after dark to get home. I walked all the way with a few rags on my feet and after I got the feeling of on fire. My feet seemed to burn just like I had them in the stove. Oh what a wonder I did not loose my feet.

In the spring of 1861 my father bought a place in Kaysville and we moved up there. It was located on the state road leading to Ogden. The Bishop of the ward was Allen Taylor. He seemed to have no influence over the young people. The young men seemed to do as they pleased, very uncouth and disorderly in their way. Talking to them did no good but in short time the ward was reorganized with Christopher Layton Sr. as Bishop and things began to change for better. The meeting house that was begun years ago was soon built and many other things, schools, roads and better order. So it soon became a much better place to live in but we still had to use oxen to do our work.

We were using oxen to plow and all other work done by team as horses were very scarce and not very large. Another drawback was the lack of hay there being but very little there. We had to feed straw, chaff and corn fodder to the oxen. Cows would come out in the spring very poor and it would take a long time to put in the crops.

Along about this time Alfalfa hay was introduced by Bishop Layton and it was not long before stacks of hay could be seen up and down the valley where before nothing of the kind could be seen. Before long Alfalfa began to make things better. In fact I don’t think there ever was anything introduced that has done for Utah that Alfalfa has done. This improved things very much. The teams could be fed better and were more able to do the work in the spring. The climate has entirely changed as it would sometimes in the fall freeze. The peaches and sugar cane and corn would be caught by the frost.

In the winter the people would amuse themselves in dance. There being no money, we would have to pay for the ticket in some kind of trade such as grain. The boys and girls would go to the dance with a pair of oxen as team but we used to enjoy ourselves just the same. Our mode of dress was different from what it is now. If a girl had a good calico dress and a pair of home made shoes that was pretty good. There was not fine clothes and shoes to be had by most people. They had not the means even if they were to be had. Most of the exchanges were made by trading products for such as one needed. Wheat was about 50 cents a bushel. I have seen men haul wheat from Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. The boys were the same as the girls. It will not be out of place to mention here how things were in regard to money matters. There was no money. When we paid taxes, it was paid with grain. What clothing was bought would be bought by trading wheat.

On July 12th, 1862 my brother William and myself received our Endowments in the old Endowment house and were ordained Elder. Soon after this I was chosen a counselor in the Elders quorum in Kaysville.

In 1862 there were a bunch of people, at a place just below the mouth of Weber Canyon, called the Morrisites. The leader Joseph Morris told them very nice stories. If they would be faithful they would be blessed with everything they needed. But his promises did not come true, Still they increased until there was quite a bunch of them. They had but little land or anything to subsist on. As a result they had to steal and kill cattle that belonged to someone else, The Sheriff went up to arrest them but they resisted the officers. The Governor of the Territory sent the Territorial Militia to arrest them, I was one of the boys who went. We were up there several days. They fought like good fellows but were arrested and taken to S.L. City. We had 2 men killed, I forgot how many of them were killed.

Along about that time it was hard scratching to make things meet. Wheat was only 50 cents a bushel in store pay. I have seen men haul wheat to Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. Several changes began to come. Gold was discovered in Montana and all at once wheat went up to $10.00 a bushel. That made things look better. The roads were lined with teams and Bishop C. Layton bought a train of mules and wagons and would let the people have them and pay him as they could get the pay. We began to drive mules instead of oxen. That was a great blessing to the people.

One thing that I must not forget to mention is that one night at a dance I saw a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age, I was about 17 or 18 years of age, I thought what a nice girl. We used to associate as friends and meet in the dance or at school. There was a feeling came with it I cannot describe. Of course nothing particular happened at the time, but later as things happened I have often thought of that time. It seemed as if she was pointed out to me by someone unseen as my future wife.

In 1862 a call was made on the different wards to send teams and haul rock from big Cottonwood canyon to the Temple at S.L. City. I was sent for one, and hauled rock for sometime with 3 or 4 yoke of oxen.It was slow work at that time but year after year that work was continued. After the railroad came then it went on much faster.

I often think of things that happened while living in Kaysville. We used to go to a dance and instead of having money we would pay for the ticket with wheat or cedar posts or any other trade that would be made. In the winter about Christmas time a bunch of young people would get into a sleigh and go around the ward and serenade the old people of the ward, sing songs, tell stories and play games. What a grand time we would have and how those old friends enjoyed it and would invite us to come again. They would always have something, pies, cakes and some root beer.

