Family Past and Present ~

Graphic by LeAnn@Living Waters and Photo by Barb's Blog

It's been a challenge to be somewhat grounded at home during the COVID 19. We thought about some things that we could accomplish during this downtime. Our thoughts turned to our ancestors. We started to look up stories about some of them. It has been a remarkable adventure. Reading their stories have given us courage during this particular time of struggles. 

Our next thought was since we can't go to our precious Temple and do temple work for our ancestors, we would take a day a week and make a day trip. This adventure was to visit in different communities the gravesites of our ancestors, and then go to the park or other safe places for a picnic. This has been such a great experience. 

We have also had some treasured family moments. We have felt comfortable being around the family if we social distance and then, of course, wear masks as needed. I have to hug them, so covers are a must right now. We are in that high-risk age group, so we love all those who are kind and willing to wear masks during this time. It makes it so we can do a few things. 

We were in Brigham City Cemetary for this one. We found the grave markers for Roger's Great Great Grandfather Lewis N. Booth and Great Great Grandmother Mary Jane Rees. Along with some other relatives, too. The sprinklers were turned on, and Roger got in the way. We had a nice lunch in Brigham City Park. 

We had a fun trip to Lehi Cemetary. I didn't have a clue there were relatives buried there. I found the headstones for my Great Great Great Grandfather and Grandmother; John Brown Sr. and Mary Brown. The other marker is of my Great Great Great Uncle John Brown Jr. and Juliet. Our picnic today was in Riverton Park. 

We had a lot of fun trying to find these grave markers in Payson Cemetary. It was fun to locate them. Mathew H. Daley and Mary E. Wightman are my Great Great Grandparents. Then William Daley and Mary Ann Graham are my Great Great Great Grandparents. Then we discovered that Charles and Elizabeth Dixon are buried there, and they are my 4th Great Grandparents. We are finding wonderful pioneer stories from these discoveries. Then we went to a small park in Payson for our picnic. It was a beautiful one. 

This was a trip back in time for me. I did come to the Murray Cemetary many years ago with my parents to visit the McMillan side of my family. This was extra sweet on this day. I found the Head Stones of my Great Grandparents John B. and May I Daley McMillan. The story of my sweet, great Grandmother May is a one to share. She passed away when I was two years old. My Great Grandparents had 4 children, the oldest Michael, lived to be 8 years old. Maggie, my Grandmother, died at the age of 23. She had two children; the oldest Matthew, died at age 2. and then my Dad, Millan was born. Maggie's husband, my Grandfather, died in the 1st World War a year and a half after my Grandmother died. Thus my Dad was raised by this Grandmother. Then when my Dad was 6 years old, my Great Grandpa died. I find that heartbreaking. 

Then I found my Great Great Grandparents, Michael McMillan Sr. and Mary Brown McMillan. 

This was another somber find for my husband. We went to Springville Cemetary to find the Head Stone of Roger's Great Great Great Grandfather, Enoch. He is buried all alone without any family around him. My dear husband became a bit teary of that one. Enoch's story is Sorrowful. He was married to Elizabeth Pride in England. They joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had 14 children. Only three children, George, Martha, and Eliza, lived to adulthood. Nathaniel died at age 2, Charles, age 5, George, age 2, and Eliza, age 8 years. They had three sets of twins that died shortly after birth; Alex and Peter, Sarah and Amelia, and Anne and Thomas. Another son, Hyrum, died at 14 years of age. Enoch traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with his three children. His wife didn't come, and we don't know why. Although I think she had to be heartbroken through all the losses of children. 

Our next adventure was to go to the Bountiful Cemetary and locate the Headstones for my dear husband's well-known pioneer ancestor, Anson Call. He was called by Brigham Young to Colonize 6 different communities, and Bountiful is one of them. Anson Call and Mary Ann Flint, his first wife, is Roger's Great Great Grandparents. Also, his Great Grandparents, Chester Rufus, and Mary Angelina Packer Call, are buried there. There is a book on Anson Call and other excellent resources on his settling areas of Utah. It's been fun to read his history, which is part of the Restoration of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was a close friend to the Prophet Joseph Smith and gave him money for one of the editions of The Book of Mormon. 

 In all of the areas we have visited, we looked up some of the oldest homes still standing in the various cities. Here is just a sample of a few of them. I have always loved the architecture of the older homes. 

