• • • . .. WILLIAM EDDINGTON William Eddington, son of James and Eliza Seaton Eddington, was born at Portsea, County of Hampshire, England, on Nov. 27, 1821. He was educated in the Greenwich school of Navigation, and went to sea for nearly two years, after which he took up the vocation of school teaching, having about five hundred boys in his school. In 1847 he married Jane Hayles, a daughter of Charles and Mary Wheeler Hayles. She was born at Portsmouth, Hampshire County, England September 4, 1818. One son was born to this union while they were in business in Whales, but the child lived only a few hours. Mr. And Mrs. Eddington were baptized into the L.D.S. Church in 1849, and he acted as president of the branch were they were located. While residing at Portsmouth The Mormon Missionaries and saints held a wonderful celebration, and Mrs. Eddington made the silk banners and sashes used for the occasion. These were later used in the Fourth of July celebration in Salt Lake City, and also at one time at Morgan when Mr. Eddington was mayor. , sa.. 5o.roh 1 0, ~~~1t>Y\ In 1853 they emigrated to Utah together with Mrs. Eddington' s cousin Miss ~ Louise Barton, whom Mr. Eddington married after arriving in Salt Lake City, that fall. Eight children were born to them . While crossing the ocean he befriended a young man who was sorely in need of financial help, by giving him $20. 00 to help him out, and he after forgot about the incident. After a great many years this same man remembered the kindness, and learning of Mr. Eddington' s reversed circumstances, brought to his door several hundred pounds of flour and asked him to accept it in payment of the help given him so many years before. About 1865 he married Sarah Fry. One child was born to them, the young mother giving her life to the cause of motherhood. In 1865 he married Sarah's half sister Mary Littlefield, who had crossed the plains with her mother and family of small children the year previous. Ten children were born to them. Mr. Eddington's first vocation after arriving in Salt Lake City was school teaching in a little one room log house. He taught there for some years, and later taught with Samuel Cornaby and Lorenzo Snow in the first Public High School, known as the Snow High School. Pres. Young bought the first school globes and maps, also equipment for gymnastics to be used in the school, from Mr. Eddington, these being the first brought to Utah. He gave fifty volumes to the first public library . ;or [or Louisa Sarah Barton] • • • President Young appointed him mayor of the third regiment of the Nauvoo Legion, to go to Echo Canyon to meet Johnson's army. Ecclesiastically, Mr. Eddinton had the distinction of serving in the capacity of High Councilman longer than any man in the church--forty-five years. He also served for eight years as councilor to the Bishop in Morgan. In the fall of 1855 he was associated with Lorenzo Snow in organizing the Society, which served as an educator for many of Utah's foremost citizens in early days. In 1860 he was appointed one of the first regents of the University ofDeseret, now the University of Utah. About 1856 he organized the first street parade which was one and one half miles long, making a beautiful array of floats using satin banners, sashes and flags he had brought from England. He was very active in the mercantile business. He shipped the first large consignment of good over the plains by ox team to Salt Lake and the second Mason and Hamlin organ into the valley in the early 60' s. About 1864 the Eddingtons came to Morgan and started a mercantile business at Monday Town. After moving to where South Morgan now is he built a substantial brick residence, the front part of which was used for general merchandise. He owned and operated a large saw mill also. He would take grain from farmers in payment for merchandise and then contract with President Young to supply the army at Fort Bridger . He waselected first mayor of Morgan and served in the capacity for eight years. In later years of his life he wasordaind a Patriarch by Apostle Reed Smoot. He died at the age of91 years on March 3, 1912 at Salt Lake City, Utah. Jane B. Eddington died in December of 1887. South Morgan D .U.P . ,02..