In 1864 I was called to go to the Missouri river after immigrants. Three teams were sent from Kaysville, John Blockom, Thomas Harris and myself. I had one yoke of oxen and they went. If I recollect right, Bearlake, Cache, and Weber counties furnished the teams, 63 in number, and the late Brother Preston was our captain. We went up Weber canyon, a very rough road at that time. We forded the river 3 times but everything went all right. Although the water was rising quite fast nothing happened until we came to Devils Gate where we camped. In the morning the cattle were driven into the corral formed by drawing 2 half circles and leaving the gate at each end to drive the cattle into (10 or 12 feet wide). Each wagon was 3 or 4 feet apart. The wagon with the right front wheel 3 or 4 feet from the hind wheel of the wagon ahead and a chain from wheel to wheel. This would be the right hand side of the corral. The other side would be just opposite, because on the right side the cattle would be on the inside of the corral when unyoked and those on the left side would be on the outside wall. We had just commenced to yoke up the cattle when all at once, as though powder had exploded, off went the cattle out of one of the gapes and all wanting to go at the same time. Of course there was not room so there was one or two wagons turned over and rolled over like little sticks. Several were hurt but none killed which seemed a miracle. We started, after fixing things up. The waters were all rising and when we came to the Plat river it was very high. We found a ford and started to cross. In crossing,the force of the water would sag each team a little lower until some of the wagons were some distance below the ford. Four of the wagons got into deep water and slid around so the wheels, by the force of the water, were turned backward and the burs turned off and the wheels lost. No one was hurt or drowned on these wagons that had wheels lost. The captain sent a lot of us into the river holding each others hands to try to find the wheels with our feet but none could we find so we had to put the parts that were left into other wagons and get new ones at the Missouri river. I have forgotten the time of our arrival at the river of Florence but when we got there all the Saints that were to come with us had not arrived yet so we had to wait their arrival a few days. While we were waiting some of us boys went down to Nebraska City and could not but notice the difference between that city and the City of Salt Lake. The streets were very narrow going everywhere in general and no where in particular, in all kinds of shapes and directions.

Well as soon as the Saints arrived we commenced to load. There was all kinds of material to load. I was loaded with iron. About 400 lbs. were in the bottom of the wagon and 11 passengers and their baggage. There was the father of the family, 2 boys almost grown and a small boy. The rest were all females, a grandmother, the mother, 3 grown young women and 2 smaller girls. As soon as ready we started West with about the same kind of program as crossing before but we got along much better for the oxen and the drivers were much more used to it. I recognized many of our former camp grounds as we traveled along. The buffalo were not so numerous as on the previous trip. One difference, it being a church train, a good many people had to walk, some the entire distance. How tired the poor souls would be when coming into camp. Just before camping time, some would be gathering buffalo chips for fuel. For all their hardships they seemed well. When rested a little they would be cheerful as though nothing was happening but it was a very hard trip just the same, The days got shorter and the nights grew colder, grass and water more scarce. We would be very late into camp sometimes and then the regular camp work would have to be done such as cooking. Some would have to go on guard with the cattle, some around the camp but all seemed to be well.Sometimes prayers had to be omitted. In the earlier part of the journey there would be a few remarks made then prayer said. We kept on until at length on Sept. 10th 1864 we arrived in Salt Lake City. We unloaded and went home hauling wood, plowing and many other things on the farm before winter. At that time we had no railroads to haul coal. We had to go to Coalville by team and haul it ourselves and the roads were not as good as now nor the teams as large and good. We had no tractors to pull the plows. It all had to be done by team. We then had to get our wood off the mountains by dragging it down with oxen or horses. We would get it out of the canyon if the roads were so we could. It took a long time to do a little, but after awhile we would get it done. So came the winter of 1864 and 1 865. We again put in our crop. This mostly evolved on me, as my older brother had married and moved to Ogden valley where we had bought a farm, and my father was working at his trade. I had no experience in farming so I was up against it, but we had a good farmer for a neighbor, Bro. Rossel Hyde so I noticed how Br Hyde did things. When he mowed his grain I would do it too, when he plowed I plowed and by doing that I got along fine. So the summer of 1865 passed.

(While crossing those plains of 1866 myself and Ruben Colbett shod the cattle as they got tender footed. Many an ox would have been left behind had they not been shod.)

