Author: Jim Whiting

Letter from Almira Mehitable Meacham to Myra Gertrude Perry

Copy of a letter written to Myra Gertrude Perry from her grandmother Almira M. Packard (Almira Mehitable Meacham) Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. Nov. 8th, 1892

Dear Grandaughter Gertrude,

You think by this time I have forgotten you all, but it is not so for I have thought every day I must write but have not had much time to write or do any thing but cook and wash dishes. You see I have 3 men the most of the time to work for, a man that stops the most of the time with us and we wash and mend for him and it keeps me busy. I do not write half the letters I ought to for I cannot get time.

We are all well but Frank, he is a little poorly. He caught a bad cold, has not got entirely well yet, he is quite healthy now and we have had a lovely Fall.

Grass is high enough for the cow a nice bale. We sell 8 qts. milk a day but I had to stop making butter and butter 65 cts a roll, so you see it is better to make our own than to sell at 5 cts per quart, eggs 40 cts and the hens very stingy of their eggs.

Well we get along very well, no reason to complain, we are blessed by the same kind Father we have always had. He never fails to care for us, and if we love Him better and serve Him more faithful He will care and provide for us when famine is in the land, plagues and disease sweeping the land and nations and kingdoms falling. He will feed us and give us water to drink when all the water is turned to blood. You remember reading of the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. Read Numbers 20:1-12. You will see that God will provide for his children. Read Rev. 15 and 16 all through and many other chapters in Rev. and you will see His judgments are righteous and sure, but His Saints will be cared for.

The last days are fast approaching therefore let us search our hearts and see if we are ready to meet the Lord in peace. We must keep His commandments, and if we love Him we will, and if we love Him He will save us, when He comes to make up His jewels we will be among them. Oh let us watch and pray that we may not be taken as a thief in the night.

I cannot write on worldly matters, my heart is not in it. I feel I am a traveler, almost home, a few more years and all will be over and will all my dear ones be saved. Oh Lord may it be so. Oh, Gerty dear, if you never made it a practice of going away by your self and falling on your knees and asking God to help you, do it now. Seek Him while He may be found, draw nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to you. He loves you and will bless and save you.

Now I shall have to close. How is Ma and Pa and all the dear children and the sweet baby dear. Tell Erma to write to me. Love to all my dear children.”

A. M. Packard [Almira Mehitable Meacham (Whiting Packard)]

“Has your lily sprouted yet? Mine has just commenced. I put it in water the day I wrote the letter and sent yours. Write soon.”

Source: Lovell Killpack, Orem, Utah

Lovell Killpack Websites

Lovell Killpack Websites 3 Feb. 2011 Lovell Killpack of Orem, Utah has collected MANY histories of his families. This is an index to these stories and historical items, which he shares with others. Many are part of the Edwin Whiting Heritage while others go to his· wife, Beverly’s other family lines. They can be downloaded and read by going to the following: http://home.comcast.net/~lkillpack/

Almira Mehitable Meacham Palmer Whiting Packard – Historical Information Compiled by Lovell Killpack

ALMIRA MEHITABLE MEACHAM PALMER

ALMIRA MEHITABLE MEACHAM AND HER FAMILY
Compiled by Lovell Killpack 1999

In 1839, driven from Caldwell County, Missouri to Hancock County, Illinois, the three families, sixteen in number, Cox, Whiting and Morley, pitched their tents in the backwoods where they lived until log cabins could be built.

On April 15th 1839, Joseph and Hyrum Smith and their three companions had been set free from prison. The governor of Missouri could no longer continue to hold his captives illegally. He had the Smiths set free and tried to make it appear that the Smiths had escaped. With the two horses supplied the Smiths, the five men changing rides, made their way unmolested to Quincy, Illinois in nine days, Joseph and Hyrum there found their families. They were in poverty. The exiled saints, scattered everywhere, were waiting the direction of their leader.

