(1913) Rulon E. Porter, Joseph City, Arizona

The origin of the Porter family of which the writer is a member cannot be traced with certainty farther back than early in the eighteenth century. The history of the family, as far as we have it authentic, begins with the life of Sanford Porter, Sr., who was the head of the family that came to Utah as pioneers in the year 1847. It is known that he was the son of Nathan Porter and the grandson of Timothy Porter.

The family came from New England, and at the earliest date we have a record of them were living in Massachusetts. It is perhaps safe to assume that they had resided in New England from the time of their immigration from the old country; and as the name is English, we may also assume that they came from England.

Henry Porter Andrews of Saratoga, N. Y., now descendant from a Porter family through his mother, has made a record of his ancestors, tracing the line of descent as far back as the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 A. D. The family came to New England about 1639, and from there members of it scattered about into other sections of the country. There is a striking similarity in the names common to this family and the earlier members of the family to which the writer belongs, and as they seem to have occupied nearly the same parts of the New England country, it is not improbable that the Utah family is a branch of this. A very brief outline of the ancestry of Mr. Andrews' family be given here - not as the ancestry of the Utah family, but because of the common name, Porter, similarity of early environments, and the possibility that the two families are identical.

The genealogy of this family has been traced back for nearly one thousand years, showing them to be of French, or Norman and English descent. The original or French name of the family was De LaGrande; and became changed to the English name of Porter shortly after their advent into England. While not descended from the highest English nobility, they came of good stock, and not from the lower classes of the English civilization.

The earliest ancestor of the family to come to England was William De LaGrande, a knight in the army of William the Conqueror. William, instead of returning to his home in Normandy at the close of the Norman Conquest, remained in England, acquiring land in the vicinity of Kenilworth, Warwickshire, where he made his home.

The son of William, whose name was Henry (or possibly Roger) De LaGrande served for twenty years, 1120 - 1140, as "Grand Porteur" to Henry I, king of England. It was during this period that the name of the family became changed to Porter - "Porteur" De LaGrande was much oftener referred to by his title "Porteur", or its English equivalent "Porter" than by his name; and finally by royal authority the name was changed.

The sixteenth generation from William De LaGrande, John Porter, and his wife Rose with their children were the first of the family to emigrate to America; and from them descended the family of Henry Porter Andrews, from whose writings this data is collected. John and his wife were members of the Church of England at Windsor, and it is probable that it was their connection with that Church that brought them to the New World. The members of the Church at Windsor came to New England in two companies - the first about the year 1636, settling at or near Boston, Massachusetts; and the second emigrating about 1639, settling in Connecticut. John came with the second company, and settled at Windsor, Connecticut, near Hartford, the place evidently being named for the former English town from which its inhabitants emigrated.

[The above was followed by several pages of genealogical speculation, based on the assumption that Timothy was the name of the grandfather of Sanford Porter, Sr., which is now known to be incorrect. Therefore these speculations were not recopied here. GAM]

LIFE OF SANFORD PORTER, SR.

Nathan Porter, the earliest ancestor of the Utah family of whom we have an authentic historical record, was the son of Timothy Porter, with his wife, whose maiden name was Susannah West - the daughter of a Baptist minister - and four small children - Joseph, Sanford, Susannah, and Sally, he moved from Brimfield, Massachusetts to Vershire, Orange Co., Vermont about the year 1794.

The second son, Sanford, was the head of the family, or rather the branch of it which emigrated to Utah in 1847. He was born March 7, 1790 at Brimfield, Mass.; and lived with his father, assisting in the support of the family until the summer of 1810, when he set out for western New York, stopping at Willink (now Holland), a small village about thirty miles southeast of Buffalo, in Erie County. Here he spent a year opening up a farm, and preparing his future home. The next three months he spent in visiting with his parents and relatives in Vermont; and while there he was married to Nancy Warriner, a daughter of Reuben Warriner and Sarah Colton, with whom he soon returned to his own home in Holland, N. Y.

Shortly after the beginning of the War of 1812, he was drafted into the American Army. His first child, Chauncy Warriner, was born Oct. 20, 1812, during the absence of Sanford serving as a soldier. He was allowed to return to his home on a furlough during the summer of 1814, because of illness; and shortly after his return, the burning of Buffalo by the British and Indians took place. This latter event caused considerable excitement in the surrounding country; and in order to be more safely out of the fighting zone where there would be less danger to life and property and less trouble with the treacherous redskins, he moved with his family about 180 miles eastward into Oneida County, where he opened up another farm on which he lived until the year 1818. In that year he rented his farm and moved back to his old home in Vermont, where he purchased another farm, selling the one he had left in New York. His stay at the home town of his parents, however, was of short duration - remaining there but two years, when he again moved to New York, this time settling at Augusta, Oneida Co. Here he remained until 1823, when he again sold out his possessions and moved - this time to Liberty, Trumbull Co., Ohio.

During his residence in Liberty, two children were born - Sanford, Jr., the grandfather of the writer, born June 25, 1823, and Nancy Areta born August 8, 1825. There were now seven children in the family, five having been born previous to his coming to Ohio. As stated, the eldest son, Chauncy Warriner, was born at Holland, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1812; during his first stay in Oneida County, N. Y., 1814 - 1818, two daughters and one son - Malinda, Sarah, and John President - were born; Nathan Tanner was born July 10, 1820 in Vermont; and one son, Reuben, who died on the day of his birth, was born during the second sojourn in Oneida County.

In the year 1827, Sanford again sold out his possessions for the purpose of journeying toward the "Land of the Setting Sun" - this time the country of the Illinois was his objective point.

In company with a Mr. John Morgan, he constructed a flatboat which they launched on the Mahoning river not far from their homes at Liberty; and loading it with their household effects, floated down the Mahoning into the Beaver, and thence into and down the Ohio.

This journey was fraught with adventure. The country was then wild and unsettled, and many dangers were encountered. In his description of the journey, Nathan T. Porter describes the passage over the falls of the Beaver River some distance above its confluence with the Ohio, as follows: "as we neared the falls, we drew to shore, landed and disembarked the women and children, my father accompanying us, leaving Mr. Morgan and two pilots on board. They launched out while we passed down along the shore, watching the boat with intense interest as it drew near the "suck" which soon plunged it over the falls. For a few moments we thought all was lost, as it disappeared beneath the foaming waters; but it soon hove into sight right side up, no material damage being done in the adventure."

Sanford Porter disembarked near Evansville, Indiana May 4, 1827. Here he rented a farm of a Mr. Gentry and planted a crop that year. Shortly after this, Sanford was taken dangerously ill, and for a time his life was despaired of; but he recovered sufficiently to go to work again the next winter, and spent the winter of 1827-28 teaching a country school.

It was in March, 1828, that the family again took up their march toward the country of the Illinois. The wagon in which they hauled their belongings, although not uncommon in those early pioneer days, would indeed be considered a "novel conveyance" at the present time. It was built in the form of a "truck wagon", the wheels being made of cross sections of pine logs of the required diameter, with holes cut through the center for the axles, or "spindles". Tallow was made to serve the purpose of axle grease. With this outfit, drawn by two yoke of oxen, they journeyed northwestward from Evansville, or its vicinity, crossing the Wabash river into Illinois on the second day of the journey. The first night out was spent in the hollow base of a large tree where, in spite of the cold and stormy weather of the early Spring, they secured a fair degree of comfort and found protection from the wintry blasts.

Just after crossing the Wabash, they were joined by a Mr. Timothy Baldwin Clark and his family, who had also sold out their possessions, and through previous arrangement were awaiting on the western bank of the Wabash, the arrival of the Porters, in order that the two families might pursue their journey together into Tazewell County, Ill., which had previously been determined upon as their destination. "As we moved on", says Nathan T. Porter in his description of the journey across the state of Illinois, "the broad fields of Prairie began to present themselves to our view. With wonder and adoration did we gaze upon those extensive fields of nature stretching themselves forth far beyond our natural vision. Thus we pursued our way, crossing the Sangammon river and arriving in Tazewell County sometime in June, we encamped three miles from the Illinois river on the east. Here was a vast country with but few inhabitants". Two small towns had already been founded on the Illinois in this section - Pekin on the east bank, and Peoria about eight miles father up the river on the west bank in Peoria County.

After exploring the country for a short time, in company with a Mr. Morris Phelps - a son in law of Mr. Clark with whom the Porters had made the journey from the Wabash to Tazewell Co. - Sanford took up a farm about three miles east of the Illinois River. Although the difficulties incident to opening up a new country had to be met and overcome, through dint of hard work and a dauntless pioneering spirit, we are told by the family historian, they were soon surrounded with many of the comforts of life, as far as food and clothing were concerned. The country being very sparsely settled, however, schools and other facilities for educational advancement were very scarce; and the small, old-fashioned country school in the neighborhood was so far away from the Porter homestead as to be inaccessible to any except the larger children.

During the second year of their residence in this country, the Black Hawk War broke out. Many of the men residing in the country were drafted into the army, and for a time excitement ran high; but the war proved to be of short duration, and a treaty was soon made with the Indians by which peace was again restored to the country of the Illinois.

Sanford Porter, Morris Phelps, and a Mr. John Cooper, about 1829, began the erection of a saw mill on Farm Creek, some three miles distant from the Porter home. Before the mill was put into successful operation, Sanford purchased the interests of his two partners; and finding it somewhat difficult to attend to both the farm and the mill, in the Spring of 1830, he sold his homestead and moved his family to the mill, where he resided until late in the year 1831.

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It was while residing at this saw mill on Farm Creek, that Sanford Porter became converted to the Mormon faith, joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the month of July, 1830. He was baptized by Lyman Wight, a man well known in early church history, one of the two representatives of that creed who visited Tazewell County during the summer of that year.

Perhaps an outline of Sanford's religious tendencies, together with some of the circumstances surrounding his conversion would not be disinteresting to his descendants. Although the members of the Porter family, generally, were naturally of a religious turn of mind, it seems that Sanford, during his early manhood, was almost if not quite an atheist. His son, Nathan T., in commenting upon beliefs says he was, at the age of twenty-five years a "profound deist, almost an atheist". He had practically lost the belief in the existence of a God and believed that all things came about by chance, and that at death the human being would be annihilated body and spirit. This last thought, however, preyed upon his mind a great deal, and caused him to give the matter thorough and earnest consideration. I quote from Nathan T. Porter: "To prevent his concern of mind being known, he walked the barn by day and the house by night. On the third night, after the rest of the family had retired and were in profound slumber, as he was walking the room, bowed down with anguish of soul, he cried out, "Oh, is there a God? If there is may I know the way that is right?" As he uttered these words, there came an audible voice, saying, "There is a God, and thou shalt be shown three times this night the way that is right that thou need'st never doubt." Notwithstanding its being a mild voice, it pierced to the very center, so that his whole frame shook to the extremity of every limb. As soon as he had recovered from the shock, his first thought was that some person having learned of his situation, had come and putting his mouth to the top of the door had spoken those words with the intent of making him believe them to have been spoken by some supernatural being, notwithstanding the fact that he had openly declared that no such being existed outside the imaginations of the ignorant. No sooner had he received this impression that he was filled with indignation, and springing to the fire, seized the poker and threw open the door. To his surprise a light snow had fallen, but it had cleared off and the stars shone bright. 'Now', says he, 'I have a good chance to track you my lark'; and going outside looked carefully all around the house, but not a footprint of any living thing could be seen. His next conclusion was that this person had succeeded in getting into the house during the day and had secreted himself up stairs and had spoken through a crack near the door - the sound having come from that direction as he stood facing the door. He went back into the house and barred the door, and after lighting a candle took a cudgel and started up stairs, having not the least doubt that the speaker was there as he could be nowhere else. At the top of the stairs he took a searching glance into every part of the room, but saw no person, and nothing that would secrete a person except an old barrel standing in one corner of the room. Now that he was in or behind that barrel was to him certain. Keeping a close watch, he proceeded to the barrel, looked behind it, then emptied out its contents, consisting of old carpet rags, etc., but not so much as a mouse was discovered. He now gave up the search and returned below entirely subdued in spirit. He had met with a manifestation, but could assign no material or natural cause by which it was produced. He knew he had heard a voice and understood distinctly the sound, but could find no trace of any living being who could have uttered it. Therefore he settled down with the conviction that there is a God, and that the voice had proceeded forth from a heavenly being sent by Him. Under this impression, he seated himself before the fire, marveling at what had transpired and the mildness of the voice, and yet it had caused his whole frame to shake. The pain and anguish of soul was gone, leaving his mind calm and serene, with the exception of a dread to hear the voice again, feeling that he could not endure the shock - for he supposed he would hear it again, telling him the way that is right in fulfillment of the promise. He sat for some time, but no voice came; and he finally decided to lie down upon the bed where he could rest and at the same time hear it.

As his head touched the pillow, he thought it seemed unusually soft. In the twinkling of an eye, so to speak, he was caught away with lightning speed from things of earth. With a conductor by his side, he found himself standing in a world of light - whether in the body or out of the body he could not tell; but in his own language, "I felt of myself and thought it was no dream, but that it was really myself". They stood upon what he called a railing encircling a body of light which extended up so high that he could not see the top of it. This light was all in motion as if life were dwelling within it. It seemed he could see thousands of miles, so clear was the light, and yet there were no sun, moon nor stars to be seen. He saw people almost as numerous as the sands of the seashore seated around this light in which he called box pews or cells. These cells were arranged somewhat like the cells in a honeycomb, the walls of one forming portions of the walls of others. They were only large enough to admit two persons, male and female. A great many cells or mansions were empty, yet there were none occupied unless it were by both the male and the female. All these were bowing to the light with humble reverence full of praise and thanksgiving to God and the Lamb. Those who were the nearest the light were the most happy, even beyond description - this was expressed in their countenances, which he said surpassed anything he ever beheld in beauty and loveliness. Farther back from the light the persons were less happy, as the light shone less upon them; he looked back until he saw those who were out in darkness, and Oh! the awful anguish of soul that was pictured in every countenance. They were in the attitude of wringing their hands and gnawing their tongues for pain. He could not endure the scene, and turning to his conductor enquired who they were. The answer was that they were those spoken of in the scriptures who were liars and whoremongers, adulterers, etc. He asked if their torment would ever have an end; and the answer was 'It had a beginning and it may have an end'. He next asked the conductor what the light was to which all these people were bowing who were so happy, and received the answer that it was God. The angel went on telling him everything he wished to know about God and that which was written of Him in the scriptures, referring him to many passages, giving chapter and verse; and telling him that there was no true church of God then on the earth, that the churches were all false, and forbade him to join any of them. My father asked if there would be a true church arise, and the answer was that it should. 'Will I live to see it?' asked my father; 'You will', replied the angel. After receiving answer to all the questions he desired to ask, the angel said to him, 'Come, we must go'. Looking in the direction whence they had come, my father beheld a dark abyss. 'Oh, let me stay', he exclaimed; to which the angel replied, 'You are not good enough'. 'Will I ever be any better', queried my father. 'You will, you will occupy this mansion', replied the angel pointing to one by which they stood; and then referred him to the scriptures where the Savior said, 'In my Father's house are many mansions', etc. The angel went on, 'Now, as Christ said to Peter, when thou are converted strengthen thy brethren, so I say unto you when thou art converted tell this to the world'. 'They will not believe me if I do', replied my father; to which the angel answered, 'What is that to thee, do as you are bidden. There will be some who will believe. Come, let us go'. In an instant they were on the wing, as it were.