In the spring of 1866 I was still living with my parents at Kaysville and our hay was running short. Father asked me to go to Ogden valley after some. My brother having previously married Sarah Talbot was living on the farm belonging to him and myself and he having hay. I went with 2 yoke of oxen and got back to Ogden in the evening. I stayed in Ogden that night and the water in the rivers were running very high so the bridge across Ogden river went out. In a short time after I crossed that evening and during the night the Weber bridge ahead of me went out also. I could neither go backward or forward. I found out there was a bridge just below the mouth of Weber Canyon so I started over that road. It was a very sandy and heavy road but after while I got there only to find out that the bridge had gone out too. Now I was completely at a loss to know what to do with not one cent of money and no food. I humbly asked my Heavenly Father to assist me in my trial and there such a feeling of satisfaction. The thought came to me, tie your wagon fast to the rack so when you get into the water the wagon won’t drop from under the load and drive into the water where it was very deep just below where the bridge had been. The water had worn a very deep place and did not seem to run so fast but churned around so it was not so dangerous. After I had securely tied my wagon as directed I pulled off my shoes, coat and vest and I stood on the wagon tongue and drove into that great caldron of roaring water just as calmly as though they were on the ground. They were swimming and the hay was floating on top of the water not a wheel touching the bottom until we reached the opposite bank and out we went safe and sound. After we were safe on land, I was scared until I fairly sweat. The day the bridge went out there were two men drowned and I could see my danger, but I could not see it before. If I had I surely would not of done it. No one could make me believe other than that the Lord heard my prayers and I thanked Him for my safe deliverance, and for things that my mother had taught me to pray so things passed.

In the winter of 1865 the Black Hawk war broke out. On July 1st 1866 I was called by the Government to the Territory with others to go and protect the people in Sanpete county against the Indians. We arrived in Sanpete the day after the Indians had a battle with a company of boys from Salt Lake City. The Indians had surprised them. They had no idea there was an Indian within 50 miles of them. All at once they dashed in between the guards that were herding the horses and the camp and drove all the horses. In a little while they returned on the horses they had driven off and came very near overcoming. They would of done it had they not been attacked from behind by another company directed by a man called Ivens. As it happened, no one was killed but some were wounded. The above happened in a place at the upper end of Sanpete valley called Thistle valley. As we passed along down the valley we could see towns deserted. The people moved to another stronger settlement for safety. We were located at a place called Pigeon Hollow between Manti and Empraim. While camping there some 20 or 30 were sent with some settlers to find a place up in the timber to get poles for the telegraph line to extend the line on South. In a few days there were a lot of teams sent after the poles and the night on their return they camped at a place called Shunway springs just below Ephraim. That night the Indians swooped down on them and ran off 125 yoke of cattle besides other young stock. As soon as word could be got to our camp, we were going to Ephraim as fast as we could. We packed some crackers and followed after. It was night when we left Ephraim but we kept going all night through the mountains and timber. Every time we stopped we would count to see if we were all there. Once when we counted there was one short so a few were sent back to the last stop and there sure enough he was, fast asleep leaning against a tree. We went on again and in going over some rough sliding place where the large stream was running below, over went the pack mule crackers and all into the water. As it was about daylight we camped and on examination the crackers were entirely destroyed. There was considerable mould in them, they looked like green streaks of cow-dung. That threw us practically out of food and it rained a good part of the time. Not having tents or anything to protect us from the weather and also not much bedding, it caused us to suffer a great deal. We kept on going through until we got to the Green River. There the officers held a conference and inasmuch as we had no grub we decided had better go back. This proved to be a very lucky move. Right here I can see the hand of the Lord over us. You see we thought it was terrible luck when the mule and the crackers rolled into the water but if that had not happened not many of us would of been left to tell the tale. The Indians were laying in the willows on the other side of the river and would of killed most, if not all of us. This information came from an Indian from Whiterocks reservation who was there, Old Yank by name. I recollect one night it rained all the night long and 3 of us bunked together. All we had under us was some greasewood and a blanket under us and a blanket over us and the water was running through from above and also under us too. Well we finally got back into Sanpete Valley after much suffering for food and shelter. By this time the people were busy harvesting their crops, so we helped them. We were now ordered down to Gunnison. We stayed with nothing in particular happening until about 20th day of Sept. 1866 and returned home and were discharged on the 30th day of Sept. 1866. We had to begin to prepare for winter. In that country people had to get their fuel for winter before winter set in or they might be without when they needed it worst.

Along about 1867 the grasshoppers came upon us. We heard of their approach and on the night of the 3rd of July they were within a few miles of Kaysville. Having heard of their destructive work on the morning of the 4th, instead of celebrating I got a few chums to bring their scythes and we cut fathers hay and that was about the only hay that was cut, the rest was not worth cutting.

