Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together William Robison and Margaret Smith Robison William Robison William Robison was born in Quincy, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on April 18,1829, the son of Alexander Robison and Nancy Ellen Wagaman Robison. Margaret Smith Robison was born in Quincy, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1834, the daughter of Daniel Smith and Catherine Geeseman Smith. They were married in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on January 12, 1851. They received their endowments and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on January 12,1861. They were parents to eleven children: Daniel Alexander (aka Alex, born 1853), Lehi Moroni (born and died in 1856);Jaben Smith (born 1856); David Cannon (1858); Anna Elizabeth (1862); Melissa (1865); William (1867); Margaret Catherine (1870); George Franklin (1873); Rachel Sabina (aka Ada, 1875); and Nancy La Vina (1879). They were taught the gospel by a missionary from Utah, Elder Angus M. Cannon (a brother to George Q. Cannon). He baptized and confirmed William on September 27,1855. Margaret was converted to the gospel because of the illness of her son, Alexander. She had heard of the healing power of the Mormon elders and called them to administer to him, and it left her with a testimony that this was the true church. Margaret was baptized and confirmed by Elder William Tarmen on May 15,1854. They tried to live their religion quietly in a little place known as Thomastown, later called Fairview, Pennsylvania. It was difficult though because so many people were opposed to their religion. Margaret's mother and father both died very suddenly (within two weeks of each other), leaving two small girls, Sabina and Charlotte. Margaret and her sister, Rachel, took the girls to raise. But when their brothers heard that they had joined the Mormon Church, they took the children away from them and gave them to an aunt. They were told to never see Margaret Smith Robison them again. So they would go to the playground at the school and wait until they came out for recess just to spend a few precious moments with them. Sabina and Charlotte would run to them, so happy to see them. William and Margaret had four sons while living in Pennsylvania. One boy, Lehi Moroni, died shortly afterbirth. Elder Angus M.Cannon dedicated the grave. On May 7,1860, William and Margaret, their sons, and extended family left all their worldly possessions and started west for Utah. The departed less than a year before the Civil War broke out. They had lived only a short distance from the Gettysburg Battlefield where the greatest battle of the war took place in July 1863. The families traveled by rail and water for two thousand miles. They arrived in Florence, Nebraska, and prepared for the trek to Salt Lake City, leaving there on June 6,1860. They were part of the Ninth Handcart Company. William's brother, Daniel Robison, was appointed captain. This handcart company was one of the last and most successful in its journey. Captain Daniel Robison tried very hard to avoid any trouble that might arise. He was respected by all. The outfit consisted of 233-240 men, women and children. There were forty handcarts, six wagons, thirty-six oxen, and ten tents. The teams and wagons were put in the lead and the carts were in the rear. The two-wheeled carts had bows over the top which were covered with canvas. The tongue of the carts had a crosspiece fastened in the end about two and a half feet long, so that two people could stand on either side of the tongue, leaning their bodies across the crosspiece. They called It pushing, instead of pulling. There were four to seven persons to one cart. Thus, we see our pioneers, our dear ancestors, trudging along day after day in the hot sun and sand, believing that they were on their way to a blessed land called Zion, where they could worship their Father in Heaven