Calliser and Phelps Lines

Life History of Thomas Callister

Thomas is married to Mary Lovina Phelps Callister

Thomas is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great grandfather

Thomas Callister, son of John 2nd and Catherine Murphy Callister, was born on the Isle of Man, July 8, 1821. He had no education, except such as his father was able to impart to him around the fireside. Until after he came to Utah where he attended, during one winter a night school conducted by Elder Orson Hyde, in which he acquired the fundamentals of English. At the age of 13 yrs. he was bound out by father for a period of six years, to learn the art of tailoring. In his apprenticeship, he served his full time, and became a skilled workman in his line. In the month of October 1836, his mother passed to the great beyond, and Dec. of the same year, his father followed her.
In the fall of 1840, he heard John Taylor, an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints preach a discourse on the gospel, as taught by that church, which satisfied his soul that it was, in very deed the true gospel, the power of God until salvation, and on March 30, 1841, he saw Elder John Taylor, and there upon began his eventful career in the church. His relatives and former friends did all in their power to induce him to renounce Mormonism, but he declared to them that he knew that it was the truth. He was the only one in his father's family who ever accepted the gospel. He first became acquainted with the teaching of the gospel in a grocery store. While waiting for a salesman to wait on him, he saw a tract left there by some Mormon missionaries. With it was a notice of a meeting to be held that evening. He read the tract, attended the meeting and was converted. John Taylor, later President of the church, and his companion were the two missionaries. He was baptized March 30, 1841 by William Mitchell and confirmed a member of the church by John Taylor. The members of his family were very much opposed to his joining the church and did every thing within their power to get him to change his mind, finally cutting him off from his inheritance. His brother John went so far as to offer him half of his own share if he would renounce Mormonism. Through all this and other similar offers he remained true to the church. Just before sailing they promised him if he would leave the church they would restore his inheritance. On the 9th of January 1842, he bade his kindred farewell and on the steamship Mon's Isle, booked passage for Liverpool, from which port, on the 12th of January 1842, he begun his voyage across the mighty deep on the sailing vessel, Fremont, to cast his lot among the Saints and after a hazardous journey of 84 days, on which he nearly lost his life, he landed in the beautiful city of Nauvoo, on the first day of April 1842. He reached Nauvoo with 50 cents.
He was a devoted friend of the prophet, Joseph Smith, and an ardent believer in all of the principles and doctrines enunciated by him. On August 31, 1945 at Nauvoo, Illinois, he married Caroline Smith, a cousin of the prophet Joseph Smith. On Dec 16, 1845, at Nauvoo he married Helen Mar Clark. In December 1863, he married Mary Lovina Phelps, and on Feb. 14, 1878, he married Carlie E. Lyman. He was the father of 33 children and his descendants, in all number 470, all of whom are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and many of them are filling responsible positions there-in. After the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph, in common with the other Saints of God, they were driven from their homes and beloved temple and city of Nauvoo, the Beautiful. On the morning of Feb 19, 1864, they crossed the Mississippi River on the ice and proceeded to Winter Quarters where they built a small log house which
protected them from the inclement weather. Here he contracted cholera which prevented him from coming to Salt Lake with the first company of pioneers. He left his family at Nauvoo and returned to Missouri to obtain provisions. He sold a beautiful broadcloth coat, the workmanship of his own hands for 100 bushels of corn, which he willingly divided with others. During his absence, a call came from the President of the United States, for 500 volunteers to participate in the war with Mexico, which number was readily furnished. He often said that had he not been seriously ill, he would have been one of the volunteers, but he found plenty to do in caring for those who were left behind. When the time arrived for the saints to take up their march for the unknown west, he exchanged his little log cabin for 6 chickens and a log chain, and made preparations for the long journey. He also had a team of oxen and some milk cows which supplied them with milk for their camps use which proved to be blessing to them. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley Sept 5, 1847, and at once began sub-draining the barren country enduring bravely all the hardships incident to pioneer life. Their principal diet for 3 months consisted of milk and thistle greens, and not a morsel of bread. They overcame all the trials, and lived to see the country blossom as a rose.
He was ordained an Elder in Aug 1842 under the hands of Brigham Young and Orson Hyde. He was ordained to the office of High Priest ???? as Bishop of the 17th ward in Salt Lake City Sept 17, 1855 by presiding Bishop Edward Hunter and served in that capacity for about 6 years. When he reached Salt Lake in Sept 1847, he moved to a 10 acre farm in Mill Creek. The following spring their total supply consisted of one-half bushel of cornmeal, nine pounds of flour and a sack of wheat. He planted the wheat and said that every handful he sowed was with a fervent prayer. It came up beautifully and just before harvest time the crickets came and destroyed half of it, and the seagulls came and devoured the crickets. He was very fond of Military Life, and was an officer as a Colonel in the Nauvoo Legion. On the 13th day of October 1857, he was directed by Brigham Young, to proceed on the following day to Echo Canyon and Fort Bridger, with his regiment and intercept the onward march of an army of the United States, which advisedly had been sent against the citizens of Utah, the culmination of which is known to all the people of Utah. At the same time he received this above order, his infant daughter Isabell was lying at the point of death. He told his devoted wife Helen Mar, that duty called him, and he believed that if he went the child would recover. She answered, go on Thomas, and we will trust in God. The child recovered and is the happy mother of a large posterity.
As Colonel he took an active part in the Walker and Black Hawk Indian Wars from 1853 to 1867. He was all ready, in those perilous times, to answer any call either public or private which came to him from his noble governor and Pres. Brigham Young. He was especially active in all public improvements and gave of his best efforts for the up-building of this great common wealth. He built for himself and family a comfortable home in the 17th ward where with his family enjoyed peace and happiness for a number of years. When in the early part of the year 1861 he received a call from Pres. Brigham Young to move to Fillmore Millard County, he gladly did so. Here he acted as Bishop until March of 1869 when a stake was organized and he was made Stake President. He labored in this capacity until 1877 when he was honorable released because of poor health. However in spite of ill health he was ordained to the office of Stake Patriarch, which office he fulfilled faithfully until the day of his death.
He had the respect of both members and non-members, during his life and also of the Indians. He took an active part in restoring peace among them, and at his funeral the Indian chief, Kanosk paid a tribute to his memory and wept bitterly. He was prominent in civic affairs and served as a member of the Utah Legislature for 14 years. He was also a member of a constitutional convention for the admission of Utah into the union as a state. The kindly feeling with which he watched over the younger endeared him to them and he was beloved by all. In the fall of 1876, he was called to go on a mission to Great Britain and for the special purpose of obtaining a genealogy of his kindred. In this he was very successful and obtained back to and including the 16th century. On his return in 1876 he began a work for dead kindred in the endowment house. He attended the dedication of the St. George Temple in April 1877, and had a earnest desire to labor there, but on account of failing health he did not enjoy that blessed privilege and gradually declined until the end came. Before his departure from the world, he called his family together and blessed them and bore a faithful testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel and divinity of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and exhorted all to remain faithful and true to the principles of the gospel.
On the 1st day of December 1880 he passed away peacefully to the life beyond, surrounded by his devoted family and many sorrowing friends who were left to mourn the loss of one of God's nobleman.

