Jupiter at Golden Spike National Historic Park Sep 2020
We took a trip to Golden Spike in September 2020 for the kids to experience some Utah history. It was well worth the drive out to Promontory, Utah.
The Golden Spike has some significance on Amanda’s line. Her ancestor, Joseph Wayment, is standing in the photo taken 10 May 1869 on that momentous occasion. Below is a copy of the photo. You can see him with the hat and long beard. Look at the train on the left and the man standing right below the train light with his jacket open and white shirt; the man whose head is in front of that man’s right thigh (behind the guy with the partially raised hat). That is Joseph Wayment. Joseph Wayment was born 7 February 1844 in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England and passed 20 December 1931 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. He is buried in Warren. I wrote of his parents William and Martha Wayment previously.
Another interesting bit of history is that Joseph Wayment came to the United States on the ship “Amazon.” This is the same ship that my Stoker ancestors came to the United States. Not only is it the same ship, it is the same trip of the ship. Here is part of the history I wrote for William and Emma Stoker.
Joseph Wayment departed from London on a ship called “Amazon” 4 June 1863 (His parents and some siblings traveled later on “Nevada” in 1878). George Q Cannon dedicated the ship which was entirely of Saints (880+) headed for Zion. It was this same ship that Charles Dickens wrote that the Mormons were not taking misfits and scoundrels, but the “pick and flower” of England. Even George Sutherland, future U.S. Supreme Court Justice was on this ship. Here is a link to the story by Charles Dickens: The Uncommercial Traveller. The LDS church also tells of the story that day at this link: Amazon Departure. The ship sailed to Liverpool before finally heading out for America.
The “Amazon” landed at Castle Gardens, New York, New York on 18 July 1863. The Saints took rail to Albany, Albany, New York and then to Florence, Douglas, Nebraska through Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. From there they hoofed it on to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory arriving 3 and 4 October 1863 (depending on which of the two companies), just in time for General Conference. Several of the company wrote of Brigham Young coming out to greet them and giving them advice. Brigham sent Joseph to Salt Creek (now Warren) to settle. He later was the first road supervisor and the father of the first born white child of Warren, Sarah Wayment in 1875.
I will have to spend some time telling more of Joseph and Ann Reed Wayment’s story another time.
My own limited tie to Promontory is just the fact the Sharps, taking my Grandpa Milo Ross, used to drive past the site out to harvest salt.
Hiram, James, Paul, and Aliza Ross on 7 September 2020
Hiram, Amanda, Aliza, and Paul Ross, Bryan Hemsley, Lillian and James Ross, and Jill Hemsley
Many are more eloquent than me. Many have shared their memories of that fateful day, where they were at, what they were doing, and how they felt. I wish to sing with that chorus.
9/11 2021 at the Ross home. My shadow, Lillie, Aliza, Hiram, James, and Amanda.
I am not really certain why I felt more sensitive or emotional today. There was really no change from the 15, 18, or 19 year anniversary. But I felt myself pondering and deliberating, moved to tears multiple times by music and commemorative videos. I honored the 20th anniversary in Burley, Idaho with my family. I pulled my journal from 2001 to see what I wrote then. Here are a couple of excerpts.
“The past days are days never to be forgotten. Shock, anguish, anger, and peace. Not only catastrophic terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. which I shall not rehearse. They leave me in such sorrow for those people. I have wept several times. My little heart strings are tried in many ways. Such loss of life. Also a sense of awe in the brute power this government has. The whole world is shuttering at the thought of America angry. Even Germany, England, and France are quick to say we are on your side more in fear than just loyalty. It looks as if we may go to war. Even Afghanistan is quick to say they will do what we want. A country not totally cooperative in the past.” Recorded 13 September 2001.
“It is strangely imaginable how much life can change in the space of a few days… I was impressed that Friday was a national day of prayer. I listened to a portion of the service at that National Cathedral in Washington D.C. I was very moved, especially with the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The church also had a service I saw a small part of. A service done by the church in the tabernacle. A very moving scene with the two huge flags draped behind the choir… Although I had to work Sunday I knew would be a hard day for me. I had high emotions and with the tragedy this week… Sacrament was amazing. I sat with Paul & Kathryn [England]. The Bishopric all spoke and several musical numbers. The Hughes brothers sang ‘Lord, Make Me an Instrument of they Peace.’ Kathryn sang ‘In My Father’s House There are Many Mansions.’ The Lowes did a medley with Bonnie of ‘Where can I turn for Peach, Abide with Me, and I need Thee Every Hour.’ One of the things that stuck out with the meeting was we need to forgive, but justice must be served. The opening hymn was ‘America.’ Powerful.” Recorded 17 September 2001.
I didn’t write as much as I thought I might have, especially with the vivid memories I have. 11 September 2001 was what 22 November 1963 was to my parents. 11 September 2001 was what 7 December 1941 was for my grandparents. So it is through the generations before. Where and what they were doing when they heard about x, y, or z. The assassination of Lincoln or Garfield or Ferdinand. The sinking of the Reuben James or the Bismarck. Or the surrender of Cornwall. I guess it depends on what generation or the incident.
Here is my story of 11 September 2001. I was living with Gary & Lena Hughes at 368 Santa Fe Ave, Branson, Missouri. I managed the dinner theater for the Hughes Brothers. As such, I worked late evenings and usually got up in the morning to an empty home. I often got up and prepared for the day, ate breakfast, and usually practiced the piano and singing. Most of the time the local radio was playing in the background, the station usually 1930s-1950s music.
This morning was different. I woke up and I remember thinking the day was heavy. The radio was not on, I did not practice. It was quiet and solemn. I ate and headed to the theater for the first show of the day. The drive to the theater was usually less than 10 minutes.
I turned on the radio half way to the theater. There was discussion about damage to a skyscraper and confusion on which of the buildings had been hit. I did not get enough information to know where or what had happened. But I understood there was a potential attack on the United States.
I arrived at the theater and I could sense the pandemonium. It was big, whatever had happened. But the buses were arriving and we needed to get the people seated and ready for the first show. Some of the people were just as unaware as me, others were visibly upset, others were just emotionless. As the time got closer there was a sense of panic of whether to cancel, how to alter the show, what to do moving forward. The information coming to us from the office was becoming more clear as to what had happened. The show started late. It was going to be mostly impromptu.
Elder Evan Wagley in front of the Hughes Brothers Theater, Branson, Missouri, I believe 2002.
I watched from the balcony as Jason Hughes welcomed the audience. He gave an update for everyone present. Asked whether the show could start with a prayer. A prayer was uttered. I don’t recall if it was first or not, but the Hughes Brothers sang their version of Secret Prayer. It still haunts me today, the memory, the song. We were communing in a theater church. There were hymns, patriotic music, and a smattering of other songs. It is all fuzzy to me now 20 years later, but Secret Prayer is the show for me. I was likely back and forth between the offices and the balcony of the theater. The response at intermission and afterward was extremely positive. Those people had been uplifted.
Here is a link to the Hughes Brothers singing the song.
As the day went on it was interesting to see the reactions of individuals. There was a general consensus we were headed to war. Some were so distraught that our nation and way of life was ending. Others were hopeful this was an isolated incident. There were many tears and emotions were high. One individual in the office was trying to figure out ways to avoid the draft that was sure to come. I was turning 22 that same month, prime age. Do we enlist or just wait it out. Others commented about their parents and the bombing of Pearl Harbor and how they mobilized.
My Grandfather Ross and Grandmother Jonas had both planted a seed in my heart and a desire to serve in the military. I looked forward to the opportunity and yet feared what might yet come. Too this day, I still wonder how I will yet serve and get that honorable flag on my casket.
As the days pressed forward we watched a revitalization of unity in faith and our nation. I do not believe it was the time I felt the strongest for my country, but it was the time when it was the most palpable.
That is all I recall of the day looking back. My journal helped me recall the international unity and coalescing against terror and evil. I do long for the days of trying to do what is right for the nation as opposed for the party or individual. May those days again return, but not due to some terrible tragedy. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be in the cards. But one can hope. Whether in this life of the next, it will come. “It’s the place where dreams come true.”
Elder Spencer Lewis and me at Mt. Vernon Missouri, I believe mid September 2001.
We stopped to pay a visit at the Clarkston, Utah, Cemetery recently. We were in Cache Valley for the Jonas Reunion and I knew Amanda had some ancestors buried in Clarkston. Amanda did not recall ever seen their graves (and I also had not searched them out). We have also been talking about Martin Harris in our study of the Doctrine & Covenants. I surprised the family with a surprise stop on our way home from the Jonas Reunion in Hyrum.
Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, and James Ross at graves of James & Ann Keep on 8 August 2021, a hot, windy, and smokey day
James & Ann Keep are Amanda’s 4th Great Grandparents. Amanda wasn’t very familiar with them so we had to do some homework.
James Joseph Keep was born 25 September 1804 in Chiswick, Middlesex, England to James Joseph and Ann Evens Keep. He was christened 11 November 1804 in St. Nicholas Parish in Chiswick. His father died when he was 5 and was raised by his grandparents.
James married Elizabeth Parr in 1825 and she passed away in or before 1836. He remarried to Ann Miller on 25 July 1836 in St. Mary’s, Reading, Berkshire, England. They joined the Methodists, then the Baptists, and then were Independents.
Two young Mormon men came near the house preaching the true gospel and Ann told James to go out and hear them. They were preaching about baptism. He went into the house and searched his Bible to ascertain the truth of what they said. Here he found that baptism was to be born of the water and the spirit. When they came again to preach, James took a long bench for the people to sit on. That evening he went to the meeting house. There he heard the saints speak in tongues.
Apparently he and his family were baptized in 1848 into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined 23 July 1848 and Ann on 20 September 1848.
Ann Miller was born 10 August 1816 in Newbury, Berkshire, England to James and Ann Elkins Miller. She was christened 2 October 1816 at North Croft Lane Baptist Church in Newbury.
Together James and Ann had 11 children.
Ann Keep Davies (1837-1892)
Mary Elizabeth Keep Turner (1838-1915)
Sarah Keep Buttar (1840-1935) – Amanda’s 3rd Great Grandmother.