In the spring Bishop Layton bought another train of mules and wagons and my father bought 3 pair of mules off him. My youngest brother and myself took the mules and worked them and paid for them. Father gave me one pair. In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad from the East and Central Pacific from the West were getting close to us. We put in a nice crop and raised about 750 bushels of grain and other things. After harvest I took my mules and wagon and worked on the U.P. all winter. It was awful cold but I stayed with it until spring. Some of the time I hauled rocks to the bridge at Devils gate in Weber Canyon,and sometimes hauling lumber from the saw mill. Sometime I was hauling anything that was landed at the mouth of Echo Canyon as that was the terminal at time for the chief Engineer Wm. Bates, Groceries and all manner of stuff. About the 20th of January I quit work and went home having previously appointed a date to get married. On the 2nd of Feb. 1869 we were married. That little girl I mentioned as seeing some 6 or 7 years before. Her name was Harriet Ann Roberts. We were married in the Old Endowment House, President Daniel H. Wells officiating. In working on the R.R. I had earned about $600 and my father was about $300 in debt so I gave him $300, and we took the balance and bought a stove, home made table, bedstead and 3 chairs and a few other things and started in life. We stayed with father and mother for almost a year. I bought a lot in East Kaysville. Through the summer I farmed on shares for one of the neighbors and at odd times I made the Adobes and got other material together to build a house. Father, being a mason, he willingly put it up for us. By spring it was ready to move into, and I set out an orchard. Before this on Nov. 11th we had a little visitor come. We were still living at fathers. She seemed willing to stay and so we called her Mary Ann. About this time the railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake City was built so we built it through fathers field. I forgot to mention soon after the U.P. and S.P. roads met a great many people had never seen a railroad, my wife being one, so we went into the mouth of Weber Canyon to see it. In the spring of 1870 we moved into our little house! Oh, my it seemed good to have a little home of our own. Not that the folks were not good to us, just as good as they could be, but we had a little home of our own, 3 rooms and quite comfortable. I previously traded my mules for 10 acres of land and a pair of oxen and that spring the Bishop wanted myself and another young man to take a herd of Coop cattle up Marsh Valley and herd. We took it and moved up there and took up a ranch on Marsh Creek and was doing fairly well. It was on an Indian trail and they would be coming along almost any time and I was off on the range riding and my wife and baby alone. It was more than we could stand so I quit and moved back to our little home in Kaysville. That was in the fall. On Nov. 28, 1870 we had another little visitor came. We called him Levi Robert. We wintered in Kaysville that winter and the next spring there was an opening to get land in Cache Valley. Being anxious to get a farm so we could grow with the country, I went and investigated. I went and worked on the canal and in the fall of 1871 we moved to Franklin and wintered there that winter. To be doing something I carried mail over the Bearlake Valley with another young fellow. We traveled on snow shoes and skis. It was a pretty hard job and very cold too but we got along alright. Our living was mostly on raw bacon and bread frozen at that and plenty of good water.

After moving up to Franklin in the late fall and early next spring I had built a house over on my land. Through that summer I logged and in the fall I ran a threshing machine for another man to get food for winter. That fall on Nov. 25th we had another little girl born. We called her Emma Jane. In the spring of 1873 we moved 1 1/2 miles to another place and it was much better, not so muddy. There was some hay land and we raised some grain without water. The work on the canal kept us at work year after year and no water to speak of so in the fall we would have to log and thresh and fence our land. I recollect while we were working the canal a sewing machine agent came along with a machine. I had him leave it right there and when Saturday night came I took it home and surprised my wife. This was the first one we had. I had got her a washing machine. They were not as efficient as now but they helped considerable.

The same old program continued, logging, fencing and threshing. We had got a little water but not enough to do any good. It got to be very discouraging to me. It was just living and that was all that could be said. Our family was steadily increasing, for in the year 1874 Sept. 6 we had another little girl born. We called her Lucy Matilda.

Things kept on as usual. In the year 1876, April 1, Joseph Henry was born. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground but it was very soft. Horses would go clear to the ground at times. There was some small patches of snow way into April,but the crop around the country were pretty good that summer.

