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Show Volume XXVIII Issue XIII The Ogden Valley News Page 9 August 1, 2021 The History of G. Grant Staples: Part IX - The Staples Family Journey to Ogden Valley The information in this article was assembled by Dee Staples (Sources listed at the end of the article). Following is a partial family tree of the James and Sarah Limbrick Staples family: James and Sarah Limbrick Staples i George and Lauraette Rappleye Staples i Tunis and Ruthette Gardner Staples i George T. and Margie Robins Staples i G. Grant and Erma Shaw Staples i Dee and Margo Preece Staples The Staples Family Journey to Ogden Valley James Staples (18 Jan 1810 – 7 April 1874) and Sarah Limbrick Staples (14 Aug 1802 – 24 May 1888) were married April 12, 1830 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. That is where they were living in December 1841 when they converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By 1848, they, with their five children, moved to the Lambeth area of London in preparation to immigrate to Salt Lake City, Utah. James was a master brick and stone mason. Even though James was a skilled craftsman, his family lived in humble circumstances. It was not financially feasible for them to leave for America immediately, or even go together. They decided it best to leave separately as finances permitted. In 1849, they decided that their oldest son George, then sixteen years old, would be the first to go. George was placed in the custody of the John Banks family who was leaving for Salt Lake City. They set sail January 6, 1850 on the sailing ship Argo. After being at sea for seven weeks, they finally arrived at New Orleans. They then boarded a river steamer and traveled 700 miles up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. From there, they switched to the Missouri River traveling another 450 miles to Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here, they transferred to an ox team that would then take them the final 1,000 miles along the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake City, Utah. By the end of August, they were nearing the end of their journey. They were in the vicinity of Laramie, Wyoming when George became seriously ill with what was thought to be Mountain Fever. Finally, it appeared that George, now delirious from a high fever, had only hours to live. At that moment, the wagon train came upon a fur trader camped along the trail. Because the wagon train needed to press on and not stop for the sick, the company decided the best thing it could do for the lad was to leave him with the fur trader where he could have his last hours in peace and quiet. These life and death decisions were often encountered by the immigrants while enroute to their destination. Following is a quote from immigrant Lydian Allen Rudd who was traveling in an 1852 wagon train: “We have not moved today. Our sick ones not able to go. The sickness on the road is alarming—most all proves fatal.” During that same afternoon, a small band of friendly Sioux Indians stopped at the fur trader’s camp. An Indian squaw woman, hearing of the sick boy, went to his side. She felt compassion for the lad and sensed that she could nurse him back to health. The fur trader was more than willing to allow the Indian squaw to take George with her. First, she knew that placing George in a cool stream of water would lower his temperature. Through the efforts of this dear woman and those of the tribal medicine man, George soon recovered from his illness. He was soon enveloped within the Indian customs of the tribe. He adapted to his new life very well. He learned to like the members of the tribe, and they liked him. He participated in all activities of the tribe except for those conflicts with other bands of Indians. When warring with other tribes, George was sequestered with the women, children, and older men in a protected area. One year later, in January 1851, as planned, James Staples sailed from Liverpool for America. Upon his arrival in Salt Lake City, James inquired about his son. It was at this time that he first learned about his son’s fate. With a heavy heart, he entered into the life of the settlement and began preparing for the arrival of his family, scheduled for the following year. While the remaining members of the family were in transit to Salt Lake City, James heard a rumor about a white boy who had been seen in the company of a friendly Indian tribe. The tribe had last been seen in the Fort Laramie, Wyoming area. Soon, James was on his way to investigate the rumor. After several days of inquiry and travel, James found the tribe and his son. The kind Indian squaw was frantic when she learned that her white son