James Joseph Keep (1841-1850)
Lucy Keep Downard (1843-1877)
Jane Keep (1845-1854)
William Richard Keep (1847-1854)
Harriett Keep (1850-1863)
Emma Martha Keep (1852-1856)
Ruth Keep Griffin (1854-1931)
Maria Jane Keep Wilson (1857-1875)
The 1841 and 1851 census both have the Keep family in Thatcham, Berkshire, England. He was a mason and bricklayer.
James, Ann, and family left London on 23 May 1866 on the ship American Congress arriving at Castle Gardens, New York, on 5 July 1866. They were in Wyoming, Otoe, Nebraska on 13 August 1866 traveling with the Abner Lowry Wagon Company arrving in Salt Lake City, Utah on 22 October 1866.
James and Ann Keep attended the Endowment House 6 Jun 1868.
The 1870 Census places the James & Ann Keep in Newton, Cache, Utah with Maria. Shortly afterward they moved to Clarkston and James built a masonry home for them. 1880 Census has them located in Clarkston. James was known for his masonry work and often built chimneys for individuals.
Ann helped in the fields with James to raise crops. They had oxen with which they did their farming. Sometimes she would be very tired when she got home. The oxen’s names were Jack and Jue. Ann called them by name and they would reply by their actions.
James & Ann Keep
Ann enjoyed her home and loved to make it look nice. She had flowers in the windows and all around the house and a fine orchard of apples, English currants, and gooseberries. All kinds of vegetables were grown in the garden. Her husband helped to care for it too. There was a small porch on the front of her house with a hop vine all around it which grew and ran all over the porch making a nice shade in the summertime. In the fall she would gather the hops and dry them and make yeast with them three times per week. The sisters in the town would send a cup of flour to trade for a cup of yeast to make their bread. In this way she kept herself in flour.
Ann and James Keep at their home in Clarkston, Utah
She was called as first counselor to Mary Griffin in the Clarkston Relief Society on 12 February 1875. She was released in 1885 as she and her husband were getting old and could not do their work so well. Ann was a very busy woman. When too old to do heavy work, she would sew quilt blocks for the Relief Society and for her grandchildren or anyone who would let her do it for them.
James and Ann decided to sell their house and property and live on the principle and interest. In 1890, they sold out and moved to Lehi, Utah for two years. Then they returned to Clarkston to live for several years. Ann had a very bad sick spell and it took her a long time to recover. After she got well, they moved to Newton to live with a daughter, Ruth Griffin.
Just before her death Ann bore a strong testimony to the truth of the gospel, telling her daughters and families to hold fast to the end for this was the true Church of Jesus Christ and to do all they could for their dead. She told her nurse, Caroline Thompson, to hold her pocket book for her, then she took out a dollar and passed it to her daughter, Sarah Buttars and said, “Get my brother Joseph’s temple work done for he was a good man.” She passed away 25 October 1896 in Newton.
James passed away while staying with his daughter Mary Turner in Lehi on 14 March 1899. His body was returned and buried in Clarkston.
Here is the story of her hearing from the Branch President in Newbury.
~
Kennett Place, Newbury, Berks, Sept. 30, 1850
Dear President Pratt,
We have recently been favored with a manifestation of the miraculous power of God; in this branch of the Church a sister, named Ann Keep, the wife of Joseph Keep, who is a deacon in the Church, had a cancer in her breast for some time; and it became so bad of late that she intended to have it cut out, and the time was appointed for it to be done. Three medical men were to be present at the operation. A brother named David Davis, an elder in the Church, called to see her, and she told him she was going to have the cancer taken out; and he said to her “have you got any faith in the power of God?” and she answered “yes:” and he said “so have I.” Accordingly he anointed her breast with oil, and laid hands upon her, and the pain left her there and then, and she never felt it any more; and from that time the cancer got less, until it disappeared; and the breast that had the cancer is as well as the other. This is known by many out of the Church.
Yours, &c.
Thomas Squires
President of the Newbury Branch
~
James Keep finds himself in history due to being present in the home of Martin Harris at the visit of Ole Jensen in July 1875. John Godfrey and James Keep both signed as witnesses to the statement of Ole Jensen, Clarkston Ward Clerk. This is from Jensen’s statement:
It was in Clarkston, Utah, July 1875. Early in the morning a thought came to my mind that I would go and see how Brother Martin Harris was feeling. It was only three blocks from my home. I heard he was not feeling well. People came from other towns to see Brother Harris and hear him bear his testimony on the Book of Mormon. When I arrived there were two men present. Brother Harris lay on his bed leaning on his elbow. I said, How are you? Brother Harris answered slowly, Pretty well.We came to hear your testimony on the Book of Mormon.
Yes, he said in a loud voice as he sat up in bed, I wish that I could speak loud enough that the whole world could hear my testimony. Brother stand over so I can see you. Then he stretched out his hand and said, Brother I believe there is an Angel to hear what I shall tell you, and you shall never forget what I shall say. The Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and myself went into a little grove to pray to obtain a promise that we should behold it with our own eyes.
That we could testify of it to the world. We prayed two or three times and at length the angel stood before Oliver and David and showed them the plates. But behold I had gone by myself to pray and in my desperation I asked the Prophet to kneel down with me and pray for me that I may also see the plates. And we did so and immediately the Angel stood before me and said, Look and when I glanced at him I fell but I stood on my feet and saw the Angel turn the golden leaves over and I said, It is enough my Lord and my God.Then I heard the voice of God say the book is true and translate correctly!“
Martin Harris then turned himself as though he had no more to say and we made ready to go but he spoke again and said, I will tell you a wonderful thing that happened after Joseph had found the plates. Three of us took some tools to go to the hill and hunt for some more boxes of gold or something and indeed we found a stone box. We got quite excited about it and dug quite carefully around it and we were ready to take it up, but behold by some unseen power the box slipped back into the hill. We stood there and looked at it and one of us took a crowbar and tried to drive it through the lid and hold it but the bar glanced off and broke off one corner of the box.“
“Sometime that box will be found and you will see the corner broken off and then you will know I have told the truth again. Brother as sure as you are standing here and see me, just so sure did I see the golden plates in His hand and He showed them to me. I have promised that I will bear witness of this truth both here and hereafter.”
His lips trembled and tears came into his eyes. I should liked to have asked one more question but I failed to do so. But I refreshed myself and shook hands and thanked him and left. When I think of the day I stood before Martin Harris and saw him stretch forth his hand and raise his voice and hear his testimony, the feeling that thrilled my whole being, I can never forget. Nor can I express the joy that filled my soul. This is a true statement.
~
We also visited the grave of Martin Harris in the same cemetery at Clarkston.
Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross at the grave of Martin Harris on 8 August 2021
I previously wrote of an interesting incident I had with Aliza in the Plain City, Utah Cemetery. I have thought about that several more times as we have been back to visit. It seems fitting I finally follow up and provide some additional information on William and Martha Wayment.
Aliza with William and Martha Wayment tombstone in 2016
James, Amanda, Lillian, Aliza, and Hiram Ross with tombstones for Martha and William Wayment in 2020. My William Edward Stoker’s tombstone is in the background.
As you can see, there is a little biography poster for Memorial Day. The history there is pretty brief. I found a couple of histories on William and Martha. I am posting these two for the history to be available for my children, who are descendants of William and Martha Wayment. First is the history for William, then Martha.
“William Wayment (Whayment) was born to Joseph Wayment (Whaymond) and Mary Rook Wayment. He was born 14 May 1822, in Whaddon Parish, Cambridgeshire, England. He was a small and fragile baby, but survived through his parents loving care. William was christened on 2 June 1822, in Whaddon Parish, Cambridgeshire, England. Two years later, there is a christening record dated 6 June 1824, another brother, Robert, frail from birth, who sustained life for seven months, buried 23 January 1825. William was their only surviving child.
“There are several different accounts of Joseph and Mary Rook Wayment and their descendants. Another account is this; the couple also married 15 March 1813, and lived in Barrington, Cambridgeshire, where they had become the parents of six children, three of whom, Ann, John, and Joseph, had died prior to their moving to Whaddon about 1819. This would make William the seventh, instead of the first born. The only surviving child of this union that I can find recordson is William Wayment, our ancestor.
“Whaddon is a small town in the district of Roysten and County of Cambridge with a population at that time of about 319 people living in about 60 houses. The manor belonged to Lord Hardwicke. A famous old stone Parish has stood over the town for many years.
“Very little is known about William’s early years. It is known that he received some education and learned how to read and write. Most likely he went to work at an early age, as was custom for children of that time. It is most probable, his frail beginning coupled with his early work years and sometimes meager meals stunted his growth. He often referred to himself as ‘a runt.’ All of his sons were taller than he. Our best information indicates he was small of stature, about five feet and eight or nine inches in height. He was known as a laborer and sometimes a miner, likely working wherever he could be employed.
“His father, Joseph Wayment, died and was buried 12 July 1840, in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England. William was about eighteen or nineteen years of age
“Sometime after the death of his father, William began courting Martha Brown, a young, fair woman of the Bassingbourne Parish. The courtship bloomed and they were married Christmas day, 25 December 1841, in the Parish of Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England. A clerk at Somerset House, England, pointed this out to Hollis R. Johnson when he requested and received a certified copy of their marriage certificate: William signed his last name as Whayment, giving his age as twenty and listed himself as a laborer. Martha gave her age as nineteen and listed herself as a spinster, a title used under English law for any woman who had never married. William and his bride made their home with his widowed mother, Mary Rook Wayment.
“The Wayment family lived in the same house in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England for more than 300 years, but like most others in England, they did not own the property. They only rented. When the Wayment family moved to America, the ancestral home was claimed by the government as a Post Office. The house was one of those quaint old, two story cottages, constructed of white stone masonry and had a thatched roof. Vines grew up the walls and flowers grew on either side of the cobblestone path leading to the entrance. The fireplace was large enough to walk in with seats built on either side of the fire. A kettle hung down, stopping just above the fire. Martha did all of the cooking and baking in this huge fireplace. Years later this house was put on the market and a member of the Wayment family, by the name of Waymond (Wayment), purchased this property. Wayment descendants still reside in this home today, 2006.
“William and Martha Brown Wayment began their married life under very limited circumstances. Although an extremely hard worker, William never accumulated much wealth. Coming from a wealthy family, their modest home and insufficient circumstances were a source of embarrassment at times for Martha. It has been said that Williams earnings were often around eight shillings a week (about two dollars U.S. money). With this money, there were food, clothing, coal and rent to pay for. By careful management they were able to take care of their children as they came into their family.
