Frederick Puzey - Forgotten no more

The headstone with the addition of Frederick Puzey's information. 

In my previous post, I shared some of the history of my grandfather's father. Frederick Puzey Sr. who left his family in Utah to settle in Southern Alberta. He had family join him for a time here in Canada and visits back and forth but on his farm in Champion, he lost his wife, Emily early and was left alone with my 12 year old grandfather Fred. 

Emily, young Fred and Frederick Puzey

And then, when my grandfather was 27, Fred Puzey Sr. passed on. It wasn't a year later that Fred Jr. married my grandmother Hannah Toone and Canada joined in the war.  And with that, a gravestone was never placed on the plot in the Mountain View Cemetery in Lethbridge Alberta.

And then it was forgotten. Over the years, my mother has no recollection of ever knowing where her grandparents were buried or visiting the cemetery.  And I knew that I had a picture of Emily's  headstone but never realized that I had never seen one for Fred.  

When I started to do some investigating, it was still during the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic but living in Calgary, emails and phone calls work just as well. I started with the cemetery office itself.  They double checked that there was not a memorial that just hadn't been photographed, but confirmed that there was no marker indicating Fred's burial next to his wife.  Then I asked about the process of getting a new headstone placed and was told my next steps were to check with a company directly who would do the work and recommended to go with a Lethbridge company that would be familiar with the regulations and processes for the local cemetery.  

When I asked for advice, a friend recommended Lethbridge Monumental and I was on the phone asking questions. They were great to work with and sent someone out to the site to check it out and came back with the recommendation to add the inscription to the existing stone as it appeared to have had room left on it for this purpose.  When Emily passed in 1924, they were the only company in town and would have been the ones responsible for the original headstone!  Seemed even more fitting that they complete the job that they had started then.  They removed the stone to take back to their shop for the engraving and matched the type with the original.  When they re-installed the stone, they cleaned the base. 

Thanks go to all the four families of Frederick Puzey Sr.'s four grandchildren - my mom and aunt and the families of my uncle and aunt who have already joined Great Grandpa Fred and other family gone before us.  Everyone was so willing to help out with the cost and support getting this done. I am so very pleased that this is no longer missing.  

I hope everyone will have a chance to visit the Mountain View Cemetery in Lethbridge - at 1210 Scenic Drive South.  Check out this map if you visit - you will find Fred and Emily's graves in Block C, Lot 27 graves 1E and 2E.   

Frederick Puzey - In Memoriam

Frederick Puzey with wife Emily Neilson and son Freddie (likely taken in 1918). 

Frederick Puzey, my great-grandfather, was the eldest son of Henry William Puzey and Lydia Ann Pollard. He was born on October 4, 1875 in Spring City, San Pete, Utah. His father was a wagon maker, following in his father, Joseph Henry's profession after following his father across the plains to join with the Latter-Day Saints in Utah. His mother was also an early pioneer in the church - walking much of the way at the age of 5. In 1887, when Frederick was 13 and had 5 younger siblings, his father died. 

Fred (on left) with his younger siblings and mother after his father's death. (1887?)

In 1902, he emigrated to Canada and tried to settle in Raymond, but in 1905 he moved to the family homestead in Champion Alberta with his friend Parley Peterson on a homestead nearby. He became a naturalized citizen of Canada in 1906. 

Fred Puzey returned to Utah and married Emily Neilson from Sweden in Spring City on March 10, 1910. She returned to Canada with him where they lived in a two room home on the farm. You can see a picture of this original homestead in the banner on this website with Emily standing at the door of their home. 

On August 25, 1911, their only child, Frederick Elmer Puzey, was born. In 1918, the family was sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple on a trip to the United States after a good crop. They visited with relatives in Utah and appear to have even made it as far south as California where they visited the Cawston Ostrich Farm in South Pasadena.  

 

Fred's 2 time brother-in-law (Charles Neilson (his wife's brother and married to Fred's sister) moved up to Canada and sent for his family to join him in 1919.  They lived and worked Fred's ranch in Mountain View with sheep, cows and a few horses for a while- staying in the area until the late 1930s.  

