The Three Wise Men

Not these guys, I’m talking about three other wise men today. 

 Wise Man #1: My Great, Great, Great Uncle Creighton Hawkins

Times were lean in the 1860's in the frontier city of Salt Lake. It was a daily struggle to acquire basic necessities, yet the Prophet Brigham Young encouraged the saints to balance their lives between work, sleep, and wholesome recreation.  

Young Creighton worked to support his widowed mother, but in the evenings looked forward to socializing to be well rounded. He was old enough to go to dances, and looking for a wife, yet there were no funds to pay for the luxury of  entertainment. With pioneer perseverance and ingenuity, he used the resources he had to enjoy life and find the girl of his dreams. In his life story, he equipped:

“I would take a small sack of flour or squash under one arm and a girl under another and go for a wonderful time at the dance.”

   

 Wise Man #2: Johnny Lingo
 
The Polynesian seminary movie icon of 1969, was brilliant. He said, “If you truly value a girl you must wisely show it. Love is a most costly commodity. The more you are willing to pay, the more valuable the prize.” 

When bargaining for the hand of the girl of his dreams, Mahana, her father suggested a price of three cows. Johnny replied, "Three cows is many, but not enough for Mahana. I will pay eight cows."  

Mahana then knew her worth and to the astonishment of the village, who previously found Mahana ugly, her true beauty emerged. 


Wise Man #3: My Brother-in-law Neil Kay Birch

With the creativity of Creighton and the wisdom of Johnny Lingo, Neil would have fit in just fine in the pioneer courting scene. 

During his dating years, there were several teachers at Skyline High School in Idaho Falls that were happy to see Neil coming into their room. They knew that for the bargain price of only $5 they could buy a burlap bag full of some of the very best Idaho spuds when Neil needed cash for a date.  

He wasn't a big spender.  $5 worth of spuds was all he needed to buy tickets to a dance or a movie.  (My sister Sandi McCracken knew the way to a man's heart and always offered to cook dinner before their dates.)

Although he probably laughed at it, I’m guessing Neil watched the Johnny Lingo video carefully in Seminary, because although previous girlfriends got a single $1 rose, when he took Sandi to the prom, he wanted her to know that she was many times better than the other girls, and he brought her a beautiful corsage that cost $3.50!   

Sandi was sure she had truly caught Neil's eye when he brought that corsage, paid for dance tickets and even ordered formal pictures. She knew the tiny trunk of Neil's car, a compact Opal, wouldn't hold much more that one sack of spuds, but somehow she had become a two sacks of spuds woman.

The world needs more wise men who understand how to practically apply Proverbs 31:10 and at the same time make women feel valued.

 "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."

Double Family Connection

 
May 29^th is a red letter day in history. My sister, Sharlene McCracken Smith shares this birthday with Mary Hannah Beard Birch, although Sherry came along ninety-one years after Mary’s birth in 1860 in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, England.

Not only is Mary the sister of my Great Grandfather James Thomas Beard Sr., she is also the Great Grandmother of Neil Kay Birch, my sister Sandi’s first husband.

Mary Hannah Beard Birch

Mary’s parents were converted to the LDS church in England and immigrated to the U.S. when their baby daughter was not yet two years old, sailing on the ship “John J Boyd”, leaving Liverpool April 23, 1862, and arriving in New York June 1^st, a relatively short journey of five weeks.

One of the Beard family’s sailing companions, William Lindsay, recorded the following in his journal:

• "When the letter came from Liverpool telling us passages for all our family had been secured on the sailing ship John J. Boyd and telling us to sell everything we would not need on the journey and come to Liverpool in site of three days to get on board the ship which would sail April 22, 1862. This letter caused great rejoicing. Brother Sam ran around the house shouting, "Boys this is the best letter ever came to our home." 
• ... a fairly good passage over the sea. However, we had one quite hard storm that shook things up some, but no great damage was done. Of course, the ship was being tossed about and was lurching badly. Two women right close to us were very much excited and crying. I could not help smiling although I had to keep a hold of the bunk to keep from being thrown out. I thought it absurd to suppose that a ship with 700 Saints bound for Zion could possibly sink."

