PORTER, ALMA 1848 BOOK 8 - Pioneer Histories, compiled during the 1950s by Daughters of the Utah Pioneers of Morgan County. 64 HISTORY OF ALMA PORTER By Wealtha P. Heiner Father, Alma Porter, was born December 15th, 1834 at Van Buren County, Missouri. He was a son of Pioneer Parents, Chauncy Warriner and Amy Sumner Porter. He was the eldest son of Chauncy Warriner and the only son of Amy Sunmer, his mother, who lived to maturity. She had other sons but they died in infancy. When father was about two years old his parents moved to Caldwell County, being driven there with other saints, they lived there two more years, then were driven again into Illinois, then across the Mississippi into Iowa. Although young in years he began to assist his father in driving team and other work. In April of 1842 he was baptized into the Church of Latter day Saints by Nathan T. Porter, an uncle. At a very early age he began to show interest in the Gospel. He would defend its principles and the Saints when they were assailed and opposed by their enemies. In the year 1845 the saints were again compelled by their enemies to leave their homes and go west. In the spring of 1846 he writes in his history, "My Father and family with the rest of the saints started westward. That summer we stopped twelve or fifteen miles beyond Council Bluffs, stayed over the winter, built a house, and plowed a small piece of land, planted some turnips. In the fall of 1846 I proved a great help to my father in hauling logs for building, chopped wood poles and etc. I also looked after the stock. They had to be wintered along the creek bottoms, where cane and bulrushes grew for feed. That winter my father and grand father went one hundred miles down river to get provisions for the family taking me along to dirve the team. I was then twelve years of age. This was in 1846. The 65 -2- sixth of April 1847 Mother died, leaving we children in the hands of the wife father married just shortly before Mother's death. Lydia Cook, Mother olved her, told father to marry her. She proved to be a blessing to us all. She was kind and good to us children in keep¬ing the family together. I will just say that during the next year or two father married his third wife (Pracilla Strong). This was two wives he now bad in place of my mother. In the fore part of June, 1848, Father fitted up a team and wagon, putting my stepmother and her babe, with two of my sisters and myself as teamster, with sufficient food to last we started for the valley of the mountains. I was thirteen years of age. Father placed me in care of his brother-in-law Nathan Tenny. He would assist me in yoking and un¬yoking the oxen, greasing the wagon etc. We traveled for twenty or thirty miles, then waited a few days for the others to catch up, then we were to organize for the journey. Ezra T. Clark was captain of ten wagons. Under his instructions we traveled to Utah. After a tedious journey of better than three months we entered the valley of Great Salt Lake on October 12th, 1848. Proving myself quite adequate for my task as teamster, I drove my oxen the entire distance with but very little help. The winter of 1848 and 49 I lived with Ezra T. Clark, my old Captain and friend, helping him in hauling wood, hunting cattle and what ever needed doing. The spring of the next year, I plowed and planted the first crop raised on his land, also helped him build his first home in the West. About the first of July the next year I bid adieu to my old firend and went to live with my Uncle, where my step mother lived, helping Uncle harvest and haul his grain. 66 -3- In September of the same year I went back to help the emigrating Saints, their teams being badly worn out. With two yoke of oxen, food and bedding I started on my journey. I met my father about the middle of Echo Canyon. When father arrived he took all his family four or five miles south of the City, along the Jordon River, where we lived together during the winter. In the spring of 1851, father rented a saw mill twelve miles south of the City, eight miles up the canyon. The mill didn't make us any money so we gave it up and went back to farming. In 1853 father built a double log cabin, took up some land, plowing, fencing, putting in grain but that year the crickets ate just about every thing we raised. Here I got disheartened,, left ray family and went again to live with my Uncle, The rest of the family persuaded father to leave and move to Centerville where the rest of the folks were. In March 4th, 1855, I was ordained a teacher in the Aronic Priest¬hood. On May 6th, 1856 I was chosen with others to get my endowments. I was ordained an elder at this time. On February 24th, 1857 I was ordained to the Seventies Quorum. The year President Young took the contract to carry the govern¬ment mail, I with others was called to go back and take provisions, tools what was needed to put up stations along the way for the Pony Express. The year 1856 I worked with others digging the Cottonwood Canal. In 1858 the Saints moved South, learning of the coming of the U.S. Army. I made two trips south to help with stock and provisions. That winter I spent with the Militia in Echo Canyon under Captain Lot Smith, and Porter Rockwell. The United States Army came to the valley and wintered on Black-Fork all winter. 67 -4- The following year a treaty was made between the Saints in Utah and United States Government. In the fall the people returned to their homes, without loss of life or property. In November, 1858, Minerva Ann Dewel and I were united in marriage by Apostle Charles C. Rich at her fathers home. Two weeks after our marriage I rented a little house from my grandfather across the street. We lived there until the spring of 1860. In this little house where I had taken my bride two children were born to us, first a son named Alma William, he was born Aubust 6th, 1859 and died November 22nd the same year. Mary Minerva, a daughter, born September 19th, 1860. Next spring we moved from Centerville to Morgan Co. My father was President of the branch in East Porterville. I was called to labor as a teacher. Our first child born in Morgan County was Ann Eliza on October 22nd, 1862. Our next two children we lost, Lewis Alfred and Nelson Warriner. They both died in infancy. In the spring of 1868 I buried my father Chauncy Warriner Porter,. He died March 3rd, 1868. In December