Somewhere There's A Mountain - A Pioneer Day Tribute

With grateful and loving memory of Sarah Goode Marshall (35), Lavina (12), Selena (10), Tryphena (8), Louisa (6), George (4) and Sarah Ann (2), and Sarah's sister Mariah Goode.  Sarah, a widow with six small children, had a deep desire to "Come to Zion" to be with the Saints.  She worked two years making kid gloves and as a ladies maid to afford the journey from England to America, and to purchase a handcart and the necessary supplies to join the handcart company.  Sarah and her young family were members of the first Handcart Company, led by Captain Edmund Ellsworth.   Lavina, the eldest and only 12 years of age, helped her mother pull the handcart.  Selena, age 10 was in charge of making sure the children were dressed and fed for the day, and to watch over them.  Selena shared her meager food rations with her younger siblings to encourage them along, and she prayed that she "would not feel the pangs of hunger" so she would be able to do so.   Tryphena (8), frightened the group when she became seperated from the company after falling asleep along the trail.  She found her way back, following the lights of the campfires.  Selena, Tryphena, Louisa (6), and George (4) walked barefooted all or most of the 1400 mile journey.  Sarah (2) was the only one  allowed to ride in the handcart.   

As the journey neared its end, the company camped, making repairs to the handcarts, and waiting for the 2nd handcart company to join before entering the Salt Lake Valley together midst a great celebration that was planned.  It was easier for Sarah and the children to start out earlier as the heat of the day made traveling much more difficult.  After receiving permission to leave the company for an earlier start, Sarah dressed the children in their best in preparation for entering the Valley.  When they tried to put their shoes on, they found they would no longer fit.  They pulled their handcart, and were on the crest of a hill when they saw riders in the distance shouting and waving their hats.  The frightened children huddled around their mother, crying.  They all were afraid these men might be Indians.  As the riders got closer, they realized they were frightening the little band of travelers.  They quieted their shouting and rode up to the small family.  They told Sarah they were scouts sent by Brigham Young to bring back news of the whereabouts of the company.  A couple of the riders picked up the smaller children and put them on their horses to ride back to Salt Lake with their report, while the other riders rode on to the main body of the Handcart Company. 

They took the children to a place that may have been a Relief Society building.  One of the women was holding Louisa on her lap, and was sobbing as she saw the skin hanging from her little arms as the sunlight shone through the window.  Another of the children, saw some tomatoes ripening on the window sill.  They were the most beautiful thing the children had ever seen.  The women, noticing their interest, asked if the child would like one, and of course they nodded yes.  One of the ladies encouraged the children to take a bite, "It's good!"  However, to the children, the tomato was far better to look at than to eat.

The rest of the Handcart Company came in with great pomp and circumstance, a band and parade and "the first to enter" were heralded and undoubtedly greeted by Brother Brigham and other dignitaries.  The little group that had arrived a day earlier, arrived in a much quieter fashion, but they did arrive.

Native American - Amazing Grace (in cherokee)

Cherokee Morning Song



Chief Washakie Northern Shoshone





 The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)



The Stick of Judah and the Stick of Joseph

 

The world's oldest multiple-page book - in the lost Etruscan language - has gone on display in Bulgaria's National History Museum in Sofia. And something about that book has particular interest for Latter-day Saints. As is evident from the photograph, this book was created on metal plates that are bound together with metal rings similar to the original source documents that became the Book of Mormon.

The book of Mormon tells of the people who came to the America's in 600 B.C.  The Book of Mormon was translated from plates made of gold, held together by three metal rings.   The original plates were written in  reformed Egyptian characters by prophets living in the Western Hemisphere between 600 BC and 421 AD. 



Found in Hebrew Cave



Los Lunas Stone - New Mexico

Thirty- five miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico is what is known as the Los Lunas Stone.  An  80-ton boulder engraved with the Ten Commandments in Hebrew centuries ago.  The Hebrew form was used for an approximate one thousand-year period, ending about 500 BC.  Harvard scholar, Robert Pfeiffer, and expert in Semitic languages, concluded that the mysterious inscription was written in a form of Paleo-Hebrew and paraphrased the Ten Commandments.  "I am Yahweh thy God who brought thee out of the land. There shall not be unto them other gods before Me."  Historian Steven M. Collins points out that the "Las Lunas Stone" inscription in archaic Hebrew was written in the Hebew letters of the style of the Moabite Stone, dated to about 1,000 B.C.  Interestingly, beside the boulder is a Tamarisk, a tree species native to the Middle East and supposedly the type of tree planted by Abraham in Beersheba when he called upon the name of the Lord.