As my father awoke, he felt a peculiar prickly sensation, not unlike the feeling experienced with a foot or hand asleep. This feeling was general all over his body. As he awoke, he endeavored to awake my mother that he might relate to her what he had seen, but a profound sleep had come upon her so that when he endeavored to awaken her, she would partially wake up, but immediately fall asleep again. He lay meditating upon what he had seen and heard. It was for a short time only, however, as he was soon taken by the same conductor who showed and told him the same things as before.

Once more this was repeated in fulfillment of the promise that he should be shown three times that night the way that was right, that he need never doubt - and so it was, he doubted no more as to God and godliness; but stood alone declaring what he had seen and heard from Him who could not lie. And thus he met opposition, confounding all who opposed the work of God, and the testimony which he had received."

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The above description is quoted almost verbatim from the account of this dream as given by Nathan T. Porter. To attempt to analyze the "dream" would be a rather difficult task, and perhaps it is better to allow the reader to form his own impression rather than to comment to any extended degree upon it. Just what Sanford's thoughts and imaginations were during the time his feelings were in a turmoil before the manifestations it would be impossible to tell with accuracy from any information he has left us; and we cannot therefore determine to just what extent the above may have been founded upon precepts and concepts already in his mind. While it would be preposterous to claim that conditions as he saw them in this trance or dream are literal, it would be equally preposterous to state that the dream had no meaning. The effect upon him appears to have been good - it settled him with a conviction of the existence of a God and of man's future existence, that is his existence beyond the grave; and also taught him that to attain happiness in the future state it was necessary to learn of and obey the teachings of God. The simple, undeveloped description of conditions in Heaven show plainly that the dream was not intended for the purpose of giving Sanford exact or literal information relative to conditions beyond the grave, but was apparently given more in the form of a parable or simple illustration of great truths.

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It was in the month of July, 1830, perhaps a little over three months after the organization of the Mormon Church at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York, that Sanford Porter, as previously stated, had the first opportunity of learning anything of that new religion. During that month, two Mormon Elders, Lyman Wight and John Carroll visited Tazewell County while on their way westward, perhaps with the intention of assisting in the location of the "central stake of Zion". They held a number of meetings in the vicinity of the Porter home, and as is the custom with the Latter Day Saint missionaries, visited the inhabitants of the neighborhood at their homes.

When they called at the home of Sanford, he received them cordially and listened attentively to their narrative of how the Gospel had been restored to the earth, and to the story of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; but when asked if he was ready to join them, replied that he was not, as in the dream which he had received some time previously, he was told that the true church was not on the earth. The Elders attempted to explain to him that at the time he received the manifestation he referred to, the true church was not on the earth, but that as he had been told it would be, it had since been restored, and that it was now his duty to join it. Although the doctrines taught him appealed to him very strongly, he refused to be baptized, saying that the same power that had previously made known to him that the true church was not on the earth would also make known to him the true church and his duty toward it when it should be presented to him.

He attended the meetings held in the neighborhood, and seemed an interested listener, but up until the day before the elders were to leave the neighborhood on their way westward, he had received no manifestation relative to the matter. When Lyman Wight again asked if he was ready to join them, he again refused; but upon being asked if he would let them know if he received a manifestation of the truthfulness of the Gospel they were teaching, he replied that he would "follow them to Missouri, the Pekin (a small town on the Illinois river a few miles away) or to the ends of the earth, if necessary", if he learned it was his duty to unite himself with their faith.

During the evening he pondered very seriously over what he had heard, but until daybreak of the day the elders were to leave, he had still received no divine information. While he lay musing during the early morning hours, he informs us he was caught away in a sort of trance and found himself in the company of the same messenger that had visited him some years before in his former dream. This time he was told that the Gospel in its purity had been restored to the earth, and that it was his duty to embrace it.

Upon awakening from this "dream", Sanford immediately set out to find the two Mormon Elders; and meeting Elder Wight just walking away from his lodging place asked him to return to the house, and there informed the Elders of what he had learned in the early morning. They arranged to hold a meeting at the home of the Porters the next day; and as it was noised about among the inhabitants of the countryside that the Mormons would hold a meeting there and that Mr. Porter was going to unite himself with that strange sect, it was very well attended. At the close of the services, they repaired to a suitable place for the performance of the ceremony of baptism; and there after the usual preliminary exercises, he was led into the water and baptized by Lyman Wight. His wife and one daughter were also baptized at the same time. In the evening at another meeting called for the purpose, these new converts were confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; and Sanford was ordained an elder and given instructions relative to preaching the Gospel in the neighborhood and in the country round about.

The Elders then proceeded to the home of Jonathan Sumner, about six miles distant, whom they also baptized and ordained an Elder. He and Sanford were old acquaintances, and afterward became relatives-in-law. They worked together in the preaching of the Gospel in the immediate neighborhood for a time, then went to the northwestward about sixty miles, where they converted and baptized Baldwin Clark, Morris Phelps, and John Cooper, all of whom have been mentioned in connection with the move of the Porter family from Indiana to Illinois.

Two missionaries passed through Tazewell County on their way from Jackson County, Mo. to Kirtland, Ohio shortly after the return of Elders Sumner and Porter to their homes, informing the saints that Independence, Missouri had been designed at the gathering place for the members of the church, and that it was the desire of the church leaders that thus unite themselves at one place. Shortly after this, Sanford offered his farm for sale, and prepared to move to the "Land of Zion", instructing the saints in the neighborhood, over whom he was local "presiding elder", to do the same.

On the first of December, 1831, he and his family set out, in company with Morris Phelps, James Emmett, William Aldridge, John Aldridge, Harrison Aldridge, and a Mr. Berry - all with their families - for the new gathering place near the western boundary of Missouri. Those who have been in Illinois and northern Missouri at this season of the year will perhaps be able to realize to some extent the hardships encountered in this five hundred miles trip overland with wagons in the dead of winter. Snow and frost and the biting winds made the journey anything but pleasant a great deal of the time; but to these dauntless spirited pioneers nothing seemed too great to be overcome, especially if they felt that it was their duty to perform that work. Their first encampment, the night of Dec. 1, was on the east banks of the Illinois river. The following day they crossed this river on the ice, which they state was "eight or ten inches thick". As the ice was smooth, some difficulty was experienced in crossing; and to make it safer for the animals in pulling the loaded wagons over, a quantity of tall grass growing near the river was cut and strewn across the river on the ice - by throwing water onto it and allowing it to freeze, the grass was made fast and enabled them to effect the crossing without accident. The Spoon river, sixty miles farther west, they crossed in the same manner. Here they rested a few days at the home of a Mr. Umpstead, who but a short time previously had joined the Mormon Church.

About eighty miles farther to the west they came to the mighty Mississippi. This "Father of Waters", owing to a south wind which had been blowing for some time was considered very dangerous for crossing with wagons, and hardly safe for footmen. To wait for the ice to melt and pass down the river so as to admit of passage by ferryboat would mean a long delay, and the limited means of the company would not permit of this added expense on their journey. Again the religious nature of these faithful early churchmen asserted itself - James Emmett and Sanford Porter, repairing to a secluded spot some distance from the camp enquired of the Lord in humble prayer what course they should pursue; and according to their statements, received the following assurance: "Be of good cheer, for behold I will prepare the way before you. Get ye up early on the morrow and cross this river with your wagon and teams. Use wisdom, and no harm shall befall you, but you shall cross in safety". All night they remained awake awaiting the cold north wind which they thought would surely come to freeze the ice sufficiently for their crossing, but in this they were disappointed. Although the south wind continued all night, the ice was frozen some. Having a full assurance in the manifestation which they had received the previous evening, they attempted the crossing in the early hours of the morning. Chauncy, the eldest son of Sanford, was sent ahead with the foremost wagon and told to stop at a certain sandbar more than halfway across the river, but still between the company and the main channel of the river, and there await the arrival of the rest of the party.

Arrangements were made to put the teams some distance in advance of the wagons so as to distribute the weight over as much surface as possible in crossing the most dangerous part of the stream, which was near the west bank of the river. Chauncy having full confidence that the crossing would be made in safety, disobeyed this injunction from his father, and drove on across the main channel to the Missouri bank. The other members of the party watched him in breathless suspense, as did also a number of people who had assembled on the western bank to watch the attempted crossing. Three yokes of oxen were attached to this wagon, and the ice was seen to rise in waves behind it as it crossed the deepest water, but no accident occurred, and the wagon was pulled up onto the Missouri bank amidst acclamations of surprise and wonder from the populace of the small town of Palmyra at which the crossing was made. (Palmyra is a small town on the Missouri side of the river a few miles below Quincy, Ill.) The other wagons were stopped on the sandbar before mentioned, and the oxen driven ahead, a horse being hitched to the end of the tongues of the wagons, and in this way the passage of the entire outfit was made by about ten o'clock in the forenoon.

After journeying a number of days into the state of Missouri, a halt was made for the purpose of allowing the teams a much needed rest. As the money and supplies brought along by the company were nearly exhausted, it was decided that Morris Phelps should go ahead to Independence, and there borrow sufficient to enable them to complete the journey. Mr. Phelps immediately set out on his mission.

Here an all but fatal accident occurred to Sanford Porter, Jr., the grandfather of the writer. He was kicked in the forehead by a newly shod horse, the toe-cork of the shoe penetrating his skull. He was apparently dead when picked up, and was carried to the tent amidst considerable anxiety and excitement; but his father, Sanford, Sr. and the other elders of the company immediately anointed his forehead with olive oil and administered to him, invoking the power of the God of Israel, whom they had learned to trust implicitly; and immediately upon the removal of their hands from his head, his muscles began to show signs of life, and in a few moments consciousness had returned and he was gazing composedly upon his friends and relatives who were gathered around him. In a short time, he was again able to be around.

The journey was resumed on the day following this accident. They crossed the Missouri River at Arrow Rock, which is almost directly east of Kansas City, and nearly halfway across the state of Missouri from that city. The crossing was made by ferry-boat; and owing to the swift current at this place, considerable care and judgment was necessary in order to effect safe landings. Shortly after crossing the river, they were met by Morris Phelps returning from Independence with the means he had went for; and on March 1, 1832, they arrived at their destination.

Independence, Jackson Co., Mo. was to them the "Promised Land" - the "Land of Zion" to which they had been commanded by revelation to gather and assist in the building up of the work of the Lord. "This was the first company", remarks Nathan T. Porter in his diary, "who had come pitching their tents by the way like Israel of old". The journey had been made during the three most inclement months of the year, and they had endured many hardships on the way, facing the snow and sleet storms and braving the dangers of Indian massacres on the frontier, and the hazardous crossings of rivers; but no serious accident had befallen them; and now they happily united with other members of their faith, feeling fully repaid for the hardships they had undergone. Here they were to receive their "inheritances", where they hoped to reside in peace until the second coming of the "Son of Man", whom they believed would come to His temple to be built at this place.

At that time, there were a number of settlers in Jackson County, who had come by water during the previous summer and fall from Ohio and other eastern states. The "temple block" was covered with a heavy growth of timber, which the brethren had begun to clear off, using the timber for building and other purposes, and preparing the spot, as they thought, for the building of the magnificent temple which they expected to erect. Five "branches" of the church had been founded to the west of Independence extending out to a distance of twelve or fourteen miles; namely Independence, Big Blue, Timber, Coleville, and Prairie. Sanford Porter and family settled at the last named place, being assigned about twenty acres of land by Bishop Edward Partridge; and he immediately began to improve this land and to build a house.

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About this time, an effort was made in Jackson County, Mo. to live the "Law of Consecration", which the Mormons regard as a direct revelation from Heaven with relation to the management of temporal affairs - the same system as was in force among the inhabitants of the "City of Enoch", spoken of in the "Pearl of Great Price". Under requirements of this sytem, each member was to deed, or "consecrate" to the church all his property, and in turn the church would make each member a "steward" over such property and in such amounts as it was thought he was best fitted for taking care of and improving. Thus a farmer would of course be given care of land, while the merchant or other tradesman or person of another occupation would be given such property as his vocation demanded. Strictly speaking the "Law of Consecration" and the "United Order" are not the same - as will be seen the former still allows each individual to exercise his individuality in the care and improvement of his "stewardship", while in the latter, which is really but a system of communism, in which all hold property in common, with almost a minimum of individual responsibility. The student of history will recall a number of instances in the history of our nation where the system of communistic living has been tried; but during colonial days it seemed to fail as a means of making the colonies a success because of the dissatisfaction arising from the lack of individual interest and ownership, although during the nineteenth century a number of such communities existed with apparent financial success in the United States - among the Shakers, the Harmonists, the Oneida Community, and a number of others, in which individuality of the person seemed largely merged into whole body or society of persons. This effort to live the "Law of Consecration", differing as above explained from the purely communistic societies, at Independence and vicinity was unsuccessful. Most or perhaps nearly all the saints willingly entered it, but among the few holding themselves aloof were a number of the most influential citizens; and because of this lack of union in the movement, Bishop Partridge returned all property turned over to the Church to its former owners.