“Although not a proficient provider, William proved to be a very loving, a kind and caring husband. They had eight children together, six boys and two girls. Two children died early, one at one day the other at one year and three months. It is also said that he was an exemplary father.
“All William and Martha’s children were born in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England. 1) Male, Aaron Wayment born 14 Nov 1842 died 15 Nov 1842 2) Male, Joseph Wayment born 7 Feb 1844 died 20 Dec 1931 3) Male, Samuel Wayment 28 May 1846 died 1 Jul 1912 4) Male, William Wayment Born 1 Mar 1849 died 19 Jun 1850 5) Female, Emily Wayment born 15 Apr 1851 died 15 Mar 1925 6) Male, John Brown Wayment born13 Apr 1854 died 30 Sept 1923 7) Male, William Thomas Wayment born 29 Apr 1859 died 15 Feb 1943 8) Female, Martha Wayment born 25 Mar 1863 died 19363
“All their children were taught to be responsible and dependable workers. But as one granddaughter, Thora Wayment Shaw stated, “it seemed necessary for them to come to America to develop their full potential.”
“As their children became old enough, they hired out to work for farmers in the area. Their work included keeping birds out of the cherry trees, pulling poppies out of grain fields and other needed farm work. Among other things, they learned to stand the bundles of grain up in small groups, called “shocks” to dry. When dry, the grain was then piled into high pointed stacks to help shed the rain while awaiting to be threshed. Some of the farmers were very hard on these young workers. Often the children would leave home at five o’clock in the morning and work until they were called for breakfast between eight and nine o’clock. Sometimes the meal was very meager. They would break around noon for lunch then continue to work until seven at night. Joseph and William T. describe one of their employers as “the meanest man on earth.”
“At that time in history, they wore a peculiar type of “smock” clothing. William T. said that it resembled a long sack with sleeves coming out of the corners and a hole in the end between the sleeves to put your head through. This ‘smock’ came down below the knees, which prevented a person from taking a long step. To jump a ditch or run, the “smock” had to be pulled up. Often the jumper landed in the water of the ditch, much to his embarrassment and to the amusement of others. If the “smock” became wet, it seemed to shrink and stick tight to the body it was covering. Usually one had to have help to get out of a wet “smock.”
“William and Martha Brown Wayment were contacted by the first Mormon missionaries in their area. William Wayment listened to their message becoming convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel. He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 28 May 1850. He and his wife Martha opened up their home to the missionaries. This was a very courageous act on their part, because many people in their community stirred up hate to prevent the spread of the gospel. This malevolence made it necessary for the Saints to hold their meetings in different houses and to hold baptisms at night to avoid the mobs that were continually a threat to them. William was ordained an elder in the church 5 March 1876. Between 1850 and 1878, the traveling LDS missionaries always found a bed to sleep in and meals with the Wayment family. William and Martha’s home was also used as a place for the Saints and friends to meet and hear the gospel. William Wayment and George East, both our great-grandfathers, were great friends, tracted together and loved to do missionary work together before they came to America.
“Martha was one of the first to accept the message of the gospel brought by the Elders, however, due to the objections and threats of disinheritance she prolonged her baptism. Martha was baptized on 1 May, 1857, about seven years after her husband embraced the gospel. When word, of her accepting the gospel and being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reached her father, Samuel Brown, he disinherited her, cutting her off with only a few shillings. However, this did not change her mind. Setting an example with her husband, they taught their children the principles of the gospel. All of their children were baptized into the church. Joseph, Samuel, and Emily were baptized by John Jacklin on 7 May 1860.
“The first test of faith and understanding of the gospel for William Wayment came with the illness and death of his mother, Mary Rook Wayment. She died 19 March 1853, and was buried four days later in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, England, beside her husband. William had fulfilled his final obligation to his mother.
“In the spring of 1863, William and Martha were experiencing some challenging and sobering thoughts. A new baby girl had been born to them 25 Mar 1863. Their oldest son, Joseph, was planning to leave their home to journey with a group of Saints to the Utah Territory in the United States. After careful consideration, the Wayment family set up a mutual plan to migrate to America and the land of Zion. They would all work together to save money, then send one at a time until they were all settled in the Utah Territory. At that time, Joseph worked with his father in the fossil diggings or fossil mines earning money for his transportation.
“On 4 June 1863, William and Martha’s oldest living son, Joseph, listed as Joseph Whaymond, age 19, was the first to leave, sailing from London, England, emigrating to the United States of America aboard the Amazon. This was a large 1600 ton ship, but Joseph was seasick almost all the way across the Atlantic. Arriving in New York 20 July 1863, he took the train to a point on the Missouri River, then by boat up the river to Florence, Nebraska. From there he walked and drove an ox team in Captain McCarthy’ the Dixie Company all the way to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. It took four months to make the trip from his father’s home.
“Joseph was sent to Salt Creek, Utah, by Brigham Young, to help settle this area. Joseph planted the first fruit trees in Warren. He was the first road supervisor and the father of the first born white child of Warren, Sarah Wayment Hansen. In England, William and Martha continued to guide their children in the gospel. John was baptized and confirmed by John Jacklin on 15 April 1866.
“The passenger’s manifest of 1868, show Samuel and Casting Chapman Wayment emigrated to New York that year aboard the Constitution. Arriving in New York 6 August 1868, they continued across the continent by train to Fort Bento, then by covered wagon in the John Gillespie Company to Salt Lake City. Five years later in 1873, John followed Joseph and Samuel to America on the ship Nevada,and onto the Salt Creek District of Utah, which later was named Warren.
“Samuel Wayment first worked and lived in Deweyville and Cove Fort before settling in the Salt Creek District. They built their home at 1239 North 5900 West where Chester Wayment lived and now Matthew Wayment lives. On that very spot, the first house that Samuel and Castina built burnt to the ground along with the barn. The animals were cooked, so the people who had come to help put out the fire went home, retrieved knives, pots and pans and returned to cut up the meat.
“After Samuel and Castina left for America, William and Martha remained in England with only three children at home. On 4 March 1872, John Brown (Whayment) was ordained a priest by George Wilkins. On 31 May 1873, William Thomas (Whayment) was baptized by John Jacklin. The spirit of gathering to Zion continued to work with the Wayment family.
“The sixth child, John Brown, completed preparations, and at age 19, booked passage on the ship Nevada and sailed from Liverpool, England, 9 July 1873. Arriving in New York, he headed to Utah Territory to join his brothers. John lived with his brother Joseph in what they called “Bachelor Headquarters” in Salt Creek.
“The saving of money was slow and hard to come by so when William T. became about ten years of age, he began working in the fossil fields to help earn passage to America. Part of the time he pushed a wheelbarrow around the mine, which was very difficult for a lad of his age. He worked in the Fossil Fields until the goal was reached. (This was work in the peat bogs. Peat is compact, dark-brown organic material with high carbon content, built up by the partial decay and carbonization of vegetation in the acid water of bogs. Dried peat was and is compressed into briquettes, used in European Countries as fuel, although it is not as efficient as coal because of its large content of water and ash. Peat can also be used for mulching and soil improvement.)
“According to early church records of Norwich Conference, Martha (Whayment) was baptized 13 September 1874, by John Jacklin. On 5 March 1876, William (Whayment) was ordained an Elder by Shadrack Empey. On 4 April 1876, William (Whayment) baptized Sarah East, daughter of George East, Sr. and Rhoda Stanford East into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Sarah was sister to Javes East, who is father of Hazel Caroline East Wayment, our grandmother, who married Theodore Wayment, grandson of William Wayment.) The following week, Sarah East, her parents and six brothers and a sister left England for Utah Territory. They sailed from Liverpool, England, on the ship Wyoming,13 September 1876. Sarah East became a daughter-in-law to William and Martha when she married their son John Brown Wayment. This took place on 7 October 1877, in Weber County, Utah.
“After John Brown left home, the family continued to unite their efforts. Final preparations to emigrate to Utah Territory were made in the spring of 1878. With their savings and help from their sons in Utah, they booked passage on the sea going vessel, the Nevada. The Nevada was Mastered by H. Gadd who hailed his home as Glasgow, Scotland. After leaving their port of departure, Liverpool, England, the ship docked in Queenstown, Ireland, where they picked up more passengers. William and family were numbered among the 443 passengers who made their crossing in steerage, as he was unable to supply the coin for being listed among those 54 passengers in the ship’s cabins. His trade was listed as a farmer. They then made sail for New York where they arrived there on 5 June 1878. There were no deaths at sea recorded on this voyage, however, the people in steerage welcomed a male infant on 30 May 1878, with the surname of Larsen.
“Martha Wayment East, later in life, told granddaughter, Rhea Marriott, “The weather was good all the way over and the ocean was calm to what it usually was, but I was seasick practically all the way. After traveling on water for ten days, we reached Castle Gardens, New York. While we were there, I bought a tomato for two pennies, the first I had ever tasted. From Castle Gardens we boarded Pullman cars to Philadelphia. We changed here to immigrant cars which were very uncomfortable. It was beautiful in the east, but gradual signs of habitation vanished and scenes about us were dry and barren. It was all so strange here, away out west, and very different from what we had expected it to be.”
“Arriving in Ogden, Utah Territory, 13 June 1878, the family was met by Joseph and Samuel. After fifteen years, this was a joyful reunion. They were then taken to Samuel’s home. After living there a few months, William followed the instructions of church leaders and settled in the Salt Creek area, to help build up the Salt Creek District.
“William and family continued to live with Samuel and Castina, while they built a log house. Their log home was located about a quarter-of-a-mile south of the present corner of 5900 West and 700 North and about 200 yards west of the present county road. There were some trees at that spot, but it was dry and hot. Stumps of these trees marked the spot for many years. William built a bowery next to the house to give a little more shade from the sun. Russian Olive trees grew on this spot for years to give shade to sheep and cattle. Living on the land was a basis to apply later for Homestead rights. William applied for homestead rights to this quarter section of land. The logs for their home were hauled from the Wasatch Mountain Range along with firewood. These trips took several days and they would camp out along the way, where they had several encounters with bears.
“In this new and strange land they had to acclimatize to the semiarid climate. This was indeed a marked change from the verdant area of their home in England. They planted cottonwood trees, yellow roses, tea vines and any other plants that would grow fast. They helped establish the community and met the hardships endured by other families pioneering new homes. Martha Wayment East said, “It was hard work, but we had a good time in our work of making a town.
