| Biography | | Biographical sketch of the life of Peter Wilson Conover, son of Dominicus and Mary Conover
with his sons John. William Levi and Garretson, served in the revolutionary war. He returned home in the spring of 1777 on April 12, he went to'the field to do some plowing,
ith liis sons John. William Levi and Garretson, served in the revolutionary war. He returned home in the spring of 1777 on April 12, he went to'the field to do some plowing, when a heavy thunder storm came up; driving under a
large walnut tree to escape the fury of the storm he was killed. A bolt of lightning struck the tree,-killing him and his horses.
His youngest son Peter was twelve years old at the time of his fathers death, lie lived in Middlesex Co., Nov; Jersey; married Hannah Combs,
daughter of Jonathan and Martha Combs. She was the youngest of five daughters, namely'Elizabeth, Amy, Rebecca and Mrs. Enos Baldwin. They resided In
Kev Jersey until after the birth of two children, Catherine and Elizabeth. They removed to Kentucky the same year Daniel Boone did. They settled in
Layfaotte - afterwards changed to Woodford. Their first son William born July 4, 1794. Jonathan was born 1777 and Levi was born October 29, 1799.
Kaiy Ann '..-as born Dec. 5, 1801. Martha was born March 8, 1803. Peter Wilson was born Sept. 19, 1807. Dominicus Joint Garret was born Dec. 13, 1812.
I, Peter Wilson was born Sept. 19, 1807,/ in Woodford County, Kentucky, one mile from Versailcs. No incident occured worth mentioning until my
.sister Martha died; she swalled three pins and chocked to death, when I was 3 years old. At the age of four 1 started to school and continued till I
vas S years old. The fall i was ten, my brother Jonathan married Martha Bergen and moved to his home in Adair County. I went with him 100 miles, to
help drive his stock; there I saw my uncles Levi and Garretson who had :noved into Kentucky after my father died. I stayed with them 3 months ?.:id
arrived home on christmas day. I worked on the farm until I was 13 years old, when my father concluded to move to Indiana on account of slavery. Thcr<
they put in a crop of corn and my father and Levi went to 111. and left my brother-in-law Jonathan Bergen, (my sister and Mary Ann's husband to tend to
•When they came back they took the horses and we went back to Kentucky. That fall Jonathan Bergen and I went back after the wagon and implements. The
summer of 1322, my father sold out and on the 22nd of April, we started from Woodford Co. to Illinois a distance of five hundred miles. It rained on •
us meet of the time; it fell to my lot to drive the pigs and sheep. For ten miles we had to travel .in water on account of the rains of the Wabash.
Parr of the time I had to swim. We settled down amongst a lot of Indians in Morgan Co. Jersey prairie. There we took up three'hundred si>:t:h acres of
land. We lived on the farm until 1827, when I was married to Eveline Golden, daughter of Abraham and Sarah Houghton Golden. Joining my father I had
a-farm of my own, but 1 lived with my-father until I built a log house on my farm.
My first child, Aaron Houghton was born Sept. 26, 1828. When we first settled down in Illinois one morning I took my gun and went out to kill a
deer walking along in a narrow trail, an old Indian jumped from behind a tree to scare me. I leveled my gun on him and he begged me not to shoot, ha
then insisted on me going back to the house with him to buy some ammunition of my father. In 1846, I met him in Iowa. I had "quite forgotten him but
he remembered me and reminded me of the circumstance. My second child Abraham Golden was born April 1830. Charles William was born July 1832"; a moat
later the black Hawk'war broke out. In 1829, I was elected Captain of the Illinois Militia of light infantry. The Governor called for volunteers and
I v.'as aopoinced aide to Gen. Whitesides. During the days we were on the march; in 10 days we came to the rapids on the Mississippi. There we struck
his rrail and foiled him six months; in the north of Wisconsin we headed him and turned him towards the Miss, down the bad and headed him in
Otomorae swamp, there we had a fight at the mouth of the river; we.surrounded them about sunrise in the morning and fought him until about sundown
before we surrendered, killing one.' thousand five hundred. We captured him and took him to Springfield, 111. Then sent him on to Washington. We
then-disbanded and went home. My eldest daughter Sarah Elizabeth was born June 1834. On Sept. 4, 1836, John was born. 'When he was four mentis old
X noved from Morgan Co. to the center of the Rapids on the Miss. River. It was a very severe trip as the snow was up to my knees and no track broken.
I care very near freezing the day we crossed the grand prairie in a blinding snow storm. I had to walk eighteen miles driving the ccws„ pigs and
sheep, breaking through the snow every few feet. I brought 160 acres of land and made me a farm. Jeannette was born March 6, 1838. The spring of
1339, the day the Twelve started on their first mission to England, I heard my first Mormon sermon, by Elder Enos H. Gurly. Immediately after hearing
it I received a testimony for myself of the truthfulness of Mormonism. In the Spring of 1838, J. first saw the Prophet Joseph Smith, the cay of the
convention to appoint Delegates to go to Congress to try to get redress for the wrongs in Missouri. I was baptized into the church of Latter-Day
Saints on the 27th of May 1840. I had been a Cambellite member, previous to this. My wife Eveline was baptized the same time.
Catherine Ann was born in NauVoo Nov. 1840. Right after joining the church I went to work on the Nauvoo Temple. The Prophet called me to get
some men to go with me, to get some rock for the circle-windows in the basement story of the Temple, called for volunteers at a meeting held in my
house. I soon had all the men I wanted. We worked all the week and got all the rock that was needed. I then worked-;oh the Temple until Joseph callc
On me to go up to Black River to get lumber for the Temple 600 miles above Nauvoo. I started the 22nd day of September.., up the river I remained jusC
nine months and came down the river in 12 days in ar small boat. Alpheas Alonzo was born just ten days before I reached home on the 10th of Jure 18424
June 12. ' • i /- . o.
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v...<_j. vw.> ..u^ nwpiou ouscpii ptiaonetj ne cancel ior naip and i and 12 others "p were appointed to go to Rock River; we met his just after four o'clock. The round trip was 600 miles. During the trip I went 5 days and nights ~
jf^j, without sleep. I was sent ahead to my cousins Mike Craners to have them get supper for 300 men. I assisted them by killing pigs, turkeys and
chickens; by the time the company came up we had supper ready." On that trip I was appointed life guard to Joseph the Prophet in the place of a
ran by the name of who backed out and would not go. After supper .Bill Cutler and I were standing outdoors washing, and talking to cousin
Mike, when Joseph came out and asked him if he had a spare bed. lie answered, "Yes, two or three of them." Joseph said, "I went you to put these
two boys in the best bed you have." We soon after retired. Miles from Nauvoo, Emma, Joseph's wife, came out to meet us on horseback, bringing
his black horse fully caparisoned, and Joseph's uniform. He mounted his horse and we came on to Nauvoo, I held command of the jCcond battalion
of the second Cohort of the Nauvoo Legion at that time. We came to Nauvoo and Joseph was tried by the Municipal court and cleared.
I had command of the guard for 6 miles up and down the river; I had to relieve the guards every 12 hours. This was kept up for five
months. The legion was disbanded in Sept. and I think was called together the next March. Then through the neglect of other officers the
command of the Legion fell upon me. My family still lived on the farm but I was almost all the time on duty in the saddle. In 1844 Zcrelda Louis
was born. When Joseph gave himself up to go to Carthage I wanted to take my command and go with him to protect him, but he said no, he did not
wish me to go. After Joseph was murdered we went to work in the Temple that we might have our washings and annointings before we had to leave
cur home, as we were told we would have to leave in 1845. The mob commenced burning out the Saints at Green Plains 25 miles below Nauvco. I
'..•as called on to raise a company to go and move the saints up to Nauvoo. I raised a company of 90 wagons, two men to a wagon and started down.
We arrived there at 11 o'clock at night and it was raining pitchforks. It was a fearful time. Women and children wading around in the mud and
snow and wet through with no place to go. I continued helping to move'them until the sheriff called out a posse to go and make them stop the
burning. We went down and found the mob burning a house and dancing a war dance. They did dance but it was upon their horses. We chased them
for about 6 miles but the most of them got away into Missouri. After that I.went to hauling for the burned-out brethren. One trip as I was
returning with a load, Sheriff Blackstone was chased by a mob as he came close to where I saw a man came riding ahead of the mob. 0. ?. uockwell
asked the sheriff If lie should shoot. The sheriff said, "Yes." Rockwell fired and the man jumped about four feet in the air then rolled away
from his horse dead enough. This man proved to be the man World by name, the man that tried to cut Joseph's head off after he was murdered.
