Story of the Week: 7-2-2008: Settling in Salt Lake & Tooele

After arriving in Salt Lake, they went direct to home of Doctor Sprague. Jane spent two or three days visiting with the Doctor and Mrs. Sprague. After which they camped on the lot Henry Heath, her brother, had secured for them. It was located north toward the warm springs in the 19th Ward. Her brother had a lot adjoining and they made preparation to build a house.

Soon Thomas had a building under way. It consisted of two rooms and an entry built of adobe. They were able to live in the house during the coldest weather. In February 1851 Jane’s eldest brother married Sarah Ann Bird.

Move to Tooele
About the last of March, Jane, Thomas and their two sons and Jane’s two younger brothers moved to Tooele. Tooele was just a small Fort near the mouth of the canyon, but in consequence of trouble with the Indians the Fort was moved during 1851 so that it would be further from the mouth of the canyon. This would enable the white people to guard the Fort from the Indians more successfully. The family resided here for one year and six or seven months. After the Fort was moved, Thomas built a one room house of hewn logs, had it finished and made very comfortable, with home-made furniture, consisting of table, cupboard and bestead. It was all so nice for the little daughter Martha, who was born 30th of April 1852.

Back to Salt Lake and Grasshoppers
In October 1852 the family moved back to Salt Lake and located in the 6th Ward, on 6th South between second and third and third west. They resided here for over five years. During this time Jane’s two younger brothers were married. Jane had two daughters born, Esther on March 25, 1854, and Rosena January 27, 1856. They passed through the scarce time caused by the visit of the grasshoppers. This was the summer of 1856, and it was a very trying time until harvest.

Jane was able to minister to her husband as Sarah of old, for in April 1855 she gave her husband another wife under the new and everlasting covenant. This was Harriet Bebbington. Harriet was too old at the time to have any children, but she was a godmother to all of the girls by Jane. The first baby that was born to Jane after Harriet came into the family was named Rose Harriet, (Rosena) after her in order to show that there was no hard feelings.

Adapting to frontier life
All this time Jane was adapting herself to frontier life. She could cut and make men’s clothes and was quite an expert seamstress. Jane made all her baby shoes and would make shoes for her friends and neighbors and this prevented many from going barefoot. She would make shoes for herself and her daughters so that they did not have to go to meeting barefoot. Jane made soap and candles and would scour yarn and dye it. Although she never spun or wove Jane became quite a supervisor of such work, under her roof.

In the fall of 1857 Thomas was called to go to Echo Canyon. He was gone three months and left on short notice. Jane had herself and five children to provide for. When she found that she could not collect some of his summer earnings she just turned her hand to work and earned such things as she needed and on his return from the canyon Jane had not run her husband into debt. Thomas helped build the Lion House, the Beehive House and the Salt Lake Temple. The children all helped to clear sage brush for farming.

Move to Grantsville and the coming of Johnston’s Army
In February 1858 the Silcock’s family moved to Grantsville, Tooele County. On the 4th of April 1858 a daughter, Almira Heath (who later married Alexander Shellington Henderson), was born. About the first of May, Jane had to leave her home once more with just what they could put on the wagon. Everything else was packed and ready for the torch if such a sacrifice was necessary at the coming of Johnston’s army. Jane stayed for some time at the old English Fort in Taylorsville. From there they went to the Jordan River three miles below Lehi, Utah. Thomas moved a boat from Salt Lake to Utah Lake for Dan Jones. From here they went to Provo and camped on the Provo River not far from Utah Lake until Thomas finished the boat. On the 4th of July word came to the travelers to return home. They turned their faces homeward.

Life on the frontier-Hard times
Jane assisted in every way she could in order to get a start in a new country. She got a start of sheep and took care of cows on shares. On the 5th of November 1859 another daughter, Sarah was born. Again milk leg set in, so that Jane was in doors all winter. Even then she was not idle. When not suffering too much Jane would knit as she lay in bed and when able to sit by the fire she would gather her children around her and teach them the alphabet and to count. By this means she helped to pass the time away and be useful. In the later part of the summer of 1860 Jane’s ten year old son, Thomas, was run over with a very heavy wagon loaded with hay. He was seriously injured, but recovered in a short time. On the 4th of October 1861 another daughter, Paulina, was born. Soon after this Thomas started with a load of freight to Ruby Valley, Nevada. He was gone six weeks. During this time Jane took a relapse and was very seriously ill. She was nearly recovered by the time her husband returned.

On the 2nd of August 1863 their oldest son, Alma was married to Mary Ann Hudson. On the 17th of August 1863, a son, John Walter, was born to Jane & Thomas. On the 29th of May 1864 their first grandson, was born. Three months later their oldest son, Alma, was killed, having been accidently shot with the new baby in his arms. He died twenty hours after the accident. He was buried in Rhodes Valley, about 50 miles from Salt Lake.

In Grantsville the family farmed and hauled timber from the canyon. There is still a canyon named Silcock Canyon at Tooele. Thomas was presiding elder for seven years while they lived there.

Taken from a biographical sketch by Martha Silcock Pixton.Italics indicate text added by Marie Arnold.

Next Week: Settling West Jordan