As the members of the Church had already learned in the eastern part of the United States, the Church of Jesus Christ could not long remain in peaceful freedom, even in the then new country of Missouri. In the year 1833, severe persecutions arose and by November of that year, the Mormons were driven in a body from their newly made homes in Jackson County - the great body of them going northward across the Missouri river into Caldwell and Ray Counties of the same state, but a small portion of them going southward.

In the night of Nov. 12, 1833, when the earth passed through one of the heaviest meteoric showers that history records, the main body of the Saints was encamped on the south bank of the Missouri river with no way of making an immediate crossing. The mob which had driven them from their homes was still in pursuit, and were pledged to slay men, women and children. Nathan T. Porter states that the night of Nov. 12th was the one determined upon for the wholesale massacre of the Mormons; but before the mob began its work, the meteoric shower began, and in consternation, they fled from their intended victims. The Saints of course regarded this as a miraculous deliverance by the power of God.

Instead of going with the main body of the Church, Sanford with a small company of Saints went to the southward. On the night of the meteoric shower, they were encamped on the headwaters of the "Grand River", so it is stated in their records; just what stream this is is somewhat difficult to determine, but it was undoubtedly a tributary of the Osage river, or perhaps they referred to the Osage river itself as the Grand river. According to their description of the event, the "stars" would fall thickly on all sides for a few moments, then an interval of perhaps ten or fifteen minutes would elapse during which few would fall, then the shower would be repeated - this continued from early in the evening until nearly dawn.

Travelling down the south fork of the Grand river some distance, the little company of ten or fifteen families, of which Sanford Porter was recognized as the leader, stopped for the winter. As the had been driven from their homes hurriedly, they had little with them with which to maintain themselves, and it soon became necessary to secure provisions in some way. A council was held, at which Sanford suggested that a few of the men go back to their homes with their teams and wagons; and perhaps through the softening of the hearts of their enemies when told of the condition of the refugees in the wilderness they would be allowed to haul away some of the grain and perhaps the swine they had left behind.

It seems however that there was a division in the company as to the course they should pursue; some had the idea that inasmuch as they had been driven from their homes unjustly, they were to return with their families relying upon the Lord to protect them and to punish their enemies. These dissenters organized themselves into a separate group and went back with their families to the homes they had recently deserted. At the first their enemies did not trouble them, but as soon as it was learned that the intention was to remain, the mob attacked them, beating a number of the men - one of whom was left for dead - and ordered them to leave the country under pain of death. Fleeing across the Missouri to the northward they joined the main body of the members of the church.

The rest of the little company on the Grand river, among whom was the Porter family, decided that the safest course to pursue was to do as before suggested, that is to leave their families where they were and a few of the men to return with teams and wagons for provisions. Acting upon this decision, Sanford and two or three others made the return journey, Sanford going on foot in advance of his wagon, driven by another member of the party, to his former home; but when he reached it, he found that his grain-bins had been emptied and that his hogs had either been stolen or lost. Only enemies were around him - he arrived before the other division of the company which was coming with the intention of remaining - and was feeling considerably discouraged and disheartened, as he had nothing with which to purchase from his enemies the provisions necessary for the sustenance of his family during the winter, which was already upon them. While walking the yard in meditation, a mobocratic neighbor came up and accosted him, "How do you do Mr. Porter, you seem to be in trouble"? "I am", was the response, "my family is in the wilderness without provisions; I have come back for the corn and the hogs I left on my farm, but now I find everything gone". Mr. Cantrell, the neighbor, although a bitter enemy to the Mormons was touched by this remark, and invited Sanford to drive over to his premises and there to load up with such provisions as he needed without paying for them. This kind offer was thankfully accepted, and it was but a short time until the little company was on the way back to camp on the Grand river - the others having been able to get provisions from their own premises.

At this temporary stopping place on the Grand river, they spent the winter of 1833-34, building a few rude houses to protect them from the inclemencies of the winter weather. In the Spring, they moved farther down the river; the Porters settling on a tributary of that stream, while Jonathan Sumner, Ira Smith and a Mr. Pryor settled on the main stream about five miles distant from the Porter home. The country at that time was an almost uninhabited wilderness. It was forty miles to a grist mill. Owing to the scattered condition of the sparse population, schools were out of the question; and even in order to clothe themselves, they were thrown upon their own resources - having to do the manufacturing of the cloth themselves. They were prospered to some extent however as their agricultural pursuits were fairly successful.

After residing at this place about four years, Sanford decided to move to the main body of the church where he and his family could have the advantages of the society of members of their own faith in greater numbers, and where the privileges of schools and public services could be enjoyed. Accordingly in 1838, he made a journey across the Missouri and made arrangements whereby he could obtain land and begin tilling it the following spring. Upon his return home, he offered his farm and improvements for sale. He had obtained a warranty deed from the government to his land, thinking this would assist him to dispose of it advantageously; but prospective buyers were aware of his determination to go, and withheld their offers, think he would sell very cheaply rather than not sell at all, but in this they were disappointed, for in the Spring of 1839, he left without selling the property. Just what has become of the deeds he retained to this property, I have up to the present time been unable to learn. Before leaving the Grand River, however, he learned of the persecutions the Saints were undergoing north of the Missouri, and of the decision to make Nauvoo, Ill. and its vicinity the home of the Church and therefore changed his own plans accordingly. Leaving the Grand river in May 1839, instead of going to Clay County, he travelled northward, and after about five weeks arrived at Montrose, Iowa; shortly afterward taking up a farm immediately west of that town and about five miles distant from Nauvoo.

Shortly after settling here, his son Nathan through overwork in handling heavy timbers was internally injured and was unable to work for several months, being unable to move from his bed for a number of weeks, and when he did begin to "mend", his recovery was very slow.

During this illness of Nathan, his sister Sarah was married to a Mr. David Willard, not a member of the Mormon Church, but who flattered her with the idea that he would join shortly after their marriage, professing to believe in the principles of the Gospel as taught by the people of her faith. Her parents objected to the union, as did also her brother Nathan; but trusting in his promise, she accepted his proposal and moved with him to his home about twenty miles distant. Mr. Willard did not really accept the Gospel at all, and although he would say nothing against it in the presence of his wife, at other times he made very bold with his statements derogatory of the Church and its leaders, particularly Joseph Smith the Prophet. Sarah soon became aware of his real feelings, and awakened to the fact that she could have little hope of ever converting him to her own belief. It seems that this discovery caused her a great deal of sorrow, as when her brother Nathan called upon her some time after her marriage, he found her despondent and gloomy, saying that she wished to "pass away from this life"; and in spite of the efforts of her parents and her brothers and sisters to turn her from this feeling, she maintained the same attitude, until her health gave way, and shortly afterward her death occurred.

Another death occurred in the family in the year 1841 - that of Justin Theodore, one of the younger children, who was killed during the month of August by a horse falling on him.

On the 6th day of October, Nathan Porter started on his first mission, travelling as far east as Ohio. He remained on this mission about thirteen months, returning to Nauvoo in 1842. In 1844, he was sent out again as a missionary, this time to electioneer for the Prophet Joseph Smith, who had announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. It was while in Ohio, on this missionary trip that the news reached him of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. In speaking of this event, Nathan states that Gov. Ford, when he was leaving Nauvoo after he had heard of the martyrdom, was heard to remark, "I thought they would have regard for my safety", thus showing that he had the impression that the martyrdom was to take place, although perhaps not quite so soon, and apparently was not taking the steps he should have taken as governor of the state to prevent it. Ford was then hurriedly leaving the city of Nauvoo, fearing the wrath of the Mormons. Nathan was an eye-witness of the "mantle of Joseph falling upon Brigham Young".

The Porters at their Iowa home were not subjected to the worst of the persecutions at this time, as were their neighbors on the Illinois side of the river.

When the main body of the Mormons left Nauvoo for the west in 1846, Sanford succeeded in selling his farm at a low figure and accompanied them to Winter Quarters, where he and the family lived until the summer of 1847. Two of his sons, Chauncy and Nathan, remained behind at their former home, until the spring of 1847 - the former for the purpose of assisting his father-in-law to dispose of his property, and the latter, who had sometime before taken up a farm of his own and had made some improvements thereon, remaining for the purpose of selling it. Cold weather coming on before they had made disposition of the property, kept them from joining their father and his family at Winter Quarters that year; and during the winter, Nathan cutting wood for the river steamers, thus adding a little to his store of means for the westward journey. Chauncy was let into a trick by a horse thief, who came to him with a well groomed animal representing to be a race horse which he had just purchased at a high figure. He wished to leave the horse with Chauncy, promising to pay for the pasturage and care of the animal when he should return; not suspecting anything wrong, Chauncy accepted the terms offered. It soon developed that the horse had been stolen, and when the thief was caught he accused Chauncy of being accessory to the crime. At the trial, the latter proved his innocence, but not without considerable expense, considering his financial condition at that time. In the spring, these two brothers set out for Winter Quarters, where they arrived about the 1st of June, some time after the pioneer vanguard had left for the Mountains, meeting their father a short distance from the settlement on his way to Missouri for provisions.

During the previous year, a younger son of Sanford, Sanford Jr. - the grandfather of the present writer - had gone to the Pacific coast with the Mormon Battalion. It will be remembered that General Kearney, ordered Capt. Allen to proceed to the Mormon camps to enlist a battalion under date of June 19, 1846. Allen immediately proceeded to Mt. Pisgah, where on the 26th of that month he made known his mission; and then proceeded to Winter Quarters, where on the 1st of July, President Young decided that the government's demand should be complied with. Two weeks later, the battalion was mustered in, and on the 19th started for Fort Leavenworth which they reached about August 1st. Here they received their accoutrements and arms, etc., and also a bounty of $40.00 each, most or nearly all of which was sent back to relatives they had left behind - President Young had promised to look after the families of those who would undertake the journey before they left the Mormon camps. This battalion arrived at Santa Fe in two detachments on the 9th and 12th of October; and on Jan. 29, 1847 arrived at San Diego, California, which they found peacefully reposing beneath the Stars and Stripes, having already been taken by United States forces. After being mustered out of service, some re-enlisted, but the most of these men either set to work in California or went to the Salt Lake Valley.

When President Young left with the Pioneers, he instructed the saints at the camps behind to the effect that as many as could do so should arrange to follow the pioneers to the west that summer, and it was arranged for a large company to leave about the 15th of June, 1847. It was the plan of Sanford Porter, Sr. that he and his son Nathan should go with this company, locate and prepare a new home, and then return for the family, as he did not feel that it could be arranged to take the whole family west that year. As before stated, however, when Nathan and Chauncy came from the eastern part of the state of Iowa, their father was on a trip to Missouri for provisions. On learning of the intention that a large company should start out and of the desire of their Mother and the younger members of the family to accompany the father and brother on the journey, they immediately set to work preparing an outfit for the journey, and through the means they had brought with them together with what their father had at hand they were enabled to make the necessary preparations, so that when Sanford returned from Missouri, they had an outfit almost ready for travelling which would enable all the family to go together.

By the 15th of June, they were on the move again, this time their destination being the Pacific Coast or the Rocky Mountains - it seems that they knew not which, although it had previously been prophesied that the saints would move to the mountains; and it is very plainly shown in the life of Joseph Smith the Prophet that he anticipated this move sometime before his death. It seems that no system was followed in leaving Winter Quarters; each family as it was ready for travel left the town going about twenty miles westward to the crossing of the Horn river, a tributary of the Platte. Here they were organized into companies of tens, fifties, and hundreds with captains over each - the captains of hundreds being of course under the authorities in charge of the whole company, the captains of fifties being immediately under their respective captains of hundreds, and the captains of tens each under his captain of five tens or of fifty.

The companies began the journey in this organized form about the 20th of the month, travelling with four wagons abreast as a safety precaution against Indian attack. For some time, while crossing the more level plains the wagons could be handled successfully four abreast; but as they travelled westward they found the country rougher, and about five hundred miles east of Fort Laramie, they had to abandon this system and travel two abreast, and west of this fort because of the excessive roughness of the country they were compelled to travel in single file. A number of field pieces were distributed among the companies - the company in which the Porters travelled, that commanded by Charles C. Rich, had one. These guns were occasionally fired for the purpose of frightening the Indians and thus preventing an attack.

Not far east of Laramie, the company with which the Porter family travelled was visited by a large band of Indians which at first appeared to threaten trouble, but later turned out to be but a friendly visit. The Indians coming near the emigrant train, left their women and children behind, apparently for safety, and this was of course interpreted by the travellers to mean trouble. Quickly forming their wagons in a hollow square they made preparations to resist an attack. The Indians seeing this precaution, halted at some distance, sending one of their number forward. He was met by a representative from the emigrant company, and the pipe of peace was passed between them. The Indians showing themselves to be friendly, were allowed to come within the enclosure, where in the Mormon method of making friends with the red men, they were given presents, and something to eat. The wagon carrying the field piece was drawn to one side, and the Indians gathered around to see the gun. Suddenly, they were motioned back, and the torch applied to the cannon. At the discharge the frightened redmen scattered in every direction, but were finally calmed by the assurance of the white men that there was no danger. It seemed the Indians had the idea that all the wagons of the company would shoot, and of course this delusion was not dispelled by the emigrants, as it would in case of hostility, serve as a means of protection from attack.

As far as Ft. Laramie, the trail of the Mormon emigrants had been up the Platte River; but from here the trail bearing southward from the river, passed through what Nathan T. Porter refers to as the "Black Hills" again coming to and crossing the Platte about 110 miles west of Laramie. (It appears that in giving the Mts. west of Ft. Laramie the name "Black Hills", Nathan must have gotten them mixed with the hills of that name across the Platte and quite a distance to the northeast - the ones he refers to are perhaps the "Laramie Mountains"; he says they resemble a forest, being covered with a scattering growth of pine timber." This last crossing of the Platte, was but a short distance above its confluence with the Sweetwater; and the Mormon Trail cutting across the point of land between the rivers just above the confluence, followed up the latter river, perhaps nearly to the continental divide which it crossed through the "South Pass".

