Arta Lillie Curtis

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-S7D
• Initiatory (LDS): 22 Oct 2002, SLAKE

Family/Spouse: Eugene Leroy Ward. Eugene (son of William Thurlow Ward and Alice Elise Vögeli Bird) was born on 24 Mar 1915 in Payson, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 12 Feb 1968; was buried on 16 Feb 1968 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. LeRoy Ward was born on 20 Jun 1936 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 16 Feb 2013 in Kingman, Mohave, Arizona, United States.
2. Sherrie Ann Ward was born on 27 Apr 1940 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; died on 17 Jul 2011 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried on 21 Jul 2011 in Provo City Cemetery, Utah, Utah, United States.
3. Gayle Vickie Ward was born on 19 Dec 1947 in Wattis, Carbon, Utah, United States; died on 13 Dec 2015 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCH-DG9
• Initiatory (LDS): 3 Apr 2001, MANTI

William married Grace Chloe Lake on 6 May 1908 in Castle Dale, Emery, Utah, United States. Grace (daughter of Robert William Lake and Lillie Claudina Coates) was born on 6 Jul 1889 in Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States; died on 14 Jun 1951 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; was buried on 16 Jun 1951 in Provo City Cemetery, Utah, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCH-DGM
• Initiatory (LDS): 25 Jun 1997, LANGE

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LLQV-L4T
• Initiatory (LDS): 29 May 1929, ARIZO

Ezra married Mary Ann Whipple on 20 Jan 1877 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States. Mary (daughter of Edson Whipple and Mary Ann Yeager) was born on 4 Mar 1859 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 23 May 1919 in Castle Dale, Emery, Utah, United States; was buried on 26 May 1919 in Castle Dale City Cemetery, Emery, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KW8L-WH4
• Initiatory (LDS): 24 Dec 1919, MANTI

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWZ1-QV2
• Initiatory (LDS): 20 Sep 1888, MANTI

Robert married Lillie Claudina Coates on 20 Sep 1888 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States. Lillie was born on 15 Sep 1872 in Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States; died on 28 Mar 1943 in Castle Dale, Emery, Utah, United States; was buried on 31 Mar 1943 in Castle Dale, Emery, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWZ1-QVG
• Initiatory (LDS): 20 Sep 1888, MANTI

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJX-MVS
• Initiatory (LDS): 7 Feb 1846, NAUVO

Ezra married Lucinda McKenney Carter on 18 Dec 1846 in Mount Pisgah, Union, Iowa, United States. Lucinda (daughter of Dominicus Carter and Lydia Smith) was born on 14 Jan 1831 in Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States; died on 26 Jan 1904 in Aurora, Sevier, Utah, United States; was buried on 30 Jan 1904 in Aurora Cemetery, Sevier, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJX-MV9
• Initiatory (LDS): 20 May 1856, EHOUS

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJM-VZ4
• Initiatory (LDS): 31 Dec 1845
• Census: 1860, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States
• Census: 1870, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States
• Census: 1880, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Michel L. Call, "Royal Ancestors of Some L.D.S. Families" (Afto n , Wyoming? 1972), p. 110.

SOURCE: Records of the Edson Whipple Family Organization.

SOURCE: Family group sheet of John Yeager (husband) and Ann Hyatt (wi f e ) prepared by Lydia W. Hansen, Box 314, Lakeside, Arizona. Cites th e foll owing:

Rec of Edson Whipple in poss of Charles Whipple, Show Low, Arizona.
Patriarchal blessing of Mary Ann and Harriet Yeager.
Temple rec