The railroad from Ogden started North to Montana. In 1876 Feb. 3rd Delecty was born and about that time there was quite a talk of Ashley Valley. Being nearly discouraged, myself and Richard Blakey came to look at the country. It was quite late so we did not stay long. We could see what people had raised that summer and concluded to come the next fall. So I began to make preparations for coming. To be doing something that summer some 5 or 6 of us took a contract to do rock work on the railroad going to Montana. It took all summer to finish it. We did quite well and in the fall with a small company we started to Ashley Valley. I had put all I could spare into cows and heifers. The winter previous had been so moderate we supposed the next would be the same. It was about the 15th of Oct. when we started. We had rain and snow all the way in and the roads were awful. We crossed Daniels Canyon creek 73 times and some places it would keep right along in the creek bottom for 40 or 50 yards at a time. By perseverance we finally got through Nov. 2nd when we arrived in the valley. That was the time of the Mecker Massacre and the Indians were very uneasy, that is the Utes at White Rock. Those of the Ouray, in Colorado agency that had committed the massacres were on the war path. On that account, the people were advised to gather into a fort at where Vernal now stands. However there were a few up and down Ashley Creek who were not gathering into the Fort. We were allowed to remain at our places in Maeser by those who had charge of church affairs, Jeremiah Hatch and his associates. It was Nov. 2nd, 1879 when we arrived. It snowed a little that day and every little while it would add a little more. It began to be very cold and kept it up. There were 6 or 8 inches in January and then came a thaw and all went off. I thought spring was coming, but instead it commenced snowing and kept snowing until there was about 2 feet on the level.

Having been allowed to remain up here, we were organized into a temporary branch with William Shaffer as presiding Elder and myself as first assistant. Phillip Stringham was superintendent of the Sunday School. Bro. Shaffer’s family lived where Mr. Ackhurey now lives. Bro. Daugherity’s family lived across the street west of Bro. Shaffer and Bro. Stringham’s family just east of Bro. Shaffers, myself on the corner, Patrick Carroll up just north of S.D. Colton’s place above the rock point. We would gather together Sunday morning at 10 O’clock and have Sunday School and meeting altogether and enjoyed ourselves very much. It kept our thoughts on something that benefited us during that long and tedious winter. The things we endured at that time formed a bond of friendship that cannot be forgotten throughout our lives. As I said before, after the January thaw it set in for winter. The cattle died quite fast. Bro. Shaffer and myself took ours out West and South of the mountain and tried to keep them moving to different places to try to keep them alive. But alas, they kept on dying so in the spring I came out with 8 heifers out of 40 cows and heifers. The snow was so deep and cold and there was not a particle of feed. What made it worse,we had no conveyance so had to walk wherever we went. It was sure a time I shall never forget in my life. One thing I feel thankful for is that we did not feel to find fault or grumble. In fact we seemed to enjoy the blessing we were daily receiving, especially up in this part of the valley. There was an exception in Vernal for Diphtheria broke out and took off several in one family. It took 7 children. There was no doctor, it sure looked like we were doomed. There was no medical aid to be had at that time. It became a very serious problem to deal with. Patrick Carroll lost a son but no more came down with it up here. Another thing that was anything but encouraging was the mail. It was so irregular. Sometimes we would get it once a we ek, other times it would be a month between mail. It had to be carried on mens backs on snow shoes across Diamond Mountain, a most dangerous place in a storm. For a man could not see where he was going in such storms as prevailed. I have often wondered how it was that no more men lost their lives than did. There were several who came very near it, being very badly frozen. That was never to be forgotten in the State of Utah for it was a hard winter all over even where they had hay, straw and such things. Just think here where nothing comparatively speaking had been raised, you can imagine how it would be. Quite a few that came, as is always the case, did not bring anything near enough to carry them over the winter. Those that had any, had to divide until all began to be getting short. There was a little wheat raised by a few in the summer of 1879 so Wm G. Reynolds and some others got to work and cut some mill stones and attached them to a horse power of a thrashing machine and ground some of the wheat. It was very course and not very white but it went just the same. We kept thinking and looking for a change week after week but no change came. The deer had been driven down from the mountain on account of the depth of the snow and had no feed. They were forced to feed on cedars. They became very poor. Some tried to make use of some of the meat to eat. There being no lard or anything of that sort, it had to be boiled. When the lid of the kettle was taken off, the strong smell of cedar would almost knock one down. Almost every day myself and Bro. Shaffer would walk out West of the little mountain and see how the cattle were getting along and move them to a fresh place. Almost each time some more would be dead and so it kept on. There were many pigs in the valley and them that were here had to live on shadseals a thorny little bush and the thorns would stick through their entrails and kill them. We had no milk no butter, very little sugar or other groceries.