Two days later after the prophet’s arrival in Illinois, the members of the Twelve who had been commanded by revelation to take their leave from the temple lot at Far West, Missouri on April 26th, met as they had been commanded. The enemies of the Latter-day Saints had said that they would not allow the revelation to come to pass, but on the appointed day, the cornerstone of the temple at Far West was laid….

This is how Clare B. Christensen, in 1979 described conditions in the Church from the view-point of those family members at the Morley Settlement in his Chapter 6 of “Before and After Mt. Pisgah”.

Continuing from his page 106, “Because Morley Settlement was a half way place between Nauvoo and Quincy, the people of the settlement often had distinguished guests.

The Prophet Joseph was very busy writing at this time. Besides translating the Book of Abraham, he was keeping voluminous history of happening events. He employed three scribes full time….

….(p.107) The year of 1844 was an eventful one. It was an election year in the United States. The question of slavery was a political issue as was the annexation of Texas. Joseph Smith announced his candidacy…. On April 21st, Apostles Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff arrived in Lima Stake and spent the night at the home of Isaac Morley. On Sunday both Apostles spoke to the saints in conference. After the meeting, 26 elders volunteered themselves for service in the east to preach the gospel and speak for the election of Joseph Smith as president of the United States. Edwin Whiting was called to go to Pennsylvania….

….(p.113) Plural marriage was introduced by the prophet Joseph Smith
and had been discussed in public and private in the Morley Settlement prior to 1844. Cordelia Morley stated that in the year 1844, Joseph Smith had asked for her hand in marriage….

At this time Heber C. Kimball made several visits to the Settlement to see Thersa. The first plural marriage within that Settlement took place on 3 January 1845 between Edwin Whiting and Almira Mehitable Meacham. They were married in Nauvoo….

In February, the persecutions from the mob became worse. On the 14th, Isaac Morley hurried to Nauvoo with word to Brigham Young that five brethren at the Settlement had been arrested on false charges.

….(p.112) The story of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith was recorded in great detail…”

Almira Mehitable Meacham was the fourth child of eleven, born on 13 May 1824 at Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York, to Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria “Dolly” Ransom. Father Stephen was born 12 March 1797, at Fletcher, Franklin, Vermont, being 8 years older than the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mother Dolly was born 26 August 1801 at Rochester, Rutland, Vermont.

During the birth of their children, until 1837 they lived at Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York. About 1837 or 1838 they were on their way toward Nauvoo, living for a period of time at Springfield, Hancock, Illinois.

Above: Photo of Almira M. Meacham Palmer Whiting

Andrew Waren Palmer (Almira’s First Husband)

At the age of 15, Almira married Andrew Warren Palmer, who had also been born at Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York. They were married at Springfield, Illinois about 1839. They gave birth to two children, Almond Babbit Palmer on 22 Feb 1841 at Springfield and Warren Palmer about 1842. This second child died the following year. Almon Babbit Palmer lived and died at Nephi, Utah in 1915. Almira’s husband Warren also died the same year as their child, in 1843.

From page 125 of ”Before and After Mt. Pisgah”, … “The Meacham family were converts to the Mormon Church. In their westward migration, they stopped for a time at Springfield, Illinois, where at the age of 15 years, Almira married Andrew Warren Palmer. To that marriage were born two sons, Almon Babbitt Palmer and second, Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the baby’s death, Andrew Palmer died. Two years after that, Almira, the 20 year old widow with a four year old son, married Edwin Whiting. (Edwin was in his 36th year).”

Almira’s Marriage to Edwin Whiting

As was stated above, “The first plural marriage from within that Settlement took place on 3 January 1845 between Edwin Whiting and Almira Mehitable Meacham. They were married in Nauvoo.”

The next day after her attendance at the temple, to be sealed to Edwin Whiting (27 January 1846), Almira Mehitable Meacham Whiting bore him a son. They named the baby Edward Lucian Whiting.”