Life Story of Edson Whipple


Edson Whipple was a descendant of John Whipple, who came from England ab o ut 1620 and settled in Providence, Rhode Island. John was a son of Mat th ew of Booking, England. Edson was the sone of John and Basmuth Hutchi ns , grandson of Timothy and great-grandson of Samuel, who lived and die d i n Connecticut. John, the father of Edson, migrated from Connecticu t an d settled in Vermont in the year of 1780, where on the fifth of Febr uary , 1805, in the town of Dummerston, Windham County, Edson was born; h e bei ng the youngest son of a family of twelve children...five boys an d seve n girls.
He lived on a farm with the family until his father’s death, which occur r ed in November, 1830, after which he took charge of the farm and manag e d the affairs of those of the family yet at home.
On February 6, 1832, he married Lovinia Goss.
In 1834, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he ran a grocery sto r e for a year or two. In the summer of 1837 he moved with his family t o P hiladelphia, where he lived for 9 years. It was while living in Phil adel phia that he first heard the gospel as revealed to Joseph Smith. O n 16 J une 1840, he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church o f Jesus C hrist of Latter-day Saints, by Elder Benjamin Winchester. 17 Oc tober 184 0 he was ordained a priest by Elders Hyde and Bernes. He was o rdaine d a High Priest 6 April by Pres. Hyrum Smith and was chosen to ac t as fi rst counselor the Elder Benjamin Winchester to preside over the P hiladelp hia branch of the church.
On the 22 September 1842, he in company with twelve or fifteen others le f t Philadelphia by boat through the Erie Canal, for Nauvoo. The first S ab bath out they were detained on account of low water. They obtaine d a nea r-by school house and held two meetings, after which Elder Whippl e had th e privilege of baptizing six persons, among them the captain o f the boat , Jacob Wtezler, and two of his brothers.
The trip from Philadelphia to Nauvoo consumed 32 days by boat and rail a n d cost $12. 25. In speaking of prices of provisions and other thing s i n Nauvoo about 1842, he says lumber cost $10.00 per thousand; bric k $4.8 5; wheat 30 cents a bushel; corn 12½ cents; pork 1½ cents, bee f 2 cents l b.; butter 8 cents, eggs 6 cents a dozen; sugar 16 lbs. O r a dollar; mola sses 25 a gallon. He said these were the hardest time s he had in his lif e to get things’ no money in circulation. His wife w as sick and wanted s ome butter, he had no money to get it but started fo r the store after som e, and in crossing the rad, found a quarter .
In writing of the prophet in a letter to a friend, he says; “
He is a man whose character stands unimpeachable and is respected and co n sider a good citizen by all classes who have become acquainted with hi m . I know him to be kindhearted and charitable, given to hospitality, a n d he would divide the last meal with the poor.”
Nauvoo, at this time, was a city of twelve or fifteen thousand inhabitan t s and a very peaceful city, not a grog shop in it. On May 1, 1844 he , i n company with David Yearsly, left Nauvoo for a mission to Pennsylvan ia , to canvas the state and to present to the people to prophet’s view s o n government. While on this trip the prophet and patriarch were murd ered . Returning home, he was present at the meeting of the saints and w itnes sed the mantle of Joseph rest on Brigham Young as he was preachin g to th e people.
He assisted in building the Nauvoo Temple and was present at the layin g o f the capstone, and when it was completed, he received his endowment s the rein. He also helped to build the Nauvoo House, working on it duri ng th e Months of August and September, 1845. He assisted in defending t he cit y of Nauvoo against the mob which threatened to destroy it and th e temple . He was on guard some three or four miles down the river whe n General H arden and some thirty men on their way to Nauvoo to take Brig ham Young (t he time they took William Miller, supposing him to be Brigha m Young). A fter they passed, Whipple started for the city to give th e alarm and wen t by way of Golden Point, and around to the Temple, wher e he arrived thr ee-quarters of an hour before the General and his party . Conference wa s in session then. He sent in for General Rich, who mad e the arrangement s for their reception. At this time Elder Whipple belo nged to the new po lice under Captain Jesse Hunt.