I had an extra fun time with our Stake Relief Society Presidency. We have served together for 3 years, and We have become very close friends. During the COVID restrictions, we have had a few Zoom meetings. Recently, we decide that if we wore masks and did physical distancing, we could meet on a backyard patio. We celebrated Sister Kordsiemon, 1st. Counselor's retirement from her work with Delta Airlines. My Second Counselor is Wendy Pilcher, and the Secretary is Nancy Oliverson. We had a great lunch and discussion. I love these dearest sisters, and we enjoy serving together. 

We have had a couple of getting together's with my daughter, Jenni, Michael, and their children Alyssa, Emma, and Ben. They lived with us a while back, and it's been hard through this COVID not to have them over. Again, we wear masks if we can not physically distance. 

Our daughter, Tiffani, Dave, and their children came down from Spokane, WA. to bring their oldest son Michael to BYU and then have a family vacation. They came and spent most of a Sunday with us. We had a Sacrament meeting at our home with them, which was very special. They are a great family. In the family photo below is Kaitlyn, Michael, Tiffani, Dave, Sarah, and William. They had us take some family photos of them in our backyard. 

We also celebrated Michael's 21st Birthday. We haven't seen Michael for over 2 years. He served a mission and then came home when missionaries were brought home due to  COVID 19. He served in the Texas, Lubbock Mission, Spanish Speaking. It was a marvelous moment to hug him. 

After the birthday celebration, we went out on our patio, and Michael shared with us some of his missionary experiences. It was the best ever. Our Granddaughter Sariah in the 1st photo is here with her boyfriend, Alex. Sariah has been living with us and just left this weekend to attend USU. We will miss her. 

Here are some photos of our Grandson Austin and his beautiful bride, Shamra. He is a return missionary that came home in February. She waited for him while he served a mission. They got engaged  August, but decided, due to  COVID temple restrictions, to get married last Friday, August 28th. They will then be sealed in the Temple when they can in December. We were not able to attend this due to a COVID. We felt sad to miss this but will enjoy the video they took of it. 

The top photo is our family; Ethan, he is going on a mission at the end of September to Los Angelos, Ryley, Kason, Karli, Shamra and Haven, Austin and Layton, Amanda, Travis, and Justice. 

 The final photos are of the engagement of my dear granddaughter, Sarah Adamson, to Josh Lee. They are planning a December wedding. They got engaged while on the Adamson family vacation here in Utah. My daughter, Tiffani, took her to look for wedding dresses. The one above isn't the one, but they did find one, which was awesome. 

Well, that's about it for our last couple of months. If you ever want to look up and see if there are any stories about your ancestors, here is the link. You can use this site for free, just go in and sign up and then do a search for your ancestors. The site is called Family Search. I am sure you will find some. We are all brothers and sisters and connected and a lot of research is being done on family lines. 

Sending loving thoughts and hugs to all! 

Happy 18th Birthday To Averi; Our Priceless Treasure

Our precious granddaughter, Averi, is 18 years old today. We wish her a spectacular birthday celebration. She holds a special place in our hearts and is a treasure to our family. 

Averi is a special needs child. She is blind and autistic. Right now, Averi has been going to school in a regular school environment. She has an aide with her all day. In the schools she has attended, the students love her. Averi is loved wherever she goes. Averi is basically happy all the time except for a few stubborn moments. She has some unique skills with numbers and music. When you first meet Averi, she will touch your hand and ask you, your birthdate. She can then tell you the exact day of the year your birthday, anniversary, or special day will be on. Once she has your birthdate, she will generally identify you by that. I am an 11-20. Although she does call me Grandma too. She has also learned to read Braille. She can take care of many of her daily needs and get herself ready for school. 

Averi has several good friends, one is a piece of cloth that she has had since birth, which she calls 6th. Other stuffed animals and objects are called by numbers too.  Averi can play the piano by ear and makes her own editions. Averi loves music and listens to it a lot and enjoys dancing to music too. She loves to spin in a chair for hours.  

The story below will tell you about the rare disease she had. We call Averi our miracle girl; because that is what she is. 

 Averi had a rare bone marrow disease called osteopetrosis, which was diagnosed when she was 4 months old. In this disease, there is no joint formation, and the bones are dense. It can cause blindness and deafness. At first, they felt they had caught it early enough to prevent those complications.

