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PIONEERS AND

PROMINENT MEN

OF UTAH

COMPRISING

PHOTOGRAPHS - GENEALOGIES - BIOGRAPHIES

PIONEERS

ARE THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO CAME TO UTAH BY WAGON, HAND CART

OR AFOOT, BETWEEN JULY 24, 1847, AND DECEMBER

30, 1868, BEFORE THE RAILROAD

PROMINENT MEN

ARE STAKE PRESIDENTS, WARD BISHOPS, GOVERNORS,

MEMBERS OF THE BENCH, ETC., WHO

CAME TO UTAH AFTER THE

COMING OF THE

RAILROAD

The Early History

of the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-Day Saints



IN ONE VOLUME
ILLUSTRATED



By

FRANK ESSHOM



The greatest inheritance of man is a posterity; the greatest inheritance of a posterity is a
Christian Ancestry that these greatest inheritances may live in record, this volume is issued.



SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
UTAH PIONEERS BOOK PUBLISHING COMPANY

PUBLISHERS
1913



COPYRIGHTED, 1913
BY

UTAH PIONEERS BOOK
PUBLISHING COMPANY



COMPOSITION. ELECTROTYPING, PRINTINO

AND BINDING BY THE

W. B. CONKEY COMPANY

HAMMOND. INDIANA



ncroft Library




Edition DeLuxe

This Copy is Number

|HIS is to Certify that there were forty-
five hundred copies of this volume
printed, that each copy was sub-
scribed for before it was printed, except one
hundred and thirty, which will be placed
in Libraries, Colleges, High Schools and
other public places.
Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company

DIRECTORS

FRANCIS M. LYMAN, PRESIDENT FRANK F.SSHOM JESSE KNIGHT

J. G. MCALLISTER W. LESTER MANGUM GOVERNOR WILLIAM SPRY

GEO. T. ODELL C. B. STEWART O. C. BKEBE




FRANK ESSHOM

ORN July 4, 1865, at Lovilia, Monroe Co., Iowa, the son of Clay Esshom,
born Oct. 29, 1844, in Park County, Ind., near Portland Mill, and
Joanna Victorine Rilea, born Jan. 27, 1848, Mount Liberty, Knox Co.,
Ohio, they were married Feb. 10, 1864. Their children were: Frank
(Ellwood), married Jessie. Williams; Merton Wright, m. Josephine
Ferris; Harlan, died, child; Grade Caroline, m. Bertrand Pollock Castner;
Orange; Cass Clay; Blanche, m. Scott Collins.

Frank Esshom married Jessie Williams Feb. 9, 1894; she was born Dec. 8,
1876, daughter of William H. Williams and Martha Ann Moore of Galesburg, 111.,
and St. Joseph, Mo.

Clay Esshom was the son of William Esshom of Maysville, Ky., who was the
son of William Esshom of Virginia, who was of Scotch and English ancestry, and
Selinda (Chancy) Spurgeon, born at Snow Hill, Md., of English ancestry.

Joanna Victorine Rilea (the wife of Clay Esshom) was the daughter of
Wesley Rilea and Caroline Wright; he was born July 4, 1824, Putman, Muskin-
gum Co., Ohio (the son of William Rilea, who was the fifth generation of Rileas
in America living at Culpepper Court House, Va., and Lucy Arnold).

Caroline Wright, the daughter of Charles Wright, of Frederickstown, Ohio,
born at Princeton, N. J., who was the son of Ebenezer Wright, whose mother was
a Stuart. Ebenezer Wright came from England as the King's surveyor to America.
His wife, Joanna Johnson, was the daughter of John and Rebecca Johnson, who
came from Holland.

Frank Esshom graduated from the high school at the age of eighteen, with
preparation for a university course. His early life was spent on his father's farm,
which was devoted largely to the breeding of high grade horses, cattle and swine,
as well as the production of large quantities of grain and grasses, so that his early
environment and education was on the line of producing. It was a family maxim
of the Esshoms to make two blades of grass grow where one previously grew. In
his nineteenth year, he accepted a position in the passenger department of the
Burlington Railroad, where he became an expert ticketman at the end of two
years, on account of his splendid knowledge of geography. The following four
years were spent in travel. He visited more than two-thirds of the states, and
nearly all of the principal cities in the United States, in the capacity of an expert
special salesman. During this tour, he prepared special articles on social, commer-
cial and industrial life, which were his introduction into the literary field.