Emily passed away from pneumonia just before their son's birthday 1924, leaving her husband to raise their 12 turning 13 year old son. 

Frederick returned to Utah andin 1925, he married a widow, Mary Ohlin, also from Sweden and brought her back up to the farm in Champion. 

Frederick passed away at the age of 63 after a lingering illness. His son Fred, my grandfather, was 27 years old at the time and before a year had past, he was married to my grandmother Hannah. 

Just two days before the first anniversary of Frederick Puzey's death, Canada entered World War II.  Newly married and with our country now at war, I can understand how getting a grave marker for his father's place of rest may not have been a priority for my grandfather. 

However, as I have been using checklists to gather documents and images in my research (using the Family Tree Notebook system shared by Carly Morgan) I realized that this oversight has never been corrected.  

Frederick's first wife, Emily Neilson, has a large impressive tombstone in the Mountain View Cemetery in Lethbridge, Alberta.  Fred is buried next to her but with no marker to indicate this.  The location, if you are close and want to visit is Block C Lot 27 Grave 1E and 2E. 

There is room under Emily's information to add Fred's name and birth and death year. I've been in touch with both the cemetery and Lethbridge Monumental to sort out the process and get a quote on the work. 

 

If you are part of the Puzey clan and would like to contribute to this, I would appreciate any help you could give.  

I know that with cremations and with our families growing, looking back at the life of a great grandparent and marking his grave may not seem like a priority for our funds these days. But when I talked to mom, she said she never even realized that her grandmother and grandfather were buried there in Lethbridge and I wonder why this was.  It is possible that the lack of marking his father's grave would have made Grandpa not want to bring attention to this.   

I know often when I drive south, I stop in Champion to visit the cemetery where my grandparents were laid to rest. And after spending some time in the states during the Memorial Day weekend in 2019 and seeing how much the families there acknowledge their ancestors on this weekend(it used to be called "Decoration Day" and that is still what many do at the cemeteries), it is something I have a greater appreciation for.  

It is possible my interpretation of events is inaccurate and if anyone has any more relevant background on any of these events, I would love to learn more about them! All I can know for certain are the facts and dates when some of these events happened. 

To learn more about Fred Puzey and your own ancestral trees, you can find these new Discovery Pages hosted by FamilySearch or sign up for free and research your own family.  

Family Connections Experiment - Day One

 

With all that the world is dealing with during this pandemic, the opportunity to hold the RootsTech conference virtually has opened up this amazing experience to over a million participants during the actual event and countless more as the presentations and resources continue to be available for the next 11 months. 

I binge watched most of the keynotes and visited many of the exhibit hall virtual booths during the three days of the conference.  I made sure to watch both the leadership presentation for Temple and Family History consultants and the Discovery Day presentation with Elder Holland and his family. I also joined in with the viral trend of posting the animated images of ancestors that I created using the My Heritage Deep Nostalgia tool. Here is an example with a picture of Mary Ann Wateridge (1825 - 1886) 1st wife of Joseph Henry Puzey. 

I was also able to catch a few sessions, knowing I will have time to continue to view these videos over the next few weeks and months. 

The Family Connections Experiment is something I have been following on social media for some time but I have never properly joined the 21 day challenge.  After learning more about them at the conference, I joined this month's challenge - the Genealogy Bootcamp.  I like that you can customize the daily plans if something isn't a fit for you. So I might do a mix of the Tech plans as well.  

Today is Day One and the task is to identify a family story to investigate. 

“Every family has a story that it tells itself, that it passes on to the children and grandchildren. The story grows over the years, mutates, some parts dropped, and there is often debate about what really happened.” – A. M. Homes

The easiest time period for finding records or evidence to confirm family stories would be within the range of 1880s to 1940s.  I have already done some digging on our early family stories. I have found records that correct the birthdate recorded on the gravestone for my Great Great Grandfather Herbert Rhodes.  I have investigated timelines for when the different lines of the family ended up in Alberta. I've even gone back earlier to identify the different ancestors on my maternal line who made the trek across the United States to settle in Utah during the time of migration in the mid 19th century.  So choosing a family story to research isn't an easy choice. 

