• • • ELI WHITEAR Eli Whitear was born in Preston Candover, Hampshire, England, on 25 April 1827. He was the fourth child born to John Whitear and Rachel Hedgecock. The first children born to this couple were Eliza, in 1817 , Elizabeth, born in 1819 and William, born in 1823. William had died in 1925. When Eli was six years old, another sister, Caroline Rose, was born. John was a blacksmith and also owned a beer shop and other property. Perhaps because John was prosperous, Eli was a scholar until past his 14 years. He received instruction in music and learned to play a cornet and several other musical instruments. His schooling was more extensive than the average child but when he finished his schooling he was taught the blacksmith trade and worked in his father's blacksmith shop. In 1851 , the peace and calm of the village was disrupted when a Mormon missionary came into the area. Several conversions were made in the area and this caused some of the converts to be fired from their employment. It was at this time that Eli met and fell in love with Emma Brooks, a Mormon convert. She and her two sisters, Fanny and Maria, had joined the church and consequently been disowned by their parents The three sisters had earned enough money by 1854 to buy passage on the ship Wendemere , which was to set sail from Liverpool on 22 February 1854. Eli's parents were very upset because of Eli's affection for Emma. and relations in the home became strained. When Eli determined to go to Liverpool to see the sisters off on their journey, harsh words were spoken by the son and his parents. He packed his clothes and left for Liverpool. After bidding goodbye to Emma and seeing the sisters safely aboard ship, he stayed in Liverpool and listened to the missionaries of the Mormon church. He was baptized on 26 February 1854 by John Thomson and confirmed a member by Elders James Linford, Daniel Caveen and John Thomson. He was convinced that he should also emigrate to America, so he bought passage on the ship John. M. Wood. This ship was due to sail in about three weeks. He traveled back to his home to pack the rest of his clothes and other things he wished to take with him. His parents were so upset with his affiliation with the Mormon religion that he did not tell them of his plans to sail. He quietly packed his belongings and left. Later he wrote to his parents to express his love for them and for England and bore his testimony. He also included a poem he had written. He returned to Liverpool and boarded the ship which sailed 12 March 1854. This ship and the one that the Brooks sisters were on were headed for New Orleans. Eli kept a journal, recording events on board the ship. He also wrote several poems for friends he made on board. He arrived in New Orleans on 26 April • • • 1854. The journey continued up the Mississippi River. Many of the travelers were sick with cholera and the ship was quarantined at St Louis for several days then traveled on and landed and camped on McGee Camping Grounds in Kansas, where several died. Eli was also sick, and when he regained his health, he began to inquire about the Daniel Garns Company where he understood Emma Brooks and her sisters were. He found the location of that company's camp and learned the Maria was the only one of the sisters who had survived the trip. Emma had died of smallpox on 17 March 1854 and her sister Fanny had died a day later. They had both been buried at sea. Eli then joined that company in order to help Maria across the plains. Eli drove one of the wagons and with his trade of blacksmithing he was often called upon to replace a lost oxen shoe or mend a wagon wheel. The company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sunday, 1 October 1854. Eli found employment in Farmington working for Ira Oviat in his blacksmith shop. Nine months after they arrived in the valley, on 24 Jul 1855, Eli and Maria Brooks were married by Bishop Hess in Farmington. Four months later, they went to the newly dedicated Endowment House and were sealed for time and eternity. The following year, their first child was born. He was named John Thomas, but he only lived a short time. Eli, with his musical talent, was asked to join the Farmington Brass Band. Eli played 1 st B flat cornet. This band was one of the bands that was asked to accompany President Brigham Young and the Saints up Big Cottonwood Canyon for the tenth anniversary of the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley. Eli's older sister, Elizabeth, had joined the church in England. She was married to John Sermon, a widower