Edwin and Almira had seven children: Edward Lucian Whiting born 28 January 1846 at Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois who later married Martha Elizabeth Alleman and died at LaGrande, Union, Oregon 31 December 1926; Ellen Emeret Whiting born 1 September 1847 at Nauvoo and married Ed Deal; Catherine Emeline Whiting born 1 May 1849 at Mt. Pisgah, Union, Iowa and married James Cornelius Braslin; Cornelia Dolly Whiting born 11 June 1851 at Manti, Sanpete, Utah and married Lewis Rosalvo Perry and died at LaGrande, Union, Oregon 15 October 1933; Elisha Franklin Whiting born 27 December 1853 at Manti and died 15 February 1914; Edwin Lafayette Henry Whiting born 30 July 1857 at Manti and married Mary Armstrong. She died at Los Angeles, California 29 May 1943; Sylvia Almira Whiting born 4 December 1860 at Manti, Utah, married Nathan Henry Barton. She died 20 October 1927 at Healdsburg, Sonoma, California.

After their seventh child was born in 1860, times became very difficult for Almira. Consideration must be given to the extreme pressure from the Federal Government against polygamy with the imprisonment in many cases and the enforced abandonment of families, left to fend for themselves in providing for an existence.

Some went northward to Canada and some into Mexico, in order to keep from abandoning their families. By this time Edwin Whiting was in his fifties. Almira’s oldest child was but 14 years old by that time and her others were mostly daughters. She must have had a very difficult time. Mary Elizabeth Cox left with her older sons for Arizona, with deepest sadness in parting… with Edwin=s sad permission. Her sons were able to care for her there in Northern Arizona. Mary Elizabeth’s son Charles went into Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico in order to keep his families.

Quoting from Clare B. Christensen again beginning in chapter 24: “The Whiting family had had a continuous struggle at Manti, Utah. There had been the pioneering, the problems with the Indians, and crops destroyed by the grasshoppers. Edwin had been away for two years on a mission, and after he returned, he had taken two more wives to support.

Elizabeth’s children were old and of greater help. Three of them were married and she left them behind when she moved to Springville. Of the children, only Oscar Newell, 13, Louisa Melitia, 11 and Caroline, 7 moved to Springville. Almira must have had a harder time. She had more children to feed and care for. It may have been at the time that Almira moved to Springville that Almon Palmer, her son by the first marriage, moved to Nephi, Utah in 1861. Almira’s children by Edwin were then Edward Lucian, 15, Ellen Emerett, 14, Catherine Emeline, 12, Cornelia Dolly, 11, Elisha Franklin, 7, Edwin Lafayette, 4 and Sylvia Almira only months old. F. Walter Cox had given help to his sister Mary in Manti. No doubt Orville had helped her also. She had five children when they moved to Springville.

The hardships had made Almira’s marriage to Edwin an unhappy one and soon after the move to Springville they were civilly divorced. July 14, 1863, Almira married Henry Packard and later she had a daughter, Sophia Olive Packard.

Edwin Lucian Whiting, Almira’s oldest child by Edwin, during the early 1860’s, worked on the farms and in the canyons and wherever he could find work. His half brothers, Albert and Oscar spent much of their time herding cattle east of town. Often the Indians would steal the boy’s lunches and the boys would have to go hungry.”

Almira M. Meacham Whiting – By Ruth M. Killpack

Rewritten in 1955 by Mrs. Ruth M. Killpack

AlmiraMehitableMeacham-California-2

ALMIRA MEHITABLE MEACHAM WHITING was born the 13th day of May, 1824 at Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York. She was the 4th of 11 children born to Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria Ransom of Rochester and Franklin, Vermont.

When the Saints were forced to leave their comfortable homes in Kirtland, Ohio, they took only bedding, clothing and their valuables with them, and went to Far West, Missouri. They were only there a short time when mobs of angry men came and drove them out and burned their homes. They were compelled to flee, and they went on to Lima to join the Saints there. A Mr. Morley was president of the branch. Here they could worship without so much persecution.

