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Show to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, I think. In the Spring of 1846 we moved with the rest of the Saints to Winter Quarters. In 1847 we raised a crop while Brigham Young went west to Salt Lake Valley and found a place for the Saints to settle. In 1848 nearly all of us started west for our new home in the Roclcy Mountains. The team I drove was three yokes of cattle, five cows and one ox. We arrived in Salt Lake City in September and wintered there. In the Spring of 1849 we settled on Little Cottonwood, south of what is now Union Ward. On July 4, 1852, Enmeline Beckstead and I were married by Elder Henry Mower, in what is now the West Jordan Ward. I taught school for two or three years and was also a Ward Teacher. In the Sumner of 1857 we found that our enemies had succeeded in raising hell to the ex¬tent back east that President Buchanan saw fit to send an Army to settle our case. We decided to keep the Army out of here until they were better informed. And we kept them out that Summer and the following Winter when they sued for peace. In the Spring of 1858 we allowed them to come in, but not until the Saints had moved south for a short time. The Army (Johnston's) passed peaceably through Salt Lake City, went southwest about 40 miles to what was Camp Floyd in Cedar Valley. I was called to assist in keeping the Army out in 1857, and I still have my pass to return home when things were settled. It reads: "Echo Canyon, November 5, 1857: This is to certify that the bearer, William A. Bills, is honorably released to return home. Captain John Brown In charge of Echo Canyon Express Station" In the Spring of 1858 I moved my family south with the rest of the Saints. That Fall my family moved up north to Mountain Green, Morgan County, in what was called Weber Valley. (At that time the couple had three children; Gordon Silas, William Andrew, Jr. , and Alexander. Two children were born in Mountain Green; Catherine Emeline and Harriet Elizabeth.) I was appointed President of the settlement and filled my appointment as President of the Mountain Green Branch to the best of my ability until April of 1863, a period of four years and six months. I moved my family back to South Jordan in April of 1863 and the next day was appointed a Counselor in the Presidency of the South Jordan Branch. In July of 1866 I was set apart as President of the Branch with Henry Beckstead as Counselor. 117 |
