Garold Benson Alder

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC8-Z4T
• Initiatory (LDS): 1 Oct 1926, SLAKE

Garold married Norma Blake on 4 Oct 1926 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Norma (daughter of David John Blake and Laura Alice Thueson) was born on 29 Aug 1904 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 1 May 1997 in Bountiful, Davis, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Lawrence Wesley Alder was born on 28 Dec 1933 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; died on 9 Jun 2014 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried on 16 Jun 2014 in Centerville, Davis, Utah, United States.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC4-W3B
• Initiatory (LDS): 9 Oct 1895, SLAKE

George married Elise Benson on 9 Oct 1895 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Elise (daughter of George Taft Benson and Louisa Alexandrine Ballif) was born on 10 Mar 1873 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; died on 22 Aug 1937 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried on 25 Aug 1937 in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC4-W31
• Census: 1880, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 9 Oct 1895, SLAKE

Notes:

SOURCE: Death Certificates, State of Utah

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ7-YJR
• Initiatory (LDS): 18 Jan 1868, EHOUS

George married Lydia Dunford on 6 Apr 1863 in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Lydia was born on 2 Jul 1846 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England; died on 1 Mar 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ7-YJT
• Initiatory (LDS): 18 Jan 1868, EHOUS

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KW66-Z2D
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 15 Apr 1865, EHOUS
• Census: 1870, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1880, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1900, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1910, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Esshom, Frank. 1913 Page: 750

SOURCE: Family Group Sheet-Father

SOURCE: Family Group Sheet-Self

SOURCE: Temple Index Bureau

SOURCE: Whitney Ward Records--Preston, ID

SOURCE: Journal of Elise Benson Alder

George was a Sunday school superintendent, high counselor, and counsel o r in the bishopric.

George was the bishop of Whitney for 20 years.

SOURCE: Death Certificates, State of Utah
Occupation: Farmer

Pioneer
Charles C. Rich Company (1847) Age at departure: 1
126 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from t h e o u tfitting post on the Elkhorn River about 27 miles west of Winte r Qu arte rs, Nebraska

George married Louisa Alexandrine Ballif on 20 Dec 1867 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Louisa (daughter of Serge Louis Ballif and Elise Marie LeCoultre) was born on 25 Feb 1850 in Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse; died on 7 Feb 1922 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried on 9 Feb 1922 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: K2QX-47X
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 20 Dec 1867, EHOUS
• Census: 1870, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1880, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1900, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1910, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Death Certificates, State of Utah

Pioneer
Robert L. Campbell Company (1854)Approximate age at departure: 4
397 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from the o u tfitting post at Westport, Missouri.

Killed a wolf with a poker.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJH-CWG
• Initiatory (LDS): 15 Dec 1845, NAUVO
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46

SOURCE: Hearthrobs of the West. Carter, Kate Volume: 8 Page: 56 Volum e : 3 Page: 294 Guide to Mormon Diaries and Autobiographies. Bitton, Davi s

SOURCE: Pioneers of 1847. Easton, Susan W.

SOURCE: Rosters of Pioneers 1847

SOURCE: Book of Patriarchal Blessings Index (Pat Bless) Volume: 4 Pag e : 2 36

SOURCE: Mormon Manuscripts to 1846. Andrus, Hyrum. 1977

SOURCE: Progressive Men of Bannock, Bear Lake...Counties, ID. 1904

SOURCE: Nauvoo: Early Mormon...Series, 1839-1846. Platt, Lyman. 1980

!Treasures of Pioneer History. Carter, Kate Volume: 3 Page: 485

!Improvement Era Volume: 59 Page: 234

SOURCE: The Revelations of Joseph Smith. Cook, Lyndon. 1981 Page: 300

SOURCE: LDS Biographical Encyclopedia. Jenson, Andrew. 1951 Volume: 1 Pa g e:99-100 Volume: 4 Page: 339 Volume: 4 Page: 694

SOURCE: Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Esshom, Frank. 1913 Page: 750

!Illinois, Nauvoo City Tax Lists 1841-44

Pioneer
Brigham Young Pioneer Company (1847) Approximate age at departure: 36
The original pioneer company consisted of 142 men, 3 women, and 2 Childr e n, and 72 wagons when they left the outfitting post of Winter Quarters , N ebraska. They covered the 1031 miles of the trail in 111 days and arr ive d in the Salt Lake Valley 21-24 July 1847.

Ezra T. Benson Company (1849) Age at departure: 38
The company began its journey from the outfitting post at Kanesville, Io w a. They combined with the George A. Smith company as they traveled clo s e together crossing the plains.

