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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 14 Volume IV, Issue IV June 1, 2001 From the Biography of Christina Burt Marshall Note: Christina’s family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1850 in Scotland. As was the custom of many of the early saints, many made the preparations to gather with the saints in America. Father went to Brazil to help build a railroad for the British Government. When his wages came, mother put aside a portion for immigration. Another portion was used to buy necessities to bring to Utah. There were dozens of skeins of thread and yarn, all colors and shades, purchased and laid away. Some yarn was knitted into readied, hickory cloth made into petticoats and nightgowns, and various woolen articles were purchased or made and put away. On May 9, 1862, the family left Scotland and sailed on the “Sir William Top Scot.” It was a vessel and it took them six weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. They came overland to the Missouri River, sailing up the Missouri River. They landed at Florence, Nebraska after a long hard journey. The water in the Missouri River was so muddy that they could not use it. Her father dipped water from the river and put oatmeal into it to settle the dirt. At Florence they secured a tent shelter to sleep in, as they were unable to find shelter in the hotel. From Florence they went to Council Bluffs to rest and to wait for the company to get ready to start across the plains to Utah. During the three weeks stay, there was a great sickness among the people at Council Bluffs. Mary caught the Mountain Fever and was put in a wagon with another sick child and soon our mother became ill and had to go into the wagon. The rest of the family—father, Jim, Ellen, John, Lizzie (Elizabeth), and Christina lived in a tent. When the oxen were ready to travel again, they started the train westward across the plains. Three families were assigned to one wagon. This made it necessary for all who could to walk. At that time I was five years old, and the youngest child in the family. Even I walked each day as far as I could, then I was taken into the wagon. My sister Mary nor mother could walk because they had not recovered from their illness. Father, Jim, John, Ellen, and Lizzie walked. Father, Jim and John walked all the way from Council Bluffs to Salt Lake City. A thrilling experience is always in my mind. One day as we were traveling along, we stopped to rest. Captain Haight’s ear caught an unusual sound. He told us to listen. Coming from the west toward us, we could hear a rumbling sound. He said, “Buffalo stampede!” He commanded the men to form a circle with the wagons close together. The oxen were put in the center, with the men to guard and control them. The women were told to take the children and all huddle on the opposite side of the encampment. Then he rode out on his horse toward the oncoming buffalo. Such a rumble! The buffalo were bellowing as they ran, adding to the terror of the situation. The Captain shot and killed THINK OF THE FUTURE The Ogden Valley Land Trust a non-profit organization For more information Call (801) 745-2048 The Valley Stars Cheerleading Camp For all girls 6 - 12 yrs. old. Cheerleading - Tumbling - Dance Certified Instructors June 25 - 27th at Liberty Park 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Cost is $52. Includes pompoms & T-shirts. For more info call Andrea Storey at 745-2088. deborah hegg Associate Broker - “CRS” “Simply The Best” See the Valley’s homes at www.deborahhegg.com Office: 801-745-0100 Cell: 801-745-1548 2555 N. Wolf Creek Drive Eden, Utah 84310 the leader of the herd. The obstruction of his huge body and the sound of the gun caused the herd to divide, part of them going to the right and the rest of them going on an angle to the left. By the time they reached the encampment, the herds were far enough apart that they did not endanger the company. However, the oxen in the enclosure were frightened, and the men had to work hard to divert their attention from the passing herd of buffalo. One of the oxen caught the spirit of the stampeding herd and went wild. He had to be shot by one of the guards. This calmed the much frightened teams. All fully appreciated the bravery of Captain Waite and often told it to each other. Every day the Captain went scouting and returned with fresh meat—elk or buffalo—for the camp. Indians were encountered many times, but they did not like an attack. Whenever they came near the camp, the Captain was kind, and gave them some sort of gift to prove his friendship. When the Company arrived in Salt Lake City on October 19, 1862, a friend, Charles Livingstone, helped find a house for the family to live in. Before the next spring came, another Scotch friend, Paul Gorley, had persuaded father to move to Goshen. This was a little farming community south of Utah Lake, but there was little work for a blacksmith. He left the family there and went to Salt Lake City to work for Brigham Young. He worked there all summer and fall. When he came home for Christmas, he walked from Salt Lake City and across the lake on the ice. He could not be happy away from his family, so he moved them to Salt Lake City, and continued to work for Brigham Young. He was given a job, given a government wagon and teams and sent to Logan, Utah to do the iron work on a flour mill. It took him two weeks to make the trip. He was very disappointed upon arrival to find there was no decent place to live. They lived in a log room, which was little more than a hovel. He was supposed to receive his pay through tithing and fast offerings. It was hard for him to bring himself to ask for the things he needed for his family, and they often went without. He stayed in Logan a year. When the mill was completed, he went back to Salt Lake City. The Union Pacific Railroad was coming down Weber Canyon. He went to work on this railroad. He had his family with him. When the railroad was completed to Ogden, the crew was sent to Corinne. He and the boys made lots of money on this job—enough to buy a farm in Cottonwood. There was plenty of fish in the nearby streams. They would not bite at any bait, so father made a spear and speared them when he wanted fish. While in Cottonwood he was called on a mission to go to Southern Utah with an expedition to help locate town sites. BIOGRAPHY cont. on page 15 OGDEN VALLEY SWAP MEET Saturday JUNE 9, 2001 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EDEN PARK Start collecting all your unwanted items for the LARGEST community Swap Meet ever. For $25.00 you can reserve a 20’ x 20’ space for your family. Eden Park will provide Kids games & Food ! For more information call: Flint Guthrie 745-3080 Or Linda Gillespie 745-6807. |