Joseph Henry Puzey (1828-1896)

I have been working on the Puzey line -  filling in the story of Joseph Henry Puzey and learning about his time in England, his parents and his siblings, how he left his childhood home and then his married home to make that journey out to the Utah Valley. I have some of the pieces but I have never put them together in one place to see what is missing and then shared it with the rest of the family.  I've been fascinated to share more after coming across a newspaper article that outlined his death which I wrote about in an earlier blog post.  

So for 21 days, this will be part of what I take on with the goal of having a fuller story to tell at the end. Many of the pieces are already known and just need to be gathered and the goal is  to confirm these with original sources. 

If you know of a family story on the Rhodes, Roots, Puzey or Toone line that might be worth researching and confirming, please let me know! 

Joseph Pollard: 200 Years

Joseph Pollard (1819 - 1890)

So this is a call to all the descendants of Joseph Pollard. Do you know if you are a descendant of Joseph Pollard? Do you even know who he is?

Here is how I am related to Joseph. My grandfather is Joseph Pollard's great grandson. That makes Joseph my 3 times great grandfather. If you are on my blog because we share our Puzey line, then this information is relevant for you. This year, it is 200 years since Joseph Pollard's birth. If you want to know a bit more about this amazing man, you can look at two of my longer posts about his life. 

Joseph Pollard: A Life Sketch

and part two

Joseph Pollard: His Conversion and Journey West

Or you can dive deep and learn more about his descendants at the blog

The Daughters of Bishop Joseph Pollard

And all of this is just to share the following information. In honour of this anniversary of his birth, the suggestion is being shared to gather as many descendants as can come, to meet at his graveside in the Salt Lake City cemetery on May 27, 2019. 

This is the message shared on the blog linked above.

We have Joseph Pollard as a common ancestor. His 200th birthday is in 2019. We suggest a gathering at his grave site on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019 at noon. His grave is on the South end of the Salt Lake cemetery, close (Northeast) to the Church located on 4th Avenue and P Street. You will see our group there.We are contacting descendants we can locate from Joseph's seven daughters. Please spread the word with other descendants stemming from your particular Daughter.

Lydia Pollard

Joseph and Mary Ann had 9 children, and 7 of these were girls. Neither of their two baby boys lived to see their first birthdays but all 7 of their girls lived to grow up and get married. The daughter we are descended from is Lydia Pollard.  Her husband, Henry William Puzey, passed away when she was only 34 years old. She also outlived my great grandfather Frederick Puzey by 2 years. 

If you are a descendant of Lydia Pollard, please get in touch with me. I would like to make sure all of us are linked in the family records - how many descendants do you think we have on this daughter's line?

Although the plans are yet vague, I am hoping to connect with extended family and join in the gathering on May 27. As an added bonus, I hope to also be in Spring City where Lydia and Henry William moved to after their marriage. May 25 is Heritage Day in Spring City and a number of activities and historical home tours will make my family research come to life.

If you are a descendant of Lydia Pollard, please get in touch with me. I would like to make sure all of us are linked in the family records - how many descendants do you think we have on this daughter's line?

And if you are in the area at the end of May or might think about making your own way down, please let me know and I hope we can connect!

Joseph Pollard: His Conversion and Journey West

"Joseph Pollard son of James Pollard and Elizabeth Threshire,
born at Corfe Castle, Isle of Purbeck Dorsetshire, Old England. November 23 - 1819.

Here's part two of a biographical sketch of Joseph Pollard's life. 

Lisa Paul found this account of his conversion and emigration to the United States in another history written by one of his daughters.  
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 "In the year of 1848 he (Joseph) heard the Mormon Elders preach.   He was inspired by their sermons and recognized the truth.   April 10, 1849 he first obeyed the gospel.   He was baptized by John Griffith and felt unspeakable joy at this experience.   He was very enthusiastic about his church work, and was soon promoted (they used to say that in the 'olden days') from a deacon to elder.   He went out tracting through the Bedford branch, and later was made President of this branch."

 “November 17, 1854: Joseph Pollard of the town of Deptford, London River in the County of Kent, Old England on the 17th day of November 1854 left his employment as ship wright in the employment of Mr. Thompson ship and boat builder, London River, with the intention of emigrating with his wife and three children to the land of America. 