On January 3rd, 1845, Almira Meacham married Edwin Whiting, entering into the law of plural marriage as his second wife. Elizabeth Tillotson was the first wife. Almira respected her as the head of the household. Almira’s first husband was Andrew Palmer, by whom she had one son. Edwin and Almira had seven children born to them, 3 girls and 4 boys. At Lima, they were happy for several years in building up the town of Nauvoo, and the Nauvoo Temple.

In the year 1846, Edwin went on a mission to Pennsylvania and upon his return, he took up arms with his brethren to protect his property and the lives of his family. When they were compelled to move west, they went as far as Mt. Pisgah, Iowa. They stayed here long enough to prepare for the journey across the plains. While at this place, the cholera spread through the community taking Edwin’s father, mother, and daughter, Emily Jane. A great many were ill at the same time. A monument has been erected in memory of those who died at this place.

In April 1849, they started westward in Ezra F. Benson’s Company. The journey was long and tiring. They suffered from lack of proper food and clothing. Their cattle were stampeded and stolen by the Indians. After reaching the Black Hills, a heavy snow storm came and for three days they could not go on. Many of their cattle died. President Brigham Young sent men and teams with provisions to relieve their suffering. The company of Pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City late in the fall of 1849. They stayed here a short time until they were called with a few other families to go on and settle on the Sanpitch River, now known as Manti, Sanpete County, Utah. They honored the call of President Young and started on the journey south. They had to build the roads as they went and after three weeks of traveling and hardships, they arrived in the valley on the first day of December, 1849.

They had very little food or clothing with no feed for their cattle and no shelter. The weather was cold with four feet of snow on the ground. They made dugouts to live in on the south side of the stone quarry, beneath where the Manti Temple now stands. As the winter was long and hard, most of the cows and oxen died from cold and hunger. The Indians came and begged continually from their scanty supply of food. They had to divide in order to keep peace with them.

Brigham Young had promised to send supplies but none came. In February, Edwin and Orvil Cox started to Salt Lake on snowshoes, with a little parched corn for food, to report the condition of the people. Aid was immediately sent from Salt Lake to relieve the starving people. In the month of May of 1850, rattle snakes came out of the rocks in great numbers, invading the humble dugouts, coiled in the beds, cupboards and by the fire-place, yet no one was harmed.

For several years, very little was raised and they lived through hardship and poverty. Many times they had to dig sego lilies or gather wild greens for food. The Indians became so hostile that it was necessary to build a stone fort for the protection of the settlers. All of the LDS families lived inside of this wall in small log houses. The large gate was kept locked. Outside the Indians were howling night and day over their dead as many were dying of starvation. When the men went to the fields to work or to the canyon for wood, they carried their muzzle loading rifles with them. Among their experiences was the grasshopper war, all having to join in the fight in order to exterminate the pests.

Nothing was wasted in those days. Children went barefooted until cold weather came, and even the wood ashes were emptied into a large hopper and water poured on top of them to trickle through a small opening in the bottom of the hopper to be used as weak lye for the making of soft soap, and to soften the wash water. They raised broom corn and manufactured their own brooms. Sugar cane was grown to supply them with molasses (sorghum). The tops were used for chicken feed and seed. They raised flax which was treated and woven into cloth. Field corn was made into coarse corn meal, the whole kernel being used. The grain was cut by hand with a cradle, bound into bundles by hand and threshed by placing the bundles on a space of ground which had been smoothed off, then they would drive some of the oxen around and around over the bundles until the kernels of grain were shelled out. It was next winnowed out by hand with the assistance of the wind. The heads of wheat left in the fields by the reapers were gleaned and tied into small bundles by the children. The wool from their sheep was carded and spun by hand into yarn for stockings and mittens, and finer yarn for weaving into linsey sheets and clothing. The girls were all taught to card, spin, knit and weave. All the old clothing was woven into rugs and carpets.

