31. Anna Gygax

Personal History

Birth Record 17 Mar 1836 Switz
Marriage Translation 22 Mar 1862 Switz
Death Record 26 Dec 1902 Switz
Transcription/Translation
Child of: Samuel Gygax and Anna Zurlinden
Married to: Andreas Huber
Children: Anna Maria Elizabeth, Maria Elise, Johann Karl, Anna Elise, Amelia.

Letters
Family Book

Lenora Knight Hafen

Washington County News - November 13, 1913

Santa Clara, November 9, - Again our little town is grief-striken by the sudden death of Mrs. Lenora Knight Hafen, wife of John Hafen, which occurred Friday, November 7, 1913.  While Mrs. Hafen had not been in perfect health for some time, having occasional fainting spells, she appeared to be in her usual state of health when last seen alive, which was previous to going out to sweep the back yard.  A few hours later she was found lying dead in the yard with the broom lying on top of her.  In the meantime those of her children who were at home supposed her to be visiting a relative or neighbor; the shock to them under the circumstances can well be imagined.  The cause of death was the bursting of a blood vessel in the head.  Members of the family were scatted at the time death called;  her husband being at Modena, one son, in Germany fulfilling a mission; her daughter, Jessie, and two twin boys being at home.  Another son Arthur K. was at Toquerville.  Her husband, four sons, and one daughter survive her, three children having preceded her to the great beyond.

Sister Hafen was born at Santa Clara, February 8, 1862, a daughter of Samuel and Caroline Beck Knight, and was married to John Hafen in the St. George Temple, February 9, 1887.  She was a true and devoted wife and mother, and a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the auxilliary organizations of which she was a willing worker.

Funeral services were held at the meeting house, Sunday, November 9, the house being beautifully decorated for the sad occasion.  The largest congregation that was ever in our meeting house, numbering 265 souls, came to pay their last respects to the dear departed.  Among these were Academy faculty, the Academy 4th year class, of which Miss Jess Hafen is vice-President, the Stake Relief Society officers, members of the 70's quorum, a number from Washington, Gunlock. Bunkerville and other places, which shows the esteem in which Sister Hafen was held.

The services were opened by Elder Joseph T. Atkin and closed by Elder George F. Whitehead.  The speakers were Elders Jacob Frei, H. H. Cannon, George W. Worthen, H. M. Woodward, Thomas P. Cottam and Edward R. Frei.  Their remarks were of a consoling nature to the bereaved, and they bore testimony to the high esteem in which the deceased and her family were held by all who knew them.  The Santa Clara choir furnished beautiful music, a quartet, "Nearer, My God, To Thee", being splendidly rendered.  Twenty-five vehicles and a number of people afoot followed the remains to their last resting place, and the grave was literally covered with bouquets of choice flowers.  The bereaved relatives sincerely appreciate the kindness of those who came from outside points to pay their last respects to the departed.

Lenora Knight Hafen History

Mother died before she was 52.  She died as she lived - at work.  Records state she was born in Santa Clara, February 8, 1862, the third of six daughters born to Samuel and Caroline Beck Knight.  At what place in Santa Clara I do not know, as the home of her parents had been at the Fort since they were married until December of 1861, when the flood washed the fort away, and the new town-site was located and dedicated on the 22 of December.  Settlers were given their building lots.  Grandfather's home was at the west end of the town, about one or two blocks east of the Jacob Hamblin home.  Perhaps a temporary dwelling had been made at that place.

A recent sketch of Grandfather is available to all of the members of the family, so little more of his life need be said here.

Grandmother Knight is the daughter of Herman and Kirstine Due Beck.  She was born May 12, 1831 in Orter Larkster, Bornholm, Denmark.  In 1853, she heard Mormon missionaries preach, and, as a result, was later baptized.  In November, she started for Utah with her brother, his wife, and daughter, and the wife's cousin.  They left Liverpool, England, January 3, 1854 and reached New Orleans, February 10th.  Joining the Peter Olsen Company in Kansas City, they started for Salt Lake City the latter part of June and arrived October 5, 1854.  She worked on the Church Farm on the Jordan River and there became acquainted with Samuel Knight.  They were married May 23, 1856 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

The children and their families, and the children of Grandfather's second family and their marriages are listed in the sketch of Grandfather's life.

Grandmother, evidently, endured many hardships.  To adjust to frontier life among strangers and the warm climate, and the prevalence of malaria with little medical help and lack of nutritive foods, required faith and courage.  Aunt Mary, her daughter, writes:  "it was a great journey for this Danish woman to leave her home and go to a new country where she had to learn a new language, then to go down among the Indians.  When her first child was born, she took cold from the lack of care and help.  She was sick the rest of her life, thirteen years.  All that time she was not able to sit up a day at a time.  Notwithstanding her sickness, she was cheerful and pleasant.  It would have been difficult to find a woman with better management in the home than she.  For the first few years she had no help but an Indian girl whom she had raised.  She died in Santa Clara in 1870, leaving six little girls, the oldest thirteen."

The struggle of the settlers in Santa Clara is a long and interesting story.  In 1861, a Swiss Colony, who had been called by President Brigham Young to raise cotton and grapes in Dixie, settled in Santa Clara.  By previous arrangement the original settlers who had lived at the fort, called Fort Clara, west of the present town-site, agreed to sell their land to the new colony.  Grandfather and Lemuel Leavitt of the early missionary group remained.  Marius Ensign, called to serve as bishop of the ward, and later the Alexander Findlay family, foined the community and lied among the Swiss families.  The Bunkers lived there for a time, but in 1877 some of the Leavitts and the Bunkers moved to Nevada and established the town of Bunkerville.  The Bunkers remained devoted friends of the Knight family, and often visited with them as occasion required them to make trips to St. George

Grandfather married about two years after the death of Grandmother.  He married Laura Melvina Leavitt March 4, 1872.  Their children are Carlos, Edward, Melvina, Edith, Wilford, Thomas, Delmay, and Inez.  Others died in infancy.

For a year or two after Grandmother's death, Grandfather and the girls, though young, carried on the household tasks.  Caroline, being the oldest, assumed the greatest responsibility.  As grandmother had been an invalid, Caroline had already learned to carry responsibility.  The work was organized and each of the girls helped as she could.  As the second family increased in numbers, and as the girls grew older, adjustments had to be made.  The home was now under management of the new mother, and , naturally, some friction would result.  Grandmother was cultured, but she never complained about the crude life of the frontier she was forced to meet.  She was cheerful about it all, and her daughters met the new situations without too much complaint.  I never heard Mother speak of "Aunt Laurie", as we called her, or of her children, in any way but respectful.  I remember as a child going to their home for family dinners and gatherings, and of the pleasant associations we had with the children, some of whom were about our age.

Aunt Laurie served as a midwife in the town and spent much of her time away from home giving aid which today is given in hospitals and by doctors.  Mother and the girls worked for other families to earn a few sorely -needed dollars.  They were given the elementary education the day afforded, and were also taught at home by their mother.

Mother was frugal and neat.  She must have enjoyed her girlhood days, as none of her friends had much more than she.   They provided their own amusements in groups and in community gatherings.  Self-respect and honor were emphasized in all their teachings.  In school very strict discipline was used.  Some of Mother's girlhood friends have told me how neat she was in her dress and in her work.  I know how she worked to make a pleasant home for us and keep us dressed properly.

Julia Roulet, who married Emil Graf, was one of Mother's closest and dearest friends.  "Aunt Julia" told me of their life in Santa Clara and dictated some memoirs to her son, Grant, from which some thoughts were gathered.  Children, as soon as they were able, had to work thinning cotton, picking cotton, watering fields, cutting grain (by hand), stripping cane, gleaning grain, herding cattle, and doing all kinds of work there was to be done.

Food was scarce, and children were always hungry.  Their bread was made from bran and shorts, or cane seed, or corn.  They ate wild cabbage stalks, sour dock stalks, sego bulbs, tender young willows, squawbush (sumac) berries, and pout berries.

Education was limited.  The teacher would board round with families as pay for teaching, according to the number of pupils he taught - one day per pupil.  sometimes the parents couldn't afford to have all the children go at the same time, so those who could't go one winter were allowed to go the next.  There were no grades, and often one book had to do for the whole family.  Discipline was rigid.  Willow after willow was worn out on unruly pupils - usually boys.  Some of the teachers were:  Josh Crosby, (Sam?), Miles, Mr. Peck, Mrs. McClellan, Mr. Church, Mr. Berger (?Bergen), and Kate Granger.  Mr. Berger was the cruel one.  When Mother and "Aunt Julia" were grown girls Levi Harmon was their teacher.  He often told me of his teaching in Santa Clara and of the regard he had for Mother.  "Aunt Julia" said he went with Mother some, as his b est girl-friend, but as she didn't pay too much attention to him, he would often be critical of her school work.