Where the trail leaves the Sweetwater, some distance to the east of the South Pass, they met President Young and company on their way back to Winter Quarters. The President informed them that the first company of Pioneers had entered the valley of the Great Salt Lake and there selected a site for a city, at which part of the company had remained to plant crops and test the soil, and await the arrival of later pioneers, while he with the main body were now on their way back to Winter Quarters for the purpose of bringing their families out the following spring. This was welcome news to the weary travellers, who hitherto had been going they knew not where, following the trail broken by their predecessors, and trusting to the God of Israel to lead them to a place where they could live in peace and happiness, free from the molestation of lawless mobs who had driven them from their comfortable homes within the confines of what should have been "civilization".

Bearing to the southward after crossing the Continental divide through the South Pass, they came to "Little Sandy" river and shortly afterward to "Big Sandy", a tributary of the Green river, which they reached a few days later. "On reaching this river", remarks Nathan T. Porter, "we could easily understand why it was called 'Green River' - the waters at this season of the year were at a low stage, remarkably clear, and of a very noticeable greenish color." A few days later, they crossed Ham's Fork, a small stream emptying into the Black Fork of the Green River; and shortly afterward reached the Black Fork itself.

Some distance up the last named stream, they came to Fort Bridger, an Indian Trading Post, kept principally by Mr. "Jim" Bridger, an experienced frontiersman who had spent a good deal of life in the mountains of what shortly after this time became the western part of the United States - the country prior to 1848 belonged to Mexico. Bridger had, according to his own assertions, spent twenty years in and around the Great Basin; and made the statement that nothing would grow there - even going so far as to offer $1000.00 for the first ear of corn produced in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. This was not very encouraging new to the new-comers, but their trust in their leader and in an over-ruling Providence was unshaken; the leaders of the Church, in spite of such discouraging predictions had chosen this place as the future home of the Saints, and as to the wisdom of their judgment we will leave it to the reader to determine.

Not far from Ft. Bridger, they crossed the Bear River, which empties into the Great Salt Lake at its northern end, and some distance on came to the Weber, which also flows into that lake - its mouth being near the present site of Ogden City. Coming down the Weber a short distance, the trail leaves this stream crossing over the comparatively low divide to East Canyon Creek, which it crossed about six miles above the site of the little village of Porterville. It continues to the west from this creek, crossing the divide between the Salt Lake Valley and the Weber a little to the south of the head of Emigration Canyon; and after coming a short distance down a canyon to the south of that canyon, crosses over into it.

The company with the Porter family travelled crossed the divide between the Weber and Salt Lake Valleys on the 1st of Oct., 1847; and camped that night in Emigration Canyon. Their feeling can better be imagined than described as they crossed the last range of mountains, and could see spread out in panorama before them the beautiful valley of the Great Salt Lake, surrounded by lofty mountainous barriers, with the placid waters of the lake glimmering in the sunlight in the distance. The first sight of the "valley" was greeted with shouts of gladness and the waving of dusty hats and faded sunbonnets, while tears of joy and thanksgiving flowed freely over many a sunburned and careworn face, where the tears of sorrow had flown before. On the following day, Oct. 2, 1847, they entered the valley.

All of the family of Sanford, Sr. with the exception of Malinda his daughter who had married a Mr. Ezra Chipman and gone to Texas prior to the exodus from the "states", and Sanford Jr. who had gone to California with the Mormon Battalion; and just two weeks later, he arrived, reaching Salt Lake City Oct. 16, 1847. The meeting was indeed a happy one after the hardships undergone by both the son in his long journey and the family in its more direct route.

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This first winter in the Salt Lake Valley was indeed a trying one; there were now perhaps one thousand people in the valley, many of whom had come almost entirely without provisions, in spite of President Young's instructions to the contrary before they left Winter Quarters. For weeks and months many subsisted on barks and roots, the flesh of wild birds such as the hawk and the raven and the snipe, and of such animals as the coyote and the fox; but even such flesh as these animals could afford could be obtained in limited quantities only, and it was not uncommon to see men working and chewing the bark or twigs of trees in an endeavor to appease their keen sense of hunger. Limited quantities of seed grain had been brought to the valley, but of course it was necessary to keep this over winter for the spring planting, as the crop to be raised therefrom must be depended upon for the following winter's supplies. Before the winter set in a few sun-dried adobe houses had been built, enclosing a ten acre fort, called the "Old Fort" and occupying the ground called at the present time "Pioneer Park", which is situated between Third and Fourth South Streets just above the D. & R. G. Railway depot in Salt Lake City; but the coming of winter stopped the use of adobe for building purposes, although the construction of log houses continued all winter. These adobe "huts" were far from comfortable at times, and especially so when their thatched roofs became saturated with water from the rains and snows and caused for weeks, perhaps an almost constant dripping of muddy water into the inner part of the house.

The crops planted in the Spring of 1848 came up and gave promise of a bountiful harvest for a time; but while the grain was still young and tender, myriads of crickets came down from the highlands surrounding the valley and made sad havoc with the growing grain. Men, women, and children turned out to fight this new foe; but like an avalanche they came, innumerable hosts which the Saints with all the means at their command and all the ingenuity they could bring to bear were entirely unable to withstand. Ditches were dug around the fields and filled with water, and for a little time these held back the advancing hosts; but as the insects father back crowded upon those in the lead, like the army of Napoleon, the leaders were crowded into the streams, and found they could cross, so that soon the fields were fast disappearing under the onslaught of these seemingly small and insignificant insects. Just as the settlers were giving up the fight in despair, flocks of sea gulls were seen coming from the lake, and they too alighted in the fields of grain. By what impulse they were directed to make this flight from the lake to the farms was not understood, and what their purpose was was likewise a mystery to the discouraged Saints. Were they coming to assist the crickets in the complete destruction of the remaining crops? A few of the birds were killed for food before their work was discovered; but as soon as the discovery was made that they were battling with the crickets, orders were at once given that none of them be molested. The work the settlers had failed in, they in such great numbers were able to accomplish, that was the destruction of the crickets. They would gorge themselves then spew the crickets up and gorge again - keeping this up all day. After their work was done the gulls returned to the lake, leaving the settlers with thankful hearts and looking upon their visit as a providential assistance in the time of direct need of succor. The portion of the crop not already destroyed was matured, furnishing sufficient grain, with the exercise of care and judgment, to last through the ensuring winter. It is this incident in the history of Utah that has caused the gull to be so sacredly regarded in this state, and it is still protected by very strict laws.

During the fall of 1849, another incident occurred that was of great benefit to the Saints. The discovery of gold in California had caused great excitement in the East, and thousands of adventurers well laden with provisions and implements made a rush for the coast during the summer of that year, reaching Salt Lake Valley in the fall. Their animals already well worn out with the long journey from St. Louis were ill prepared to draw the heavy loads on to California that year; and in order to hasten on their way, these gold seekers were anxious to dispose of all but sufficient provisions to take them to the gold fields in exchange for animals, thus lightening their loads and at the same time better fitting themselves for the still long journey before them. For a time these excited travellers sold provisions and tools for less than they could be purchased in St. Louis or in other parts of the Eastern States; and through the purchase made at this time, the Saints became fairly well supplied with implements, and obtained sufficient provisions to carry them over the next winter in comparative comfort.

Shortly after coming to Utah, Sanford Porter, Sr. located at Mill Creek about four miles south of Salt Lake City, where he and his sons worked for a time. It is also stated that in 1849, he served as a member of the bishopric of the Tenth Ward of Salt Lake City. Nathan T. Porter moved to Centerville in the Spring of 1849, to which place his father-in-law, Aaron B. Cherry, whose daughter Rebecca he had married Nov. 12, 1848, had moved the previous fall. In the fall of 1850, Sanford Sr. also moved to that place, taking up 40 acres of land adjoining the property of his son. The little village grew rapidly, and soon a log school house was erected which also served the purpose of a church - the absence of saw mills made the erection of lumber houses impossible at this early date. Sanford was appointed "Presiding Elder" over the "branch" of the Church there located, and when Centerville Ward was organized in 1852 was appointed the first bishop.

Sanford Porter, Sr., spent the rest of his life at Centerville and at Porterville, the latter in Morgan County, Utah. He was the original pioneer of the latter place, building the first house in East Porterville in 1860.

His son Nathan T. filled two missions after coming to the west - he was called on the first Sept. 1, 1852 to accompany Elder Edward Stevenson to Gibraltar, that formidable defense of the Mediterranean Sea; but not being allowed to do missionary work there, filled his mission in England; returning to Utah late in the year 1856, coming part way with the ill-fated Martin's Handcart Company which was caught in the snow east of the Rockies late in that year. The second mission was to the Eastern States during the years 1869 and 1876. During this mission he visited some of his relatives in Erie Co., New York; among them he mentions Chauncy Currier, a son of his mother's sister Susan Warriner Currier, and also Sally Porter Richardson, his father's sister - her husband had died some years before, and she at that time was over eighty years of age - never having had any children.

Nancy Warriner Porter, the great grandmother of the present writer, died May 4, 1864 being nearly seventy four years old. Although the written record of this event does not state where her death took place, it may be presumed that it was at Porterville, Morgan County, Utah as this was her home and she was buried in the cemetery at that place.

The death of Chauncy Warriner Porter, the eldest son of Sanford Porter, Sr. occurred at Centerville, Davis Co. scarcely three years later.

In the year 1869, shortly after the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, Lyman Wight Porter, the youngest son of Sanford, Sr., made a journey by rail to Missouri for the purpose of inducing his sister Malinda, whose husband, Ezra Chipman and her two oldest sons had separated from her, she having but the youngest son with her. Lyman was successful in this undertaking, and soon returned to the Rocky Mts. with her and her son, Sanford. Her meeting with her father and brothers and sisters was very pleasant one, but their association was of short duration as her death good place Dec. 17, 1870.

On the 7th of Feb. 1873, the venerable patriarch of the family, Sanford Porter, Sr., passed away, his death occurring without any apparent illness, at Porterville. He had just arisen from the bed, in the morning, and walked to the door, and when returning to the bed fell to that floor and in a few moments was dead - not uttering a word. His death came about as he had previously expressed his belief that it would, and as the death of his father Nathan had, without sickness or pain, and without forewarning to his family.

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Sanford Porter was born at Brimfield, Mass. March 7, 1790; baptized July, 1830 at Farm Creek, Tazewell Co., Ill. by Lyman Wight; ordained an elder at the same time; did missionary work in the vicinity of his home immediately thereafter; Presiding Elder at Centerville, Davis Co., Utah 1850 - 1852; set apart first bishop of Centerville, 1852, when ward was organized. Died at Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah Feb. 7, 1873.

He married Nancy Warriner Jan. 1, 1812 in Orange Co., Vt., most likely at the village of Vershire, but possibly in the outside vicinity of that village - this early home of the Porters during the beginning of the nineteenth century and at the time of the birth of the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, was about fifteen miles northeast of Sharon, Windsor Co., where the founder of Mormonism was born. Nancy Warriner was the daughter of Reuben Warriner and Sarah Colton; she was born July 29, 1791.

The children of Sanford Porter, Sr. and Nancy Warriner were as follows: - -

I. Chauncy Warriner, born Oct. 20, 1812 at Holland, Erie Co., New York. He married Amy Sumner, daughter of Jonathan And Susannah Sumner, in 1833, either at or near Independence, or in the country to the south of that place shortly after the Saints were driven out of that place by the mobs. Amy Sumner was born Feb. 22, 1815 in Ohio. Chauncy Warriner Porter died at the home of his brother Nathan Tanner Porter in Centerville, Davis Co., Utah on the 3rd of March 1868, after a short illness brought on by a severe cold which he contracted while on a visit to the Salt Lake Endowment House, and at the time of his death had returned on his way to his home at Porterville, Morgan Co. as far as Centerville. The children of Chauncy Warriner Porter and Amy Sumner were as follows: Alma born Dec. 15, 1834 in Van Buren County, Missouri; Malinda Ann born July 9, 1836 at same place, married Sanford Porter Jr.; William born Nov. 5, 1838 at Caldwell Co., Mo. and died Sept 25, 1840; Sarah Angeline born Sept. 14, 1841 at Green Plains, Hancock Co., Ill., married George Leavitt March 20, 1857; Nancy A. born Oct. 1, 1843 at Jefferson, Lee Co., Iowa, married Nelson Mattice; Hyrum S. born March 15, 1845, at Jefferson, Iowa; Joseph and Benjamin (twins) born Dec. 11, 1846 at Winter Quarters, and both died the following day. Amy Sumner died at Winter Quarters. Chauncy married in all three wives, Lydia Ann Cook and Priscilla Strong. The former with the children of Amy - Alma, Malinda and Nancy - came to Utah with Sanford Porter, Sr. in 1847; Chauncy and Priscilla and Sarah Ann, the fourth child of Amy Sumner Porter, came the following year, 1848.

II. Malinda born 1814 in Oneida County, N.Y. and married Ezra Chipman. Shortly after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage, Ill., she and her husband went to Texas; but several years later she and her two sons became separated from him. In 1869, just after the completion of the Union Pacific R.R., her younger brother Lyman Wight Porter went to Missouri, where she was at that time living, to visit her and succeeded in getting her and her son Sanford Chipman to come to Utah with him. She died on the 17th of Dec., 1870 and was buried in the Porterville cemetery with her mother and brother Chauncy.

III. Sarah born 1816 in Oneida County, N.Y. and married to David Willard in August, 1839, near Montrose, Iowa. She died during the spring or summer of the following year - it might be said of a "broken heart" because her husband did not prove to be what she had thought him to be, perhaps principally because he refused to unite himself with the Mormon Church as he had promised her previous to marriage that he would do.