On Christmas night, Grandmother (Almira Meacham Whiting) would make some dough sweetened with molasses. She would roll and cut this into dolls and animal shapes and fry them to a crispy brown. These with some parched corn and sticky molasses candy were used to fill the Christmas stockings hanging in a row on the crude stone mantle.

Almira was a splendid cook and seamstress. She made most of their clothing. When the men’s pants wore out on the seat and knees, she would “fox” them. This was done by cutting into an artistic shape a piece of buckskin or heavy cloth which she sewed onto the right side of the knees and seat of the pants. The pants were sometimes made of buckskin with fringe on the outside seam. If they were unfortunate enough to be out in a rain storm with these pants on, they would shrink up and would have to be stretched to the proper length.

The women wore home-spun dresses, shawls and hoods. Hats were made by making a braid out of oat straw and sewing and shaping it to fit the head. At that time it seemed unwise to go outside in the winter time without a hood or a small shawl over one’s head.

Almira M. Whiting was a midwife and a practical nurse. She was a good neighbor and spent many hours giving loving care to the sick. She was a beautiful woman with a kind and pleasant disposition. She was refined and very ambitious. Her husband, Edwin, was a nursery-man but the climate in Manti was too cold for raising fruit and flowers, so with the permission of Brigham Young, he moved his large family to Springville where he continued his business and then they moved onto the bench which is now Mapleton, Utah.

Edwin Whiting died in Mapleton on the 8th of December, 1890 age 81 and Almira M. Meacham Whiting later went to San Bernardino, California where she died 1 October, 1898, age 74.

Rewritten in April 1955 by: Mrs. Ruth M. Killpack, 939 West 5th North, Provo, Utah. A Great-Great Granddaughter-in-law of Almira M. Meacham Whiting. Source: Lovell Killpack, Orem, Utah

Samuel Tillotson and Sarah Partridge

Samuel Tillotson, son of Joseph Tillotson and Theodosia Young, was born in Farmington, Connecticut on October 4, 1758.

Samuel served as a private in Captain Ezra Whittlesey’s Company, Colonel John Brown’s detachment, in the Revolutionary War. Samuel entered service on Sept 7, 1777 and was discharged Sept 30, 1777. Whittlesey’s Company was raised in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Samuel later served again as a Private in Captain John Collar’s Company, Colonel John Ashley’s (Berkshire County) Regiment. Samuel entered service July 19, 1779, and was discharged Aug 27, 1779 after serving one month, nine days. The company marched to Connecticut under command of Lieutenant Colonel Powel.

Samuel married Sarah Partridge on March 16, 1786. Sarah was born May 15, 1769 in Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Silas Partridge and Abigail Rawson. Sarah and Samuel produced fourteen children. The first three died in infancy, but the remainder lived long enough to marry and produce children.

· Samuel Tillotson was born November 10, 1786 and died July 04, 1791.

· Sarah Tillotson was born July 28, 1788 and died May 4, 1792.

· Daniel Tillotson was born June 25, 1790 and died June 3, 1794.

· Samuel Tillotson was born March 23, 1792 and died August 30, 1869. He married Lucy Dena Jackson.

· Zadock Tillotson was born December 26, 1793 and died April 28, 1859. He married first Susan Caroline Rodgers. Later he married Elmira Benjamin Babcock.

· Daniel Tillotson was born March 25, 1796 in Lee, Massachusetts. He married first Tryphena Hulet on November 23, 1820. They became the parents of Franklin James Tillotson. Later Daniel married three sisters in turn: Harriet Turner on December 2, 1829; Olive Turner on March 6, 1831; and lastly Sally Turner Hulet on January 18, 1862. Daniel died June 3, 1863 in Brunswick, Medina County, Ohio.

