TITLE PAGE. Daughters of Utah Pioneers. 51 [051]. PIONEER NAME-Eliza Robison Smith BIRTH DATE AND PLACE- 27 Oct 1835, Quincy, Franklin, Pennsylvania DEATH DATE AND PLACE- 26 Jan 1926, Morgan, Morgan, Utah FATHER- Alexander Robison MOTHER- Nancy Ellen Wagamon WHO MARRIED AND DATE- Conrad Smith, 28 July 1854 YEAR ARRIVED IN UTAH- 27 Aug 1860 NAME OF COMPANY- 9th Handcart Company WHO WROTE HISTORY AND DATE- Beth Smith Turner WHO SUBMITTED HISTORY AND DATE- Marjorie Smith Taggart, 2009 CAMP NAME- Mt. Joy CAMP HISTORIAN- Bertie Smith COMPANY NAME- Morgan HISTORIAN- Dena Rich SOURCE OF INFORMATION- Sketch of Conrad Smith and Eliza Robison, condensed version. SIGNATURE OF AUTHOR OR OWNER OF THIS HISTORY- Marjorie Smith Taggart CAMP RECEIVED (DATE)- Apr 13, 2009 My Great Grandmother, Eliza Robison Smith, [By] Marjorie Smith Taggart. Pg 1. Eliza Robison was born Oct. 27, 1835 in a very hilly, beautiful country with hardwood trees, in Quincy, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. She was the 7th child of eleven children born to Alexander Robison and Nancy Ellen Wagaman. As a girl Eliza had to cross a large field to get to the store. This day a large herd of cattle were grazing there and when they saw her, they stampeded, coming straight for her. She ran for her life. Eliza thought of the apron she was wearing. She tore it off and threw it on the ground. The cattle went for the apron and Eliza ran to safety. She later said, “I did not care for that apron, but I really liked one of the patches on it.” Eliza married Conrad Smith, July 28, 1854 in PA. They had previously been converted and baptized in 1854. Conrad was born Aug. 1, 1832 in Franklin, PA. He was the son of Conrad Smith, Sr., and Ann Elizabeth Geesamon. He had 5 brothers and 5 sisters. His ancestors came from Germany and were referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch although that was confused with Deutsch (pronounced Doytch) as Germans from the Rhine Valley were known. On the 7th of May 1860 they prepared to go west along with their 2 children, Elizabeth, 5, and Harriet, 3. Eliza’s parents and most of her family came then also. Between 1856 and 1859 all but 2 of Conrad’s brothers and sisters had reached Iowa, a distance of 2,000 miles, intending to emigrate to SLC. His parents had passed away. His mother died 2 weeks after giving birth to his brother christened George Washington. George was taken to live with his uncle. Since the uncle had a son named George Washington, he called Conrad’s brother Benjamin Franklin. He went by this name the [053] 2 rest of his life. Conrad’s sister Harriet and her husband raised his younger brothers and sisters. Eliza and Conrad arrived in Florence, Nebraska May 16, 186?, the same day she gave birth to their 1st boy but due to the hardships they had endured he only lived 6 days, then was buried there. On the 6th of June, 1860, Eliza’s brother Daniel was appointed captain of the 9th Handcart Company consisting of 235 sould, 6 wagons, 43 handcarts and 10 tents. 9 more companies started the trip to SLC later that same year, for a total of 2091 souls. It is estimated that a total of about 80,000 L D Saints crossed the plains up to the spring of 1869. Another estimate puts members who lost their lives on the journey at 6,000. Each company was divided into tens with one person responsible for the order and needs of his group. Wagons led with handcarts behind. Some were painted beautifully. Early in their travels a fierce windstorm came suddenly. It blew all the tents down but 2. Conrad took his 2 children and put them in the handcart. He tied the canvas down and staked the cart to the ground, then went to help neighbors. Eliza was in her brother’s tent but worried about her children. She left and got her children from the cart and started back to the tent. The wind and rain were so bad she sank to the ground with her children. Some men helped them to safety or they would have been swept away. They went on, making a layover in Genoa, 102 miles from Florence, Nebraska. When Eliza’s shoes wore out her feet were wrapped in rags until they met some Indians and purchased a pair of moccasins. [054] 3 The man in charge of storing necessary provisions for this handcart company didn’t store enough food. Eliza was in a weakened condition from childbirth and lack of food. She was so weak; her brother Wm let her ride in his wagon with his ill son David, 2 yrs old, who had dysentery. He died and was buried on the plains of Wyoming. The animals were getting weak so Eliza couldn’t ride anymore. Conrad did not dare stop with her because they would be left behind. He placed his wife in the shade of a bush and continued on with the handcart but marking a trail. As soon as they camped for the night, Conrad went back and brought her to camp. Eliza