IV. John President born in Oneida County, N.Y. July 28, 1818, and married to Nancy Rich Feb. 5, 1843. She was the daughter of Joseph Rich (son of Charles C. Rich) and Nancy O'Niel. John P. Porter was married at Nauvoo, Illinois. He came to Utah with his family at the same time as did his father Sanford Porter, Sr. By his wife Nancy Rich, he had four children as follows: Joseph Rich born March 29, 1844 and married to Eliza Jane Bratton; Sanford C. born Dec. 26, 1845 and married to Olive Kilbourn; John P. born Sept 4, 1847 and married to Zenora Porter; Nancy born Mar. 16, 1851 and died May 7, 1851. This family lived first in Lee County, Iowa, they moved from there to Salt Lake City, from there to Centerville and later to Porterville, where John President Porter died May 28, 1895. The second wife of John President Porter was Mary P. Graves, by whom he had two children: - Charles G. born April 3, 1854 and married to Betsy White in July, 1876; and Sarah born Feb. 8, 1860 and married to Frederick White. "Uncle John", as he was familiarly known among the members of the various branches of the Porter family moved from Salt Lake City to Centerville, Davis Co. in 1850, the same year his father moved and the next year after his next younger brother moved to the same place; and in 1861 he moved to Porterville.

V. Nathan Tanner born July 10, 1820 in Orange Co., Vt. and married to Rebecca Cherry Nov. 12, 1848 - the daughter of Aaron B. Cherry and Margaret Yelton. Later Nathan married Eliza Ford, daughter of John and Rebecca Ford - Nathan in writing his diary evidently overlooked the giving of the date of this marriage; writing of it sometime later he says, "I was engaged in the support of my family to which I had added another partner in the person of Eliza Ford - who has bourne me 11 children to the present date, 1883". Nathan appears to have been the missionary member of the family of his father, having filled at least five of them; two before coming to the mountains which were only to other parts of the eastern and central states; one to Gibraltar and England on which he started about the middle of Sept. 1852, and returned in Dec. 1856; one to the Eastern States on which he started in the fall of 1869, visiting relatives in New York and visiting Niagara Falls while away, and returning in time for the April Conference in Salt Lake City the following year, 1870; and one to the Eastern States on which he started in June, 1872, returning with his missionary companion, Edward Stevenson in time to attend the Oct. Conference in Utah the same year. It should also be remarked that Edward Stevenson was also his companion in travelling to Europe on the first mission he filled after reaching Utah.

VI. Reuben born in May, 1822 at Augusta, Oneida Co., N.Y. and died on the day of birth.

VII. Sanford born June 25, 1823 at Liberty, Trumbull Co., Ohio and married to Emma Ensign, daughter of Zopher Ensign and Priscilla Billings, and to Malinda Ann Porter both on the same day July 25, 1852 at Salt Lake City. Sanford was a member of Company E of the Mormon Battalion and arrived at Salt Lake City from Los Angeles, Cal. Oct. 16, 1847 - his life will be given more in detail later, as he is the grandfather of the present writer.

VIII. Nancy Areta born August 8, 1825 at Liberty, Trumbull Co., Ohio and married to Edward Stevenson, the person referred to in the above short sketch of Nathan T., brother of Nancy.

IX. Justin Thoedore born in 1828 in Tazewell Co. Ill. and died in August, 1841 near Montrose, Iowa - killed by a horse falling on him.

X. Lyman Wight born May 5, 1833 at or near Independence, Mo., most likely at Prairie branch about fourteen miles west of that place. He married Electra Mariah Kilbourn March 5, 1852. Lyman in 1869 made a journey back to Mo., just after the completion of the first railroad through Utah and brought his sister Malinda and her son Sanford Chipman to Utah. Lyman is still living at Porterville, Utah.

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As Sanford Porter, Jr. has left us no written record of himself, and as it is now impossible because of his extreme age and feebleness to obtain detailed information from him, his life as here written up will consist of little outside of what has already been written in connection with the life and works of his father, and what will be later written in giving the life of his son Sanford Marius Porter, the father of the present writer.

Sanford. Jr. was born June 25, 1823 just after his father had moved from Oneida County, New York, to Liberty, Trumbull Co., Ohio. Although it seems that his father took up his farm at Liberty, it is stated that Sanford was born at Vienna in the same county - undoubtedly in the near vicinity of Liberty. [Note added by GAM during typing - Vienna is presently located in Trumbull Co. as stated by the writer, but the present city of Liberty, Ohio, is located in Montgomery Co., just outside the city of Dayton.]

All that is known of his boyhood life is given and may be inferred from the life of his father (see page 10 of this history for an account of his miraculous healing after having been severely and apparently fatally kicked by a shod horse).

When the requisition was made on the Mormons for the five hundred men to compose the "Mormon Battalion", Sanford was with his father's family at Winter Quarters and enlisted in Company E, directly under the command of Capt. Davis. The history of the travels of this battalion are given in detail by Daniel Tyler in his "History of the Mormon Battalion", but is far too long to even give a synopsis of it here. It seems, however, that some efforts had been made to court the favor of the government of the United States prior to this time and that some offers had been made to assist in taking possession of the western part of the United States which was then in the possession of Mexico, by the Mormons. For a time it seems that there was contemplated the sending of about 1000 men overland to the west and another 1000 by water around Cape Horn at the expense of the government, but this plan was abandoned by Pres. Polk, if indeed he ever held it, and only a requisition was made for 500 able bodied men to make the overland journey. And this number, small as it may seem to be taken from the midst of a body of people which prior to their expulsion from Illinois had numbered upwards of 20,000, was a very heavy draft on the strength of the Saints in the condition they were in in their move to the Mountains of the west when they needed all their strength to make the move with success. It seems also that aside from the patriotism of the Mormons, there were other good reasons for making this move. It is said by some that Senator Thos. H. Benton of Missouri had secured the consent of the President of the United States to send a body of soldiers from Northern Missouri to attack the Mormons if they refused to furnish this battalion; and that perhaps, not without good reasons knowing the condition in which the Saints were placed, he thought it impossible for them to comply with the requisition. Undoubtedly Benton was the enemy of the Mormons, but that he fostered such a diabolical plot as this is not definitely stated, and is possibly untrue. It is also stated that other enemies of the Saints were making efforts to have their migration westward stopped on the grounds that they would unite themselves with the British or the Mexicans and resist the power of the United States in getting possession of the western country. However, this may be, it is known that the Mormon leaders sent repeated assurances to the national government of their loyalty; and also probably even offered their assistance.

Gen. Kearney who was in command of the Army of the West in a letter written under date of June 19, 1846 to Col. Allen directed the latter officer to raise the battalion of 500 men from the Mormon camps in Iowa; and in a letter written at Pisgah under date of June 26th, Allen made know his mission to the Saints. From Pisgah, he went immediately to Winter Quarters where on the 1st of July, President Young and the Twelve Apostles decided in council that the battalion should be furnished at any cost, and the Mormon chieftain proceeded to Pisgah with the Colonel. By the 16th of the month four companies and part of the fifth, numbering in all over four hundred men were mustered into service and began drawing pay; and on the same day were marched to the Missouri River, a distance of eight miles from Winter Quarters, where such supplies as they needed immediately were purchased. On the 20th they left Winter Quarters for Ft. Leavenworth, the balance of Company E. being mustered into service immediately and overtaking the main body at Mosquito Creek a short distance down the Missouri River. Their course from Winter Quarters to Leavenworth was down the eastern side of the Missouri until opposite Ft. Leavenworth then across the river to the fort which they reached Aug. 1st having all crossed the river that day.

Among their experiences on the way was a hurricane which came upon them the second night below St. Joseph, July 30th, which felled trees on all sides of the camp, but the only injury done the battalion was the loss of one mule killed. They passed St. Joseph on the 29th of July marching to the music of "The Girl I Left Behind Me".

At Leavenworth, Companies A, B, and C were issued their arms and accoutrements on Aug. 3rd, and on the following day companies D and E were also thus supplied. Col. Allen seems to have been a man and a gentleman and not an enemy to the Mormons. He was not above joking with the "boys" - at the time of issuing the arms, he found a large crowd of the "boys" awaiting their muskets, when he jovially accosted them not to be in a hurry to get their guns as they would wish to throw the d--- things away before they got to California. Allen was taken sick at this Fort, however, and died there on the 26th of August, 1846, of course retaining command of the battalion, in name at least as it was thought he would be able to overtake it, until his demise.

Companies A, B and C left the Fort on Aug. 12, and on the 14th the other two companies left. Their route from here was southwest, across the Kansas or Kaw River diagonally across the state of Kansas to the Cimmaron River which they followed into New Mexico reaching Santa Fe on the 9th and 12th of Oct.

It should be stated that at Leavenworth they drew a bounty of $42.00 each on the 5th of August, most of which the members of the battalion sent back to their relatives and to the Church in general at Council Bluffs and other camps. Also that in signing the pay-roll it was found that every member of the battalion could sign his own name, much to the surprise of the officers; as the Missouri volunteers who were there at the same time were able to do so in only about one instance out of three.

At Council Grove about the last of August, the battalion received word of the death of their beloved Colonel Allen; and at Diamond Springs a few miles west, Lieut. Smith assumed command, much to the chagrin of the boys, who had wished one of their own number to take charge - their choice seeming to be Capt. Jefferson Hunt, who it may be remarked in passing was the father of Bishop John Hunt who has taken so prominent a part in the history of the Mormon colonies in northern Arizona, particularly at Snowflake where he served as bishop of the ward for many years. Lieut. Smith and also the battalion physician, Dr. Sanderson, both made a rather unsavory reputation with the soldiers of the battalion. Smith was by no means as careful of his soldiers and animals as might have been expected in many instances, and it seems really showed poor judgment at times. Long marches during the extremely hot summer days while crossing the deserts of western Kansas, for many hours without water caused much sickness among the men; and the doctor's medicine seems to have only added more poison to their systems which they must by added drain on their vitality throw off. It is said that the only medicine used by Sanderson was arsenic and calomel and at times a decoction of bayberry bark and camomile flowers for the improvement of the blood. While the properties of the latter may have had a good effect in the cleansing of the blood at times, the former in most instances did more harm than good, according to the stories of the battalion "boys", who often concealed the fact that they were ill rather than take the medicine prescribed, and ladled out to all from the same old, worn and battered iron spoon, which they thought he had picked up at some old camping ground, or perhaps it was some heirloom handed down in his family which because of its associations was always held in high esteem by the doctor. It seems that at times the men had the impression that Smith and Sanderson were determined to kill as many of them as possible, the one by giving them long forced marches to make them sick, and the other by then compelling them to take his poisonous medicine. That the latter was not as interested in the welfare of the sick as he should have been is well illustrated in his conduct shortly before reaching Santa Fe. Word had just been received that unless the battalion reached that town by the 10th of October, it would be disbanded; and in order that they might report as being there, Smith picked out the strongest men of the army and made a hurried march to that city, leaving the sick and weaker behind to come along as best they might. Sanderson instead of remaining and caring for the sick, went with the company of well men who so little needed the services of a medical man. It is stated on good authority, however, that during the absence of the physician there was a marked improvement in general among the soldiers left behind, so that apparently the course of the doctor was really a blessing to the poorly cared for men, and perhaps saved the life of some whom his poison might have killed.

A personal experience of Sanford Porter which occurred on the 23rd of August, just nine days after he had left Leavenworth, and just after the battalion had passed Stone Coal Creek, perhaps a small tributary of the Kansas or Kaw River, is related by Daniel Tyler as follows: "Sanford Porter of Co. E was taken sick while travelling this day, and fell behind the command. He suffered so intensely that he thought he must die; but while alone, he summoned all his faith and called upon the Lord in fervent prayer, asking that his life might be spared if there was any further work for him to do. In an instant the pain left him, and he was as healthful and vigorous as he ever had been in his life."

Santa Fe, at this time was a military post, and when the Mormon battalion came to it (Oct. 9th and 12th) was under the command of Gen. Doniphan, the same gentleman who during the persecution of the Mormons in Illinois had refused to unlawfully subject that people to mistreatment, and had in some instances refused to personally or to allow the troops under his command to take part in unlawful measures. When the battalion came into Santa Fe; Doniphan ordered a salute of one hundred guns fired in their honor. This deference was particularly noticeable, when a few days later Gen. Sterling Price arrived with a battalion of Missouri volunteers, and no demonstration whatever was given them. Price was greatly chagrined, but helpless to resent the indifference of lack of respect on the part of Doniphan.

From this place the course of the battalion was southward, down the valley of the Rio Grande until a little south of Socorro, where it turned to the westward, and after great hardship, particularly from lack of water on the eastern slope of the mountains, a passage was made over the Rockies. The command was now in the hands of Co. Cooke, Smith having been superseded at Santa Fe. Cooke while he could not be considered as attentive to the needs of his men, or he perhaps lacked the judgment that should have been exercised under the trying circumstances existing, as he might have been was by no means the tyrant that his predecessor had formed the reputation of being. He was not a Mormon, and was undoubtedly not in sympathy with the Mormon cause, but laying aside a few incidents, he may said to have shown himself a man. The requirements of the expedition may largely account for the seeming sternness at times of the military commanders in the face of extremely trying times for the men. After crossing the mountains they went via Tucson and the Gila River Valley to San Diego, Cal. which they reached on the 29th of Jan., 1847, finding it peacefully reposing beneath the "Stars and Stripes".

The soldiers were later marched to Los Angeles, where on the 20th of July they were disbanded. A few of the men re-enlisted in the army, but a large company formed to march to Salt Lake Valley immediately upon their release from the service of the country, and at once set out on the overland journey. Sanford Porter was with this company. On Sept. 6th, they met Samuel Brannan, who although he admitted that the Mormon leader had chosen Great Salt Lake Valley as the final resting place for the Saints assured them that as soon as it had been tried Brigham would move on to California. On the day following they met Capt. Brown, with the news from the "Valley" and with advice from President Young for those who had nothing for their support to as far as possible remain in California during the winter where they could get work and could get provisions. Many of the soldiers turned back. Sanford Porter, having as he informs us already obtained while in California a fairly large sum of money came on with the portion prepared for the journey, many of whom did not intend to remain in the Salt Lake Valley, but to immediately go on to Winter Quarters to their families who had not yet emigrated to Utah. This company arrived at Salt Lake City on the 16th of October, and on the 18th many of them resumed their journey for the camps of the Saints in Iowa.

Upon his arrival here, however, Sanford found that his father and family had arrived two weeks earlier and of course remained in the valley with them.