Sr-on after this I w a s called upon to help get out timber to make wagons for the saints to cross the plains in. Myself and three others went to
wurk and scon had enough ready, to make 200 wagons. After we got the timber for the wagons, Brother Brigham called on me to go to Quincy and - . .
get ^00 lbs. of iron for the wagons. I was gone four days on that trio. We had to make kilns to season the lumber on. I had a wagon for my
own use all ready for the cover when Bro. Brigham came along and asked whose wagon it was. .Someone told him it was mine. He came
told me that they had enough wagons lacking one, to take the first company out. Well, said I, if you need that wagon, take it and
That left me without one, but I soon had another one ready. . i .
In January, we were called, to go through the Temple and have our washings and anointings.. My wife Evaline and I went through
middle of Feb. 1346. I received a letter.about this time from the leader of the mob, telling me if I were not out of there before
he would burn my house down over my head. I wrote for him to come right along but to make his will before he come, for as sure as
would fire I would kill him, but he did not come. I waited for him to come three weeks, then moved into Nauvoo; there I stayed untij. the 22r.d
of May. . •. . - . . . -
May 5, Eveline was born: May 22, I*crossed the river and joined the camp 6 miles from the river in an Oak Grove. We then waited a few
days for the rest of the company to come up. On the 24th of May we organized a com pany and I was put in Capt. of the guard. We broke camp
on the 25th and went 8 miles.and camped for the night. I stationed a guard and relieved it at midnight. Next morning hitched up early cr.d
traveled 25 miles, camped at Soap Creek and placed guard as usual. Next camped two days at the head of Chariton river. Sister Zinn's son
Chariton, was born there. Passed Garden Grove on the left that day. Two days after arrived at Pisgah and traveled four miles farther that
dry and camped on the Platte River. We stayed at this camp one month then received a letter from Brigham to take our horses and go down into
Missouri and trade for cattle and provisions enough to come right on over the mountains with. Next day after we had left, Brigham and t'ebec cc-c
to camp for volunteers to go into the Mexican War, but all of us able-bodied men had gone into Missouri. We received a letter while ttiere to
hurry back. We broke camp the next day after getting back and hurried on to Council Bluff. When we got there Brigham and Ucber had crossed
the river, but left word with the ferryman to ferry us over as soon as we got there, but when they heard we had arrived they came right over
to see us. They went back that night, leaving word for us to come over in the morning. As soon as we could we crossed the river and drove out
to their camp which was about two miles out on the prairie, stayed there all that day and organized a company to look up Winter Quarters. »
to me
welcoc
about
three
logs ana put up houses one month. 3
Then Brigham and Heber organized a company to get up hay. I took a company of fifteen men and cut three hundred tons right where the town of
Florence now stands. On Staurday night, we went up and told Brigham and Heber what we had done. The next morning they got into their bugj»y
and rode down to see the place and our work they decided as soon as thsy saw the place to pull up stakes at Cutlers Park and move right down
$)J j there. We ail moved down and camped on Main Street. Then we all went to work getting poles and fencing our hay and making corrals and sheds
for our stock.
Cornelius E. Lot agreed to take our sheep and take care to them aid bring them to the mountains for one half of them. Brigham and heber
had about 200 head and I_had about 90. head. There came a big snowstorm after he took them and snow fell about two feet deep. The big white
wolves came down and killed 100.in one night and kept on killing until the old man came and begged us to come and get what was left. Out of
90 head I got 17 head back. I soon got rid of them and .have never owned a sheep since.
T. Cutler and I went to work and put up a hewed log house for Heber. It was 32 feet long and 16 feet wide with a shed kitchen on the
back. The next night after we had finished the house, there came up a heavy storm. My tent caught fire and burnt up everything I had in it,
leaving six of my little children without a thing to put on their backs. Heber paid me 25 dollars the next morning and I went and got clothe.3
to clothe my children. I then borrowed 75 dollars in money of Father Lamson and took my big wagon and two yoke of cattle and went into
Missouri to Keeks mill on Rock Creek. There I engaged 600 bushels of corn meal at 15 cts. per bushel to be paid for when taken away, "'any a
poor saint came to mc for a meal and thank the Lord I never turned one away hungry pay or no pay.
Once while hauling meal (Alec Williams was hauling- at the same time and it was very cold weather) I found that Alec had become numb from
cold while driving his team. I took him out of his wagon, left the team, took his arm over my shoulder and started for the nearest house two
miles away. Before we got there I had to put him on my back. When we got there I bellowed, "Open the door," for I had a dead man on my back.
We worked with him nearly all night and saved his life. It was Joseph Allen-' s house. We went over to Keg Creek on the north side of the
Missouri bottom and stayed there two days before Alex was. able to start for home. Then we started and crossed the Missouri River on the ice.
My 120 bushel of meal only lasted one day before it was all gone. Hundreds of poor people had not a morsel to eat when I got there. I kept
on hauling all that winter. The next Spring I was better fixed than before I was burnt out;
That Spring I, with my boys, Abraham and Charles broke up ten acres of land and put it into corn but it did not amount to much. Old
Father Cutler and his eldest son went down onto Missouri and took a contract to put up a house 80 feet long and 50 feet wide. The house was
for a man by the name of James Estel. The bargain was to take the rock out of the ground burn the lime and in fact do everything from bottom
to top. It was to be a rock house. When we got the walls up there was only one of the eighteen men that went down that was able to work. I
sent for my son Abraham to come after me. .He came with.the team. I was sick with the typhoid fever, was not able to go home with him for one
week. For eight days I was not able to take anything but tea.. When I started home Mr. Estel made me a present of.forty dollars worth of
provisions and would not take a cent for them.- > '' l . .
v When I got home .I found my family all sick with chills and fever, not hardly one able to wait on another and myself just able to walk.
My wife never got any better. She died on the 10th of November 1847. I was just able to follow her to the grave and that was all. There I
was left with ten little children, the youngest only two years old. What to do I did not know. .
One day as I was sitting beside the house, thinking of my hapless condition and of my departed wife, such a wife; never would I find
another such a mother for my poor children, Brother Brigham and Heber rode up to see me. After shaking hands and inquiring after the welfare
of my children, they told me they had a widow lady for me to take to the valley with me to take care of my children. I did not like the idea
but they insisted as they knew I needed someone to take care of the children.' At last, I consented to take her across the plains, her name
was Pricilla Pearson. She afterwards married Samuel Thompson and settled in Spanish Fork. She was very good to my children and they all
thought a great deal, of Zilla as we called her.
Zilia and one Jane McCarl made my children clothes to cross the plains in.' I started with 3 yoke of oxen and ond yoke of cows. We came
out six miles south of Winter Quarters and organized two companies under Brigham and Heber. They organized them into tens and fifties.
Brigham started one day, and Heber on the following day. I was in Heber's company. The second day we came to the Elk Horn River. It being
high, we had to build a raft to ferry our wagons across the river. While we were getting them over, the Indians came and stole our cattle.
Jieber's boys, and mine were herding them. We had to swim the cattle across the river so they were on the opposite side from the wagons.
Heber came and asked me to get some men and go after the cattle. I raised some men and went right after them, and had a fig'at with them.
Four of the men went down within half a mile of three hundred lodges. Thomas Ricks was shot and fell from his horse. I took ten men and
went after Tom. Wc put him on a buffalo robe and started for camp. There were about three hundred warriors upon a bluff and they started
p/ j / T h u t did not tell him that a man had been sent after him. His father took a light spring wagon and a man by the name of Whittel, also a boy
s.J) v by the name of George Boyd. • They drove down to where Ricks was shot. The Indians took them prisoners, held a council of war over them and
decided that they be shot, as there had been ten or fifteen Indians killed. They appointed the Indians to shoot them, but when they tried to
raise their guns, they could not. They told their chief they could not raise them. The chief then told the men to get in the wagon and go
home. They left Tom's trunk and a valuable two year old colt with the Indians.
After laying Tom down I yelled at the chief that we did not want to fight but had come after one of our men that the Indians had shot
and that he had got him and was going to take him home and that if they did not stop and let us alone that we would kill some of their men.
If they would let us alone we would not hurt them. They stopped and seemed to hold a council. While they were parleying we took Tom and
started off with all speed. We went about a mile when they came on again at full speed, but we had got close to the timber, each man hiding
behind a tree. When they saw us they stopped and we talked with them again. We told them that if they did not let us alone, we would surely
hurt them and they believed it for they turned and went back. I then sent two men to hunt a ford then we took Tom and carried him to the
river. We held him up at arms length over our heads, so that he would not get wet. I held the end of the buffalo robe in one hand, my gun
in the other, my amunition on my head. The water was up to my chin. Hgan wasshot in the wrist at that time.
After reaching camp and dressing Tom's wonds, we broke camp and started on, traveled eight miles In the two hours and camped when sun
was about an hour high. I placed fifty men on guard for the night. We had two alarms during the night and two shots were fired at sulking
savages. It caused quite an excitement but after we fired they fled.