On the 23rd of March we had another little visitor come and we called her Harriett Ann. The snow was from 18 to 24 inches on the level at that time. A short time after that, the snow started to go off. It went fast and the grass and feed soon started. But instead of our troubles stopping, they were only beginning. Now there was the water to get onto the land and plowing, fencing and all sorts of things. Our teams were so weak and not able to do much. The flour was getting very low, no milk butter or meat or fruit. It looked anything but encouraging. This condition was general all over the valley. Just as soon as the snow was gone in the valley,or as soon as possible, a company was put together to go to Green River City in Wyoming. Richard Blakey had wintered with us. He volunteered to go and took his 2 ponies and 2 of my horses and a load of hides and sold them and brought flour back. The team was so poor and such snow banks and rough roads, their progress was very slow. By persevering they finally succeeded and returned. The very day they returned we had breakfast and my wife said to me “What will we do for bread? The flour is all gone.” I smiled and said “I guess we’ll have to do without for there is none in the valley.” At 11 O’clock Dick drove up with 600 lbs. of flour. Now while they were gone after flour myself and Bro. Shaffer and Bro. Stringham began on the ditch. We had to dig it with pick and shovel as the horses were poor. There was no scrapper in the country if the teams had been able. We would work until noon and go to the creek and eat our little piece of graham bread and drink that good water. It tasted good although it was rather a dark color. As I have said before there was not a complaint. Here is where a good partner comes in, for what could I of done without the support and aid and encouragement that come from that good woman who stood shoulder to shoulder with me through all those trying days. Well after the flour came, some of the heifers that were left over had calves. We had a little milk then and a little butter and things began to look a little brighter. We were still at work getting the water out and fencing with brush and putting the seed (what little we had) into the ground for the wheat. I plowed as well as I could, which was not very good, and sowed the wheat. In planting the corn and potatoes we would scratch a furrow then drop the corn or potatoes then return and plow the furrow back onto the corn and potatoes and cover them up and leave the balance between the rows to be plowed later.

Well the time finally came when we had the water out on the land. I commenced to water the wheat. The ground was so full of gipson it would not hold the water. It would come right through. It would cut a little gutter right down and come out below and lodge in some low place. It was here I had the trial of my life for it seemed after all our trouble and hardships that it was all coming to naught. It seemed a battle whether to give it up or not. While I was pondering these things over, I was sitting on the ground with my feet down in one of those little gutters. I heard a rustling behind me and looking up I saw my wife right there. She asked me what was the matter for she could see I was troubled. I told her of my trouble. She sat down and we talked it all over and she encouraged me to keep on. She said “it won’t always be like this and these things come on us to try us. If we continue faithful all will come out well.” After we had talked it over I felt different and got at it with a determination to make a success of it. I have often thought since how those few kind encouraging words helped me out of that trouble. As I have said before what could I of done alone without the comforting influence of that good woman. Well I went at it with a will and got the water over the wheat the best I could. I ran the water down the furrows left in planting corn and potatoes and in a few days everything was coming up nicely. I had been fencing all times when I could so by July 4th 1880 I had 20 acres fenced with brush fence and sown to something. Among the rest were a few lbs of lucerne seed it was coming up too.

At this time this part of the country was in Wasatch County. In the spring of 1880 the county was organized with Nathan C Davis, Isac Burton and Mr. Campbell as commissioners. The county seat was at Old Ashley (not a good place for a town) About that time a store was started at where now is called Vernal. So things went until Nathan C Davis time ran out and I was elected County Commissioner for 3 years. When that term expired I was again elected for another 3 year term. The people began to look to Vernal and wanted the county seat moved to that place, but we declined as we thought we were interviewed by the leading men of the valley time after time.

The old jail at Old Ashley had no steel cell so we ordered one. I with Ruben S Collett, John L Hackings and others went after it. It was the coldest time I can remember. When we got it into the valley, having purchased a lot at Vernal, we put it there. That did not satisfy them, they wanted us to move the county seat but we could not see that we had authority to do that. Our judgment proved correct, for after awhile we were ordered by the Legislation to hold an election and see if the people wanted the county seat moved. With the vote in favor and in a very short time old Ashley was a thing of the past. Coop was started, built of logs. The new county had a good deal to put up with. We had no good lawyer for Prosecuting Attorney. I recollect once Pardon Dods Snr. Being U.S. Commissioner brought in a bill of $600 as. We would not pay him. He threatened us with the law but I recollect when he got his pay he got it from the U.S. government not from the county.

