Kate Whitney (Neilson)

Just a reminder -  PIONEER DAY is coming.  I hope you 'all' are interested in writing in your life story about those who are related to you and what they went through coming to the Salt Lake Valley or crossing the Oregon Trial or even rushing off to the California Gold Rush/Alaskan Gold Rush.  Just thought I  give you ways to carry on your family heritage.

Debi Carver (Brooks)

Kate,

Today was my Pioneer Families Reunion celebrated in Nephi Utah.

And  Nephi was then known as Salt Creek

This is where Brigham Young sent John Borrowman and his wife and child along with 13 other Families, to build a Fort known as Fort Wall.

John is my 2x Great Grandfather.who was also a Member of the Mormon Battalion he was also in Nauvoo and knew Joseph Smith.

So myself and children spent the afternoon at the 2 Cemeteries there looking for  Family and admiring some of the Very Old headstones and wondering why some of them have been left broken and worn down

Deb

Juliene Brewer (Killoran)

I am a Daughter of Utah Pioneers - not the organization but I am a descendant of some whose pictures hang in the museum, including the first Mormon Bishop of Union Fort (Fort Union), Silas Richards! Bishop Richards was married by Brigham Young to Keziah Francis Brady. Keziah was the daughter of Lindsay Anderson Brady, a polygamist! Lindsay Anderson Brady’s sons have a picture hanging in the museum as do his daughters. I am related to two of the daughters and Lindsay Anderson Brady, Jr. who were all born of the same wife, Elizabeth Ann Hendrickson. My paternal great grandparents were first or second cousins to one another (I forgot which)! My parents are 5th or so cousins! It’s very interesting to me - my genealogy! 

Dan Brown

I will be celebrating Pioneer Days by having my hair styled in the fashion of my namesake

Peggy Scott (Youngs)

Dan,

Send us all a picture of your new hairdo!

Dan Brown

The dual man buns are what make this hair style work.

Julie Johnson (Memmott)

oh dan...how i do miss you and your humor!

Patricia Rogers (Broadwell)

Dan, Princess Laila would be jealous... Don't you think ? Pat R. Broadwell

Anne Hansen (Brasher)

I'm impressed that you have that awesome picture of your namesake ancestor!  Its so fun for me to hear about old friends.  I have a smile on my face.  Reunions, this messages, remind me not to take everything so seriously.  I was young and so "stupid"  But it was a blast.  And still is.

Jackie Grant (Hyland)

Don Malouf

Old friend, and our classmate, Richard Wong surprised me with this portrait of myself.  I’m truly honored. He even included my auto restoration project in the background.  Richard’s still as nice, quiet, funny, and talented as ever.  A true quality person!

Julie Allred

Absolutely beautiful!  

Annie (Annette) Thornburg (Oakes)

That is fantastic!

Verdo Thomas

He’s a great artist. 

Mary Jo McElvain (Wolf)

Hi Everyone     Would you help me out.  When and where is our 50th year reunion?  I need to be planning in advance.  I would love to hear from you.

Maryjowolfpack@aol.com        Thanks, Mary Jo McElvain

Kate Whitney (Neilson)

In response to Dan  Brown to me - way back in our messaging - I just reread your thoughts one the subject of owning guns. I. still believe the purchase of weapons made for war to kill human beings is wrong. The NRA has most in congress and Mr. T in their pocket, but you put your argument about Mr.Trump in a very 'civil' way.  Your advise is worth pondering about. I will try to be more civil towards our elected president and congress in the future - it will be hard, but I'll try.

There is one thing I would like to address about your comments about 'what motivated' people to turn to listen to 'trump' - it was not the criticism of him, the need to tell the truth about the man. The media did not help they gave him coverage that turned our attention to him whether it be pro or con.

Joella Stonestreet (Martin)

THIS IS TO KATIE ABOUT PIONEER HERITAGES I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME THAT KEEP SHOWING UP ON FAMILY SEARCH-TO MY BIG SURPRISE LOL. HAVE DONE GENEALOGY FOR YEARS FOR MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY-WHO HAVE MANY MORMON PIONEERS, BUR THE ONE THAT IS MOST KNOWN IS CAPTAIN EDWARD MARTIN OF THE HANDCART FAME, HE A SECOND GREAT GRANDFATHER. HE WAS A VERY HUMBLE MAN AND WOULD HAVE HATED HIS FAME OF NOW DAYS, WITH THE COVE AND THE TREKS, BUT MY GOOD FRIEND SAYS ABOUT THIS THAT HE STILL IS ON A MISSION FOR THE CHURCH AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF HIM-WHICH WE ARE., BUT-------

Kate Whitney (Neilson)

Thanks for sharing this with me, Joella.  Geneology was my father's passion.  We were taught to gather stories from elderly people, family relatives, friends and learn from them.  I particularly liked the information about the your husband's 2nd great-grandfather.  It is nice to hear the other side of the historical story. 

