THE ZEPHYR/OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2003 — But not all went smoothly. For instance, in 1857 General Albert Sidney Johnson brought the might of the United States Army to put down the "Mormon rebellion.” Then in the fall of 1857, some 120 Missouri emigrants, enroute to California, were killed at nearby Mountain Meadows by John D. Lee and other Mormon settlers and their Paiute allies. This upset things for a while, but soon Mormon families again continued their colonization efforts. Lemuel and Keziah Redd were then "called" to help settle New Harmony in the spring of 1862. In November 1866, Lemuel took another wife, Louisa. Both wives bore large families. In 1870, Lemuel bought the John D. Lee farm at the head of Ash Creek. Lee had settled at nearby Fort Harmony in 1852, but had. to abandon that place when two of his kids were killed when their house fell in during a flood. Then they made the move to New Harmony. George Spencer, my great-great granddad, probably taught the Redd kids at New Harmony when he went there to teach in 1867. He reportedly also had once taught at John D. Lee’s private family school. Spencer took on three wives and had 22 children. He died in 1872, at the young age of 42, as he was searching for more places for the Saints to colonize. His death spared him the travails of the approaching San Juan Mission (Hole-in-the-Rock trip) and the need to dodge federal deputies. New In 1877, Lemuel Redd attended the dedication of the St. George temple. The dedication drew leaders from all parts of Utah and Idaho. My other great granddad, Thomas Sleight, who had previously been "called" to the Bear Lake country in Idaho, made the long wagon.trip south to attend the services and to gain the special council. of Brigham Young. Returning to Idaho, groups were organized to head for Arizona to settle, even though he and his family decided to stay put. OUR CANYON LEGACY... THE Harmony and other southern Utah towns entered the United Order in 1874 and the Redds, the Spencers, and other families became involved in that enterprise. Da eorrmel Certasne REDDS AND. THE SPENCERS This month, I review a book and add some rambling comments. Ed Abbey asked me a few years ago what I wanted to do when! grew up; I told him I'd like to be a literary critic or reviewer. He gave me that querulous look of his. When Hardy Redd, my neighbor friend across the mountain, Mormon historian, Leonard J. Arrington, was to write a biography legendary Charlie Redd, I was quite thrilled. Recently the book was the appropriate name, Charlie Redd, which was well worth waiting told me that the of his father, the published under for. As I read it, Little did I know that the rustic characters of the Hole-in-the-Rock journey would play an even greater part my thoughts continually turned toward my own experiences and that of my ancestors who also settled this region. So I'll interject an account of these with that of the Redd family - a kind of a personal review of history. When I was on a trip south with a bunch of college kids from the University of in my mind. As an avid afficianado of history and geneology, my interest centers on the early days of Utah's pioneer settlement. Utah back in 1951, roaming the southern part of the state, | was fatefully led to the canyon country of my ancestors and relatives. That motley travel group was made up of a mixture of talent. Neldon Christensen of Monticello himself, provided local interest and history. He told me of the influential Redd family as we toured the graveled and dirt roads (few paved roads then). Redd, he said, was one of the largest stockmen in Utah. And Blaine Busenbark, the nephew of old riverman Bert Loper, filled me in on the Colorado River. And photographer Jim Dean who had been on a Bert Loper/Moki Mac Ellingson river trip through Glen Canyon extolled the virtues of Glen Canyon and the Hole-in-the-Rock. And Bob Waite, to become a college history professor and the maker and defender of national parks (some that Congressman Jim Hanson would now dismantle) was the master trip planner. And Richard Elzinga who taught me to better appreciate bugs and butterflies became a top scientist in his insect world. Through travel and reading, | grew more aware of the history and environment of the canyon country. I found little difference in the environments that the Redds grew up in and that of my own. At times our experiences seemed to overlap. So as | read the book, my Walter Mitty mind could not remain quiet. History surely is dynamic and alive. In that there is such a thing as “guilt by association,” | felt a pleasant feeling in associating my past kin to that of the Redds. Mutually, our