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Left to Right: Ellen, Adam,mother Elizabeth, Jean and father Adam Hunter
Taken about 1869

I saw a video a while ago promoting the use of the Family Search galleries to comment and share with others about the photos and memories found there. I have shared the video at the end of this post.  Because of it, I have been intending to spend some time in looking at what others have added in Family Search. But just this week,  I was notified that a comment had been added to a photo posted a while ago that added some wonderful context to the picture.

Hunter Family in front of their home - 6 April 1893 on the occasion of the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple.

The following comment with the information that references this photo was posted yesterday.

The Hunter Home Hunter Home at 703 East 1st South, Salt Lake City, the day the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated. Adam built the adobe part in 1852. New part was built during the 1860s also a lean-to on back of part I, and the front porch. This home was sold in 1901. All the children after the twins were born here. All 12 children were married from here. Baby George and Adam died here. On the Porch, Uncle Dave and Aunt Jean Mulholland, Uncle Will and Aunt “Dell” Ellen Cameron, Margie Hunter, Grandma Hunter, Uncle Will Hunter, (Will C. and Will H. helped put Moroni on the Temple). By the fence, David Mulholland, Bell & Jim Brown, Bessie Mulholland, the 3 little Cook girls (Aunt Betsey’s), Bessie Brown (Ramsey) & Uncle Jim Brown, back of fence Aunt Teina & Tot Brown.

I imagine it was an exciting day to see their beloved temple finally dedicated to its sacred purpose. The temple had been under construction for 40 years and this family had seen members participating closely with the building process.  They had participated in the quarry, with father Adam as the foreman there, preparing the stones for the walls and hauling these back to the temple site. They had been there cementing Moroni onto the capstone one year earlier after the capstone had been set. The Deseret Weekly wrote few words about the day that began "It is done.  In the history of the people of God, as in the experience of individuals, there are periods of supreme joy and exultation; there are times when the mind is more than usually filled with the contemplation of things divine, and the spirit within feels the relationship with the Father above and the affiliation with the home beyond."  The day had come and Father Adam had not lived to witness it alongside his family but I'm sure that they had no doubt that he was there in spirit. I'm sure the emotions on this day were such as described in the Deseret Weekly. It is wonderful to understand more behind a picture of a family gathered on the steps of their family home. 

I look forward to finding many other treasures shared in the Memories section of Family Search. It is a free tool for anyone to use to research ancestors, share photos and documents and make connections with relatives known and discovered.