Amusements were provided at home by the group.  They would often go caroling on a wagon with several spring seats.  Sometimes the girls would sit on the cows while herding or on the fence and sing.  She lists the group of sigers:  Mother, Julia, Selena Gubler, Sopranos; Mr. Nieder, Traug Graf, George Staheli, and Mr. Frehner, bass; John Staheli, tenor; Emma Graf and Barbara Staheli, alto.  They would often ride calves in the field.  Mother went with Julia's brother, William, to Silver Reef to get Julia, as she had been working there for some time.  They stayed in Washington on returning for a dance and danced all night.  The dance closed just at daylight, and they went to the home of one of their friends there for breakfast.  Mother at that time was nineteen; Julia was eighteen.

Cousin Caroline F. Roundy tolls of an incident Grandfather told her of Grandmother.  When she came to Santa Clara she had two pairs of shoes.  The women in Santa Clara were moccasins, so Grandmother bought some moccasins, too.  The shoes were kept for special occasions, such as dances, and then they were worn by each of the women as needed and as they could be made to fit their feet.

Some of the customs of our home life might be interesting.  The home was lighted at night by kerosene lamp.  Around it we would gather to tell stories or to listen to Mother read such books as "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Black Beauty", and others.  To have light in any of the other rooms we would carry the lighted lamp.  Cooking was done on a stove with wood for fuel, polished by hand and moved outdoors in the summer  where it would be cooler to do the cooking, then back into the kitchen for winter, where it also furnished the heat.  Small heaters were used in the other rooms at times, but the open fireplace was usually preferred.  Irons to do the laundering were heated on the stove.  The soot underneath the stove lids furnished the polish for our shoes.  Saturday night, rows of shining shoes were made ready for Sunday.  Mother usually did this for all of us.

Another interesting feature was the Saturday night bath.  Most homes had no bath tubs except the regular wash tub.  Our home had a built-in bathtub, so we ciykdm at keastm get ubti ut,  The water for bathing was heated outside in a large kettle hung, or set over, a wood fire. Water was carried to the tub in buckets where it could be tempered with cold water carried from the ditch.  Mother usually saw to all of this for each one of us, so we could have our weekly bath without any effort on our part.  Perhaps it was easier for Mother to do all these menial tasks that it was to see that we did them for ourselves.

A few years before Mother's death, Father, Grandmother Hafen, and others of the family went to California to visit Grandmother's people in Los Angeles.  They went by team in the white top bufggy to Moapa and there took the train, leaving the team of mules in a pasture until they returned.  Telling of some of the wonders in California, Father told of the home with running water, both hot and cold.  For a bath all that they had to do was turn the tap and the water was ready for them.  Mother facetiously said, "Well, Johnie, you don't even have to turn a tap at home."

Another thing I remember, with chagrin, is lying in bed early in the mornings and hear Mother get the milk pail and go to the corral to milk the cows and feed the pigs and chickens.  She wanted us to rest if we could and thought she would like to wait on us as much as she could.  This wasn't always the case, for we felt duty bound to help part of the time.

Mother spent her life in service to her family and to others.  She was kind to us.  I never remember her whipping one of us, although it was deserved many times.  She died suddenly one sunny November afternoon while sweeping the door yard.

She was thoughtful of others.  Many times she would go quietly to the back door of her sister or other relative with a small gift which she would bestow with the least demonstration, usually tossing it inside the door or handing it without a word.  She thought of those in need.  One summer she and Fater lived at the ranch in Bull Valley.  When I went out to see them she asked me to take 25 cents with me and buy a package of tea for one of the neighbors, an English woman, used to drinking it while she lived in England, but whose husband couldn't and wouldn't afford it for her.  Many neighbors told of little acts of kindness of which no one but she and they knew.

She tried to have some delicacies in the home which she prepared for us.  Most of our food we raised and prepared in the home.  Purchasing bread was unknown in that day.  Each household kept yeast and mixed and and baked bread.  It was a common custom to borrow a loaf of bread of get a cup of yeast from a neighbor when the supply at home was exhausted.  We always had our own milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and pork and beef.  Curing ham and preserving other food stuffs was a tedious task.  One favorite desert was pickled grapes, kept by placing the grapes in vinegar with certain flavors and preservatives added.  Drying fruit was a common method of preserving it.

Mother usually had the boarders, such as the school teachers and workmen who came from outside communities to work in Santa Clara.

There were no labor saving devices.  Washing was done largely on a wash board.  When a washer was introduced it had to be turned by hand, as there was no electricity at that time.  Floors were cleaned in the hard way.  I think of one of the annual tasks of being the most boresome.  That was house cleaning.  The old rag carpets were taken up and cleaned and fresh straw was brought from stacks where the grain had been threshed, then came the stretching and fitting the carpet before it could be fastened with tacks driven with a hammer.  Minor items, such as churning the butter, mending the clothes, and all the household tasks called for time, patience, and skill.  It seemed there was no time for rest and not much for recreation for Mother.  Vacations, as such, were rare.  Outing on holidays and socials in the evenings were enjoyed by all members of the town, old and young associating together.  It seems now in retrospect that Mother's joys and pleasures came from seeing the rest of us having a good time.

Father went on a mission to Switzerland when three or four of us children were under eleven years of age.  He was gone two years, but Mother managed some way as she always did when there were adjustments to be made.

One experience came into our home which affected Mother more than any one else could realize.  It was the tragic death of little sister, Carrie.  She was about 10 months old, so could not walk, but she could crawl.  One evening Mother put her on the floor on the rug in front of the fireplace while she ran to do outside chores.  The pig pen and the chicken coop were not far from the house, so she hurried to give the pigs and the chickens their feed.  She tought she heard me come in, so she hurried across the lot to the hay stack to get hay leaves for the pigs.  When she returned to the house the little girl had crawled into the fireplace where live coals were smoldering and where her little legs were burning.  The baby lived a day or two and suffered intensely.  Mother blamed herself for the tragedy, and suffered for years as a result.  She was naturally one to assume more than her share of responsibility for anything that went wrong.

Her third child had died when she was but two weeks old, and the next baby after Carrie died when he was nearly a year old.  Father was in Switzerland at this time.

"The instruction received at the mother's knee, and the paternal lessons, together with the pious and sweet souvenirs of the fireside, are never effaced entirely from the soul.."  Lamennais

"A man never sees all that his mother has been to him till it's too late to let her know that he sees it." W.D. Howells

History of Pinto by Rulon Knell

HISTORY OF PINTO, UTAH
BY RULON KNELL
Pinto, with its lush meadows and clear stream of good water, was a natural stopping place on the Old Spanish Trail. The chief products carried over this trail, before the coming of the Mormons, were Indian slaves and peltries. When the Mormons first arrived in southern Utah they found a well-beaten trail through the streets of Pinto.
At the April conference in 1854, President Young called a group of missionaries to the Indians of Southern Utah. Under the leadership of Rufus C. Allen, they commenced operations at Harmony, Utah. About the end of May, the same year, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others of the General Authorities, visited there, President Young gave much instruction regarding conducting the mission and building up the settlements in southern Utah.
In December 1854, Jacob Hamblin with Ira Hatch, Samuel Knight, Thales Haskell and A.P. Hardy went down the Rio Virgin and settled Santa Clara. In the summer of 1855, Isaac Riddle, Jehu Blackburn and Robert Richey left Harmony and settled Pine Valley.
In the fall of 1856, six or eight Indian missionaries camped on Pinto Creek by a hay stack owned by Brother Gould, who, however, was not a permanent settler on the creek, but had come out from Parowan to cut hay. The missionaries, who were in charge of Rufus C. Allen, were on their way from New Harmony to Santa Clara. Benjamin Knell, one of the missionaries writes: "Rufus C. Allen was our president, or captain, and was with us most of the time, trying to get the Indians to come to our camps that we might let them know we were their friends. A few of the older men would come in, but were very shy. From our visit to the Santa Clara we went to Pinto and camped at Gould's hay stack in the summer of 1856. Brothers Dixon, Richard S. Robinson, Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman and David Wilson Tullis were a part of the company. That year we made our homes on the Pinto Creek hauling hay from the Mountain Meadows for our stock. The winter of 1856-57 was quite mild. Jehu Blackburn and I went on horseback up Pinto Creek to ascertain if we could get a team up the Canyon as he wanted to get into Pine Valley from New Harmony. We found the pass impossible. We drove two yoke of oxen and a heavy wagon on the trail to the head of the middle fork of Pinto creek and then climbed the ridge, getting into Pine Valley that night. Heavy freight teams enroute from Los Angeles, California to Salt Lake City would frequently camp on the Pinto Creek. The mountains were covered with grass. Jacob Hamblin was appointed our captain in a short time and he frequently came to Pinto to give us council.
Another account says that a meeting was called in the fall of 1856 by Rufus C. Allen who proposed, on account of the shortage of water, that the settlers at Harmony should take the water out from the Kanarra Creek, and the missionaries take the water from Harmony as this arrangement would give enough water for both parties. John D. Lee was opposed to this plan and the company divided, some going to the Santa Clara and others to Pinto. The following named brethren went to Pinto:
Rufus C. Allen (captain), Samuel F. Atwood,Lorenzo W. Roundy, Richard S. Robinson
Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman, Benjamin Knell, Robert Dixon

Samuel Knight History

Samuel Knight was born in a log cabin in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri on October 14, 1832. His father, Newel Knight, had been born in 1800 in Vermont, but had spent most of his life in upstate New York until his move to western Missouri in 1831. His mother, Sally Coburn Knight, born in 1804, was likewise a native New Englander.