Our son James told us that one night, while in the hospital, they spent the entire night crying and talking through the possibility they could lose her, and they had read everything possible about the disease. Their only hope was a bone marrow transplant. 

Her brother Christian had a 100% bone marrow match, which was the first miracle. Averi had chemotherapy, and there were complications. She was in the PICU at Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, for 5 plus months. She had a tracheotomy and was on the highest level of ventilator called an oscillator for most of the time. Her lungs were compromised, and her kidney's failed. She had to have Kidney Dialysis. She also suffered from Congestive Heart Failure. The staff told us that she was one of the sickest children that they had ever worked with. At one time she had 17 different medications going into her IV's.  The bone marrow transplant failed the first time and had to be given again. She did have side effects from the transplants. She eventually became blind from the disease. Later on, she was diagnosed with Autism. The Physicians were not clear on what caused that. 

During this time, my son, Averi's father, was trying to finish Pharmacy school at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho. He couldn't be with Amber and Averi.  They had two other children; Christian, age 4, and Taylor Jo, age 2. Amber's mother and I took turns caring for the children in Shelly, Idaho and then staying with Amber at the Ronald McDonald House in Salt Lake City.

During this challenging time, Averi would have a few good days, but her life was on edge most of the time. There were several moments when we were told that it wasn't looking good, and we would call James to come up. He would come, and then she would improve a little bit, and he would return home and back to school.

She was given priesthood blessings, prayers were offered by not only our church congregations but also many who are not of our faith prayed for her and held prayer circles. Her name was put on the prayer rolls in our Temples. We had many of our faith fastings and praying for her.

On March 20th, 2003, James and Amber were told by the physicians that they needed to think about taking her off the ventilator because they felt that there was nothing more they could do. They thought she may have brain stem damage and possible damage to the thalamus gland. They wanted to decrease her Nitric O2 so they could take her down for an MRI. In reducing this, they told them she might go into a cardiac arrest, and they needed to know how progressive they wanted them to be.

At this time, I was in Las Vegas visiting my mother, so I flew back, and My husband Roger came back to Salt Lake from a work trip in New Jersey. Amber's parents Bob and Barbara came up from Idaho. We had a good discussion with the children, and we all felt that they shouldn't do the MRI test at this time. We discussed this with the physicians, and they agreed to wait. The physicians, after debating the medications with James and Amber, decided to decrease some of her sedation. This was prompted by James, who had been following closely the medicines that she was on. Being a senior in Pharmacy school, he was very updated on the drug choices. Both Amber and James had been proactive in finding a Physician at St. Jude Children's hospital who had experience with this disease, and he became a consult on her case. 

She received a blessing on March 23rd. James told Heavenly Father that they were willing for her to go home to Him if this was His will for her. He then gave her a marvelous priesthood blessing, which brought us all to tears. We felt a peace and comfort fill the room. We attended a church service that day at PCH, and it was a lovely experience. The spirit was so strong in that meeting. We later received word on that day that she was 100% in grafted, which was a great blessing.

After that, Baby Averi continued to improve. She moved all over once the sedation was decreased, so the physicians now felt that she didn't have brain damage. They did an MRI finally, and it was inconclusive for any brain problems. She continued on dialysis with the hope that it would improve. Her lungs were doing poorly, but the physicians felt the lungs would heal.

By the end of the month, her lung and respiratory function improved, and she was taken off the Oscillator ventilator and put back on a conventional ventilator.

We knew that she had improved through priesthood blessings, faith, prayers, and proper medical care. She is our miracle baby.

Here are a few thoughts for February and March. Those two months were some of the hardest in my life. It has been difficult to see little Averi so sick. However, I felt at peace and knew that she was in the hands of our Heavenly Father. I feel she was being watched over; Amber had felt this also. I have had many spiritual moments, and I pleaded with the Lord many times, even kneeling on the bathroom floor for her life if it was his will. We are all in agreement that Heavenly Father's will would be done.

In this circumstance, faith preceded the miracle. She is still here due to the many priesthood blessings and prayers offered on her behalf.  

Averi truly is our priceless treasure. We have learned so many lessons from being with her as a special needs child. She has taught many others how to be more kind and caring for those that have various needs. individuals that take time to know Averi love her. 

