PIONEER HISTORY of LYMAN WIGHT PORTER PIONEER OF 1847 1 HISTORY OF LYMAN WIGHT PORTER May 5, 1833 - March 31, 1914 Lyman Wight Porter was born May 5, 1633 at Independence, Jackson County Missouri. He was the son of Sanford Porter Sr., and Nancy Warriner. The family had moved from Peoria, Illinois a few months before he was born. His father and family including three married children, were among the first to embrace the gospel. They passed through the persecutions and hardships the saints were called upon to endure, for on the twelfth of November 1833 the family was driven from their newly made home and camped on the south bank of the Missouri river with no immediate way of making a crossing, and the mob still in pursuit, under pledge to kill every man, woman and child. A heavy storm came up just as the guards said the mob was near, but before their attack the storm broke in such fury the mob left. The saints felt it was a meraculous deliverance by the hand of God. After the storm ceased the river was crossed but not with the main body of saints. A few of the saints traveled south fork for some distance. About fifteen families decided to stop for the winter. During the winter of 1833-34 land was cleared and houses built. In the year 1839 they went to Montrose, Iowa. When Lyman was eight years old, his brother five years older than he (Justin Theodore) was killed by a horse falling on him. This happened in Lee, Iowa, August 1641. Lyman was very lonely as his parents had lost two babies before that, and the other children were grown. October 6, 1841 his brother Nathan started on his first mission. In thirteen months he returned. Later he was sent out again, this time to electioneer for the Prophet Joseph Smith, he having announced his candidacy for President of the United States. It was while on this trip in Ohio that the martyrdom of the Prophet and Hyrum occured. Shortly after the martyrdom of the Prophet and Hyrum, a meeting was called to choose a new president for the church, and those who were at the meeting testify to seeing Joseph Smith and hearing his voice in the person of Brigham Young, when he 2 arose to speak. The people willingly voted him to lead the church. Soon after this he bagan preparation for the long journey west. During the winter of 1845-1846 Nauvoo was a busy work-shop of fifteen thousand people preparing to migrate west. In 1847 President Young wrote from Winter Quarters the following instructions to the Saints: "Come immediately and prepare to go West, bringing with you all kinds of choice seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits, shrubbery, trees, and vines— everything that will please the eye, gladden the heart or cheer the soul of man, also the best stock of birds, beasts or fowl of every kin; also the best tools of every description; machinery for spinning and weaving and the same of all kinds of farming utensils and every implement and article within your knowledge that shall tend to promote the comfort, health, happiness, or prosperity of any people." In 1846 the Porters with other saints were expelled from Missouri, they settled for a time at Winter Quarters, Nebraska, now called Florence. Lyman was then thirteen years of age. His brother Sanford, still at home, was called into the Mormon Batallion. He was a private in Company E. The next year, 1847 the family crossed the Great Plains to the Salt Lake Valley in Charles C. Rich's Company, locating first on Mill Creek, Salt Lake County. Lyman was then fourteen years of age. The batallion disbanded in 1847 and Sanford met the family in Salt Lake on October 16. They remained in Mill Creek two years. Then in 1849 they with other families decided to settle a few miles north of Salt Lake, as the ground looked productive and fine stream of water came from a nearby canyon. They named the place Centerville. Ozias Kilbourn Jr. (Kilburn) and Electa Grantier Kilbourn with their family came to Centerville about the same time. Their daughter Electa Maria and Lyman became interested in each other and were married November 5, 1852 in Salt Lake 3 City Utah. Lyman was nineteen and Electa Maria seventeen years of age, she having been born October 25, 1835 at Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Four of their children were born in Centerville: Lyman Ozias, Mary Maria, Electa Elizabeth and Alva Sylvanus. By this time enough families had settled there to organize a Ward. Lyman's father, Sanford Sr. was chosen as Bishop. He was always so kind and thoughtful of the poor that he would help them in any way he could and since he and his wife were both hard workers and good managers they always had enough to help others. Lyman and Maria stayed and helped his father on the farm as he was getting too old to swing a scythe for cutting hay, to use a sicle or cradle to cut the grain or to bind it into bundles. In 1856 Lyman was one of the heroic party sent out to rescue the belated and suffering Hand Cart Companies. In 1857 word was received by the settlers that Johnston's Army was coming to exterminate them. President Young called a council of all presiding author¬ities, and a prayer meeting was held. After this President Young organized a Militia. Daniel H. Wells was made General over the little army