The life of Sanford Porter, Jr. for a time after his arrival in Salt Lake City was very closely connected with that of his father. He resided with the family at Mill Creek, and in 1850 moved with it to Centerville.

In 1852, July 25th, he was married to his two wives, Emma Ensign, daughter of Zopher Ensign and Priscilla Billings, and Malinda Ann Porter, daughter of Chauncy Warriner Porter and Amy Sumner, by both of whom he reared large families. His home was at Centerville until 1861, when he moved to Porterville, where his father had settled the previous year.

Sanford, Jr. built the first saw mill constructed in Morgan County, in Hardscrabble Canyon some miles west of Porterville in the year 1854. Some time ago the present writer visited the site of this early saw mill, which was located at the junction of Beaver and Hardscrabble Canyons at the base of the steeper part of the descent from the summit of the Wasatch range. The mill house has entirely disappeared, although debris scattered around plainly bear evidence that a building has at some time been on the spot.

He resided at Porterville until 1868, when he moved to the "Muddy" in southeastern Nevada to assist in the settlement of that country. This "Mission" had originated the previous year, when at the October Conference 158 men had been called to take their families and settle there. Sanford took one of his families, that of Emma Ensign, leaving Porterville late in 1868 and arriving at St. Joseph where he settled late in the year. This place was located a few miles up the Muddy River from its confluence with the Rio Virgin, on the east side of the stream, directly across the river from Overton, which may still be found on any good map of the state of Nevada. The route travelled was the main road to St. George, Utah, thence down the Rio Virgin through the northeast corner of Arizona into Nevada to within a few miles of the confluence of that stream with the Muddy River, then westward over the low divide separating the two river valleys to the latter stream. Although a company of emigrants made the journey at the same time, it seems that the Porters travelled alone a good part of the way, with the exception of being with a Mr. Stephenson and family - this small company had but three wagons, two of which were drawn by mule teams, and aside from the three teams had with them two cows and a "pony". At one time Covilla Ann, one of the younger children, was lost for a time, which because of the country being infested with Indians caused considerable danger to other members of the small party as well as the anxiety incident to the search. Sanford had the misfortune of having the wheel of a heavily loaded wagon run over the instep of his foot, and as surgical or medical assistance was not obtainable, the ensuing lameness cause him a great deal of inconvenience during the remainder of the journey. While on the Rio Virgin, about two days travel from their destination on Muddy River, all their teams with the exception of one mule were stolen by the Indians, which necessitated them sending ahead for assistance, and caused a few days delay - the last of the journey was made in the nighttime, St. Joseph being reached just before daybreak.

The outlook in this newly settled country seemed to be anything but encouraging. Sanford sold one of his wagons and purchased another mule to complete his team with which to do the farm work; and in addition to his farm at St. Joseph, took up a city lot at Overton; and immediately setting to work, prepared ground and planted a crop in the spring of 1869. Crops, however, were a failure on the "Muddy" during this year.

The climate also was found to be very unhealthful, and fever and ague carried off a number of the settlers, among them Jared, a younger son of Sanford and Emma Ensign Porter. His older son, Marius, was also seriously stricken with fever; and it was perhaps only by the timely removal from that locality that his life was saved - Sanford with his family setting out for Porterville late in May and reaching that place about the 1st of the following July of the year 1869.

Sanford remained at Porterville from 1869 until 1877, when in response to a call from President Brigham Young, he made a trip to northern Arizona seeking for a place to make a home there and assist in opening up the country. On this trip, he took with him his eldest son, Sanford Marius, and this journey will be treated more in detail hereafter in the life of the latter. They returned in the spring of 1878; but in the late fall of 1880, Sanford returned to Arizona, in company with his son and wife and others, and later removed the family of his wife Malinda Ann to that country, where they remained a few years and then returned to northern Utah. A large portion of the family of Malinda, however, either remained in or later returned to Arizona there to make their homes as will be shown in the genealogical sketches of the members of Sanford's family.

Since the members of his family have all grown up, married and gotten homes of their own, Sanford has resided most of the time in Logan, Cache Co. Utah; and has for many years been an almost continuous worker in the Mormon Temple there. Late in life he again married, both his former wives having died some years ago, and the last to pass away, Emma Ensign, having become separated from him some years previous to her death - this wife who is known as "Tude" by her acquaintances was a Miss Kilgore, a comparatively young woman. She is a native of northern Georgia, her former home having been in the neighborhood of Kensington, in that state some twenty miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee, where her mother and family became converted to the Mormon faith and from there emigrated to Utah. While on a mission to the southern states, some time ago, the present writer visited this section of Georgia and had the pleasure of visiting with a number of old acquaintances of the family of the present wife of his grandfather. She is very attentive to the wants of Sanford, and as they own their own home and a large enough lot for gardening, they are able with the assistance of the pension Sanford draws for his services in the Mormon Battalion, to live in a fair degree of comfort. He is now nearly 90 years old, but still able to be around.

Genealogy of Sanford Porter, Jr. and his family.

Sanford Porter, Jr., son of Sanford Porter and Nancy Warriner, was born June 25, 1823 at Vienna, Trumbull Co., Ohio. He, together with his brothers Nathan Tanner and John President, were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Elder Jonathan Sumner (the grandfather of the present writer's grandmother on his mother's side of the house) and confirmed the same day by their father, Sanford Porter, Sr., at the Prairie Branch, about fourteen miles west of Independence, Jackson Co., Missouri.

He married Emma Ensign July 25, 1852 at Salt Lake City (a daughter of Zopher Ensign and Priscillia Billings - the latter only, coming to Utah). She was born March 4, 1833 at Spafford, Canandaigua Co., New York. Sanford Porter's children by Emma Ensign were:

I. Emma Priscilla born Sept. 23, 1853, married to Thomas Spencer April 2, 1877. She has resided at Porterville the greater part of her life both before and after marriage, but just at present she and her husband and the younger children are living at Brigham City, Utah; and has reared a large family.

II. Sanford Marius born Aug. 5, 1855 at Centerville, Davis Co., Utah; married Nina M. Leavitt, daughter of George Leavitt and Sarah Angeline Porter, Sept. 4, 1879. (The life and genealogy of Sanford Marius will be given hereafter - he being the father of the present writer).

III. Jared Ensign born Oct. 22, 1857, and died May 13, 1869. This is the child referred to in the life of Sanford Porter, Jr. as having died of fever and ague while the family were on the "Muddy" mission in southeastern Nevada.

IV. Cevilla Ann born Nov. 5, 1859. She is still living, but unmarried.

V. Marion Marcellus born Oct. 1, 1862, and died October 13, 1885.

VI. Sarah Lavera born April 2, 1861, and died July 22, 1861.

VII. Aaron Milton born August 13, 1866, married Sylvia Vanfleet. He now resides at Riverside, Box Elder Co., Utah, where he owns what may be termed a good irrigated farm with waterright for its irrigation, besides considerable dry-farm land. Is engaged largely in the cultivation of sugar beets, his farm being but a few miles from the sugar factory at Garland, Utah.

VIII. Mary Arizona born March 27, 1870, married David Jenkins. During the earlier years of her married life, Mary resided at Milton, near Morgan Co., Utah; later they moved to Ogden, where they still own property; and at preset is living at Brigham City, Utah. By occupation, her husband is a farmer, and perhaps engages to some extent in stock raising. They have reared a fairly large family, none of whom are as yet married.

IX. Warren born Nov. 18, 1872, and died Dec. 12, 1872.

X. Ensign Moses born Dec. 21, 1873, married Matilda Strarford. Ensign's home after his marriage was at Brigham City. He died some years ago, and his wife has since re-married.

Married Malinda Ann Porter July 25, 1852 at Salt Lake City (a daughter of Chauncy Warriner Porter and Amy Sumner). She was born July 9, 1836. Sanford Porter's children by Malinda Ann were as follows:

I. Nathan Theodore, born May 27, 1853, and married to Mary Emma Bond. Nathan has lived in Arizona for many years, perhaps ever since his mother's family was taken to Arizona in the early eighties. His home is at St. Joseph, Navajo County, where he is engaged in farming. He and his wife have had four children, the two younger of whom are still living. He has filled a mission to the Central States, laboring particularly in the state of Texas.

II. Samuel Uriah, born Oct. 31, 1855, and married to Mary Minerva Porter, a daughter of Alma Porter, who himself was the son of Chauncy Warriner Porter and Amy Sumner. "Sammy", as he is familiarly known by other members of the family, like his older brother, Nathan, has lived in Arizona - the greater part of the time since the move of this mother's family to Arizona has been spent at Sunset and then at Sr. Joseph, where he reared a large family. Some years since, however, he removed to the Gila River Valley, in the hope of bettering his financial condition, and it is there he still resides. His two eldest daughters, Eliza and Edith are married and settled down in their own homes. His eldest son, Wilford, some years ago filled a mission to the Samoan Islands, and is at present located in the Gila River Valley also. Samuel is also engaged in farming. He married Sept. 13, 1878.

III. Amy Arena born Dec. 18, 1857, and married to Charles Whiting. She has been dead a number of years.

IV. William Ira, born Jan. 28, 1859, and married Adeline Zina Porter. Like his brothers, Ira has spent a good deal of his life in Arizona - doing considerable riding in the handling of cattle and horses. After his marriage, he took his wife to Arizona for a time, but later moved back to Utah resided at Peterson, where he cared for a ranch some distance out of town for nine years, and part of the time resided at Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah. A farmer and laborer.

V. Alva, born Feb. 8, 1862, and married Elizabeth Shelley. She is the daughter of James Shelley, whose family home has been at Heber and St. Joseph, Arizona. Alva is engaged in stock raising and farming, and has resided at Heber and St. Joseph.

VI. Alma, born Feb. 8, 1862, and died in infancy.

VII. Edith, born April 14, 1864. She first married Thos. Brockbank, by whom she had one son, John N., who lives in Arizona - an expert machinist and automobile repairer. She and Mr. Brockbank later separated, and she married Jacob Kunz in Idaho, living in the neighborhood of or at Montpelier but he died not long after marriage, leaving her with two children, John and Elmer - the latter also lives in Arizona and is married.

VIII. Joseph Isaiah, born June 24, 1866, married Maud Shelley. She is a sister to Elizabeth, the wife of Alva. Joseph moved to Arizona permanently during his young manhood, and has made his home at Heber and St. Joseph, where he is engaged in farming and stock raising. With his brothers and sisters, he was at Sunset with his mother and family during the early history of the Mormon colonies in the Colorado Chiquito Valley.

IX. Hyrum Jeremiah, born June 24, 1866, died in infancy.

X. Benoni, born Nov. 29, 1868 or 9, died in infancy.

XI. Moroni, died in infancy.

XII. Nancy Angeline, born Jan. 28, 1872, married David Cluff. After the return of the family to Utah from Arizona, Nancy lived in this state and in Idaho until the time of her marriage, when with her husband she made her home in the south central part of Arizona - that being the home of the Cluffs.

XIII. Chauncy Warriner, born April 24, 1874, died Jan. 1, 1875.

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(Written by Elva Porter - with additions by her Utah brothers)

Sanford Marius Porter, the son of Sanford Porter, Jr. and Emma Ensign, was born Aug. 5, 1855 at Centerville, Davis County, Utah. He was baptized into the Mormon Church Aug. 16, 1863 by Elder Thomas Whittaker, and was confirmed on the same date by his uncle, Nathan Tanner Porter; rebaptized July 15, 1877 by Alma Porter, and re-confirmed the same day by Thomas Rich. His first ordination to the Priesthood was on the 6th day of June, 1869 at Red Creek, Iron County, Utah by Elder William E. Jones, when he was ordained to the office of Elder.

Relative to the ancestry of the mother of Sanford Marius Porter, the writer has but little information at hand. She was the daughter of Zopher Ensign and Priscilla Billings, both of whom were members of the Mormon Church; but only the latter came to Utah, the former dying while the Latter Day Saints were still in the Mississippi Valley.

Like many of the early settlers of the Great Basin, the earlier years of the Porter family in Utah were spent, if not in abject poverty, without many of the comforts of life that today would be considered necessities and Marius, as the subject of this sketch was known, still remembers considering as attainment of rare wealth two gifts received while a boy, one of five dollars cash and the other a sheep.

Schools were few and rudimentary. Marius attended but a very few terms of two or thee months each, and these at Porterville - to which place his mother's family was moved in 1864. The school room as he remembers it, was small and poorly furnished - around the walls were shelves on wooden pegs and rude supports in front of which were the rude wooden benches of pioneers days, without backs, which served for both the periods of study and recitations. Only the "three R's" and spelling were taught; and of these Marius seems to have taken the greatest interest, and to have made far the most progress in mathematics, which he mastered fairly well as far as compound proportion in Ray's Grammar Grade Arithmetic. Teachers were poorly paid and poorly prepared for their work; and although members of the Mormon Church, might well be classed with the stern Puritanic type; and like Solomon, one of the sages of the book in which they were the best informed, they believed that the "rod and reproof giveth wisdom".

Primitive methods were also used in teaching the Sunday Schools, which however, formed an important part of the educative influence surrounding the child, as it was continuous throughout the year. No courses of study were arranged as at present, and generally each sabbath's lesson was independent of the others. The pupils in attendance would take turns reading from any good book at hand - perhaps the Bible, or the Book of Mormon; or possibly, in case no one had brought a book better suited to the needs of the class, a copy of Appleton's "blue-backed" speller, which some member of the "day school" had inadvertently left in the room, might serve the purpose of text book.

As stated in the life of his father, Marius accompanied his mother's family to the "Muddy" in 1868, when the family moved there to assist in settling up the country, and when his younger brother, Jared, died of fever because of the unhealthy condition of the country. At this time, Marius was also seriously stricken with fever; and it was just after the death of his brother, so he states, that he received a visit from a supernatural being with the message, "Don't weep for you brother, for if you do not leave here, you will soon be with him". As to what stage of delirium, his mind may have been at this time, perhaps, cannot be ascertained; but however, the incident may have impressed him, he states he did not relate it to any other members of the family at that time. Within a few days, however, his father announced his intention of returning to Porterville, and a few days later they were on the way - this being, it would appear in the absence of accurate data, in the latter part of May, 1869.

