TITLE PAGE PIONEER (full name) William Robison BIRTH (date and place) 18 April 1829 Franklin Co. Penn DEATH (date and place) 18 Nov 1897 Morgan, Utah PARENTS Alexander Robison Nancy Ellen Wagaman MARRIED (who and date) Margaret Smith 1851 ARRIVAL IN UTAH (date) 27 August 1860 (Company arrived with) Capt: Daniel Robison HISTORY (who wrote) Ada Robison Rogers (date written) (who submitted) Flora Dawson Tonks (address) 1440 E Round Valley Rd. Morgan, Utah CAMP & COUNTY SUBMITTING South Morgan DUP Camp Morgan County (Camp Historian & address) Lois B Peterson 82 W 200 N, Morgan, Utah 84050 County Historian & address) Dena C. Rich 1266 n Morgan Valley Dr., Morgan, Utah SOURCE OF INFORMATION & PAGE NUMBERS: 4 pages Also history of Margaret Smith Give to Lois Peterson. Written by Ada Robison Rogers. Given 15 Nov. 1985 at D.U.P meeting by Flora D. Tonks. William Robison was born in Quincy, Franklin County, Pennsylvania April 18, 1829. He was the son of Alexander Robison and Nancy Ellen Wagaman Robison. Margaret Smith Robison was born December 23, 1834 in Quincy, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Daniel Smith and Catherine Geeseman Smith. The gospel was brought to them by Elder Angus M. Cannon, a Mormon missionary from Utah. He baptized my father and also confirmed him in the year 1854. My mother was baptized and confirmed by Elder William Tarmen on the 15th day of May 1854. Her conversion was due to the fact that on one occasion when my brother Alec was ill, she, having heard of the healing powers of the Mormon elders, called them in to administer to him. He was healed after their administration, leaving her a testimony that this was the true church. My mother’s father and mother both died very suddenly, (within two weeks of each other) leaving two small girls, Sabina and Charlotte. My mother and her sister Rachel and the two little girls to rear, but their brother upon hearing that they had joined the Mormon church, took the children away from them and gave them to an Aunt. They weren’t even allowed to see their little sisters, so they used to go to the playgrounds at school and wait until they came out for recess, in order to spend a few precious minutes with them. My parents were married in the year 1851. They tried to live their religion in a little place known as Thomastown, later called Fairview. It was very hard, as so many people were opposed to their regigion. They had four sons born to them and buried one of them before leaving Pennsylvania. On June 7th, 1860 they left all their earthly possessions and started over the lonely prairie for the land of Zion. They traveled by rail and water 2,000 miles. They camped at Florence, Nebraska two weeks, while arrangements were being made for the Hand-cart company. Aunt Eliza Smith, my father’s sister, told of her diary of a terrible storm they encountered while at Florence, (now Council Bluffs). The company was ordered to move on; they obeyed orders and when about a half-mile from Florence, they discovered a very black cloud arising. A fierce wind storm arose and blew down every tent with the exception of two, which were held in their places by a number of men. Aunt Eliza’s husband took his two children and put them in a hand-cart and covered it up, fastening it to the ground so that the wind could not upset it. Aunt Eliza, getting uneasy over her children, left her tent, got the children out of the cart and started back to her tent. It was too much for her. She was unable to reach it and sank down on the ground with her children. Here she remained for some time. She was finally rescued by some of the brethren and carried to the tent where she was carefully cared for until she recovered from the shock. This was one of the worst storms ever witnessed by them during the remainder of the journey. The outfit consisted of 240 men, women and children, 40 carts, 10 tents, 6 wagons and 36 oxen. The teams and wagons were put in the lead, and the carts in the rear. They were two-wheeled carts, with bows over the top, which were covered with canvas. The tongue of the cart had a cross-piece fastened in the end, about 2 ½ feet long so that two persons could stand on either side of the tongue leaning their bodies against the cross-piece. They called it pushing instead of pulling. There were about four to seven persons to one cart. Thus we have a picture in our minds of our brave Pioneers trudging along day after day in the hot sun and sand, believing that they were on their way to the blessed land where they could worship their Father in Heaven as they pleased, unmolested from the rest of the world. This hand-cart company was one of the last and most successful on its journey. My father’s brother Daniel Robison was appointed captain of the company. He tried very hard to avoid any trouble that might arise and was very well respected by all. My mother and her sister Rachel, Daniel Robison’s wife, made noodles and dried them before leaving her home in Pennsylvania, which they shared with the sick. They also made yeast cakes and had light bread all the way. Provisions were weighed out to each family once a week and at one time were rationed out at ½ pound of flour a day. At times water was very scarce and at low, loggy places shovels and spades were used. After digging two or three feet, the men