that went forth into Echo Canyon in the winter of 1857-58. Lyman was with this little army out in the snow all winter. Porter Rockwell and his partner Lot Smith picked fifteen men for scouts, Lyman was one of them. These scouts were hard at work all winter, the men used for musical instru¬ments camp pans, tin pans, tied to dry raw hides, and bake oven lids rubbed together; and they would all join in a song of lusty yells. The program was to draw as near as possible to the army camp, then start the music and put spurs to their mules or horses and ride over to the sleeping tents while the snow and wind was coming so thick a horseman could not be seen a few steps away. Then they would ride over to the herd grounds and stampede their mules and beef and cattle, then keep them going until another party would take them while the scouts withdrew to higher grounds, where, as soon as the storm had passed they would watch the 4 movement of the soldiers through their field glasses. They saw a squad of soldiers wallowing through the snow, but going in the opposite direction, so the scouts withdrew to their camp to rest and enjoy a piece of beef and get fixed for another party. To use Lyman's own words, "it was plain to be seen that the God of Heaven was taking care of the United States army. He had sent so much snow and cold wind that it froze the fight right out of them." Shortly after this, the word came that the soldiers were running short of provisions and the captain of the scouts called his little band together and said: "boys, lets go out and cook a dinner for our enemies." So they drew off by them¬selves and laid their plans befor the God of Heaven and asked for guidance and help, then started out and met the enemies supply train, surprised the teamsters, and ordered a surrender which was obeyed, but it was accomplished by a little strategy. The Captain of the Scouts took all their men around a peak, then down in a deep gully or canyon, then around the peak again, in full sight of the supply train, and this they did several times. Then the Captain left the most of the men to ride around the hill while the captain with the rest rode brazenly up to the train and called for a surrender of arms. The wagon boss said: "Where is your authority?" The Captain of the Scouts called out: "Our authority is close a hand, if you want to be quick at stalking arms," and they obeyed the order and when they had all stacked arms, seven men stood guard over the arms, while eight men marched the teamsters into a deep gully. When they had the teamsters a safe distance from the arms, the seven divided and gathered the mules and drove them into another canyon while the rest fired the train. "When it was all over and they found they had been taken and the train burned by fifteen men, their anger and mortification knew no bounds. The wagon boss begged them to shoot him and not let him live to face such a disgrace, but the scouts said they did not want to hurt them. They told them if they were peaceable and orderly, very likely they would get their liberty when they got to Salt Lake Valley. 5 But we must not forget the God of Heaven rules over the destinies of men, to put fear into the hearts of some and courage into the hearts of others, to fulfill His promises and accomplish His purposes. Lyman often remarked, it seemed a shame to destroy so much property. There were loads of coffee, loads of flour, loads of bacon, loads of rice, loads of sugar and loads of fruit and canned goods, loads of blankets and clothes and loads of resin soap that melted and ran in a big yellow stream from the wagons, while they were burning, and cooled in the snow, he cut out a chunk and took it home. And when all the rest was burned they set fire to all the ammunition they had brought to kill the Mormons with and left a feast for the coyotes. They then gathered up the mules and marched for camp. This work of the little band of scouts made a very material difference in the moves of the United States army. Another train of provisions must be sent to them before they could move and in the meantime delegates had been sent to the President of the United States to lay our cause before him and try, if possible, to make a compromise, or in other words to find out why the army was sent against us, and while this was going on, President Brigham Young took a decisive step to prevent trouble of a general nature. He issued a call to all people in the northern part of the territory to move south and take everything with them, except their homes, so if these soldiers were sent in, with hostile intent, there would be nothing to fight and nothing to get, because the guard was left to watch the United States army and ordered to cut down fruit trees and burn houses so there would be nothing left. The big move was made before the delegates returned from Washington and not a family to be found anywhere, but they brought good news, a treaty was signed, a new governor for Utah and no hostility. The army was to come into Salt Lake valley in peace and the people were called back to their homes. The army came into the valley in the latter part of May and the people returned in the fall. 6 Lyman's brother Sanford, discouvered a little valley about five miles from