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Show Volume XVIII Issue III The Ogden Valley news Page July 15, 2010 The McBride Family Note: Information for this history was taken from the book “Against Great Odds—The story of the McBride family by Bruce L. McBride and Darvil B. McBride. Information provided courtesy of Larry McBride of Eden. Handcarts and prairie! The coaxing of the lumbering two-wheeled rigs over endless flatlands had been the inescapable central fact in the lives of the McBride family for the past eighty-five days. Now in Wyoming Territory, the Martin Handcart Company had arrived at a sad state of affairs. Today, October 21, 1856, Margaret lay on a buffalo hide in a large tent, despondent, exhausted and grief stricken, oblivious of the activities of others. Only this afternoon she had watched as grimfaced men dragged frozen bodies across the Heber McBride opening toward a gaping hole in the ground. Earlier a large fire had been built to thaw the ground; then with pick and shovel the men had managed to hack out the earth to prepare a shallow burial place for fifteen persons who had perished during the terrible ordeal following the crossing of the North Platte River. . . . Margaret had last seen her husband alive sometime the morning of the day before. Now alone with her grief, her thoughts went tumbling back, back to the day five months ago when they had boarded the ship and set sail for America. The forty-four days in crossing the Atlantic, though not always comfortable, proved uneventful except for some rough seas and seasickness among some of the passengers. Boston, the point of disembarkation, had seemed strange and so very far from the English countryside. She recalled the uncomfortable ride by rail form Boston to the terminus in Iowa City, Iowa; the fretting of the children; the smelly boxcars that had been their lot on the last lap out of Chicago. Indeed, a good many things had gone awry on this venture, which had started with such high hopes for a good life in a new land. The rain and mud at the readying camp; the rugged life incident to tenting on the prairie; the unexpected, agonizing three-week delay in getting the carts ready; all had proven a severe test of faith and endurance for a dainty English lady used to a comfortable home and pleasant surroundings. . . . Today, all this seemed of little consequence compared to that which had transpired since arriving only two days ago at the crossing of the Platte River. The company leader, Edward Martin, had deliberated at length with his appointed captains over the feasibility of attempting a crossing. Time was of the essence because of foreboding weather conditions. It had turned bitter cold, and ice floated in the swollen river. Decision made, the crossing got underway. The infirm and the tiny children were brought safely over in the supply wagons. Some of the youngsters rode atop the loaded carts. The men went into the waist-deep, numbing water time after time to man the carts and bring them to the south bank. Many of the women braved the treacherous stream with their husbands. When the crossing had been completed and the pitiful company had made camp at the foot of some bluffs, all were completely worn out. Time after time, Robert had gone into the water, drenching himself for hours in the ice flow. Suffering from exhaustion, exposure and lack of proper nourishment, he then lay deathly ill in the tent. The children had gathered a little wood, built a fire and prepared what wood remained of their last depleted rations. As the family huddled together, the youngsters tended as best they could to their ailing parents. Robert’s mind seemed to dwell upon what had been his compelling desire, to get to the Valley in the West. In a low voice he sang the words of a favorite hymn, “Oh Zion.” As the night wore on and his strength failed him more, the words came only as a faint whisper: Oh Zion, when I think of thee I long for pinions like a dove, And mourn to think that I should be So distant from the land I love. The family prayed as their father’s life seemed to be ebbing slowing away. Six inches of snow fell that night. Surprisingly enough Robert was still alive when morning came. When orders came to break camp and move on, Janetta and Heber assisted their father to one of the wagons, he being unable to even stand alone, let alone perform any work. Many others had resorted to the wagons, unable to continue any other way. Weakened from exposure and hunger, the bedraggled company moved only a short distance that day, due to the nearly impossible task of pushing through the snow and mud. By day’s end, having managed to pitch a tent and build a fire, Janetta and Heber went looking for their father. The wind blew the snow so badly they could hardly see and the wagons were late getting into camp. Sorrowfully they returned to the tent, unable to locate the wagon they had put him in. As death stalked the dismal camp, more snow fell that night, October 20, 1856. The next morning Heber went alone in search of his father. He found his frozen body underneath one of the wagons. A touching scene ensured as Heber mourned his father’s death, not knowing for sure the final circumstances of his passing. . . . The plight of the McBride family differed little from that of others whose men folk had been lost. It is worthy of note that Margaret had been ill most of the way, and at