Caroline Smith Callister

Thomas Callister’s 1st wife

Thomas Callister is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great grandfather

When John and Clarissa Lyman Smith’s son George A. was approaching his third birthday, they were blessed with a baby girl. She was born June 6, 1820, in Potsdam, St Lawrence County, New York. They named her Caroline Clara, and gave her loving care and affection, and she grew to be a lovely talented woman.
At the time of her death, her brother, John Lyman Smith wrote to the Desert Weekly on Jan 12, 1895: "I have a faint recollection of hearing long ago that she was partially paralyzed by a lightning stroke when quite a child, from which she never entirely recovered."
Caroline's parents had great faith in their Heavenly Father, trusting and believing in His guidance and overuling power in all the vicissitudes and events of life. Caroline’s heart echoed their beliefs, so she and the other members of the family lived accordingly. Poverty and sickness might be their lot, but God's spirit dwelt in their habitation, and they rejoiced in his mercy and goodness to them.
Caroline’s mother was very devout in her religion, being the first of the large Smith family to embrace the gospel. She was also proud of the Military Men in her family. She often talked of her father Richard Lyman “who served under General Putman in the Revolutionary War and of his daring raids.” His rank was that of an Orderly Sergeant. The General said "If I had a thousand men like Orderly Lyman, I would drive the Red coats out of America in six months.”
Caroline came to Kirtland with her parents in May of 1833, at the age of 13 years and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She went with her father's family when they moved to Farr West, Mo. in the spring of 1838, and they later settled in Adam-ondi-Ahman. She suffered the shock of merciless mobbings, when her family, along with the other saints were driven out of the state. They weren't allowed even to take the crops they had planted and that were ready for harvest. At one time the men were herded together like cattle but finally turned loose by that "old moba-rat" Judge Black, because he could find no other crime against them.
After her family settled in Nauvoo, in a drafty log cabin, Caroline and her brothers, George A. and John Lyman, as well as their father, became very sick with the ague, which lasted most of the winter of l838 and 1839. Her brother, George still sick, left for a mission in September to England with the 12 apostles. As soon as her father was well enough he moved his family to Nashville across the Mississippi River, having been called to preside over the saints on that side of the river.
Caroline was taught to sew, weave, and tailor men's clothing. She was courted by and married to Thomas Callister on August 31, 1845. They made their first home in Nauvoo, where Thomas, being a "good tailor, instructed quite a number of saints in this business, and many of them became skillful, which proved a great benefit to them in the new land they later came to live in. Her brother George A's wives, Lucy M. Smith and Zilpha Stark Smith, were among the number that learned and used it here in Utah extensively. Because Caroline was a very frail woman, her
father John Smith, advised her husband to take another wife to help with the work. Thomas did so and it was John's privilege to seal Helen Mar Clark to Thomas for a second wife. Caroline always did the sewing, spinning, and making of clothing and bedding for the family, and Helen Mar did allthe manual work.
Early in the winter of 1846 she received her blessings in the Nauvoo Temple with her husband. In February, her husband took his families and joined her father's family and crossed the Mississippi River, being among the first teams to do so. They traveled thru slush, mud, rain and snow, suffering many hardships and privations during the 6 month period it took to reach Winter Quarters, where they stopped the dreary winter of 1846. Here in a wagon box her son Thomas Callister Jr., was born. She was sorely afflicted with scurvy and other afflictions brought on by exposure and lack of proper food. She was never able to nurse her babies so thru lack of proper food (their food consisted of course corn meal and a little milk, when they were able to get some from the herd), she lost this baby when it was eight months old. His name is on the pioneer monument in Florence, Nebraska, which was dedicated on September 20, l936. After the baby died, Caroline, still very sick, had never seen her baby's grave. On the 9th of June, 1847, when they started to leave Winter Quarters for the Salt Lake Valley, and as they passed the grave where the baby lay, Helen Mar, Thomas’ second wife, got back of her and raised her from her cot, so that she could get a first and last look at the little grave. They traveled in a company known as the Parley P. Pratt Company. It was composed of 75 wagons. The long tedious journey across the plains caused her to lose her 2nd child, Clarissa. Thus again, Caroline was heartbroken and childless. They arrived in Salt Lake City, 25 Sept 1847. They had met Brigham Young and her brother, George A, who were returning to Winter Quarters. It was at this time that Brigham Young told her father, John Smith, that he was to preside over the pioneer saints in that isolated, though God blessed, valley of the great Salt Lake.
