OCR Text |
Show By YES HARRISON annual Election meeting on Wednesday, Jan. ,(j'saw five officers re-elected and two elected f r the first time, all by acclamation, on motion I Merrill Rushforth. seconded by Darlenc R indall. nJ approved by a show of hands when ,he vote was called for. Re-elected to serve in oS4 were Alzina Barton, president; Clinton Birber, vice-president; David Putnam, Jr., sec-V sec-V e'lary; and Charlene Austin treasurer. Dorothy Jo: Streeper was re-elected as a director for a three-vear three-vear 'erm- Jr' HOWARD BROWN, who served as a one-vear one-vear director, did not choose to run for re- K election, and Dolly Clayton was chosen as three-year director in his stead. Grayce Tingey to the bottom of the grave, which was then filled, and covered for protection with cobblestones. cobbles-tones. LEAVING B.H. in the trust of the Toveys turned out to be a mistake, as they were compulsive compul-sive drinkers and abused him. They spent a lot of time in taverns, and usually took the young boy with them. They required him to stand on the tables and sing or otherwise entertain the crowd, while they gathered in a few coins tossed his way. He remembered many nights falling alseep under the tables while Mr. and Mrs. Tovey caroused on into the early morning. When they decided he was not much further use to them, they decided to put him in a workhouse, where he would be apprenticed to be a shoemaker. He overheard them making these plans, and feeling that he would never make it to America if this happened he ran away. FOR SEVERAL weeks he lived by his wits, sleeping in coal bins and doorways to keep warm, and scavenging food wherever he could find it. He was finally found, and returned to the Toveys. Aftev a short while they saw another opportunity to make a little money by putting B.H. in the army as a drummer boy. Again he ran away and again he was returned to the Toveys. Shortly thereafter, through the efforts of missionaries with funds provided by the Perpetual Per-petual Emigrating Fund, he and Mary were on their way to America in 1866. They came across the plains in the company of William Chipman. Being curious and venturesome, ven-turesome, B.H. and another young boy loitered one day to gather berries along the way, and when they realized that they were far back of the wagon train they hurried to catch up. Imagine their chaggrin when three Indians on horseback suddenly loomed up on the trail in front of them. They were finally able to dart past the Indians, and as they did so, one of the Indians reached down and tried to grab B.H.'s hair. However, Mary, had just given him a very short haircut, and there was no hair to grab, so the Indian said, "No scalp," and they laughed as the boys ran away. THE YOUNG people were expected to walk, while the small children and old folks rode in the wagons, and as B.H. frequently had to walk barefoot, it was quite an ordeal for him. One time he became very tired, and Mary helped him into the back of a wagon. He found a big barrel and thought it would be an excellent place in which to hide and rest. To his surprise, when he lowered himself into the barrel, he found that he was in molasses up to his knees. He knew that he would be punished if he got out, so he stayed in the barrel, fell asleep and gradually slumped down until he was virtually covered with molasses. THEY ARRIVED in Salt Lake City Sept. 15, 1866. Mary was hiding under the wagon cover, and B.H. was sitting forlornly upon the tongue of the wagon, when he saw a woman whom he recognized as his mother approaching. They had a joyous reunion, and then rode out to Bountiful in John Crosby's wagon in which he had taken Mrs. Roberts to pick up the children and bring them home. During the next few years B.H. worked at several jobs, falling into some bad habits while mining. His mother worried and apprenticed him to the Centerville blacksmith, James Baird. B.H. credited James Baird, along with Thomas and John Whitaker and Nathan T. Porter, with getting him back into line. RICHARD TOLD of B.H.'s early marriage, his struggles to gain an education, as he hadn't learned to read or write until the age of 1 0. For a time he walked and hitched rides to Salt Lake City to attend school, then, in the spring of 1878, he took lodging in a cabin near the S.L. 17th Ward Chapel with three stone cutters from Centerville Cen-terville who were working on the Salt Lake Temple. He