“William was a farmer and a rancher. He also owned a prize set of horses that he entered in shows and contests.
“Daughter Martha would become the first school teacher in Salt Creek. William T. would become the first residing bishop of Warren and would sustain that calling for 17 years.
“On 5 January 1882, William and Martha traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to the endowment house, where they both received their own endowments and were sealed in marriage for time and all eternity.
“Their daughter, Emily Wayment Negus, with her husband, William, and three of their children, sailed from Liverpool, England, 2 September 1882, on the ship Wyoming. Two of this couple’s children had died and were buried in England. With the arrival of Emily and her family, William and Martha once again had all their living children and grandchildren around then to enjoy, but this was short lived.
“A year and three months later after their sealing, in the spring, William contracted Typhoid fever and inflammation. He succumbed to the illness nine days later on 17 May 1883. He was buried in the Plain City Cemetery, Plain City, Weber, Territory of Utah. His death left his beloved wife, Martha, four sons and two daughters, Joseph, Samuel, John and William T., Emily W. Negus and Martha Wayment without their patriarch. William was also survived by eighteen living grandchildren, all living in the Salt Creek area.
“His obituary said he was an honest, industrious and truthful man, a kind husband and an exemplary father. His house was always open to the servants of God, as a haven of rest and hospitality. His faith was unshaken in the principles of Eternal Life, and he had died as he had lived, a faithful Latter-day Saint. He was interred in the Plain City Cemetery, being conveyed thither by a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends.
“Compiled by Joan Wayment Creamer
Sources; West Warren History 1975, Warren History 1995, Ogden Junction Database, New York passenger lists 1851-1891, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Alma W.& Martha M. Hansen, June Wayment Orton, Mildred Wayment Bird.
Back (l-r): Sarah, Martha, Leonard, Mary; Middle: Hannah, Joseph, Ann, Martha; Sitting: Walter Wayment
Here is the history for Martha Brown Wayment.
“On 26 May 1823, Martha Brown became the fourth child born to Samuel and Mary Wade Brown in Bassingbourne, Cambridgeshire, England. She was their only girl who survived infancy.
“Cambridgeshire, a flat coastal plain is located in the southeast part of England. The climate is moderate with much rainfall which produces abundant vegetation. This area produced peat bogs where many men worked.
“Martha’s grandfather, William Brown of Whaddon, has been described as a very wealthy farmer. His son, Samuel, Martha’s father, was disinherited after he fell in love and married a servant girl, Mary Wade who worked for his parents.
“After being disinherited, young Samuel and his wife, Martha’s parents, moved to Bassingbourne where he became a butcher by trade. He also acquired and owned some land and sheep. Later he expanded his business and is said to have become a very well-to-do merchant. Samuel and Mary Wade Brown were good, moral people and highly respected in the community of Bassingbourne.
“The Bassingbourne Parish register records this couple of having nine children, seven boys and two girls. All were born in Bassingbourne. 1) William Brown, christened 24 July 1814, and died 13 January 1894, age 80 2) Martha Brown, christened 15 September 1816, and died 27 June 1817, 9 months 3) Samuel Brown, Jr, born Sept.1818, christened 11 Oct.1818, died January 1890, age72 4) Martha Brown, born 26 May 1823, christened, 20 Jul.1823, and died 12 Apr.1905, age 82 5) Thomas Brown, christened 28 July 1827, and died 21 July 1901, age 74 6) John Brown christened 30 May 1829, and died 18 March 1906, age 77 7) Joseph Brown, christened 25 September 1831, and died in August 1903, age 72 8) Richard Brown, born 15 February 1835, and died 3 April 1835, 2 months 9) Simeon Brown, born September 1840, and died 14 December 1872, age 32.
“It is said that the Browns were a family of large men, with each son being more than six feet in height. They also claim to have had a longevity of life, however only one of them lived to be more than eighty, and that was Martha Brown Wayment. The others, except the two infants and Simeon, lived full lives into their seventies.
“Martha Brown Wayment’s Brothers; William, Thomas and John, joined the English army between the ages of twenty and twenty-five. Because of their height, ‘well over six feet,’ these men were chosen to serve in the King’s Guard and marched in the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Thomas and John deserted the Army and came to America. Thomas’s arrival in America was by quite by accident. The ship he booked passage on wrecked and he was the only survivor. After floating in the Atlantic Ocean for three days, he was rescued by an American vessel, which brought him on to America. Later he married a woman named Lavina and called Clyde County, Kansas their home. They had no children. Thomas wrote to the English government requesting his pension which was given to all English soldiers. The English government replied, telling him they’d give him all that he was entitled to if he returned to England and give up his citizenship in America. Thomas declined and elected to stay in America.
“After coming to America, John Brown changed his name to John Clark. He took a wife and settled in Minnesota. They had a large family. Several years before William T. Wayment died, one of John’s daughters came to Utah and visited with him. She also stayed at the home of Martha Wayment East. That was the last recorded communication with the Clark families from Minnesota.
“William served fourteen years in the English Army, then returned to his home in Bassingbourne. He fought in the Crimean War, Battle of Enlseman and the Russian War of 1848. After the Russian War he returned to England and received a service pension for the remainder of his days.
“When Samuel Brown, Martha’s father, was too old to work any longer, Samuel Jr. took over his father’s business. Joseph also remained home, making his living as a common laborer. When Samuel Sr. died, he bequeathed all his cash earnings to his youngest son, Simeon. Simeon died of alcoholism at the age of thirty-two.
“Martha Brown Wayment; Samuel and Mary Wade Brown provided their children with the best education available. Martha worked in her father’s butcher shop. From her mother, she learned to be frugal, clean and how to keep a neat, tidy house. It has been said about Martha that she was sometimes upset by the unclean habits of some of the older members of the family around her in England.
“In a Relief Society Lesson Publication, Pamphlet #32, dated December 1910, contains short biographies and testimonies of outstanding pioneer women of the North Weber Stake. Martha Brown Wayment told: “When about twelve years of age, there was a strange preacher came there, called a ‘Mormon.’ They were very desirous of hearing what he had to say and went to a meeting. When dinner time came, she seeing them without dinner, no place to go and no money to buy it with, she told her mother that she would go without dinner if she would let the preacher have it, but her mother was not so inclined.” (Martha Brown would have been fourteen years of age when she saw the first missionaries. The first missionaries arrived in Liverpool, England, 20 July 1837.)
“Sometime after the summer of 1840, Martha Brown met William Wayment. Their courtship culminated into a Christmas day wedding the following year. They were married, 25 December 1841, in the Parish of Whaddon Cambridgeshire, England. A copy of their marriage certificate shows William signed his last name as Whayment, listed his age as twenty and his occupation as a laborer.
“Martha gave her age as nineteen, listed herself as a spinster, a title used under English law for any woman who had never married. Martha and her new husband moved in with William’s widowed mother, Mary Rook Whayment.
“The Whayment home was a white vine-covered masonry, two-story cottage, with a thatched roof. The main floor contained two rooms. The largest room had a walk-in fireplace on one end with built in seats on opposite interior walls. The cooking was done in kettles hanging in this fireplace.
“Martha and William began their lives together under very limited circumstances. Though William was a hard worker, they never accumulated much wealth. It is said that William earnings sometimes amounted to eight shillings a week which is equivalent to about two U. S. dollars. Their modest home and limited circumstances was a source of embarrassment at times for Martha. But by careful management they were able to take care of their growing family.
“As a young bride and living in her mother-in-law’s home, Martha found that circumstances and conditions were not always pleasant. One day at the most distressing of times, Martha threatened to leave the Whayment home and her husband. She went into a small room or clothes closet to get some of her things. Her mother-in-law quickly closed the door, locked her in and kept her there until Martha promised not to leave. Satisfactory adjustments were made and Martha kept her promise to stay.
“All William and Martha’s children were born in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire,England. 1) Male, Aaron Wayment born 14 Nov 1842 died 15 Nov 1842, age 1 day 2) Male, Joseph Wayment born 7 Feb 1844 died 20 Dec 1931, age 78 3) Male, Samuel Wayment 28 May 1846 died 1 Jul 1912, age 66 4) Male, William Wayment Born 1 Mar 1849 died 19 Jun 1850, age 1 year 5) Female, Emily Wayment born 15 Apr 1851 died 15 Mar 1925, age 74 6) Male, John Brown Wayment born 13 Apr 1854 died 30 Sept 1923, age 69 7) William Thomas Wayment born 29 Apr 1859 died 15 Feb 1943, age 84 8) Martha Wayment born 25 Mar 1863 died 1936, age 73.
Martha and Martha Wayment
“All their children were taught to be responsible and dependable workers. But as one granddaughter, Thora Wayment Shaw stated, “it seemed necessary for them to come to America to develop their full potential.”
“Cambridge was predominantly agricultural, producing wheat and other grains, sugar beets, fruits and vegetables. At an early age, the children hired out to work, working for these farmers in the area.
“Around the age of fourteen, Martha had heard the message of the LDS missionaries and recognized the truth of the gospel. At that point her parents would not allow her to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Especially after some incidents occurred that seemed to involve the missionaries and turned many people living in Cambridgeshire against the Mormons. Although they were convinced of the truth, William and Martha delayed joining the church due to her family’s bitterness and influence in their community.
“Martha and William listened to the messages, the Elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints brought to the area, of the restoration of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. William became convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel they were preaching and was baptized 28 May 1850. This was not a safe thing to do in those days as many were violently against the preaching of the restored gospel. Martha also opened her home up for place to meet, to share the gospel with other Saints and friends. Between the years of 1853 and 1878, the traveling Elders always found a home with Mrs. Wayment. During that time, their house was used for a meeting house for the Saints. The Elders who traveled in that section of the country always found the family ready to share their meals and beds with them as many can testify.
