Samuel Linton Family Reunion 2015

Morgan Line

Cyrus Hubbard Wheelock

It's a long story, and I won't bother telling here why I started the project, but I've been working on a major tangent, the history of early Mormon missionary and leader Cyrus H. Wheelock (1813-1894). (No relation.) 

I'll be guest posting all week on Keepapitchinin about his history, his family, his well-known hymn, "Ye Elders of Israel," and the poetry of Hannah Last Cornaby, a member of his 1853 pioneer company. One of the stories featured in the material for the week comes from the collections of my great-great grandmother Mary Linton Morgan.

Cyrus Hubbard Wheelock Week
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John Morgan Gravestone Update -- Photo Added

Bessie at Ancestral Ties headed an effort to add information about John Morgan's wives to his gravestone, since they are not all buried in the family plot. That project was finished several months ago, and here is her description. (John Morgan Gravestone Project completed.) Thank you, Bessie!

[Original post July 30, 2012. Update September 29, 2012—My mother found a photo she took of the newly completed gravestone during a recent visit to the Salt Lake City Cemetery and I have included it here. Many thanks to her for sending the photo!]

Adding Information about John Morgan's Wives to His Grave Marker

Bessie at Ancestral Ties is heading an effort to add information about John Morgan's wives to the back of his grave marker. The missionaries from the Southern States raised money to have this marker engraved and placed on their former mission president's grave.

See Bessie's post about the project (John Hamilton Morgan gravestone, October 2010) and her post about donating to help fund the project (John Morgan Salt Lake Cemetery Plot).

Mathias Cowley Morgan and Mildred Vilate Pearce Morgan

I haven't posted much on this blog about Mat Morgan, the youngest of John Morgan and Mary Ann Linton Morgan's three children. He evidently had a somewhat difficult life. Contact has been lost with his branch of the family, but we would love to get in touch with them.

In going through the collections of family photos and memorabilia, here are some lovely photos of the childhood of Mat and Mildred's two oldest children, Lucile Morgan Schow (1916-2010) and John Mathias Morgan (1918-2004). Mat and Mildred's other children were Noreen Vilate Morgan Byron (1920-2000), Warren Clair Morgan (1923-1977), and Bruce Lowell Morgan (1930-2008).

Note the picture of John Morgan on the wall of the home in the last photo. Combining that detail with the scenery, I would assume that this is the Udall home in Hunt, Arizona.

These photos are from Mary Ann Linton Morgan's collection.

Important John Morgan Posts

To make this site more useful, here is a list of the most interesting posts about John Morgan and his family. It also includes a number of links to Ancestral Ties.


Early History

John Morgan—Early Life and Civil War
Birth and service in the 123rd Illinois Volunteer Regiment.

John Morgan Biography—Salt Lake City
John Morgan starts his college and marries Helen Melvina Groesbeck.

Robert Lang Campbell
The Salt Lake City man who befriended and baptized John Morgan and started him on his career in education.


Southern States Mission and Church Service

The History of the Southern States Mission
This is quite extensive. This history was published in The Latter Day Saints Southern Star, 1898-99. As of today it contains 34 posts. The index is here.

An Incident in the Life of President John Morgan
An adventure on the trains.

A Warning Sent to John Morgan
"We will not suffer you any longer to impose upon some of the ignorant men of this mountain."

Another Warning Note to John Morgan
"Runn Morgan Runn."

A Trip to Lookout Mountain
A missionary tells about a day trip to Lookout Mountain with President Morgan.

Looking Up Southern States Missionaries
A response to a question from a reader.

Service as a General Authority
A review of the article "The Seventies in the 1880s" by William Hartley.

Notes from Church Chronology
A timeline of the service dates of the First Council of the Seventies up to 1900 and some notes about John Morgan's service.


Genealogy

Where Did John Morgan Die?
In Matthias Cowley's home in Preston, Idaho.

Garrard Morgan III and Eliza Ann Hamilton Morgan, Part 1, (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4)

Garrard and Eliza Morgan's Children
How many siblings did John Morgan have, and why do the records disagree?

John Morgan's Brother James
Why does James Morgan show up in the 1880 Colorado census?

Garrard Morgan II and Sarah Sanderson Morgan
A history of John Morgan's grandparents with notes about his aunts and uncles.


Wives and Families

Helen Groesbeck Morgan

Annie Smith Morgan

Mary Ann Linton Morgan

John Morgan's Children
A list of the children from his three families.