At the time of the organization for the building of wagons, he was appoi n ted captain over ten in General Rich’s company. On the 15th of May 184 6 , in company with Hugh Mckinley and their families and teams, they cros se d the Missouri River on their way to Garden Grove. Travel was slow a n ac count of swampy ground.
They stayed in Garden Grove about two weeks, when he left for Council Bl u ffs, where he arrived about the middle of July 1846. It was about thi s t ime that the son, “Come, Come Ye Saints’ was composed. While on thi s jou rney he met Brigham Young going from Council Bluffs to Phisgy. H e told t hem that the government had made a demand on them for 500 men t o go to th e Mexican War.
After arriving at the Bluffs they were counseled to fix for the winte r . Together with twelve or fifteen families the located themselves on P on y Creek, about twelve miles from Winter Quarters, but they found thi s a v ery sickly place and out of the few persons, they buried fourteen . Her e Elder Whipple buried his whole family, consisting of his mother , wife a nd child, and came nigh unto death himself. There were only tw o well per sons in the camp at the time. After his family was buried, h e lay helple ss for a day and night and no one came to him; then the lat e Franklin Ste wart came to him and told him his family was not well, bu t if he were ove r to their camp they would help him. So he go John Mile s to move him ove r to Stewart’s where he stayed until well.
In the spring of 1847 he was called with 142 other people to form a pion e er company to lead the way to the Rocky Mountains. He traveled in th e fi rst ten of the second division under Captain Appleton Harman. (Howa rd Eg an, captain of ten of the second division under Captain Appleton Ha rman . Howard Egan, captain of ten and Heber C. Kimball of fifty.) Fro m th e diary of Edson Whipple; “In the spring of 1847 I was called in com pan y with 142 others to form a company of pioneers to lead the way int o th e wilderness. I left Winter Quarters 9 April and traveled among th e firs t ten of the second division under Capt. Harmon in the same c ompan y wit6h Pres. Heber C. Kimball. I was one of the guards and stoo d duty h alf the night every third night. About half our company arrive d in Sal t Lake City 22 July 1847, followed by Brigham Young and the rema inder o f the company on July 24. I had remained to take charge of the p ropert y and Brother Kimball’s family and effects, having buried all my f amily o n the road...”
After farming in Salt Lake City and making a return visit in the easte r n states and coming across the plains with another band of pioneers, Br ot her Whipple resumed his writing; “8 December 1847 This day, after comp let ing the sowing of wheat, all that I intend to sow until Elias Peirso n ret urns from California, I have weighted all the bread stuff we have o n hand , which consisted of 1078 lbs. Of wheat, 150# buckwheat, 360# of c orn, 65 1# of beans, Coffee for Ellen (Kimball’’s wife) 7#; rice for Ell en , 1 4 ½ #; sugar for Ellen 20#.
“December 10, the family came together in Brother Smith’s house and I la i d before them the quantity of provisions on hand and requested them t o ta ke into consideration what disposition we should make of it. It wa s agre ed on by all that each should draw every week 3# wheat, 2 ½ # bea ns, 1 # buckwheat, and 9 3/4# beef, and by so doing it would last until t he 1s t of July next.”
He was a member of the first High council in Salt Lake City, also the fi r st watermaster. On the 13 October 1848 he started back to the state s o n business for himself and discharged soldiers of the Mormon Battalio n . On this trip he took with him a small vial of California gold dust , pr obably the first gold dust ever exhibited in the East from the new C alifo rnia diggings. Wherever exhibited in the East, people came by th e thousa nds to see it. While Edson was in the east, Wilford Woodruff wa s sent o n a mission to the States with an epistle form the twelve apostl es and El der Whipple was called to assist him.
