21 Salutes for Pioneer Day

View of pioneer camp with wagons and tents in 1866. Believed to be Thomas E. Ricks Co. at Wyoming, Nebraska.
This was the company Henry Puzey traveled with.

Tomorrow is July 24.

In Utah, there will be a big parade, family picnics, and fireworks. The parties and rodeo started earlier in the month but tomorrow is the big day. Right now, people are lining up along the parade route, ready to camp out for the evening in preparation for the parade and the day ending with fireworks from Liberty Park.

I remember celebrating Pioneer Day as a kid. We would have primary activities or ward picnics. It was best when I was staying with my grandparents on the farm. The ward would always have fun activities to remember those early members of the church who crossed the plains to settle in Utah.


The youth in our stake were meant to be part of a Pioneer Trek this summer but the floods in Southern Alberta altered those plans.  On Sunday, we sang Come, Come Ye Saints in Sacrament Meeting and I planned a pioneer lesson for Nursery. I found a fun idea through following a series of links. The Children Sing blog shared an idea for a roller box scene that would change as the pioneers walked. Instead of the roller box, we taped the long paper up along the full length of the wall and then I led the nursery children along the trail - finding a butterfly, skunk and bumblebee, stopping to fish in a pond, crossing some rivers, climbing some mountains, going through a rainstorm, camping by the bonfire, and hearing echos in the canyon. We had fun and then headed out for a "trek" around the church building.

THE TWENTY-ONE

The more I learn about my ancestors, the more I am amazed and humbled to be a descendant of these 21 people who made the choice to leave family, home and comforts to be able to live their faith. Each of their stories is special and unique. Some left early - and were part of the initial wagon trains that blazed the trail. Some chose to walk the entire journey pushing and pulling carts with all that they were able to physically carry themselves. Others came later, after many were settled and ready to receive them at the end of their journey. But all made sacrifices. All had a choice and made the more difficult one.

Each year I go back and revisit some of the stories that I collected on the wiki, Our Pioneer Heritage.  I had fun building this collection of stories and information. There are still some gaps to fill in the chart - and I add a little bit more each year.

This year I've added information about each person's age along with their picture. You can download a seven page pdf of the chart at the link below.

http://ourpioneerheritage.wikispaces.com/Chart+of+Family

The age ranges from five up to the oldest at 72.  They traveled by early wagon train, handcart, later oxen train, and rail.

CHILDREN who crossed the plains  (edited content after checking some facts)

William Henry Toone's family came before handcarts were used. He was 10 years old when he walked alongside the wagon for the entire journey from Little Pidgeon, Indiana to the Salt Lake Valley. It was a very large company and there were not enough wagons to allow him to have a chance to ride.

There were two 5-year-olds and a 12 year old who came after the use of handcarts. Five year old  Lydia Pollard traveled by ox drawn wagon with a company that experienced terrible struggles and dangerous animal stampedes. Five year old Emily Neilson was able to travel by rail when her family came in 1880.  Twelve year old David Mulholland's family traveled mostly by rail but had to complete one section of the trip by ox drawn cart because the railway tracks were washed out.


YOUNG ADULTS

Hannah Webb was 17 and came across without her family with one of the oxen company.  Her grandparents and sister both had started their journey earlier but all three had passed away before reaching Salt Lake City. I imagine how she must have felt knowing others had set off but had not arrived.  Her parents and younger brothers were able to join her eleven years later.

At 21, Henry William Puzey also traveled alone but came by rail and ox drawn wagon to join his father who had traveled two years earlier.

THREE WHO DIED before their journey was through

The oldest three never made it to the valley: Elizabeth Patterson who began the journey at 61 and William (72) and Mary Ann Hunt (66) who also began. All three passed away at the beginning of their trek.

These and other details, diary entries and stories can all be found at the wiki.  For more information on our  Puzey and Toone family pioneers, please visit Our Pioneer Heritage.