"God Got The Pioneers Through, He'll Get Us Through" - Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Happy July 24 Celebration to all who are celebrating our stalwart Pioneer Heritage today! 
As I read the histories of our ancestors who paved the way through much tribulation to settle the Salt Lake Valley, I marvel at their faith and fortitude. Their stories are filled with persecutions, trials, and also many miracles. As we read these pioneer stories, they can help strengthen our own faith. Even now, we are going through a worldwide pandemic, and there will be more struggles to come. We will have stories to tell our posterity, and may they read them and grow in their own faith in our Heavenly Father's Divine Plan of Salvation. 
I continue to tell my grandchildren to journal their experiences of today. I am sure that our stories will strengthen the children of tomorrow. 
Just think about telling your posterity about what it was like to wear masks to school and social distance. Yes, there will be many stories to share. 

Today, in remembrance of our pioneer ancestry, I am sharing a story by husbands', Great Great Great Grandparents, Elias and Cynthia Harrington Bowen written by Elsie Bowen, granddaughter of Elias Bowen. 

Somewhere in the thousands of suffering exiles, the family of Elias and Cynthia Harrington Bowen made their way out of Nauvoo and started on the long miserable trail to Iowa. They had lost their home and all their belongings to the mob burnings, therefore they had very little to travel with. 

This was the third forced exodus for Elias and Cynthia, and the fourth move they had made for the Gospel they had chosen to embrace. 

Elias and Cynthia were both born in Shaftsbury, Bennington Vermont. He was born about 1809. She was born on November 30, 1811. They grew up as neighbors. He was the son of James Bowen and Rhoda Potter. She was the daughter of William Harrington and Elizabeth Hawley. They were married on December 20, 1829, and set up housekeeping in Shaftsbury, a community about 50 miles from Lincoln, just a short distance from Norwick, Vermont, where Joseph Smith's parents lived. Their first two sons, Casey Potter Bowen and Jonathan Slocum Bowen, were born in the early 1830s. 

Elias joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 9, 1830, about two months after it had been organized. They had been married just eight months. The Bowen Family history indicated that Elias joined the church in New York. They speculate that he may have gone to New York to obtain work in building the canals and was introduced to the church there. Cynthia was baptized on June 6, 1834, nearly four years after her husband. It may have been because her parents were somewhat opposed to the church. 

When Elias returned to Shaftsbury, he became instrumental in helping to spread the good news of the Gospel. A young missionary by the name of Brigham Young was preaching the Gospel in Vermont and was wearing a small Quilt or shawl for a cloak. Elias gave him a coat, which he wore all the time he was on his mission. Sometime before 1837, the Bowens joined the gathering saints in Ohio they lived in Newburg, about nine miles from Kirtland. Elias worked with other saints in building the Kirtland temple. Their son Joseph Leonard was born there on July 5, 1837. The saints were soon driven from Ohio. In seeking refuge with a group of saints established in Missouri, Elias and Cynthia joined about five hundred other saints in a trek that took the entire summer of 1838. Their son Norman was born somewhere along the trail. To their dismay, they realized their son was blind. 

In 1838 the extermination order was issued by Governor Boggs, and the family quickly found themselves banished from another home. Their journey from Missouri to Nauvoo was filled with depravation and hardships. They were relieved to reach Nauvoo, "a place of refuge." They built a home, and Elias again helped with the building of the temple. Their only daughter, Rhoda, was born in 1840 (named after Elias' mother). 

Brigham Young once visited his Vermont friends. He commented on their lovely family and especially mentioned what a handsome boy Norman was. Then asked, "But what is wrong with his eyes?" Upon being told that Norman was born blind, He asked if they would like a blessing. They readily agreed. Brigham Young laid his hands upon Norman's head and gave him a beautiful blessing. The history simply says, "From that day forth Norman could see." 

As near as can be determined Elias and Cynthia left Nauvoo during the summer exodus of 1847 of about 10,000 saints. 

Unlike the camp of Israel, these people generally traveled in small clusters of wagons, made up of relatives and friends; sometimes from two to twenty-four wagons in a company. They seemed to just start west, making their own trail. They were probably trying to find alternate routes, which offered feed for their animals. Most groups went through Iowa. Elias and Cynthia apparently followed the Missouri borders across the entire state, probably headed for Banks ferry above St. Joseph Missouri, where Brigham Young had originally intended to cross the Missouri River. 

