• Pioneer History Of David Eaton Henderson and Mary "Polly" McFadden Henderson David Eaton Henderson was born April 10, 1809 in Hampshire, West Virginia a son of David Henderson and Elizabeth "Betsy" Ganoe Henderson. There were ten children in the Henderson family, three girls and six boys. About 1828, David Eaton moved to Jackson, Illinois where he met and married Mary "Polly" McFadden on March 4, 1830 a daughter of John and Catherine McFadden. During the years they lived in Jackson, Illinois where five of their seven children were born. Eliza Jane, April 29, 1831, Joseph Lambert, Feb 28, 1833, John W. June 28, 1836, Catherine (Kitty Ann), Sept. 3, 1838 and Lucinda, May 30, 1841. • Sometime after the birth of Lucinda, the Henderson's moved to Andrew, Co., Missouri where their last two children were born. Sarah Elizabeth arrived April 3, 1844 and Mary was born Sept. 2, 1847. • During the years that they were in Missouri they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. David Eaton was baptized Sept. 29, 1849. Mary was baptized sometime in June of 1850. In the Spring of 1856 David and Mary with four of their children Eliza Jane, Lucinda, Sarah Elizabeth and nine-year-old Mary came to Utah by Wagon train. Joseph Lambert, John W. And Catherine (Kitty Ann) did not come with their parents. Soon after they arrived in SaJt Lake City they were sent to live in Centerville, Davis Co. to settle on Forty acres of farm land . • • When President Young called some of the saints to go South and settle new towns, David accepted the call. He left their farm and took his family with him. When he was released from his mission call, he returned to Centerville and found that his farm land had been divided into city lots. David was told about the beautiful valley of Morgan (at the time called Weber Valley) and decided to take his family there. Their journey through Weber Canyon in 1859 was a very difficult one. A very crude road had been built in 1855 by Thomas J. Thurston and other early citizens of Weber Valley. Most people traveling this road would leave their wagons or buggies and walk the narrow stretch which was commonly known as the Horseshoe bend in Devil's gate. Their driver would then lead the horses and wagons around the bend. They had trouble keeping the road passable in Spring because of high water . In the Fall of 1859 David Eaton and Jonathon Hemmingway along with their families were the first pioneers to settle in the Richville area. Upon their arrival into the valley, they almost at once set to work plowing and putting their crops in. David along with other early settlers dug an irrigation ditch and raised a crop of Wheat, Oats and Vegetables that year . . David built the first house, a log cabin down by the creek (now known as East Canyon Creek). Because of flooding problems, David advised later families to build_o n h~gher ground near the base of the hills and West of the Creek where the town of Richville now stands. There were about a half-dozen log cabins built during the years of 1860- 1861. Life in Richville was typical of the early pioneers, hunting and fishing was their • main sport. Game was plentiful at this early period of time and it was easy. to catch I~ • enough fish before sunrise in time fur breakfast and shoot enough sage Chickens or Deer for dinner. There were also wild Bear, mountain lions, lynx and bobcats. During the years of 1865-1866, David and Mary's last three daughters were married in the Temple. January 7, 1865, Sarah Elizabeth married Isaac Conway Morris. September 16, 1865 Lucinda. married Anthony Heiner and the following year her sister Mary married his brother, George Heiner on December 22, 1866. The Winter of 1868 David and Mary were getting along fairly well they thought. Spring came and from all appearances a prosperous year was ahead of them. They planted their crops as usual and it came up looking very promising. Without any warning th~,grasshoppers came like "a black cloud darkening the sun." Within twenty-four hours not a trace of green was remaining. Because of the grasshoppers invasion, their vegetable • food supply was very limited and flour had to be hauled from the East and was terribly • expensive. David's beloved wife whom he called Polly died in April of 1871 at the age of 62. He was thankful for his faith and knowledge that he would some day see her again. In 1876 at the age of 67 he served a mission to the middle and southern states. He was set apart by Elder Orson Pratt. On June 20, 1891 at the age of 82, David Eaton Henderson died in Porterville Morgan, Utah .