John Sutton Linton
Why did John Morgan meet Mary Ann Linton?

Don't miss the information about the Morgan family on Ancestral Ties, in particular:
John Hamilton Morgan
Helen Melvina Groesbeck Morgan
Annie Mildred Smith Morgan
Mary Ann Linton Morgan

Garrard Morgan III
Eliza Ann Hamilton Morgan

James Morgan (These posts involved some real detective work.)

Garrard Morgan II
Sarah Sanderson

James P. Hamilton
Margaret (Peggy) Turner


Annotated Diary

John Morgan's Diary
November 17-22, 1888
November 23-26, 1888
November 27-30, 1888
December 1, 1888
December 2, 1888
December 3, 1888
December 4-5, 1888
December 6, 1888
December 7-8, 1888
December 9, 1888
December 10-14, 1888
December 15-18, 1888
December 19-23, 1888

See also Ancestral Ties, where Bessie is annotating more diary entries. She has the diary entries listed in the index under "JHM [date] journal entry" with all the entries from the year listed under the heading.


Sermons, Stories, and Correspondence

John Morgan to Garrard Morgan, Feb. 12, 1863
A soldier writes to his father.

Mother's Day John Morgan Civil War Letter
A soldier writes to his mother.

Heber J. Grant to the Morgan Family
A summary of a letter written to the Morgan family by Grant following reminiscences about John Morgan at B.H. Roberts' 80th birthday celebration.

Address Given May 23, 1881, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City
John Morgan talks about preaching the gospel in the Southern States and relocation of the converts to Conejos County, Colorado.

Address Given December 18, 1881, in the Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City
John Morgan talks about the Southern States Mission and the Colorado Settlements.

Missionary Experience on the Little Colorado—John Morgan's Death—A Miraculous Administration
A few pages from a Morgan book with some information about Mary Ann Linton Morgan.

John Morgan on the Southern States Mission
Morgan's notes on the mission of James T. Lisonbee.


Gravestones and Monuments

Morgan Family Gravestones
Photos of the gravestones in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Gravestone Locations
How to locate the gravestones in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

The John Morgan Monument
Pictures and text of a beautifully restored monument located at 257 South Main Street in Salt Lake City.

The John Morgan Monument
The Southern States Missionaries take up a collection to provide a grave marker for John Morgan. Includes text of a letter published in various newspapers, signed by B.H. Roberts, J. Golden Kimball, William Spry, Elias S. Kimball and Ben E. Rich.

Obituary
As found in the Southern Star in 1900 compiled from several sources.

John Morgan Funeral Address by B.H. Roberts (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)


Sources

Sources on John Morgan
A list of sources about Morgan, his family, and the Southern States Mission.


(This was originally published Nov. 28, 2009, but I will keep moving it up as I add new Morgan materials so it shows up first in the index.)

John Sutton Linton

Reading Amateur Mormon Historian one day, I was surprised by a reference to John S. Linton in a post about the Wolf Creek Branch in the Southern States Mission in 1884. I sent an email to the blog author, Bruce, as follows:

"...about your Wolf Creek Branch post: I never realized that John S. Linton was a missionary in the Southern States. He was the older brother of my great-great grandmother Mary Ann Linton, who became John Morgan's third wife four years after John Linton was serving in the Wolf Creek Branch. It never occurred to me to wonder how Mary Linton, living in Nephi, Utah, got to know John Morgan, and why she would have agreed to become his third wife after seeing how hard polygamy was on her mother. Now I have a pretty good idea."

Bruce sent some additional information in reply:

"Later on in the [Wolf Creek Minute book] is a list of missionaries that served in the South West Tennessee Conference since it formed. John S. Linton is listed as being from Nephi, with an arrival date of Dec 11, 1882, a departure date of Nov 12, 1884, and a simple note "Honorably released". The brevity of the record is disappointing." (Email from Bruce Crow, June 15, 2009.)

The Mary Morgan and John Linton families continued to be close after John Morgan's death, as noted in a prior post on this blog:

Harold Morgan, Part II

For a biography of John Sutton Linton, download the January 2005 Linton Family Newsletter.

Morgan 10: Samuel Linton and Ellen Sutton Linton, Part 3 of 3

Continued by Mary L. Morgan, 1945.