Orson Pratt/Ezra T. Benson/Ira Eldredge Company (1854) Age at departur e : 4 3
Initially this company was the Orson Pratt/Horace S. Eldredge company. L a ter it became the Ezra T. Benson and Ira Eldredge Company. They left t h e Missouri River late in July.

Company Unknown (1857) Age at departure: 46

Orson Pratt/Ezra T. Benson Company (1858) Age at departure: 47
A small group of returning missionaries and others from Californi a t o o k a steamer from San Francisco to Los Angeles, then traveled to S an B ernardino, from which place they quickly traveled overland to Utah.

Ezra T. Benson was the first son of John and Chloe Taft Benson of Worces t er County, Massachusetts. His father was a farmer and a very industrio u s man - a quality which his son inherited - and Ezra T. lived at hom e h e l ping him on the farm until he was sixteen years old. Then, he we n t t o live with his sister, Abby Ann Benson and her husband, Calvin Raw so n, who we re keeping a hotel in the center of town of Uxbridge, Mass . H e remained working for them for three years. His grandfather, Easmo n Taft , was also a farmer, and while engaged in the field, he fell and d ied sud denly on the 29th of April 1829 at Uxbridge. At the age of ninete en his g randmother, Hannah Taft, requested him to take charge of the far m.

Apostle, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, settler of Cac h e V a lley. Member of first Mormon pioneer company arriving in Salt La k e Valle y, July 24, 1847. He is also the great grandfather of Ezra Taf t B enson, thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ay S aints.

(son of John Benson and Chloe Taft of Mendon, Worcester county, Massachu s etts). Born February 22, 1811, at Mendon, Massachusetts. Came to Utah J ul y 24, 1847, captain second ten, Brigham Young first division, and on A ugu st 2 with Porter Rockwell, returned to meet the incoming immigrant t r ai n s with mail, and a special letter from President Young. Having per forme d their mission they returned and on the Big Sandy met the memorabl e expe dition east-bound for Winter Quarters, headed by President Young , an d re t urned east with the caravan. The following year, May 7, 1848 , with par t of his numerous family he joined the exodus for Utah that le ft Winter Q uarters practically uninhabited.

Married: Pamelia Andrus January 1, 1832 (daughter of Jonathan Harvey A n drus and Lucina Parsons, married July 16, 1807). She was born October 2 1 , 1809, and came to Utah in 1848.

Their children:

Chloe Jane;
Adin Parsons;
Jonathan;
Harvey;
Charles Taft;
Emma Parsons born February 28, 1842, married Bolivar Roberts;
Isabella born March 9, 1846, married William Goodwin;
Charlotte Taft born July 4, 1851, married W. S. Narcross.

Married: Adeline Brooks Andrus April 27, 1844, Nauvoo, Illinois. (daug h ter of Jonathan Harvey Andrus and Lucina Parsons), who was born Marc h 1 8 , 1813, Windsor, Connecticut. Came to Utah October 2, 1847.

Their children:

George Taft born May 1, 1846, married Louisa Ballif December 20, 1 8 67;
Florence Adeline born September 17, 1851, died December 24, 1 852;
Frank born October 13, 1853, married Amanda Eliason.

Married: Eliza Perry March 4, 1847, Council Bluffs, Iowa (daughter o f J ohn Perry and Grace Ann W. Williams, pioneers July, 1849). She was bo rn M arch 30, 1829, and came to Utah 1848 with husband.

Their children:

Alice Eliza born August 11, 1848, married James Goodwin December 2 0 , 1867;
John Perry born September 24, 1849, married Evalina Hales 1870;
Malina A. born September 27, 1851, married Frederick Goodwin 1874;
Orion W. born October 4, 1853, married Harriet Williams October 1 6 , 1876;
Carrie S. born May 22, 1860, married William J. J. Price 1890;
Abbie Delia born October 16, 1862, married Hyrum Thatcher 1884;
Grace A. born January 31, 1867, married John E. Price 1893.

Married: Mary Knight (daughter of James Knight and Maria Wallace, pion e ers 1852, Edward Hunter company). She was born January 29, 1829, Worces te r, England.

Their children:

Louise, married Charles Bruce;
Heber, died;
Moroni born November 8, 1861;
Lorenzo T. born August 3, 1863, married Margaret A. Morgan March 29 , 1 884;
Joseph born July 13, 1865, married Sigrid L. Larson September 24, 189 0 ;
Ida born April 16, 1867, married Edward Lewis December 30, 1889;
Don Carlos born September 29, 1869, married Lillian Hurst April 26, 1 8 99.

Married: Elizabeth Golliaher June 8, 1852, Salt Lake City (daught e r o f William C. Golliaher and Elizabeth Orton), who was born Decembe r 30 , 1831.