An incident that happened at Golden's Point written by Jeannette Conover Whipple--The boys were playing ball about half way between our
house and the school house. A mad dog came running by them and jumped on another dog. As.they were fighting, Houghton ran up and grabbed the
mad dog by the hind .leg"and was beating its head on the ground when it bit hi111 in the thigh: He killed the dog and that broke up the game.
The boys all went down to the Mississippi River to swim and were in the water quite awhile. When they came in to supper some of the'boys told
about the dog biting HoughC. ' Mother was badly frightened and sent for the Elders and had.him administered. Father felt satisfied to let it
go at that but mother was not satisfied. She wanted to know what Brother Joseph would say about it and insisted that Father should go to
Nauvoo and see him. He hitched up his horse to a light wagon and drove to Nauvoo. He arrived about half past nine and found Brother Joseph
engaged in a game of checkers and as he didn't want to interrupt the game he waited until they were through, then Joseph turned and asked
Father what he came for. Father told him and he turned to'a man saying, "Doctor, go with Brother Conover and cut the place out." The Dr.
went home and got his instruments and they drove home arriving about twelve o'clock. They found the boy asleep; the Dr. said, "Never mind, it
will co just as well in the morning." . They went to bed and all slep but Mother.
After breakfast the Dr. sent Nought upon a table and began to cut. He was very long doing it, but finally got through. Nought who had
never groaned, got off the table and walked Into the.kitchen and said, "I would like to hit him once just for fun." Mother was not satisfied,
and as another young.man who Was bitten about the same time had used a'mad stone, they wanted Houghton to go and try it. He went and tried it
and it stuck and filled with poison fifteen times-. They never, had any symptoms of Hydrophobia although several dogs, sheep and one ewe'which
were bitten by the same dog went mad and had to be' killed. (Jeannette Conover Whipple.) •
My son, Houghton met me at Canyon Creek. He had arrived the year before.' When we reached the Valley, I went out to Mill Creek where
my son, hought, had a shanty built. My "sons, Charles and John, went with Hought to drive their teams to Salt Lake. The next day I want into
Salt Lake, got them and took them out with me. Each of them had driven a team for Heber C. Kimball all the way from Winter Quarters.
Charles was fifteen and John was eleven years old. • •
I took my team and went out to S.outh'D"y Creek to get logs to build two houses. . One for myself and my son Hought who had married Lucinda
Wilson daughter of Miles and . Hought was married January 1, 1848.
The woman that came across the plains with us left two weeks after we got to Mill Creek and went to Salt Lake to live with Levi Stewart.
Later she married Samuel Thompson of Spanish Fork. We stayed at Mill Creek until 1849 when I was called to go and help settle Prove
The boys and I came up in March and built a house, then I went back and got all my family except my little daughter, Jeannette who had
fallen on a kettle and hurt her leg causing a fever sore. She had been bedfast two weeks at Edward Dusetts in Salt Lake. I took hor to
Squire Wells and left her at Louisa Well's place. I had no one to keep house for me except my daughter Sarah, fourteen years of age. However
iunseir, orocners ana sisters. I had only about 2-% bushels of wheat, but I saved it £~
z?.£ raised one hundred fourty-seven bushels 'of wheat. I hadn't a morsel of bread in my house for my family from the 1st of April until my
wheat was threashed. It was the first' grain in Utah County..! cut it on the 16th of July about an hour after it had rained.
We put up with it until February trying to keep peace with, them; but all in vain. They called us old women and cowards. They "said we
were afraid to fight them. The Bishop appointed Miles Weaver and myself to go and see President Young to se what was best to do. Wc rode the
fifty miles in four hours and laid the case before Brigham'.. lie ordered out 150 men to come back with us, he being Governor at that time.
The night we were in the City the Indians came down and stole four head of Capt. Hunt's cows out of his corral and killed them. The 130
ren got into Provo the next night so the Indians did not'know that reinforcements had arrived. The next day we started after them. A little
after sunrise, I,with my company, crossed the river right by the for1: and went up on the west side of the river and came above their carp
with sixty men. Alex Williams, Lieutenant, took thirty men and went up on the east side of the river. When we got to their camp, I ordered
the company to face to the right and march right down to the river. They were camped on the east side of the river. When we got to trie river
we saw that their horses were all between their camp and the river. I called for some of the men to go with me to get their horses. The
Indians began to shoot at us. One old Indian climbed up a tree to see where we were but he forgot how to climb and fell down head first,
knowing that I was Capt., he tried hard to shoot me. He fired six shots at me. One ball came so near me that it blistered my cheek, but thru
the protection of a kind Providence I did not receive a scratch. We. fought until sundown. The wounded and dead we sent down to the fort.
Col. Grant ordered us to go down to the fort to get our supper as we had had nothing to eat since morning. When we started down the Indians
followed us shooting at us all the way. There had been eight wounded that day. Old Ankatowats and family were on the west side of the river
even with the fort. They said they would not fight the Mormons so wc: thought we had better bring them into the fort so they could nor. eeicgraph
our movements to the other Indians. The next morning I took ten men and went over before sunrise and brought them into the fort. Then
the whole company started out after the rest of them. They were camped orx the east side of the river. We went over the same ground we went
the day before. The snow was three feet deep, on the level all over the country.
We had a lot of sleds made of two-inch planks. We fastened them .together and made breastworks of them, fastening blankets on side next
to us. We pushed it ahead of us and'when the Indians would shoot the balls going thru the-two-inch planks and strike the blankets and fail
to the ground. The Indians did not understand this kind of work and soon began to get scared. They tried to run away. A few of the men remained
and fought them until night. When we started down for our supper again they followed us, yelling like demons. When about half way to
the fort, we turned and gave them a volley, they scampered back in a hurry. The second day of the fight, Black Hawk, only a boy then, shot at me
iwoce with a bow and arrow. One struck my buckle and cut half way through. The other one struck my scabbard but my time had not come. I
don't think I was born to be killed by an Indian. That Fall I married my second wife Mary Jane McCarl,
The next morning after the two days' fight with the Indians we found that they had-broken camp and left for the mountains. We went to
see what they had left and found that they had left their dead and wounded lying on the snow in every direction.
Cur company divided, some going one way, some another. They found small squads all around. Took a few prisoners. Most of them were
asleep when found. The company from Salt Lake went home. Nothing of importance occurred until 1852 when Walker the War Chief of all the ;;te
nation, came down to Provo with a large force intending to .massacre all the Mormons and clear them out of the country.
Old Sewette, another chief but a friend of the Mormons, came right after Walker did with a large force of friendly Indians. He came
and told me what Walker was going to do and said Walker should not come into the fort as long as he (Sewette) lived, for he and his men were
going to fight for"us. He came in the night. I immediately waked every man in the fort that had a gun and had every man arm himself and
stand guard so as to defend ourselves if they made an attack. Sewette would not allow them to fight. At last they all went away together.
I never saw Walker again. We stood guard all night until they went.
In the Spring of 1853, I was appointed Colonel of the Nauvoo Legion, Then came the Walker war of 1853. Arrapenc and several other chiefs
care down to fish and were very friendly. In going back to Payson where the rest of the band were camped, they had.a row with Jim Ivis over
trading a gun. They had the fuss between Payson and Springville. Ivis knocked the Indian down and that was the first of the Walker War. They
went back to Payson that night and killed one of the guards by the name of Keel. An express was sent immediately to Provo for help, as they
said the Indians were murdering all of Payson. I was at breakfast, but jumped on my horse and x>?ent up to town, called out all the Captains,
told them to order out so many men for duty as quick as possible, then went to Springville and ordered out a company there, another at Spanish
. '^ j v V ' t n ^ ^ l i A.«/W lltW .» vwwj iv*. uuuy. duns ii JL JJUL tnere tne rnarans naa aj.1 lert.and went to the mountains.
oj JiPJl called the brethren together and held a council. They wanted us to say there that night as they feared an outbreak. We stayed until
J t* o'clock. By that time I thought we had better murry on to Manti, as that place was an "put of the way place" and we feared the Indians
eight make a break there. We went to Salt Creek that night. We met Gaorge A. Smith at that point. He said we had better wait until
morning and have supper there. The next morning we started before sunrise. Got to Manti at 4 o'clock. I put out pickets to guard the place
that night. My company met the Manti company under Nelson D. Higgins", and held a council to see what had better be done. I made the
proposition to Higgins to take whole command of all the men or let me. But he said no, wc would command our men. That night the Indians made
a raid on all four sides of the town at once. The guard repulsed them and they soon left. They went up in the canyon and stole two yoke of
cattle. In the morning I started 25 men to try and get the cattle and try to find where the Indians had gone. Sent another company to Twelve
Mile Creek to see if any of the Indians had gone that way and to try and find their trail. Jabez Knowlton found them in the canyon. Some ten
of then had killed the cattle and were dressing it. They fought and killed that squad of Indians. They saw Walker and his band coming over
the hills and they rushed back to camp. We held another council and decided that I with my men would follow the Indians, and higgins with
his men would-stay and guard the camp.