Soon after his parents joined the "Mormon" church, they moved to Kirtland, Ohio, then to Independence, Missouri. In Missouri, Sally had their child, which she named "Samuel", because she had "asked him of the Lord." During the persecutions they camped on the banks of the Missouri River, in shanties. Most were soaked by the rain that poured down and Sally became sick. Samuel was 13 months old. His mother was expecting their second child. Both Newel and Sally came down with malaria. In the midst of these awful circumstances, on Sep. 15, 1834, Sally gave birth to a son who they named Eli. He did not survive the day. Tragically, Sally also died.

His father Newel had received a mission call, so his Aunt Esther (his mother's sister) cared for Samuel. Samuel did not see his father for another year. While Newel was in Kirtland on his mission, he met Lydia Goldthwaite, and they were married in November, 1835 by Joseph Smith. They arrived back in Missouri in May 1836. Lydia was the only mother Samuel ever knew, and many years later, he said that Lydia treated him "better than her own children."

After Joseph Smith was killed, 11 year old Samuel was in the conference when he "was surprised to hear the voice of Joseph Smith. He arose in astonishment and beheld the transfiguration of Brigham Young...."

The family departed Nauvoo, Illinois for the trek west. At the age of 13 Samuel would be considered a man and would be expected to perform a man's duties on the trail. They missed the spur trail to Garden Grove and traveled for two days off track before realizing their error and retracing their steps. The entered the camp at Mt. Pisgah on May 25th. Soon they caught up to Brigham Young's train and he recruited Newel and his family to be a part of the vanguard company.

This company detoured about one hundred miles northward to winter on the Ponca Indian lands, they arrived there August 23rd. Rations became short and Newel took ill. His condition grew progressively worse and on January 11, 1847 he died, probably of pneumonia. In March, Samuel drove his sick, pregnant mother and family back to Winter Quarters.

Because Lydia was worried that once Samuel's relatives found out that Newel had died, they would force him to return to them, she decided to send him to the valley as quickly as possible. Lydia stayed in Winter Quarters (Ponca Camp) for several years. Samuel entered the valley in September. There he was put in the charge of a man named Dickerson, a fisherman from Cape Cod, rough in his manner and unkind in his treatment of Samuel.

With limited rations, they almost starved waiting for the harvest months. His guardian married and left the church and joined the flood of gold seekers on their way to California, leaving him without anything for his support. He wandered around until nightfall and then went to sleep in a small stack of hay belonging to John Smith. He was taken in by Mr. Smith's son-in-law, Thomas Callister, who was kind to him.

Lydia and family arrived in the valley in October, 1850. He was very happy to be reunited with them. Later, in 1854, he was called to go as a missionary among the Indians in Southern Utah. In 1856, he went to Salt Lake to visit his family and there met a young Danish girl, Caroline Beck. Their courtship was brief and they were married in the Endowment House. She returned with him to the Indian Mission.

Caroline had to learn a new language and build a new life with no help except an Indian girl. Because of the extreme heat in the summer the families went to Mountain Meadows for the summer and it was here their first child was born. Caroline Kirstina was born in a covered wagon with Jacob Hamblin's wife, Rachel acting as midwife. From the lack of proper care, Caroline took ill and was an invalid the rest of her life. They were here at the time of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

They went to Provo, where his mother lived for the birth of the next child. Samuel built a home for his family at the edge of a hill near the west end of the town, some two or three blocks east of the old Hamblin home.

There is record of his assignment with Dudley Leavitt to protect a company enroute to California. They overtook the company on the Muddy in the heart of the Indian country. A large group of Indians were preparing to destroy the travelers. It was impossible to control the Indians, so the matter was compromised. The Indians agreed to take only the loose stock of the company and not meddle with the teams and wagons and not make any effort to take the lives of the emigrants. The loose stock amounted to four hundred and eighty head.

Samuel worked with the Indians all his life. He made trips to the Iyats on the Colorado river, the Moqui in the Kanab area, and many others. Many Indians sold their women and children to the Mexican's for slaves, so the settlers bought many Indian children and raised them as their own. Samuel and Caroline raised an Indian girl they called Jane. She died at maturity without marrying.

Samuel held many church positions during his lifetime, 1st counselor to Jacob Hamblin in the Indian Mission 1857-1859, second counselor in the bishopric 1872-1877, and first counselor in the bishopric 1877-1884. He also served for a long time on the Stake High Council.

His mother later married again and moved to Santa Clara, then St. George. His sisters, Sally and Lydia lived in Orderville, Newel, and later, Jesse, lived in Provo. James also lived in Provo. Artemisia lived in Payson, and Hyrum died in Payson unmarried. Joseph died in Arizona.

Johann Rudolph Frei and Anna Margaretha Nageli Frei's Another History

Edward Rudolf Frei History with information about his parents Johann Rudolph Frei and Anna Margaretha Nageli Frei included.

(History contributed by Vicki Lasswell, who lives in Santa Clara, Utah.  Story collected by Katie Webb.  History copied by Georgene Cahoon Evans, February 1993).

Switzerland
From the year 1854, missionaries were sent to all parts of Switzerland, especially to the German-speaking parts of Switzerland.  Many were ready to accept the gospel.  Of those humble people, among them were my parents.  As soon as they were baptized they had a desire to emigrate to Utah to mingle with the Saints.  They would sell everything they owned to get the means for the trip.  They would leave their country in small companies.  It often took them two to three months to cross the ocean.  And that was not the hardest, by no means.  The hardships began by crossing the Plains.  The earliest ones came with handcarts, later with ox teams.  Some who had spare money were able to buy their own team of horses or mules.

Salt Lake City, Utah to Santa Clara
In happened by 1860 there was quite a large company of Swiss people in and around Salt Lake.  No doubt, the leaders of the Church were concerned how these people could best make a living, not being able to speak English.  In 1861, during conference, a proclamation was given by President Brigham Young that all the Swiss people in and around Salt lake were called on a mission to go to the extreme part of Southern Utah and make homes for themselves.

This part of the country had been previously explored by some of the Church leaders, and about twenty were sent ahead.  Among those in the company was Jacob Hamblin, who was the head of the mission.  This settlement was about 350 miles from Salt Lake.

The church furnished the teams for those who didn't have any.  The trip took about three weeks.  Among those in the company was my father, Rudolph Frei and my mother Margarette Nageli Frei, who came from Switzerland as a young girl with a company the year of 1861.  My father came to Salt Lake in 1850, a year before.

Marriage of my Parents
He met my mother in Salt Lake and they were married in the old Endowment House.  My father bought his own team to come to Santa Clara.  There were 93 members in the company.

My father was born in Lutisburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland; and my mother was born in Altnau, Thurgau, Switzerland.  To them were born 7 children, of which 3 are living.  My brother, Jacob, was the oldest.  He married Lena Reber when he was 22 years old.  Next comes my sister, Mary.  She married Fredrick Reber when she was 20 years old.  I am next and I married Agnes Wilson in 1893.

My Parents, like all the colonists in early days, had to go through many hardships and exposures.  My mother had a pair of twins, of which one died, also three other children who died in infancy, on account of the hardships mother had to go through.

When they first settled in Santa Clara they lived in a covered wagon until a dugout was made to live in.  A few years later they built a log house where they lived many years, then thy built an adobe house, in which they lived to the end.  My father died in 1902.  My mother was a widow for 10 years.

The house was then remodeled, and her oldest grandson, Vivian, took it over.  I remember when I was a boy living in the log house.  Every time it rained, we had to put pans on the bed at night, so the bedding wouldn't get wet.