By the time of Mary's immigration to the U.S., Thomas Birch, born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England had already arrived in Utah in the Ellsworth and McArthur Handcart Company of 1856.

In March, 1878, Mary and Thomas met and were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City and moved to Willard, Utah. Thomas was twelve years her senior. Three years earlier he had married Sarah Jane Vernon who had died shortly after the childbirth of their first child. The infant daughter passed away seven months later.

The young groom must have been fearful when nine months later, almost to the day, a son was born to Mary, but this time the birth was joyful. Thomas was once more overcome with grief when their second child died as an infant. Seven more healthy children joined the family.

I like this family photo from 1899. Mary is the one wearing the stylish hat and holding an infant. This photo of the family together was very precious as the following year Mary’s husband passed away at the young age of 52, leaving Mary (40) to provide for and rear the seven unmarried children. 

The oldest son, James, had married the year before and would have been a great assistance on the farm as he and his wife continued to live in the family home.

Mary pressed on operating the family farm, hiring help when necessary to assist with hauling hay or other tasks.

Mary was single for the remainder of her life, but was rarely alone. Her home was open to everyone. For a period of time one of the community school teachers lived with the family in exchange for tuition. As other children married, several lived in or near the family home in Wilford, Idaho.

Mary died at the age of 87 in Rexburg, Idaho.

 

Phone Calls and Rhubarb

We kept in close communication with my Grandma Speas, and she with us. It was a rare day that a phone call was not placed to check in on each other.
 
For some unknown reason my sister became tongue tied when on the telephone. When Mom asked her to call to check on Grandma, Sandi would invariably ask, "But I don't know what to say; what should I talk about?" 

Grandma waiting for a call

Mom's standard and may I say brilliant response did 
not rescue, but instead pushed her daughter to think for herself. She would chuckle and suggest, "Ask her if she thinks the frost hurt the rhubarb." Sandi would roll her eyes and come up with a topic of her own.

This mothering technique was effective, maybe too effective, for by the time Sandi became a teenager she couldn't seem to stop thinking of things to say while talking on the phone.

Decoration Day

"Decoration Day" was the most important holiday of the year to my Grandmother, Lucille Chase McCracken Beard. Although the calendar declared the day as "Memorial Day", Grandma insisted on "Decoration Day". Since she would also joke about changing the name to "Rainy Day" as the clouds seemed to gather on this day year after year, I thought the unusual title was of her making. I have since learned that the last Monday of May originated as "Decoration Day" clear back in 1868. In 1882 the term "Memorial Day" came into use, but that name was not widely accepted until after World War II, and never accepted by Grandma.

Whatever the name, it was a very important family day. By the time we arrived in Tetonia, Grandma and Uncle Leon had cut lilacs branches and had them soaking in canning jars ready to be displayed on the graves of loved ones at the Cache Clawson and Hayden Cemeteries near Tetonia. 

A family picnic was planned, an event attended by every mosquito in a ten state region. Our car windows looked like those in the picture on the left. Stepping outside Grandma's house reminded us of the OFF Mosquito Repellent commercial where the man put his arm into a glass box swarming with the pests.

OFF Mosquito Repellent Commercial

But that didn't stop Grandma. She was devoted to remembering her ancestors and was an avid genealogist in the days of handwritten pedigree charts and family group sheets.

I know Grandma would want the family to gather today and ornament the graves with lilacs, but distance no longer allows us to do that. Please join me in a brief "Decoration Day" visit to the Idaho cemeteries where family members who have gone before have been laid to rest.

Honoring Sandi McCracken Birch Hemming and Abigail Thorn Pond, born on April 2nd

On this anniversary of the birth of my sister, Sandi, today I will add a brief history of another family member born on April 2nd.