“Seven years after her husband had embraced the gospel, Martha was baptized on 1 May 1857. Some have criticized Martha for waiting so long to be baptized into the Church, however, she was living in extenuating circumstances. Due to the religious persecutions heaped on the early Saints, they had to meet in secrecy. Martha was one of the first ones to become interested in the restoration of the gospel. When word of her accepting the gospel reached her father in Bassingbourne, he disinherited her, cutting her off with only a few shillings. Her father then used his influence in the Parish to oppose all new members and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, this did not change her mind. Martha’s testimony of its divinity sustained her. She helped set the example and taught their children the principles of the gospel. With her husband, she encouraged her children to join the Church, and all of them were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“In the spring of 1863, Joseph, the oldest son, determined to go to America, to gather with the Saints in Zion. At this time, both him and his father, William, were working in the fossil diggings. (This was work in the peat bogs. Peat is a compact, dark-brown organic material with high carbon content, built up by the partial decay and carbonization of vegetation in the acid water of bogs. Dried peat was and is compressed into briquettes, used in European Countries as fuel, although it is not as efficient as coal because of its large content of water and ash. Peat can also be used for mulching and soil improvement.)
“The family set up a plan and fund for their relocation to the Utah Territory in America. Joseph, the oldest, was first to go. He left 4 June 1863. He was followed by Samuel and his new bride Castina Frances Ann Chapman. They sailed 24 June 1868. Two years after Samuel left, Emily married William Negus. They made their home in Whaddon for the next 12 years. Their sixth child, John Brown completed his preparations, and at age nineteen he left for America on 9 July 1873, aboard the Amazon.
“In 1871, their daughter, Emily and her husband William welcomed their first child, a son they named John. Their joy was short-lived, for when John turned eight-and-a-half months, Emily contracted typhoid fever and developed severe complications. Martha Brown Wayment, took her grandson, John and raised him until he was three years old. At that time, he was returned home to his mother who had finally recovered from her ordeal. Emily was very grateful for the loving help she received from her mother and her sister Martha. Due to the closeness John had developed with his Grandmother Wayment, Emily would often strap pack-baskets on the back of their donkey, where John would ride when they went to visit his grandparents.
“Their son Joseph had sent back to England, a marriage proposal for a local girl. It is likely that Martha gave encouragement to Ann Reed to accept her son’s Joseph’s proposal and join him in the Utah Territory. Ann completed the necessary preparations leaving Liverpool on 24 June 1874.
“It took almost another five years, continued efforts, working in the fossil fields for William and his son William T. to earn enough money for them, along with Martha and young Martha, to emigrate to America. By the spring of 1878, they were making the final preparations to emigrate to Zion. With their savings and some help from their sons in Utah, they booked passage on the ship Nevada, and sailed from Liverpool, England, 25 May 1878. This was fifteen years after theirfirst son, Joseph had emigrated to Utah Territory. After arriving in New York, they boarded a Pullman train which took them to Philadelphia. There they changed to immigrant cars, which were very uncomfortable.
“By rail they arrived in Ogden, Utah Territory, 13 June 1873, and were met by their son’s Joseph and Samuel. William and Martha followed the instructions of the church leaders and settled in the Salt Creek area. They lived with Samuel and Castina while William and William T. built a log house located about a quarter-of-a-mile south of the present corner of 5900 West and 700 North and about 200 yards west of the present county road. There were some trees at that spot, but it was dry and hot. Stumps of these trees marked the spot for many years. William built a bowery next to the house to give a little more shade from the sun. Russian Olive trees grew on this spot for years to give shade to sheep and cattle. Living on the land was a basis to apply later for Homestead rights
“In this new and strange land they had to acclimatize to the semiarid climate. This was indeed a marked change from the verdant area of their home in England. They planted cottonwood trees, yellow roses, tea vines and any other plant that would grow fast. They helped establish the community and met the hardships endured by other families pioneering new homes. Martha Wayment East said, “It was hard work, but we had a good time in our work of making a town.”
“Their daughter Emily, her husband William Negus and their three living children arrived in the fall of 1882. Martha once again rejoiced at having all of her children and grandchildren around her again.
“Martha and William Wayment continued being active in the Church they had learned to love. On 5 January 1883, they traveled to Salt Lake City, where they received their endowments and were sealed in marriage in the Endowment House.
“That spring, William contracted Typhoid fever and succumbed to this decease on 17 May 1883, at age 61 years and 3 days. He left Martha, his beloved wife, four sons and two daughters; Joseph, Samuel, John and William T., Emily W. Negus and Martha Wayment. Also, eighteen grandchildren.
“Martha Brown soon found herself completely alone. Her daughter, Martha, married Edward Marriott. Then her youngest son, William Thomas Wayment, married Maud Mary Bullock 4 July 1883. Daughter Martha was soon divorced from Edward Marriott and moved back home with her Mother. After her daughter returned to teaching school, Martha helped take care of her grandson, Arthur. Her daughter Martha then married David East on 25 December 1885, Arthur spent most of his time living with his grandmother Wayment.
“Martha was able to do her own work and lived near her daughter, Martha for more than twenty years. She continued to enjoy her church meetings, her children and her grandchildren. But she was never without problems.
“Emily’s husband, William Negus, met his death trying to uncouple the double tree to loose the team when the horses floundered in crossing a swollen stream on the North edge of Warren. William Negus drowned along with his horses on 31 March 1890.
“Martha was not idle. On 16 November 1885, she received her citizenship paper. Her husband had applied for his but died before they were granted. In 1886 Martha Brown Wayment received an important document for a land grant. It was, “the original grant of Homestead given to Martha Wayment, widow of William Wayment (deceased). The south east quarter of section two in the township six north range three west of Salt Lake Meridian in Utah Territory, containing 160 acres.” Signed by Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, and dated 18 October 1886. This tract of land is located on the west side of the present road 5900 West and extending from about 300 North then extending west to the Little Weber River. Martha gave four acres of this tract of land to her daughter Martha Wayment East for a home site. The rest of the tract was given to her son, William Thomas Wayment, and used to pasture his horses and cattle. Martha Brown Wayment’s log house was moved north to be nearer her daughter Martha’s home.
“Martha said that in her lifetime, she had read the Bible about one hundred times. She could quote scriptures freely and read the scriptures regularly to some of her grandchildren. She was always faithful and devoted to the Church and taught her children to live the same way. Martha was a very religious person. She read widely of any Church literature available. Her son, William T. said she read all the books he brought back from his mission.
“It was also said of Martha that she had the ability to handle any problems that arose in her family. She could discern and counsel sensitive situations with solutions in a way that helped hold her family together. Her daughter Emily said, “I learned how to keep a clean home and how to cook good meals from my mother.”
“Martha Brown Wayment was an outspoken person. She was described by her grandson, Chester T. Wayment for being set in her ways, but he loved to go to her home, because she always was kind to him. ” She would buy groceries from a traveling ‘grocery man’ and among her purchases was always a bag of gumdrops. Martha would enjoy the sugar off the outside of the gumdrops, then dry the off and feed them to her grandchildren. Chester said, “I ate many of those gumdrops and if I tried not to she would get very angry. She did this to all her grandkids.”
“In her later years, Martha had become very heavy, but she continued to care for most of her needs and enjoyed good health up to the time of her death. On that day, she had been visiting her daughter Emily. While returning home, she saw the traveling grocery wagon heading to her home. She hastened to arrive before him. Arriving about the same time, she told him she would need time to gather her eggs first. Martha used eggs as payment for her groceries. She asks him to come back, so he didn’t have to wait on her while she gathered and cleaned the eggs. When the grocery man returned, he could not find Martha any where, nor did she answer when he called out for her. Later her lifeless body was found in her outhouse (outside toilet). It was determined that she had died of a massive stroke or heart attack. Bishop William L. Stewart had met Martha by the old school house at noon, and reported, “she was walking quite smart,” on the day she died.
“From the Standard, Ogden, Utah, Saturday evening 18 April 1905, Column 2, pg. 7, Vol. 35. MRS. WAYMENT BURIED, The funeral services, over the remains of the late Mrs. Martha Brown Wayment, who died at her home in Warren on Wednesday last, (12 April 1905), were held at the Warren Meeting House at two o’clock yesterday afternoon. (Friday 14 April 1905.)
“”The services were presided over by Bishop William L. Stewart and the ward furnished the music. The speakers were, DR. H.C. Wadman, Frank Barrows, Joseph V. East, Thomas H. Bullock, John F. Burton, George W. Larkin and Bishop Stewart.
“”The speakers eulogized the life of the deceased, referring especially to her religious convictions, her kindly disposition, her affection for her family, and of her true friendship. The meeting house was entirely too small to accommodate the large number of relatives and friends. A large funeral cortege followed the remains to the Plain City Cemetery, where they placed in her last resting place. The grave was dedicated by Joseph H. Folkman.”
“Her death was 12 April 1905. She was laid to rest next to her husband William Wayment in the Plain City Cemetery. She was survived by four sons and two daughters, Joseph, Samuel, John and William T. Wayment, Emily W. Negus Mullen and Martha Wayment. Also, surviving was 46 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. The posterity of William and Martha Brown Wayment now numbers well over two thousand.
“Two recipes brought over from England by our Wayment Grandmother; Martha Brown Wayment.
YORKSHIRE PUDDING, 1 pt. of sifted flour salt, 1 pt. of milk, 4 eggs, Beat well. About 3/4 hour before the roast is done, pour off dripping from the pan-leaving enough to keep pudding from sticking. Bake 3/4 hour.
“OLD ENGLISH MINCE MEAT, 3 lbs. Beef chopped fine, 1 lb. Suet, 10 lbs. Apples (green) chopped, 3 lbs. Raisins, 1 lb. Currents, ½ lb. Lemon peel, ½ lb. Orange peel, ½ lb. Citron, ½ gal. hard cider, 1 tsp. Allspice, 1 tsp. Nutmeg, 1 tsp. Cinnamon, tsp. Cloves, 3 cups Brown sugar, Salt to taste, Boil slowly until fully cooked, then seal in bell jars. Makes about 10 quarts. May let set for a few days to improve flavor.
“Sources; West Warren History 1975, Warren History 1965, Warren History 1995, Database New York passenger lists 1851-1891, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Alma W.& Martha M. Hansen, June Wayment Orton, Mildred Wayment Bird, Bishop William L. Stewart Journal.
This history came into my hands from Golden Andra’s collection. A received a large stack of family history from his family. I am reviewing and making them available in this format. I typed this one about Pauline as typed, misspellings and errors too.
Pauline Wanner and Wiliam Henry Crossley
“This history was compiled August 3, 1993, by J. Allyne Kemp Crossley from two seperate histories, a story written by her son, Richard and information obtained from various family members, at a special request for he 1993 Wanner Reunion, which celebrates the 123rd year of the Wanner family.