The next morning a carrier came from the Governor with word to come right home. We came to Wrillow Creek that night. The Indians
followed to try to stampede our horses. They came.very near getting them. They came in on three sides of the horses. Their watchword was a
howl like a wolf. I understood their signal the first howl they made. I knew it was no wolf so put my men on their guard, The next day we
got home. Had no more trouble with them until late in the fall.
In 1854, I received orders from the Governor to see if there were any hostile Indians around. Soon after Steve Markham came to me to
knew what to do with a small band of Indians' out to Goshen, who were very troublesome. ,1 asked if he wanted help. He said, "No, they had
men enough but what should they do?" I ordered him to take his men and rout them, and if they would not quit stealing, use them up. They
did. The fall of 1354, I was elected Brig. General. I then had command of the whole county. Had no more difficulties with the Indians
until 1856. Tom Johnson, a U. S. Marshall came with a writ to take old Tintic for murder and stealing. He ordered me to raise men to help
hi-.. I jumped my horse and went to see the Governor, to know what to'do.. I got there at one o'clock at night. President Young made me lay
down and take a nap. His orders were not to fight. If they could not take him peaceably to let him go. He told me to go and got a posse of
men and go and get the cattle Tintin's band of men had stolen, if possible. I started, right on, crossing the lake of ice. - It was February.
I took 80 men and went over the Tintic mountain. It took us all day. We found a good many cattle dead on the trail, for when one mired down
in the snow they killed it. My horse slipped off the trail in one place and down he went, but I stuck to him and he brought me out all right.
At daylight we passed thru where Eureka now stands and camped about one and one half miles down in the valley. But not to sleep. To sleep
would have been death, it was so cold. I walked from one fire to another all night. Some of the men got SON cold that they burnt cue the
fronts of their boots while their heels were freezing. The next morning we had no trouble getting breakfast, as we had nothing to ccok. Some
few of the boys had a biscuit but ate it as they went along. We followed down to where Jerico now stands, 12 miles below Eureka. There the
Indians took the right into the cedars in the hills. About noon we came upon their camp where they had about a dozen kettles of meat boiling
almost done. The beys soon put themselves outside of most of it. We then followed the Indians, who had left upon seeing us,' over the hill
into the valley. Tintic had now divided, party going to the right after them until we overtook the cattle south of Cherry Creek at a big sand
ridge. But no drivers could we find. They were nearly given out, some of them had their tongues hanging out. Some were given clear out. ' I
did not know where' there was any water, so we took them and started for the Sevier River. We got there about 9 o'clock at night. Just after
'we got to the river, one of the boys shot an ox. It must have weighed 400 pounds. We made a fire in the greasewcod, cut the meat in pieces,
threw it on the fire, and as soon as it was warmed thru, ate it. No salt or pepper was needed to make it a delicious morsel. Some of the
boys ate so much they did not want any more for a week or less. We broke camp the next morning at daylight. We found we were 8 or 10 miles
below the mouth of the Sevier Canyon where it empties onto the desert. We concluded to move up to the mouth, so we I.e. ft 10 men to guard the
cattle and took the rest and went back to where we discovered a horses' trail the day we routed them out of the cedars.
We went back and where we left the trail, looked up the side of the mountain and spied about 20 head of horses. We stopped, held a '
council and decided to go after them. . I ordered By Pace to take his company and go the left side of the ridfe, while I went to the right with
my men. AI Hunington and an Indian belonging to John Berry, of Spanish Fork, laid down on the side of their- horses and ran right around the
horses and drove them down to us. We got all of them we wanted, and started back to camp. The boys had killed another beef so we tOok beef clear again. The next morning we started up the river and got to the mouth of Chicken
Creek. There we turned north to Dog Valley and camped there and killed another beef. Next day we came to Ncphi, had supper and breakfast
and fed the cattle and horses hay in the tithing yard. We then came oa to Provo as fast as we could. I issued an order for the people that
owned the cattle and horses to come and prove them and take them away.
This, the Tintic war, was my last raid. We then put in our crops. That Spring along in June, Brigham got a telegram to the effect
that Col. Harney was coming out to hang all the Mormons. Brigham sent me an order to take a company of men and go out to meet the army. After
I had gotten my company organized he concluded that we had not amunition enough, so he ordered me to take ten men and go and get the Carson
Valley Missionaries to come in, and he would send my orders and a guide to Rush Valley to meet me. Other men were with him. I had ten men
with me. We did not travel on the northern route as the Snake Indians were so bad there. In Fish Valley, I met the guide. He was 0. E.
hunington. The Governor sent me orders with the guide.
We left Provo on the 17th of August, 1857. We arrived at Johnson's Fort on the 19th, on the west side of Rush Valley. There we waited
for the men from Salt Lake. They got there between sundown and dark the same day, bringing the orders spoken of. Then I knew what was
er.-pec tec of us. We were to leave the Humbolt to the north, and push on to the south of Carson sink. We never saw an Indian until we arrived
at Carson Valley. We traveled 40 miles that day, across the desert west of Salt Lake, We had no water until wc got half way across, when we
left the road and went up two and one half miles on the Granite rock. That night we camped at the springs at the Redding Springs. We passed
over the Mountain the next day (21) and got to Deep Creek at noon. We camped by the bridge, let our horses eat and we got our dinner. We then
pushed on as fast as we could, traveled 25 miles and camped at Antelope/Springs. Had good feed for our animals. Next morn (22) we went on over
the hills and thru the pass to the head of Steptoe Valley. We camped at the springs at the head of the Creek, had good feed and good water.
Next day (23) we traveled down Steptoe Valley till the road left it and took to the Cedars to the left, and went in a northern direction till we
got in the south end of Ruby Valley. We traveled about 40 miles that day and camped at a spring in the south end of the valley. On the 24th,
we traveled north for 4 or 5 miles, then turned tb the northwest and took our course thru, a big Canyon known as Railroad Canyon. Passing over
between the Ruby and Humbolt Mts. we came down to the south fork of the Humbolt River, where we camped that night.
.On the 25th we took nearly a west course and traveled up the'stream until we struck Hastings road. About 10 o'clock we nooncd at a
spring at the head of a creek. After noon we traveled about a half mile when the road became so steep we had to dismount and lead err horses
until e got to the top of the mountains. It was so steep on the other side that when Hastings crossed, he had to take his wagons to pieces
and let them down with ropes, a piece at a time. They cut poles and slid their boxes down on them. Wc led our horses down but had to be very
careful of our footing. It was called breakdown pass. When we were at: the top we could look back over all of the road we had come over. We
looked down into what is now known as Wines Ranch Valley and saw a large spring which we headed for. When we got to the foot of the hill we
found the poles Hastings had slid his wagon boxes down-on. We camped at the spring for the night and started again the next morning '26) at
about 9 o'clock and traveled until we-came to Sardine Springs, about 4'o'clock on the top of the divide. Between Wines Valley and the Greac
Western Desert, we cooked our last pancakes for the want of water. Our Guide said we would find water in ten or twelve miles at the fartherest.