Thomas’s son, George, (my grandfather) would Young, intent on furthering the settlements of Arizona and southeastern Utah, set the stage for new missions. But there was an unexpected delay as he died later that same year. Continuing its plans for settlement of southeastern Utah, the church leaders finally formed the San Juan Mission in the winter of 1878-79. The settlers were gathered from a host of southwestern Utah towns such as New Harmony, Holden, Panguitch and Cedar City. Some 80 families were "called" by the new Mormon leadership to establish a settlement at Montezuma Creek on the San Juan River. The party would take a "shortcut" through canyon country that had never been totally explored. They thought the trip would take them only six weeks. Other families were "called" throughout southwestern Utah. My own great ancestors shared the guilt along with the rewards. Today, we all are the recipients of their struggles. In the past, I associated the Redd family with that of the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition of 1879-80. While running the Colorado River through Glen Canyon, on each trip I would stop at the Hole-in-the-Rock and lead my parties up through "the Hole.” And with special parties, I’d lead them up the old wagon trail on the opposite side of the river where on a cliff face could be seen the signature graffiti of the pioneers. Exciting stuff. I carried the book, Hole-In-The-Rock, with me, in which I became totally absorbed. The author, David E. Miller, was a professor of history at the University of Utah and I was well acquainted with his past works. First published in 1959, the book became my favorite “guide-book” and on river trips and over driftwood campfires my guests read often from my water-logged edition. But little did ] know at that time that the rustic characters of the Hole-in-the-Rock journey would play an even greater part in my mind. As an avid aficionado of history and genealogy, my interest centers on the early days of Utah’s pioneer settlement. Since those Glen Canyon days, I’ve learned much more concerning that difficult faithinspiring trek. The Redds were a part of that drama. So let’s follow John Hardison Redd, Charlie’s great grandfather, an old sea captain and mariner who had settled in Virginia and then North Carolina. Lemuel, his son, was born in 1836 at Sneads Ferry, North Carolina in 1836. ‘In 1843, a bunch of Mormon missionaries, including the notorious John D, Lee, did missionary work for the new Mormon religion. The Redds were converted and moved west in 1851 settling in Spanish Fork. In January 1856, young Lemuel, now 19 years of age, married Keziah Jane Butler. In June they were called on a “mission” to Las Vegas, Nevada. Shortly they returned to Spanish Fork where they had their first son, which they also named Lemuel. soon marry into the Spencer line (our most polygamous line). There was some thought they might yet head south, but as they were already in a great tangle of relationships, they too stayed put while the polygamous sector of the family in Idaho later high-tailed it to Canada. Some in our Stevens family line went both south and north. Other far-reaching effects radiated from those St. George temple services. Brigham grandfather, John Horne Miles, escaped being called as he was in the state penitentiary and up to his ears in polygamous problems. It was a real mess. It seems that he fell in love with Emily Spencer, the daughter of the late George Spencer. He married her and his former English girlfriend on the same day at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Emily was "sealed" to him first and the former girlfriend was sealed second. But this upset the former girlfriend as she wanted to be sealed first. Then after slapping Emily and creating a scene, the former girlfriend ran to federal agent "polyg-hunters." The feds guickly threw John into jail for the crime. Finding him guilty, the court sentenced him to five years in the pen and a fine of $100 Though he appealed the sentence, John was cheated out of the chance to help establish the gréat "shortcut" through the canyons and to colonize southeast Utah (and as a footnote, John’s new English wife ran off with one of the U.S. deputies assigned to the case.) John had to be content on seeing other of his kin make the journey. This included connections with the Sevy, Pace, Stevens, Perkins and other families of this historic party. And after settlement, even more of the Spencer family were to drift to the San Juan country. In this regard, Emily Washburn, from the Spencer line, married Charlie Redd’s first cousin. Over 200 people, 83 wagons, each with two or more teams of horses, about 200 PAGEI8 a