    “Names as follows: Mary Ann, his wife, Mary Ann his eldest daughter, Louisa and Lydia.   Saturday 18th conveyed his luggage to the Usdin Railway station.   Sunday morning left the town of Deptford and spent remainder of Sabbath with his wife’s sister at White Chappel, London.

His account:

    “Monday left London for Liverpool; arrived at 3 o’clock p.m.   Met at station by Mr. John Follett and conveyed to his home where we spent the next day.

  

  “Wednesday morning, went on board the Clara ---- 100 ton burden lying in the Wellington dock with his wife and children to join four hundred souls of all countries, most of whom belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints.   Elder Henry E, Phelps being appointed president with John Parsons and James Crosby as councelors [sic].   Company organized Thursday, dividing into four wards, with a president and two councelors [sic] for each ward, then each ward divided into two with a president over each.

    “Saturday, left the dock and anchored in the River; Sunday was spent in preaching and prayer, taking of the Lords supper; Monday the 27th in the afternoon was towed by a tug boat “Constitution” out of the river, made sail that night blowing right fresh ahead.   Tuesday breeze continues to fresh in ship under double reef.   Topsails toward evening, blowing a heavy gale and still increasing during the night.   The ship laboring much and much sickness among the passengers.   At daylight the ship driving on the shore it was thought best by the captain and pilot to base up and run the ship back to Liverpool.

    “We arrived safely at Liverpool and cast anchor about 2 o’clock.   Gale still continued day by day with two anchors to hold the ship.   Passengers fast recovering.   Saturday December 2nd visited by President Franklin D. Richards.  

Monday and Tuesday gale continues.   The President and council met and appointed that the following day be set apart for fasting and prayer that the wind may be more favorable, that we may again commence our voyage.

    “Wednesday the 6th prayers continued on all parts of the ship with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.   Thursday more moderate.   The ship was again towed out of the river by the tug “P----“.   Wind was blowing fresh and right ahead and a nasty sea.   Passengers again became sick no stopping among them my wife and children.   Wind continued Friday and Saturday.   One birth Saturday.   
    “Rounded Holy head about 3 p.m.   Pilot left about noon Monday.
    “Wednesday about 3 p.m. we were much alarmed by being almost run into by a large ship.   We all felt thankful for our narrow escape.   
    “Sickness continued and several deaths among the children from measles and inflammation.
    “Christmas day was most beautiful, passengers came on deck except those sick.   Our youngest child Lydia had measles.   My wife and Brothers Parsons and Crosby had the worst cases of sea sickness.   
    “The captain seems a very nice man and deserves praise for his kindness to the passengers and the cleanliness of the ship in general.
    “December 30th sited land.   Flying fish appeared.   Several small islands in sight and now and then a coasting schooner.

 

    “January 9th reached entrance of the Great Mississippi and shortly were taken in tow by steam tug “Ocean” crossing the bar up to New Orleans where we arrived Thursday 11th at 12 noon.
    “Were met by Brother Meyaw our agent who advised us proceed to St. Louis.   
    “At Orleans my wife was so sick we were obliged to carry her from the ship to the boat.
    “Up the Mississippi calling at many towns on the banks, going on shore for firewood.   Weather warm as our summers in England until up the river we came into frost and snow.   Landed at St. Louis January 22nd met by Brother William Moorison and taken to his home, remained with him about 12 days after which Brother John Follett rented apartment together in Broadway.

St. Louis, Missouri (1854)

    “Weather very cold.   River remained frozen over for two months.   Most of the passengers were taken to the meeting house where many died, others were scattered.   Many went to the coal fields.   
    “I and Brother Follett remained together that winter.
    “I will say we both with our families were treated well by many not in the church, particularly by one John Mageo, an Irish Catholic who kept a store.
    “In the spring we got work on the steamboat at our business as ship carpenters in the employ of Captain James Eadis and Nelson, known as The Submarine Diving Company.   There were four of our ship writes emmigrated [sic] together and all apprentices together in the same port and all now were employed by the same company.   