before fathers death Charles Worthy was born to us December 17th, 1867. In the autumn and winter of 1868 and 69 the Union Pacific Railroad came through. I cut and hewed 500 ties for the road. I also built on to my house that year. Orson Merit another son was born, July 26th, 1868. In that year I was appointed to preside over the Porterville Branch. March 17th, 1871 George Myron was born to us. The next few years were mighty lean ones for grasshoppers were bad, eating nearly every¬thing green. I spent the summer of 1872 hauling ore from a mine in Dry Canyon, but I never got my pay for that work. 68 -5- The 29th of January 1873 Amy Vilate was born to us, on the tenth of February, twelve days later the mother died. This left me with six small children to care for, 'With all my losses and misfortunes this was the hardest to bear. I was. now alone, no one to be with me, I must paddle the canoe of life alone, the labor and trials of life were mine alone to bear." For nearly ten long years father struggled along the best he could under the circumstances. He must be father and mother both to his little brood. Only to those who know sorrow through death and sep-aration can know the lonliness and heartache. Mary Minerva, the oldest daughter, was but thirteen years when the responsibilities of keeping house and doing the work fell to her, she was a delicate and sickly child, so Ann Eliza had to do most of the work. Uncle Lyman Porter's third wife Sarah cared for the tiny baby Vilate, for the immediate years ahead. In the spring of 1877 Father was working in the canyon cutting timber when he broke his leg the shin bone of right leg. Good Doctors were not to be had in those days to set a broken bone. Uncle Sanford who had served in the Mormon Batallion in the medical corp set the bone, he set the bone alright but in putting on the bandage wrapped it too tightly stopped the circulation. The pain was so severe that when the bandage was loosened the bones lapped each other again and thus it healed to some degree. Father was lame on that leg all the days that he lived. Many, Many times he used crutches to get about especially when he worked too hard or lifted too heavily. When the Morgan Stake was organized in July, Father was ordained a Patriarch in 1877. This office he held until his death. He was 43 years of age when called to this position. Many beautiful and soul inspiring blessings were given to the people of this stake and 69 -6- others under his hands by power of the priesthood. He was set apart as a High Councilman July 16th, 1884, by Albert Carrington, an apostle. Before 1882 Mary and Eliza were married, had homes of their own. Its plain to see why Bro. Ezra Clark advised his son, Hyrum to go to Porterville and get one of Alma Porter's daughters for a wife. Hyrum and Eliza, the ideal couple or so it always seemed to me. With the girls gone with their husbands, Father, Charles, Orson and Myron lived as batchlors for sometime. Then one morning as father lie awake in bed pondering over his situation wondering where he could find some one to keep house, cook and make a home for him and the boys, a voice said to him "Go to Bishop Carter's home and get his daughter, Jane." Meditating upon this impression, he decided to do just that. Shortly after he mounted his horse and rode up to Bishop Carters. "If Jane meets me at the front gate she will accept my proposal", he knew this in his heart. Thus it happened, he told her his story, his circumstances and also his impressions. Their courtship was of short duration, six weeks to be exact, when chided about it, he always said "What God does, he does well." They were married November 10th, 1832. Father was in his forties, and Mother was nearly nineteen. She made a home for father and his boys, yes, a home for all the children when wver they chose to come, She loved his children as she loved her own. "A Happy home Sweet Home" was theirs. Father loved to dance, he used to call for the quadrille, the French-Four, Scotch-reel Upper- Reel, were some of the favorite dances. Some of these old tunes they so much enjoyed are lost to us today. 70 -7- Father's life was full and rich with spiritual blessings. I have seen the sick instantly healed through his administration. These made a lasting impression upon my life. He was deeply religious from child¬hood. To my knowledge he lived every principle of the Gospel, his advise and judgement were sound, his life and his example were with out question. He passed away October 27th, 1903 after a weeks illness of pneu¬monia, leaving a large family of nine children, Effie the oldest sister of the second family had just been married three weeks, baby sister Martha was but five months. He accomplished more in the sixty nine years he lived than anyone I know. He was the father of nineteen children, seven sons twelve daughters. To his sacred memory I dedicate the following: Noble Father and Sire of Mine. Your memory I cherish, your life was divine, You taught us and led us to have faith in God. Undaunting, unwavering along life's road, Its been years since you left us, but Our memory still clings to the heights you aattained. Thro your service to men. 2 How well I remember my childhood and you, Your loving kindness, your patience too, You scarcely ever scolded and seldom did whip, Our childish pranks you stood like a brick. "Tut-tut" was the word we often would hear, When we would do wrong and you were quite near. If I could but recall somethings you said to me, Prehaps I could be better, and a little clearer see, I could visualize the future between eternity and me. 71 -8- 3- Only today in your book I was reading Some of those blessings kind and good, You pronounced on some one's head In the calling in which you stood. You magnified that calling, In honor did your part. As a Patriarch and Father many blessings thur sere wroght Some have lived to their fulfillment, and much joy and peace attained. It has been an armour bearer an anchor for their faith. 4 Since the years are quickly passing, On wings of time they fly. We will try to do your bidding, From that home on high. I hope I shall be worthy on the Ressurrection Day To be called with all the family, Almost numberless are they. May our family chain be welded With no missing links I pray. In that day of glad rejoicing In that glorious day of days. Lovingly your daughter Wealtha.