Thomas
Sirls Terry
(1825-1920)
I was born
I was the second son of my father´s family.
My father´s name was Thoms Sirls Terry. My mother´s maiden name was Mary
Ann Murkins.
I will now proceed to give the genealogy of
my forefathers to the best of my knowledge.
My grandfather, John Terry, was born
March 25, 1763, and he died September 16, 1824; his age, 61 years, 5 months and
22 days.
My grandmother, Elizabeth Terry, died
September 15, 1826. Her age I cannot tell as I do nto recollect the year
she was born.
My grandmother was married twice, her
first husband´s name was Hegman. She had two sons by him; Henry and
John. Her first husband died a few years after their marriage. She
then married John Terry. She had four children by him; My father was the
oldest child.
My grandmother, in the time of the
Revolutionary War, waited on the soldiers as a landlady, and I have one of the
glass tumblers which they drank out of.
On my mother´s side, my grandfather´s
name was James Murkins. I do not know his age, but he departed his life
My grandfather Murkins was from
My father, Thomas Sirls Terry, was born
in
My mother, Mary Ann Terry, was born in
Elizabeth Terry, their first
daughter, born June22, 1818
David Terry, their first son, born October 15, 1820
Rebecca Terry, born May 4, 1823
Thomas Sirls Terry, born
Murkins Terry,
Luther Martain Terry, born Octo 23, 1830
John Wesley Terry, born
William Henry Terry, born
My father was a farmer, and in the early
part of his married life, he followed drift net fishin in the
My father was a great singer. His
voice was beautiful and sweet. At one time, on one of his fishin
excursions, while passing
I will now proceed with my own life according
to my best recollections:
I was born in
In the Fall of 1841, I first heard of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons. It was rumored
through the country that a man by the name of Joseph Smith had found a Gold
Bible. The same Fall there was a man by the name of . . . MISSING PAGE
THREE
PAGE FOUR:
…of the Latter-Day Saints, and I was
determined to gather to where the Saints were gathered. These were hard
times and work was scarce and waged low, but I was not scared at this. I
accordingly set out in quest of work. I had no money, as my father had
all of my wages, but he gave me a little money before I left home. I left
the second morning after I had quit work. I walked to
I kept at work until the last of March,
1847. By this time, I had got me some good clothing and also had
sufficient money to carry me to the West. I now notified my father and
mother that I was going to start for the West. They both, and the rest of
the family, tried to persuade me to stay at home, but all of their persuading
was of no use. I was a Mormon, and was determined to gather with the
Saints. Although it was critical times with the Saints as they were
driven from Nauvoo the year before the Church was on the move, and they had no
home, and more than this, but a very few friends. But their God was my
God and if they died, I could die with them.
I quit work the last of March,
1847. At this time there were two companies of Saints fitting up; one in
Boston and the other in New York. The one in Boston was in care of
Augustus Farnum and the other in Elder Miles´care. Both companies arrived
in Philadelphia the 15th of April, 1847. I left home the same day and
joined them in Philadelphia. We left here next morning, the 16th, at
10:00 o´clock, in the Columbia cars on the Pennsylvania road. We arrived
in Columbia about 5:00 p.m. Here we took the canal boat for
Pittsburgh. From Ppittsburgh we took the steamboat for St. Louis.
We traveled 800 miles on the Ohio River. We passed Cincinnati and
Louisville and other small towns on the river, and then traveled up the same
200 miles and arrived in St. Louis on the evening of the 13th of April.
In St. Louis we were dispursed among the
Saints, who then lived in the place. I stayed here about two weeks.
It was now understood that a large body of the Saints would start fo rthe Rocky
Mountains in search of a home for the Church, and that President Brigham Young
with about a hundred and twenty had already started in search of a place for
the Saints to gather to. While in St. Louis I became acquainted with
Brother Darwin Richardson who was one of the company which was then fitting up
in St. Louis for the purpose of accompanying the Saints on their way to the
Mountains. I engaged with Brother Richardson to drive one of his
teams. The company left St. Louis on the evening of the 11th of May on a
steamboat for Council Bluffs where the Saints were stopped as a place of winter
quarters.