    “Brother Follett was taken sick in the fall and died the next spring.   I was also taken sick in the summer but God spared my life.
    “We were member of the St. Louis stake of Zion.   I made the acquaintance of President Erastus Snow, Mily Andrus, James Hart, Eldredge, George A. Smith, Parley P. Pratt and hundreds of other good saints.   Samuel Gray and William Algood left for Florence.   
    “On October 7th 1856 I was ordained a High Priest under the hands of George A. Smith and Erastus Snow and made a member of the High Council.
________________________________________________________________
 More of the story is available on the FamilySearch website in an extract from the Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia.

His house was always open to the missionaries, and among the many “Valley” Elders who shared in his hospitality was Apostle Parley P. Pratt, who stayed at his home about a month immediately before going to Arkansas, where he was murdered. 

In June, 1857, Elder Pollard continued his journey Zion-ward, joined the emigration at Florence, Nebraska, and crossed the plains in Capt. Jacob Hoffines' company. Several stampedes occurred on the plains; in one of these 46 head of cattle were lost. On one occasion the cattle stampeded when hitched to the wagons. During the affair Elder Pollard and wife, together with a number of others, were severely hurt, being run over by several wagons. Through administrations and prayer Elder Pollard was healed in a most miraculous manner, and the following day was able to get around again. The company arrived in the Valley Sept. 22, 1857, having camped several times in close proximity to the baggage trains belonging to Johnston's army. 

Elder Pollard located in the fifteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, where he resided till the time of his death. He found employment as a carpenter for Pres. Brigham Young, continuing in his employ until 1869, when he commenced work for the Utah Central railway company. Shortly after his arrival in the Valley, he was chosen as a Ward teacher, and in 1861 was appointed to act as second counselor to Bishop Andrew Cunningham. He subsequently served as a second counselor to Bishop Robert T. Burton, whom he finally succeeded as Bishop of the Ward June 27, 1877. In 1862 he yielded obedience to the principle of plural marriage by marrying Ruth Allen, who died about twenty years afterwards. Bishop Pollard died in Salt Lake City, Feb. 21, 1890. He was the father of seven children, and was universally known as a humble, upright man and a faithful Latter-day Saint.

_______________________________________________________________________________________   
 Extract from a Deseret News Editorial February 25th 1890 on the occasion of Joseph Pollard's death.

Yesterday we announced the fact that Bishop Pollard of the 15th ward, this city, was seriously ill.   He had been suffering for several days from an attack of influenza.   Pneumonia supervened and the good old man passed peacefully to the Spirit World at five o’clock this morning.

A sterling character was he; a trifle blunt, being phenomenally outspoken, but with a heart as tender as a child's.

His sincerity was sublime, his devotion to what he conceived to be his duty inspiring, and we believe that we do not over state the facts when we say that probably no other Bishop in the church was more familiar with his flock, collectively and individually.  

It is greatly to his credit that the poor among his people were the special objects of his solicitude.
 

He was not an educated man, so far as scholastic attainments are concerned, but he had that auspicious of power which exists through a confirmation of native good sense, ripened experience and a conscientious regard for truth.   

Although he was ready with sharp reproof of the evil-doer and laggard, he was equally prompt in dispensing sweet words of consolation and comfort to the unfortunate and erring.

The people loved him because they believed in him.

Death came to him as a sweet harbinger of rest which had no terrors for him.

Joseph Pollard: A Life Sketch

"Joseph Pollard son of James Pollard and Elizabeth Threshire,
born at Corfe Castle, Isle of Purbeck Dorsetshire, Old England. November 23 - 1819.

Now that I've shared more of John Toone's story, I wanted to do the same for Joseph Pollard. He is the same generation as John and his daughter Lydia married Henry William Puzey after both of them had emigrated to Utah.

I have written about this family before on this blog, but since then I've found much more.  I've been meaning to share a fantastic blog written by Ked Kirkham that I found on the Pollard side, "The Daughters of Bishop Joseph Pollard".  There is so much to read and learn on this blog! Joseph and Mary Ann had 7 daughters and this blog sets out to share as much information as possible about the families of these girls. (Mary also gave birth to 2 boys but they both died as infants.) 