In 1885, missionaries went to the Wind River Shoshone Indians carrying a Book of Mormon and a letter of friendship from Brigham Young.  Chief Washakie accepted the gifts, telling his subchiefs that their "Father above the clouds" told Brigham Young to send the missionaries.  This was the beginning of a long friendship between Washakie and the Latter-day Saints.


Chief Washakie with Council 1883-1885



A great-great grandson of Chief Washakie, told my brother Rick the following (it is paraphrased according to my memory). When the Book of Mormon was first introduced to Chief Washakie , he did not believe it.   The Book was passed around the circle and the third time the Book of Mormon passed around the tipi, and hearing what it contained, Chief Washakie declared that it was true.   He told those present that they were once a great nation.  He recognized the history of his people as contained in the Book of Mormon and believed it to be true.

Many artifacts have been found in America that were written in an  ancient Hebrew text.  One was stored in the Smithsonian museum, and had been thought to be an ancient American Indian writing because it had been found in "Indian country".  However, when helping move some boxes, this item was "rediscovered" by a gentleman fluent in ancient languages, and discovered the artifact had been mounted upside down.  It was not ancient American Indian, but rather, Ancient Hebrew. 

Cherokee Morning Song

We n' de ya ho, We n' de ya ho,
We n' de ya, We n' de ya Ho ho ho ho,
He ya ho, He ya ho, Ya ya ya

Translation - We n' de ya ho

Freely translated: "A we n'" (I am), "de" (of), "Yauh" --the-- (Great Spirit), "Ho" (it is so).

Written as: A we n' de Yauh ho (I am of the Great Spirit, Ho!).

This language stems from very ancient Cherokee

Arranged by Rita Coolidge and Robbie Robertson.

Translation by David Michael Wolfe who is an Eastern Virginia Cherokee and a cultural historian. Thanks to Maurizio Orlando for providing the translation.

Story of Bill and Carl

Five-Springs Falls
Big Horn Mountains Wyoming

In 1936 money was short for everyone nationwide.  Family vacations were not in the plans for many.  However, my Grandparents decided to call their family together for an over-night on the Big Horn Mountain at the Five Springs Saw Mill that held so many dear memories from their early married life.

Although I was only 5 years old the events of this family 'mini vacation' in the mountains will always hold a special place in my reservoir of memories. 



Flowers on the Big Horns

My cousins and I picked billiant mountain flowers; we waded in icy mountain streams and stood under the sparkling waterfall streams and stood under the sparkling waterfall as it cascaded down over jagged rocks.

Five-Springs Falls

Dinner was cooked over an old fashioned camp-fire; the mountain air had given us huge appetities.  Corn on the cob and hot dogs had never tasted so good. 

We sat around the dying fire roasting marshmellows and singing all our favorite songs.  Then Grandma told us the story of "Bill and Carl."  It was the first time I'd heard it, and I will never forget that story as long as I live - perhaps it was the location where it was told - or the warm glow of the families' closeness that made it so memorable:

Bill and Carl

(as told by Grandma Asay)

The story I'm about to tell you is true.  It happened to a family in Idaho when my mother was a young girl.

A long time ago the little boys had to learn to work just like men.  They were taught to plow the fields, chop the wood, and drive the wagons just like their fathers.  Everyone worked so they could survive.

Bill and Carl, ages 8 and 12, were to go with a group of men and boys to the canyon to get wood for winter and logs for building houses.  Their mother prepared a nice lunch box for them and their father helped hitch up the wagon.  The boys gathered their bedding and were soon ready for the journey.

They were to meet the others at a certain place in the canyon, but as the boys reached the crossroads they weren't sure which fork to take.  Finally they gook the one that appeared to have the freshest tracks.  They headed their oxen up this canyon and rod all day going up and up.

When evening came the oxen were tired and they hadn't found anybody; they were still all alone.  So they decided to make camp and wait for the others to catch up.  The oxen were unhooked and fed.  The boys then built a small fire, spread out their bedrolls and ate their lunches.

Soon Bill said, "Carl, are you scared?"  Carl answered, "why no, of course not."  Bill said, "Do you think Ma and Pa will pray for us tonight?"  Carl convinced Bill that they would.  More times passed.  Bill said, "Carl, do you think Heavenly Father would hear us if we prayed to him?"  Carl assured him that He would and they knelt together by their dying fire praying to Heavenly Father that they would get home alright.  They thanked Him for the blessings that they had come that far safely.  They then prayed that the other group would soon catch up with them.