Morgan City, Utah, while helping to guard Johnston's Army in the fall of 1857 or spring of 1858. There was a fine stream of water running through the valley and low hills on the east with grass and timber. The land on the west side was about 150 feet higher than the east side and all the land looked productive. In 1859 Sanford and his eldest brother (Chauncy Warriner) made a road up into the canyon above the valley and built a saw mill with an upright saw. They called the canyon "Hardscrabble" and it still has that name. The mill was run by water power and by working early and late they could cut out three or four hundred feet of lumber a day. This made it possible to build their log homes and have wood floors and lumber on the roof to hold the dirt, so that in 1861 and 1862, the father Sanford Sr., Lyman and three brothers built homes and moved their families into the valley. They went hard to work putting in their crops. They cut the wild grass using the scythe, raking it with their home made rakes and that with the wheat they raised, fed their teams and a few cows. They had to take the grain to Salt Lake to have it ground into flour. This was always a long hard trip as the roads at that time were practically impassable. Wild currants and gooseberries grew along the creek bank, chokecherries and serviceberries on the hills which they gathered to help with their food supply. Quoting from the writings of his daughter Nancy Porter Moffett- "When the valley now called Porterville was discovered it was a beautiful place covered with grass and many colors and kinds of wild flowers grew on the low hills. Deer, wild chicken and rabbits were pleantiful making it a very profitable place for the Indians to come. While the men hunted the women dried berries and meat, digging sego lilies. Fishing was very good, not only did our Heavenly Father love and provice these things for the Indians but he watches over and provided for our Pioneers. I remember back 80 years ago there were patches of wild roses dotted along from the hills to the creek, and on either side of the place where we crossed the creek was a nice patch of green grass and grove of trees. The young men cleared 7 the underbrush away and made swings and merry-go-rounds and had their celebrations there." Others soon found their way into the valley, both on the east and west side. In 1863 a ward was organized with Chauncy Warriner Porter, the eldest brother as Bishop. The valley was named Porterville as Sanford Porter Sr. was the first to move in. About that time Lyman got the contract to furnish ties for the railroad which was being built through Morgan, thus giving employment to several men, which was a blessing, as some of the families were very poor. Some of their meals consisted of parched wheat. They cut and dragged the timber with horses from the side of the mountain to the mill, then loaded it on wagons and hauled it to his home for inspection. They then loaded it on wagons again and took it to Morgan. From the mill to Morgan was ten miles. All the residents on the West side of Porterville were English converts, except one family who was Danish. One of the converts Thomas Brough, learned to make and burn brick in England. He soon commenced making and selling brick for a living. He also had to hire help which was a blessing to others. Lyman Porter built the first brick house in Porterville, eight rooms. John President Porter built one the same size. Sanford Sr. and several others built brick homes. Seven children were born after moving to Porterville, Morgan County, "Nancy Malinda, Joseph Smith, Parley Pratt, Sarah Olive, Byron, Birdie and Hyrum Kilbourn." Parley died when he was eight years old and Birdie at 5 years. They were energetic and it wasn't long until they had raised plenty of grain and hay, and their stock increased and did well. In just a few years Lyman had a fine herd of cows, sheep and a number of horses. After the sheep were sheared in the spring the wool was washed and carded, many times on hand cards, sometimes it was sent to Ogden to get it carded into rolls. 8 Maria and daughters would then spin it into yarn, then weave the yarn into cloth for clothing and blankets. One type of cloth they wove was called linsey woolsey. They also knitted the hose and socks, mittens and gloves. Maria knitted and sold a great many socks and mittens. When the older girls were married the sheep were sold. Lyman and wife were noted for their hospitality. Generally relatives and friends, at times strangers stopped to stay with them as well as the Indians. About 1868 there was a young man by the name of Joseph Gorley came to the home and told Lyman he had been sick for a long time and had come west for his health and was out of money and had to have work. Lyman said "I can see you are not able to work, but you can stay with us and help with the horses when you feel like it, or until you get strong. "He never was able to do manual labor but lived as one of the family for 35 years. For some time he had sick spells and Maria wuold doctor and care for him as if he were on of her own children. Before the settlers cam into the valley, Chief Washakie's Indians used it as as a camping ground and pasture while they went into the hills and