The afternoon before we left St. Louis
there was a very hard thunder storm, and as I had charge of Brother
Richardson´s goods I was out in most of the storm and got wet through. I
took cold and the next day was taken very sick with the diarhea and was sick
all the way to the Missouri River, and I was thought by my friends that I would
not live. We were two weeks on the River and arrived at Winter Quarters
at Council Bluffs on the evening of May 27. We were on ship next
morning. I was now very weak in body. I could walk and that was
about all. Brother Richardson and family made their quarters at Brother
Joseph Steaten´s. The most of our company bought teams here and also their
wagons. In about three days, I commenced to get better very rapidly and
in about a week was able to go out with the boys to herd our cattle. We
got ready to start, and our wagons left Winter Quarters on the 9th of June,
1847. We traveled about twenty-eight miles to the Elk Horn River.
Here we waited until all of the wagons came up. On the 18th of June there
was 656 wagons on the ground and was all organized into companies of ten, and
tens into fifties, and fifties into hundreds. Out wagons were in the
first ten and the first fifty and first hundred.
Our fifty left next morning for the
mountains in the command of Perry Green Sessions and Elijah F. Sheets, Captain
of the first ten and Daniel Spencer, Captain of the hundreds. We left Elk
Horn River June 19, 1847. We were on the road three months and six
days. We were pilgrims in search of a home. We were banished by a
ruthless mob, who was sanctioned by the authorities of our government, from our
homes and the land of our birth, to seek an asylum in the far distant west
among savages and the wild beasts of the mountains. But the noble band of
pioneers who were led by Brigham Young, who was a Prophet of God, had started
in the Spring. We followed their trail as the heavy rains and the high
grass has covered it all up. Our journey was toilsome and fatiguing; yet
we had many first rate pleasure and joy while on the plains. It was a new
life to me and suited me well. I enjoyed good health and the time passed
away pleasantly.
After a journey of 1030 miles, which took
us three months and six days, we arrived on the 25th of September in the Valley
of the Great Salt Lake, where the pioneers had arrived on the 24th day of July,
1847, and which place they had selected for a home for the Saints.
When we arrived here the country was new
and it was barren and very dry. We were now out thousand miles from any
settlement, and the country was untried by any living being. We did not
know that the soil would produce crops or not, but we had faith in God who had
led us here.
The pioneers, before they left to return
to their homes in Winter Quarters, had selected ten acres of ground to build a
fort upon and had left a few men to commence the work. When all of the
companies had arrived, we found that the lot was too small. We went to
work and laid off 25 acres more. We then commenced to build our houses
and before Spring had opened we had built a row of houses around the 35 acres,
also three row of double houses across from side to side, which separated the
houses into four forts.
The winter was very favorable; it was mid
and pleasant. Our poor cattle did well during the winter and they
fattened and made good beef for us in the Spring. We sowed considerable wheat
during the winter for we could play every month during the winter.
President Brigham Young enjoined it upon
every Latter Day Saint who entered this peaceful vale that they should be
re-baptized. I, accordingly, was baptized something during the winter.
(I have forgotten the date.)
The next Spring, March, 1848, we
commenced to plow for our Spring crops. The Spring was very wet. We
also fenced in a very large field which enclosed all of our farming land.
Our crops commenced to grow and look well. The crickets commenced to work
on our crops about the first of May and were very destructive. But God
was ever ready to bless his faithful children and sent the gulls, who were
timely saviors in our behalf and saved our crops from total ruin. We were
not used to irrigating our land, which we had to do in this country, but we did
the best we could and our crops matured, and we commenced to harvest about the
first of July. Our crops were light but yet we raised enough to do us
until another harvest.
I still remained with Brother Richardson
during the Winter and Summer. During the fore part of Summer, I was
ordained to the office of Priest under the hads of Bishop Edward Hunter and
Joseph Starpten. Brother Starpten was the Mouth. During the Spring
we built a bowery for the purpose of holding meetings and under which, in
August, we had a Harvest Feast, at which I enjoyed myself well, and here was
the first time I ever danced in my life. Yruly this was a time of
rejoicing among the Saints. We were now free from our oppression, and we
were also free from the thoughts of starving to death. We raised a
liberty pole and hoisted our colors on it in token of peace. We hoisted a
white flag, and in token of our gratitude to Almighty God for his blessings of
a rich harvest, we hoisted up the same pole a sheaf of wheat and also one of
oats, which was presented to the company by Brother John Van Cott. This
was a day long to be remembered by the Saints of God. That day made
manifest many a happy hearts. Both old and young rejoiced in the dance
before their God who had delivered them from the had of their
oppressors. Never did one rejoice more than I did upon that day.
True, I had not passed through the sorrows and tribulations as my brethren had
through Ohio, Missouri and Illinois, yet I was a member of the Church of God
and all their sorrows were mine and also all of their joys. And I felt
free with my brethren and felt to rejoice in the dance before God, and also
that I was gathered with my brethren in this peaceful bale of the mountains.