After filling this mission, he returned to Salt Lake City. 6 November 1 8 50 he married Mary Ann and Harriet Yeager whom he had brought across t h e plains with him from Philadelphia, where he had made their acquaintan ce . Quote again the diary of Edson Whipple: “After returning to Utah i n 18 50 I was called to help settle Iron County. We left 4 December wit h 10 1 wagons in our company. C.A. Smith was appointed judge of the coun try c ourt and I was his first associate. We submitted plans for towns a nd Par owan, Utah was built according to my plan. George Brimhall and my self bu ilt the first thresher and used water power from the creek to thr ash th e first crop of grain.
“In May 1851, Pres. Brigham Young made a visit and he and Pres. Hebe r C . Kimball said, “The mission is established and you can return to Pr ov o whenever you choose.”
His first wife was taken by death before he came to Utah. He married fo u r other wives and had families by all. He had a total of 33 Children . T he following is a tribute paid by Albert Jones, who lived in Provo a t th e time of Whipple’s residence there; “He was one of the pioneers liv e bur ners of our country, opening a large kiln across the lake at Pelica n Poin t, and the first to open up the commerce of Utah Lake by shippin g his lim e in a flat-bottomed sailboat.
“The love and devotion of his large plural family in the early days is e m phasized when one of his children contracted the dread disease, small-p ox . A consultation has held between his first wife, Mary Ann, and Edson , i n regard to the case. The child was not one of MaryAnn’s or of her S iste rs, but a well_grow boy of his third wife, Amelia, name Heber. Th e discu ssion concluded with Mary Ann’s argument, as if in foreboding o f her deat h, that if anything happened, she could be spared better tha t Edson; ther efore she would go in and nurse the boy, and she did. Th e boy died and s o did she. The case produced quite and excitement at th e time. The stre et was fenced off by order of the City Council; fires w ere built near th e premises, and the two victims of the dread disease we re burned in the d arkness of the night. The coffins were wrapped in clo ths dipped in tar : no funeral service, no sympathetic accompaniment of f riends, but the de ad hour of the night, Edson consigned to the flames th e remains of his lo ved ones.”
In 1871 He was sent on a mission to the Eastern States.
When the laws of the land no longer permitted plural marriage, or the li v ing together of plural families, Edson Whipple moved with two of his wi ve s, Harriet and Amelia and their children, to Arizona. Stopping at Hol bro ok the first of the year 1881, he worked there on the A. & P. Railroa d, n ow the Santa Fe. In May of the same year, they moved to Showlow, wh ere t hey located and bought a couple of claims, one from William Wolf o n the S howlow Creek, which had a small two-room house on it; and the oth er two m iles west which had about 20 acres of cleared land and some cro p plante d on it. Here he built a pumping plant run by water power, an d pumped th e water 150 feet up the cliff for domistic purposes. At thi s place he bu ilt a block house 22 by 32 feet, with port holes in it fo r protection aga inst the Apache Indians who were not friendly at that ti me. This buildin g was also used for public meetings and dances, and i t was known later a s the Whipple Hall.
He lived at Showlow until the fall of 1885, when he took his wife Ameli a , and the unmarried children and started for Old Mexico. But only wen t a s far as the Gila Valley, spending the winter there and going on in t h e spring, and locating in Colonia Juarez. The next fall he returned a n d got his other wife, Harriet, and her unmarried children. He also to o k his cattle on this trip.
In Mexico he built two houses and resided there until his death, 11 Ma y 1 894. He was buried in Colonia Juarez.
(Prepared by L. Florene Lunt Fair.)