I also remember when we had no bread in the house.  One day Father learned that Brother Leavitt had come home from a trip up north and brought five sacks of flour.  My father was a very reserved man, but seeing us children hungry as we were (bread and molasses was our best meal in those days), took courage and went to Brother Leavitt.  When Brother Leavitt saw him coming, he knew what he wanted.  He said, "Brother Frei, all the flour is gone except a little more than half a sack, and you are welcome to that."  My father had tears of joy in his eyes.  He thanked him and left his blessings with them as he walked out.  His wife called him back and said, "Here, take these warm biscuits for your children."  She turned a dripper full of nice warm biscuits on a napkin.  You bet we thought we had a feast when father came home with those good biscuits.

My father was the first postmaster in this town.  He held that position for 20 years.  He was school trustee for many years.  They worked very hard to make a living.  I remember when we children were small, we would all go with Father and Mother to St. George field to plant the crop.  Taking our meager meal with us, working hard all day, and walking both ways.


When I was young, everbody made their own wine.  My father had some, but we used it very sparingly.  When I was young, somebody game e a drink, and it made me stick.  That taught me a lesson for life.

Mission, Marriage and Housekeeping
When I was a student at the B. Y. U. I was called to go on a mission to Switzerland and Germany.    I left school and came home to get ready to leave.  Since I was engaged to my future wife, we decided to get married before I left.  This was done, but she stayed with her mother until I cam back.  I was gone 2 1/2 years.

When I came back we started to keep house.  We sure were poor.  We lived upstairs in mother's house and for a while we had a room in my brother Jacob's place.  I taught school for a couple of years but didn't like the job.  I liked to work in the open, so I started to freight from her to Milford.

Church Activity
I was engaged in Church activity.  I was ward clerk for a number of years.  I was class leader in Sunday School for 12 years.  I was first counselor to Bishop Hafen for 10 years.  I was bishop of Santa Clara for 15 years.  When released I was ordained to the High Council.  I was first counselor in the State High Priests Quorum.  I'm class leader for the adult class in Mutual, also chairman of the genealogical committee.  I was called on a six-month mission in 1930 to California

Community Service
I was constable for two terms.  Trustee for a long time.  i was County Commissioner twice.  I was at the head of the Town Board twice.  I was on the Board of Education for many years.  I was Justice of the Peace two terms, and other jobs.  I always was willing to help build up the community.  I have been and am still Commissioner for the Farm Adjustment Deparment.

Vocation
My work is farmer and stockman.

Jacob and Lena Frei Family

Back, left to right:  V.J., Della, Effie, Elsie
Middle:  Claude, Rex, Jacob, Newell, Lena
Front:  Claude
Not pictured:  Cecil

Neg - Denise Webster

Lena Reber and Jacob Frei Family Photo

Back, left to right:  Claude, V.J., Newell, Jacob, Clark, Cecil, Rex
Front:  Effie, Lena, Elsie, Della

Lena Reber and Jacob Frei - Wedding Photo

Lena Reber and Jacob Frei - older years

Johann Rudolph Frei on Find a Grave

Birth:  Oct. 7, 1835 Aargau, Switzerland Death:  Jul. 7, 1902 Santa Clara Washington County Utah, USA Rudolph (originally Rudolf) was born in Schoftland, Aargau, Switzerland and christened in Lutisberg, St.Gallen. He was the son of Hans Jakob Frei and Anna Barbara Aerni. When he was 15 years old (1850) the Swiss Mission opened and LDS missionaries were sent to Switzerland and many of the people would accept their teachings. Rudolph was among these humble people who accepted the gospel. At age 24 (1859) he emigrated to Utah in the United States. Reasons for this desire included the fact that generally there were only one or two converts in a town and the persecutions were severe and there was no way to gather with others of his faith as there were too few to organize a branch of the church. Anna Margretha Nageli, a single girl from Switzerland came with a company of Swiss emigrants in 1860. These two met in Salt Lake City. After a short courtship they were married in the Endowment House in S.L.C. January 19, 1861. Soon after, they were called by Brigham Young to go with a company of Swiss emigrants to the extreme south of Utah as colonizers. 91 saints were in the company destined for Santa Clara. The leaders of the church were concerned about how these brave, hard-working people could best make a living. The trip to Santa Clare took over 3 weeks. The church furnished the teams and wagons for those who could not afford them. Rudolph and Margarthe were able to purchase their own. The colonists tried to be cheerful and happy on their long, weary trip. They sang songs and told stories to pass the time. In Santa Clara they found more sage brush than any thing else amd many Indians. The most difficult task was to find a place to live. They lived in their wagon box at first until a dugout was made. A few years later they built a log house, and every time it rained they had to put pans on the beds so the bedding wouldn't get wet. Their son Edward Rudolph recalls, "I remember when we had nothing to eat. One day my father learned that brother Leavitt had come home from a trip up north with some flour. My father was a very reserved man,but seeing us hungry as we were, he took courage and went to Brother Leavitt. When brother Leavitt saw him coming he knew what Father wanted and said, 'Brother Frei all the flour is gone except this little more than half a sack, and you are welcome to take it.' My father had tears in his eyes for joy. He thanked Brother Leavitt and left his blessing with them. As he walked out, Sister Leavitt called him back. She had a dripper full of warm biscuits, she turned them out into a napkin saying, 'take these home for your children.'...We had a big feast.. for biscuits and molasses were our best food." The Freis had seven children, only 3 lived to adulthood. (Jacob, Mary and Edward Rudolph). Rudolph was the first postmaster in Santa Clara and held the job for 20 years. He was school trustee for many years. He and Margaret worked very hard for a living. They walked 3 miles to St. George Field to plant crops, worked all day and walked home on one frugal meal. The Santa Clara saints made wine. Rudolph made wine but used it sparingly. In later years He built an adobe house where they lived until their death. Rudolf died in 1902, margretha died 1911. The home was inherited by Jacob Frei who sold it to his son Vivian who had it remodeled.

Lenora Knight Hafen Death Certificate

Newspaper Clipping - Washington County News, Santa Clara News Section

I have been informed that a very sudden accident occurred to Susetta Hafen, a paralytic stroke striking the left side of her body. She recovering.

Sketches of Samuel Knight (1832)

Early Life in Missouri and Illinois

Born in 1832 in Jackson County, Missouri, Samuel Knight was descended from New England Yankee stock. His grandfather, Joseph Knight, and his father, Newell Knight, had been early supporters of the Mormon founder Joseph Smith in upstate New York. They had been part of the "Colesville Branch" that moved in 1831 to Jackson County in western Missouri. In 1833, conflict with the original settlers in Jackson County drove the Mormon newcomers into northwestern Missouri.

While they squatted along the river bottoms, Knight's mother died shortly after childbirth. His father married Lydia Goldthwait and the family briefly settled in Ray County in northwest Missouri but in 1836 were pressured to leave. They homesteaded at Far West in nearby Caldwell County where in 1838 more armed conflict ensued between the original settlers and the Mormon newcomers. Knight's father participated in the militia actions around Far West. In early 1839, after their ouster from western Missouri, they moved to Commerce, Illinois, then upriver to Nauvoo on the Illinois frontier.

Migration to Utah

The Knight family departed Illinois in 1846 and were among the vanguard company that wintered on the traditional lands of the Ponca Indians in present-day Nebraska. There his father died in early 1847. To avoid possible legal claims to him from his mother's family, Knight's step-mother sent him ahead on the trail.

At the age of fourteen and traveling apart from his step-mother's and his half-brothers and -sisters, Knight entered Great Salt Lake Valley in fall 1847. He was reunited with his stepmother and siblings in 1850.

Indian Interpreter in the Southern Indian Mission

Fort Clara, sketch, 1855-1862.jpgIn October 1853, at the age of twenty, Knight was called as an Indian missionary to southern Utah and arrived at Fort Harmony in spring 1854. He was among Jacob Hamblin's Indian interpreters who founded Fort Clara on the lower Santa Clara, 1854-55. In 1856, he married Danish emigrant Carolyn Beck (1836-1869).

In 1857, the Southern Indian Mission were headquartered at Fort Clara on the lower Santa Clara River near modern-day St. George, Utah. It was part of the Iron Military District which consisted of four battalions. The platoons and companies in the first battalion drew on men in and around Parowan. (It had no involvement at Mountain Meadows.) Major Isaac Haight commanded the 2nd Battalion whose personnel in its many platoons and two companies came from Cedar City and outer-lying communities to the north such as Fort Johnson. Major John Higbee headed the 3rd Battalion whose many platoons and two companies were drawn from Cedar City and outer-lying communities to the southwest such as Fort Hamilton. Major John D. Lee of Fort Harmony headed the 4th Battalion whose platoons and companies drew on its militia personnel from Fort Harmony, the Southerners at the newly-founded settlement in Washington, the Indian interpreters at Fort Clara, and the new settlers at Pinto. Samue Knight, 24, was a private in company H in John D. Lee's 4th Battalion. Other Indian interpreters in Lee's geographically sprawling battalion were Dudley Leavitt, Oscar Hamblin, and Amos Thornton (Fort Clara), Carl Shirts (Fort Harmony), and David Tullis (Pinto).

