Bitter Creek Painting

I just found out that the picture that I thought was so perfect for our family story in the Martin Handcart Company IS our family!! Click on the link or go to the Wylie label post to see the painting and story.

The artist, Clark Kelley Price, is a descendant of Elizabeth Wylie Steele! He painted a scene from his own family history. (Click on his name to read his story about the painting)

I just think it is so amazing that I found the picture months ago and thought it was perfect for our family...and it was because it is our family being depicted!

Pioneer Story of the Day: Mary Ann George Wylie

Mary Ann George Wylie was another 4th Great Grandmother of mine.

(She was the mother of Ruth Wylie Keysor, who was the mother of Ruth Susan Independence Keysor McCullough, who was the mother of Raymond Verne McCullough who was the father of Beth Maurine McCullough.)

Mary Ann George was born in Ireland in 1790. Sometime in the 1820s she married Oliver Wylie. In 1847 she was baptized. I assume that Oliver passed away before they came to America. I am not sure. By 1856 she was in America and she joined the Edward Martin Handcart Company at age 66. Her daughter, Elizabeth(28) and her husband James Steele(29) and their two little boys ages 3 and 1 were also a part of the company.

With a late start, and early snows tragedy came along the trail. When hope was almost gone, rescuers came to help. On October 28 the first rescuers arrived with a few supplies and helped the people as best they could to carry on. At the Sweetwater River, we know three eighteen-year old boys belonging to the rescue party carried nearly every member of the handcart company across the ice cold stream. I can imagine them carrying our Grandma Wylie, and then her daughter, son-in-law and their two little boys.

They moved on. Each day they were getting closer to the Salt Lake Valley. However, on November 10, James died. He had literally starved to death giving all his food to his children and wife. I believe when he realized help truly was there for his family, he was able to let go and move on. He held on until he knew for sure they would be cared for. He was buried at Bitter Creek.

The painting known as, Martin Handcart Company in Bitter Creek, Wyoming, 1856 (in the Gospel Art Kit #414) is an illustration of this terrible moment for their family.

The artist, Clark Kelley Price, is a descendant of Elizabeth...and this is his rendition of the scene! It really is our ancestors!!!

Grandma Wylie standing behind her daughter Elizabeth who is holding her one year old son, William. He didn't add little James (age 3) clinging to his mother's skirt, while the men bury his father, James Steele, in a cold shallow grave.

Mary and Elizabeth and her two boys carried on. They made it to the Salt Lake Valley. When the Logan Temple was completed in 1884, James(now in his 30's) went to the temple and did the work for his father.

Francis Webster, a member of the Martin Company, stated, in a Sunday School class:
“I was in that company and my wife … too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but … we became acquainted with [God] in our extrem[i]ties.

“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. … I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.

“Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company” (as quoted in David O. McKay, “Pioneer Women,” The Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1948, 8).

President James E. Faust said this in July 2002, Ensign:
"I hope that this priceless legacy of faith left by the pioneers will inspire all of us to more fully participate in the Lord’s work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children.

You who are among the descendants of these noble pioneers have a priceless heritage of faith and courage. If there are any of you who do not enjoy fellowship with us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, we invite you to seek to know what instilled such great faith in your ancestors and what motivated them to willingly pay such a terrible price for their membership in this Church. To those who have been offended or lost interest or who have turned away for any reason, we invite all of you to join in full fellowship again with us. The faithful members, with all their faults and failings, are humbly striving to do God’s holy work across the world. We need your help in the great struggle against the powers of darkness so prevalent in the world today. In becoming a part of this work, you can all satisfy the deepest yearnings of your souls. You can come to know the personal comfort that can be found in seeking the sacred and holy things of God. You can enjoy the blessings and covenants administered in the holy temples. You can have great meaning and purpose in your lives, even in the profane world in which we live. You can have strength of character so that you can act for yourselves and not be acted upon."

When stories are shared of the Martin Handcart Pioneers, remember our ancestors. It is in our blood to be strong in face of tragedy, to walk on in the cold, to not be turned bitter by the Bitter Creek moments in our lives. Grandma Wylie carried on for us...let us carry on for her!

Memorial Day

Are you headed to the cemetery this weekend?

If so, this list might be of interest to you.

A few months ago I thought it would be interesting to find out where our ancestors are buried. I had some information, but I started seeking out more. Many of our ancestors are buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, but as that is an enormous cemetery, I found out the grave “addresses” as well.

I aspire to taking my children up there this summer to find and take pictures of all of the grave markers…but if any of you get there first…send me the pictures!

Here I have listed all of the names of our grandparents in each generation, some of which I have yet to find out exactly where they are buried. If you know…PLEASE let me know, so I don’t have to try and research it all.

I have changed the font to Green for Salt Lake City Cemetery Information.

I have much more information about all these people, but here I have only included Burial Information that I have. I have also linked some of the names to other posts I have made about them. So if you click on a name that is underlined, it will take you to more information about that person.