Edson married Mary Ann Yeager on 4 Nov 1850 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Mary (daughter of John Yeager and Ann Hyatt Yeager) was born on 1 Nov 1823 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 26 Mar 1877 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; was buried in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWVM-HTM
• Initiatory (LDS): 18 Sep 1855, EHOUS

Notes:

Mary Ann was born Nov. 1, 1823 in Philadelphia, Penn. Died in Provo on M a rch 26, 1877. Harriet was born July 26, 1826 in Upper Greenwich, Glouce st er County, New York. They emigrated to Utah in 1850 in Edson Whipple’ s co mpany and landed in Salt Lake City October 13th. They both married E dso n Whipple on Nov. 4, 1850. They were called to go with their husban d an d help settle Iron County. They left Salt Lake City Dec. 4, 1850 an d arri ved in Parowan Jan. 14, 1851. The first child of each one was bor n whil e there and in about a year they were counseled to move to Provo.

Mary Ann was the mother of five children and Harriet the mother of ten . T hey knew all the hardships of pioneer life and of poverty. Mary Ann t oo k a little Indian boy to raise, but in his boyhood he fell on the ice , br oke a blood vessel and died. She carded, spun and wove cloth for al l fou r families, for my father had taken two other wives. She made cloth es fo r all of the boys, but sometimes when there were so many new suit s to mak e father would hire a seamstress to come and help her. My mother , Mary An n was a tailoress and so made clothes for all the boys. She onl y raised f our of her children, so it left her free to help nurse and se w some for t he other families. She nursed considerable for the neighborh ood too and s eldom ever made any charge. She could make dyes of severa l colors from no tgrass, peach tree leaves, rabbit brush and blue die mad e with indigo an d would make plain linsey for dresses. She spun and mad e yarn and one o f the other women made yarn too. She made cloth hats fo r the boys in wint er. Braided straw and sewed it into hats for summer ti me. In the Relief S ociety they made hats and sox for the poor. She woul d empty her ashes int o a barrel and put water on it and let it leak of f and used it to make so ap with and cleanse water for washing. I remembe r they had their family m eetings each week, all the families meeting tog ether and all expected t o take part. Mother would recite, Father and Aun t Harriet would sing. W e had dinner all together each year on Father’s b irthday and all the rela tives were invited.

Mother was always sent for if anyone in the family was sick or need hel p . One of the boys in Amelia’s family was sick with the small-pox and fa th er tried hard to get a nurse for him, but money could not hire one, s o mo ther went rather than let father go. The boy died and mother was cle anin g up after his burial and took sick and died. Mrs. Dr. Riggs (Jane R iggs ) prepared her for burial and Dr. Talmage waited on her. He was fath er t o Prof. James Talmage, one of the Apostles of our church. Mother an d th e boy were taken out at 12 o’clock in the night and buried. They hel d ser vices for them afterwards in the meeting house, where many beautifu l thin gs were said about my mother. She was first counselor in the Relie f Socie ty for many years and her heart was full of charity for the poo r and sola ce for those in trouble. Thus ended the life of one of the nob lest spirit s that ever came to earth.

Aunt Harriet continued on doing much good all her days. She had a son th a t had epileptic fits and cared for him 21 years. She was a mother to m e a fter my mother died and never did she give me an unkind word or look . Aft er she moved to Arizona (to pioneer that country) I longed to see h er aga in as I would a mother. She lived to see father and her afflicte d son lai d to rest.

She had the sad experience of seeing aunt Amelia and one of her sons g e t poisoned accidentally and die. They all died in Mexico where they ha d p reviously moved. She went back to Arizona to visit with her oldest da ught er. One morning she said she did not feel like taking her usual wal k an d would lay down again. Her daughter asked if she should send for th e eld ers. She consented for them to send for an elder that lived close b y. H e came and administered to her and she closed her eyes and passed t o th e Great Beyond without pain and without suffering, where she will re ceiv e her reward for all her goodness in life. She died on the 3rd day o f Jul y 1901 at the age of 77.

They were two very kindhearted women and beloved by all that knew them . I t was often said of my mother “Greater love hath no man than this, th at h e lay down his life for another.”

This sketch was written from memory, except the dates by Mrs. Laura Hold a way at the age of 65.

Alta M. Whipple of San Franciso, California let us copy the above in Oct o ber 1973. She has had it for some years. We did not change spelling o r wo rding.

EDSON WHIPPLE FAMILY ORGANIZATION, 857 Revere Drive, Sunnyvale, Ca.