Three of her children died in infancy, namely, Bathsheba, Samuel, and Asahel. Her daughter Philomela died unmarried at the age of 27. Clara was the first child to live to maturity. Her brother George A.’s wife Lucy, records in her diary: " I gave birth to a son (still-born) on Aug 25, 1850, while Mr. Smith went on a mission to found Parowan, in Iron County, so I must go to the Callisters and nurse their baby, as we had no wood, although we had bread stuff, meat and groceries. Then I nursed Sister Caroline's babe for 6 months. Clara is now Apostle Francis M. Lyman's wife and a noble woman she is too, with 7 children 4 sons and 3 daughters. Her sudden death in southern Colorado in 1892 was a shock from which her unfortunate mother never fully recovered.
As Caroline stood by the death bed of her father, Presiding Patriarch, John Smith, holding in her arms her daughter Mary, then 9 months old, the father said: “Caroline, that child shall be the greatest blessing you shall know." The truth of that statement was realized when the death of Clara, left Mary the sole survivor of her eight children to comfort those last declining years and finally close her eyes in death.
After coming to the valley, Caroline's husband took up a farm on the Jordon River when that place was a desert. Here Indians and wild beasts roamed at will. He built a cabin and they lived there a number of years. After moving into Salt Lake City her husband was made Bishop of the l7th ward in 1855, serving 6 years when he was released to go to Fillmore and preside as Bishop there. He was set apart in 1862. He was released Mar 9, 1869 when at a special conference held in the state house at Fillmore, a stake of Zion was organized by Pres. George A. Smith and apostle Erastus Snow, and Joseph F. Smith, with Thomas Callister, as President. Caroline served in the Fillmore ward Relief Society for many years, and was a source of love and encouragement to the sisters of that early day.
One of her grandsons writes the following interesting facts concerning her life: "My grandmother, Caroline Smith Callister, was the only sister of Pres George A. Smith. She was a cripple. She was lame. The cause of her lameness was never explained to me. She had a deep and ardently devoted admiration for her brother, George A. Smith. Because of her lameness he always took her to school in a sled or in a wagon. When neither of these were available he carried her to school. Her affection and admiration for him and her devotion to his memory were among the most angelic characteristics I have ever known one individual to have for another. I too, had a great love for him because of the great affection my grandmother expressed for him so ardently and so frequently, and further after he visited us in my mother's home in Fillmore, he sent me his photograph. I could turn to the picture very quickly if my mother's album could be located. I looked at it often with the greatest pride and joy. Because of her lameness my grandmother never went outside the house except when she made the trip from my mother's house to the house of Aunt "Madie" or back again, in a wagon. As a strapping boy I began carrying her to and from the wagon, and did this as long as she lived when I was near and she made one of these journeys.
My grandmother loved the Bible. The rule of my life was to read to her from this Holy book, especially on Sundays. Many of the Bible stories I know best I learned reading them to her. My vision was so poor that I had to have a companion read to me all thru the grades and to do my high school work in the B.Y. college in Logan and the B.Y. college in Provo. With no help in Ann Arbor when I began my studies at the University of Michigan in the fall of 1891, my work would have been a complete failure had a wise and able doctor not fitted me with glasses.
I still cherish my mother’s family Bible, with it's very large print, because from this now precious book that I used to read to my patient, angelic grandmother, Caroline Smith Callister. She was loved most dearly and tenderly by all the members of my mother's family, and most of her life was lived in our home.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard R. Lyman
Her brother John Lyman Smith, wrote her obituary for the Desert Weekly, dated Jan 12, from which I quote as follows: "She was a true Latter-day Saint, always full of good and wise counsel for all ...She raised an examplary family: her eldest and youngest daughters married sons of Amasa Lyman, and both had large families. All her family preceded her except her youngest daughter, Mary, with whom she lived in Ogden, Utah at the time of her decease. She suffered much, and for the last few years of her life was an invalid, requiring the constant care of her children and grandchildren. She died as she had lived, at noon Jan 8,1895 faithful and true to the end, and has gone to meet the loved ones who have passed before. I am the only surviving brother of the deceased." John Lyman Smith.