In mid-1857, to avoid the summer heat on the lower Santa Clara, Samuel Knight, Jacob Hamblin, David Tullis and others were homesteading a mountain ranch at the Mountain Meadows. In early August, Knight's wife Caroline gave birth to their first child. His wife was seriously ill and they remained there for several months while she recuperated from her difficult delivery.

Around Saturday, September 5, having received orders from Cedar City, Knight carried orders south to Fort Clara (and perhaps Washington) to incite Indians on the lower Santa Clara to gather at Mountain Meadows. A militia contingent from these southern communities was also to muster to Mountain Meadows.

On Monday, September 7th in the evening, following the first attack on the Arkansas emigrants at Mountain Meadows, Knight and other southern militiamen met Major John D. Lee south of the Meadows, joined him and moved up to the Meadows the following day.

They arrived at Mountain Meadows around noon on Tuesday, September 8. Knight went back to the northern end of the valley to Jacob Hamblin's cabin where his wife was convalescing in their wagon box. The rest of the militiamen from the souther settlements camped in a separate encampment from the Cedar City detachment which had already arrived and set up their own encampment.

On Friday the 11th, Major John D. Lee recruited Knight and Sergeant Samuel McMurdie to drive their wagons to the emigrant wagon circle and carry away young children and wounded adults. As the emigrants filed out of their wagon circle, John D. Lee with McMurdie and Knight carrying the small children and several injured adults were in the lead. Some distance behind trailed the women and children. Bringing up the rear were the emigrant men, shadowed by a militia guard unit from Cedar City.

What occurred in the final massacre at the head of the line is contested. McMurdie and Knight testified in Lee's second trial in 1876 that Lee shot the injured adults in McMurdie's wagon. Knight said he was calming his fractious horses which were unnerved by the shooting. When McMurdie was questioned about his role, he invoked his right against self-incrimination. In Lee's later published statements he denied any killing, saying his gun had jammed and that McMurdie and Knight had shot the injured adults. But before his execution, Lee was more forthcoming; his gun had jammed after he had shot several of the adults. After the final massacre these two wagons carried the seventeen surviving children to Hamblin's ranch where Rachel Hamblin tried to calm them as best she could.

Scouting to Encounter the U.S. Army in 1858

In 1858, Knight was in the patrol to southern Nevada with Jacob Hamblin, Dudley Leavitt, Ira Hatch and others to scout for the approach of the U. S. Army from the West Coast.

Later Life in Santa Clara

In 1862, when Swiss emigrants moved to Santa Clara in southwest Utah, Knight and his family was among the few native-born Americans to remain. Except for a brief stint in eastern Nevada in 1864-65, Knight remained in Santa Clara in southwestern Utah for the remainder of his life. He accompanied Jacob Hamblin's exploring parties to the Hopi mesas and Navajo lands in Arizona in 1858, 1863 and 1873. Following the lead of Jacob Hamblin, many Indian interpreters eventually moved to Arizona to pursue their interest in the Hopi. Knight, however, remained in southern Utah and worked among the "Piedes," or Southern Paiutes.

By the time of the death of his wife Carolyn in 1869, she had borne him six children. Following her death, he married Dudley Leavitt's sister, Laura Malvina Leavitt (1851-1922), Utah born with Canadian and New England roots, who bore him ten children.

Testifying in John D. Lee's Second Trial, 1876

In 1876, Knight, along with Nephi Johnson, Joel White, Samuel McMurdie, and Jacob Hamblin, were called as prosecution witnesses in the second trial of John D. Lee. Knight's testimony can be found here.

His only polygamous marriage was in 1888 to a Missouri-born widow, Susan Charlotte Nanney Hunt (1832?- ?), just two years before the Mormon Church's Manifesto that officially ended the practice.

Later Statements about the Massacre

In the 1890s and the early twentieth century he gave several important interviews and statements concerning the massacre. With the exception of some statements contained in third-party journals, all of Samuel Knight's written statements and affidavits have now been published in Turley and Walker, Mountain Meadows Massacre: The Jenson and Morris Collections.His trial testimony in the 1876 trial of John D. Lee is available online.

Final Years

He lived on in Santa Clara, earning his livelihood as a farmer and rancher and continuing to work with the local Paiutes. He spent more than 50 years in Santa Clara. He died in 1910 and was buried there, survived by his second wife Laura and eleven children (see photo of his second family, below).

At the time of his death, his obituary noted that he was known for recounting his early years in Missouri and Illinois where he and his family had been driven from their homes on four occasions, an indication of the persistence and power of these early life experiences to shape Mormon memory and identity.

********************************************

A Sketch of the Life of Samuel Knight 1832-1910

Frontiersman, Indian Missionary,

Early Dixie Pioneer and Churchman

by

Arthur Knight Hafen - a Grandson

Writtein in St. George, Utah Mar, 1960

(Contributed by Vicki Lasswell of Santa Clara from family histories.

Copied by Georgene Cahoon Evans, Washington City Historical Society February 1993.)

Forward

When I was teaching school in Santa Clara a year or two before Grandfather died, he asked me -- in fact, pleaed with me -- to write the story of his life. I did not think seriously enought about it to become interested. i have regretted many times that I did not get the information he could have given me. So, much of his life's experiences will neer be known because so little is written.

However, he dictated some memoirs late in life which are helpful. Also, some of his experiences and the things he did are available in books or diaries written about others with whom he associated closely. It is from these sources, and from personal memories, that this sketch is compiled. This records will, therefore, not be as complete nor as accurate as I wish it were.

It is written with the hope that our ancestors and forebears will not be forgotten and that the work they did and the heritage they left us will be cherished and honored. Samuel Knight is one of many who deserve such recognition

Arthur Knight Hafen

a grandson, Mar 1960

The Name of "Knight":

The name and family of Knight (from the Media Research Bureau) is perhaps of Anglo Saxon origin - Hampshire branch as early as the 14th century. They were of the landed gentry of Great Britain. Probably the first in America was Walter Knight who came to Salem, Massachusetts in 1622. Others are listed in the 1630's and the 1640's. There were leaders in almost every field. An unusual number have been outstanding as educators, scientists, lawyers, writers, and businessmen. Several are listed as officers in the Revolutionary War.

Coat of Arms:

Northampton Knights

Arms: "Argent, on a feese between three bulls' heads erased sable, armed and ringed on the nose, or a fret between two doves of the field."

Crest: "A dexter arm embowed, vested bendy wavy sinister of four and gules, supporting with the hand a sword in pale, the point resting on wreath, the pommel surmounting a pair of spurs proper."

Hamshire Knights

Arms: 11: "Argent, three pales guiles, on the canton of the second a spur or, within a bordure engrailed azure."

Crest: "On a ducal coronet gules, an eagle displayed or."

The Knight Family Before 1832

His father: Newel Knight (1800-1847)

His mother: Sally Co(l)burn (1804-1834)

His father's father: Joseph Knight (1772-1847)

His father's mother: Polly Peck (1774-1831)

His mother's father: Amasa Coburn

His mother's mother: Experience (?) or Elizabeth Rend-Noah.

From Cordelia Knight's record the following is quoted:

"The Knight family in the early rise of the New England states was founded by two brothers, Richard and John (these are supposed to be brothers). They came to America on the ship "James", in the year 1635 from Romsey, England.

I. John, who is our ancestor, married in England, Mary (whose surname we do not know). They had four children when they came, three boys and a girl. John was born in England about 1595, making him forty years old when they came to America with his wife and children. The land that John acquired in Massachusetts was still owned and occupied two hundred years later by his descendants: 1846.

II. John, son of John the first, born 1622 in Romsey, England had five wives and was the father of 17 children; history states, "That in spite of the many wives, he lived to be a good old age." He died at the age of 92.

III. The third in line is Samuel, son of John and Mary Bridge; the third wife. Samuel was born 1675, Charleston, Massachusetts. He married Rachel Cahse' they were the parents of six children. John died 1721, age 46.

IV. The fourth in line is Samuel, son of Samuel and Rachel Chase. He was born 1709-10 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Samuel married (1) Mary Rice; (1 [?]) Annie Eames. He was the father of eight children. He died 1801, age 82 years.

V. The fifth in line is Benjamin, the son of Samuel and Annie Eames. Benjamin was born 1744 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. He married Hannah, by whom he had five children. After her death, he married Sarah. They had four children. Benjamin died 1802, age 58.