who was much older than she. He did not join the church, but when she seemed determined to join the saints in America he traveled with her and their four children. When they had arrived in Iowa in the spring of 1856, John just could not make up his mind and they delayed until the last chance and then joined the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company. John died at Martin's Cove but, the children, three boys and one girl, and Elizabeth continued on and arrived in Salt Lake on 30 November 1856. Two of the boys had suffered frostbite of their feet to the point that their mother had trimmed away almost the whole feet. Eli was not aware that his sister was coming, and was not there to meet the sad family. They were taken into the home of a friend from England and then a day or two later, Lot Smith took them to Eli's home in Farmington. Elizabeth stayed with Eli until she could establish her own home for her children. Four years later she married Robert Camm and they moved to Logan. In 1889, Robert and Elizabeth moved to California, where she died 1 February 1893. Eli and Maria's second son was born 13 March 1857. He was given the name of Eli Frank. They were happy when he seemed a strong, healthy baby. On Christmas Day, 1858, another son, named James Alfred. He was followed by • • • Eugene, born 1 January 1860 and a fifth son, Fredric, born 27 December 1862 . Just twenty days later, the mother, Maria died and was buried at Farmington. Eli was left, now with a new baby and three small boys. The bishop arranged for a young English convert, named Annie Maria Hall, to come live with the family to keep house and care for the children. After a few days she told Eli that she would have to leave because the neighbors were talking about them living in the same house. He asked the bishop for advice and was advised to ask Annie to marry him. Even though he was older and they had only known each other for two weeks, she accepted his proposal and Eli and Annie were married 29 January 1863. She took the young family to her heart and the baby, Eugene, was especially dear to her. Sadly, this baby died when he was nine months old. The first child born to Eli and Annie was a girl, born 12 January 1864, and named Emma Jane. Eli left the blacksmith shop to try various other employment. At one time he worked for the brewery at Camp Floyd. Morgan County had been settled and several of the families that Eli knew had moved to Morgan. He moved his family to Littleton (now known as Milton) and began to farm. More children were born to the couple: Eliza was born in Milton 26 September 1865, Annie 24 March 1867, Lloyd 6 February 1869 and Horace 21 September 1871 About this time, Annie's sister, Eleanor, called Ellen, came to live with them and after about two years, church leaders suggested to Eli that he should marry the younger sister in polygamy. They were married in the Endowment House 10 March 1873. A few months later, Annie gave birth to a daughter, Caroline. The two wives lived in harmony, but when Ellen, began to have a family.Eli bought her a home also. When Eli found that there was no band nor choir in the county, he began to organize these groups and gave music lessons. He would ride his horse from Littleton to Morgan to conduct the band and lead the choir. This he did faithfully every week for many years. His band and choir was asked to entertain in celebrations and parties. He also taught in the first school in Littleton. This was held in the old tithing house in Littleton, adjacent to Deep Creek. His dry sense of humor and good personality made him popular with his associates. When the Morgan Stake was organized in 1877, Eli was called to be the bishop of the Milton Ward. He served in this position until 1888. Along with the farm, Eli had gone into the mercantile business and opened up a small store in Littleton. It would take him three days to go to Salt Lake and back for supplies. It was usually Annie who tended the store. Ellen gave birth to a son, Ephraim Ernest 30 December 1874. By 1876, both Annie and Ellen were expecting. Ellen's baby was born 13 August 1876 and • • • named Rosetta. Annie gave birth to twin boys a month later. Albert was born before midnight 26 September 1876 and this twin, Arthur, was born after midnight on 27 September 1876. Annie and Eli's family was completed with the birth of Lillian Talula 17 July 1879 and Ella Mae 17 September 1883. Ellen would have four more daughters: Maria Jane, born 23 October 1878. She only lived seven months. Eva Nora was born 12 August 1818, Eleanor Sarah 11 August 