My father, Samuel Linton and my Uncle Peter Sutton went to Echo Canyon to guard against Johnson’s Army. They naturally spoke of their sisters, so I concluded that father became acquainted with mother, Ellen Sutton, as they were married in April, 1858. She was previously married to Charles McKetchney who was a glass stainer by trade. They had one child, Sarah Ellen, who lived with grandmother Sutton till she was 10 years old, when she died with diptheria [sic].

[Note: Ellen Sutton (age 21) and Charles McKetchney or McKecknie or McKetchine (age 23) traveled to Utah in the Joseph W. Young Pioneer Company in 1853. The notes indicate that this was called the "Ten Pound Company." The sources for both Ellen and Charles list the Perpetual Emigrating Fund. The sources about this trip across the plains are extensive, and include multiple notes about the Sutton family, including some difficulties they had with animals.]

McKetchney had some dealings with President Brigham Young on which they didn’t agree so he apostacized and went to California threatening to take their baby. Mother has told me how Uncle Peter guarded her till he knew he, McKetchney, had left the country. He begged Mother to go with him, but she told him she could not leave her church and people to follow him. I think she never heard of him any more. Father was a very large, strong man. He had a farm in the old field and could cradle more grain in a day than any other man around Nephi, where they lived and could cut more wood, so I have been told by men who knew him. He had great faith in prayer and the Priesthood which he held. We never had to call a doctor if father administered to us, we got well immediately, no matter what ailed us.

He was called to the “Muddy Mission” down near St. George about 1869 to help develop that country and went with others that had been called, just a few days before Alice was born. Mother pleaded with him not to go till after, but he thought he was called and had to go. Mother came nearly leaving us, but I guess his faith and prayers prevailed as she was spared to live and bear five other children. Three of them died at birth, twin boys and one girl. Mother was a hard worker too. She could take the wool shorn, wash, dry and send it to the machines to be made into rolls; spin it into yarn which was made into skeins. Then gather rabbit brush, steep into tea, dip the skeins in this, then in blue dye to make the different colors for shirts, dresses, etc. Dear mother was a patient sufferer. I wonder that she lived as long as she did. She was 77 when she passed away. She was affable and kind. All loved her who knew her.

When Alice was a year old, Father was helping on the thresher and got his leg in the horse power. It was just mashed. Dr. Bryan set it putting it in a heavy box. Brother Adams made the box from heavy timber. They couldn’t keep the flies out of it. Oh goodness what he must have suffered. Father and John went to work for Mr. R.W. Young in Arizona. Father was quite taken up with that country. He wrote Mother to sell the meadowland and prepare to move. Mother had a good councilor in her eldest brother Uncle Peter, who advised her not to sell and said father might change his mind, which he did, and came home thankful he still had his meadowland. This was a wild grass which they cured for their animals to feed through the winter. They used to take me to tromp the hay as they loaded it. I would ride with John going down but felt safer with father coming back on top of a high load. Roads were not paved then.

Father was very anxious to have his folks join the church. His father died a year after they came to Philadelphia and father left to gather with the Saints, as he has told us. After 20 years he got a letter from his mother through the dead letter office. He began writing trying to convert them. Later he made two trips to visit them, but they were too full of prejudice to talk to him or listen so no more joined the church, but he has had their work done in the Temple which we hope they have learned to accept and appreciate.

Linton, Samuel and Mary L. Morgan. "History of Samuel Linton." Nephi, Utah, May 1908 and 1945.

Part 1.
Part 2.

Photo of Echo Canyon from www.flickr.com/photos/bryanto/3149234611/.

Morgan 10: Samuel Linton and Ellen Sutton Linton, Part 2 of 3

The 3rd of April, 1854, I left for Utah. We took rail for Pittsburg [sic], and boat from there to Cincinnati, and from there to St. Louis, where I met Horace S. Eldredge. There were five or six boys of us who were good teamsters. We asked him for a job to drive team across the plains. He told us if we would furnish our own gun and blankets, we could have the privilege of driving a team to Utah. I accepted these conditions. I went up the Missouri River to Fort Leavenworth that was the outfitting point at that time. I made the most of my situation. I made myself useful, helping to take care of Church freight. The Church had a large train that year. [This is listed in the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel database as the Orson Pratt/Ezra T. Benson/Ira Eldredge Company (1854). Samuel Linton is not listed in the company, so after the third part posts tomorrow, I will submit the information for the database.]