After beginning the journey, Marius's strength continued to fail him so that he was compelled to ride instead of walk as did the other members of the family, and as was to a great extent the custom with the early pioneer families in moving from place to place for the purpose of lightening as far as possible the already heavy burdens of their animals; and at Kanarra in Washington County, Utah, it was found necessary to "lay over" about a week to allow him to recuperate. Their route took them through St. George, through or near Parowan and Paragoonah to Marysvale, the present terminus of the D. & R. G. R. R. About five miles south of Red Creek, one of the small streams emptying into the Little Salt Lake from the southeast, Marius was troubled with nose-bleed which continued steadily for about twelve hours. At Red Creek, they stopped with a Mr. Duncan, and here the hemorrhage of blood from the nose set in again, lasting about twenty-four hours. This of course left him very weak, and for a time his life was despaired of; but through this seemingly untoward circumstance, a great deal of the poison collected in his system by the fever was carried off; and from this time he steadily improved. He remained very sore and weak, however, during the remainder of the homeward trip, the movements of the wagon causing him intense pain; and often times the day's journey would not exceed four or five miles because of the necessity of slow travel to lessen, if possible, the agony it cause him; and although they left the Muddy River about the last of May, it was the first of July, 1869 when they arrived at Porterville.

It was during this illness, when his life was thought to be almost at an end, that Marius receive his first ordination to the Priesthood - being ordained an Elder under the hands of William E. Jones at Red Creek, Iron County, Utah on the 6th of June, 1869.

This year marked the completion of the Union Pacific R. R., the first trans-continental line in North America; the eastern and western ends being connected at Ogden, Utah in May; and it was on the return from the "Muddy Mission", that the subject of this sketch for the first time in his life viewed a railway train - to him quite a novelty.

Marius's memory of his grandparents, Sanford Porter, Sr., and Nancy Warriner Porter, are rather vague - the latter dying May 2, 1865 when he was less that ten years of age, and the former Feb. 7, 1873. Marius remembers her as being of small stature, dark complexion, erect carriage, and of a very quiet disposition. His grandfather, he remembers more vividly as being a cobbler by trade, to children apparently rather harsh and outspoken but withal doing many kindly deeds for others, especially for his children and grandchildren.

After returning from the "Muddy", Marius spent a great deal of his time hauling lumber from Hardscrabble or Mill Creek Canyon for his father and in helping to erect a new home; and later continued in the same work for others, his wages being turned over to the family to assist in their support.

In 1876 when the Mormon Pioneers of Arizona were sent by President Brigham Young to make permanent settlements in the neighboring territory on the south, Marius assisted those called from Morgan County through the deep snows of Weber Canyon. The following year, in response to a call made on Sanford Porter, Jr., Marius and his father made a visit to northern Arizona, looking for a suitable location for a home to which to move the family. Their route was through Nephi and Levan to Gunnison, thence up the valley of the Sevier River, following the present route of the D. & R. G. R. R. to Marysvale, its terminus; and from there on up the valley of the Sevier through Circleville and Panguitch, over the divide into the Colorado River drainage, and through Kanab into Arizona. Turning eastward shortly after crossing the Arizona boundary, they passed over the Buckskin Mountains, crossed the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry, travelled southward along the eastern side of the river nearly to its junction with the Little Colorado, thence southeast up the valley of the latter stream to Brigham City, the first of the Mormon settlements they came to, which was situated about one and one half miles north of the present town of Winslow, and on the south side of the Colorado Chiquito. From here they crossed the river to Sunset, another Mormon Colony situated on the north side of the stream.

Both these settlements were new, Brigham City having been founded about March 3, 1876 by a company of emigrants under the leadership of Jesse O. Ballinger, and Sunset by Lot Smith and company a little later; and both together, perhaps had a population of about 400.

From Sunset, Marius and his father continued their journey eastward as far as the Berado rancho, near the present site of Holbrook, where a store was then located, and which the next year was made the division line between the Little Colorado and the Eastern Arizona Stakes of Zion. Between Sunset and this ranch, they passed two more of the Mormon colonies, both founded the previous year, one on the north side of the Little Colorado a few miles east of the present location of St. Joseph, under the leadership of Wm. C. Allen, and know as "Allen's Camp"; and the other about four miles south of the present site of St. Joseph across the river, called Obed, founded by a small company of saints under Geo. Lake. These settlements must have been very small, as the total population of the mission, including Brigham City, Sunset, Allen's Camp, and Obed, at the close of 1877 is given as 564. Allen's Camp re-named St. Joseph in 1878, and was soon moved a few miles westward to what is now called the "Old Fort", and later to its present location. Obed was built near a number of springs, a large and well built stone fort being erected for protection against the Indians; but the marshy land caused by the springs was found to make the climate unhealthful, and the settlement was abandoned because of the prevalence of fever and ague, in 1877.

From the Berado ranch, Marius and his father travelled southward, passing by Stinson's Ranch, where the thriving farming settlement of Snowflake - the headquarters of the Snowflake Stake, and the seat of an excellent Stake Academy - now stands; thence up Silver Creek as far as Cooley's Ranch, now Show Low, which they reached on New Year's Eve. Here the snow was about eight inches deep, and the probability of its being much deeper higher up the Mogollon Range, made father travel impracticable; and accordingly they retracted their course to Sunset, where they spent the remainder of the winter - Marius himself occupying the time by hauling lumber to the settlements from a saw mill which the colonists had built near the base of the Mogollon Mts., about forty miles to the west or southwest of Sunset.

Marius describes the country as they found it in 1877, as being well covered with grass, a good range for cattle, rather better than it has been of late years. Indians were numerous, but were not hostile - perhaps a result of the Mormon policy of "feeding rather than fighting them". The saints in all the settlements were living the "United Order" - their property and their work was all in common, and they even went so far as to have their meals together at large tables made for the purpose. The "Order" was not a stewardship, nor can it be correctly referred to as the "Order of Enoch" as understood by the Latter Day Saints; but was in reality a communism, thus doing away with the personal responsibilities and opportunities of the stewardship; and it was possibly this lack of opportunity for men to put their personality into their work and bring results thereby, as well as the fact that the idler fared, perhaps as well as the worker, that caused the general dissatisfaction which within the next few years caused the system to be broken up in all the settlements on the Little Colorado.

The return to Porterville, Utah was made in the spring of 1878. On the 4th of Sept., 1879, Marius married Nina Leavitt, a daughter of George and Sarah A. Leavitt. She was born at Richville, Morgan Co., Utah Nov. 25, 1861; and like himself had been reared in very humble circumstances, having spent a great deal of her early life working for others for low wages, assisting to keep the family of her mother. Marius now rented his father's farm, and he and his wife lived in one of the rooms of his father's house. Their first child, Marius Earl, was born July 8, 1880, at Porterville.

On Nov. 4, 1880, they left Porterville for the settlements on the Little Colorado River in Arizona, with the intention of there making their permanent home, taking with them their scanty personal effects, consisting for the most part of a few pieces of primitive furniture, aside from their wagon and team; but left their bins full of grain and hay in the barn which they could not take with them for the use of relatives remaining. Accompanying them was Sanford Porter, Jr., also Marius's mother-in-law with her three unmarried daughters, and a young man named William Bond, who later married both Elva and Adah, sisters of Marius's wife. They followed the same course pursued by Marius and his father on the former journey, and the trip was made without accident or noteworthy incident; and on Dec. 4th they reached Sunset.

Here they made their home for a few years - until 1884 - living in the "United Order" with the other settlers. Their first real sorrow came on August 10, 1881, when their only child was taken from them by the "angel of death". About the same time, Marius himself was stricken with a disease akin to Cholera, and for a time it seemed that the young wife was to be left a widow all too soon in this far out of the way place; but through the blessing of a kind Providence, he was restored to health, and before long was able to resume his daily labors. Each summer they spent at the "Old Mormon Dairy" about twenty-five miles south of Flagstaff, working particularly at dairying and stock-raising. The spring of 1883, he spent at Ajalon and Wilford, putting in crops - the former was situated about fifteen miles west of the present location of Heber, and the latter in Black Canyon a few miles above Heber. On this trip, he took his wife and child, another boy having been born to them Feb. 4, 1882, because of the ill health of the latter. The following summer was spent, as usual, at the "Old Mormon Dairy"; and during the fall, he herded sheep on the Mountains in the neighborhood of his summer home.

Not long after his arrival at Sunset, Marius was set apart as President of the Deacon's Quorum of the Little Colorado Stake, and later as President of the Elder's Quorum, which position he held until his removal from Sunset.

The United Order which as has already been noted had been lived by the northern Arizona colonists began to break up at Sunset during the winter of 1883-84; and in the spring of the latter year, Marius moved with his family to St. Joseph in search of a home for himself. The beginning of the year 1884, marked the close of his experience in the "Order", as at St. Joseph it was likewise being abandoned.

Leaving his family at St. Joseph, Marius together with his father - who had recently moved the family of his wife Malinda to Arizona - made a trip to the San Juan country in New Mexico; but they failed to find a place to their liking, and on their return, Marius decided to make his home at St. Joseph, and it is at this place that he and his family still reside.

The following two years he spent mostly in working for others, supporting his family by day's wages; but in March, 1886 he moved onto his homestead about two miles west of the "Old Fort", and began working for himself. Here he had put up a log house of two rooms in which with additions from time to time as required he and his family lived until Oct., 1912, when he moved into a new brick house built just across the "Wash" northwest of the village of St. Joseph.

Up until the year 1894, the residents of St. Joseph had a great deal of trouble through the heavy floods in the Little Colorado River taking out dams they constructed therein to divert the water for irrigation purposes. Fourteen times prior to this date had the treacherous stream taken out at least a portion of the dam, and it was considered that this year marked the erection of the eighth complete dam since the settlement of the little village. Considering the small size of the community, this work was an immense drain upon their resources; and although perhaps it had the influence of making the community more united in their efforts for mutual betterment, curtailed them a great deal in the development of their homes. On the 10th of March, 1894, a dam was completed having a solid bed of stone for its foundation which has remained until the present time (1913) and bids fair to resist the worst of the "freshets" that are likely to be experienced. The estimated cost of this dam was about $5,000.00. Perhaps, the following quotation, taken from the diary of the present writer March 11, 1894, will not be out of place here: "Yesterday (Saturday) our dam was finished; and a good share of the population of our town went up to surprise the men. We took a picnic, and had a good time. After having our dinner, Bro. Bushman (this refers to Bishop John Bushman) had us all come across the river onto the main dam; and some of the men spoke about the labor on the dam. They said that about $5,000.00 worth of work was spent thereon. Brother Richards (Joseph H.) offered the dedicatory prayer, asking the Lord to keep the dam in if it was his will. Then we returned home. On the highest part of the dam, is erected a stone monument on one side of which is the following inscription: "Saint Joseph No. 8 Dam, Commenced 1891, Completed 1894". The site of the dam is almost directly south of the present railroad station Penzance.

Because of the numerous springs farther down the river than the dam at Penzance, another dam was constructed by the inhabitants of St. Joseph a few miles below the former one some years later; and this "lower dam" has likewise been permanent; and although water from it cannot be taken high enough to cover all the farming land at St. Joseph, it has been found the better of the two - the flow of water being more even, and during the low water season when crops need irrigation the worst, the flow is really larger. In addition to these two dams, St. Joseph has in more recent years built a large reservoir near what is known as "Plaster of Paris" Point some six miles east of the town which also is a great help in the development of the arid country. Another improvement for the settlement in more recent years is the new brick school house and church, costing perhaps about $5,000.00 - the brick were manufactured at home by subscription work, and a great deal of the work of erection was also done by the settlers - perhaps considerable of the less particular work being done by boys; and for this reason it would be somewhat difficult to place its value accurately on a cash basis, as is also the case with the other improvements the community has made.

Marius spent much of his time working on the dams until their completion; and at times in the handling of the heavy stones used in the construction, the workmen were subjected to some danger. At one time while working on the dam at Penzance, through some unintentionally bad move of another member of the party, Marius was thrown from the end of his crowbar over the end of the dam, falling about twenty-five feet to alight upon solid stone at the bottom. As he and others relate the incident, instead of falling straight down, he swerved about six feet from the perpendicular, as it guided by some unseen power, catching upon a projecting piece of timber which greatly retarded his fall and caused him to alight on his feet without serious injury.

The family has experienced considerable sickness, and eight of the fourteen children born to this couple have been stricken with death - five during infancy; two others, a boy and a girl aged six and nine years respectively, dying of diphtheria during the month of Nov., 1902, but a little more than two weeks apart; and another little girl born Oct. 15, 1902 who died Jan. 7, 1907.

In the Fall of 1897 at and immediately following the time of the General Conference at Salt Lake City, Utah, Marius made his first visit to his old home in this state since his removal to Arizona. While on this trip, he had the pleasure of meeting his mother, who then resided at Farmington, Davis Co., but who died a few years later - and also his father whose home was at Logan in Cache Valley, as well as all his living brothers and sisters, that is the children of his mother.

Another severe illness during the summer of 1905, nearly cost him his life; and for a time compelled him to forego his work on the farm.

Both he and his wife, taking with them their little daughter, Thora, made a visit to Utah in the Fall of 1906, attending the October semi-annual conference of the Mormon Church and visiting their old homes and friends and relatives in that state.

Although Marius Porter has of course spent by far the major part of his time in his occupation, farming and stock raising, in securing a livelihood for himself and family, he has not been inactive in his community; and has assisted with his means in the important public works of both the St. Joseph Ward and the Snowflake Stake.

He served as Constable of the St. Joseph precinct about three years, 1897-90; and has also served on the Board of Trustees of the St. Joseph School District. January 8, 1886, he was ordained a High Priest in the Church of Latter Day Saints, and set apart a member of the Snowflake Stake High Council, by Jesse N. Smith, which position he still holds. For a number of years after this he served as a home-missionary in his stake, at first making visits quarterly, but later owing to a change in the requirements of this work, not so often. About 1909, he was appointed a missionary to visit the various Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the stake, and some time later to the same work with the corresponding associations of the young men; and in 1912, was asked to labor in connection with the bishopric of the St. Joseph Ward, with the Ward Teachers, in which calling he is still engaged. He has given all his living children the benefit of attending the Snowflake Stake Academy at Snowflake, as many of them as so desired having the privilege of remaining with the institution until graduation - each winter beginning with that of 1901-02 and closing with that of 1910-11, keeping two in attendance. He has also greatly assisted his eldest living son in attending school in Utah and in filling a twenty-nine months mission in the Southern States.