Joseph and Mary Ann Pollard and their seven daughters

The blog includes information on our family line which contains some errors, but I'll prepare some corrections and additions to help him out in this effort. 

http://josephpollard.blogspot.ca/

 In January, there was a post sharing an item from Ancestry.com on Joseph Pollard. It shared what Joseph wrote about his own life history in a book that is now held by Lisa Paul, a great great granddaughter to Joseph. (I am a 3rd great granddaughter to him.)

I've copied this short history here and added some images (old and new) to go along with the story.

 

Corfe Castle is a small town on account of the ruins of an old castle standing several hundred feet from the levie, destroyed by the noted statesman and general, Oliver Cromwell in the 16th century. 

My father and mother were poor working people making no profession of religion but the Church of England and not much of that. They had a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, named: Sarah, John, James (James died in childhood) then James the second, then Fannie, then twins William and Elizabeth (Elizabeth also died in childhood) next Joseph and then George. The remaining seven all lived to marry and raise families except brother James who lived and died a bachelor. He was about seventy years old when he died. 

Our facility for learning was rather limited, but we could all read and write except brother James, he had the same opportunity as the rest but could not or would not. 

My father and mother were sober and industrious people. My mother was a very strong woman and worked much in the fields hay-time and harvesting while raising her family as wages were low in that part of the country. Father worked at masoning and brick laying. By his industry he managed to build a good house for his family with about three acres of land, and all as soon as able were at work. By these means we made a comfortable living. 

We were all christened at the Church of England and all at 14 years of age confirmed by the Bishop. To be qualified for conformation we had to learn the Lords Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Church Catecism [sic]. That entitled us to all church privledges [sic] as full members of the Church. Do just as you wished all the week but go to Church on Sunday, ask the blessing on Sunday dinner. Say the Lords Prayer on going to bed Sunday night, that was all my religious education. 

Corfe Castle: Church of St. Edward, King and Martyr

When a boy we were considered, for a poor family, by the neighbors as a good family of children and much respected. We were living not far from the sea shore of the British Channel and when only a small boy i felt much pleasure in visiting the beach and looking at the surging billows as they dashed and foamed, and the ships as they sailed up and down the channel. How time and time again have i imagined the pleasure of going to foreign countries and i fully made up my mind that as soon as old enough i would follow the sea.

 I told my mother and father of my intensions [sic], they described the dangers and the hardships and exposures of such a life but all to no purpose. I worked around home in the garden and sometimes for neighbors but never felt contented. Mother often remarked I was different from the rest of the family, yet she manifested more anxiety than for the rest and I was also particularly fond of mother. I think I would have left home sooner had it not been for her. 

http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2008/12/the-clay-boats-of-poole/

I was now fourteen years old and time to make my choice in life. Father wished to apprentice me to a carpenter and wheelwright in the neighborhood but I could not see any sea or foreign countries in the business. My father and brothers as well as my mother all persuaded me to stay at home and not go to sea and be drowned, as they thought. We lived about seven miles from the port of Poole, the principal shipping town in that country. Several hundred ships both foreign and (can't read - coastal?) belong to the port and there were four yards for the building of new ships and for repairing. I now got father in mind to accompany me to Poole to look after a ship. I think this was the latter part of February 1834. 

Looking towards Poole (background) with Corfe Castle in the foreground. Taken from the ridge near Swire Head.

The shipping was all busy repairing and fresh-rigging and painting for spring. We went on board many and had talks with the Captains and men. I rather wondered at the talk of some of the old sailors and Captains in the discouraging way they talked of sea life. Their experience had taught them lessons that I was then unacquainted with. some of the old captains, though seemingly rough have sympathy and feeling and I think they had more for my poor father than for me. By their past experience they knew that the only thing that would satisfy me was that knowledge. One in particular seeming to understand better our circumstances than the rest gave me and my father the council we wanted. Boy, he said, if you must have your frolic for sea, I will give you my advice. Ship building is now brisk, you go learn that business that will give you a double chance in life. You can follow the sea and get good wages or leave and remain at home if you should not like the sea. Father thought the council the best yet and after some persuasion I began to think it looked reasonable. 