History of Mary Lovina Phelps

Mary is married to Thomas Callister

Mary is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great grandmother

Mary was born 27th of September 1845 at Zarahemla, Montrose County Iowa. Her father was Alva Phelps and her mother Margaret Robinson. The Phelps family was among the pioneers who left their home and joined the companies who journeyed to Utah. While they were camped at Winter Quarters the call came for men to join the Mormon Battalion. Mary's father prepared to go with them. Her mother Margaret was sick in bed in a wagon and as the men marched away, they raised her up in bed so she could wave good bye to her husband. Mary's father died on the march and was buried on the banks of the Arkansas River. She was about a year old. They traveled on to the Salt Lake Valley where she lived until she was 7 years old. Her folks were called to go help settle Fillmore Utah. In Fillmore she met Thomas Callister and they were married in 1860 in the endowment house in Salt Lake City. She was his third wife.
Thomas' responsibilities were many. He was president of the Millard Stake, government agent for the Indians, first Utah State Legislator and held these positions for years. During this time he filled an LDS Mission to England. With all these duties he was not permitted to be home much of the time and he had four families. Mary practically raised her family alone. They had 11 children. She and her family spent the winters in Fillmore and in the spring they would go to Meadow Creek where they farmed. It was here that Mary with the help of Clara and Mary would make cheese and butter to be taken to Salt Lake each fall by team, which always took a week or ten days to make the trip. They brought back with them supplies for the winter.
They lived in a very humble home. The walls were kept clean with white wash. The bedding was cared for so it would be clean when the Apostles came to their place to stay, as they did at conference time. They spent a lot of time at Mary's home. The women spent days baking and preparing food.
After a lingering illness Thomas died 1 Dec 1880. Their oldest living child was then only sixteen and the youngest one year. Mary stayed in Fillmore and continued working summers on the farm for a little over three years when she married Horace Holt, a Major in the Civil War. They moved to Beaver Bottoms on a stock ranch.
One summer she took her family into the mountains to take care of the sheep. They lived in a little log shack with factory nailed over the windows and the door would hardly close. Two of the boys were out on the mountain side with the sheep when they came upon an old mining camp and Orson picked up a dynamite cap. He picked the end of it and it exploded and took off part of his hand. He rushed home to his mother. She took him on a horse with her and they rode ten miles to the nearest neighbor who took them to a doctor about 50 miles away. The rest of the children were left alone at the cabin Margaret being the oldest there was only 13 and the baby only 2 would go on the horse with them each day to tend the sheep. They were left alone for several days and spent the nights in terror as they could hear mountain lions near their cabin and there was no one to protect them. Grandmother was endowed with the gift of healing. Where ever there was sickness she was always there to help. During the time she was a widow, a diphtheria epidemic broke out in Fillmore and all the children were sick at one time. During their sickness she left their room for something and when she returned her oldest son, Alva asked her why she had dressed after having her white night gown on. She told him she had never been undressed for some time. She went to all the beds and each child asked her the same question. When she came to Ina's bed, the oldest child, she said to her mother," Father was just here and said for you not to worry we would all get better." From that time they started to get better and were soon well again. Another time she was called in the night to go help take cared of a young man who they said had died. When grandmother arrived she noticed something that made her wonder if he was dead, so she got a mirror and held it close to his lips and saw that he was still breathing. She started to work with him and soon had him breathing much better and in a short time he was up and well again. During the flu epidemic she went day and night and would come home long enough to look through the window at her family to see if they were alright.
In 1890 they moved to Oakley Idaho. Here she farmed with her boys for about two years and then went back to Nevada with her husband, Major Holt. After his death she came back to Idaho. She came to Blackfoot in 1900 where she resided the rest of her life. She acted as mid-wife for many years and also did nursing. When the children were older she worked in the Primary and was an active member of the Relief Society for many years.
Mary passed away on the 8th of March, 1928 at Groveland, and was buried in the Groveland Cemetery (in Idaho).

History of Margaret Elida Callister

Margaret is married to William Elison

Margaret is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ grandmother

I was born the 5th of Aug 1874, at Fillmore, Millard Co, Utah. I was the fourth daughter and eighth child in a family of eleven children. My parents were Thomas Callister and Mary Lovina Phelps. They were married Dec 1863 and she was father's second wife. I was baptized on my birthday when I was 8 years old by my half brother Thomas C Callister and confirmed the same on the banks of the river where I was baptized. I was later re-baptized by John L Smith when I was 16 years old.
I first attended school in a little brick schoolhouse where my Aunt Deliliah King Olsen was the teacher. Later on when about 12 years old, I attended the Filmore Academy and stayed with my grandmother Phelps. Many times I have heard her relate her experiences of crossing the plains and how she heard the song Come Come Ye Saints sung for the first time. Now that I am older I wish I had written down the stories she told. I also attended Primary in Filmore and learned to love the Primary work under our fine president Susanna Robinson.
About the year 1866 dyptheria broke out in the town of Filmore. People were dying every day and they were about to close school. Our Prof. Hickman requested the whole school to fast and pray for the school not to close. We did and as a result the school did not dose and there were no more cases of dyptheria. This was quite a testimony to me and I never forgot it
My father died when I was 6 years old. In 1885 my mother married Major Horace Holt and we moved to Beaver Valley, Utah. Here the folks ran a big ranch with cattle and sheep. I stayed with them during the summers and went back to Filmore during the winters. In Filmore I stayed with my grandmother and went to school. I also took part in all the church activities and duties.
In 1891 we moved to Oakley, Idaho on a farm and it was here I met my husband, William Elison. After an acquaintance of about 8 months, we were married on 3 February 1892 at Oakley, Idaho, at my mother's home by Bishop John L Smith. In November 1902 we went to the Logan Temple and had our endowments and our children Eva, Marvin, Horace, Stanley and Mary sealed to us.
When Stanley was born in April 1898 I took childbed fever and was very sick and as I lay there I seemed to have my grandmother by my bedside. She was walking back and forth and she told me twice to have the Elders called in but as it was in the nighttime I thought I had better wait till morning. When she told me the third time to do so or it would be too late, I asked my husband if
he would get the Elders for me. He said wait til morning and I said that would be too late. So he got Elder Curtis and John L Smith and they administered to me and rebuked the disease. They promised I would get well and it has been a testimony to me all my life.
In the fall of 1896 we took the three children and went down to the Muddy Valley in Utah with the team and wagon and spent the winter with my folks.
We moved to Blackfoot, Idaho in March 1900 and took up a farm of 23 acres west of Blackfoot where we lived seven years. Here is where five of our children were born, Ina, Agnes, Rella, Wilford and Ada.
While living in Blackfoot I served as the Primary President for 6 years. I also worked in the Sunday School and as a Relief Society teacher at the same time. Ada was born in November and 23 December 1907 we moved out to Groveland. We bought 40 acres a mile north of the Groveland townsite.
While living on the farm there in Groveland, Golden, Bernell, and Veleta were born and Marvin went on a mission to the Kansas City, Missouri mission. Again served as a Primary President and Relief Society teacher and later a counselor in the Relief Society. Then for several years both my husband and I suffered from ill health and the doctor told him he would have to quit work for awhile. In June 1927 we went to Logan Utah but he continued to get worse and passed away 8 Nov 1927 of cancer of the stomach.
While we were in Logan and both lay sick and thought we would both die in a dream I saw a beautiful home which seemed to be for me. So, I knew that I would not die, I also was shown how my husband would have to suffer before he died and it was almost more than I could stand.
In 1928 I came back to Groveland and sold the farm and bought five acres across the street from the EN Bingham place with a three room house on it. Here we lived for 8 years and while there Golden went on his mission to the Coastal states and Ada, Wilford, Bernell and Veleta were all married.
In the spring of 1938 I went to Idaho Falls and took care of Valetta for 6 weeks when her baby was born. From there I went to my daughter Mary who was suffering from heart trouble and while there was called to Provo where my daughter Agnes and her husband had been in a wreck and he was killed and she lay unconscious for days. I spent about a year in helping bring her back to a normal life.
I have had many testimonies through the administering of the Elders which has helped me along life's pathway. And, all my life I have helped in nursing the sick and needy.