So we did not fill our canteens except one man who filled his. When we got to where we expected to find water, we found there had been quite
a lorge stream and it had washed a place about twenty feet wide, but it was dry. The guide said, "Come on, we will find water sure about
twenty miles farther on." By this time it was night. We went down a little ways but found no water. We went on the twenty miles, got there
at 11 o'clock but still there was no water. That stream had run clear across the desert, but now it was dry. I told the company I thought if
we would go to the head of this wash we would find water. So we started up the ore bed, men and horses nearly given out, as we had ridden
twenty four hours without food or rest. We traveled to the head but fcund no water. We then retraced our steps back to where we struck the
ore creek bed. The guide said we would find water some time that day, couldn't say just when." WTe traveled on, men and horses almost
perishing withhur.ger and thirst. I was worrying along with my pack animal. She had given out but I was trying to get her along, so I would
not have to leave her to die. George Bean stayed with me to help get her along. The rest of the company were about two miles ahead. Dean's
tongue as well as mine was swollen so badly we could scarcely keep them in our mouths. By this time the rest had got to where they expected
to find water, but like the other place, it was dry. Oh, what a sight for perishing men! This was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The
guide had given up completely. He could not see," hear, or make a loud sound. He had given up to die. We had told one of.the boys what to Co
with everything we had, also what to tell his wife, and friends at home. Steve Moore and Joe Dudley said they believed the guide was lost, and
they were going to find water. They left him at the wash-and s.aid if they found water they would make a smoke to let us know that they had
found some. They did find some, and thereby saved the lives of the company. When Bean and I saw Dudley start for the mountain, we looked
in the direction they were going and I saw green willows. I told Bear, there was water. So we started for the willows. As we started tip the
canyon, my pack animal spulled me off my horse. I told Bean to hurry on, and I would come as fast as I could. I got off my horse and pulled
her along about one hundred yards, when she pulled me off again. Then I left her and hurried on to that blessed haven. Joe Dudley met me with
half a gallon of water. Oh, what a draught! It seemed as though I had never in my whole life tasted anything half as good. Then I -..cat up
to the spring and rode my horse right into the water and commenced drinking and running water on myself and horse. That helped to quench out
thirst. I then turned my horse loose and turned my attention to the ethers as they came up. When they began to drink I would threw water on
them. Dave Canfield came up and began drinking. I was going to throw some en him, when lie turned on me and said, "If you throw water on me
I will shoot you," I laughed at him. "Why, Dave, you will kill yourself." "it is none of your business if I do," he said. Ne drank until
he could drink no more, then turned and crawled around on the ground, Oh, the pain he. was in! I called one of the-boys to come and help me
drag him up the hill. We each took a leg and started up the bank, him. kicking and trying to get loose. We dragged him to the top of the bank
then the water commenced running out of his mouth like water running out of a hole in a barrel. When he called for more water, I went and got
him a quart, which he drank. I said, "You have nearly killed yourself now." His animal stood where he had left it. So I told one of the
boys to get his blanket off the horse and spread It out.and lay him on it. We laid him in the shade of a cedar where he laid like a log until
night. After that he was alright. The boys had all come up with the guide. Steve Moore had taken four canteens of water on his shoulder and
ran like a deer, jumping sagebrush and everythi ng in his way. He ran six miles to give some of the perishing boys a drink. We all began to
feel kindy hungry." I told the boys we would have to have some meat and to go down and butcher my pack animal, we could not get her to the wate
Ore of them went down and shot and dressed her and while they, were doing that, I took a little brass kettle and made some mush, just thick
enough to drink out of our tin cups. By- this the boys began to come up with the meat and began throwing pieces on the fire and roasting it.
As soon as it was cooked, we began eating it. When we had eaten enough we jerked the rest to take along with' us. While wc were jerking the
meat, the guide cleaned the entrails to carry water in. We started on about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, traveled all that night and the next
day the 30th. We came to the sink of Walkers River. There we found a spring' of poisoned water. I cautioned the boys about drinking it as
it looked too pretty and clear. One of the boys was so thirsty he thot he would try seme. The man did not go any distance before it went
thru him like croten oil. We traveled on till about 11 o'clock at night'when we reached the South side of the sink of Carson River. I had
taken Wheeler and rode on ahead and found a band of Indians. Wheeler had been there years before and was acquainted with some of
them, and could talk their language. We rode right into the camp of about fifty lodges. They were drying fish. I asked the chief through
Wheeler, how far it was to Rag Town. He said, "If we went up the river it would take all day, but that he could take us there in two hours.
We told him if he would take us there we would pay him in tobacco and amunition. So he agreed to pilot us to Rag Town where we could get
provisions. We got there and back. Traveled fourty miles that day. When we got there they were just sitting down to dinner. The Chief
invited us to eat and we thankfully accepted the invitation. While eating I told the chief what I wanted, that I had a company of men back
On the road and they were starving and I wanted something for them to oat. I got fifty lbs. flour, twenty-five lbs. bacon, one dollars
worth coffee and $1.00 worth tobacco. We packed on our horse and started back to meet the company. We met them five miles back and there we
camped for the night on the river bottom-where there were plenty of good feed for the horses. We turned the horses out and the boys commenced
cooking.
August 31-rWTe started and got to Conger's house about 9 o'clock. There we met a man from Washee Valley where we intended going. This
man informed us that the President of that place was calculating to go with the company to Salt Lake to conference. I called the company
together and told them what I had heard and told them that we must get there before they started as my business was with the President. It
looked like an impossibility as our horses were jaded and we had traveled so far without water and it was twenty miles away. We got feed
again at Congers, about fifty lbs. more flour and some coffee and other stuff. We traveled until about 11 o'clock then stopped for dinner.
After dinner I called the guide and Samuel Dalton (who both had good mules) to accompany me. We traveled all that day up Carson River and
came to a saloon kept by a man called Dutch John. There we got some crackers and cheese and ate supper about dark. After supper we mounted
our horses, left the road and started over the mountains, thru sagebrush etc., following an Indian trail. We traveled till midnight then lost
y
I 6f
the trail. We then dismounted and lay down until day break September 1. I got up and found the trail then woke the others up. We saddled up
as quickly as possible and started on over the mountain. We traveled about a mile and reached the top. From there we could see Washoe settlement.
As scon as we got to the top of the mountain my horse squealed as loud as he could, acting like he knew there were people there. Under
the edge of the hill was a log cabin. When the horse whinnied the inmates came to the door. We rode up and inquired how far it was to Washec.
They told us it was six miles and showed us what part of the settlement the President lived in, we then started on. The horses acted like they
had new life. We reached the President's house just as he was sitting down to breakfast. We called him out and he motioned us in at the gate.
I gave him my message. In the express it asked for all the ammunition we could find, and for me to take the money and go to California. The
President furnished us $5,000.00 that he had received for tithing and which he was going to take to Salt Lake with him. After breakfast we
walked out into the town.
The President sent out four or five boys to tell the people to come to a meeting at 9 o'clock. At the appointed time we met the people
at the school house, ree' the message to them, told them what was wanted ro rally back to Salt Lake. The express told them there was difficulty
c ~ ** r veen the Government - ': the .Mormons, and that they were all requested to break camp and hurry back to Salt Lake as quickly as possible.
After meeting was disirp ed the President unloaded his buggy, took our horses and turned them into his wheat stubble. We then hitched his mules
to the wagon and we st :ed for Eagle Valley twenty-five miles from Washee.
en we got to E .e Valley we called the people together and held a meeting at 2 o'clock. We read the express to them, told the me s'.i'-.e
of returning to Salt 1 .ke, to furnish all the guns and ammunition they could and if they could buy any powder, to do so. This was not a very
large branch. They f irnished $20.00 to buy ammunition. We were treated very kindly and after meeting ate dinner with them. The brethren
were very thankful ! • have the chance to return. We then hitched up our teams and started for City in Carson Valley, twenty-five
miles farther c...- We arrived there after dark. We called a meeting and ,kept up till 10 o'clock. That night we raised five dollars more. Th
nexc morning at ten o'clock we called the people to meeting again and made arrangements to send after the ammunition. Rob Walker started for
San Francisco with $12.60 in gold, with orders to buy ammunition and to deliver it to Stockton by steamboat. The people agreed to meet them
there with teams to bring it away. I waited four days 'to get.teams. -The people concluded that if they had to move to the Vallley they would
have r.o more teams than they needed themselves. We held a council to decide what to do. Bob Walker was a clerk of Wm. Nickerscn, a merchant
of Genoa, and was"going Co San. Francisco to pay for some goods he had bought and to get some more. That was the reason I sent the money with
him to buy the ammunition as he was well known there. At the council I decided to go with 0. B. Hunington after the ammunition if the people
would furnish horses, saddles, blankets etc., and they agreed to. The next morning we got the horses and started on over the mountains. It
was the 6th of September. Two young men volunteered to go with us as there were bad reports about robbers on the road. We rode all day and
it night we stopped on the Sierra Nevada Mountains and built fire to get warm. We stopped there to rest until daylight. rm .•_ came
we saddled our horses and rode until about 9 o'clock. When we came to a house and got breakfast and fed our horses. We paid $2.00 for a bushel
of cats also $2.00 for our breakfast. We. then mounted our horses aid Went on. About 2 o'clock we came to the big trees where we fee our
horses and got breakfast. Then mounted and rode eighteen miles to a place called Angels Camp. Supper was very near ready when we fed our
horses and called for supper. I gave the tavern keeper a letter of introduction from William Nickerson. He received us very kindly and created
us very nicely.'that night. Next morning I got up very early and made a good many inquiries .about Walker. I told the tavern keeper I was
very anxious to .know about Walker and'would give almost anything to hear from him/ He told me he would tell me for two-fifty. We went right
in and teiep.raphed to Walker to know if he had received what we went for. The answer came back in about ten minutes, that he had received alt
he went for and had it all ready to be shipped on the steamboat.
Or. the fourth I got up very early in the morning and went over to the tavern. The news boy came and threw the daily paper on the stand.