studied while wrapped in blankets to keep warm. He was highest in his class at the University of Deseret, finished the two-year course in one year, and was chosen valedictorian. valedicto-rian. He was ordinated a Seventy on March 8, 1877, and at the age of 31 he became a member of the First Council of Seventy. He became a prolific writer for the Church, publishing 34 books and over 300 pamphlets and articles. While best known for his monumental six-volume six-volume "Comprehensive History of the Church," he felt that his most valuable and meaningful work was his unpublished manuscript, manu-script, "The Truth, The Way, The Life: An Elementary Treatise on Theology." It is still held in the archives of the Church. Because of some doctrinal differences with the authorities he did not publish it. RICHARD concluded with the affirmation that Centerville has reason to be proud of this great missionary, orator, historian and staunch defender of the faith. A question and answer period was followed by refreshments. Next meeting Feb. 15, same time, same place. See you there? 'Hi., fj k 1 , - - V! s ill ; ii ssiossf . Ls'-sjsfciSiWJ RICHARD C. ROBERTS . was a two-year director, but declined to serve for her second year, and Smith Randall was elected to fill her unexpired term for 1984. Leon Olsen and Martin Knuteson were three-year directors, with two years remaining on their terms and so were not up for re-election, nor o was Vestil Harrison who has one more year to " 1 serve of his two-year term. She The real piece de resistance of the evening, n however, was the presentation by Richard Roberts, head of the history department, Weber State College, of significant events in the life of :rir. his grandfather, Brigham H. Roberts. The fact S'1 that "B.H." lived much of his youth in Center- ville, and took a prominent part in the activities of the community, served to heighten the in- terest of those in attendance. m RICHARD related how he, also, is a native of :arr Centerville, and although he moved away about f 20 years ago, he still has relatives here, and he ft enjoys 'coming home." He says when he and i f) his family pass through Centerville, he tries to f convince them that this place is called "Center- JJ- ville" because it is the center of the universe, even though he is aware that the community was i given that name because of its location between ; Bountiful and Farmington. ; Richard titled his talk, "B.H. Roberts, Mor- mon Historian," and this facet of B.H.'s life is !t Perhaps the biggest reason he is still widely Known and written about, although this designa- :,y "on is strangely omitted on his gravestone in the iir, Celery on the hillside in Centerville. Thereon ihe inscription: "B.H. Roberts, 1857-1933, 11 Churchman, Soldier, Statesman." rr- f , BRIGHAM Henry Roberts was born in War-nnJon. War-nnJon. Lancashire, England, March 13, 1857 , 10 Namin and Ann Everington Roberts, one An ; J six children. The children were Mary (Polly), ; le- Amy and Sarah (twins who died at three (; Harry (Brigham H.) and Thomas. Ii Benand Ann joined the Mormon Church, but J,: lle "en did not take to it very well, Ann was in Jlermned to go to Zion. Ben went to another y. and when he sent her the money to join ni' she saw that as an opportunity to go to 'erca, so she left England in 1862, taking - Sh ,and the invaid infant, Thomas, with her. ' "e le,t Mary, age 1 1 , with distant relatives by ! , : rove3"16 f Pie' and B-H- age five- with John Chu h h'S Wife' new converts t0 tne fareuii always remembered the tearful i sonl!! Wlth his mother, and the promise she ii come t h"1 Hin! that when he grew up he would ,k to her in "Zion." He gave his promise. 'ra?edwDE THE tr'p with some hardsriip and "V of thp,y'- they reacned the halfway mark ' memh ?rney across the Pains the we" re" ; fant Th landmark of Chimney Rock, the in- Missm d-S' Who had been carried from thc 1 His er r in the arms of his mother, died. Hie S! eDWas dug between Chimney Rock and inab fRlver-and his little body was wrapped "' Whe" th r Sheet and ,owered int0 tne grave-" grave-" body a C'ds of dirt started dropping on the ' Hnon n" unk beside the grave in a dead faint" I Panv ann'u ght was the caPtain of" tneir com- Vf his oi e said' "H'd on." Then he went to S Wagn and took out the metal bread ' body wam? i W'th h t0 the grave' and the I a"J in tf up and gent'y Placed in the box- f Ksprovjsed coffjn was again lowered I |