The county had a great deal of trouble with outlaws for this and the surrounding county. Browns Park seemed to be a fine place for them to hide. There was no railroad and at that time and no telephone. It was a hard job to control them. It was about all our county could do, but finally they were overcome.

In the fall we came off with 45 bushels of wheat, some nice corn and potatoes. Then things began to look a little better. We had 2 or 3 cows giving milk and during the summer I hitched up the horses and hauled a load or 2 of freight for James Gipson who was keeping store at old Ashley and that helped us to some clothing and such things. The coming winter proved to be quite mild.

Now the next problem was schooling for the children and as the school was at old Ashley, we had to send our children through that brush and over those streams. The idea did not appeal to me, I shall have to retrace a little during the winter of 1879. In 1880 I took up that 40 acres where the Farmers Mill now stands. In the spring of 1880 Wm G. Rynolds came up from Vernal where he had wintered and wanted that piece of ground to build a mill on. I let him have it and that summer they built the mill, which was a great blessing to the people. Before this the people had to go over to Whiterocks on the reservation to the government mill to get their grinding done.

So one day we were talking about sending our children through that brush and we decided to draw up a petition to the county court for a school district. After it was drawn up, it was taken to the court by Wm J. Reynolds Wm G’s father, and he presented it. They laughed him out of it saying what do they want a district for Bodily who is the only one having children. When he returned, I noticed he looked sort of sheepish. He told us what they said so I said to him hand me that paper and I’ll go and see what I can do with them fellows. I took it and lo and behold I got the district grant with P. Stringham, myself and W.G. Reynolds as trustees. We could get no aid in building a house, so we used private residences for school, first one and then another. Somewhere about this time our ward was organized with Wm Shaffer as Bishop, myself first counselor and Geo. Glines as 2nd counselor, Phillip Stringham as Supt. of Sunday School, Mrs Mary Ann Shaffer President of Relief Society with Mrs Harriet Ann Bodily first assistant. As trustees of the school district Bro. Stringham and myself began to get material together for the purpose of building a school house. It took a lot of energy to do this. In getting lumber we had to go over to the head of Deep Creek there Alma Jonson had set a small steam mill. At that time the snow was waist deep over there, so we had a hard time in getting the lumber out over that hill. By persevering we finally succeeded in getting onto the piece of ground we had secured of Bro. L.D. Colton. We already had the logs on the ground so everything was ready to commence building. The snow was quite deep, which made it look like a tough proposition to commence. Most of them wanted to put it off until spring but I finally prevailed on them to continue. In a little while we had a house to meet in and hold school in.

One winter Scarlet Fever broke out and our family took it. We had 7 down with it at one time. It was a trying time. We had not sufficient room, which made it worse, but I had logs hauled the fall before to build a better house and had already commenced to build when the disease broke out. I had Bro. Stringham help me. I would work as much of the time through the day, as I could and at night, sit up and take care of the children. Together, with anxiety, we were almost worn out.There were not doctors then so we had to do the best we could and ask the Lord to help us. I know he did help us for one of our little girls was near death, so near that she was reported dead. One of my neighbors brought a quack doctor to help us but he did not belong to the church and would not do anything unless we would not use olive oil and not have the Elders administer to her. I thanked him and told him we would continue what we had been doing. She did not get any better and it seemed as though she had to go. One day, I sat down and tried to eat something and the thought came to me you better do something. I jumped up and there we had an old doctor book. I picked it up and opened it and read where it spoke of a tepid bath. When I read it, I knew it would save that child. We put her in a wet sheet and wrapped a blanket over it. Before we got the blanket on she was asleep, a thing she had not done for days. We let her sleep 2 1/2 hours and rubbed her dry and the body was covered with scarlet. She soon was alright and I am sure if I had let that quack doctor help her, she would be dead. That was a terrible ordeal to pass through. I was so nervous I could not stay in one place but had to keep moving about all the time, but I got all right as soon as it was over. The Lord blessed us for, all recovered, although some were very sick. In the spring by the time the ground was ready to put in crops we had the house, 3 rooms below and 2 rooms upstairs. That made things much better. About this time Doctor Hullinger entered the valley and he took charge at dryfork. They were quarantined and they came out without any loss of life. Each year I had plowed more ground so now we were getting along. After putting in the crops, I would go after freight and Levi would attend the crops. It was astonishing how well he succeeded for a small boy of his age for it was sure a hard job to control the water. In February 21st 1882 Isabella Marinda was born. About this time or before the soldiers came to Ouray Colorado and camped on the other side of the green river. Myself and another man took a load of oats down for them and we had to row it across in an old row boat. Not being used to that kind of work it was a pretty hard job and dangerous too but we finally got it across. After we had finished, we camped for the night and just as we were going to bed we heard our horses running from the mosquitoes they were awful thick so we hitched up and drove all night back toward home. With the soldiers in Ouray it brought sale for what people had to sell and made things better. The Indians were allowed annuities every year and that created quite a lot of money. There were quite a number coming in all the time. After awhile, John Blithe and Tom Mitchell built a store where the Bank of Vernal now stands and people began to settle around it. The soldiers did not stay long at Ouray but were moved into the valley up east of Bro. Stringham’s place. This made lots of work and a good market. All people had to sell right at our doors but this did not last many years before they were moved to Fort Bridger. I hauled some government material over the mountain myself. I do not recollect what year it was when we rented some sheep of T. Caldwell but did not do well with them. They were scabby and we had no place to dip them. We only kept them one year. Soon after this, the sheep men began to come in. They commenced to build dipping vats so the sheep could be dipped. I use to haul wool to Wyoming year after year and then apples and honey to sell. It became quite monotonous so we, I and W.S. Rynolds, took some of Sensley and Butterfield sheep for rent. Those sheep were old and had been picked out of their other herds and a good many strays and were claimed by other parties so it was at a lose instead of a profit so nothing was gained, only expense.