times unable to walk. . . . [T]he baby, three-year-old Margaret Alice (Little Maggie), always had her special place atop their meager belongings. Much of the work on the trek from the beginning had fallen to sixteen-year-old Janetta and thirteen-year-old Heber to assist their parents in every phase of the wearisome journey. The two little boys, Ether eight and Peter six, did their share. They willingly pushed when needed and took part in the many chores about the camp. They, like their older brother and sister, walked all the way, a thousand miles or more. . . . In all, ten handcart companies crossed the plains and mountains into Utah between the years 1856 and 1861, five of them after the ill-fated Martin Company. That unparalleled adventure of thousands of Latter-day Saints moving West pulling handcarts, must, in the broad overview, be hailed a tremendous success. Phases of the venture, and that which befell the Willie and Martin Companies, have elicited criticism and were declared a failure by Now Accepting Most Insurances Kenyon Tew, Ph.D. Child, Adolescent & Family Therapy Dr. Tew has over 25 years of therapeutic experience working with children, adults, and families. His experience includes treating anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, Aspergers, A.D.D. and school related problems. OLD TOWN EDEN (801) 334-2431 some. But failure is an elusive word, the question often persisting, by what criteria shall it be measured? And what mortal is in possession of a proper yardstick? Those people who suffered great losses, almost to a person, remained true to the faith, their losses counted but dross and refuse compared to the joys and blessings derived from having endured for the Gospel’s sake. The Martin Company arrived in Salt Lake City November 30, 1856, the McBride family, along with others, occupying a wagon driven by Ebenezer Richardson of Ogden City. Consequently their destination became Ogden. When the spring thaw began and planting time drew near, Janetta and the two older boys found some employment on the farms and elsewhere in the community. Janetta, now seventeen, soon found herself attracted to the oldest Ferrin boy, Jacob, who was several years older. After a brief engagement they were married March 29, 1857, and went out on their own. About this time Margaret and her family moved with their scanty possessions to Slaterville, a small community a few miles west of Ogden. There they took up quarters a mite more comfortable than the small cabin they had occupied during the winter. The Slaterville place belonged to Samuel Ferrin. Perhaps the marriage of Janetta to the Ferrin boy had promoted a closer tie between the two families. No doubt in the turn of events in each of the lives of Margaret and Mr. Ferrin they saw a need for each other. In any event, Samuel soon proposed marriage and Margaret became Mrs. Ferrin May 3, 1857. . . . About this time several settlements were being established in Ogden Valley. It seems the Ferrins located near the community of Huntsville, by no means an easy place to live because of frequent trouble with the Indians. Early in 1865 the Indians had become so troublesome in some sections of the valley that families began to move closer together for protection. The Church Authorities, aware of the need, arranged for the establishment of a new community. A beautiful spot laid out under the direction of Richard Ballentyne took the name Eden. People moved in immediately. A big celebration and dedication activities marked its founding, July 15, 1865. . . . In 1865 we find Margaret with her boys and daughter living in Eden, and for a good many years this garden spot figured prominently in the lives of the McBride family. Regrettably, there exists no life history of Margaret other than that woven into the story of the McBride family thus far. Little is known HISTORICAL cont. on page 11 Historical Photo 1 38 – 1 3 Eden School 1st – 3rd Grades Front Row: Leon Wilson, Mack Stallings, Mark Fuller, Bonnie Fackerell, Larry Carver, Bob Colvin, Wayne Graham. Middle Row: Myrle Graham, Kent Fuller, Beulah Lindsay, Barbara Peterson, Jay Burrows, Owen Froerer. Back Row: Rex Thompson, Dean Lindsay, Renee Burnett, Ronald Richardson, Howard Fuller, Ruth May Graham (teacher). Celeste C. Canning PLLC Attorney at Law 2590 Washington Boulevard, Suite 200 Ogden, Utah 84401 Local: (801) 7 1-10 2 Office: (801) 612- 2 Email: ccanninglaw@aol.com Meeting the Legal Needs of Small Business and Their Owners FREE Initial Thirty Minute Consultation. Appointments in Ogden Valley upon request. Jeffrey D. Shepherd DMD, MSD Specialist in Orthodontics SHEPHERDORTHODONTICS Fast Treatment Times • Children and Adults • Flexible Payment Options Call to schedule your complimentary exam today! Eden Professional Center 2580 North Highway 162, #A EDEN 801.745.2519 South Pointe Plaza 5300 South Adams Ave, #9 Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary, Middle School, and High School Providing a challenging, college-focused education in the proven tradition of Catholic schools, for the families of the Ogden Valley. We want to teach your children! For information on our program, financial assistance, tours, or application, please call Daniela Quintana at 801-814-8192 or 801-393-6051. OGDEN 801.479.9448 Located just one block from Snowcrest Junior High Students can walk from school to appointments! shepherdorthodontics.com |