Their children:

Fred Golliaher born January 17, 1854, married Clara J. Rice;
Brigham Young born December 17, 3858, married Margret Ann Adams;
Luella born November 1860, married Harvey W. Curtis;
William C. born November 1862, married Ida M. Mason;
Hyrum Smith born May 3, 1864, married Nana Rice;
Edith born April 22, 1867, married William B. Parkinson;
Lizzie born July 9, 1869, married Evan R. Owen.

Married: Mary Larsen September 3, 1866 (daughter of Magnus and Mary La r sen), who was born December 19, 1843.

Their children:

Walter born June 17, 1867;
Henry T. born March 19, 1869, married Selma Lundberg October 4, 19 0 6.

Families resided in Salt Lake City and Logan, Utah.

Ordained member high council of the twelve apostles July 16, 1846; presi d ent Boston conference 1844-45; missionary in eastern states; missionar y t o England 1856, and presided over the British mission. In 1864 he, wi th A postle Lorenzo Snow, Elders Joseph F. Smith, William W. Cluff and Al ma L . Smith were sent on a special mission to the Sandwich Islands to se t i n order the affairs of the church, which they successfully accomplish ed , returning in 1865. Took active part in organization of provisional g ove rnment of Deseret; member house branch of legislature several sessio n s , 1 859-69. Contractor on Central Pacific. Preeminently connected wit h th e settlement of Cache valley. Died September 3, 1869, Ogden, Utah.

Ezra married Adeline Brooks Andrus on 27 Apr 1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States. Adeline (daughter of Jonathan Harvey Andrus and Lucina Pearson) was born on 18 Mar 1813 in Northbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died on 20 Apr 1898 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJH-CWR
• Initiatory (LDS): 23 Dec 1845, NAUVO
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States

Notes:

Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46

Adeline Brooks came to Utah 2 October 1847 in the Charles C. Rich pione e r company. She was 34 at departure.

In an account by Drusilla Hendricks during great hardship, she says th a t Adeline Brooks saved her own rations for the Hendricks family an d t h e n brought these rations to the Hendricks family saying, "Here, ha ve s omething good."

Our Pioneer Heritage. Carter, Kate. 1958 Volume: 20 Page: 267



Adeline was only a fraction over five feet tall, and really no match phy s ically, but with the spiritual strength with which these hardy pioneer s w ere blessed. She was always neat and clean. She wore a black dress wi t h a clean white collar on it and her hair was brushed and arranged nice ly . Adeline lived the last seventeen years with her son, Frank Andrus Be nso n and his family.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWNB-FT5
• Initiatory (LDS): 10 Feb 1858, EHOUS
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States

Notes:

Pioneer
Robert L. Campbell Company (1854)
Age at departure: 33
397 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from t h e o u tfitting post at Westport, Missouri.


History of Serge Louis Ballif

Serge Louis Ballif was born on April 17, 1821 in Perroy, Vaud, Switzerla n d the son of Jean Francois Frederic Ballif and Henriette Louise Clermon d e Susanne Alexandrine Begue. The Ballif family was an upperclass wealt h y and influential Vaudois family, especially with their legacy as Prote st ant preachers in the Lausanne Cathedral. Jean Francois Frederic wa s a ca ptain in the Swiss Army and served in Russia under the duc de Rich elieu . Serge’s mother died when he was only fourteen years old, and hi s fathe r shortly after Serge’s first marriage. As a youth Serge was ref ined an d well educated in both Switzerland and Russia. He became fluen t in Fren ch, German, Italian, and Russian and could read Latin, Greek an d Hebrew . Serge became a well respected Protestant minister at the Laus anne Cath ederal.

While working in Russia in 1849, Serge met and married a Swiss travele r , Elise Marie LeCoultre. When Elise was about to give birth to their f ir st child, they hired a governess to help. Her name was Henriette Jean net te Vuffray. She was a hard working, devoted, and loving woman who wo ul d later become Serge’s second wife. Henriette was born on May 7, 183 4 i n Morges, Switzerland the daughter of Marc Jean Francois Vuffray an d Susa nne Marie Porchet.

In the fall of 1851 the missionary Thomas B. H. Stenhouse came to Lausan n e from Geneva where he had received a cold welcome. That same year th e L ausanne city council passed a law forbidding Mormons to hold public m eeti ngs. In 1852 after secret meetings held in the basement of the Laus ann e Cathedral, Serge was converted by Brother Stenhouse to the truthful nes s of Christ’s restored church. Serge left his family legacy of the P rote stant faith behind and was baptized a member of the LDS church in La ke Ge neva in 1852. His conversion shook the entire city of Lausanne bec ause o f his high position, and the newspaper dedicated a full page to th e proce edings of his excommunication.