On January 20th, 1884 Christopher William was born. Another incident happened. Mother, that is my wife, had a severe case of Erysipelas all over her face and part of her head and it poisoned her blood. If she would work over a hot stove, it would show large spots on her face. It wore on her system quite visibly but she did not give up and kept going.

After Densley and Butterfield got their sheep, we started again and got a nice little bunch of 500. I sold them to BC and never got all of the hay. After awhile we got a few more and kept adding a few more until we got another start. At first I would let someone take them with theirs and herd them and sometimes we would come out with barely the number we started with in the spring. It took a long time to get ahead and as I said before, we had to work at different things to keep going. Levi was working at Rock Springs Wyoming and he would send money to help things along, After a while he came home and took care of the sheep and they soon began to increase faster. In 1885 Oct. 12th Estella was born. Things continued about that way year after year. In Jan. 1888 Walton Edwin was born and in Sept. 20 1890 Sylvia was born. In March 1890 Emma was helping Mrs S.D. Colton over on the old homestead for a few days. I was all loaded ready to go over in the bad lands across Green River in Colorado with some other parties to prospect for Gilsonite. The night before starting, the impression came over me not to go and it came with such force that I stayed. That afternoon Emma was brought home sick with Typhoid Fever. I was standing just north of the gate by the walk, I knew then why I was warned not to go. Try as I would, I could not have faith in her recovery. She went to bed and she seemed so nervous I had to lift her out of one bed into another every little while. I often felt thankful for that warning for what could mother have done with her alone. She kept getting worse and on March 31st 1890 she passed away. One thing I am sorry for is we have no picture of her, I had taken the family down to Vernal for that purpose and a few minutes before we got there the photographer had taken down his apparatus. Before we had another opportunity of having it done Emma died. It was in this year we built the meeting house we are now using, the old one getting out of date. The boys called it the mud temple. The Bishop was sick and so a few of us got together and talked over some plan to get a better one. We decided to build an amusement hall and when we got it done to turn it over to the Bishop to be used as a meeting house. About this time there had been a meeting in the old one and after meeting, there must of been some coals rolled down and set fire to it and it burned down, it was Dec. 1890. In that month we got the material together for a new house, we flew at it, some doing one thing some another. I went to Dryfork mountain and got the long logs, so by January 1st, 1891 we commenced to build, I had been appointed chairman, I have never seen such unity of effort for all were at their post every day and on 29th of January we had it ready to be used. We called a meeting to settle up, and each one took stock and the debt was settled at once in full. We turned it over to the Bishop as a meeting house and of course school was held there too. It was quite an improvement on the old one, it was much larger and had a shingle roof. We also bought a lot just south of Wm Thomas place to build a meeting house at some future date. We also bought a piece of ground for a cemetery as it was so far down to the Vernal cemetery. In cold weather people would almost freeze going down there so a suggestion was made to the Bishop and he approved of the idea and appointed me to buy a piece of ground up nearer. I bought 10 acres off Don Perry for that purpose and Harris Workman was the first one buried there.

Things went along about as usual until the reservation opened for settlement. This was a fine chance for