At the age of twenty-five he began devoting his time entirely to newspaper
work, as a newspaper reporter; an advertising solicitor; newspaper advertising
and business manager; editor and manager of newspapers, and was a general
publisher for twelve years at Denver, Colo., prior to coming to Salt Lake City.

Most of his life has been devoted to the production of literature, with the
exception of a few years, when he was lured into the field of mining.

His father was a member of the 14th Indiana Vol., during the Civil War.
His ancestors fought in all of the wars of the United States, beginning with the
Revolution. They were also pioneers of Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, New Jer-
sey, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa. This spirit to fight and pioneer, in-
herited, which together with his life's labor, seemed to especially equip him for the
undertaking he has carried on a campaign of seven years in the field and at the
desk to prepare and present this volume, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah.




FRANK ESSHOM




FRANCIS MARION LYMAN

N nineteen hundred and eight, after a year's labor gathering data for the
Pioneers' history, the vastness of the undertaking dawned upon its
promoters and depressed them to almost stupidness. They then realized
that the work could be accomplished only by the most systematic and
painstaking research, that they must have the sentiment of the whole people with
them, that some great spirit must be in touch with them, that was thoroughly in
accord with the people.

During this first year's work Francis Marion Lyman had been seen, he had
subscribed to the work, promptly furnished his data and had done his part toward
its production, and in words had encouraged us to press forward in our work.

The fire of love for parent and posterity and his people, flashed from his
eyes when he saw there was an opportunity for their records to be made and pre-
served. In fact, he glowed with joy at the thought.

So, when the time came to select a man to head this undertaking, Francis
Marion Lyman seemed to be the "Moses" to lead the "children out of Israel."
When he was requested to take this leadership he faltered he knew the great
responsibility but his broad manliness, which fears no burden in the cause of
right, nor in behalf of his people, was thrown in the balance in our favor, he
took the leadership became the president. That we chose wisely the result speaks
for itself.

President Lyman added strength to our zest, he inspired us to greater efforts,
and others to our assistance, and with ever-gathering momentum we labored on
until the work was done.

Through his assistance there has been built a monument to that "Noble Band
of Heroes," as he expresses it, that will live on through centuries.

No man loves that "Noble Band" more, or could feel a greater responsibility
for their descendants than does Francis Marion Lyman.

His associates in this work revere him for his wise counsel as their presi-
dent, adore his great mentality, love him for his love of humanity as well as his
personality.

They cherish for him the highest regard and extend to him their sincerest
thanks for his never ceasing labor and great assistance in behalf of this publication.





FRANCIS MARION LYMAN




JESSE KNIGHT

HEN he was five years old, with his mother and her family of seven
children, he arrived in Utah, a settlement three years old, one thou-
sand miles from the nearest town. His father died a few days journey

westward from the Missouri River.

The homes in Utah at that time were improvised shelters, there were
no public and few private schools, and the needs of home were never satisfied. With
these surroundings he grew to manhood and fatherhood. He tasted life from
every angle that could fall to a boy and a man, under such surroundings.

He had not been an ardent Church member; while he was recognized as a
Mormon, he had not been classed as a Latter-day Saint, he had not "had a testi-
mony"; in other words, he had not been convinced as to the truth of the religion
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the truth that Joseph
Smith was a prophet of God.

In a dream, or vision, there was revealed to him that Utah was for the Mor-
mons; that the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was
true; that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; also, that if he went to a certain
place (indelibly imprinted on his mind), that he would find a great vein of rich
mineral, a mine. He followed the instructions given him in his dream, which took
him to the now well-known Eureka mining district. There, away up on the moun-
tain, he found the spot he had seen in his dream, and he uncovered the vein which
led to a vast mineral body, which was opened up, only by much hard labor and
many vicissitudes. Many times, for the lack of provisions, he would have to stop
his work, but he never lost faith in his dream, and would return and continue
his labor. At last the mine yielded the long sought precious mineral that made
him a large fortune, which has multiplied and been added to.