“Pauline Wanner Crossley, daughter of Johann George and Ann Maria Schmid Wanner, was born in Atzenweiler, Neckarkreis, Wuertthemberg, Germany on April 1, 1884. Wuertthemberg, being one of the states of the divided nation of Germany. At the time of her birth, she joined a family of seven brothers and sisters, she being the eigth child. Following her birth two more children came to the family making a total of ten children: five boys and five girls, two of which died at an early age, while the family was still in Germany.
“Pauline and her brothers and sisters were very fortunate to have had parents who were honorable, upright, and hard-working people, who loved their children and worked very hard to see that they got the very best that they could provide. Both parents believed in God and had a strong faith that their prayers would be answered in providing them with the blessings they needed. They belonged to the Lutheran Church, and tried to teach their children correct principles.
“Sometime during the year of 1891, Johann, Pauline’s father, brought some missionaries to their home. These missionaries were representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they were Jacob Zollinger [1845-1942] from Providence, Utah; John Hassenfritz, from the Bear Lake area, and John Federly of Salt Lake City, Utah.
“After the missionaries had been teaching them the Gospel for some time, the family became very interested and decided they would join the Church. Some of the family were old enough to be baptized and they became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in October 1891. Pauline waited until after the family arrived in America to be baptized on January 7th 1897, just three months before her 13th birthday. Joining the Church brought peace to their minds and joy to their hearts. It did not take long for the family to decide that they wanted to leave their native land, and come to the United States, where they could have religious freedom and better opportunities for their families, and to provide for their wants and needs.
“Not long after their baptism, some of the missionaries were preparing to return to their homes in the U.S. and Johann and Maria decided to send their older son, George to America with them, he’d be the first member of the family, to come to this country.
“In the Spring of 1893, Pauline’s parents began making the preparations to take the rest of their family to America, saying “Good-bye” to all their relatives, friends, and their native land.
“They had to ride the train for one day, afterwhich they took a boat up the Rhine River which took three of four days, then they took another train for another day, which took them to the North Sea. Here they got on another boat which was larger than the first, which would take them to Liverpool, England. The sea was very rough and the weather stormy, so it took another day before they reached Liverpool, where they boarded a big ship to sail to America.
“They were on the ocean for about 2 weeks, before they finally reached New York, where they stayed for two or three days. From New York, they took the train once again, and started their journey across the American Continent, for Salt Lake City, Utah, having to stop in Chicago, Illinois for one day and night. After arriving in Salt Lake City, they then continued their long and tedious journey to Franklin, Idaho where they arrived on the 18th of June 1893, all being very happy, and anxious, to get settled in their newly adopted homeland.
“They were met by their brother, and son, George and Mr. Fred Nuffer. Mr. Nuffer invited George, and all of his family to stay at his home, until they could find a place of their own, which was about one week.
“The Sunday following their arrival in Franklin, they all went to church, traveling to Glendale, where they had their membership records moved to, from the Branch in Germany.
“Grandpa Wanner soon bought the home and farm of John Nuffer’s in Glendale and the family lived there for a number of years before buying a home in Logan, Utah.
“Pauline worked hard on the farms that her father had bought – he bought several for his family to run. The members of Pauline’s family were all good workers and they all strived very hard to make a go of it, in this new land. Each of them was also very diligent in working for their beliefs, for their church, and for their Savior, Jesus Christ – including Pauline – she was a member of the Relief Society Presidency, while her children were still young she would take the “Black-top” and make many trips down to Thatcher.
“Not too much is known about Pauline’s romances, as a young lady, but her daughter, Annie, remembers hearing Pauline talk about a young man that she was engaged to, prior to Pauline’s engagement to her Dad, who was killed in an avalanche – Pauline only talked about it a few times.
“Pauline Wanner and William Henry Crossley, were married in the Logan Temple on December 14th 1904; Pauline was 20 and Will was 26 at the time, they both had dark brown hair but Will’s was curly.
“Will’s parents were John and Eliza Clements Crossley, he was born the 16th of October 1878 at Weston, Idaho and was baptized May 7th 1887. He had only one older brother, named Emanuel; one half brother, Levi, also lived with them while they were at home.
“To Pauline & Will were born four girls and five boys. Their first child, a beautiful baby girl, whom they named Florence, was born about 1905, she lived for about one year, then died in a very tragic fire. About one year later, another little girl was born whom they named Violet, she lived only two weeks; a third little baby girl, named Fern, was born on May 25th 1908 and she lived for only a few hours. Pauline was out helping to put up hay when a load tipped over on top of her, bringing the baby too soon. A 4th little baby girl, Annie Laurie, who’d be their only living daughter, was then born on April 30th 1909. *(According to Annie’s birth certif., she was born in March).
“Following the birth of Annie Laurie, the family grew with the addition of the boys, each arriving about two years apart from one another. Joseph Henry, arrived on April 14th 1911; Richard Wanner on January 27th 1913; Albert John was born June 28th 1915; Clarence William, who everyone knew as “Virgil” was born March 18th 1917; he died September 6th 1984, and is buried in McCammon; and then Cyril Chester was born on October 28th 1919. These children brought lots of joy to their mother, and I’m sure that had she have lost Annie, her only living girl, she would have just laid down and died right then —
“The Pioneer immigrants had to make many sacrifices and endure many tragidies in order that they could live their faith and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ – many having to leave their homeland and their families, worldly goods, even suffering sicknesses and surviving near starvation and freezing temperatures – But I can’t imagine the pain and heartache of having to watch a home that I’d help build with my own hands, be destroyed in a fire, along with a very precious baby daughter – Florence, when she was only about a year old.
“Pauline and Will had both dropped-off to sleep, forgetting to turn off their coal-oil lamp, and since the wick was bad, it filled the room with smoke as it burned – which woke Will up. He was so sick from the smoke, he couldn’t stand up to talk, he had to crawl about one block, or more to the neighbors, who ran back and were able to get Pauline out of the house – but because of all the excitement and all the turmoil, they forgot about Baby Florence. When Pauline came to all she said was, “The Baby! The Baby!” But it was too late!
“The folks said that another fire happened on the homestead, in Thatcher, at the middle place, because the children decided to build a bon-fire behind the stove in the kitchen – they said it was because the fire had ruined everything so bad, that that was their reason for building their last home, on the homestead, and also a reservoir.
“Will’s older brother, Emanuel, had moved to Thatcher on a homestead, about two years before he and Pauline decided to move – He was finally persuaded and he moved his family to Thatcher, where they homesteaded the place which adjoined his brother’s.
“All of Pauline’s children had a hard “row to hoe” while they were growing up – some made sure that they got a small education and others didn’t but all-in-all nothing was easy for them –
“The children would go barefooted a lot when they were little. One day their Dad noticed that the cows were down in the “stubble” so he instructed the children to go and get them, (they were barefooted, as usual). Annie’s little feet were so tender that with each step she took, the stubble scratched them, and caused them to bleed and each added step brought more scratches, and more bleeding, so she tried to take her time, being as careful as she could so that the rough stubble wouldn’t hurt her feet anymore than they were already hurting. Her Dad got really upset that she took so long to go and help get the cows (he didn’t realize her suffering).
“Then, there were the times when the children would get lost, even on their own place – One day the children were up in the pasture, watching their Dad put in fence posts for a fence, so he could fence-off the pasture. (The children were probably helping as well). One of the boys got tired, so he wandered away from the rest and laid down in the BIG, TALL brush and went to sleep. The whole family hunted and called – but he wasn’t found until sometime after dark.
“Earlier, when the family lived by the “WHEEL GATE”, Joe and Annie went wandering in the TALL Sage Brushes, east of their place. Most of the neighbors must have hunted all over, until the “wee” hours of the morning before they finally found them – the Sage Brushes were so HUGE, that they were just right for the children to make their own little “houses” in them.
“Pauline and Will were strict parents, and living on a farm wasn’t an easy life, to be sure, and everyone needed to work to help: the children even had their responsibilities on the farm —
“Joe and Annie, for example, had to go after the cows, on the hilly pasture land, (there were lots of trees and vegetation). One day, they had just got the cows going along the “cow-trail” through the hills and a bobcat began to follow them and they were scared to death!! After running the cows for awhile, Joe was right behind the cows, Annie next, and then their dog – the dog finally tangled with the bobcat and he took off through the trees – were they ever glad to get back home!
“Another time, Annie went out to take her brother, Richard, a sandwich, when a big buck decided to turn on her and Joe – the only one that could control him was Richard – the buck wouldn’t hurt him.
“Besides his farming – Will also had a “Threshing machine” and he’d go out and do threshing for other farmers, which gave his family a little added means for flour and cereal – He’d always take a load of wheat, by wagon, down to Preston, to have ground into flour and cereal.
That was the end of page 4. It seemed to be an abrupt end, but I cannot tell if there were more pages to the history or not.
Biography of John George Wanner taken from a hand written history which was in a box of Genealogy material of Clara Bodrero, now in possession of Elaine Ricks (unknown dates), author unknown.. I have written a history of John George Wanner Sr previously. I updated location and names to their proper spelling.
“John George Wanner, son of John Frederick and Anna Maria Marquardt, was born Oct. 18, 1845, at Holzgerlingen, Germany. He had two brothers, namely Michal and Conrad. Grandfather was the youngest child. [He wasn’t a very large man about 5 feet 6 inches tall. He always looked well dressed, clean and very nice.]
“He was member of the Protestant Church. At this church the members graduated from Sunday School at the age of 18.
“In those days children didn’t get very much schooling and grandfather was no exception.
“Grandpa while in Germany worked on the roads and was the road overseer. he also worked in the Black Forest and fought in the Civil War in Germany in 1865 and the War of 1870-71.
“He was married to Anna Maria Schmidt on June 6, 1870. [She was about 5 feet 4 inches and had a good shape. She always fixed her hair so beautiful, she looked nice and well dressed. I can remember this beautiful black knit winter dress she had and she always wore gloves] From this union was born to them five sons and five daughters. Before his marriage he served in the Civil War in Germany and again after his marriage in 1870 & 71 for quite a while.
“After his marriage he worked in the woods. In 1873 they moved from Holzgerlingen to Gruenkraut, Wuerttemberg, where they bought a little home and farm. He also worked in the gravel and woods on this side. In 1880 he got a job on a big highway and worked on it until he came to America in 1893.