Autobiography of Orson Pratt Callister

Orson is a brother to Margaret Elida Callister

Margaret is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ grandmother

I am Orson Pratt Callister. My father was Thomas Callister, son of John Callister and Catherine Murphy. Father was born 8 July 1821 on the Isle of Man, England. He accepted the Gospel in 1841 and in January 1842 emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois. His brother offered him half of his business if he would stay but he chose to come to Zion. For this his family disowned him for a time.
My mother was Mary Lovina Phelps, daughter of Alva Phelps and Margaret Robinson. The first Phelps came to America about 1620. Mother's folks were converts to the Gospel. Grandfather Phelps joined the Mormon Battalion July 1846, and died while serving in this army 16 Sep 1846. He was buried on the banks of the Arkansas River. Grandmother spent the winter with her three children, Juliaett, Walter, and Mary Lovina, my mother, at Winter Quarters living in a dugout. The following summer she married William Bridges and with him and her three children crossed the plains, finally locating in Fillmore, Utah. A daughter, Margaret, was added to the family but she died as a child.
I am the 10th child and 5th son of my parents, and I was born 2 Dec 1877 at Fillmore, Utah. My father worked at farming and stock raising, and other things. He died of pneumonia 1 Dec 1880 when I was just three years old. Before he died, he called his family around him, blessed them, and told them to always prove true to the principles of the Gospel. My only memory of him is going into breakfast one morning and having him give me a biscuit covered with jelly.
Father left us 2 ½ acres of land with a comfortable brick home on it in Fillmore and 14 acres of land, a house and lot in Meadow Creek. He gave my oldest brother, Alva, a mare and instructed him to give the first mare colt to my brother William, and should this colt grow up and have a mare colt, it was to be given to me. I in turn was to give a mare colt to Walter. I got my colt and from it came most of the horses I used during many years of farming. One was Nellie which was our standby when my family was growing up.
We lived in Fillmore until my mother married Major Horace Holt in March 1884. He was not a member of the Church and a little bitter against it. We moved to Beaver Bottoms, Utah, where 7 Jan 1885 Nester Holt, the only son of this marriage, was born.
Beaver Bottoms was about 60 miles west of Fillmore. It was rather a desolate place 15 miles below Milford, the closest town or school. There were no trees in sight. Mr. Holt had a ranch of about 360 acres, mostly meadow grass watered from the Beaver River which would dry up around the last of July when he cut his hay. Mother called the family around her and had a prayer. She also helped us all she could to get some learning. As soon as we were big enough to ride a horse we rode and looked after cattle.
I have lingering, fond memories of my experience at Beaver Bottoms. We moved from Fillmore there in a wagon. All of our family were together except my sister, Ina, who had married. On our trip we stayed one night at Peter Robinson's, my mother's Uncle. We arrived at our destination the next day. Mr. Holt was there and met us with a big bucket of milk. All of us kids enjoyed it.
Here Mr. Holt owned the ranch which had a large four-room house with two hallways and a fireplace. We boys had ponies and guns and spent many enjoyable hours hunting. We would go to the marshes and shoot wild ducks and were often chased out by the Indians. They would come to our house and demand food but mother was not afraid. We hunted wildcats and coyotes. The latter were so thick that we would poison two with the same bait. We helped tend the large herd of cattle.
Mother had traded our Fillmore property for two horses; our Meadow Creek property for 200 sheep. We boys spent the next four years herding the sheep.
In 1885 on one of my trips back to Fillmore I was baptized by James Melville, and confirmed by Thomas Clark Callister. I was baptized in what was called the Mill Race. The meeting house, where the records were kept, was later burned and so at fourteen I was re-baptized by Charley Haight at Oakley, Idaho.
Our home wasn't always a pleasant place as Mister Holt had some of his miner friends around most of the time. They were rough men and Mother objected to them being in our home. In 1888 she left my step-father and took us children with her to Snake Valley, Nevada, some 100 miles west. The older boys farmed and I herded sheep with my younger brother, Walter.
I was about ten years of age. I spent many hours alone herding these sheep. The coyotes were so thick they would attack the sheep two or three at a time. We built a large corral with a high pole fence where we would put the sheep at night to keep them away from the coyotes. One time two of them pounced onto the little flock at one time. I was afraid of them so stayed on the far side of the sheep and threw rocks at them until I frightened them away. We often listened to Mountain Lions roaring at night.
One time when we were herding in the mountains, about three miles from camp, we came to a deserted miner's cabin. In some trash outside, I picked up a box which contained what looked like twenty-two shells. There were nineteen in the box. I took one and told my brother that the cartridge would look nice on the end of my pencil. So I proceeded to take a pin and pick the contents out. The contents proved to be dynamite. It exploded in my hand, blowing away my first two fingers, half of my thumb, and part of my left hand. It bled heavy squirting two streams of blood to the ceiling of the cabin. One time when my brother Will and I were cutting wild sage with our pocket knives, Will ran his knife into his leg and cut a blood vessel. He tied a handkerchief around his leg above the cut so he would not bleed to death. I remembered this so when I hurt my hand I tied a handkerchief around my wrist to stop the flow of blood, or I suppose I might have bled to death. I was eleven years old at this time, and Walter was 10.