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The genealogy of Sanford Marius Porter and his wife Nina Malinda Leavitt has been brought out perhaps in full, in the preceding part of this sketch. Their children were:

I. Marius Earl, born July 8, 1880 at Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah; and died August 10, 1881 at Sunset, Arizona.

II. Rulon Ensign, born Feb. 4, 1882 at Sunset, Arizona. Baptized May 1, 1890 by Sanford Marius Porter, and confirmed on the same date by Bishop John Bushman. Received his first ordination to the Priesthood Jan. 13, 1894, being ordained a deacon on that date under the hands of Elder Joseph C. Hansen; ordained a teacher Sunday Dec. 4, 1898 by Elder Henry M. Tanner; ordained an elder Sept. 9, 1907 by Elder David P. Kingsbury, president of the 2nd quorum, Liberty Stake; and ordained a seventy by Elder Brigham H. Roberts, one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies, at the 17th Ward Chapel, Salt Lake Stake, Jan. 8, 1912. Elder Roberts was ordained a seventy by Nathan T. Porter, the uncle of Sanford Marius Porter the subject of this sketch; Nathan T. Porter was ordained to this priesthood by Joseph Young; and Joseph Young was ordained thereto by the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith.

III. Emma Ethel Porter born April 24, 1884 at St. Joseph, Arizona, blessed June 22, 1884 by her grandfather, Sanford Porter; baptized April 24, 1892 (her eighth birthday) by her uncle Samuel U. Porter, and confirmed on the same date by her father, Sanford Marius Porter. On Oct. 8, 1903, she was married to Edwin S. Westover of St. Joseph, Arizona - the marriage taking place in the Mormon Temple at Salt Lake City, Utah. She and her husband have since resided at St. Joseph, having a comfortable brick home of their own - he being engaged in farming. Ethel has a family of four children: viz. Lloyd, Thea, Fenn, and Verl.

IV. Adah Janet, born March 23, 1886, at St. Joseph, Apache County, Arizona. Blessed April 6, 1886 by Bishop John Bushman; baptized April 5, 1894 by John Bushman, and confirmed April 8, 1894 by Joseph C. Hansen. She married J. Clark Owens, Bishop of the Show Low Ward of the Snowflake Stake; and since her marriage, her home has been at Show Low, Navajo Co., Arizona. Her husband is engaged in farming, sheep and cattle raising.

V. Aaron Bond, born at St. Joseph, Arizona August 23, 1887. Blessed Oct. 6, 1887 by John Bushman; baptized by his father Sanford M. Porter, Nov. 7, 1895, and confirmed the same day by Bishop John Bushman. He married Jane Rogers, a daughter of Davis Rogers and Minnie Woolley of Snowflake, Arizona; and they have one child, Glenda by name. Aaron has been engaged in farming and stock raising. He has lived for the most of his time since marriage at St. Joseph, but during a part of the years 1911 and 1912, made his home near Snowflake, after having sold out his stock with the intention of re-buying at his ranch nearer the mountains. Is at present again at St. Joseph. Date of marriage, Oct. 7, 1909, at Salt Lake City, Utah.

VI. Miral Adrian, born at St. Joseph, Arizona Feb. 15, 1889; blessed and named April 4, 1889 by John Bushman. Died June 27, 1889.

VII. Mamie Teresa, born April 3, 1890 at St. Joseph, Arizona; blessed and named by Sanford M. Porter May 1, 1890. Mamie has among her other studies at the Snowflake Stake Academy taken the course there given in nursing, and at present spends a goodly portion of her time in that occupation, working in her home town and in the near neighborhood.

VIII. Sarah Elva, born Feb, 1, 1892 at St. Joseph, Arizona; blessed and named by Bishop John Bushman April 7, 1892. Elva, like her older sister, Mamie, still resides at the home of her parents. She has completed the three years high school course given at the Snowflake Stake Academy.

IX. Liona Ordell, born Feb. 6, 1894; blessed and named by Joseph H. Richards April 5, 1894. She died at 12:00 o'clock in the night of Nov. 19, 1902, at St. Joseph, of diphtheria. She was born at St. Joseph, as were all the children of her parents with the exception of the two eldest ones.

X. Myron Leavitt, born May 13, 1896; blessed July 2, 1896 by Joseph H. Richards. He died of diphtheria at St. Joseph, in the evening of Nov. 3, 1902.

XI. Leo Fenton, born Feb. 24, 1898; died during infancy.

XII. Sanford Emil, born May 4, 1900; also died an infant.

XIII. Nina Arreta, born June 12, 1901, died late in the summer of the same year.

XIV. Thora, born Oct. 15, 1902; died Jan. 7, 1907.

The writer has but little data at hand relative to the ancestry of his mother's father George Leavitt. He was the son of Wire Leavitt, who was born in 1785 in New Hampshire, and Phoebe Cole, also a native of New Hampshire; and was born August 29, 1828 in Sherbrooke County, Quebec, Canada - this county is near the American boundary line being perhaps not more than twenty miles from the Connecticut River where it forms the boundary between Quebec and New Hampshire, in a northwesterly direction, and not more than that distance from the northern boundary of Vermont.

The following is a copy of a short sketch of his life written by George Leavitt about a year previous to his death, and in spite of its brevity, is perhaps the most complete account that can be gotten relative to his experiences.

"I was born near the Canada line, Sherbrooke Co., August 29, 1828. Was baptized in the State of Illinois, Wilson Co., by George G. Johnson. Here my father died. We then moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co. with my mother, brother Charles and two sisters - Emeline and Louise. Here my brother Charles went to Chicago, Ill.

"Here in Nauvoo, I worked in the stone quarry for the benefit of the temple for some time under the direction of Colonel Rockwood. I was among those called the Whistling Company - Colonel Markham had charge. I think Benjamin Covey was my bishop there. In the fall of 1845, was called and went up the Mississippi River to get timber to repair and make wagons to go west. In the Spring of 1846, was called on to take some of Bishop Hunter's family and go up the Mississippi and cross with Lory Skinner and her mother, which I did and came down on the other side and met Bishop Hunter and Company; and went on west to the Missouri River; and crossed the river where the Saints wintered - this was called Winter Quarters. My mother and sisters stayed here while I went to St. Joseph to work to get means to go West the next spring. I went in company with Charles Decker, Henry Grove, Charles McGary, and others. Worked for Colonel Estal. All of us returned in the spring.

"In the Spring of 1847, started across the plains with my mother and two sisters, in company with Simon Baker and his wife - she being my half sister, Sharlot. Our company was in Bates Noble's hundred and Jedediah M. Grant's fifty. Arrived in Salt Lake Valley in October, 1847.

"I built in the North Fort, and lived there with my mother and sisters. In the summer of 1848, went back to help the companies in; and in that winter and the next spring, went after the Indians in Provo Valley that had been stealing our cattle. In the summer of 1849, helped the companies that were coming in that summer. This summer and fall, I got a lot in the Third Ward and built a house for my mother. This fall she died, 1849. Bishop Wiler was our bishop. Owen Dewel preached my mother's funeral sermon.

"In the Spring of 1850 I went to California (Gold Fields) in company with Edward Thompson. Worked some in the mines, and returned the same fall with Charles C. Rich, Porter Rockwell, Tim Goodwill and others. Had just got back when I was called to go in Geo. A. Smith's company south to help settle Parowan, Iron County. Reached the Beaver River on Christmas Day. Here the Indians shot across the river and killed one of Geo. A. Smith's oxen. We reached Corn Creek on New Year's Day - cold and plenty of snow. While at Parowan, I was called to go and explore father south in company with Peter Childs and Simeon Howd and two others. In our travels, we found considerable iron ore, also found the coal at Cedar City - this coal we found while eating our dinner on the creek. In the Spring of 1851, we returned to Centerville. I rented Owen Dewel's place and farm and stayed there in Centerville.

"Here I married Janet Brinkerhoff, Aug. 29, 1852. Built a house and lived a number of years. April 1857, I married Sarah Porter - she lived in Centerville too. July 11, 1857, I married Nancy Manerva Earl. She lived in Centerville with father Rich. Bishop Porter (Sanford, Sr.) was the bishop of Centerville then. Some time after, Wm. R. Smith was bishop. I was called to be a teacher shortly after that, then was called to be president of teachers, acting in that position for some time. Then was called to be first counselor to Bishop Wm. R. Smith - remained that way until William R. Smith was called to take a mission to Europe, then I acted as bishop until he returned. I was in the mountains when Johnston's Army was there. In 1858, went with the move south to Spanish Fork, and returned to Centerville that summer. After Bishop William R. Smith returned home, I was called to go south to the "Muddy", in Nevada, where I and part of my family went and stayed until called away. During the time we were there we lost four children, two boys and two girls. I was called there to act as bishop on the Muddy and at West Point. Was in that country a little over two years. I had the chills and fever most of the time, and so did my family while down there. This was a sorrowful time for us.

"During this time, my wife Sarah Porter, that stayed in Weber Valley, called for a bill, which I gave her when I returned. On our return we stayed one summer in Beaver, then came to Mendon, Cache Co. Stayed there two years. Bishop Huse was bishop there. Then moved to Lewiston. William E. Lewis was bishop here. I was called to take charge of a canal fourteen miles long, which I did for two years, then was called to take charge of building our meeting house, which I did.

"In 1887, went to Star Valley, Wyoming and took up a place there."

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As already stated, the above sketch was written by George Leavitt shortly prior to his death; and this copy is practically verbatim with such corrections in spelling and punctuation as were deemed necessary by the present writer to make it thoroughly intelligible. This however was copied from a copy made from the original and sent the writer by Mrs. Eulalie Leavitt Taggart, a daughter of Joseph W. Leavitt and Grand-daughter of George Leavitt.

Genealogy of George Leavitt and his father.

Wire Leavitt was born in New Hampshire; baptized at Hatley village, Sherbrooke Co., Quebec, Canada. He married Abigill and Phoebe Cole, sisters.

Abigill was born in New Hampshire, and died in the same state. Her children were Jeremiah, who died in Illinois and Sharlot, who as has been shown in the sketch of the life of George Leavitt, became the wife of Simon Baker and with him came to Utah with Jedediah M. Grant's company in 1847, arriving at Salt Lake City in Oct. - in the same company as her brother came.

Phoebe was born in New Hampshire, and died in Salt Lake City in the Fall of 1849. Her children: Charles, who went from Nauvoo to Chicago, Ill. prior to the exodus of the Mormons from the Mississippi Valley, and who never came to Utah; George, Emeline, Louisa, Abigill, and Devie - the two last named died in Sherbrooke County, Quebec, Canada.

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GEORGE LEAVITT (son of Wire Leavitt and Phoebe Cole). He was born Aug. 29, 1828 in Sherbooke Co., Quebec, Canada. Was baptized into the Mormon Church in Wilson Co., Ill.

Married Janet Brinkerhoff Aug. 29, 1852 at Centerville, Davis Co., Utah (daughter of James Brinkerhoff and Sally Ann Snyder both of whom came to Utah in the same company as did George Leavitt). She was born Oct. 30, 1836. Their children:

I. Phoebe Ann born June 13, 1853, married A. B. Cherry 8/15/68.

II. Sarah Janet, born Apr. 17, 1855, m. John R. Allen Nov. 2, 1875.

III. George, born Oct. 23, 1857, died Sept. 23, 1861.

IV. James B., born Aug. 31, 1858, m. Pennia J. Rawlins 5/5/81.

V. Leona, born Sept. 25, 1861, m. F. A. Rawlins Dec. 18, 1879.

VI. Hyrum, born Dec. 9, 1863, m. Jane T. Stoddard Feb. 23, 1888.

VII. Mary Edith, born Dec. 27, 1864, died Feb. 22, 1878.

VIII. Levie, born April 25, 1866, died Feb. 9, 1888.

IX. John C., born Feb. 16, 1868, died July 16, 1869.

X. Lucy E. born April 14, 1870, died Mar. 14, 1871.

XI. Norton B. born May 12, 1871, m. Lurinda A. Hendricks 11/15/95.

XII. Georgiana, born Oct. 29, 1873, m. Thos. S. Karren 12/2/91.

XIII. Edward born Nov. 18, 1878, m. Lydia E. Karren Mar. 8, 1899.

XIV. Wire born Jan. 18, 1878, died Mar. 18, 1878.

Married Sarah Angeline Porter (daughter of Chauncy Warriner Porter and Amy Sumner). She was born Sept. 14, 1841 at Green Plains, Hancock Co., Ill. This family lived at Richville and Porterville in Morgan Co., Utah and later moved to northern Arizona first living at Brigham City, near Winslow; and later at St. Joseph. Their children:

I. Nina Malinda born Nov. 25, 1861, married Sanford M. Porter

II. Elva Armina born Feb. 15, 1864, married William H. Bond, 1881.

III. Adah Parmelia born July 29, 1865, m. Wm. H. Bond, Jan. 6, 1886.

IV. Amy Teresa born Feb. 1, 1868, m. Sullivan C. Richardson, 1886.

Married Nancy Minerva Earl July 11, 1857 at Salt Lake City (daughter of Asa Earl and Minerva Rich). She was born Oct. 13, 1840 in Hancock Co., Ill. It is stated by the Leavitt family of Lewiston, Utah that this third wife of George Leavitt came to Utah in July, 1847 with Chas. C. Rich company - this date is undoubtedly incorrect, however, as Chas. C. Rich did not reach this valley until Oct. of that year and non of the Mormons excepting the original pioneer company and the company of Captain James Brown arrived during that month. Children:

I. Joseph Wire born Nov. 14, 1859, m. Mary E. Rawlins May 4, 1882.

II. Charles Colson born Oct. 7, 1861, m. Sarah E. Cazier.

III. Louisa born May 16, 1863, died May 26, 1865.