VI. The next in line is Joseph Knight, Sr., our great and noble ancestor, whose name stands at the head of our organization. Joseph was the son of Benjamin and Hannah. Joseph was born 26 November 1772, Oakham, Massachusetts. Joseph married (1) Polly Peck. They were the parents of seven children: Naham, Esther, Newel, Anna, Joseph Jr., Polly and Elizabeth. Josehp married (2) Pheby Crosby. They were the parents of two children: Esther and Charles.

Samuel Knight was the son of Newel Knight and Sally Coburn. His mother died before he was two years old. She had given birth to another son, whom they named Eli. He died shortly after birth. Grandfather lived with an aged aunt until his father married again.

His father went on a mission to Kirtland, Ohio, shortly after the death of his wife and infant son. He labored on the Kirtland Temple until it was completed.

During this time he became acquainted with Lydia Goldthwaite, while he was living at the home of Hyrum Smith, the Prophet's brother. They were married November 23, 1835 by Joseph Smith, the first marriage ceremony he ever performed.

Part of the Church was established in Jackson County, Missouri, and part in Kirtland, Ohio. Persecution was severe, and the Saints were driven from their homes and suffered extremely, as recorded in the annals of the Church. Newel was instrumental in moving the Saints from Kirtland to Jackson County in 1838. He was a member of the High Council in Missouri and also later in Nauvoo, Illinois. He had experienced the mobbings and the abuse of the Saints. He had been with the Prophet in different localities before moving to Nauvoo, where he was living at the time of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum.

He had been called to Commerce (name later changed to Nauvoo) to assist in the erection of a flour mill. Because of persecution it was later decided that the Saints move West. Preparations were accordingly made the winter of 1845-46, and by spring all was in readiness for the move. Homes and farms were sold at extremely low prices to people who flocked from all parts of the country to the beautiful city to purchase what the people must leave behind.

Newel was appointed to take charge of the first company of fifty. Because of delays, they could not continue to the Rocky Mountains, so they wintered on the prairies of Nebraska, on lands of the Ponca Indians. There was feed for the cattle, and the Indians were friendly.

Newel's health was poor during the winter, and early in January he suffered severely and died on the morning of the 11th, 1847 (age 46). He was buried that evening in a coffin made ofa wagon box. Years later on this spot on the Niobrara River, a monument was erected, enclosed with an iron fence in memory of those who died in that camp that winter.

Newel's family at this time consisted of:

Child of his first wife:

Samuel, born in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.

Children of his second wife:

Sally, born in Clay County, Missouri

James P., born at Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri

Joseph, born in Nauvoo, Illinois

Newel, born in Nauvoo, Illinois

Lydia, born in Nauvoo, Illinois

Jesse, born in Nauvoo, Illinois

Hyrum, born in August 1847 at the Ponca Camp in Missouri.

A daughter, Artemisia, was born in 1852 in Utah after the mother's marriage to John Dalton.

Sally married Zemira Palmer; James P. Married Elizabeth Jones' Joseph married Jane Judd; Newel married Jane Caroline Loveless; Lydia married John B. Young, Jesse married Amanda M. McCune. Hyrum H. never married.

******

Samuel Knight

Samuel Knight was born in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, 14 October 1832 to Newel Knight and Sally Colburn.

Grandfather experienced much of the persecution and hardships in Missouri and in Illinois during the early years of his life. His mother's death was caused by exposure to cold and stormy weather and preivations. His folks were driven from their homes in that beautiful country, for Missouri had soil and climate and opportunities for developing beautiful settlements. Nauvoo, too, so named from a hebrew word meaning, 'A beautiful place' was developed from swampy ground to become one of the most important cities in Illinois at that time.

Age 6-7

In his memoirs he states, "In 1838-39 the Saints had been driven out of Jackson County and were now living in Caldwell County, in a town near the Missouri boundary called Far West. A large mob, with state officers directing them, had assembled to drive the Mormons out of the state. On the public square opposite our home, the Church leaders were betrayed into the hands of the mob who threatened to kill Joseph Smith. There was such a yelling and howling as I had never heard from wolves or other wild animals. It kept up nearly all night. The Porphet was dragged to Liberty Jail and abused and insulted. The Saints were forced to give up their arms and give up their property. Other indignations were inflicted until in the winter months they were forced to flee to Quincy, Illinois."

He remembers a hired man driving their family through snow 10-12 inches deep, requiring several days to make the journey. He says Brigham Young and his family were in the company. They were soon commanded to go to Commerce (Nauvoo). There, many took down with malaria fever, among the his parents. He remembers carrying water to the sick. The temple was built there and many received their endowments, but the mobs raged again and the people moved across the river and began their westward trek as previously narrated.

Another incident I have heard him narrate was when the succession to the presidency of the Church, after the martyrdom, was being discussed, and he was in attendance at the meeting. As a small boy, perhaps playing with his marbles or otherwise passing the time, he was surprised to hear what he thought was the voice of Joseph Smith. He arose in astonishment and beheld the transfiguration of Brigham Young as related in Church history.

Go West 1847 - Age 15

In the spring of 1847, at the age of 15, upon the advice of President Young and friends, he decided to go west, as he was the oldest in the family, and try to prepare for those who came later by raising grain and other foodstuffs. He went with a company of 660 wagons and arrived in Salt Lake Valley July 24th. Whether he drove or assited in any way, he does not say, but I presume he helped as he could to pay his way.

He was put in the charge of a man named Dickerson, a fisherman from Cape Cod, rough in his manner and unkind in his treatment of the boy. With limited rations, it was almost starvation during the motns until harvest time. They subsisted upon roots, esegos, pigweeds, grass, or anything they could collect.

His guardian married and left the Church and joined the flood of gold seekers on their way to California, leaving Samuel without anything for his support. He says, "He drove away, leaving me a poor homeless orphan without any friends." Not knowing what to do, he wandered around until nightfall. In the fort he found a small stack of hay belonging to John Smith, the president of the stake. He crawled into the hay for protection for the night. In the morning as Mr. Smith came to feed his cow, he stuck the foot of a boy with the fork and uncovered him and assisted him to his feet. "I was in a pitiful plight - ragged, dirty and anything but respectable. I had slept out all winter without anything to protect me - in a wagon box, on sheep skins, and sage brush. My clothes had worn out, but had never been replaced by Dickerson."

He was taken in by mr. Smith's son-in-law, Thomas Callister, who was kind to him. He lived with these people two summers and one winter. "The first good meal we had in 1848 was from wheat sown by me. When it began to ripen, the family went out into the field and selected the ripe heads, dried them in the oven, shelled them by hand, then dried the wheat sufficient to make some bread. The flour was ground in a coffee mill. This was the first meal we had enjoyed in seven months.

1850 (Age 18)

His family, his mother and the children (I shall call her his mother rather than his step-mother, for she was the only mother he knew, and she was very good to him - always treated him with the kindness she showed to her own children.) Arrived in the valley in October, 1850. Needless to say, he was very happy to be reunited with them. They soon set about to build an adobe house in the southeastern part of the city. The mother taught school, and in time they were out of debt.

John Dalton proposed, to be her guardian for life and give her a good home and care for the family. She married him and moved to a farm on the Jordan River six miles west of town. It afforded her a livelihood and work for the children. They lived there five years, then returned to Salt Lake City, she having been released from her marriage. Her husband had another family and a good home in the city.

During the time they were living on the farm, important events happened to grandfather. From records available, we learn of his call, with others, to go as a missionary among the Indians in southern Utah. Exploration of the region in southwestern Utah had been made in the winter of 1849-50, but no settlement was made in Washington County until 1852. This was the settlement of Harmony by John D. Lee and a small company. At the general conference of the Church in October, 1853, the first missionaries to the Indians of the south were called and given the winter to prepare before starting from Salt lake. An open route to the sea, and protection of travelers along the Old Spanish Trail were motives for this move, but religious motives were in mind also. The leaders of the Church felt that the Indians should be taught Christianity and the ways of the civilized life.

1854 - Age 21

On April 14, 1854, a company under the leadership of Rufus C. Allen, as Captain, and David Lewis and Samuel F. Atwood, as lieutenants, started on their missions. Most of them had been set apart of their missions. They were joined by others who had been called in settlements along the way. There were 21 men and 2 young boys accompanying their fathers in that group. It was among this group that Samuel Knight went to southern Utah where he was to spend practically all of this remaining years, He was at this time in his twenty-second year. Since practically all of the men in this company were close accosiates of grandfather during the next several years, I will list them as given by Thomas D. Brown, recorder and historian of the company:

Hyrum Burgess (17)

Ira Hatch (18)

Benjamin Knell (19)

Thales H. Haskell (20)

Amos G. Thornton (21)

Samuel Knight (21)

Augustus P. Hardy (23)

Richard Robinson (23)

Isaac Riddle (24)

Rufus C. Allen (26)

John Lott (26)

John Murdock (27)

Samuel F. Atwood (29)

William Henefer (30)

Lorenzo Roundy (34)

Jacob Hamblin (35)

David Lewis (40)

Elnathan Eldridge (42)

Thomas D. Brown (46)

Robert M. Dickson (46)

Robert Ritchie (47)

In the outfit were 10 wagons, 25 horses and mules, 13 cattle, 4,420 lbs of flour, 20 wheat, 10 corn, 18 axes, 1 saw, 20 guns, 3 pistols, 2 swords, 5 ploughs, full ammunition and many "fixings." They arrived at harmony May 2nd, after being halted several times by bands of Indians, whom they satisfied by giving them bread, flour and tobacco.