mountains to get game for their winter supply. The squaws would dry the meat and berries. When the the land was fenced the Chief sent an Indian who could speak English fairly well to make arrangements for a place to camp and pasture for their horses. Lyman would arrange for them to do this. He did this for five or six year. The last time the Indian came he told Lyman, the Chief thought it better to go to North Idaho, but would like to bring the entire tribe in to visit their old hunting ground once more. So Lyman and his sons fenced the haystacks on a farm he had bought at the mouth of Norwood Hollow, as it would make a good camping ground, being next to the hills. Lyman made the Chief a present of a fat steer, which pleased him very much. In return he gave Lyman a well tanned buck skin. The children were glad as buck skin strings for shoes were the style those days. When Chief Washakie got ready for his band to go, he ordered every man, woman and child who could ride, to mount a horse and to form a line four abreast about 9 a half block from Lyman's home. The family stood outside as they all marched quietly by the house. There were about 200 of them and it was a beautiful and impressive sight. They have dwindled away until there is just a small group living near Washakie, a few miles from Logan. Bishop Morino Tippanpingo and some of the members have done a good Temple work Lyman and Maria went to Logan to do Temple work for a few months right after the Temple was dedicated and made it a practice to go for two or three months thereafter They were thoughtful of the poor, the needy and sick, Maria kept her little woven willow basket handy and she would fill it with pie, cake and other delicacies that were very scarce at that time and away one of the children would say "the more we sacrifice and give away the more we have to give." They did much good and many people enjoyed their hospitality. Along with the work they had some good times. A group of their friends in Centerbille would get together and buy oysters and crackers. The next morning, all would get into their lumber wagons and travel all day over the very rough roads and tet to Lyman's house at night tired and dusty, While they washed his wife would get the oysters cooking, then set a long table. Soon they were all eating and telling funny experiences and jokes on each other and laughing and having the best time. Always a few relatives living close were invited to share the supper and fun. After supper the wives would soon have the dishes washed, then some would go home with relatives and some would stay at Lyman's. When nine o'clock came they would have family prayers and all go to bed to get rested for the early start home. In April 1863 the Ward Relief Societies were formed. Maria Porter was named President of East Porterville Relief Society. Lyman was the first in the County to experiment in dry farming which eas a success. June 1, 1874 a committee was appointed to meet with Morgan City regarding the building of a court house. Lyman Porter was one of the men named on the committee to act for the county. 10 He also served as sheriff, selectman and road commissioner, also helped lay¬out townsites. Following is a copy of a receipt for Porterville Townsite. $20.00 This is to certify that I have received of Lyman W. Porter twenty dollars towards paying the expenses of entering Porterville Town Site. Enterprise Sept. 27/71." Jesse Haven Probate Judge In 1880 Lyman W. Porter was ordained to the office of High Priest and set apart and ordained a High Councilman by Apostle Franklin D. Richards. September 1, 1912 he was ordained as a Patriarch in the Morgan Stake by Apostle David O. McKay. He wrote a father's and a patriarchial blessing for all of his children. When he was sixty years old he had catracts come on his eyes and was blind twelve years. Then had one eye operated on and regained his sight, but read too much and partially lost his sight again. He died March 31, 1914 at the age of eighty-one in Porterville, Morgan County, Utah and is buried in the Porterville Cemetery. Note: The information for this record was taken from family records, and writings of his daughters Electa Porter Porter and Nancy Porter Moffett. The following is taken from a booklet written by Nancy Porter Moffett, telling of experiences of her father Lyman Wight Porter. I think it was in the early spring of 1866 that father took a trip back to his old home in Independence, Missouri. Only a few of this school mates and their families were left. He had quite an interesting visit with the Presedency of the Josephite Church. From there he went to Texas to visit his sister's family and brought her youngest son back to live in the church as her husband had gone with Lyman Wight's followers to Texas in the early days. October 4, 1867 he married his third wife, Elizabeth Baily. In the spring of 1870, he was called to go to Kanab with others to help and encourage the gew that had settled there, to get the water out on the land and get the crops in. As soon as his crop was planted he took Aunt Lizzie and baby Addie and left for his 11 mission leaving mother and his oldest son Lyman, 14 years old, and Grandpa to look after the affairs at home. They got along very well, for