was going to go with his father. After all, she had rescued him from certain death. She wept inconsolably and only gave her consent if she could see George in the future, which did happen. This ends the saga of the James Staples family immigrating to Salt Lake City, and what a happy ending to an adventurous trip to Zion. James went on to labor in the building of the Salt Lake Temple. He also assisted with the building of the Old Salt Lake Theater and the Eagle Gate. moved with his family to a farm he purchased outside Idaho Falls, Idaho. He never remarried. Tunis died September 19, 1930, after being tromped to death by a horse. While living on the farm in Idaho, George T. Staples inquired for work at a feedlot in Idaho Falls that was owned by Lewis Bitton and Walter J. Lindsay. Lewis Bitton told him that he was rather young and small for that kind of work, but George asked for a chance to prove himself. Lewis hired him and provided him with a black team of horses to use when feeding the cattle. George proved himself to be a valuable employee. He kept his horses fit and shiny. The harnesses were always clean and oiled. The cattle were always fed on time and special care was provided for them. One day, Walter J. Lindsay came from his home in Eden to the feedlot on business. He noticed how well young George did his work and admired how he handled and cared for his horses. With permission from his partner, Lewis Bitton, Walter offered George a job to come to Eden to work with the sheep on his ranch. George accepted the offer, and as a young man in his teens, he came to Eden to work for Walter J. Lindsay. Thus began an exciting, adventurous, and successful life in Eden. He worked for several years on the Walter J. Lindsay Ranch as a sheep foreman. Looking for a more permanent lifestyle, he eventually purchased the Alfred Pritchertt Ranch (now known as the Hinckley Ranch) where he and his wife, Margie, raised their family. He was later hired by the Browning Ranch as its Superintendant. He died in 1949 of cancer. George T. Staples married Margie Robins who also came to Eden to work on the Walter J. Lindsay Ranch. She was born in Scipio, Utah. From this union was born G. Grant Staples. He was born in the Lindsay summer home where the Huntsville Utah Stake Center is now located (6500 E. 1900 N.). G. Grant Staples married Erma Shaw. He spent his entire life in Eden. He is an ancestor of this stalwart Staples legacy that started in England and over many decades of trials, successes, and adventures, ended up establishing roots in beautiful Ogden Valley. Sources • Family Search, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. • “James Staples; Staples Family History Association.” Editor: James C. Staples, Published 1 July 1984. • “George Staples – Life with the Sioux,” written by Alverta Agusta Staples Engar. • “An English Boy in A Strange New Land,” written by Anna Laura Staples. • Biography of George T. Staples, written by G. Grant Staples From The Past . . . George and Lauraette Rappleye Staples George Staples (8 June 1834 – 31 Oct 1890) married Lauraette Rappleye (23 Mar 1840 – 12 Dec 1916) and together they had thirteen children. They were sent by Brigham Young to settle various Mormon communities. While living in central and southern Utah, George was often called upon to negotiate between Indian tribes and European settlers. His experience having lived with the Sioux Indians for over two years gave him a valuable perspective in helping to resolve conflicts. He had an enduring relationship with Chief Kanosh. He eventually settled in Elsinore, Utah. He never wrote the history of his life by pen, but his stories were retold by his children and their descendants. I suppose that some day he planned to write a biography of his exciting life, but his life ended unexpectedly at the age of 56 when he was gored by a bull while living in Elsinore. Of the thirteen children born to George and Lauraette, Tunis Staples was their third child. He married Ruthette Gardner, and they had seven children. Their third son, George T. Staples, is my grandfather (grandfather to Dee Staples). Ruthette died when George was ten years old. Sometime after her death, Tunis Staples 2668 Grant Avenue, Suite #104A, Ogden, UT Tunis and Ruthette Gardner Staples MASSES: Saturday Night website 4:30 p.m. Call or check Sunday Morning 8:00 a.m. for current Mass anda.m. Sunday Morning 10:00 Reconciliation schedule. Tuesday Night 6:00 p.m. Ogden Valley in earlier years. Photo taken from the North Ogden Divide. PAROCHIAL VICAR Deacon Terry Waiss 801-845-9196 tn3awaiss@gmail.com StFlorenceHuntsville.org 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! 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