Bill went right to sleep, but Carl lay there wide awake.  Suddenly a loud war hoop was heard, and two huge Indians, jumped out from behind the pine trees.  They quickly tied the boys' hands, picked up their guns and other equipment - and made them further and further up into the mountains.  Finally when they couldn't go another step, camp was made.  Though they were terrified Bill and Carl knew they must act brave. 

During the night the boys were able to free themselves as the Indians slept.  They quietly found their guns, and twisted the oxens' tails until they got up and quickly headed right back the way they came. 

After while they stopped and Carl climbed to a look-out point ... Bill was to shoot if the Indians showed up.  As Carl looked down into the valley below, he heard a gunshot.  Could it be the Indians?  He hurried back to find Bill clutching his gun, and there were drops of blood on the rocks.  Bill proudly told his big brother he had scared the Indians away.

Horses were coming in the distance now, and the boys were so afraid it was more Indians, but as they got closer they recognized their father at the head!  He soon had his boys in his arms, and what tears of graitude were shed.

A few years later the pioneers invited the Indians to their 24th of July Celebration.  As Bill and Carl stood by their father, an Indian walked up and began telling them how brave they were.  But it wasn't until he showed them the gash on his face where he had been nicked by Bill's bullet that they finally understood.  The Indian explained how they admired the 2 young boys for their bravery on the mountain that day years ago.

********************

After Grandma's story we knelt in family prayer and slept out under the stars on old mattresses covered with heavy quilts.  How safe I felt with my parents on either side and all my strong uncles and grandparents to protect me from whatever unknowns the Big Horns had to offer ..... Indians and bears were my big concern!  But it was the elements that finally zapped us - a midnight shower complete with thunder and lightning sent us scurrying for shelter in cars, under trucks, and trees.  To me this made the whole thing an exciting adventure to be brought out and savored from my treasure chest of childhood memories in the years to come.

__________________________________

Source: "Till We Meet Again" by Joy Marostica

Two Indian Stories

Martin Calvin Boyce

Grandma Asay told this story to Kenny Blackburn, age 5, October 26, 1969. 

No changes have been made, type as originally written:

When my father was just a young boy possibly 9 years old the cattle from the fort had been driven down on the willow bottom and there was grass there that they could find plenty to eat and grandfather had a lovely big cow and she had been sent down to remain there until she found her little calf.  My father was just a little boy and grandfather said, "Calvin, go get on the workhorse and go down and see if you can find her.  If you can and she hasn't found her little calf just leave her there and come on back without her."   So father went out and looked at the workhorse and then he looked at the little race mare.  He had prayed to Heavenly father to guide him to do the right thing so that he would be sure to get back home.  So he looked at the race mare and put the bridle on her and fixed her up and he got on her back and away he went to find that cow.  He went down on the willow bottom and the trail wound around and around the willows.  He just kept going and going.  Finally he found the great big lovely cow and she hadn't found her little calf yet so he turned around and started back.  He hadn't gone far when his attention was drawn behind him.  He looked and there were 5 big Indian men on horses whipping those horses trying to catch father.  Father just kicked the little mare in the ribs and loosened the reins and let her go.  She took off just like that.  He had presence of mind to know that he didn't dare to let her run too long or she would loose her wind and he had about 5 miles to go.  So when he seen he was ahead of them far enough he would pull the reins in and slow her down.  And that is what he did.  He would hold her down until he saw that they were gaining on him and then he would let her go.  He would run real fast for a little ways and the he would hold her down again.  The Indians came just as fast as they could.  As they got in sight of the fort the Indians could see that they could not catch him and every one fired a shot at him.  He could hear the bullets whizzing past him on each side of his head, but not a one hit him.  They swung the big gate open and my daddy rode through into the fort and his life was spared.  It was only a few days before that that the Indians caught two of the herdsboys, about the age of 10 and 14, down on the willow bottom and the Indians took one of the boys and unjointed every joint in his body.  They took the other boy and skinned him just like they would an elk or something.  And that was what frightened my daddy so, but daddy got home alright, but the two blessed boys died.

Publisher's Note:  Based on the approximate age of Martin Calvin, this incident must have occured either at Fort Palmyria or the fort in Spanish Fork, Utah.   Families from the Palmyria Fort were encouraged to move into the Fort at Spanish Fork in 1856 when hostilities between the pioneers and Indians increased with the Walker or Walkara Wars of 1853-1856 .  Since it was so far for Martin Calvin to travel to find the cow, they must have been in the Spanish Fork fort.