· John Tillotson was born May 18, 1798 and died October 18, 1873. He married Adeline Demontank Hitchcock.

· Sarah Tillotson was born March 23, 1800 and died May 25, 1831. She married Cortis Stevens on June 21, 1820.

· Leonard Tillotson was born March 11, 1802 in Tyringham, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. He married Mary Cossitt Thomas on February 27, 1825 in Liverpool, Medina County, Ohio. Mary was the daughter of Seth Thomas and Susan Cossitt. Susan Cossitt was the half-sister of Orpha Cossitt, mother of Roxa Adams, mother of Jane Ann Sexton. Leonard died December 1, 1862 in Brunswick, Medina County, Ohio.

· Polly Tillotson was born May 28, 1804 and died March 20, 1886. She was married twice. She first married John Prichard. Later she married Thomas Dutcher.

· Seth Tillotson was born March 29, 1806 and died March 29, 1865. He married Mary Matilda Curtis.

· Meletiah Tillotson was born October 27, 1809 and died February 18, 1892. She married Lucius Warner.

· Betsey Tillotson was born September 24, 1811 and died April 25, 1852. She married first Elisha Taylor. Later she married a man surnamed Allen.

· Elizabeth Partridge Tillotson was born April 15, 1814 and died February 4, 1892. She married Edwin Whiting.

Solomon Harvey, James Stearns and Henry Parker were the first settlers in Brunswick, Ohio in October and November of 1815. Shortly afterwards in that same year, Samuel Tillotson brought his wife Sarah and younger children to Brunswick. Samuel built a farm on land he purchased from the State of Connecticut. (In those days the District of Ohio was considered an extension of Connecticut.) That farm remained in the Tillotson for four generations until the final owner, Grant Eugene Tillotson, sold it to the Eyssen family in 1927.

In 1817 the residents of Brunswick organized a Methodist Church. Samuel and Sarah Tillotson were among its original members.

The first school house was a log cabin erected on the West line of Brunswick to accommodate families living in the neighboring Liverpool township. Sarah Tillotson (Samuel and Sarah’s daughter) became the first teacher at the young age of seventeen. Sarah had 16 students in 1817.

Samuel Tillotson lived to the ripe old age of 91. He died in Brunswick on December 3, 1848. His wife Sarah had died on April 11, 1846, reaching the age of 77. They are both buried in Westview Cemetery in Brunswick.

The following memoir by Samuel’s great-grandson Grant Eugene Tillotson offers more information about Samuel and Sarah.

“Sarah Partridge was a staunch Methodist, and the first religious meetings in Brunswick, both prayer and preaching, were held at Samuel’s home. Both their names are among the founders of the first church in Brunswick — Methodist of course.

“Sally or Sarah as she became known taught the first school in Brunswick, while her mother, being quite adept with herbs, travelled for miles to alleviate the sick before the advent of a physician. Sarah, the daughter and not the mother, as one might think from the name, was the teacher.

“Samuel Tillotson (1758) came to Brunswick, Medina Co, Ohio, in the fall of 1815, bringing with him his wife Sarah Partridge, his five sons and five daughters, and one daughter-in-law, Susan Caroline Rogers, who had married Zadock in August.

“Two wagons furnished the transportation, one drawn by a yoke of oxen and the other by a span of horses. The men walked and the others either walked or rode as seemed expedient. They brought along a fresh cow that furnished milk and butter for daily use. The cow was milked morning and evening, and the unused portion put in the churn on the wagon, and the rocking and jolting of the wagon churned the milk, so a small bit of butter was found each evening at stopping time. When they went through Cleveland there were only twelve houses, and one of them was a block-house compound, or means of defense.

“They came first to the house of Timothy Doan in Columbia township. The day after arriving at Mr. Doan’s, Samuel and the boys all came on into Brunswick, locating their claims, and Samuel cut the first tree to build the first house in Brunswick. Only Samuel returned to Mr. Doan’s, he going and coming each day to bring food. The boys remained in the woods until the house was completed.