Before his dream came true, and while he was laboring (as only one can who
has faith) to take from "Mother Earth " her treasure, he met Wilford Woodruff,
then president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who proph-
esied that "he (Jesse Knight) would save the Church's credit." Not long after-
ward, the mine began to yield. The Church had outstanding notes upon which
the interest was nearly due, the country was in a panic and money almost impossi-
ble to get. The first car of ore came from the mine and gave much greater value
than was expected. When the miners and debts incidental to the production of ore
had been paid, there was ten thousand dollars remaining, which amount, Mr.
Knight gave to President Woodruff, who paid the interest on the Church's notes,
and its credit was saved.

From thence on, he knew the truth of dreams, visions and prophecies, that
Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was the restoration of God's Church on the earth.

There are many pages in the history of Mr. Knight's life that forces one to
believe that the hand of providence guides our way.

He has a Christian, upright family, is in possession of great wealth, and is
honored by his fellowman. Thusly endowed, many a man is raised above the mul-
titude. It causes him to forget the griefs and hardships that the less fortunate bear. .
Not so with Jesse Knight he has not changed he hears the cry of the needy, has
sympathy for those in sorrow, his heart throbs with sentiment and love for human
kind, which gives him a mannerism, a receptiveness and a simplicity that makes
one know that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is reflected in man on earth.

He is a beloved father, an honored citizen, a kind, assisting friend, a public
benefactor, a Christian.




JESSE KNIGHT




PREFACE

HE author here presents the volume, Pioneers and Prominent Men of
Utah. This work has engaged his entire attention uninterruptedly since
September, 1907. As will be seen, it is the portraits, genealogies and
biographies of Pioneers and their male descendants and Prominent Men
of Utah and a brief chronological history of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.

Those men and women who came to Utah by wagon, hand cart or afoot, be-
tween July 24, 1847, the date of the arrival of the Brigham Young Company, and
December 30, 1868, before the railroad, are designated as Pioneers.

To the author's mind they are all entitled to that distinction, because they
came in the same general manner. Some had wagons, others with handcarts, and
some afoot, but whatever was their mode of migration, they all came for the one
and same purpose, that was : to build an empire and a church and homes of their
own, where they could worship God according to the dictates of their conscience,
and rear their families without the contamination of outside influence, and be
free from the strife and turmoil they had passed through at Kirtland, Independ-
ence and Nauvoo.

The men coming to Utah after the railroad are designated as Prominent Men.

The portraits in this history are arranged, as nearly as possible, as follows:
First, that of President Brigham Young, followed by his representative male
descendants. These are followed by the portraits of men who came with him in the
first company, July 24, 1847, with the exception of the first twelve pioneers' names,
in alphabetical order, with their representative male descendants who are subscribers
to this history. After the Brigham Young company are the portraits of men of
the Mormon Battalion in alphabetical order, with their representative male descend-
ants. These are followed by the portraits of men who came later in 1847, in the
order that they came to Utah, namely: Daniel Spencer's 100, with Perrigrine Ses-
sions and Ira Eldridge as captains of 50's, arriving September, 23d; Abraham O.
Smoot's 100, with Geo. B. Wallace and Samuel Russell as captains of 50's, arriv-
ing late in September; Edward Hunter's 100, with Jacob Foutz and Joseph Home
as captains of 50's, arriving September 29th; Jedediah M. Grant's 100, with Wil-
lard Snow and Joseph B. Noble as captains of 50's, arriving October 2d; The
"Artillery Company," captained by Charles C. Rich, arriving October 3d; Parley
Pratt and John Taylor, two of the Apostles also came with companies, exercising
general supervision John Taylor arrived at Salt Lake City, with a company,
October 5th ; beside these pioneers are their representative male descendants who
are subscribers to this history. Then follows the portraits of men who came in
1848, '49, '50, '51, etc., in consecutive yearly order up to and including 1868, when
the last wagon train came all the way across the plains from the Missouri River to
the Salt Lake Valley. Following these come the stake presidents and bishops,
arranged alphabetically, then governors, and prominent men who came to Utah after
1868, arranged alphabetically.