Grandparents

Jay Harold HENDERSON
buried 15 Jan 1977 in Salt Lake City Cemetery West 13_149_1E
Beth Maurine MCCULLOUGH
buried 12 Jan 2002 in Salt Lake City Cemetery West_13_149_2E

Great Grandparents

Nicholas Thomas HENDERSON
buried in Wastch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah
Alice Matilda JENSEN
buried 29 Jul 1980 in Wastach Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah,


Raymond Verne MCCULLOUGH
buried 21 Apr 1970 in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Park_41_25_4W
Irene CALLISTER
buried 20 Jul 1976 in Salt Lake City Cemetery Park_41_25_3W


2nd Great Grandparents

Alexander Shellington HENDERSON
buried in Riverton, Salt Lake County, Utah
Almira Heath SILCOCK
buried 1 Dec 1896 in Riverton, Salt Lake County, Utah


Jens Peder JENSEN
buried in Cresent Cemetery 27_4_4, Sandy, Salt Lake County, Utah
Ane PEDERSON
buried in Cresent Cemetery 27_4_3, Sandy, Salt Lake County, Utah


William Morris MCCULLOUGH
buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery PARK_41_25_4E
Ruth Susan Independence KEYSOR
buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery PARK_41_25_5E


Edward Henry CALLISTER
buried 27 Nov 1917 in Salt Lake City Cemetery C_13_15_1_S 2
Louisa Jane EDDINGTON
buried 16 Sep 1948 in Salt Lake City Cemetery C_13_15_2_S 2


3rd Great Grandparents

James HENDERSON
Ann Jane SHELLINGTON


Nicholas Thomas Cook SILCOCK
buried 12 May 1906 in Riverton, Salt Lake County, Utah
Jane HEATH
buried 30 Apr 1902 in Riverton, Salt Lake County, Utah


Soren Jens Christiansen JENSEN
buried in Cresent Cemetery 27_1_2, Sandy, Salt Lake County, Utah
Neilsine NYKOBING
buried in Cresent Cemetery 27_1_1, Sandy, Salt Lake County, Utah

Jens Peder LARSEN
Ane Marie CHRISTENSEN


John Samuel MCCULLOUGH
buried 29 Apr 1909 in Salt Lake City Cemetery E_6_2_1E_N2
Louisa MORRIS
buried 18 Apr 1915 in Salt Lake City Cemetery E_6_2_2E_N2


Guy Messiah KEYSOR
buried in Richfield City Cemetery A.20.05.08, Sevier County, Utah
Ruth WYLIE
buried 27 Mar 1891 in Salt Lake City Cemetery E_5_4_5E


Edward CALLISTER
buried in Salt Lake City, Cemetery C_3_1_4W
Ann COWLEY
buried 25 Mar 1915 in Salt Lake City Cemetery C_3_1_2E


William EDDINGTON
buried 6 Mar 1913 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Louisa Sarah BARTON
buried 3 Sep 1891 in Morgan City Cemetery UK_1_9_42

4th Great Grandparents

Isaac HENDERSON
Jane ASKIN.


James SHELLINGTON,
Ellen Ann ANDERSON


John SILCOCK
Anne COOK

John HEATH
buried 8 Sep 1841 in Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Barbara HULME
buried in Pioneer Cemetery, Florence, Douglas County, Nebraska
She died at Winter Quarters 20 October 1846


Jens Christian CHRISTENSEN,
Metti Marie JENSEN


Anders PRAESTIGAARD
Kirstine or Kristine Annie LARSEN.


Laurs PEDERSEN LARSEN
Anne JENSEN


Christen Pedersen MUNK
Ane Marie or Maren CHRISTENSEN.



Samuel MCCULLOUGH
Janet HAMILTON


John MORRIS
buried 1 Jun 1882 in Barrowden, Rtlnds, England
Maria Billings LINNEY
buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery P_8_8_5E


Henry Bernard KEYSOR
Elizabeth SCOVILLE


Oliver WYLIE
died in Ireland
Mary Ann GEORGE
buried in Salt Lake City


John CALLISTER
buried 11 May 1827 in Kirk German, Isle of Man, England
Ann SHIMMIN


Matthew COWLEY
buried 1 Sep 1853 in St. Louis, Missouri
Ann QUAYLE
buried 12 May 1877 in Salt Lake City Cemetery I_19_10_1W


James EDDINGTON
buried 10 Jun 1852 in Mile End Cemetery, Protsea, England
Eliza SEATON
buried in Mile End Cemetery, Protsea, England


William BARTON
Charlotte Maria HAYLES

Pictures of the Week: Ruth Wylie Keysor

These are pictures of Ruth Wylie Keysor. She is my 3rd Great Grandmother.



















She was born April 30, 1829...it would be her 180th birthday this month! (Another source says her birthday is May 1, 1830, I am not sure which one is correct)





















She was married to Guy Messiah Keysor (See the post from 10-4-2008 for more information about him). They are the parents of Ruth Susan Independence Keysor who married William Morris McCullough.