A man by the name of Bucklen, a returned missionary was in charge of all the wagons and stuff. He did our cooking, but he went off to buy cattle. This left us to do our own or starve. I went 24 hours before I came down to it. None of the others would, so I had to cook. Our old hand came back. I was put to cut wood to make charcoal for blacksmithing. This, and putting wagons together, and loading up freight, and handling half broke cattle, gave us plenty to do. After the first lot of cattle was delivered, I was put to look after them. I did so, and I did not lose anything but a fancy came that was made a present to Brother Eldredge. It was taken a day or two before we started. There were men driving a herd of high bred cattle through to California. They offered me forty dollars a month and a good outfit to ride if I would go with them, but I made choice to stay with the saints and work for the Church, and I have never regretted it.

I drove a big team, the wagon loaded with sheet iron, mill irons, window glass, and woman and 4 children. I got through all safe although we had a stampede on the road. I heard them coming. I stopped my team and stood in front of the leaders and talked to them. They stood still while they ran past on each side of us. We came into Salt Lake City the third of October, 1854 or 56. I went to work for Heber C. Kimball. He set me to digging post holes and shucking corn. He sent me and a prisoner he was taking care of, to cut fire wood up City Creek. He had three teams hauling two trips a day. He kept them going all right. He called me the Irish Yankee. He thought I would do; when my month was up I quit. Mrs. Kimball wanted to know what was the matter. He asked me if he had not treated me right. I told him yes—and if the boys had not treated me right, and his wife, if she had not treated me right. To all this I said yes. I did not like digging and pick and shovel.

The remainder of the winter I worked for the Church up Big Cottonwood Canyon cutting timber.

In the Spring of 1855 I went to work for Bro. Eldredge, and worked for him until the Fall of 1857.

Then I went out to guard Uncle Sam against Johnson’s Army, who were sent out to annihilate the Mormons, but they found it to be a blessing by them leaving food and things they could use. In the spring of 1858 I worked for Brigham Young doing farming, and helping to move the family to Provo and back to Salt Lake. I stayed with him until the Fall of ‘60, then I moved to Nephi.

I forgot to say in the Fall of 1860, I went out after those late hand-cart companies. Had a very hard time. In the month of September 1858 Bishop Hunter sent me and eight others out to meet Rowly hand-cart company. We met them on Ham’s Fork. They were out of flour. The most pleasant trip I ever recollect having, although I came near to losing my life by a party of soldiers that followed us from Fort Bridger a distance of ten miles. They got in trouble with their Captain who was doing something the soldiers didn’t like. He ordered them out of camp. They went on about a mile to a saloon. They wanted to search every wagon and tent. But I went to them and talked to them quietly. They offered me the whiskey bottle. I said I always wanted to see a man drink out his own bottle first. “Well,” he said, “that is sensible.” By this time we had got round to where the other eight boys were, each one having a six shooter in his belt. I had told them we got along with men in peace, and when we could not get along in that way then we got along the best way we could. The one who was making so much noise showed fight, but one of them picked up a rock and said here is one of the Lord’s biscuits, shut your mouth. They went outside the camp and commenced shooting into the camp. It was dark by this time, and there was no one hurt, but it was a miracle.

You can write the remainder of my life as well as I can. (He stopped short, never could get him at it again). [That last note is from Mary Ann Linton Morgan. She continues writing the history in Part 3.]

Part 1.
Part 3.

Photo of wagon from www.flickr.com/photos/tgray/207860417/.

John Morgan's Children

Here is a page out of Harold Morgan's Book of Remembrance. It shows:

Harold Morgan

His parents:
John Hamilton Morgan
Mary Ann Linton Morgan

His grandparents:
Garrard Morgan III
Eliza Ann Hamilton Morgan
Samuel Linton
Ellen Sutton Linton

His full brothers:
Linton Morgan
Mathias Cowley Morgan

His half brothers:
Nicholas G. Morgan
Earl Morgan
Jack Morgan
John Morgan
Joseph Morgan

I have John Morgan's children listed as follows. Please contact me with any corrections.