about a year and one half, then the cows began to die of a disease. The folks did all they could to save them but to no avail. Mother was getting so worn out and worried with so much trouble; father's sister had been sick for some time and had passed away. Father was then released to come home. On the way down to Kanab an incident happened that made father feel that the hand of the Lord was with them. They had quite a distance to go and most of it was dangerous. After they had camped at noon one day, three Indians came to them. One of them said "Heap Hurry, bad Indians." As the Indians turned to go father stopped them and gave them a biscuit. Father was soon on his way and as they were going the Indians rode by the side of the wagon and beat their breasts and sang "Mormon give me biscuit, hungry me." Father spent most of his spare time reading the church works so was well versed in the Bible. He was just as strict in obeying the gospel as he was in expecting his children to oby him. His nineteen children all grew up to love the gospel. The most of them were married according to the laws of the Church. I hope his posterity will appreciate my efforts, as I near my 90 years. (Was 90 years old April 1, 1953). The homes of his wives were close together, and the wives were always pleasant and agreeable. Their children grew up together, played and worked together. The older children weren't allowed to correct the younger ones, as that was the duty of the parents. We were taught while young that when they spoke all must obey, so there was very little scolding or whipping in the homes. We were taught to always speak well of others or not speak at all. We were also taught that we all had faults, to respect every body, to be friendly with all, but to shun those with bad habits. After the manifesto, father lived up to the law. the council divided the property with his three wives, and father lived the rest of his life with mother. Aunt Sarah moved up on a farm as her three children were old ENOUGH TO LOOK AFTER THE WORK. 12 THE CREST OR "COAT OF ARMS" The King's Castle was surrounded by a moat. Over the moat was a gate or port cullis, which could be raised or lowered by the "Porter" gatekeeper. When lowered it was a draw bridge. The bells were rung when any one wanted entrance. The coat of arms always has two or three bells, A Port Cullis and a helmet of Knighthood. Often a motto Vigilantie et Vertuti. (Watchfulness bravery) was attached in a Sevell There are several Porter Crests, but this one is the official one for our branch of the family. THE FAMILIES OF LYMAN WIGHT PORTER Lyman Wight Porter Born 5 May 1833 at Independence, Jackson Co. Missouri baptized and confirmed a member of L. D. S. Church June 1841 at Montrose, Lee Co, Iowa Ordained an Elder 5 Nov 1852 by Heber C. Kimball Married and endowed 5 Nov 1852 in Council House Salt Lake City Utah. Ordained to 14th Quorum of Seventy 23 Feb 1857 by Jesse Haven. Received Patriarchal blessing 3 May 1853 in Salt Lake by John Smith. Ordained High Priest and to the office of High Counciler in 1880 in the Morgan Stake by Apostle Franklin D. Richards. He and his three wives received second anointings 18 June 1885 in the Logan Temple. Ordained a Patriarch in the Morgan Stake 1 Sept 1912 by Apostle David O. McKay. Died 31 March 1914 at Porterville, Morgan Co. Utah Electa Maria Kilbourn Born 25 October 1835 at Canton, Bradford Co. Pennsylvania Porter Baptized and confirmed 1844 in Masadone, Hancock Co., Illinois by Moses Galard. Appointed President of East Porterville Relief Socity April 1868. Died 24 April 1917 at Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah THEIR CHILDREN Lyman Ozias Born 23 Sept. 1853 at Centerville, Davis Co. Utah Married Ann Rich 11 May 1874 in Salt Lake City Died June 2 1925 at Woodruff, Rich Co. Utah Mary Mariah Born 9 Nov 1855 at Centerville, Davis Co, Utah. Married Justin Rocksford Porter 11 May 1874 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died Nov 1922 at Porterville. Electa Elizabeth Born 5 March 1858 at Centerville, Davis Co Utah Married Joseph Rich Porter May 1876 in Salt Lake. Died 17 Aug 1942 at Porterville, Utah Alva Sylvanus Born 26 May 1860 at Centerville Utah. Baptized and confirmed 13 Aug 1868. Ordained Priest July 1877, Seventy 19 Oct 1884 by James Tucker. High Priest 7 Feb 1898 by Apostle Henry Smith. Left for English Mission 6/24/1891. Married Eliza Bratton Porter Mar 1886 in Logan temple. Died 3 Aug 1938 at Webb, Arizona Nancy Malinda Born 1 April 1863 at Porterville, Morgan Co Utah Baptized and confirmed 15 July 1877 by Thos. Rich Married Moses Simpson Moffett 12 Dec 1878 in Logan Temple. Joseph Smith Born 11 July 1865 at Porterville, Morgan Co, Utah Baptized and confirmed 15 July 1877 by Alma Porter and Joseph R. Porter respectively. Ordained a teacher 15 July 1883 by Jos R. Porter. Ordained a Priest 20 March 1886 By Ebenezer Crouch. Ordained a Seventy 8 Dec 1889 by James Tucker. Set apart for Southern States Mission 24 Jan. 1895, served in South Alabama. Released 27 March 1898. Arrived home 15 April 1898. Endowed 25 Jan 1895 Salt Lake Temple. Patriarchal blessing 15 April 1894 by Alma Porter. Married Elizabeth Lambert 29 Mar 1899, Salt Lake Temple. Died 13 May 1949 at Salt Lake City, Utah