I picked it up and started to read. The first thing that I saw was that Harney had started with fifteen thousand men to hang all the M
That on the 22nd of July the Mormons and Harney had a fight. The paper said the Mormons had killed six hundred of.his men and
gone back for reinforcements. That the Mormons had sent for two thousand dollars worth of ammunition and as many"pistols and guns and that
they must be stopped at some point. This then was the place where they must be stopped. I read this in the Sacramento Bee. I laughed foe
the ammunition had not even arrived there yet. Just then Travers, the tavern keeper said, "What's up now?" I told him I wa.s laughing at
this damned lie in the paper. He said, "How do you know that it is a lie?" I said, "Because I started out on the'17th andthe Mormons were
all at home minding their own business." Just then I gave him a Masonic sign and he returned it. Said I, "John, two heads are better than
.•j Li..en;
T- -
one." He called me into a back room and asked me again what was up. He sat down on a sofa and I told him the whole truth, what we had come
for and all about it. Hesaid, "It is a shame that you should have had such a dreadful time and as you have paid for it, you shall have it
if I have any influence." The idea a'fter you have bought it of the Government, and paid for it, that the Government should try to take it
away from you." I had my team already hired and in the yard ready to leas as soon as the ammunition should arrive. Walker had brought
twelve thousand lbs. of other goods and brought with the ammunition, Next morning Travers handed me the key to his warehouse where the goods
were consigned to. Our horses were stabled near this'warehouse and we had a tent and slept in it to guard them. When we went into breakfast.
thn same paper came up again with the statement doubled.. The miners that boarded at the tavern were determined to take the ammunition away from
me as soon as it arrived. It arrived on the 15th in the night in a big rain storm. We were lying at the warehouse waiting for it. I opened
the gate myself for the wagons to come in. As soon as the wagons stopped, I slid under and loosened the trail wagon and ran it into the warehouse
and locked it up. Then came out and took the hind end gate out of the big wagon. About fifty men began to pour in with a big Kissourlan
at the head. I said, "Gentlemen, I am very glad you have come, for I want help to unload so I can get away as quickly as possible. The
Captain said that was what they had come for was that ammunition, and they were going to have it." The first thing that presented itself in
the hay wagon was a big barrel of whiskey. The Captain took hold and helped lift it and set it on the scales to weigh it. When it was weighed,
we set it on the platform. I took a big augur down from overhead and bored a hole. I then drew off a bucketful and called on all hands to
come and have a drink. They came to a man. The Captain and I got into the wagon and began handing out the goods. Walker weighing and leading
into the other wagons with others to help him. The Captain did not know anything about carrying powder in boxes so we handed out the case? of
cannister along with the other boxes and kept on'until we had it all unloaded and loaded into the other wagons. It was now about 11 o'clock
at night." The Captain was very disappointed, about not finding a single keg of powder in the wagons and got very mad about it. He swore that
•if he had the man that printed that newspaper that he would hang him in a-minute, for there was not a lb. of powder in the wagons, nor a gun
or a pistol. They began to go by two's and three's until there was not one of them left there with us. After they had left, we sat down end
rested, as we were tired and warm, it being very warm weather. After all was still, we rolled out the trail wagon. I had reserved two small
wagons to haul the ammunition in. We weighed, it and loaded it into these wagons. Then as- the moon had just risen, the. boys hitched up their
teams and started right out. Walker, 0. B. Hunington and myself stayed until the morning of the 16th to settle up with, the tavern keeper
and get our breakfast. After breakfast the big Captain'came to me and wanted to know what I was going to do with the gun-s and ammunition. I
had bought. I told him what I had brought was mine and it was none of his business what I did with it, "Well," he said, "I will joe. you
before you get to Carson." Well, said I, "If you follow me, I will kill you and bury you without a sheet." We started out, but I never saw
the Captain again, though some of the miners did follow us but they caused us no trouble.- We did not overtake the teams until about noon
that day. They were traveling along when we overtook them. We went about four miles farther, found some grass and stopped. We placed a guard
about the horses and one in camp. 0. B. Hunington and myself went back about fifty yards and slept beside the road under a big tree. Got up
the next morning, 17th, and started on. That night we camped on the. river. On the 18th, we had to double our' teams for seven miles right up
a mountain. It took us nearly all day to, get them up. Traveled about four miles farther and camped near the same house we camped by when' we
went over. The next night the 19th, we camped at a lake about eighteen miles from Genoa. The 20th we got to Genoa about three o'clock in the
afternoon. The camp had moved out about four miles on the road. We went on and overtook them that night. I went to the President and asked
"about getting wagons to haul the ammunition in the rest of the way. He said they had' not a spare wagon. Everyone was loaded to the bows.
I finally went to a teamster by the name of Luke Murphy and told him I wanted to ask a favor of him. He said yes, willingly, but how can I get
home. "Oh", said I,'make a bargain there with hart to take you home.. "Alright," said he, and that was settled. There was a company of about
twenty families came, on with us. They had paid no tithing, but were well able to pay theirs. So I went to Zack Cheney. He being the herd of
the company, and told him I had been to California and got ammunition and. now I had no team to haul it home with. That I had bought a wagon
and team and wanted $500 to pay for them. While we were talking.Joseph Murdoch came up and said he wanted to buy .the little wagon for his
family to ride in. I sold it to him for $50.00 then I went back three miles to Genoa and bought a new wagon of Warren Smith, paid $200 for it.
I took the mules I had bought and went right up and bought the wagon. Then my load was most" too heavy for my mules, so I called for more team.
Joseph Murdoch furnished a mule and a horse. The 21st day, we started home. Evert Orsier drove, the team into Salt Lake.
We formed our company in companies of fifties. We had five companies. There was from one to three men to every team. We started down
the Carson River, traveled thirty miles then camped on the river that night. That night the President called the company together to choose
a Captain of the guard. They unanimously voted for me to be Captain of the Guard. I then placed guard for the night. At 12 o'clock relieved
guard. Cn. the 22nd we traveled 31 miles' arid camped on the river bottoms. The 23 we reached Rag Town where we left the Carson River to cross
the desert. Each one had to take all'the water they could carry, as there was no water on the desert. We started on the desert about 4 o'clock
in the afternoon and traveled all night. At 12 o'clock on the 24th we came to the sink of the Humbolt. We had about three hundred head of
horses and mules besides all the rest. We. turned them all down on the sink to get water. They began in a hurry to get something to eat.
Before we got supper ready, the men who had been sent to take our ammunition away from us came to camp. They tried to stampede our horses,
but we were on our guard. I told the guard to holler every half hour or hour. This they did lustily. They could have been heard half the
world over it seemed to me. When I went to relieve the guard at midnight, three of the men came and wanted to get their horses, as they would
rather travel in the night.- I told them they could not get their horses, for if they tried to catch them, it would stampede all of the horses.
(And that was what they wanted, to do.) John Murdock said, "The first: man that swung a lasso in that band" of horses was a dead man." And he
meant it too. I told the men to come back to camp and stay, till morning, then we would get them all right. I put them under guard till
morning. Then I went to Nickerson and told him that I wanted some liquor to treat the men to. I got a quart and called the six men to come
up and we would settle the scrap about the horses. They left their horses, and came up to get their bitters. I handed the bottle to their
Captain and told them to drink hearty as we had plenty. The six men emptied the bottle then asked me if I would sell them some. I said, "Yes,
I will sell you all you can find dishes for." The Captain sent for fill the canteens and flasks they had. They each had a canteen and there
were five flasks between them. The first thing they handed me x>;as a pint flask. I filled it and they enptied it. I kept on until I filled
all they had. I then asked if they would sell us some of their guns as they were going back. They had told us that they would never follow
a Mormon again.' They said yes, they would sell them. We bought all but'one pair of -revolvers which a young man said were his father's.
They acknowledged that they had orders from the Missouri' Captain to stampede, our horses and run them back, but they ware sick ot their job.
They took their horses and left, and we thought that we had got rid cr them. That day we traveled up the Humboldt River until we came to good
water. That night we camped on the Humboldt. We kept the stock in a bend of the river and had a good guard over them. On the 25th we started
early, camped on the Humboldt River again. The 26th traveled up the river, 27th,' still on the river. On the 28th, I had a talk with the
Captain of the company. Chester I. .. We then went to the President and I told him I thought we ought to send an express to the
Governor to let him know how we were getting along. He opposed the idea. I asked him for grub to come in with and he said he had none to spare.
I told him I would come in and kill my grub on the way. He ordered the company to go on. Five of us stayed back and fixed our packs and got
read to come in on an express to the Governor. We started about noon, came over the mountains into Ruby Valley. Camped at the foot of the
hill at a little creek. Here we found good feed.for our horses. The 29th we started in a southwest direction and continued until we got to
A-ntelope Springs. Traveled forty miles that day. The 30th came to the head of Steptoe. Arrived after dark. Got our supper and decided to
go on that night. Reached Deep Creek at sunrise the next morning, the 31st. In the twenty four hours we had ridden about seventy miles.