John (1842-1894) m. (1868) Helen Melvina Groesbeck (1852-1930)
Helen Melvina (1870-1952) m. Andrew Burt and later George Austin
Elizabeth (1872-1874)
Eliza Ann (1875-1952) m. James Frank Smith
Ruth (1878-1949) m. Berke Kunkel
John (1881-1881)
Flora Groesbeck (1882-1885)
Nicholas Groesbeck (1884-1971) m. Ethel Tate
Gail (1888-1984) m. John Clayton
Bessie (1891-1938) m. Percy Harold Rex
Gerard Earl (1892-1957) m. Merin Engman
John Hamilton (1894-1982) m. Lucile Lloyd

John (1842-1894) m. (1884) Annie Mildred Smith (1863-1935)
Annie Ray (1884-1972) m. Lawrence Hensen Heiselt
Myrtle (1887-1890)
John Albemarle (1889-1935) m. Eva Block
Ivy (1892-1940) m. Luther Grantham
Joseph Smith (1893-1948) m. Violet Dutler or Dudler

John (1842-1894) m. (1888) Mary Ann Linton (1865-1951)
Linton (1890-1952) m. Eudora Eggertsen
Harold (1892-1963) m. Jessie Christensen
Mathias Cowley (1894-1964) m. Mildred Pearce

The Morgan children died at the ages of: 82, 1, 76, 70, <1, 2, 87, 96, 47, 64, 88, 87, 3, 45, 48, 54, 61, 71, 70. An average of 55 years. If you remove the four deaths of small children (Elizabeth, John, Flora, Myrtle) and the five that lived more than 80 years (Helen, Nicholas, Gail, John H., Annie), the other ten lived an average of 46.5 years.

John Morgan Diary, December 19-23, 1888

December 19

Rode over to the ditch and found the teams gone to the Pinions for wood. In company with Henry Huffaker rode to the Mexican town of Rinconus and from there home. At work about the corral.

December 20

Started to go to the ranch. Met Jackson and turned back. At work making troughs for the houses the balance of the day.

December 21

Arranged to get J.F. Thomas to survey some lines on our land and in the afternoon killed a pig. Have been reading for the last few days at odd times of the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by Geo. Q. Cannon. It is a very fine work and gave a better idea of the life and character of Joseph than anything yet published.

December 22

Started early this a.m. with J.F. Thomas and H. Huffaker to survey the ranch property. At work all day and found all the principal corners as surveyed by governor surveyors.

December 23

About home during the forenoon. Attended meetings at 2 p.m. President Smith read a set of rules adopted by the High Council which the people accepted, but which will be difficult to carry. I spoke one hour. Brother and Sister Holt spent the evening with us.

[That's all of this part of the diary. Thanks again to Bessie S. for sending the scans. It's been an interesting adventure learning about the trip and some of the people John Morgan mentions in the diary.]


Photos of Conejos County, Colorado from http://www.flickr.com/photos/slvnative/collections/72157611927412458/. In the first photo, the mountains in the near distance are identified as Saddleback and Little Flat Top and are right in front of the Rio Grande River. To the right in the photo is the town of Sanford.

John Morgan Diary, December 15-18, 1888

December 15

Took train at 1:20 a.m. for LaJara where we arrived at 9 a.m. My team met me there and at 11 I landed back at home [Manassa, Conejos, Colorado]. Found all [Annie Smith Morgan who was six months pregnant, Annie Ray (4), and Myrtle (1)] well. Since I left on the 13th of November I have traveled about 5,000 miles. Held twenty-one public meetings, many private council meetings and visited four stakes of Zion located in Arizona. About 400 miles of our trip was made in wagons and we had a good time.


View Larger Map

December 16

Remained quietly at home during the day. The first Sunday that I have remained away from meeting for a long time. The weather is very fine.

December 17

Assisted in getting the teams ready and starting them across the river to the ditch and followed them during the forenoon on horseback, rode along the ditch two or three miles.

December 18

Wrote a number of letters last night and mailed them this a.m. Called on brother Jno. R. Holt and obtained some money. Paid President Smith $130 and William Christensen $93.60 on account of wagon, and account. Made a door for the cow stable.


Picture of the old Christensen barn in Manassa, Colorado, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/slv_co/422319255/ with accompanying text: "I'm quite certain that this barn in Manassa, Colorado is well over 100 years old. The property was owned by my great grandfather until he passed away in 1974. I didn't think the roof would make it through another winter with the snow we have had, but it is still standing!"

John Morgan Diary, December 10-14, 1888

December 10

Drove to the old ditch and about the country. At 12 bade the good folks of Zenas [Zenos or Mesa] goodbye and started for Temple [Tempe], taking train. At 1:30 p.m. changed cars at Maricopa Junction and took sleeper for Demming.