“On returning to Mr. Doan’s the first night, Samuel found that a Mr. Harvey had arrived there with a large family, making nearly 20 people to sleep in a one-room log house. They slept heads out and heels in. Mr. Harvey’s people came right on into Brunswick, and completed cutting logs for a house also. They turned in and helped Samuel “roll up” his house one day and Mr. Harvey’s the next. It was a saying afterward that Samuel Tillotson built the first house but that Solomon Harvey (Sol) rolled the first wheels in Brunswick.

“When they returned to Mr. Doan’s they found Zadock’s wife sick with the measles, which delayed their moving in. They finally came on with the Harveys.”

Women of the Western Reserve (p. 715) says this about Samuel and Sarah:

Brunswick Township is situated in the northern part of Medina County, twenty miles southwest from Cleveland. No railroad has ever invaded this peaceful hamlet. In October, 1815, the families of Samuel Tillotson and Solomon Harvey came to the unbroken wilderness of Brunswick, which up this time had been the undisputed habitation of Indians and wild beasts.

Sarah Partridge became the wife of Samuel Tillotson in 1785, at the age of sixteen. She left her home in Lee, Massachusetts, together with her husband and ten children, the latter part of August, 1815. There was a bonnie bride in the little company, for Susan C, Rogers was married to Zadoc, one of the sons, just before the family started on the long tedious journey. Susan was a sweet singer, and the life and joy of those around her.

The journey was made with two yoke of oxen, a span of horses, and large covered wagons, and occupied six weeks. A cow was tied behind one of the wagons, and after a few days was given her liberty to follow. The journey from Cleveland to Timothy Doan’s, in Columbia, occupied three days, the father and sons being obliged to use their axes in many places to clear the way through the wilderness; here the family remained until their own house in Brunswick was ready to receive them. This was the first house erected in the town, and was built of logs, in the most primitive style. Mrs. Tillotson was the mother of eight sons and six daughters. She was a good nurse and the only physician in the township for two years. She was often called to neighboring towns to attend the sick; with a bag or herbs, and simple remedies, she mounted a horse, and sometimes was absent from home several days on her mission of mercy.

Polly Stearns was the wife of Solomon Harvey. To her belongs the honor of being the mother of the first white child born in Brunswick, and the child was named “George.” Mrs. Sarah Partridge Tillotson was the attending physician. The Harvey family came from Massachusetts, and arrived at Timothy Doan’s, in Columbia, the next day after the arrival of Samuel Tillotson’s family. Their log house was rolled up the next day after the completion of Mr. Tillotson’s house, by the same set of hands, and they had the distinction of moving into town and occupying their house one day before Mr. Tillotson’s family came.

Measles broke out in Mr. Tillotson’s family and they were delayed one day, but the next morning the sick one was wrapped up, and the family came to Brunswick, and moved into their new home.

Source: Saints of Kirtland

Obituary of Elizabeth Partridge Tillotson Whiting

DEATHS

Whiting. February 4th, at Springville, Utah, Elizabeth Whiting; born April 15th, 1814, in Tryingham, Mass. Sister Whiting joined the Church in its infancy, and emigrated to Utah in 1849, with her husband, Edwin Whiting, and a small company she went to Sanpete the same autumn, and Manti was settled by them, and a row of dugouts made on the south side of the stone quarry just below where the Temple now stands. In this lowly home one of her children was born the following spring. Aiding to conquer a new country, with few comforts, fearing all at all times the depredations of the Indians, during the grasshopper famine on Sanpete, the deceased battled alone for her children against grim starvation, her husband being then on a mission to the East.

Transcribed from the online Deseret News, Feb 27th, 1892, pg 24.

Note: Original spelling and punctuation retained.

http://www.lib.utah.edu/digital/unews/dn.html

Edwin Whiting – Beekeeper

In addition to his interests as a nurseryman, Edwin apparently also had some success as a beekeper.

