BRIGHAM YOUNG AND TWELVE APOSTLES 1870 ~~~CITY AND VALLEY OF GREAT SALT LAKE 1870

Photo by Savage and Ottinger 

 

HOME BUILT BY JOSEPH WILCOX

 

PAST PRESIDENTS AND GENERAL AUTHORITIES OF THE LATTER DAY SAINT CHURCH

 

Fiddles and Fiddlers by Mary Louise Seamons ~~~~ Saga of the Sanpitch

Autobiography and Journals of Christian Nielsen Lund Sr. ~~~ Lund Bible

MARRIAGES 

BIRTHS

BAPTISMS 

Autobiography and Journals of Christian Nielson Lund Sr.

Some Latter Day Saint Authorities 1850 - 1900

 

History of Eliza Rebecca Scovil ~ 1841-1913

Autobiography and Journals of Christian Nielsen Lund sr.

         

       

Givens Family Murdered by Indians ~ Brigham Young and Apostles Visit ~ Andrew Madsen's Journal

Andrew Madsen 

May 25th 1865
Trouble began on the north end of the County and the Indians began to raid the settlers.  Jens Larsen, a cattle herder was killed four miles north of Fairview.  The following day, John Given, his wife and four children were murdered and their bodies badly mutilated at Thistle Valley.  Many of the cattle from Mt. pleasant and Fairview were stolen and driven away.

The next day a company of men drove to Thistle Valley and brought down the bodies of the Given Family and routed the Indians.

On May 29th, the Indians made an attack upon the settlers three miles north of Fairview, killing David Handcock Jones, a member of the Mormon Battalion.
in the evening a company made up at Mt. Pleasant and Fairview visited the scene in search of Indians, but they made their escape to the mountains.

Early in July President Brigham Young visited Sanpete County to investigate the Indian trouble and to preach to the Saints.  He visited Mt. Pleasant July 13th.  President Brigham Young, the Apostles John Taylor, George A. Smith and Wilford Woodruff constituted the company.  They came by way of Nephi, accompanied by the Nephi Brass Band and were met at the outskirts of town by throngs of people who welcomed them. 

Elders Woodruff, Smith and Taylor spoke in the forenoon and in the afternoon, President Young occupied the time.  His remarks to us were brief and his advice good.  He said that he had seen many of the prophecies of Joseph Smith fulfilled when he (Brigham Young) was first sent to Europe.  "Go and my spirit shall be with you and my authority shall be invested in you."  I can fully testify that it was fulfilled to the very letter and is with me today.  If you want your children to be like yourself, if you want them to increase in wisdom, intelligence and good behavior, give them a pattern in yourself. Few have children more than I.  When traveling amongst the nations, I never saw a child destitute without relieving its distress, and I always felt to bless them.  Mothers, if you want your children to possess Christian meekness and lead a virtuous life, show them a pattern in your own life indications.  Fathers, if you want your wives and children to show you respect, respect yourself.  If you want them to be good, be good and righteous in all your actions.

Young men, I was sent out in the world when young.  I had to make my own way through it.  I made it a rule to withstand the temptations of gambling, drinking and swearing, and never deviated from it.  You do the same yourself.

You were born in the Kingdom and I want you to make your own way through the world.  Don't marry until you marry right.  Your children will then belong to the Kingdom. etc. etc. etc.

A Madsen Picnic

Andrew Madsen Home (Later Hilda Madsen Longsdorf Home) in Its Prime ~ from the Johanna Madsen Hafen Collection

THE MANIFESTO AS REMEMBERED BY HYRUM FECHSER

Excerpts from the biography of Hyrum Fechser ~ ~ ~   Hyrum Fechser was only 5 years old during this time period.  But this is his historical account as he remembered it.    His father was a polygamist.

