Alexander & Almira Henderson

I am so pleased with what I have to share today!!! A few months ago a woman who was doing research for a friend of hers found my blog. Her friend is also a descendant of Nicholas Thomas & Jane Silcock. She e-mailed me and directed me to another descendant, Melvin Banner, who has written an amazing book (over 400 pages) about Nicholas Thomas & Jane Heath Silcock! I was able to obtain the LAST COPY he had! It is full of pictures and amazing stories from their lives AND the lives of their children. He has given me permission to digitize some of the book to share. So in honor of Alexander Shillington Henderson's birthday this week...

The meeting and marriage of Alexander Shillington Henderson and Almira Heath Silcock, from "Come After Us" by Melvin Banner.

Note: Alexander & Almira's 6th child was Nicholas Thomas Henderson, whose son was Jay Harold Henderson. So Alexander & Almira are my Great Great Grandparents.

"In 1874 a young gentleman, Alex (Alexander) Shillington Henderson, contracting work to dig the South Jordan canal came to Nicholas Silcock's farm to purchase hay for his teams. He was thirty years old and had been married, but his wife and only child had died. Henry Silcock said he was "flabbergasted at the large amount of money in this stranger's pocket." To Nicholas, it was just and ordinary visit from another customer and he was grateful for the cash. For sixteen year-old Almira, however, the visit from the man was electrifying. Alex was no stranger to her! She had seen him in 'a dream where it was shown to her the man she was to marry.' She told no one but 'was on the look-out from him' on his return trip. She made sure Alex had the opportunity to meet her. He fell in love with this tall, lovely young woman with 'black curly hair and flashing brown eyes.' They were married March 30, 1874, in the Endowment House. 'Alex purchased a tract of land on the bench adjoining the Silcock property and built Almira a home."

Jay Harold Henderson

Happy Birthday!

Dr. Jay Harold Henderson was born October 14, 1918.

He was my grandfather. He died when I was only 18 months old, so I have no memories of him.

I would love to hear your favorite memory of him.

Thanks for sharing!

funseekerfamilyhistory@gmail.com

Raymond Verne McCullough

I just love this picture of my Great Grandfather, Raymond Verne McCullough.

He was born October 12, 1892. He would have been 116 this week! He went by his middle name, Verne.

Raymond Verne McCullough was an accomplished lawyer.

Here is a case my mom & I have heard family share. If we have any details mixed up...or if you know some more stories that would be fun to share, e-mail funseekerfamilyhistory@gmail.com.

One case he had involved a murder charge against a woman for killing her husband with a butcher knife.

The pathologist for the prosecution explained how she must have stabbed him at close range in the kitchen. However, she said she threw the knife at him from across the room.

During the trial, Verne (the defense lawyer) led the patholgist through a series of questions about things that will bring the heart to the surface--such as when a person is breathing heavily, raising ones arms or if one is yelling.

His final demonstration was piercingly convincing! He brought a similar knife to show the jury. Suddenly from across the room he threw the knife into the wall near the jury. With the knife sticking into the wall, he told the jury to think about it. (He had practiced for some time throwing the knife in his basement to be sure he could throw accurately and have a chance to convince the jury.)

The jury was convinced, she was declared "not guility" was released.

To read more about this trial go to: http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/history7.html#powell
Thank you to Leslie Cates for e-mailing this information!

Who was this "Guy"?

Guy Messiah Keysor


(He would have been 192 this week!)

Born: October 6, 1816 in Black Rock, New York



Guy Messiah Keysor is my 3rd Great Grandfather.
He is the father of Ruth Susan Independence Keysor. She married William Morris McCullough. Ruth & William McCullough are the parents of Raymond Verne McCullough. Raymond Verne & Irene Callister McCullough are the parents of Beth McCullough who married Jay Harold Henderson.

Guy Messiah Keysor was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and baptized April 1, 1843. He helped to build the temple in Nauvoo and participated in the exodus with the Saints in 1845.

When they reached the Missouri River in July 1846, he enlisted in the Mormon Battalion (see http://www.mormonbattalion.com/history/roster.html) and marched as a private in Company B (Jesse D. Hunter, captain) to San Diego, California.

It was on this march that he lost 90% of his eye sight. His journal tells of marching as long as one week without any water. Yet they would dig wells every day trying to find water. In most cases this work was in vain, for very few of the wells came in, in time to be of use to them. He also tells of building roads over trails which mountain goats could scarcely travel. They had nothing but hand tools to work with. Because of all these hardships that he endured, he lost his eye sight.

He was at Sutter's Fort in 1848 when gold was discovered (see http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=10303510), and remained in California until 1850, when he came to Utah and settled in Salt Lake, where he lived for many years. During this time he petitioned the Government many times without success for some compensation for the loss of his eyesight.

He worked on the Salt Lake Temple in spite of his blindness as a stone mason.

He went to Richfield about 1878 at which place he died October 3, 1885, a faithful Latter-day Saint.

There is a marker for him at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

He is buried in Richfield, Utah.

If you know more about this wonderful man please let me know! I would like to hear what you know about him! E-mail me at funseekerfamilyhistory@gmail.com.