Wayne Johnson, a grandson of Edwin, has sketched items about the house and yard of Edwin, one of them is labeled “Grand Fathers Apiary”, which is a place where bees and their hives are kept, especially a place where bees are raised for their honey.

Two newspaper articles refer to Edwin Whiting and his association with a group known as the “Utah County Bee Keepers Association”. The first one lists Edwin first as one of two Vice Presidents of the group. The lengthy article lists some of their activities and problems with bee keeping. Part of this newspaper article follows.

The article states: “Dear brother: Believing a few words on bee culture would be of benefit to some and feeling an interest in bee keeping, I give you a few of my ideas gained by experience.

“About twenty brethren met in this city on the 12th inst., and organized under the name and style of the “Utah County Bee Keepers’ Association with A. 0. Smoot, President; A. F. McDonald and Edwin Whiting Vice Presidents; L. John Nuttall Secretary, and R. R. Hopkins Treasurer, with near twenty members.”

Source: Deseret News 1870-08-03, Pg. 12, 2nd column

url: http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/desnews2/id/43109/rec/24

The next article refers to “One Swarm kept by Whiting of Springville, Utah Co., paid a profit of $125.00, estimating young bees $25.00 per stand and honey 50c per pound,” Source: Deseret News Online 27 Dec 1870, pg.3. http://digitalnewspapers.org/

Source: Deseret News 1870-12-27, pg 3, column 4. Report on Committees on Bees

url: http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/desnews2/id/44323/rec/1

Mary Ann Washburn

MARY ANN WASHBURN

Mary Ann Washburn was born in November, 1828 in the town of Sing Sing, New York. She joined theMormons and came to Utah when a young girl, leaving her sweetheart behind which was a heartache and sorrow through all her life. She named her youngest son for her first love, Monroe Frink. Arriving in Utah, she married Joseph Noble, but after their second child came, she was separated from him and married Edwin Whiting, my Grandfather. She had two sons, Daniel Abraham, my father, and Monroe Frink. She did very fine hand sewing, especially on temple clothes for herself and others. Her hemming and stitching were unexcelled. She was known to be one of the best house keepers. She was overcome with sorrow when her youngest son, Monroe went away to Arizona among hostile Indians, but was overjoyed at his early return. She had many serious trials and hardships in her life. She died at the age of fifty-four years, October 10, 1882.

By Mary R. Smith

Hannah Haines Brown

Hannah Haines Brown was born in Clumbiana, Ohio, June 21, 1834, daughter of Abia Brown and Abbie Caldwalder. Hardships and trials of early pioneering softened her life, giving her a lovely disposition. She was ever charitable, tolerant, thoughtful of others, sacrificing and joygiving. As a child of fourteen, at the time of Grandmothers death, I cannot recall ever hearing her speak an angry word. Quoting from a letter written in 1843 by her father to his mother, Ann Haines Brown, which I have in my possession, and nearly one hundred years old, he says: My dear little girls are a great help to their mother and me. Jane is taller than Ann, but Ann is quite womanly and trusty, but Hannah is the flower of the flock in every way. She excells her sisters in industry, and if she keeps on will excell in personal appearance. All through her Grandmothers life, she had these chacteristics which make her a sweet and lovable woman. She made this statement that all the other wives of Grandfather were to her as sisters and she loved and respected them in their homes as such.

By Hannah Bird Mendenhall

Author: Jim Whiting

Copy of a letter written to Myra Gertrude Perry from her grandmother Almira M. Packard (Almira Mehitable Meacham) Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. Nov. 8th, 1892

ALMIRA MEHITABLE MEACHAM AND HER FAMILY Compiled by Lovell Killpack 1999

Samuel Tillotson and Sarah Partridge

ALMIRA MEHITABLE MEACHAM AND HER FAMILY
Compiled by Lovell Killpack 1999