(As stated, the missionaries were set apart for their missions. From the family record, we learn grandfather was given his endowments August 6, 1852, and he received his Patriarchal Blessing at the hands of John Smith August 4, 1856. This latter date was the same year he was married. The first date is before his call to the Southern Mission.)

After arriving at Fort Harmony, missionary work among the Indians began. Food and seed had been donated to them at Parowan and at Cedar City. They were advised to feed and clothe the Indians and to teach them. Conditions were deplorable. Jacob Hamblin describes the Indians as being in a very low, degraded condition - loathsome and filthy beyond description.

Labor among the Indians on the Santa Clara began as early as June. Whether grandfather went with the first group, I cannot determine, but he was called in December to go to Santa Clara and there is record of his being there January 11, 1855. They had gone to build a dam across the creek to enable them to take water for their crops.

******

In the fall of 1855 Jacob Hamblin brought his family, his brother, Oscar, and Dudley Leavitt and their families from Tooele. These were the first women and children to join the missionaries there.

During the winter of 1855-56 the stone fort was built. It was west of the present town of Santa Clara and east and south of the cemetery. We read of grandfather's acting as a guard in a company of four wagons and eight mounted men returning to Harmony, where the women and children were to remain until the fort was completed. Little was accomplished before 1857. (In 1857 a group was called to the south to grow cotton. They settled in Washington).

They had built several cabins of small cottonwood logs covered with willows and dirt. They were built in a square, surrounded with a rock wall. About 30 or 40 acres of land had been cultivated, and good crops were noted, among them cotton, which proved to do very well in this climate.

Sometimes scarcely enough water to be palatable reached the town.

(Indians at both the Muddy and Las egas had been included in the mission, but little had been accomplished in raising the standeards of the Indians' living)

In 1858 emigrants moving from San Bernardino, California (called back to Utah by Brigham Young when Johnston's Army came west) stayed temporarily with the residents at Santa Clara, and some took up permanent abode.

With the advent of the Swiss Company (1861) Indian missionaries were called to other parts of the territoy and the Southern Indian Mission passed out of existence. Years later, the government established a reservation for the Indians.)

1855

In the fall of 1855 with the arrival of the families from Tooele, there were ten families at the fort.

1856

In the summer of 1856 other families were selected. These included Weir Leavitt, Lemuel Leavitt, three brothers of Jacob Hamblin (Franklin, Alsen and Frederick), Zadoc K. Judd and Andrew S. Gibbons.

1857

Jacob Hamblin was appointed president of the Mission in 1857. He chose Samuel Knight and Dudley Leavitt as counselors. Meetings were held somewhat irregularly thereafter in the fort. The colony now was large enough that some of the families lived outside the fort. To record in detail the activities of these few years would be to give a complete history of early Santa Clara. Interesting as it would be, it is expedient here to mention only a few of the events concerning grandfather.

1856 - Age 23

Of the most importance is his marriage. Details are lacking. He went to visit his folks in Salt lake and met a young Danish girl, a recent convert to the Church. She was Caroline Beck, daughter of Herman Beck and Anne Christine Due, born May 12, 1831, in Orter Larsken, Bernholm, Denmark.

Evidently their courtship, and even their acquaintance, was brief. They were married August 3, 1856 in the Endowment House, I assume, for his record shows he was baptized October 14, 1840, endowed August 6, 1852, and sealed August 3, 1856.

If their courtship before marriage was short, their married life was happy considering conditions. She returned with him to the Indian Mission the same year. In addition to sharing the privations of the times, she had to adjust to a life among the Indians, learn a new language, and form new acquaintances. Their daughter, Mary Josephine, says of her: "It would have been difficult to find a woman with better management of the home. For the first few years she had no help, except an Indian girl. They spun and carded thread, and colored and made their own clothes. She always had food stored away for themselves, and when travelers passed on their way to or from California, she had eggs and other commodities to exchange for goods that were needed in the home."

Because of the extreme heat in the summer and o way to meet conditions by refrigeration, etc., as we do today, the families went to Mountain Meadows, about 35 miles to the north, to spend the summer to enjoy the cool air. They ranched and were able to collect a supply of butter and cheese and other foodstuffs for the winter months. There was excellent food for livestock. Jacob Hamblin owned a ranch there, and it was at his place that grandfather and grandmother had gone in the summer of 1857. Their first child was to be born there. Grandfather had employment with Hamblin, building a house, and an Indian boy, their helper, was herding with hamblin's adobpted Indian boy, Albert.

On August 6, 1857, their first daughter, Caroline Kirstina, was born. The bedroom was a covered wagon. Jacob's wife, Rachel Hamblin, acted as midwife. From the lack of proper care, the mother took cold and was invalid the rest of her life.

Perhaps contributing to her condition was another event a little later in the season while they were still in Hamblin. In September the famous massacre occurred just a few miles south of the Hamblin home. Grandfather was drafted under marshall law, which prevailed in the territory at that time, and witnessed the horrible deeds. The effects upon both her and him can only be imagined. Although she was sick the resto f her life, not being able to sit up a day at a time, she gave birth to five more daughters. To quote Aunt Mary further, "Notwithstanding her sickness, she was cheerful and pleasant."

Their second daughter, mary Josephine, was born in Provo. I do not know the circumstances, but his step-mother was living there at the time, and it may be he sought her help for his wife in this event.

The other four girls (Lenora, Emma Eveline {Emmie}, Lydia Eva {Evie}, and Sally Romania {Manie}) were born in Santa Clara.

Their home life was happy even though they never knew luxuries, nor perhaps many toys or playthings except what they made. To quote Aunt Mary again, "Mother was a wonderful woman, quiet, sincere, tactful, wise in her judgement, thrifty, and always kept order and harmony in the home. She used no rough language with her children nor neighbors, neither was she one of the borrowing or gossiping kind. All who knew her praised her."

She died February 13, 1870, at the age of 39, leaving the six little girls, largely in the care of the oldest, who was not yet 13. The girls managed well for children, sharing the duties as fitted their age until grandfather married again about two years later. The little girls were helped and treated kindly by a family whose farm adjoined theirs. The name of this family was Lay.

***

In 1857, reports were given that crops were flourishing, farms were well kept, and Indians were faring better than other tribes in the country. Elder Amasa Lyman, leader of a group from San Bernardino, California, to Salt Lake City, arrived early Monday morning, May 18, 1857 and reports: "We arrived just as the inmates were arising from their sleep. We were kindly received and entertained by Elder Samuel Knight, who had charge of the post in the absence of brother Jacob Hamblin."

Branches of the ward at Santa Clara were organized in Hamblin, Pinto, and Pine Valley. Some of the original settlers, beause of limited opportunities, moved to other settlements or started settlements at Gunlock, Meadow Valley, Eagle Valley, Clover Valley, Kanab and later Mesquite and Bunkerville on the Rio Virgin.

Grandfather remained at Santa Clara, except for two years at Clover Valley in the middle sixties. All the other original settlers, except Marius Ensign and Lemuel Leavitt, moved elsewhere.

The Swiss colony came in 1861 by arrangements properly made, and settled where the present townsite now is. Grandfather's lot and home was at the edge of the hill near the west end of the town, some two or three blocks east of the old Hamblin home.

---- [mission experiences not included here, but are in original document]

In his later years, he was absorbed in an irrigation project which was finally consumated. He initiated the extension of one of the irrigation canals to reach a body of tillable ground beyond the "black rocks," a lava bed one mile east of the town. This was done without modern machinery to excavate and remove the dirt and rocks. Some good farms were developed on this land, but the cost of the project was such that little was left as profit. A small part of the land remained in the family, but in time it was sold as a matter of necessity. He wanted it said of him, his name was cut in the black rocks as a monument to his integrity.

He conformed his life to church service as far as practicable. His last years were spent largely in the temple at St. George. He would drive his one-horse carriage and attend one session each day he could. More sessions than one in those days were not conducted.

Likewise, he married a widow in Bunkerville, nevada, during his last years. I am sure in whatever he did he tried to conform to what he considered to be his duty.