This portrait arrangement will show each person followed by his representa-
tive male descendants in his respective place, according to the day and year of his
arrival in Utah as near as it was possible to arrange them if he, or his descend-
ants are subscribers to this history.

Following the portraits are the genealogies, arranged alphabetically, after
which comes the history of the Church, chronologically arranged, from the birth of
the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1805, to 1863, also the portraits of the Prophet Joseph
Smith and Patriarch Hyrum Smith, the genealogies of their families and their
lineal ancestry.

It was the intention of the author in the beginning of the preparation for

NOTE. Utah (Yuta) at the time the pioneers settled in the Great Salt Lake Valley, comprised
the territory now orfupied hy Utah, Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, Nevada,
Northern Arizona, Northern New Mexico, Western Colorado and Western Wyoming.

10



this volume to publish the portrait of the Pioneer and his representative male
descendant, and prominent men with four lines of reading matter underneath the
portrait. After a year's labor, it was discovered that the genealogies of the
Pioneers of Utah were so closely and intricately interwoven, that an accessible
record was very much in need of by them, and it was decided to print the genealo-
gies of these Pioneer families in connection with the portraits ; this more than dou-
bled the labor and expense of production. He now presents to the subscriber for
this volume, nearly six thousand portraits and many more genealogies.

At the conclusion of this labor, the author is justly proud of the achievement,
as in presenting it, he offers to the world a book unique and incomparable to any
that has heretofore been issued. This is because a similar opportunity for such a
volume has not heretofore been offered an author, as no other people but those of
the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have ever gone forth
into a wilderness in the mountains and created an empire, and there remained
generation after generation and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. On account
of their belief in plural marriage, they have left a posterity large enough, at a
date sixty-five years subsequent to the first settlement, that nearly all the lead-
ing men of that early pioneering has a male descendant. Again, their posterity has
been held within the confines of the empire they built, because they did not care to
wander from their homes and religious ties. These conditions made the gathering
of this data possible, as in no other place to our knowledge has the pioneer re-
mained as the permanent settler.

The author is also proud of this volume because it will live as a memorial to
those men whose deeds were rapidly being forgotten. The story of the leaders
has been told repeatedly, but that of the rank and file, the ones who did the
actual pioneering and building has not been told before. This will cause them to live
on perpetually, and each succeeding generation will know their labors ; their deeds
will increase in miraculousness ; their valor will be more greatly appreciated ; their
heroisms stand out unprecedented, showing the quality of the men who dared to
turn their faces toward an unknown desert and to build homes, and an empire.

Having stated what the History contains and why it was possible for it to be
produced, the query which arises in one's mind is: "How could such a gigantic
undertaking be completed?" The author was fully inspired with the belief that he
was producing what a great people wanted and needed, his absolute confidence in,
and his knowledge of, these people, their great love for their ancestors and their
posterity, and their church, ever impelled him onward to a successful conclusion of
his self-assumed labor. After a year of gathering material and data in Salt Lake
City, a year was spent in Weber and Utah Counties in the same quest. Then a
thorough search was started, as a beginning to the end; the Bishop of every
ward from Yellowstone National Park and Upper Oregon on the north and north-
west to Vernal, Emery and St. George on the south and southeast in Utah, was
visited. In almost every instance an application for a volume was given by the
Bishop of the ward and he gratuitously furnished the author with the names of the
Pioneers who had died in his ward, and the names of their representative male
descendants, also the names of the Pioneers who were living in his ward and the
names of their representative male descendants. Nearly a year was required in
making these visits. After this organization was perfected, the author, assisted by
a corps of solicitors visited each house in every ward in all of the stakes in the terri-
tory above mentioned, where a Pioneer or the descendant of a Pioneer lived as given
him by the Bishop of the ward, or could be secured from inquiry, and gathered the
portraits and genealogies as complete as it was possible to so do, and arranged for
the information unobtainable at that time to be sent to him. The gathering of
this data, which could be acquired in no other manner, probably required more than
fifty thousand calls, the assistance of every photographer in the territory, the
traveling of thousands of miles, which was made over every kind of roads in all
kinds of weather, and by every mode of conveyance. He made one continuous trip
by team in Southern Utah of 1,385 miles, without being in touch with a railroad.
This was from October to the last of January. After this data had been gathered,

11



it was necessary to re-write it in duplicate and submit a copy to the one who fur-
nished the geneaolgy and biography, and the correspondence in connection with
that and other phases of the publication required more than fifty thousand letters.