December 11

Arrived at Demming [Deming, New Mexico] at 7 a.m. Waited two hours. Had breakfast and looked at town and at 9 a.m. took train for Rincen [Rincon, New Mexico], where we arrived at 11:45. Waited for El Paso train on which we took sleeper for LaJunta, Colorado. The run during the afternoon was through a terribly desolate country. Was unwell all night.

December 12

Woke up near Las Vegas, New Mexico where the train waited for breakfast. Brother Spry and myself wrote a letter addressed to the Elders and saints in the south giving some information as to Southern Arizona country and advising them to locate there. At 4:45 p.m. we changed cars at LaJunta. At 10 p.m. took sleeper for Denver.

December 13

Arrived at Denver at 6:30 a.m. Had breakfast at a Restaurant and visited all the principal points of interest about the city, and at 4 p.m. took train for Colorado Springs where we changed cars and went to Manitou [Manitou Springs, Colorado]. Stopped at the Cliff House.

December 14

Drove up to Rainbow Falls in Utah Pass and from there by way of the Garden of the Gods and General Eynie to the station at Colorado Springs and took cars for Pueblo at which point I bid brother Spry goodbye, he going to Salt Lake and I to San Luis Valley. Spent the evening in making purchases and walking about.


View Larger Map


Note on William Spry and the Southern States Mission from the Southern Star

After the Saints were located in Colorado, President Spry visited Mesa, Arizona, for the purpose of studying the facilities of the country preparatory to sending some Saints there. He found an admirable country for the southern people, the climate being similar to their former homes. [Of course, he was there in December.] On his return to the office a circular was sent to Elders and Saints naming the facilities of the country and encouraging the people to make homes there. [Southern Star, Saturday, September 2, 1899, Vol. 1, No. 40, p 313.]


Photo from www.flickr.com/photos/peter576/2781560489/.

John Morgan Diary, December 9, 1888

December 9

Conference met at 10 a.m. and was addressed by President C.I. Robison [Charles Innes Robson (1837-1894)] and others, followed by myself. At 2 p.m. Sunday School Union Meeting, Superintendent George W. Lewis [possibly George William Lewis (1864-1933), who married Olena Dorthea Kempe, one of the six daughters of previously mentioned Christopher Jensen Kempe of Erastus (Concho)], and his two assistants spoke to the people, followed by counsellor Rogers [Henry Clay Rogers (1833-1902)]. Meeting convened at 7 p.m. and was addressed by Counsellor Hakes [Collins Rowe Hakes (1837-1916)], Brother Spry and myself. The meetings were well attended and a good spirit prevailed among the people generally.


Sources:

Mesa Cemetery Walking Tour Guide (pdf) (HTML)
Mormon Settlement in Arizona
New Family Search

John Morgan Diary, December 7-8, 1888

December 7

Had dinner and spent the day with brother C.I. Robison [Charles Robson] and A.M. Tenney [Ammon Meshach Tenney, at the time the President of the Mexican Mission], spent the day very pleasantly.

December 8

Brother William Spry [President of the Southern States Mission from 1888 to 1891 and Governor of Utah from 1909 to 1917] came in by the coach this morning and was warmly welcomed. Had a walk about town and at 2 p.m. opened our Seventies Conference with a fair attendance. I made some explanations relative to our visit after which brother George Passey, George F. Ellsworth, and George W. Lewis [that's a lot of Georges!] spoke to the people, after which brother Spry occupied some time. Attended a concert tonight.


[I can't find a biography of Ammon M. Tenney, which is a shame, since he was such a fascinating man. For tidbits of his life, see Mormon Settlement in Arizona. The picture of Tenney is from that book.]

John Morgan Diary, December 6, 1888

December 6

Rained this morning. In the afternoon, drove with President C.I. Robison [Charles I. Robson, president of the Maricopa Stake from December 4, 1887 until his death on February 24, 1894] to Papago Ward and attended a Relief Society Meeting of the Pima and Maricopa Indians. A number of them testified to the truth of the Gospel. A native choir furnished the music. After meeting, drove on to the Mesa and looked at an old ditch, evidently dug many long years ago. The depth in one place was twenty feet, and extended over a great extent of country. Rained tonight.

[John Morgan is talking about the Hohokam Canals. They are still visible in a number of places including the Park of the Canals. Click on this link and scroll down to the bottom to see a photo of part of the canals. When a new group of Mormon settlers arrived in the Valley and moved to the top of the mesa, they used some of the existing Hohokam canals as the basis for their irrigation system.

