As you travel toward Ireland you will see the lovely coast line, all the townships glittering with the mountains of Dublin and Wicklow standing up behind. You will
have passed Mouth, that wonderful rock which seems to take every shade of blue and purple and silver and pleasant brown and rose . You will have felt the Irish air in your face.
The women have a way of wearing shawls over their heads which does not naturally belong to the Western world and sets one to thinking of the curious belief that some people have entertained about the Irish being from the lost Tribes. A small girl in a Dublin street will hold her shawl across her face revealing no more than her nose and eyes, a trait which is distinctly Eastern. The streets are cheerful no matter how poor they are. There is ten times more noise in an Irish street than an English avenue. An Irish Village is full of noise, clatter of women, crying children, barking dogs, lowing cattle, bleating of sheep, crowing of cocks, cackling of hens, quacking of ducks and grunting of pigs.
Ireland has a most beautiful coastline. Turn which way you may and you will see beauty. The have the most beautiful coloring. It is an effect of the mists and the clouds. The mountains at times are as red as a rose and again black as a pansy. Sometimes they are veiled in silver with the flying rain upon them. And, because the sun is shining somewhere there is a silver tint in the picture.
Ireland of the streams is a name often given to Ireland, for there are not only lordly rivers like the Shannon and Blackwater, but there are countless streams everywhere. You can always kneel down and drink any time in the day and the water is better than wine.
Get into Irish Ireland and the manners have graciousness, which is like a blessing. If you should ask the way, they would come out of their homes to show you the way and then ask you to return to their City. They are the most generous people in the world. They enjoy to the fullest, the delight of giving and this distinct runs through all classes. You will receive more gifts in twelve months in Ireland than in a life time out of it. If you should admire any ornament in their home you will have to accept it as a gift, should you express your admiration for it. The Irish believe it is very unlucky to turn any one form their door, so everyone is made welcome.
Here in County Auntrun Belfast, among such beautiful scenery, such kind people lived the McKay family. Father and Mother of my Grandmother Fisher.
The Father, Joseph McKay, the Mother, Martha Blair McKay. Their family consisted of six girls and two boys, part of them were born after leaving Ireland. Mary, Martha, Ellen Fannie, Joseph, James, Genie and Ester. Later his wife died and he married Aunt lame.
He was a good blacksmith and for a number of years served as the blacksmith for the church. His people were rich and his wife Martha was very poor so his people objected to their marriage. For this reason their home life in Ireland was not so pleasant and when the daughter Martha was eleven years old they moved to Johnstown, Scotland. Here the children grew to manhood and womanhood and were married. Mary and Fannie married John Smith. Genie married Andres Smith. Ester and Ellen married Thomas and Robert Lishmans. Joseph married Genie Smith. James left home and was never heard from. It was decided he became lost in a storm and was unable to return.
Martha married David Fisher at Johnston, Renfenshire, Scotland, July 13,1848. David Fisher was born at Johnstown, Scotland. His father was David Fisher and his Mother was Margaret Fisher. There were five boys, and one girl in the family, and with the exception of David, none came to Utah. David Fisher worked as Foreman in the Johns Cotton Mills where they made thread. David was a jolly man with a smile for everyone, even children who were hardly old enough to work. He always helped them with their hard tasks so that they might help earn a living.
Their homes were in what we would call an apartment house. David and Martha Fisher lived upstairs. When Martha went down she always put the small children in a barrel so they wouldn’t get into mischief.
David and Martha joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints four years after they were married and their home was always a place where the Elders came to stay when in Scotland.
There were born to them while in Scotland six children, Martha, David, Joseph and Andrew. Two children having died previously.
In 1860 they left heir home in Scotland crossed the ocean and came to the United States.
David and Martha were among the 4000 who pulled their belongings across the plains in a handcart, for the love of the Gospel they embraced. The oldest daughter Martha 10 years, and the son David eight years old walked all the way, 1000 miles, except for the times the Captain took them across streams on his horse. The Fisher Cart was the first one in the company known as the Stoddard Company. This brave hearted Father and Mother walked and pulled their carts with the two small children, Joseph six, and Andrew four, all those weary miles. They arrived in Salt Lake City September 23, 1865, (1860?). The McKays, Martha Fisher’s father’s family had come to Utah two years previous so they had their own people here to welcome them.
They had a home in the tenth ward and the following year January 2, 1861, three months after pulling a handcart across the plains; Martha gave birth to a daughter. This daughter was called Margaret Park Fisher and she later became Mrs. Samuel Jones. David Fisher’s Mother in writing about this says:
Johnstown, Renfenshire
Scotland, April 23, 1861
Dear Son and Daughter David and Martha Fisher:
We received your letter dated January 18, 1861, about the end of February. I was glad to learn you arrived safe, also that you have another daughter and I am obliged to you for the name. I hope she will be spared till I come to see her with a 11 the rest of you. We were glad to hear that you and your family were so healthy and fat. Dear Son we are all well at present and William and his family were well the last word we got. Also John and his family. Also Alexander and his family. Samuel is well and still with me, also Margaret. Her and me would be glad to come and see you. Trade in general is very dull and the Mills have been broken in their wages. McDowills Mill was warned the other day for a reduction in wages.
Coats Mills have been on short time this long time. Dear Son if you could make arrangements for me and Margaret to come out we would come when John Thornton and his family is going. Margaret and me were at the Sowree that the saints had before the emigration of Brother Smith and his family and Brother Montgomerie. He is away to the valley in the same ship with them. He has been very poorley in health for a long time and the saints gathered a little money to assist him to emigrate. His family is still here.
Mrs. Smith and family left Johnstown on the 18th and went on board the ship Underwriter on Saturday, the 20th, and moved out of the harbor on Sunday last. I would have sent your youngest daughter a present with them but it was not convenient. I hope I will be able to yet send or bring it one. Give our kind love to Mr. and Mrs. McKay and family also John Smith and his wife, also Andreas and Geanie. I am glad to learn that Ellen and Ester and you are all on the increase. I think the valley is a fruitful place. I would have written you sooner but was waiting till the Sowree was by. We had a good time of it. John Tornton gave me a ticket for it.
Dear son my hand is no use to me yet. It’s a little better than when you left. James, Henney wish you to be remembered to you also the other Masters of the Mill. Dear Son be sure and write when you receive this and let me know how you are all getting on. All your brothers and sisters join me in love to you and the children. Goodbye, and may God Bless you is the prayer of your
Affectionate Mother
Margaret Fisher.
David Fisher to his son David:
May your days be crowned with bliss
Such as from a life well spent
Never have to bear the thought
That you pained a parent’s heart.
While David Fisher lived in Salt Lake he worked on the Temple, where
Martha Fisher and Brother Joseph McKay helped place the Angel on the
Temple.
In 1865 they moved to Heber and lived where Sister Blanche Thomas now lives. He was the miller at Hatches Flourmill and served the Black Hawk War. Returning to Salt Lake he went to work on the Union Pacific Railroad at Devils Gate, Weber Canyon and on August 11, 1868 while working a sand slide covered him to the knees. He begged the men to pull him out but it would have broken his legs so they went after shovels. When they returned he was completely covered. He was smothered before they could remove the sand. He was buried at Salt Lake City and 23 years later his body was moved the Heber City Cemetery.
The Mother with her children moved back to Heber and in 1869 filed on a homestead in Daniels Creek where she lived with the boys for a number of years. They had a lot in Heber where she lived with her son Joseph until the time of her death, October 13, 1900. She was the Mother of seven children, 40 grand children, 102 great grand children and 11 great grandchildren.
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