The large home which Serge had aquired by his grandfather, the Protesta n t Reverend Jean Francois Louis Ballif had earlier been a meeting plac e fo r their religious get togethers and now was used as a meeting plac e for t he small group of Mormons in Lausanne. The home is still standin g and i s located around the corner from the Cathedral and across the str eet fro m the Academy, the forerunner of the present-day University of La usanne . Serge took in Brother Stenhouses wife and children as he preache d a s a missionary, housed the local missionaries on the third floor, fin ance d the printing of Mormon literature in French, and paid for the publ icati on ‘Le Reflecteur’ which spread the message of Mormonism in French -Switz erland. Soon after his conversion, Serge left Lausanne in 1853 t o serv e a mission in Basel and Neuchatel, Switzerland and baptized thre e famili es. The missionaries in Switzerland came across much oppostitio n, and ma ny were beaten and stoned by the locals .

Serge was so absolutely devoted to the truthfulness of the church tha t h e was willing to give up all his resources and his status for the ne w fai th. In 1854 Serge took his wife, three children and their governes s Henr iette along with other converts, to America to join the Saints i n Utah . It was a sad journey as his daughter died and was buried at sea . Notw ithstanding the hardships, they arrived in New Orleans in May o f 1854. T hey reached Salt Lake after a difficult journey on October 28 , 1854.

Upon arriving in the Valley, Serge settled on some land near Big Cottonw o od Canyon where he could look up at the mountains and remember Switzerl an d. On February 8, 1857 Serge married Henriette as his second wife. T oge ther they had ten children between 1858 and 1878, four of whom died y oung . Serge joined the bretheren to defend Utah when Johnston’s Army t hreat ened to invade. After the incident was over, he took his familie s and se ttled in Logan, Utah which was green, lush and rugged and remind ed the fa mily of Switzerland. In Logan Serge took up the trade of farmi ng. In 18 60 he was called on a mission to his home land of Switzerland . When he l eft he only had thirty- eight cents in his pocket and signe d as a crewma n on a Europe bound vessel from New York. Upon his retur n he was in char ge of a company of emigrating Saints to Utah. In 1862 S erge served as le ader of the German speaking Saints in Logan .

In 1872 Serge’s wife Elise died leaving Henriette to raise her survivi n g seven children along with her own totaling thirteen children, with ma n y of the children overlapping in age. Henriette was a woman of stron g co nstitution and provided the physical strength and loving devotion t o rais e and nurture a large family. In 1879 Serge was called to return t o Switz erland as President of the Swiss-German mission. During this mis sion o n a trip to Berlin, he was jailed as a result of his missionary ac tivites . He returned to Logan leading another company of Saints in 188 1 and liv ed the remainder of his years there, but always continued to ha ve a kee n interest in the events taking place in Switzerland. Serge co ntinued t o preside over the German group in Logan and also was a preside nt of hi s quorum of seventy. He passed away on April 25, 1901 and was b uried i n the Logan Cemetery.

Serge was remembered by his grandchildren as a refined gentleman who w a s kind and understanding of children. One of his grandchildren throug h h is wife Elise was the LDS Prophet Ezra Taft Benson. Serge always spo ke F rench with his children, and even sat one grandson up on a kitchen t able , putting pebbles in his mouth and patiently teaching him how to mak e th e proper sounds in order to speak French. At some point Henriette e ithe r moved to or was visiting in Preston, Idaho where she died on Octob er 16 , 1924, surviving Serge twenty-three years. Henriette was buried b y Serg e in the Logan Cemetery.




"The Ballif home in Lausanne, Switzerland. Missionaries moved into th e t hird floor of this home, being spared much hardship by the kindness o f th e Ballifs." Copied from the August Ensign 1982 page 42 & 43.
In the same Ensign article it says "Serge Louis Ballif and his wife, Eli s e.[refering to photos which are already in the photos memories]. A wea lt hy man, Brother Ballif gave of his money freely to support the mission ari es and publish tracts and newsletters. He served as a local missiona ry , baptized several families, and then emigrated to America. He late r ret urned to Switzerland as a missionary in 1860, and as a mission pres iden t from 1879 to 1881. His son, Serge Frederick, served as presiden t of th e Swiss and German Mission from 1905 to 1909, and from 1921 to 19 23."

Serge married Elise Marie LeCoultre on 27 Apr 1849 in Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse. Elise (daughter of Noe David Benedict LeCoultre and Jeanne Marianne Moinat) was born on 24 Nov 1824 in Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse; died on 13 May 1872 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LKVY-KS5
• Initiatory (LDS): 10 Feb 1858
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States