We drove the sheep the three miles back to camp where mother and the two girls were. Leaving the sheep with my older sister, Juliaett, and my brother, Walter, Mother, Elida, and myself rode horses 12 miles down to the Catchem Ranch. We sent for Alva and waited there until he came with a team and wagon and took us the 60 miles to Ely, Nevada, where the nearest doctor was. He had to change teams as it took a day and a night to make the trip. The doctor was Doctor Campbell. We stayed there one week, I had told Mother that a sharp rock had fallen on my hand and mashed it. This was a falsehood but I was afraid she would punish me if she knew I had been fooling with dynamite. This probably saved my hand because later when the hand was healed I confessed to the doctor that it was torn by dynamite. He said had he known that at the time he would have cut most of my hand away in order to get all the powder and copper out.
When I got home, I continued to herd the sheep. Alva had built a log house at Cane Springs. We stayed there one year when Mother and Mr. Holt decided to try living together again so we moved back to Beaver Bottoms. We had quite a time crossing the desert as the snow was about gone and no water for the hundred miles. (Spring 1889)
The next winter, I told Mother I was going to school. She objected saying she couldn't get along without me. But when she saw I was determined, she gave her consent. I was then twelve years old. At Fillmore I stayed with Grandmother Phelps (Bridges) and enrolled in school. I didn't have money to pay my tuition so I got the job of janitor for the school and got three months schooling. Mother had taught me some and I was put in the Third Grade. Mother sent for me as she had traded the sheep for cattle and needed me to look after them. I rode a horse bareback for the 60 miles. I reached home on the evening the cattle were turned loose on the range. There was lots of mud holes. We had to keep the stock out of them. It kept us riding most of the time. Sometimes we would see as high as 20 coyotes in a bunch. We trapped lots of them. There was a 50-cent bounty on them. We couldn't sell the hides at all. I stayed in the hills with Alva lots of the time. Didn't stay home much. We got out posts and looked after the stock.
My step-father had become involved in a lawsuit that dragged on for many years. Although he won the suit, because it was so drawnout, it broke him. It resulted from an oral agreement Mr. Holt had with a Mr. Horth. The latter would buy calves, bring them to Mr. Holt's ranch and Mr. Holt would raise them, since he harvested considerable hay, then they would divide the proceeds. After they had about two hundred calves, Mr. Horth asked to move them to another ranch, which he did, and then instructed Mr. Holt to stay away. Mr. Holt put on a six-shooter, and with the point of the gun took the cattle back to his ranch. For this he was arrested, and remained in jail overnight. He then entered suit against Mr. Horth. After losing everything as a result of this lawsuit, Mr. Holt went to Southern Nevada to mine.
Mother moved our family to Oakley, Idaho, a distance of 500 miles to the north. We boys drove the stock all the way on this trip. When we got within 20 miles of Oakley, Mother and the folks left another boy, Will Hickerson, and I to bring the cattle on foot. On the way we got hungry and having nothing to eat, we would milk right into our mouths and got by until we reached a stock ranch where they took us in for the night. Arrived in Oakley May 29, 1890.
While at Oakley we rented a farm and raised hay and grain for two years. During the winter Walter and I through doing the janitor work got another three weeks of schooling at the Oakley Academy. In 1892 Mother decided to go to Southern Nevada where my step-father lived, a distance of 600 miles. We started the second day of November, with two wagons and teams, 20 head of horses and 40 head of cattle. When we were out on the desert, just before we reached Deep Creek, a distance of 10 miles. Here we had to buy hay and stay over two days until the roads were opened. Continuing our journey after two days more we crossed over the mountain or divide into Snake Valley and stayed there, putting the cattle on the range or desert for the winter.
I got a job of feeding cattle till January. Then I started to school again and had only gone a week when my brother Will got a chance to cut posts so I quit school and went with him, and later worked around until September.
We lost some of our horses that winter but the cattle got through the winter just fine. We left in September for Moapa, Nevada, a distance of 400 miles. On this trip we suffered for the want of water as we had to depend on water holes along the way, and sometimes they were dry. We were about four weeks on the road. When within a mile of our destination one of the tugs on the lead horse came unhitched and my brother Walter went to hitch it and the wheeler horse stomped him and broke his leg. That crippled him for life, because we were unable to get to the doctor.
We found my step-father on a piece of ground covered with mesquite and cats Claw, which we cleared off in the next year or two and planted vineyards and orchards. While I was in the Moapa Valley, I met Annie Francella Jones or Overton.
I had been away for one summer working in the mines and hauling mail and when I returned, my mother owing to ill health, desired to go back to Oakley, Idaho, leaving my step-father in Nevada.
Our trip back to Oakley, Idaho, was long and tedious. We had four work horses and a saddle horse to take back. On the way we pulled our horses so hard from overloading that we did well to get through. The horses became so worn out crossing the hot desert that we had to trade horses to go on. When we got to Lake Valley, Mother while standing on the wagon box making the bed fell backward hurting her back, so we had to lay over a week, and here we had to sell our saddle horse to get means to go on with. We found mother was not able to travel by wagon, so we traded a gun to a stage driver so he would take her to Humbolt Wells, Nevada. I had to go with her to take care of her. When the boys did not get in the next morning, I went back and found them stuck in the sand.
Leaving Humbolt we got on the wrong trail or road which was a rough emigrant trail, taking us off our course. When within 15 miles of the first ranches our team gave out. I left the folks and went on foot to one of the ranches where I got a team. When we arrived back at that ranch, I found my sister Elida and her husband, William Elison, there to meet us. They helped us into Oakley.