Annie (Annette) Thornburg (Oakes)

I second Mary Jo's request - I would love to make it to our 50th reunion next year but coming from out of state, work, familiy, etc. means some advance notice would be helpful. Any plans made yet?

Annie (Annette) Thornburg (Oakes)

Captain Andrew James Taysum, my great-grandfather: born Birmingham, England 11/26/1826 and immigrated to Utah 1853. Captain of Company B, Territorial Artillery, Mormon Battalion, and frequent conferor with Jim Bridger. "Captain of Guns" at patriotic celebrations up to the last year of his life, 1903. Worked as a plasterer on Amelia Palace, old City Hall, SLC Theater, and Assembly Hall. Family history notes that he joined the US Army and was commissioned to build the barracks at Fort Douglas, which put him in conflict with Church authorities. Family legend claims that, when threatened with being cut out of the church, replied, "Cut and be damned!" a sentiment which has been engraved on at least one family mantleplace.

Kate Whitney (Neilson)

Thanks Annette for sharing about you g-g-g-grandfather.  I love history and this gives me some more insight to our pioneer fore-fathers.

Anne Hansen (Brasher)

I'll jump on the bandwagon here, Ft Douglas being mentioned.  This is John Taufer (Johann Balthasar Taufer), married an Irish immigrant, Sarah Pape, in San Francisco in 1854.  Found no gold in Sacramento.  Joined Conner's Army and came to Utah to keep an eye on the Mormons.  Conner wasn't thrilled with what was left of Camp Williams, and chose the sight at Ft. Douglas, better vantage point.  His Son, Louis John Taufer, built the house I lived in on 12th East when I was in school. My GR GR  and GR GR GR grandfathers.  History is awesome.  This is the only known picture of him.  A distant cousin is doing research on him.  He is wearing his Temperence League collar, he was the secretary.  I also have his 50 caliber musket ball maker.  My Grandma Grace saved everything.  (And I helped my dad clean up her apartment.)

Kate Whitney (Neilson)

Interesting history! I have never heard of himn-I grew up by Fort Douglas (lived on Douglas Street, 2 so. 13th east). Would roam the U of U and up in the area where your g-g-g-grand father had his homestead. Thanks for the history!

Teri Lambourne (Arnold)

Hi Katie and others - love the history that is being shared here. As many of you know I was raised in the Episcopal Church and grew up in the Avenues.  Even so, I have always known that I had strong Mormon Ancestry.  My sister and I were doing family geneology this past winter and discovered some interesting facts.  My thrice Great Grandmother was Catherine Tarne, born in Fairy Hill, England where her father and mother converted to Mormonism.  At age 16 her father sent her to America to join others of the faith enroute to the land of Zion.  She landed in New Orleans and from there went up river to St Louis, Missouri where she joined a group of Mormons heading west and she walked and pulled a handcart to Salt Lake during the winter of 1856-57.  Arriving in Salt Lake she was offered housing with William Knox and his first wife Elizabeth Tweddell Knox (they had arrived in SLC earlier from Tweedmouth, Northumberland, England, via New Orleans and St Louis, Mo.  with 4 children).  William was advised by the Elders to marry Catherine and she became his second wife on January 18, 1857.  They all moved together from SLC to Cache Vallely to farm.  William was a carpenter by trade and farming did not suit him well.  He soon moved back to SLC with Catherine, while Elizabeth stayed on the farm.  William and Catherine made their home and raised their family in Salt Lake where William worked for years on the construction of the Salt Lake Temple as a stonemason. Below is a photo from the LDS Archives of the Stonecutters on the Salt Lake Temple.  William Knox (my thrice great grandfater is seated second on first row).  There are likely others from our class who have family members in that photo also.  It's funny how closely related we humans are....I discovered that I work with an LDS man here at the Alaska SeaLife Center who was born and raised in Seward, Alaska and who has relatives in SLC. When I showed him the photo, he laughed and shared that his relative was also one of the stonecutters!

It would be interesting for me to know when my branch of the family broke from the Mormon Church and returned to the Episcopal Church, but I haven't been able to find that information  --- Yet. 

Thanks to the LDS tradition of journaling and geneology I have a snapshot in time of these ancestors of mine, their life and times, taken from William's diary and stories from memory of Elizabeth Knox's descendants. I'm grateful. 

WELL, Hmmmm.... Can't get the photo to paste in the space and stay there!  Any suggestions on how to?

 

Kate Whitney (Neilson)

I love reading about the history of pioneers and their off spring - This is a great insight to your g-g-g-great grandparents.  Hope you find what you're looking for - maybe if you go online to LDS.org and find family history you might find some answers.  Oh, this is a really COOL website -  see your pedagree chart and find info. about family members 'byu pedegree pie.org you'll need to go on family search to get to the pie chart.  It is really interesting!  Good luck! Kate (Whitney) Nielson  below is our 1st Whitney sibling reunion - both of our parent have past.  but life is good and I LOVE HISTORY!