We went across the harbor, into the first shipyard after landing from the ferry boat. We were shown the two master builders, told them our business. They both, although I being a country boy, seemed to fancy me at first sight. They told us their terms of apprentice for seven years. They told father to let me come on trial for a month and if we suited each other then we would secure legal documents. They also called the foreman of the yard, he living in the yard, and requested him to take me to board with his family, to which he readily consented. We agreed to start on Monday morning. Father felt glad and happy the way things were now shaping. We returned home and found all waiting to know our success. What we told them what we had done in the matter, they were all glad and all readily consented, even poor mother, and I confess I also after more consideration of the matter felt glad for the turn things had taken. 

Monday morning March 2nd 1834 I commenced to work, all were strangers, not one in the whole number that I was the least acquainted with. I went to Mr Webber, the foreman, he took me to his house, introduced me to his family. They told me to make myself at home with them and I did for my seven years of apprenticeship. The foreman after having something to eat set me to work to learn the first lesson in my new business. They had about twenty five apprentices. I being the youngest had to open the doors in the morning and close them at night, turn the grindstone, supply the men with stones and learn the name of the different articles as fast as I could. 

[Click here to see the explanation of this painting of ship building 
with a man at the grindstone in the lower right hand corner, sharpening his axe. ] 

Those alone that have left home when young can realize the feelings in leaving brothers and sisters and especially with me my dear mother. I still think mother was one of the most tenderhearted women I ever knew. I think the first week away from home was the longest in my life. Every day to me was something new. I finally made out the first month. I began to get acquainted with some of the apprentice boys and learn the names of the men. I always spoke very civil in answering the men and I will say that I do not know that I ever swore an oath in my life or gave any man a sassy answer. But I could soon see other apprentice boys seemed to be rather cautious, they did not like me. Boarding with the foreman they thought perhaps I might tell some of their tricks to him to gain his favor, but after more acquaintance with me they found I was not a boy of that sort. They were rough fellows, but in time they all respected me and would trust me. 

After a few months I began to like the business. They took other boys below me and gave me tools. I now went long side new ships to work with the men. After working several months my master desired me to invite my father down with me and then to sign my indenture for the remainder of the seven years, which we all did. Things now went as pleasantly as we could expect and I felt reconciled, and I will say I was particularly fond of the work and tried my best to learn all I could, was ambitious to do as much work as the men. The sooner we learned the work the better for us and the master. He could charge more wages for the apprentice on all old ships under repair as soon as they could do men’s work and pay us more wages. Nothing happened more than common until 1837. 

I now had been a little over three years at my trade when my poor father was taken sick and in a few months he died on the 19th of June of that year. My father lived and died a good man, a true believer in the Lord and his providence. We had no death in the family for many years before this. My friends felt very badly over the death of father and particularly on account of what the religious Methodists said father had gone to Hell, because he was not converted to their doctrine. I will now relate a dream my father had a few days before his death. 

You know I was away from home and had to cross the bay about seven miles in a boat. Therefore I only went home once each week and in bad weather not in several weeks. I arrived home on Saturday night as father died on Monday morning, he was sensible and had expressed a longing desire to see me and speak to me before he died. When I went to his bedside he shook me by the hand and said Joe, I am glad to see you before I leave this life. I said I was also glad to see him still alive. He then said I have had a dream about you and want to tell you what it was. He dreamed he was traveling through a beautiful fertile valley and running through that beautiful country in the centre there was a most lovely clear river of water and as I was traveling along who should I behold, but you in the centre dressed in all white linen and then I awoke. This was Saturday night, he lived till Monday following and died about 9am June 19th, 1837."  (Joseph was 17 years of age when his father passed.)

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That is where this history leaves off. 

From the Latter-Day Saints Biographical Encyclopaedia, we learn that after his apprenticeship, he "went to sea as a ship carpenter and made several voyages to America and the West Indies. [ I wish we knew more about these!!]
 In 1844, he entered the Queen's government service and worked at shipbuilding at the government docks at Deptford, Country of Kent." He married Mary Ann Bailey from Lifton, Devon in 1845.

More will follow in a subsequent post.  

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.