After settling there Walter and I took a contract to haul wood. While coming down a steep mountain Walter's load overturned and rolled on top of him breaking his wrist. When we finished that contract I spent the rest of the winter working at the sawmill and got enough furniture to make our home comfortable. The next summer we worked around on the farms. During the winter I went to school another two months which was all the schooling I had. I was told I could have passed the eighth grade if I had continued.
I then took a job herding sheep for $45.00 a month, which went mostly for mother's support for three years. Working away like I did I had no social life, which made it hard for me to mix with people when I was able to go to amusements, as I was then in my early twenties. And I have felt the lack of this social contact all my life. However, during this time, I read many books including the Bible and other church works. I also studied Arithmetic and U.S. History, thus adding to my meager learning.
During my early twenties, Walter and I bought 20 acres of land, and when we decided to move to Blackfoot, we disposed of this land, and in so doing I got my first experience in dealing business. I gave the man a deed with a verbal contract for three teams weighing not less than eleven hundred each, but I only got six small ponies weighing seven to nine hundred each.
It was 1900 when we moved to Groveland, four and one-half miles northwest of Blackfoot, Idaho. Walter and I bought 160 acres of sagebrush land for one thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars. We deeded 15 acres to Mother and built her a three room house on her land. We sold 45 acres to Juliaett's husband, Clarence Carson, and divided the other hundred acres. Walter took the west 50 and I took the east. The first year Walter ran the farm and I returned to Oakley and herded sheep for James Port to provide us with operating money. I worked there for one year and then returned to the farm. I found there was no sale for anything, so went back to shearing and herding sheep for Dr. Given out at Lost River for about a year.
I was present when the Groveland Ward was organized 1 Feb 1903 when Adam Yancey became the first Bishop. The following August, 2nd, the Y.M.M.I.A. was organized and I was chosen President with Orval Yancey as first assistant, Samuel H. Chapman as second assistant, and Walter Callister as secretary. Other officers were Asa Bagley, John Bagley, Joseph F. Jensen, and G.W. Hammond. I was ordained an Elder 6 Sep 1903 by William M. Dye.
I worked again for Dr. Givens at Shoshone, Idaho most of the year of 1904. But that fall I received a call to go on a mission to the Southern States. I did not know how I could get the money to go but I accepted the call. I got the money by putting a bigger mortgage on the place, and left 7 Jan 1905 for Salt Lake City. I received my endowments in the Salt Lake Temple, and left for Southern States Mission, arriving at Chattanooga, Tennessee, headquarters, in Feb 1905. I had few experiences I would like to be a part of this history:
"One experience happened my first night out from headquarters. I had ridden the bus and stage and was walking my last miles into Potters Mills. It was dark and I still had several miles to go. I had a dreadful headache, was tired and cold. I knelt down and told the Lord I was there serving Him and needed His help. It seemed as if a voice told me to go to the first light -I did - was welcomed in, given supper, and a comfortable bed.”
"Another happened during a Sunday School at Cyclone, Wayne County, Tennessee. The Supt. and others seemed uneasy and finally, he put a coat on his sister and told her to hurry out and go home. Then all left the building. Outside was a group of ruffians, swearing and cursing the Elders. I stood there and with my hand in back pocket quiet but unafraid. Finally the men left abruptly. I believe they thought I had my hand on a gun in my pocket.”
"At another appointment for a meeting, we found benches barring the door to the building and willow sticks poked into the ground approaching the entrance - I suppose as a warning to us not to proceed with the meeting. We moved the benches, sat on the steps, and whittled up all the willows and piled them in a pile. No one came so we went on our way.”
"Another time in the Mission, I came down with chills and fever after attending a meeting. I was told I couldn't travel and would need a lot of medicine. But I told them the Lord had called me and would help me. My companion administered to me and I was healed and able to go on my way."
I enjoyed my mission and after laboring 28 months was released 30 April 1907 and returned home. There was no one to meet me at the train as the folks, Mother and Nestor, were down in Overton, Nevada, called there by the death of my step-father, and they lived there about two years.
I was home four days, then went out to Lost River, made $200, came back home, paid Alva $75 I had borrowed from him, and the first part of July went to Moapa Valley, Nevada where the folks lived.
For several years I had been writing to Annie Francella Jones. I went to see her again. Then we were married 21 Aug 1907 in the Salt Lake Temple.
We reached Groveland with only fifty cents to our name. We lived on the farm in one room of the house we boys had built for Mother, and I worked around at different things until the beet dump opened in the fall, when I got a job on the dump. During the late fall and winter I worked on the lavas, getting out 40 cord of wood and 1500 pests, which we sold for things we needed to fix up the house. Also had to grub the sagebrush off about half our ground.
On 25 May 1908 our first child was born, Francella Johanna. In 1909, my wife went back to Nevada for a visit, and while there our first son (Orson Pratt, Jr.) was born 28 Aug 1909, at Overton, Clark County, Nevada. Our second daughter was born 10 May 1911 in a home on the Groveland townsite.
We built a two-room house in 1912 on the north part of our place, one and one-half miles straight north from the ward meeting house. We dug a well there, and it sure seemed good to get into our own home. Our two sons, Eldon Jones, and Thomas Hyrum, were born in our new home -Eldon 23 March 1914 and Hyrum14Feb1916.