There are some of the old families who are not represented in this History.
We are very proud to say that they are few. While the rule laid down for the
production of this History was that every family who was represented in it must
make a subscription to it to help defray the expenses of producing it, yet hundreds
of photographs have been entered, and genealogies published of those Pioneer men
who have left no male descendants to represent them. In fact, no one has been left
out of it because they were unable financially to make a subscription. In every
case where the Bishop advised us that the family was not able to make a subscrip-
tion the Pioneer has been put in this history by us with as much care as though
he were a subscriber.

The author is thankful to many for assistance rendered him. He is thank-
ful to James G. McAllister, who rendered him the first assistance in the initiative
of the work and continuously to its completion; to the Board of Directors of the
Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company, namely: Francis M. Lyman, James G.
McAllister, Geo. T. Odell, C. B. Stewart, Governor William Spry, O. C. Beebe,
W. Lester Mangum and Jesse Knight for their wisdom and guidance, and for the
last named gentleman, words cannot express his gratitude and thankfulness for an
aid and an assistance given him, when all other channels seemed closed, that fur-
nished the finance necessary for the completion of this volume. The author sin-
cerely believes that this aid was rendered him wholly because Mr. Knight believes
this volume will live as a memorial to the Pioneer; as an aid to the living by giving
their relationship one to another, and a blessing to those unborn by placing a record
before them showing they descended from the founders of Utah, and the builders
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that he does not feel that his
possessions are given him especially to have and to hold, but that he may do great
good with them while they are entrusted to his keeping.

The author is thankful for assistance received from Ernest H. Rich, Oscar
B. Madson, John Q. Critchlow, W. W. Browning. He is indebted to the Presi-
dents of stakes and almost every Bishop under the dominion of the Church, for in-
formation given and kindnesses extended to him while in their wards. He is also
indebted to, and thankful for, the assistance rendered by each subscriber to this
volume, as only for their kindnesses, interest and painstaking assistance in com-
piling these genealogies and biographies could this data have been obtained, as more
than fifty per cent, of it came from the memory of some one in or who was familiar
with the family, and which information has never heretofore been indited or made
accessible to those to whom it pertains.

The author has had for his constant companions in this labor during the last
seven years, those people who are most frequently spoken of as the "Mormons."
They among themselves have two definitions for the word "Mormon" first, it is
applied to all of the people who have embraced the religion, or have been born into
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; second, the more religious ones
who bear this name are known as "Latter-day Saints," and while the former part
of the expression "Latter-day Saints" may be an assumed name, the word "Saints"
they are wholly entitled to, because of the life they live. No one who knows these
people, as it has been the author's good fortune to know them, can have but the high-
est regard for them as a people, he cannot help but believe in their sincerity in
their religion, and he absolutely knows that they are trying to live a righteous life
and that the teachings of Jesus Christ are constantly before them, as their example
to live by.

That these Pioneers have established a state and a religion is sufficient com-
mendation of their worth. Any man might spend even more years than the author
has, in making their deeds and actions a matter of record, to live as an unparalleled
example of pioneering and successful endeavor in church building.

November 3, 1913. FRANK ESSHOM.

12




O THE GREAT PIONEER, BRIGHAM YOUNG,
AND HIS CO-LABORERS IN LEADERSHIP
AND IN PIONEERING, AND IN THE
COLONIZATION OF UTAH AND
THE WEST, THIS BOOK IS
AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED.



INDEX TO PORTRAITS



A Page

ABBOTT, L. E .383

ABBOTT, MYRON 196

ABBOTT, MYRON ALMA 197

ABBOTT, THOMAS 383

ABBOTT, WILLIAM 622

ABEGGLEN, ULRICH 535

ABEL, ISAAC 594

ACORD, ABRAM ' ' 539

ADAMS, ARZA 164

ADAMS, CHARLES 184

ADAMS, DANIEL C " . 297

ADAMS, DAVID 466

ADAMS, DAVID BARCLAY .297

ADAMS, DAVID COOK 297