did regain her strength and helped pull the handcart. What courage and perseverance! Day after day the Company trudged thru hot days and cold nights, thirsty and hungry. At one point, out of food, Capt. Robison swam the Platte River and made arrangements for provisions to be sent to camp. They were lucky to not be bothered by Indians. Even with these hardships they seemed happy and put their trust in God. At Sweetwater, Wyoming the bottom of the river was covered with fish. Everyone had all they could eat, quite a treat from salty bacon. When they reached the Green River, they were low on food, where a church relief train arrived with 2,500 lbs of flour and 500 lbs bacon. There were many more miles and ordeals on the way to Salt Lake Valley. A few miles from SLC the people stopped and cleaned the dust off, washing and ironing to make themselves presentable. [055] 4 They arrived in SLC on the 27th of Aug, 1860, eleven weeks after departing Florence. They were disappointed they weren’t greeted by the First Presidency, as earlier companies had been received with much fanfare. Everything belonged to the Church and had to be returned. Conrad and Eliza stayed in SL 3 days then moved to Farmington. Their 1st home was a 1-room log cabin, it was too late to plant a garden. Eliza worked for other families and received food as payment. Conrad worked for grain or store credit. Conrad was an excellent rock mason and helped lay rock for homes and the old Farmington Chapel, still in use. Landslides after a bad storm deposited rock and gravel a short distance from the building site, saving much time, effort and money. This was a real faith-promoter among the saints. It was finished Dec. 1862 and cost $15,000. After 3 years Conrad and Eliza moved to Stoddard Spring, Morgan County, previously Simon Spring. They lived there a few years then moved to Mt. Joy, now N. Morgan. He built a 2-room log cabin with an upstairs and lean-to on the back. It has been remodeled and unrecognizable now. In 1883 Conrad and Eliza’s great granddaughter, Camilla Gamble lived there at 518 N. 700 E. My grandparents grew up across the road from each other (Hyrum Smith and Clara Heiner). Conrad and Eliza planted an orchard and garden and raised a few sheep but they knew poverty as many others did. Conrad still did some rock laying. He helped lay the rock for the old Morgan Stakehouse, started in 187?. It was made of hard blue limestone quarried above Como Springs. He was recognized on a plaque along with Geo. Criddle, Jr. and Henry Rock, made by the D.U.P. [Picture]. He also helped build roads and water systems, served as water master and secretary of Zions Co-op Lime, 2 years. [056] 5 He was a member of Indian War Veterans ordered to protexct settlers from early Indians. His children knew him as a strong, powerful man. Eliza worked in the Relief Society for 30 years. She had a sunny disposition and sense of humor. She would always have bread and jam and other goodies for her children and grandchildren. Sugar cookies were always on hand for the children. My great grandparents were married 53 years and the parents of 8 children - Ann Elizabeth, Harriet, Cordelia, Thomas Goldman (died as an infant in Florence, Nebr.), Conrad Alma, Nancy (died at 6 mo.) Hyrum, Joseph Alexander, and Samuel Bailey. Conrad died at the age of 75, Aug 28, 1907, in Morgan, and Eliza died at the age of 90, Jan 26, 1926 in Morgan. They both had strong testimonies of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. [057] [Plaque] DAUGHTERS OF UTAH PIONEERS (375) ERECTED 1971. MORGAN STAKE TABERNACLE. “In 1861-63 a building used for church and school was erected. Morgan Stake, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, organized July,1877 in a bowery built for that purpose. Willard G. Smith, Stake President. In 1878 John K. Hall helped draw plans for the present $6,000 structure, built of blue limestone rock taken from Como Springs Quarry. George Criddle, Jr., Henry Rock, Conrad Smith, masons. First conference held May, 1882. Later dedicated by President John Taylor.” [Recipe] PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH SALADS. 218. Hot Slaw, Pastorius. 3 eggs. 3 cups shredded cabbage. 1 tablespoon butter. 1 teaspoon salt. 1 ½ tablespoons sugar. ½ cup vinegar. ½ cup cream (or milk). ½ teaspoon paprika. After shredding the cabbage blanche it in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and pour cold water over it in colander. Then cook in boiling water until tender. Make a mixture of the butter, vinegar, eggs, salt, sugar, cream, and paprika in half a cup of boiling water, and cook this in a double boiler, stirring, until thick. Add the cabbage and heat. Eliza Robison Smith made this often as did grandma Lurinda Morris Smith. This is an old recipe in our family. L.S.C.