“In the month of May 1891 while working on the Highway two men came along and talked to him, giving him a Tract. They were members and missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They visited his home telling him and his family of the gospel and the Lord’s work. They made their visits often, and in July 1891, John George, the oldest son was baptized and came to America with a missionary by the name of Terrell from Providence, Utah.
“In October 1891, grandfather, his wife and some of their children were baptized by the Elders. (Grandfather was the only member of his father’s family that joined the Latter Day Saint church.
“In May 1893, they prepared to come to America. [They rode the train for a day and then got on a ship and went up the Rhine River. This took them three or four days. They then rode the train another day and got on a ship on the North Sea that took them to England; the sea was very turbulent and they had a rough voyage.
“They went to Liverpool, England from Germany on a small ship. From Liverpool to New York they came on a big ship and were on the ocean 13 days. They arrived at New York City and stayed in a Hotel 20 stories up for 1 or 2 nights. They took the train to Chicago where they stayed 1 or 2 nights. Then they took a train and came to Franklin, Idaho arriving on Sunday June 18, 1893. They were met by their son George and Brother Fred Nuffer, the man George was working for. They met them with a one seated buggy and a wagon. Grandfather Wanner asked for a drink of water after getting off the train. “You’ll have to be on your stomach by that stream”, George spoke up. This made Grandfather Wanner so discussed that he walked back to Logan over 20 miles, with a determination to go back to Germany if he had to drink from ditches. The next day he reconsidered and again returned to Franklin, Idaho. They went to Cub River to Fred Nuffer’s place where they stayed for almost one week Then they purchased the farm of John Nuffer in Glendale, Idaho. [It was during this week that Grandpa took his daughter Mary and they walked to Bear Lake County seeking a farm and a home and to see what was available there. They slept on the ground at nights and saved some of their read to feed the bears so they wouldn’t bother them. They had to take off their shoes as they forged streams. It as a rough trip.
“[The first Sunday they were in Glendale, Grandpa and Grandma went to church with these five beautiful daughters and two sons. One day, William Addison Wagstaff was the ward clerk and mother, Mary, had on a red dress; dad looked down at her and winked. You see, dad was well past 30 and not married. I bet he though here is my chance. Of course there were other nice gals available, but he hadn’t married and we were happy he chose mother.]
“[Grandma soon joined the Relief Society and in the minutes of the meetings that I have, tell of her bearing her testimony often and donating eggs, wheat, calico or whatever, when asked to do so. They had a strong testimony and remained true to the Church and were ardent Temple Workers till their last days on earth. ]
“John Wanner took up more land after a few years and built a log cabin to claim the land. Cleared quaken aspens from his farm to have more land. One day his All slipped from a stump and cut a deep space i his hand. It was necessary for the doctor to put in several ditches as the farm work advanced he built a barn and bought addition cows.
“Mother Wanner made and sold many pounds of butter a week to George Benson Store in Whitney, Idaho.
“The Wanners also picked and sold number quarts of currants, gooseberries and raspberries. Gooseberries were about 20 quarts for a dollar, the raspberries sold for about 10 or 12 quarts for a dollar. These were delivered price.
“About that time 2 additional rooms were added to a rock house that was on the place.
“They bought the John Nuffer’s farm at Glendale, Idaho, now Franklin County. Later he bought the Jed M. Blair farms in Whitney and started to raise sugar beets.
“[They later moved in 1910 to Logan, Utah and ] while living at Logan, Utah [to be near the Logan Temple where they could go often. In Logan, they lived at two or three different places, but I wasn’t able to find out for sure. The places I distinctly remember was their home on 3rd North and two or so blocks East and their last home in Logan was a lovely home they built located on 4th North and two blocks East. they did a great deal of Temple work for the dead having got many names from Germany. They also did a lot of work for other people. While in Logan, Grandpa always had a lively horse, a good looking single black buggy and a real snazzy buggy whip. This one place they lived on in Logan had an extra lot where he grew hay for his horse and he’d cut it with the scythe. They also always had a nice garden and beautiful flowers. As I remember this home was on 3rd North and a few blocks East.]
“[They were hard working, thrifty people and handled their affairs very well. They really made hay while the sun shone and were able to retire at a reasonable age and had enough to live on plus an estate they left. ]
“February 16, 1922 after a short illness of pneumonia he died and was buried in the cemetery at Logan, Utah.
I have thought of this poem a number of times recently. Both in my personal life and watching the national issues play out before us. I wanted to share it and make it available in my own history and records.
I believe the first time I heard this poem was by our Mission President, H. Bruce Stucki (1937-2019). I don’t know how many times I heard it, but President Stucki had this poem memorized (with some tweaks). It became a somewhat unofficial poem of the England Manchester Mission, at least while we were there.
The Upward Reach by Sadie Tiller Crawley
He stood at the crossroads all alone,
The sunlight in his face;
He had no thought for an evil course
He was set for a manly race.
But the road stretched east, and the road stretched west,
And he did not know which road was best,
So he took the wrong road and it led him down,
And he lost the race and the victor’s crown.
He was caught at last in an angry snare
Because no one stood at the crossroads there
To show him the better road.
Another day, at the selfsame place,
A boy with high hopes stood.
He, too, was set for a manly race —
He was seeking the things that were good.
And one was there who the roads did know,
And that one showed him the way to go,
So he turned away from the road leading down,
And he won the race and the victor’s crown.
He walks today the highway fair
Because one stood at the crossroads there
To show him the better road.
The official hymn of our mission was Jerusalem, I believe it still is to this day. William Blake wrote the words.
And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon England’s mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On England’s pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England’s green & pleasant Land.
It is in light of those two poems that I share this photo. While I served in Hyde, Kenny Miles, did this painting. We helped Kenny with service and quite a few various projects. I was very, very surprised when he presented me with this painting. It shows me at the crossroads with the Savior. It also quotes part of the poem Jerusalem.
After reviewing the painting at the apartment in Hyde, at the time, I was not enamored by it because I felt like it looked like I was trying to encourage people to go on the other road away from the Savior. But as time has passed, it is a pretty picture. I am impressed, Brother Miles’ talents are much more than anything I could offer. But now, I feel like I am the one at the crossroads. Now it means so much more.
Of Rights and Responsibilities: The Social Ecosystem of Religious Freedom
Art and Golden Coley
Introduction
Distinguished guests, colleagues and friends, it is an honor to speak to you today. The subject of religious freedom continues to raise new questions. We have come to learn a little more from many of the most able minds and willing hearts in the field. If we listen to each other carefully, we will be better equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow.
Most of us drink from the waters of religious freedom without even knowing it. We think of it as a river that will always flow. But we might not recognize the risks to the tributaries that feed that river.
The perpetuation of religious liberty requires that it be understood and valued by the rising generations. There is a need for them to comprehend what religious freedom brings to society and what is lost when this liberty is eroded. When young people come to understand why this freedom is crucial to their own aspirations, welfare and happiness, they will feel inspired to act to strengthen and preserve religious freedom.
Community and Commitment
To better understand the freedoms we now enjoy, we can look to history. My parents came from what you in the United States call “the greatest generation.” They both served in the British armed forces in World War II — my father in the Royal Air Force, my mother in the Army as a nurse. Between them they served across Europe, North Africa, India and Burma. They fought for their neighbors, they fought in defense of their homeland and they certainly fought for religious freedom, but I don’t suppose that was a phrase they would have used at the time. With so many others, they warded off the tyranny of Nazism. So many freedoms were on the line, and that generation gave everything they had in their defense. Vast swaths of Europe were overrun, with massive casualties. Whole nations were subjugated by tyrants whose aim was to conquer and not only suppress freedoms, including religious freedom, but wipe out and destroy people of particular ethnic backgrounds, faith and belief. The generation which confronted these demonic threats did so with phenomenal courage. It took a society that possessed a highly developed social solidarity and mutual accountability to bring about such a moral achievement.
After six unspeakably harrowing years, the war was won. In the ensuing years, those who had experienced this conflict saw society through the lens of that experience. After a decade or two, they observed the next generation, which had not been where they had been nor confronted what they had seen. These young people became concerned with what in many cases the wartime generation regarded as lesser things. The cohesion that had come from shared hardship borne of an existential threat began to wear off. I was a child through part of this period. The protests of the 1960s found their way onto our television screen. What they exhibited in raw emotional power, they often lacked in sustained social commitment. These actions ranged from bus boycotts to opposition to the Vietnam War to campus protests over student fees. They were all motivated by worthy purposes, but on their own, these purposes were limited without the continuous obligations borne of shared vision and purpose. Of course, protest is a vital function in a democracy, and free people are free because they are able to challenge the status quo and those they have elected. But during those years, the youth of Britain sometimes appeared to protest for its own sake. My parents lamented the shift toward a mindset of rights with no apparent regard for, or reference to, responsibilities. The two must work together; passion and duty must connect. And that concept is what I would like to address — our rights and the responsibilities associated with those rights.
Today it might appear to some that rights just happen — that they are automatically inherited and perpetuated without thought or effort. We can forget the extraordinary struggle, resolve and sacrifice that went into protecting our abundance. We may rarely think about our obligations to keep those rights in place.
The Heart of Religious Freedom
For a time, I lived in a country that did not allow the free expression of religion. I witnessed how people who dared to stray from the official line could be punished. Unfortunately, this continues today in many nations across the globe. Violation of religious freedom is one of the main reasons why we see so many refugees and displaced people today. Religious differences become religious alienation, alienation turns into persecution, and persecution turns to conflict, war and mass flight. These crises happen when freedoms, including religious freedom and freedom of conscience, are not protected. Regimes target those who believe differently, force them from their homes and uproot them in terrifying ways. In 2015 and 2016, from one end of Europe to the other, I saw firsthand countless ordinary people driven from their homes and lands further to the east across countries and continents in search of safety and refuge. Often their beliefs were a factor in why they were displaced.
Hatred and terror drove these people from their homes. The world needs places of refuge from such extremism. Where liberty thrives, it flows almost invisibly. We experience the benefits of it all the time but rarely see how it actually works. Religious liberty acts as the heart of society, a key contributor carrying the lifeblood of all that is good to the whole community.
