Pioneer Heritage

[Sleeping in EQ]

I feel the pioneer heritage bug every now and then. When I was in Iowa City last week, I purchased a book on the handcart pioneers. To my surprise, my great grandfather's grandfather was in the book. He was a member of the first handcart company--The Ellsworth Company--in 1856.

I also have pioneer ancestors who were in Brigham Young's Company in 1847, the Gully/Spencer Company in 1849, the McGaw Company in 1852, and the Canfield Company in 1862.

Do you have ancestors in any of those companies?

What about in other companies?

I love the Church's pioneer search: http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/lib...1-2068,00.html.

My mother and her immediate family are first generation converts--a fact of which I am proud--but on my dad's side we go back to my great grandfather's grandfather, who was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in 1831.

[Commando]

Nice link!

I'm down w/ the Ezra T. Benson company-- 1849.

[Flystripper]

I feel the pioneer heritage bug every now and then. When I was in Iowa City last week, I purchased a book on the handcart pioneers. To my surprise, my great grandfather's grandfather was in the book. He was a member of the first handcart company--The Ellsworth Company--in 1856.

I also have pioneer ancestors who were in Brigham Young's Company in 1847, the Gully/Spencer Company in 1849, the McGaw Company in 1852, and the Canfield Company in 1862.

Do you have ancestors in any of those companies?

What about in other companies?

I love the Church's pioneer search: http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/lib...1-2068,00.html.

My mother and her immediate family are first generation converts--a fact of which I am proud--but on my dad's side we go back to my great grandfather's grandfather, who was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in 1831.

I am not sure what company my ancestry was in but I do have a direct ancestor in Zion's camp. He died of cholera so he must have been one of the unrighteous ones. RIP Eber Wilcox

[Indy Coug]

My mother and her immediate family are first generation converts--a fact of which I am proud--but on my dad's side we go back to my great grandfather's grandfather, who was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in 1831.

Why would there be any pride/shame associated with how recently our ancestors joined the church? I'm not posing this question strictly to SIEQ because I've seen this sentiment expressed by others in the past.

[SCcoug]

Why would there be any pride/shame associated with how recently our ancestors joined the church? I'm not posing this question strictly to SIEQ because I've seen this sentiment expressed by others in the past.

We need a summon FMcoug.

[Flystripper]

Why would there be any pride/shame associated with how recently our ancestors joined the church? I'm not posing this question strictly to SIEQ because I've seen this sentiment expressed by others in the past.

I am not proud. Only the murmurers were killed by cholera in Zion's camp. Maybe the murmurer gene was passed down to me.

[Indy Coug]

As a more direct response to the thread, I have one ancestor that was the first missionary to Iceland and was part of a group of Icelandic saints that settled in Spanish Fork. I don't know off the top of my head when they came (somewhere between 1860 and 1890) and if they can be classified as "pioneers" or not by whomever is keeper of the definition of the term "pioneer". My wife's side has ancestors that were part of the initial group of pioneers that arrived in Utah in 1847.

My wife and I both also have grandfathers that were converts. My grandfather eventually joined the church after meeting my grandmother on a long bus ride from Iowa to Washington DC shortly before WWII.

[venkman]

That's a cool link, SIEQ. I know I have some ancestors who joined in the 1830's and 1840's. I believe one of them was baptized by the Prophet. I think they came across in 48. I'll have to check on that.

That's pretty much my paternal grandmother's side. The other 3/4 were converts from England, Scandinavia, Germany who I believe emigrated in the 1850's and 60's.

To answer Indy, yes, I feel a pride. I read their journals and hear their stories and am in awe of the dedication they showed and the suffering they endured for the cause. It makes me want to live up to their legacy. As a native Utahn, I also appreciate the hard work they put in to build this state. From farming, ranching, mining, etc, they built this state by the sweat of their brow.

I supposed what I feel would be similar if I had a relative that fought in the American revolution or stormed the beaches at Normandy.

Also, I don't think it makes me better than any of the more recent converts. I don't feel a smugness; and I hope others don't take it that way.

[LA Ute]

What a great site. I found one ancestor in the 1847 group who made the trek again 10 years later. He must've liked camping.

I also had another one who made it three times, twice as a returning missionary. I guess they hitched rides to get back to Utah. This ancestor was the company clerk on his first trip and so his journal is on the web site too, which is a terrific find.

I had no idea so many people made multiple trips.

Then there were a bunch of my folks in the "unidentified companies 1848" group.

My mom was a convert too, and a pioneer in her own way as well - she got thrown out of her family for joining. In my view, when it comes to courage and sacrifice, it's not when you did it, it's what you did that counts.

I'm going to spend a lot of time nosing around this index. Thanks, SIEQ.

[Commando]

Nice link!

I'm down w/ the Ezra T. Benson company-- 1849.

ah snap! found a grandparent on the other side of the family that, at age 18 went w/ the Brigham Young company in 1848 800 miles to Pacific Springs to help his sister's family, then turned around and went back to Winter Quarters, then bombed out to Utah the next year w the Allen Taylor Co. I got some badasses in my ancestry!

[il Padrino Ute]

I feel the pioneer heritage bug every now and then. When I was in Iowa City last week, I purchased a book on the handcart pioneers. To my surprise, my great grandfather's grandfather was in the book. He was a member of the first handcart company--The Ellsworth Company--in 1856.

I also have pioneer ancestors who were in Brigham Young's Company in 1847, the Gully/Spencer Company in 1849, the McGaw Company in 1852, and the Canfield Company in 1862.

Do you have ancestors in any of those companies?

What about in other companies?

I love the Church's pioneer search: http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/lib...1-2068,00.html.

My mother and her immediate family are first generation converts--a fact of which I am proud--but on my dad's side we go back to my great grandfather's grandfather, who was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in 1831.

That is an awesome link, Dr. SEIQ. My parents have been serving a mission at the Family History Library for the last 18 months and mentioned it, but I haven't used it until today.

I found that one ancestor came across in the Brigham Young Co. in 1847. He was a major in the company and leader of the 13th group.

I really like the excerpts they have of the journals. Reading what happened each day on the trail is something that can really help those of us who had ancestors make that trip to really understand what they went through.

[UtahDan]

On quick peruse, Atkinson, Foote and Brown on my dad's side.

[LA Ute]

On quick peruse, Atkinson, Foote and Brown on my dad's side.

I left out names. Goforth and Gabbott are my favorite ancestral names. If only I were surnamed Gorforth, what fun I would have . . . .

Anyone else here a descendant of Gabbotts or Goforths? How about Platts? Or John Daniel Thompson McAllister, who was president of the St. George Temple and with Wilford Woodruff when some remarkable events were reported there? Anyone here descended from one of Brigham's brothers? I run into such Young folk (my distant cousins) all the time.

[Sleeping in EQ]

That is an awesome link, Dr. SEIQ. My parents have been serving a mission at the Family History Library for the last 18 months and mentioned it, but I haven't used it until today.

I found that one ancestor came across in the Brigham Young Co. in 1847. He was a major in the company and leader of the 13th group.

I really like the excerpts they have of the journals. Reading what happened each day on the trail is something that can really help those of us who had ancestors make that trip to really understand what they went through.

That's very cool. Our ancestors saw the same sunsets. My ancestor was in the 9th group with Heber C. Kimball and William Clayton.

[clackamascoug]

Wow... just for fun I typed in the last name and found my Great Great Grandfathers name in the Warren Snow Company of 1863.

That's the paternal side. The maternal side is Daniel Wells, aid de camp to Brother Brigham and the founder of Wellsville.