History of WILLIAM AND ELLEN COTTAM. Came to Utah 1868. Written by Ada J. Taylor, a granddaughter. march 26, 1957. This has been read came on train part way 1868 Mrs Mary Chadwick, MOrgan Utah. Dear Sister Chadwick: Congradulations on your being chosen "Mother of the year" from Morgan County, I'm sure after reading of all your accomplishments that you are indeed worthy of this great honor. However my purpose in writing you is that you have compiled a history of morgan county, called, "pioneering morgan county" and in as much as my mother was born in morgan county, in 1870 at porterville, i wondered if you would be intrested in this little bit of history taken from my grandfather and grandmother cottam's life history. my grandparents came to america and settled in pennsylvania and he worked in the mines there until they could make enough money to come on to utah, and they came on one of the first trains, in 1868. and were met at the train by brother thomas deardon, who had been in england on a mission. it is hard to tell how they did raise enough money to come farther west to utah, but they did, and one can imagine the thanksgiving in their hearts when they pulled down weber canyon to a new land, where they could live in peace and be able to raise their family. "they moved to a small town nestled in the rolling hills of weber canyon, the town of porterville, where a brother deardon lived, who planned and secured them a small place until a better one could be obtained,this place had a dirt floor, burlap bags for doors and windows. they were among the first people in porterville to own a stove and lamp, which she bought in ogden utah she traded a revolver and a suit of clothes for them. being a miner by trade william wanted to go to eureka or wyo. but ellen (grandmother) was determined to raise her children in a better enviornment. william went to eureka to work, but came home at intervals while he was away ellen had acquired a farm. and it was a happy surprise for the husband when he found them all settled on "an honest to goodness farm" as his daughter expressed it. how thankful ellen was for her experience in the hospital in england. she earned many doll to help pay for the new farm. part of this was a large meadow 5 miles up the canyon. ellen often took the children to pick up potatoes for the winter she whitewashed the school house which also served as a church building and town hall. she took in washing, and did everything possible to help. there were times when she did feel discouraged, and one of these times she went to patriarch henry bowering, for her patriarchial blessing, and it was a comfort to her the rest of her life, he told her that as long as she remained faithful and trusted in the lord, she would be equal to all occasions, and in the practise of midwifery for 50 years, in england, porterville, and snowville utah, she never lost a mother. in porterville she usually went to the patient on horse back, sometimes riding on the running gears of wagons, and sometimes walked thru all kinds of weather or miles, the night was never to dark or the way too far for her to go, when she was needed. they lived in porterville, utah until 4 more children were born. it was while living here, before the twin girls were born, that william and ellen went to salt lake to the endownment house and received their endowments. danial h. wells performed the ceremony and he called her back and gave her a second blessing, saying it was A very rare thing to see an irish catholic converted to the faith and receiving her endownments. . the weather was very cold and stormy, it was march and they traveled in a lumber wagon without a spring seat, and was drawn by oxen, the roads were very bad and for two mile she walked thru devils gate in weber canyon through deep snow. she was very anxious to go at the time as she was expecting a new baby very soon, and in april she had twin girls, mary and martha, before this in 1870, elizabeth had been born. then 2 years later she gave birth to a baby girl. the snow was 2 ft. deep and it was bitterly cold, there was no one near to help her, and only an ox team to go for help, and she felt that she did not want her husband to leave long enough to go for help, so her baby was born with only her husband to help her. they said, they felt so much like adam and eve that they named her, "eve" ellen thought as she lay in her bed how the lord had helped them in distress and she felt that in this new world he would open the way for them out of every difficulty, and he had given her strength and knowledge to help her husband and others in distress. great faith had been etherised for her and the family by the elders. a danish neighbor, by the name of hansen would gome and administer to her in the danish language, she always felt the spirit of the lord when brother hansen game. before leaving porterville, she presented the church with a pretty red and black tablecloth for the alter. this was in 1871 and they used it until 1908. william hired out making adobes or a form of bricks , and many houses are still standing there. (this history was written in 1923) i dont know whether you are intrested in this history or not but naturally i am. my mother is elizabeth cottam jensen and is still alive, and one of the twins, martha are the only ones left of this large family. the cottam family moved to snowville when my mother was small and the family all married and settled there. william cottam --father ellen bridget gallagher cottam-- mother margarat cottam arbon--daughter james cottam --son john cottam--son ann ellen--daughter allen william cottam--son elizabeth—daughter jensen mary cottam nelson --daughter martha cottam peterson--daughter eva may cottam parker—daughter they had 19 children, but only 9 grew to maturity. we feel that our grandparents were wonderful and great people and useful, and as their decendents we are greatful for our hertiage. sincerely mrs ada j. taylor 1265-north harrisville rd. ogden utah.