Chief Walkara

-------------------------

This story is about Christianna Dolbell Riding, daughter of Christopher Lister Riding and Lisa, when she was 18 months old. It happened March 25, 1859, in Santa Clair, Utah. 

Christianna Dolbell Riding

Little Christianna had been ill and as it was rather hot in the house, her father laid her on a quilt under the boughrey. The boughrey was a frame porch affair covered with boughs or vines which was cooler than in the house.

Her parents checked her every so often to make sure that she was alright; however, this one time they checked just a little too late and their baby was gone! Christopher ran outside and looked all around. In the distance he could see two figures galloping on horseback just going up over a hill. It appeared that one was carrying something cradled in his arms. He quickly sounded the alarm and soon a dozen men answered the alarm and gave chase. They chased the two for about 8 miles before finally catching up with them and baby Christianna. They were just outside the Indian camp and had they gotten to camp they probably never would have seen the baby again.

The men asked why the Indians had stolen the baby and they answered "To scare white squaw." The men were so angry that they whipped the two Indian men good and told them to let that be a lesson. If it ever happened again they would kill them. The men returned home safely with little Christianna. When they returned to the house they discovered a new baby brother waiting to greet Christianna and her father Christopher. Her mother said this was the happiest day of her life.

They later discovered that that same day a little Heap's girl had been stolen and they never found her. It was a custom for the Indians to steal white baby girls and raise them as Indians. They would later become wives for the chief's sons.



Buck up Little Buckaroo



Wyoming State Logo Bucking Bronco

I always really liked the brown and gold Wyoming License Plate with the dominate bucking horse silhoutte.  You can always tell what county a car is from in Wyoming because the associated county number was prominately displayed on the far left.  The Big Horn Basin County number is "9".  Mother took some pride in knowing all the counties and their associated numbers in the State. 

Did you ever wonder where the Logo originated?  Apparently it dates back to World War I when used by Wyoming troops.  It is supposedly based on a real horse and rider.   The horse, "Steamboat," competed in rodeos between 1901 and 1914 when he became infected with blood poisoning as a result of contact with a barbed wire fence during a thunderstorm.

One of my brother Rick's favorite comments when things are kinda tough is, "Buck up, little Buckaroo".  It seems to interject an element of courage into a situation.   A good quote to remember in challenging times.  Grandma would agree.

Winter 1865 in Round Valley Idaho cont.

Round Valley Idaho

Mrs. Cloe B. Rogers continues her story of the snow bound boys in Round Valley that terrible winter of 1865. Continuation of story of boys Christmas in lonely cabin posted December 2010, and tragic death of George Barzee and John Boice February 1865.

(Double Click on Images to Enlarge)

Terrible Winter of 1865



Round Valley Idaho

Mrs. Cloe B. Rogers continues her story of the snow bound boys in Round Valley that terrible winter of 1865. Continuation of story of boys Christmas in lonely cabin posted December 2010.

(Double Click on Images to Enlarge)

 

 

The Pearls



Story told by Joy Marostica in "Till We Meet Again.

Calvin and Helen, my grandparent's youngest children, were our most frequent baby sitters, and I enjoyed being part of their many teen age activities.  To watch Calvin shoot baskets and Helen lead the cheers was so exciting!

One Christmas Calvin gave his sister a very special present - a necklace of imitation pearls.  On the night of the biggest basketball game of the season Helen put them on over her cheerleading sweater, so Calvin could see how pleased she was with his gift.

Calvin wanted the whole family to see him play in this important event.  I remember climbing to the balcony of the Lovell gymnasium with Grandma and Grandpa so we could have the best view.

The game turned out to be extremely exciting, but I couldn't keep my eyes off Aunt Helen, who was doing a spectacular job in her cheer leading.

Suddenly to my horror, little white balls were rolling from Helen's neck all over the basketball floor.  I'm sure no one else knew where they were coming from ... except Calvin.  The referee blew his whistle, and then to my relief fans, players, and referees were helping Calvin as they scrambled around picking up the elusive pearls.  My chagrin turned into amusement, and my cousins and I have never laughed so hard.

As I reflect upon the situation, now, I have great respect for Calvin, as he took charge.  Accepting the retrieved pearls, he walked unashamedly over to the red faced Helen.  With the eyes of the entire crowd upon them, he again gave her his "gift."  I'm sure rather than feeling embarrassed Grandma was very proud of his composure.