1889 and 1890

 A lot of historical changes were going on but to us kids, small as we were, just figured everything was normal; especially in the church.  Now you can fight the government just so long to convince them of your right in your belief in serving the Lord.  And that the constitution is your protection, and you will stick to your belief, yet the Saints did not want to be driven from their homes again, so the President of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, through inspiration issued the Manifesto.  Plural marriage was now outlawed.  The nation, also the Church hereafter would prosecute anyone who hereafter took more than one wife.  But the status of those who already had more than one wife was to live only with the first wife, but was obliged to support the other wives.  Now this made a big job for the U.S. Marshall.  Many deputies were employed to watch the Saints, and several were taken to the pen for violation, and any married after the Manifesto were cut off the Church.  Dad and Mother had their family and had nothing to worry about, of course Dad would come in the house.  We kids hardly knew our Dad.  Mother raised us almost as if she were a widow.

****

These were the days when polygamy was ending, some had raised their families and some had not and many of the younger wives had to go underground to protect the themselves, they were legally married by the laws of the Church, and felt that they were being persecuted by outside interference and the changeover should be gradual for those already married in polygamy.  It was very hard on some of them.

*****

I write this as a way of life in Utah in the  1890s.  It was a way of life, everything legal according to the Church and the Constitution, but the leaders of the government caused this persecution which was causing some of the members to hide out for awhile, and there were many such cases.

Letter to Hilda Madsen Longsdorf from D.U.P. President, Fannie Carrington Woodruff

Wilford Woodruff Signature - Manti Temple Dedication Admission

PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG'S VISIT - September 12, 1868

President Brigham Young's Visit
September 12th, 1868 President Brigham Young and a number of the apostles and elders visited Mount Pleasant. A suitable wagon, drawn by four fine horses, was fitted up and driven by Rasmus Frandsen and Andrew Madsen, taking the Mount Pleasant Brass Band to Fountain Green, where they met the party. Coming back by way of Moroni, they led the procession and furnished the music. James Hansen leading the band, among others who were members were John Waldermar, Daniel Beckstrom, Andrew Beckstrom, Andrew Anderson, Bent Hansen and Mortin Rasmussen.
Andrew Madsen's Journal records: "When we reached Mount Pleasant, the band gave great stress to their music and the chords were clearly sounded. Many people were out to meet the party and were formed in lines extending over three blocks on both sides of Main Street, cheering our leader and his party as they passed between the throng of people. Large arches had been made for them to pass under, many large banners, and a number of smaller ones were displayed, all giving honor to the occasion.

As they neared the home of our Bishop, where the party was first escorted, they were met by the Sunday School children, lead by Superintendent H. P. Miller. They sang that favorite song of the Latter Day Saints, 'We Thank Thee 0 God for a Prophet,' and never before had we heard such beautiful singing. There was meeting in the bowery and almost every soul in the community attended. An enjoyable meeting was held, and the spirit of joy led our souls. The brethren who addressed us, pronounced blessings upon the people. President Young was not feeling very well, being worn out and tired from the trip, and spoke only a very short time. The other principal speakers were Elders Orson Hyde, D. H. Wells, George Q. Cannon, Joseph H. Young and Willford Woodruff. After this enjoyable meeting, they continued through the county, accompanied by our brass band and a mount­ed guard under George Farnsworth. This was the most interesting visit ever so far made us by the leaders of the Church, we at that time being prepared to meet them." History of Mt. Pleasant, HML pp 126-127

PIONEER OF THE MONTH, July - - - C.N. Lund; His Wives: Petra and Anna

Obituary of Christian N. Lund printed in THE CALL, Mt. Pleasant, Utah May 7, 1921 no. 747.

Christian N. Lund was born in a little straw thatched dwelling lying by the roadside just out of Seest, Pr Kolding, Denmark, January 13th, 1846,of good honorable parents. He received a splendid common school education and was so proficient in his studies that the principal of the school offered to put him through college and give him opportunity to work for his board, but his parents having embraced the religion of the Latter-Day Saints, chose to ignore the offer. He was baptized into the church March 21st 1856. At the age of 19 he was called to labor in the ministry as a missionary in his native land, and did so well that he was soon appointed president of a branch.