1883, and the baby of the family Mattie Reba born 5 March 1886. A few months before Mattie was born, the eldest son, Lloyd died. He had gone to the mines in Coalville to get a load of coal. It was bitter winter weather and on the way home he stopped at an acquaintance's home to rest the horses and to get warm. The man insisted on getting Lloyd something to eat. He fried some meat which Lloyd ate, but soon after, as he started home he started with stomach cramps and became very ill. His condition became worse and four days later on 24 January 1886, he passed away. He was seventeen years old. After the Manifesto was issued, Eli lived with Annie. Ellen was a very particular housekeeper and seemed content with her children and home. About 1888, they sold their farm in Milton and moved to Ogden. Ellen remained at Milton. After a few years, they longed for a farm and wanted to move back to Morgan County,. ' They bought a farm in Peterson and happily moved back on the farm. The younger children attended public school and helped with the chores in the evenings. Eli organized a family band. He played 181 cornet, Ella 2nd cornet, Albert the tenor horn, and Horace the bass horn. Arthur played the drums. Music was their recreation and the heart of the family and brought them together in many home evenings. Eli was also well known for the poetry he wrote. Eli still remembered his sweetheart, Emma, who had died and was buried at sea. On 29 January 1893, Eli went to the Endowment House and had Emma Brooks sealed to him. Also feeling that Fanny Brooks had not had a chance to marry before she died, Eli had her also sealed to him the same day. In the next few years, many of the children were married and moved into homes of their own. By the early 1900's, Eli's health began to fail. He suffered from asthma and had a severe cough. Farm work was now too hard for him. Annie had an ulcerated sore on one leg and it was slow to heal. The twins, Albert and Arthur bought the farm and worked it as partners. They bought a home in Morgan City for Eli and Annie and the parents moved, but missed the closeness of family. They were happy when friends and family stopped in as they came to town to do shopping. On his 801h birthday many of his family came to visit him and Christmas that year-1907---was celebrated with many gifts from children and remembrances • • • from neighbors. A few day$later, he became ill with pneumonia and passed away 3 January 1908. He was buried in the Milton Cemetery. The house in Morgan was sold and Annie went to live with a daughter, Carrie, in Ogden. Eight years later, in 1916, a hernia strangulated and after much suffering, Annie died at the age of seventy-six on 3 March 1916. She is buried at Eli's side in the Milton Cemetery. Eleanor (Ellen), sold her home in Milton and moved to Ogden to stay with one of her family, but this proved unsatisfactory. She moved to American Fork to live with her widowed sister, Lydia. She died there, at the age of seventy, on 20 June 1920. She is also buried at her husband's side in the Milton Cemetery. Children of Eli Whitear and Susan Maria Brooks: John Thomas born 1856 died in infancy Eli Frank born 13 Mar 1857 died 15 Oct 1900 md. (1) Lydia Melissa Rich. After her death md Sarah Alice Boyden James Alfred born 25 Dec 1858 died 15 Dec 1904 md Annie Madsen Eugene born 1 Jan 1860 died 3 Jul 1923 md Lizzy Openshaw Fredric born 27 Dec 1862 died 1 Sep 1863 Children of Eli Whitear and Annie Maria Hall Emma Jane born 12 Jan 1864 died 20 Sep 1900 md Alma Anderson Eliza born 26 sep 1865 died 6 Apr 1953 md Thomas Briston Wheelwright Annie born 24 Mar 1867 died 27 Dec 1939 md Isaac Johnson Lloyd Hall born 6 Feb 1869 died 24 Jan 1886 Horace born 21 Sep 1871 died 2 Jun 1952 md Jane Elizabeth Fowler Caroline (Carrie) born 22 May 1873 died 3 May 1960 md ( 1) Thomas Clegg Myers (2) David Anderson Albert (twin) born 26 Sep 1876 died 15 Apr 1937 md Clara Catherine Gibby Arthur (twin) born 27 Sep 1876 died 27 Jan 1957 md Rebecca Jones Lillian Talula born 17 Jul 1879 died 4 Jul 1915 md Harry Greenwood Ella May born 17 Sep 1883 died 23 Jun 1977 md (1) Charles Wonder (div) (2) Frank Ballard • Children of Eli Whitear and Eleanor Sarah Hall Ephraim Ernest born 30 Dec 187 4 died 15 Apr 1936 md Rebecca Thurston Rosetta born 13 Aug 1876 died 16 Aug 1922 md William Henry Drabble Maria Jane born 23 Oct 1878 died 17 May 1879 Eva Nora born 12 Aug 1881 died 7 May 1963 md Alma Gibby Eleanor Sarah born 11 Aug 1883 died 23 Apr 1965 md Frank Stoddard Mattie Reba born 5 May 1886 died 13 Jan 1908 md Melvin Howard Randall • •