Those saints leaving Nauvoo with the winter exodus had struggled through mud and rain which left puddles and swamps filled with mosquitoes which spread disease through the camps of the summer exodus. 

About twenty miles west of St. Joseph nearly at the end of their journey, Elias and some of the children became ill with the fever. Joseph and Rhoda, although just young children, carried water in large buckets all one night from a spring some distance from their camp, so that Cynthia could apply cold packs on the heads of her sick family to break the fever. The children recovered, but Elias became steadily worse, and before morning he died. The older boys began preparing his grave. 

Several hours lapsed when Elias suddenly awoke, saying that the Lord had permitted him to stay with them three more days. He told them he would like to remain with them through their journey, but he was not permitted to do so, for he was needed on the other side. He bore a powerful witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel, testifying that it was as true as Heaven and Earth stand. He counseled Cynthia not to tell her family about his death. Her family was quite well to do, and he feared her brother would come and take her and the children back to Vermont. He was adamant that the children should be with the body of the church. The third day he died and was buried in the desert about twelve miles west of St. Joseph Missouri. 

It is a tribute to Cynthia's testimony and strength of character that she would follow Elias' council and chose the hardship of the trail over going back to the easier life in Vermont. 

They were destitute, but Cynthia found employment with a rancher in St. Joseph. Here she cooked for the ranch hands while her boys did chores and odd jobs. 

A company of saints came through St. Joseph after some time. The kind rancher outfitted Cynthia and the children with means to go with her people, and they traveled on to Winter Quarters. Winter Quarters was located in a place they called "Missouri Bottom" in true gallows humor the saints dubbed it "Misery Bottom." Winter Quarters was a sorry place to be. There was not sufficient food housing or anything else. Because of the lack of proper diet many suffered scurvy which they called black leg. 

In 1847 Francillo Durfee left Salt Lake City with a group of Battalion members sent by Brigham Young to Winter Quarters with wagons and supplies to help these saints move on to Salt Lake City. 

Francillo was from Vermont and lived about fifty miles from where Cynthia and Elias were born. Whether or not they knew each other before is unknown, the time place and circumstances are not certain, but Francillo and Cynthia were married. They had much in common since they were from the same area in Vermont, they had both lost their homes and belongings to mob burnings in Nauvoo. She had lost her husband to disease along the trail, and he lost his wife from trauma while bearing a child. By then, the two older boys were old enough to take a lot of the responsibility from her.  

Somewhere on the trail to Salt Lake Cynthia and Elias' only daughter Rhoda, died and was buried in an unmarked grave.  They completed the trip and arrived in Utah some time in 1849. 

Upon arriving in the valley, they traveled to North Ogden and made their home. 

In 1853, fifteen-year-old Norman, and a friend, hired on with a cattle driver going to California. At some point, the two of them became lost. Having no food, they ate some wild red berries, which were poisonous. Norman passed away. His friend survived and was later rescued. He returned to share the sad news with Cynthia and the family. 

During the April 1855 General Conference in Salt Lake City, Brigham Young read over the pulpit a list of names of men living on the Wasatch Front who were to go on a mission into the Salmon River Valley in Southern Idaho.  Francillo Durffee was 7th on that list.  He had been ordained a Seventy earlier in 1844. They were to build up Fort Lemhi and teach the Gospel to the Flathead, Bannock and Shoshoni Indians.  They were to teach them how to plant crops and farm, how to build homes and raise gardens. 

 

In 1858 the mission was discontinued.  Francillo and Cynthia came home and settled in the town of Providence in Cache Valley.  Later they took acreage over the hills into Beaver Dam, Box Elder County, where they lived and raised their combined family the remainder of their lives. 

Francillo died in 1871 and was buried in the Providence cemetery.  Cynthia died on November 2, 1883, in Beaver Dam and was buried in the Providence cemetery. 

 

Cynthia Harrington Bowen

My hope is my children and grandchildren will read and honor their pioneer heritage. When things get rough, I have often used the adage; "If my Grandmother Dora can do it I can do it". My Grandmother and many other of my ancestor stories have increased my faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Great Examples of courage and faith come from these precious stories; read and enjoy!