Being tired after breakfast, we lay down and slept till 10 o'clock, then'we got up. Our horses had eaten enough and had laid down too. I get
up and called to the boys to get the horses and we would go on. . We came to Redding Springs where we got our supper. Then rode cn to Granite
R.ock. We went up into the rock and got water for ourselves and horses. Then came back and rode on some twenty miles before day. We had rode
eight miles without rest. We got to Mountain Springs October 1, stopped and got breakfast. We rested ourselves and horses till about noon,
then came on into Salt Valley. Rode twenty five miles to Hooper's Ranch. Camped till the norning of the 2nd. Then crossed the mountains over
to Grantsville and-stopped at James Coolcys. They were very glad to see us as they had heard we were all killed, and had heard nothing different
until we came in. They soon got us some dinner. After which we went on to Black Rock to Lorenzo Young's, There our horses were fed and wc
got supper. Between sunset and dark we started on for Salt Lake City. 0, B. Huntington got to his house about 11 o'clock at night. It was a
happy meeting for they also had heard that we were killed and they had heard nothing to the contrary until we came in. They soon got us some
supper then we lay down and_rested until morning. On the 3rd we went to the Governor's office and made our report. The Governor had twenty
five men fitted out to go and hunt us. On the 9th the boys that went out after the army came in and me at the President's office. Four of my
boys, Hought, Abe, Charles and John were with them. They were so ragged and dirty I was ashamed of them. I called them down to Captain
Hooper's store. I told Captain Hooper that .I wanted some clothes for the boys, lie began to say something about pay. I told him he ought to
be ashamed to say pay for the boys had been out all summer without any pay and had worn out their clothes. So he said no more but began to
hand out clothes. He did not hand out fast enough to suit me, so I jumped behind the counter and began to hand down clothes to the boys.
"Say, Cap," says I, "If you want to know anything about these things, send a clerk to take account of them." A clerk soon came and gooked th
things taken. When we had got what clothes we wanted, we started for home. It was the morning of the 5'ch. I found my family all well and
glad to see me. I stayed at home four days then had orders to go to Echo. On the 10th of October we started for Echo. Stayed a few days,
then was detailed to take two prisoners into Wall's camp. William Hickman and myself took an express to the Governor then I came home to Provo.
Nothing particular happened then for some time. While I was gone out to Carson, Snow and Blackburn took $400.00 worth of my horned stock and
killed it without leave or license to do so, to feed the boys out to Echo. They never gave an account of them. The next spring I had to turn
o-:.z my last cow to Captain Hooper for the clothes I got my boys when they came in from Echo. In 1858 was the time of the move. Ail the Saint3
in Salt Lake City moved south. Heber C. Kimball and his wives, Vilate and Christine and their children came to my house and stayed two weeks.
2:.:uire 'Wells and his wife, Louisa, and her children also stayed with me some time. When they began to move the grain I was called to help
the Sharp brothers to unload the grain. I worked with them as long as they worked at it. In the fall of 58, they all moved back to their
homes and left me with orders to take care of myself. When the Peace Commissioners came in to investigate the cause of the trouble, they with
Seth M. Blair came to my house, as I was the Brigadier General. While sitting at the table one of them asked me what we would have done had
the army come right into Salt Lake. Seth turned to me and said, "What would you have done, Peter, what would you have done?" "Why, we would
have killed the last son of a • of them if they had tried to come in," I said. The men just straightened themselves back in their
chairs and laughed, to think such a few would think of such a thing. In 59 I raised a good crop of wheat. In the Spring of 1860, Brigham
and Heber came to Provo and wanted me to go to Provo Valley and pick out a place and build a good fort that could be defended by a few men.
I had t o sell my farm to get a team to go with, as the Echo x^ar had eaten up all my stock. I moved up in April, rented a house at Midway,
then got out logs and built me a house.. I then got a surveyor to come and lay out a fort. I took up eighty acres of land around it. We then.
went to work building corrals, stockyards and stables. While I was hauling rock to build a chimney to my house, one of my sons upset the stove
with two kettles of boiling water on it. My son Hamner was scalded nearly all over, but thru the kindness of Providence, his life was spared.
I jumped my horse and came right to Provo to get stuff to make a salve to cure him. When I got to Provo, Brigham and Heber were holding
meeting there in what was called Bell's Alley. When I rode up, Brigham was sitting by a'window., and saw me. Heber was preaching. Brigham
stuck his head out and shook hands with me and said he wanted me to go. up to Bishop Miller's as he wanted to talk with me for about an hour.
I remonstrated. Said I, "Brother Brigham, my little boy has got very badly scalded, and I have come to get salve for him, and I want to go right
beck." Weil, said he, "You come with me and your' boy shall be alright," I went with him and he as.ked mo what I was doing (he had forgotten
that lie had sent me up Provo Valley_ said he, "I want you to come back to Provo, as we cannot do without you." Said I, "I have no place to
come to." "0 well," said he, "you can live where anyone else can," The next day I went home. My boy was alive, but blistered all ever and a
big blister in his throat, but he mended right along, and in three weeks from the day I got home, I packed up and moved back to Provo. 1 had
to rent a house to live in. I rented a little adobe house that stands close by the factory, then rented the house the Collins boys lived in.
Lived there ail winter, and all the next summer. In 62 I rented ground and raised a crop. My son Charles moved away to Carson Valley. He
gave me his house and I moved into it. I worked hard farming that Summer and raised a pretty good crop.
In 63 I went to Bannock, Montana.- We went again in 64, leaving my family in Provo. I worked very hard in Bannock, prospecting and walking
over rhe mountains. My sons, John and Alpheus were with me. I found sDme very good claims, but when I was down home in the winter, two men
stoic my claim and got away with it. In the spring! went back not knowing that the men had been working all winter. They had taken out three
thousand dollars and shipped it before I got there. They had cleaned it out. When-I found it all worked out, I bought a claim in Bannock on
Grasshopper Creek." I had gone up with Bob arker and Terry Burn.' Bob had.a herd of cattle. We bought the mine together. The man we bought
the claim of agreed to take as fast as we got the money out. It went to pay for Bob's cattle. We had to pay seventy five cents an inch, and
we used ten inches a day. After the cattle were paid for, we did not take out much more. While we were working, one day a cave'off came down
and buried a man that was working for us. It caught me up above my knees. The rest of the men soon dug me out, but we worked three cays before
we got the man's body out. He was mashed to a jelly. We worked away on the .claim all summer.
I came home in November on the coach. I got pay for guarding the passengers, as the stage robbers were very bad ion the road. My son
Hought drove the stage, lie had six passengers and they had about $60,000 with them. They hired me to guard them down. . The third day out we
looked ahead and saw four men come out of the brush with guns in hand. I told the passengers, "There come the road agents and now we will have
a little fun." When wc met them, I said, "Gentlemen, what can we do for you??" They saw we were prepared for the, so they made some evasive
answer and passed on. We saw no more of thern. While working at Bannock I sent $50.00 to my wife by a man by the name of Butcher, which she
never received. I then sent $50.00 home with my son Hought which she got. I brought about $300.00 home with me when I came in November. I
then went to work fixing up.for winter. The next summer I stayed at home and farmed. This was 1865. That fall, Stephen Markham came over and
offered me $1.50 a day if I would move to Spanish Fork. We agreed, t o see that I wanted for nothing if I would move there. Having lost all /^
rry own land, I at last took him at his word and moved to Spanish Fork. I moved there the 1st of April 1865. I took four cows and five calves
with me. Having no shed and there was coming a big snow storm, so I got up one morning and found four of my calves dead. In a day or two more
the other one died. As soon as I got my family fixed, I went to work for Markham, for two dollars a day. Walked one mile every morning .jr.d
back at night. I worked steady for seven months and never lost a day. When his crops were all in and his work all done he told me I had better
hunt another job somewhere else, as he could not build yet. He had told me he would furnish me work all the time if I would only move over there.
But that is the way of the world. Every one for himself, and the Devil for us all.
I now had to hunt another house to live in. I had swapped my house in Provo for one in Spanish Fork. The worst trade I ever ~zi>?.. Before
leaving Markham's house, I got a job for putting up a house for Dr. Dennis. I laid the foundation and got it up to the windows, then took
dc.cn with Typhoid Fever. I went into the Drugstore took down a bottle of calomel, poured out fifty grains, filled the teacut half full of
rhubarb then filled it up with molasses, then sat down and drank it. The Dr. thot it would kill me. But I knew what I wad doing. I then took
a bottle of Castor Oil, drank half of it and went home. I carried the calomel about half an hour then it left me in a hurry. The Dr. came
down to see if I was dead and brought the balance of the oil. I drank the rest of the bottle but did not go to work for a week. Then I went
to work on the house again. We got the walls up then went to work to get the roof on. Then we commenced to finish up the inside. We fixed up
one room for a store room. Kept at work until it was all done. He paid me $2.50 per day. After I had moved into the house I had bargained
for, Ben Isaac and John A. Lewis took the contract to lay the foundation of the first co-op Store in Provo. They wanted me to go with them.