would strike water which was about the color of rain water. This discoloration was caused by alkali. At night when a camp ground was reached, the carts were placed in a circle leaving an open space of about ten feet, this was used for a corral for the oxen. The oxen were then un-yoked and driven perhaps ½ mile away where they were watched by two men at a time until midnight, then they were relieved by two others. When morning came the cattle were brought in; each man yoked up his own oxen and as soon as breakfast was over they were ordered to line up for another day. The carts were loaded with bedding, cooking utensils and sometimes children, as their little feet became so very tired at times. Barefooted mothers led their little children by the hands over the hot rough plains, but when camped for the night they would always offer prayer and sing hymns. They seemed very happy in spite of all they had to endure. They saw very few Indians while on their journey. Several bands passed, but they were not molested by them. At one time their food failed to reach them and Uncle Daniel Robison swam the Platte River and arranged for provisions to be sent to the camp. After reaching the river at Sweet Water the company discovered the river was filled with fish, so the weary travelers had all the fish they could eat, which was a treat after having eaten salty bacon all the way. At Green River all were taken across on a ferry boat, except the oxen and they had to swim. Just when they were low on provisions and were very weak and hungry, two wagons drive up, loaded with food and necessities. While traveling through Wyoming my little brother died. He had dysentery and passed away within a day and a night. This was a great sorrow for my parents as they loved him so dearly. They took a box off the wagon to make a little coffin, dressed him in his best clothes and buried him by the wayside. They covered rocks over the little grave as a protection against the elements and wild animals, thinking they would come back sometime in the future and find his grave. After reaching Utah my father returned to the place of rest, but it was never found. They camped two days at the mouth of Echo Canyon on the Weber River at a small town called Henefer. The town was named Henefer in honor of the only family living there at that time. Mr. Henefer donated five bushels of potatoes, providing they would dig them. They, at last reached the end of their journey, Salt Lake, on August 27 1860. Wagons, carts, tents, oxen and everything that was used on their way was taken from them, as all the traveling equipment was property of the church. My parents first settled in Farmington and lived there for three years. In Farmington, my father helped to lay the rock for the old meeting house which is still standing. In 1863 they moved to North Morgan, which was then known as “Mount Joy.” They were the first settlers and were here before South Morgan was located. The first cabins were built of logs with small poles and wild wheat grass for the roof. Chimneys were built of rock; there was one small window without a glass, and no lumber for a door. A quilt or carpet was hung in place of a door; there was also a dirt floor. Fine willows were tied together for a broom. Beds were built out of poles; blocks of wood were split for chairs. Holes were bored in the bottom and round sticks were put in for legs. They used tallow candles, for lights, and sometimes they tied a button in a piece of cloth and put it in a small dish of tallow and lit the cloth and used that for a light. They made all their tallow candles, soap and lye that they used. They spun cloth and made all their own clothing and the yarn they knit their children’s stockings with. My father owned the first store and restaurant in Morgan. It was located about where the Dunn Floral now stands. He sold the building to the ZCMI and it was moved down where the Parkinson store is now located. Uncle Dan and father owned the Springs which is used now by both North and South Morgan, also by the railroad. To this day it is known as the Wm. Robison Springs. My father loved gardening and was considered one of the best if not the best gardener in the County. He and Uncle Dan planted the trees on Mt. Joy Avenue – my father planting the locus trees in front of the church building. Our home was across the street opposite the chapel. Mother made a half-dozen trips each day across the street while it was being built. She died at the age of 77 on August 26, 1911, before its completion. She was a faithful Latter Day Saint and worked in both the Relief Society and Primary for many years. Father passed away at the early age of 69 on November 18, 1897. His funeral was held in the Stake Tabernacle in South Morgan and Angus Cannon, the man who converted him in Pennsylvania so many years before, preached his funeral sermon. Father’s family and Uncle Dan’s family were always good neighbors and were kind and respectful to each other. They were charitable in giving donations to the needy and were firm believers in the law of tithing. They passed through all the hardships of early days and remained always firm and true Latter Day Saints. Eleven children were born to them. Father and Mother and five of the children have gone on to reap the reward of the faithful.