Sandi

One hundred thirty-four years earlier than Sandi, Abigail Thorn was born in 1821, the daughter of Richard Thorn, Senior, and Mary Anner Armstrong, my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandparents. (Note: some records indicate the spelling as Thorne.)

This information is gathered from Abigail's history written by her own hand and also from records of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

Abigail Thorn was born in Larr Promise, Cayuga County, New York, on April 2, 1821, where she resided until 15 years of age. Her family then relocated to Livingston Co., where it is said that “curiosity actuated” Abigail in September, 1838, to attend a religious meeting conducted in the community by two Mormon elders. Both the songs sung and the message proclaimed made deep impressions upon her soul. Because of this moving spiritual experience, she was converted and baptized upon the occasion, thus becoming the first proselyte to the Mormon faith in that section of the country. As a result of her conversion, the entire Thorn family joined the church with the exception of her father. The family emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1841.

Abigail had the great privilege of being acquainted with the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith, who pronounced upon her a patriarchal blessing when she was 22 years of age, just 15 months before Hyrum was martyred. Of particular mention in this blessing was the gift of dreams and visions by the Holy Spirit.

Following the martyrdom of the prophet, it was her special privilege to be present upon the occasion of the transfiguration of Brigham Young. "It was on Thursday, August 8, 1844. A vast assemblage of Saints had gathered. Sidney Rigdon spoke for one and one half hours presenting himself as a guardian for the church. The longer he talked, the more the people were convinced that he was without the inspiration of the Lord. When Brigham Young arose to speak, the people were greatly astonished, for President Young stood transfigured before them and they beheld the Prophet Joseph Smith, and heard his voice as naturally as ever they did when he was living. It was a manifestation to the Saints that they might recognize the correct authority."

Abigail became a skilled seamstress and family lore holds that once Brigham Young was given a suit and coat made by Abigail Thorn.

After her marriage to Samuel Russell, in the Nauvoo Temple, they left Nauvoo in the spring of 1846, when they were driven from their homes by angry mobs. In consequence of the persecution and deprivation of the journey, Abigail suffered from scurvy and rheumatism throughout the remainder of her life.

In the spring of 1847, her family again set out to find a haven of rest, finally arriving in Salt Lake City in September of that year. Abigail walked by her husband’s side, carrying her baby, practically the entire distance from the Missouri River to the Salt Lake Valley. Upon reaching the valley of the mountains, her husband prevailed upon her to continue westward to the gold fields of California. Her immediate reply to this suggestion was both curt and poetic, “Samuel Russell," she said, "I came here for the sake of the gospel and not for gold.” He departed, with others, but his wife and child remained with the Saints.

About a year later, Abigail married for the second time to Stillman Pond, also a pioneer of 1847.

In her history, she never talked about her trials or her early life, but it is not difficult to imagine that her life was not one of comfort or ease. The life of this good woman, eventful and colorful, was typical of that of the sturdy pioneers who gave their all for the establishment of what they thought was right.

As with any mother, her outstanding accomplishment in life was her family of boys and girls. During the difficult task of establishing of a home in the desert, her boys did not have shoes, causing their feet to chap and often bleed. To relieve the soreness as best she could, Abigail would bath them in warm bran water. This kindly service during the summer time was one of the special duties of the mother before retiring at night. 

Abigail

Abigail Thorn Pond possessed a powerful and magnetic personality together with a great store of practical wisdom and was a popular fireside personality. With a profound knowledge of the scriptures, she always had an appropriate passage to substantiate most any statement she made. One of her favorite bits of philosophy was expressed in the following words: “Oh consistency, thou art a jewel.”

Abigail not only quoted that philosophy; she lived it. She had endured many privations and hardships throughout her life, but never wavered from the faith that came to her soul when a girl. The faith and devotion she manifested for the cause of truth in the long trek across the plains as a young woman remained with her to her dying day, and continues as a living inspiration to her posterity.