I went and worked on it. While working there, Brigham came up there. He had taken a contract on the U. P. road and came to get hands to work.
He preached that the Co-op business take account and pay each man according to his work, but they failed to do so. They told how to raise the
company. Bishop Johns and Smoot took the first company with the agreement to pay by the yard. I went out to work under Louis and Fleming.
They had a contract of half a mile. We worked on as fast as we could, expecting to get our pay as soon as the work was done. We worked just
one month. When finished, it came to $6,030.00 to be divided among thirty men. Louis went down and drew money enough to pay for grub. As
there was a lot of feed left, it was put up at auction and the hands bid it off. I had one of my boys with me on the grade all the time. I
bid off 2 ten gallon keg of molasses. It cost me ten dollars. When the sale was over we had a settlement and came home. Louis was seat to
draw the money. He stated that he never got enough to pay for our feed. All I ever got was a few clothes for my son Deter and our grub.
The next spring E. T. Benson took a contract for the Church out on the Promontory to make a cut thru the Salaratus flat the other side of Boar
.River. We had to haul the water from Bear River some ten miles. Took one team all the time. When that contract was done, I went into the hills
to cur wood on a wood contract. While there my son Peter came to me, My son Hamner started up to where I was, but got lost and was lost for
a week or ten days. I heard he had started to come to me, so I left my work and star-ted out to find him, I hunted two days before I found him,
hungry and cold. I took him back to camp with me. Kept on to work. We cut seventy cords of wood. When we got the wood hauled (by Houghton
and my son-in-law Gilbert Weaver) an Injun came along and set it on fire. Soon it was all in a blaze. My seventy five cords was burned up and
I got nothing for it, only what we had eaten while were cutting it. I went over with my son-in-law to see my daughter Sarah and her children.
I stayed there a few days then came down to Ogden to see my daughter Eveline Brown. Then came on heme. Lived in Spanish Fork until the Spring
of 1670. The Tintic mines broke out and I moved there to work. I worked there some time. Some men owed me some money which I could not get,
so I had to take a house for pay. In the Fall of 1873, I moved my family to Eureka where we lived that winter and the next summer. The next
•..•inter Robert Francis Marian was born. On Christmas Eve 1874. The next Spring I moved to Provo Valley 1875. At Midway rented me a house.
Stayed there the next winter and summer. Planted a farm and sowed it to wheat and oats. We had ten acres of wheat and two of oats. Just
before the wheat got into blossom a frost come and killed the wheat as dead as a macherel. That disgusted me, so I went right back- to Provo,
rented house one place and another until I took up forty acres of land in the bottoms, then sold it for a house in the third ward. In the
fall of 1882, I was tending mason on Bill Robert's house when I sprained my knee. I sprained it on the 15th of October 1SS2, but was getting
better so I could walk on it a little. Dr. Christianson came in one day and wanted to look at it. Ha felt of it and said it was out of place.
I told him it was not,for if it was, I could not walk on it. He took it in his hands and before I knew what he was doing, he beat it back
and bursted the knee cap loose. It made me deathly sick. I said, "Dr. you have ruined me." I had to go right to bed and lay flat on my back
for three months, just for mal-practice. Everyone thot I would die sure. I thot myself sometimes that, my time had come. But thru a kind
Providence and kind friends nursing, my life was spared for some wise purpose.
as
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Mar
My family are nearly all married, all except two children, My little granddaughter Nettie lives with us, her mother being in Silver Reef,
m not very strong, but am able .to work alittle and help my family get along. Some of my children I have not seen for many years, but a kind
vidence will spare my life a few years longer, I hope to see a good many of them in this mortal life. Yet those that I do notice, as well
those that I do see, I pray may live so that we may meet in the world to come, where I hope to meet my dear wife, children and fricr.ds that
e gone before.
I married my second wife in the fall of 1850, Her name was Mary Jane McCarrol, daughter of Jesse and Mary McCarrol. She was born March
1S29 in Louisiana.
Peter Conover, son of Dominicus and Mary Opdike Conover was born'February 9, in either 1765-9. I believe it was 1765 as if he was twelve
rs old at that time of his father's death in 1777, April 12, it must have been 1765. Grandpa claimed his father was twelve at the time his
her died. Peter married Hannah Combs who was born June 5,' 1770. They were married January 9, 1787. She was a daughter of Jo!:nathan and
tha Combs. Peter was born in Marlboro, New Jersey. "
Their children were: N
Catherine Van Law
Elizabeth Combs
William
John;
Levi
Born Jan. 1, 1790
April 1, 1792
July 4, 1794
April 19, 1797
Oct. 27, 1799
Mary Ann
Martha
Peter Wilson
Dominicus John Garrett
Born December 5, 1301
November 8, 1803
September 19, 1807
December 13, 1812
Eveline Golden, wife of Peter Wilson Conover was born 25th of May 1808. Grandpa said 1808, Don's boy;says 1809.
Children of Peter Wilson and Mary Jane (McCarrol) Conover:
Died Nov. 2, 1S43.
~.Abram 0* Conover Jr. son of .Abram"' &• and Ann (Owens)
born on July 24th 1858. Ho was a pioneer resident of Emery County*
going there in 1881 from provo Utah.
He was county road supervisor for a number of years and
instrumental in building numerous roads in the county. He burned
the brick for the first house built in trie district. He was active
in the cattle industry for many years.
He served as constable and was president of the Perron
Irrigation company for six years. He was married to Elizabeth,
daughter of James and Matilda loveless. Their children were
Anne, Alta, Clyda, Seel, chalmer, Wilburn, Jess, Rita and Reid.
More information can be obtained from the book "History of
San Pete and Emery County Utah, under the chapter entitled,
"Prominent Gitiaens of Perron," j
ABRAI.1 0. 0ONOV8R SR.
Abram Golden conover Sr. was the second son of Peter
Wilson Oonover, he crossed the plains with his father when ha
was 17 years old in 1847. The first two companies organized to
cross the plains v.ere Brigham Young and Heber Kimball, Brigham
started one day and Heber the following. They were in Heber's
company and started with three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cowa.
In the early part of his life, he was engaged in war with
the Indians. He was an Indian interpreter for a great many years
and could speak tvw or three different languages.
He was active in the church and was first councilor to
the president until he died, Sept. 27, 1890.
He was married to Ann Owen, the daughter of Seely and Lydia
Ann Owen and their wedding day was Feb. 26, 1857. Their children
were Abram Gr. Jr., lydia, Alta, Seeley, Wilbur."Don, Lois,
Alpheus and Hugh.
• PSISR WILSON COWN0V3R
Peter Wilson Cownover, was the 8th child of Peter and
ilannah.to(Coombs) Cownover, daughter of Judge Jonathan and Martha
Coombs, peter Wilson was born on sept. 19, 1807 in Woodruff Co*
Kentucky.
After moving with his parents to Morgan County, Illinois,
he continued wonting on his father's farm until he married Eveline
B. Golden, daughter of Abram Golden and Sarah Houghton. Ifreline,
was born in 1809 and was married to Peter W. in 1828.
Peter Wilson moved from the vicinity where his parents
lived to a large farm which he homesteaded only a few miles south
of the present city of Nauvoo, Illinois. His farm was located near
the Mississippi Ribar at what was then called Golden's point. Some
nine years later the Mormons were driven from Missouri and established
themselves a few miles north of Peter Wilson Cownoverfs farm, where
they built the city of Nauvoo. He was converted to the church and
was baptized on May 27, 1840. Prior to this time he and his family
had been identified with Campeelite Church, He passed thru the
troublesomes times which befell the Mormons at this period of their
history. He worked for nearly three years in the construction of the
Nauvoo Temple and was an officer in the Nauvoo Legion being in the
command ox the Second Battalion. He was also Prophet Joseph Smith's
personal body guard. When the rest of the Mormons left Nauvoo,
Peter W» also accompanied them with his family. In the midst of
the trouble and hardship existing at Winter Quarters where the
Mormon people had camped on their way to the west, Peter Wilson's
wife contracted typhoid fever and died Nov. 10, leaving 10 children,
the youngest 18 months old. In 1843 peter Wilson emigrated to Utah
with his children. Peter was an officer in the Mormon Battalion,
he was a Colonel. His name is on the monument to these men in Salt
-lake City.
It was under his command that the bloodiest war in Utah's
history was won against the Indians. It was the Walkara war. Chief
Walkara was the fierce chief of the Utes. His name and deeds struck
terror into the hearts of white men and Indians alike (Reference in
the book Walkara Hawk of the Mountains)
Peter W. died Sept. 20, 1892 and the following were the
children of Peter W. and Eveline Golden Cownover: Abram Golden
&aron,Houghton, Charles«" Sarah, John, Jeannette, Catherine, Alpheus,
Zeralda, ifrveline. |