Alone and without friends, at the age of 22, he took what was the same as steerage passage on the last sailing vessel to cross the Atlantic with Mormon immigrants. The voyage lasted fifty seven days. the weather was bad, disease was rampant of the vessel and forty one souls died on the voyage. He crossed the plains with the last ox team that carried Mormons to Utah, arriving at Salt Lake City, September 25, 1869. He worked some in Cottonwood and Echo canyons. On October 9 of the same year, he married Petra A. M. Neilsen, an immigrant girl from his native country. On the evening of their marriage they started for Sanpete with an ox team driven by Lars Neilsen of Ft. Green. Arriving there they started out to end their "honeymoon" trip by walking to Mt. Pleasant, carrying all their earthly possessions in their two hands. But they overtook Aaron G. Omen, with his ox team and rode with him to this city, arriving on the 18th day of October 1869, living for a time with his brother Neils, who was here. They moved to Moroni in the spring of 1870 and lived as did many others in a cellar, or dugout. He took up land in Wales, but fate or circumstance drove him back to Mt. Pleasant, where his mission seemed to lie and he has been prominent and well known for over fifty years. In 1876 he was set apart as one of the seven presidents of the 66th quorum of seventy. He clerked in the first Co-op store, worked in the canyons and at farming. He was a member of the United Order and did some work on the Manti Temple.

In 1879 he went on a two-year mission to Minnesota in company with Erick Ericksen, which mission was filled with honor. To know the circumstances under which he went and labored on this mission would apall the strongest elder of today. In 1882 he was elected a member of a constitutional convention which endeavored to procure statehood for Utah. On August 21st 1882, his wife died, leaving him with five small children.

On October 9th, 1884, he married Anna Neilsen, a lady who had lately arrived from his native land. To this union was born six children, five of whom survived. On December 5, 1907 she died leaving him with these five living children and one Toral, (Torval) deceased. Since her death, her daughter, Amanda Lund Christiansen died in 1910.

In 1884 he was elected Mayor of Mt. Pleasant, was re-elected in 1886 and re-elected in 1888, having previously served two terms as a city counselor and two terms as city recorder. In the fall of that year he toured all Southern Utah in company with Cyrus H. Wheelock and Wilford Woodruff for his church in the interest of the temples. In 1887 he was elected superintendent of the Co-op store which position he held for seven years. In 1888 he was elected a member of the legislature and upon his return home was twice elected Justice of the Peace.

He served as a ward counselor to Bishop William S. Seely. In 1890 the two Mt. Pleasant wards were united as one and he was chosen Bishop. This made the largest ward in the church at that time. He held this position and served with unswerving fidelity for twelve years. In the fall of 1893 he was again elected to the legislature from a district comprising of Sanpete, Juab and part of Utah Counties. He later served as U.S. Court commissioner for Sanpete and was judge in a number of cases. He also served as county U.S. Land Commissioner.

He was closely connected with the public schools and was one of the state's strongest champions of education in every phase. He served as a trustee and school board member for over thirty years with singular credit and ability. He supported every school house from the smallest to the two large and beautiful structures of today. His efforts in educational lines extended farther than this district for he was a board member of the Snow Normal------------at one time offered the presidency of the old Union Hall. Upon this occasion he delivered one of the most eloquent political addresses ever heard in this city.

On May 1st 1896, he departed for Europe to take charge of the Scandinavian mission, embracing the countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. He filled his position with great credit and even made some history while there, as the people he represented had some controversy with the government and he made an able written defense throught the U.S. Minister for his people to the King of Denmark. He traveled over much of the European Continent and saw many of the most noted historic places. Upon his return home in 1898 he took up his home duties again. In December of that year he was honorably released from being bishop of Mt. Pleasant and at a meeting presided over by Anthon H. Lund he was chosen and set apart as the first president of the North Sanpete stake, which office he filled to the satisfaction of everyone, until honorably released because of failing health fourteen years later. At the time of his release he was set apart as Patriarch which position he held and ministered in up to the time of his last illness.

Before passing away he called each of his children to his bedside and gave them such a blessing and such advice and counsel as his feeble condition would permit. His last days and nights, when he could talk, were, to his family, the most inspiring of his life, and not one of them can ever forget the magnificent nobleness of his mind and spirit, when the poor broken body was slowly going into dissolution.

He has, in his life-time preached more funeral sermons than any other man in this section. As a funeral orator he was unsurpassed and was generally at his best in that capacity. As an expounder of the faith and a defender thereof he was second to none in ability and knowledge. The people mourn him as a father who has served them unselfishly and left with them the noble example of his pure and stainless life.