Additionally, a history of the city of Mesa, Arizona, explained the location of "Zenas" mentioned by John Morgan on December 5. Zenos was the name of the Mesa Post Office from 1886 to 1889.]

Sources:
See linked items.
Forty Years Among the Indians (Daniel Webster Jones) for his account of the Indian mission, see in particular Chapter 46 through 51.
The Planting of Mesa, a history of early Mesa based on McClintock's Mormon Settlement in Arizona


Photo of the prickly pear and fruits from www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/2735004962/.

John Morgan Diary, December 4-5, 1888

December 4

Started early in company with Brother Merrill and O.C. Wilson [Oliver Cowdery Wilson (1855-1896)], for Bowie Station, 44 miles distant. Had a hard days drive and arrived about dark. Had supper and at 7:30 bade our friends goodbye and took sleeper. Started to attend our appointments in Maricopa Stake.

December 5

Changed cars at Maricopa Junction at 4 a.m. and taking the Maricopa and Pheonix [sic] Train for Tempe where we arrived at 7 a.m. and were met by President Geo. Passey [at the time just released as Maricopa Stake Sunday School President] and Geo. F. Ellsworth [the first assistant superintendent of the Maricopa Stake Sunday School] who drove us to Zenas [Mesa], seven miles distant. Had breakfast at brother Passeys.

The weather is delightfully warm and pleasant, this being a semi-tropical climate. We gathered ripe figs and peaches from from the trees today and found the weather quite warm. Wrote a number of letters. Stayed tonight with President Talma Pomeroy [Talma Emerson Pomeroy (1863-1940)].


[I don't know who made the typescript of the journal that I'm working from, and how spelling or grammatical errors were handled (or created) by the typist.]

Source:
The Contributor
History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family
History of the Mexico Mexican Mission
Jubilee History of the Latter-day Saints Sunday Schools
New Family Search

Photo from www.flickr.com/photos/gem66/2539994049/.

John Morgan Diary, December 3, 1888

December 3

A number of the brethren came in early this a.m. and spent the day with us. Among the numbers, Patriarch P.C. Merrill, and Counsellor W.D. Johnson. At 3 p.m. we started for Layton Ward and stopped at brother William Packards [sic]*. An appointment was made and meeting held. A full house and good spirit prevailed.

*William Jefferson Packer has already shown up twice in Ancestral Files, once in the comments, once in a post. He was a missionary serving in the Southern States Mission during the early 1880s.

Photo of the Safford area from http://www.flickr.com/photos/7603557@N08/457282817/.

John Morgan Diary, December 2, 1888

December 2

Drove to Pima Ward and met a large crowd which was spoken to by several of the brethren. Had dinner at Ed Easts [probably Edward Martin East (1856-1930) and his wife Minnie Bassett East (1860-1947) and since her family remained in Salt Lake City, she could be the Sister East mentioned on December 1], a still larger crowd in the p.m. and an excellent spirit. This closed our conference meetings in this stake. Returned to President [Christopher] Laytons where we remained tonight.


Photo of the Pima area from www.flickr.com/photos/kenlund/3444145412/.

John Morgan Diary, December 1, 1888

[Here I will note the purpose for this trip. A previous post on the Council mentioned that on October 7, 1884, John Morgan was called as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. He was assigned the responsibility for overseeing the First District, a group of twenty-six quorums of seventies. In addition to making a living for his families, pursuing political and educational goals for the state of Utah, he would have travelled throughout the district, overseeing and reorganizing the quorums.]

December 1

Drove to Thatcher Ward where we found a large congregation assembled and met President C. Layton [Christoper Layton] and Counsellor [sic], also Patriarch P.C. Merrill [Philemon Christopher Merrill] and many others, among the rest, sister East, formerly of the 14th Ward. [This would be his ward in Salt Lake City.] Brother Merrill addressed the people, after which I spoke to them. A good spirit prevailed. Dinner at brother Laytons and an afternoon meeting addressed by J.R. Wilker [Welker], Oscar Wilsen, and J. East, President of the 89th Quorum of Seventies. All seemed to feel well and spoke briefly, but with a good spirit. In the evening, quite a company gathered at President Laytons and we had a most enjoyable time.


Photo of the view from Mount Graham from www.flickr.com/photos/steev/211809032/.