I should not close this sketch without mentioning the service his second wife rendered to the community as a midwife. For many years she attended each birth in the town, giving what relief and aid she could to others and their newlyborn babies.

And so, in retrospect we have taken a hurried glance at some of our ancestors. If we have no honor for them, could we expect our descendants to honor us? In the words of Horace Mann, we have a truism: "It would be more honorable to our distinguished ancestors to priase them in words less, but in deeds to imitate them more."

"The inheritance of a distinguished and noble name is a proud inheritance to him who lives worthily of it." ....Colton.

Samuel Knight died in 1910 (age 78).

Brief Sketch of Susette Bosshard Hafen

Susette Bosshard (Hafen)

(Written by Susette Hafen Leavitt, a daughter. Contributed by Vicki Lasswell of Santa Clara from family histories. Copied by Georgene Cahoon Evans, Washington City Historical Society, February 1993).

Susette Bosshard was born in Turpenthal, Canton Zürich, Switzerland. There she met John Hafen, a Mormon missionary, who she later married. Some time after her baptism, Susette Bosshard and her family came to America in company with other saints from Switzerland. The migration didn’t end with reaching America, however, for preparation then had to be made for the long trek across the plains, which would take fully as long as the first part of their journey.

Although the trial across the plains proved full of hardships and sacrifices, no dramatic incidents occurred, and the wagon train arrived safely in Salt Lake City in September.

Soon after arriving in Salt Lake, Susette Bosshard, her family and other saints from Switzerland, were called to form the Swiss Company and settle in southern Utah. Before leaving, Susette Bosshard and John Hafen were married in the Endowment House on October 18, 1861, as they had been advised to do by President Brigham Young.

Susette’s entire family had been called to the Santa Clara mission, where her father died after just a short time. Her brother, Herman, went to San Bernardino to work. He was so impressed with the beautiful country there in contrast to the hot, swampy and disease-ridden Santa Clara area, that he persuaded their mother and the other children to go there with him.

Thus, Susette was left all but alone in a strange and hard country. She and her family remained devoted to each other and exchanged letters for many years, but Susette soon had a home and children of her own to relieve the ache of separation from her immediate family.

As it were, home was very simple and perhaps even crude. Meager furnishings were obtained gradually. Emphasis was placed on serviceability and necessity rather than comfort or frills. All cooking was done on a coal or wood stove. Evenings were spent companionable about an open-hearth fireplace.

The little family was nearly self-sufficient, providing most of the necessities themselves. Their food, produced at home, showed little variety, but it was not scanty or scarce. Molasses was a common article at mealtime, along with milk and homemade butter. Susette baked all the bread and dried, bottled and pickled such foodstuffs as could be preserved through the winter months. They also raised and cured all their own meat.

Susette’s husband, John, spent much of his time on the road. He peddled not only his own surplus produce, but also, since he was bishop, all merchandise paid as tithing. He was able to trade the tithing goods for money at Silver Reef (Utah), and Delamar and Pioche in Nevada.

Kindness was an outstanding quality in Susette. She disliked suffering and was concerned about even the domestic animals. She felt hurt if they were neglected or abused. In her sympathetic, generous, big-hearted way, she was always ready to serve and help anyone in need. The Indians loved her, because she was always kind to them and often gave them food or clothing.

Susette was also a very lovely and talented woman. She gave freely of her time and talents as well as her material possessions. She, along with other members of the ward, often sang the old familiar Swiss songs in their fast service. Susette would accompany the singing on the organ. She loved to give readings especially in the Swiss language, at social gatherings.

Susette was very devoted to her children, and they too, in turn, were devoted to her and to each other. Even after the children were grown and married, they would return each Sunday afternoon with their children and spend much time together. They enjoyed each other and made much of being together.

It must be remembered that in rearing her babies, Susette had no medical help. Infant mortality then was high, for chills and fever and all manner of sickness was prevalent. In such a swampy environment, mosquitoes and consequently malaria were a constant menace. There were also frequent cases of malnutrition. However, it might be said that the children, who did live to grow up, were husky and strong, perhaps moreso then than now. They seemed able to work ceaselessly without tiring.

Susette accepted all these conditions as part of the life she had chosen to live. She struggled and sacrificed uncomplainingly for the gospel, which was always uppermost in her life. Always she strived to be true to her ideals and standards.

Perhaps her greatest trials came with polygamy. After she and John had been married fourteen years, he felt that he should comply with the teachings of the Church and marry other wives. Although Susette opposed and dreaded such marriages, John did as he believed he must and married other women. In all he had four wives. Susette and one other wife lived in Santa Clara; one lived in Bunkerville, and the other in Washington (Anna Mary Elizabeth Huber Hafen.)

Though John was absent a great deal before, he was now away even more frequently. Susette found life in polygamy a terrible strain.

However, her devotion and love for her children remained the same, as was shown in many ways. The family lived and worked together even after the children were married.

The farm, cattle, and property were held in common. Each married child had a home, but plowing and care of the livestock was done as a family unit, each married child having definite duties; such as, care of the cattle, fruit, etc.

This continued until after all the sons were married. As the family group increased in number, individual interest in separate homes became manifest and it was deemed advisable for each to be given his portion and carry on independently.

Susette was an example of loving motherhood. Her home was her castle and she never went very far from it. Her life and services were given willingly for her children. She was a good neighbor and enjoyed her friends. Much time was spent in visiting.

As a pioneer mother, it was up to her and others like her to provide amusement and recreation for their children and the community.

Mothers today sometimes don’t feel their obligations of staying home and rearing their children. Careers and jobs often interfere. We are fortunate to be able to look back to such devotion, love and faith as is exemplified in Susette Bosshard Hafen.

The Reber Conversion Story

"Family History Journal of John S. Stucki," pp 28-29.  Published in "They Came By Faith" by Norene Reber Mackley, p 8.

It is lucky for us that a few wonderful individuals took the time to write their experiences in Switzerland - such as daily life in general, how they received the gospel, their crossing of an immense ocean to come to America, their unbelievable trek across the 'Great American Desert', and how they came about settling in the tiny town of Santa Clara in Southern Utah.  Since our ancestors didn't leave a written history of their lives, we will have to depend on those who knew them and journeyed with them that did record their experiences!  Our journey is about to begin in earnest!

Johann Reber was married to Barbara Shenck Stucki.  Early in their marriage, he became afflicted with a debilitating form of rheumatoid arthritis that affected nearly every part of his body, especially his joints.  He walked about with two sticks as canes and was hunched over, had a noticeable hump on his shoulder, and his hands were misshapen.  Johannes and Barbara lived just over the ridge from his parents, Christian and Maria Gerber Reber.  Barbara was a sister to Samuel Stucki, who also lived fairly close, about a mile and a half away.  Samuel's son, John S. Stucki, therefore, was a nephew to Barbara and her husband Johannes Reber.

It is true that people in a community share many things in common and their lives become intertwined in a fascinating way; such was the case with the Reber's and Stucki's.  John S. Stucki's history gives an account of some important happenings in Johannes' and Barbara's lives - remarkable events that have shaped all of our lives, and even a good many others to this very day!  His history gives many insights into the lives of our Reber ancestors and their spiritual state!  I am thankful that John took the time to record his view of what happened, especially since he was an eyewitness to those remarkable events.  I will quote directly from his life history which he wrote at the age of 80:

"Continuing with a brief account of my parents:  As they felt the importance of living up to all the requirements of the Gospel, they also taught us children, by teaching and by good example, to be faithful in all the duties in the Church of Christ.  They were both hardworking people.  In the old country my father was mainly a turner and a farmer, but he had many kinds of tools so that he could do almost any kind of work.  (A turner was one who worked wood on a lathe, creating many useful tools, beautiful wooden objects, and furniture, etc.)  As they did not have much of anything to start with, they bought the a little home with a few acres of land on which they could raise grain for bread, hay to feed a cow, what potatoes they needed, and timber to furnish them with wood.  They also raised flax and hemp, and in the long winter evenings mother would be spinning."

"While mother would be spinning flax and hemp into yarn for their clothing, father would spend his long winter evenings making spinning wheels, sythe-snaths, hay rakes and forks.  When the right season came he would take cart loads to the market.  In winter, when he could not work on the outside, he always found plenty of work to do (indoors) and in a few years they got their home paid for.  They raised nearly everything they needed themselves."

"The yarn which mother would spin in the long winter evenings would be taken to some weaver, from which cloth they made their clothing.  They would raise a big fat pig each year which made lard for them to cook with.  although they did not know anything of the Gospel nor of the Word of Wisdom I think they kept the Word of Wisdom quite well.  My father used neither tobacco, nor any kind of strong drink.  They used some coffee, but as coffee was very dear they used it very sparintly.  All the money they earned went towards paying for their house."