Healthy societies run on trust, confidence and a sense of safety. With freedom of religion and belief, people feel safe in their deepest convictions and can express and exercise them publicly. The great enemy of religious freedom is estrangement and alienation. When a society or government divides people based on what they believe, how they think, the words they say, whom they worship or the manner in which they worship, common ground is lost, and life together becomes a battle. The test of a pluralistic society is to achieve unity without diminishing the diversity within it.
Religious freedom means nothing if you protect your own religious practice while neglecting the practice of others, especially those who might be less secure and able to defend themselves. It only works if you protect the rights of everyone. As Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has said, religious freedom is important precisely because it gives everyone — religious or not — the “space to determine for ourselves what we think and believe.”[1] In terms of numbers and inherited culture, the United States has a Christian majority, but unless it honors the lawful practices of Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Native American religions and everyone else, including individuals and groups who profess no faith at all, it will fail to live up to its own ideals.[2]
We all need to be consistent in defending and respecting everyone. And doing so does not mean you have to diminish your own beliefs. That’s how all our rights will be taken seriously. We can’t pick and choose who gets what rights. Every religion is susceptible to the fluctuations of prominence and obscurity. The cultural group that enjoys privilege today may lose it tomorrow, even in nations where the rule of law and democratic principles have been enshrined for centuries.
Having a broad view of religious liberty helps us see that it is universal, not just the preserve of those who are powerful or popular. Religious freedom is suprapolitical, something that is part of our nature before politics declares it to be so. Every person, regardless of religion, race, gender, orientation or nationality, possesses fundamental rights simply by being human. They include the right to life, liberty, security, equal protection of the law and the freedom of thought, speech, and religion, as well as protection from political extremism. But we all must remember, be taught and pass on the responsibilities that come with these rights.
Rights are inscribed in laws, constitutions and charters the world over, but they were first imprinted in the human heart by a loving God. One of the founders of this nation, Alexander Hamilton, wrote, “The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sun beam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power.”[3]
Though these inalienable rights come from above, they still have to be cultivated by human beings below. It is up to us — it is the responsibility associated with these rights — to implement, protect and anchor them in our daily life.
Two Sides of the Religious Freedom Coin
Rightsand responsibilities can’t be separated without negative consequences. The symbiosis between rights and responsibilities is often forgotten in the rush to demand that something be given to us, while forgetting to foster the conditions in which that right can even be respected or have meaning.
Appropriately exercised, rights and responsibilities move in a virtuous circle. We are more inclined to honor the rights of people when we know them personally and feel a sense of responsibility for their well-being. Meaning in life comes from giving yourself to others, not demanding that others give to you. Author and commentator David Brooks has written that joy comes from commitment:
“In reality, the people who live best tie themselves down. They don’t ask: What cool thing can I do next? They ask: What is my responsibility here? They respond to some problem or get called out of themselves by a deep love. By planting themselves in one neighborhood, one organization or one mission, they earn trust. They have the freedom to make a lasting difference. It’s the chains we choose that set us free.”[4]
Important work in religious freedom is found in walking a mile with your brother and sister, listening to a stranger talk about their religious experience, and in the gentle efforts of dialogue and persuasion.
The study of religious liberty has so many facets and nuances it can be dizzying. The conversation often focuses on the law — what it is, what it should be, what it protects, what it should protect, how it sets boundaries and so on. Law is vital and is an essential part of a bigger picture. However, rights act more like habits than dry edicts. Law and custom must work together.
Behind every right, if we look closely enough, stand layers upon layers of social practices that regulate innumerable human interactions in societies, families, marriages, friendships and all human relationships. They are called “norms,” and they require innumerable transactions of give and take. The demands we make of the law only make sense when embedded in a web of countless norms that make our society possible. We need to keep finding ways to align what we demand with what we can contribute—to our families, workplaces, neighborhoods, churches, schools and communities.
Understanding and appreciation of religious freedom will need to move from the exclusive realm of specialists to a much broader audience, to include those who don’t grasp the intricacies of the law nor have the capacity to influence the law in conventional ways.
To do this, we will need to reframe our own understanding and more effectively articulate what this freedom means and the responsibility it brings. We have a particular obligation to carry this to a younger audience who will be charged to see these freedoms protected and responsibilities fulfilled in the coming years.
A Challenge to Embrace
Many in the rising generation today are concerned about serving those in need, making a difference, changing the world and helping their community. They seek morality and responsibility, and understand the language of universality. Our young people can be jaded by exclusion, inconsistent application of laws and entrenched interests of a few to the detriment of many. They are attuned to the authentic. They are outward-looking and deeply sensitive to treating people fairly and equally. Their yearning to serve is deep. All of this is wonderful and promising!
But on the whole, the religiosity of young people is shifting. They are much less inclined to identify with a particular religion, let alone attend church.[5] They can see religion as stifling their values of inclusion and tolerance. But it is not only the youth; the trend toward a secularized public life affects all ages.[6] One of the results is that our culture is fragmenting into cultural and ideological tribes.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said, “Men everywhere seem to be groping as in darkness, casting aside the traditions that were the strength of our society yet unable to find a new star to guide them.”[7]
Peter Beinart, a writer and political science professor at City University of New York, sees a connection between decreasing religious activity and increasing political conflict. He recently wrote, “Maybe religion builds habits and networks that help people better weather national traumas, and thus retain their faith that the system works. For whatever reason, secularization isn’t easing political conflict. It’s making American politics even more convulsive and zero-sum.”[8]
We can help fill this void with a positive message and constructive actions. There is a need, and a real opportunity, for religious freedom to be framed differently and be more clearly understood.
Be a Force in the World
Do we fear the world more than we shape it? Do we let our anxieties prevent us from making a difference? Do we spend more time hiding from society’s flaws than fixing its problems?
How we answer these questions determines what our social environment looks like. It is always changing, and improves or deteriorates depending on our actions. Society is not something that just happens to us; it is something we help shape.
The main thing is to engage, dialogue, bridge and interact with people of all sorts. Unless we participate, we lose our ability to both influence the world and learn from it. As British novelist E.M. Forster put it, “Only connect! … Live in fragments no longer.”[9]
We all have a stake in this debate. “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”[10] The poet John Donne wrote these words nearly 400 years ago, but they still resonate today.
Contributing to the good of society is part of our spiritual stewardship. Jesus taught his followers to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Let your light shine, he said, as a city on a hill. Salt was an ancient symbol of friendship and generosity. And like salt, we have a duty to savor person-to-person connections and nurture amity between adversaries. We must not cloister ourselves with others who think like us and congregations that believe like us. Jesus demonstrated how to lift society, moving deliberately to the despised, the diseased and the misunderstood, listening to and healing them.
I have been inspired by the goodness and selflessness of members of my own church who reach out to those in need. Wherever I have witnessed, in the course of my service, those afflicted by fire, flood or any manner of natural disaster or humanitarian crisis, our people have been there. When visiting such a location in California, I was asked if I knew what FEMA stood for. As I struggled with “Federal… Emergency…,” my friend said, “No, it’s ‘Find Every Mormon Available.’” It was said in jest, but more than once media has reported that the first two groups at the scene were the Mormons and the Latter-day Saints — reminding us of the uphill task we have to be known by our full name. The point is, our people do go out of their way, a very long way out of their way, to help in crises the world over. This isn’t only disaster response and assisting refugees. These devoted souls are there in those often invisible, private, chronic situations which can last a lifetime. And of course it’s not just our people; we work alongside representatives of numerous other faiths, often partnering with them in some of the most challenging parts of the world. There are certainly those involved doing extraordinary work for whom faith is not a driving force. But these contributions with our fellow believers are vast. And, importantly in today’s context, they are often overlooked. Part of that is our own fault, as we can have something of a tortured relationship with the idea of telling people about these good works. As a church, we are torn between having these efforts be private and letting that light shine in a way that will create awareness that we take our responsibility of contributing to society very seriously. We will probably need to talk more openly about these contributions, letting people know that at the heart of our faith is the desire to help our fellow human beings, wherever they are, people of faith and no faith at all. And that we do so without seeking converts in these most trying moments in people’s lives.
We need to help many more young people see the opportunities the free exercise of religion provides to serve others in need and unite communities in ways that benefit all people. And we need to help them understand that the expression of religious belief through community service is dependent on religious freedom. With this understanding, they will not only value religious freedom more deeply but will courageously act to strengthen and perpetuate it.
Influencing society always seems to be the job of someone else — someone with more power, more money, more time. Perhaps we expect some program or sponsor to take the lead. But when it comes to taking care of people, there is no “someone else”; there is only us. Civic engagement requires people to freely act on their beliefs and solve the problems of their communities. If the prevailing philanthropic desires of our rising generation are to be harnessed and maximized, our young people will need to come to the same conclusion as have so many of us here today. And that is, that this is the most worthy of causes — a spring which feeds so many others. It represents our highest and holiest beliefs, and at the same time, blesses individuals, families, communities of all descriptions and entire nations. How to unite these benevolent desires of the rising generation with the responsibility of preserving religious freedom, along with every other inalienable right, is the task before all of us, and I am so grateful that you have gathered in this way to address just that.
We have a responsibility to help and, as God told the Prophet Jeremiah, “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”[11]
Conclusion
Now to conclude, every society has a foundation of truths, rules, expectations and norms which guide their thinking and their actions every day. Many take them for granted. And like all things we suppose will simply always be there for us — like the air we breathe — we hardly notice them. That is, until they’re challenged. And then we have to look closely and really get to know them, as if discovering them for the first time. So it is with religious freedom.
The way we all as human beings form our deepest beliefs is perhaps life’s greatest journey of discovery. The freedom in which we do so is precious. Our ability to practice and share those beliefs as we learn of and come to understand the beliefs of others enriches us all, broadens our view and creates harmony. A climate in which we are free to believe and practice is also a climate in which we can contribute. Religious freedom demands both the universal right and the universal responsibility, and it is our turn to do our part.
As human beings and the children of divine creation, we all want to live by a moral vision and want to share it with others. In doing this, we enter the realm of both religion and politics. This can be messy and contentious, but we have reason to be optimistic. As Martin Luther King Jr. was so fond of saying, drawing from the abolitionist Theodore Parker, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”[12]
We are in that arc, and God expects us to do our part in nudging it toward justice. This is our work. Thank you.
By Elder Patrick Kearon of the Presidency of the Seventy
This talk was a keynote address at the Religious Freedom Annual Review at Brigham Young University on June 19, 2019.