About 1917, there were some of the folks at Fillmore, singing praises of the country down there with it flowing wells. It took sometime for me to convince my wife to sell our home and move. Apostle Frances M. Lyman came up to attend Conference about the time we were thinking of moving and Bro. Lyman said if we would take his advice, we would never move. But we couldn't see it that way. So we sold our place for $6500 and moved to Fillmore, Utah, in the spring of 1917.
We bought 80 acres of sagebrush land at Flowell, about seven miles west of Fillmore. In summer we lived in a tent, had to clear the land, and then dug two flowing wells to water the land. This cost $1600. We had all the water we wanted the first year, but the wells went dry the second year so we had to move off. Our son, Rulon Jones, was born at Fillmore 28 Aug 1918.
Alva and I hauled timber from the hills above Fillmore in the winter of 1917. As we were coming down a gulch in the early evening, I traveled under some trees which loosened the brake. The load started the team on the run. I was thrown from the wagon and lit with my hip against the hub of the wheel and my knee in solid ground so I could not move. But just then Kitty fell over the tongue and stopped the wagon instantly. Alva came back and had to use an axe to loosen the dirt around my knee so I could move it. We helped Kitty get up and proceeded on our way. Although I had a lame back for sometime, I have always felt the Lord saved my life.
In the spring of 1919 we moved over to Delta area, rented 220 acres of land at Abraham, and put in 120 acres of sugar beets. They got blighted and only averaged five tons to the acre. We lost money on the deal.
We moved into Delta to spend the winter 1919-20. The last of January (1920) we all come down with the influenza. Francella developed pneumonia and had pus on her lungs. I took her to Salt Lake City to the hospital to have the pus removed. She was healed through faith and administration and did not have the operation.
That spring I came to Idaho to shear sheep and the folks came up in July. We rented a house till the next spring, when we went to Moreland, Idaho, and bought 30 acres from Frank Halverson for $7000 where we farmed for four years. The farm did not have a house on it so we lived in town. Then the Stanrod Bank failed taking our year's house rent money with it, and prices fell so low that little was received for our crops so we lost the farm. While in Moreland, Marion Jones and Lovell J. were born -6 June 1921 and 21 Aug 1923.
We bought 40 acres just one-half mile northwest of the Groveland meetinghouse. This became our family home for twenty-four years. At first there was just a three-room house with a screened porch. But a few years later we had made an addition to the house, had planted lawn and trees, had flower gardens and vegetable garden.
Mother stayed with us for five months, then went to stay with her daughter, Elida Elison. She died a week later-9 March 1928. In 1931, my wife's mother stayed with us from June until October when she passed away. In 1939 I underwent an operation for double hernia, due to which I was laid up for several months.
I was active in church wherever I lived. Shortly after I returned from my mission, I was chosen again as Pres. of Y.M.M.I.A. I served for a few months until 31 May 1908, when I was sustained as Supt. of the Sunday School which position I held for nine years, being released 29 April 1917 when we moved to Utah. While in Fillmore, I was a member of the High Council. I was ordained a High Priest there by Elder David O. McKay. In May 1930 I was chosen as First Counselor to Bishop Joseph F. Jensen, which position I held for ten and one-half years, till Sep 1940. During the winter of 1941-42 I was a Stake Home Missionary. I was Scoutmaster for six years in Groveland before serving in the Bishopric. I served in other positions in Scouting also. Was chosen as a ward teacher in 1920 and have served since that time. Along through the years we have put four of the boys through college and one girl for a year at college. We also kept Orson on a mission to Canada for two years, and at this date, Sep 1942 Marion is laboring in the California Mission. Lovell is the only one I have to help me on the farm this summer, and he has been away to school most of the time. Through the Officers Reserve Force, he hopes to be able to finish his schooling, but he may be called to War at any time.
The rest of the family are married and have families of their own, namely:
Francella -married Golden H. Hale 2 Oct 1940.
Orson - married Edna Hale 20 Sep 1935.
Lila - married Dwayne Jolley 24 Sep 1930.
Eldon - married Beth Hutching 29 Aug 1940.
Hyrum - married Idonna B. Porter 30 Jan 1938.
Rulon - married Margaret Smith 11 April 1938.
Orson P. Callister September 1942.
Additional Notes.
Marriages:
Events:
Honors:
Marion Jones - married Nina Lynn Hayes 7 June 1946 Lovell J - married Lois Ann Sowers 2 May 1947.
Three of the boys did go to serve their country in World War II: Marion, Lovell, and Rulon. In 1944, Father broke his leg and it never did heal. He wore a brace. 18 Nov 1949, he purchased the home on the townsite north of school. After selling the farm, he became an ardent fisherman. Kept up his flower and vegetable gardens until 89 years old. He really loved to share his products.
He continued his Ward Teaching until the last year of his life. He helped with the Scouting program in Primary. In 1962 there was a flood which filled the basement of his house. He had an operation which the doctors diagnosed as cancer but he was blessed and seemed to overcome it.
He received two awards for Scouting: "Friend of Boys" and "FifteenYears of Scouting." These were plaques. On Father's Day, 1959, he was awarded the Honorary Master M Man Award for his "Service to Youth." We had a reception for him on his 90th birthday. His passing: When Mother passed away he said, "Don't get any ideas about my moving in with anyone. I have my own home and I will live in it." He did until October 1968, when he moved to Orson's home. He could not have cared for himself so long without Edna's cooked meal every day. He passed away 29 Jan 1969 at the age of 91. Buried in Groveland Cemetery (in Idaho). He would be surprised at the size of his family now, with 50 grandchildren and more than eighty great-grandchildren.
Write you own tribute to Father after you have read his story.
F.H. 1976