Lumpy Dick

Lumpy Dick

Grandmother's youngest son, Calvin, will never forget "lumpy dick".  When he was in the fourth grade the teacher asked the children what they had for breakfast.  Most everyone reported bacon and eggs, or cereal and orange juice.  But when it came Calvin's turn he proudly said, "lumpy dick"... there was shocked silence ... then snickers.  Calvin felt he needed to explain, so he said, "Yeh, lumpy dick, right Frank? right Dwight, right Pee Wee?  You know how we always have lumpy dick at our house!"

Delila's Lumpy Dick Recipe

Lumpy Dick -  "Dick" is boiled pudding

3 qt. rich milk

6 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3 cups cream

Heat milk to boiling - stir continuously

Mix flour, salt, and cream to pie dough consistency

add by handfuls to hot milk until it thickens.

Stir constantly.

Dish up in bowls, sprinkle with sugar,

serve with milk. Delicious!

_____________________________________

Source:  Till We Meet Again, by Joy Marostica

More Lumpy Dick Recipes:

Heat milk scalding hot--in a large pan. In a bowl beat an egg with a fork a few moments then add some sugar, pinch of salt & grated nutmeg, flour enough to use up the egg--rub between your hands till about like rice, then stir into the hot milk cook a few moments and serve with milk or cream.


I found this conversation about "Lumpy Dick" on the internet:   My grandfather was a child of the youngest of several polygamist wives. My grandmother always felt that his family had been on the short end of the stick and lamented that "Poor Grandpa was raised on nothing but burnt toast and lumpy dick." I never learned just what lumpy dick was. When I met my husband and he began to tell me things 'pioneerish', I asked him if he knew what lumpy dick was. "Oh, you mean flour mush [as it was called in his family]. Sure, I'll make you some." We enjoy it a great deal and have it often to celebrate our heritage and appreciate the sacrifices. Once we served it to friends after having told that when there wasn't much to eat, but the cow was still giving milk and the chickens were laying an egg or two a day and there was still a little flour in the bottom of the barrel, mother would fix lumpy dick to fill her poor babies' tummies. Our friend spooned some lumpy dick onto his plate and exclaimed, "Oh, gribble-grabbles!" That is what his family of Oregon pioneers had called it and he ate with relish. This is the recipe my mother-in-law taught to me:

1 qt. milk (raw is best)
1 tsp salt
1 pat butter
Heat milk, with salt and butter in a heavy pan. When the butter melts, add:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
Mix the flour into the egg and work with fork or fingers until crumbly. Grab a handful and dribble it into the hot milk through your fingers, rubbing out any big lumps. Add all of the egg/flour mixture and any flour from the bottom of the bowl. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Serve on a dinner plate, dotted with butter, sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour more milk around the edge of the plate.
This recipe comes from Mink Creek, Franklin County, Idaho. (Franklin County is where the Marshall and Boice/Boyce families settled, and Grandmother Asay's birth place.)
 

President Ezra Taft Benson



President Benson's Signature

 From 'Feasting' with the Prophets:
Recalling the thrifty days of his childhood, President Benson said, "We would come into the kitchen and get the aroma of baking bread, then we would persuade mother to let us take the top off the loaf, put butter on it and consume it in our hands."

Although President Benson's mother baked a dozen loaves at a time, she sometimes ran out of bread and would buy a loaf. The store-bought bread, said President Benson's father, tasted "like cotton." If she didn't buy a loaf to stretch the family's bread supply, she would make what the family called Lumpy Dick by stirring whole wheat flour into hot milk and it would make into a consistency of pudding. She would sometimes put cinnamon and maybe a little sugar on top of it and pour cold milk over it. "This would be our supper, and it was delicious," recalled President Benson.
Source:  'Feasting' with the Prophets by Ann Whiting Allen, Deseret News Food Editor published: Saturday, Oct 1, 1988

The Garden



But if ye are prepared
ye shall not fear. D&C 38:30

The prophets' counsel to acquire a year's supply of food was followed to the letter by my grandparents.  Delila spent many hours filling canning jars with pickles, green beans, beets, tomatoes, and all the wonderful produce harvested from her large garden.

We grandchildren delighted in hiding among the peas, gorging on their delectable sweetness, and there was nothing better than Grandma's corn on the cob - cooked 5 minutes after it was picked.
_____________________________________
Source:  Till We Meet Again by Joy Marostica