I have not written anything concerning
our suffering and privations for want of food during the winter, spring and
summer, but I will just say here that I was as well off as anyone of our
company, but still at the same time I went hungry, but I was always satisfied
with my lot. I worked many a day on nothing but rennet put into milk,
which made curd, with a little cream on it, and also thistle tips for greens,
but that was good living to what some had. For particulars I will refer
you to your Church History. But I will just say here that there were many
who at times had to eat rawhides to keep alive, so you will see there were many
who suffered for the want of food.
I now quit work at Brother Richardson´s
and went again to work for myself. I quit work on August 16, and on the
20th of the same month I engaged to work for Brother John Van Cott by the
month. About the middle of September our emigration commenced to come,
and in the course of a month´s time about 800 wagons had arrived. Among
the number of the emigrants that came this year was President Brigham Young,
President Heber C. Kimball and the rest of the heads of the Church.
During this time I was teaming. I hauled the rock and adobe for the first
two-storied house in Salt Lake City, which was Brother John Van Cott´s.
This same Fall many of the brethren built small houses on their city lots; the
foundation of the Council House was laid in November.
January 1, 1849 – The Winter passed away,
although very cold, and Spring came. I then commenced my farming
operations. I put in 25 acres of crop. The Spring and Summer mostly
passed away without much of interest. I did not reap much from my crop on
account of the crickets and drought. During the Summer we built a large
bowery in which we held our meetings and under which we celebrated the 24th of
July in commemoration of the day the pioneers entered the Valley.
During the past season I became
acquainted with John Bills, by which means, on the 29 of July, 1849, I became
acquainted with Miss Mary Ann Pulsipher, who afterwards became my wife.
On the 25th of December, 1849, I received the had of Miss Mary Ann Pulsipher in
marriage by Heber Kimball, I being at the time 24 years of age and my wife
16years of age.
January, 1850-- In the Spring of
1850 I commenced my farming operations on Mr. Bill´s farm. This tear I
did moddling well. In the Fall I bought a span of horses and a cow.
In November, I took up forty acres of land on Little Cottonwood and built a
house on the same. In the same month I delivered up the affairs of Mr.
Bills into the hands of Nathan Tanner. About the first of December, I
moved into my log cabin and commenced business on my own hook. On the
14th day of December at 8:00 o´clock in the morning, my wife bore me a fine
daughter which we called Mary Ann.
During the Winter, one of the horses died
and about the first of March my cow and calf also died. And a large sow
pig, of a year old got poisoned and it died. I had three cats and they
died also. My dog, somebody killed. This was about the amount of my
livestock. I now had one horse left with which to continue farming.
In February I commenced to fence my farm. I fenced with other brethren in
joint enclosure about 150 acres. I commenced to farm about the first of
April. I had worked around among the brethren until I got owing to me
team work worth to the amount of breaking of ten acres of land. I broke
my land with two yoke of cattle. I drove team and held plow myself.
I put in 5 acres of wheat, one of oats, 2 ½ of corn, and one acre and a half of
garden sauce.
In June I took a fishing excursion up to
Utah Lake in company with Father Burgess and his son William and several
other. We had a pleasant time and caught 500 pounds of fish and returned
the next day after we left home.
I commenced to harvest my crop the last
of July. I had 85 bushels of wheat, 25 bushels of oats, 50 of corn, and
70 bushels of potatoes and considerable garden sauce. My crop was light
but I had enough to do me until another harvest. I had now got a start
again in life. Only six months before fortune seemed to forbid my
prosperity in life.
I will now write a few words of
encouragement to my children. You will see by reading the past that I
have been thrown into various circumstances in life. Being of poor
parentage, but yet honorably so, you will see that in all of my ups and downs
in the world that I had the spirit of perseverance. In my travels through
life, when misfortune seemed to press down hard upon me, I always pressed
forward the harder and would accomplish that which I undertook to do. And
when famine and starvation stared me in the face, and hunger had so weakened my
mortal frame, that when at my labor I would have to sit down to rest in order
to gain strength that I might perform my day´s work, still I hung on to my
faith and integrity in the Lord. And when false brethren betrayed the
confidence which teir best friends had placed in them, and when only two of us
stood alone for the truth, out of a Branch of 50 members. And when a mist
of darkness had darkened the horizon of truth, and when the prophets of God,
who were slain for the testimony which they bore, by the wicked fiends of Hell,
and when destruction seemed to the total overthrow of the whole Church, my
faith was still in the Lord, and would serve the God of Israel and would never
let anything shake me from my firm position in the commandment of Christ.
Therefore, my dear children, let nothing of an evil nature persuade you from a righteous
course through life and always carry out your righteous decrees and be firm in
your determinations.
I will now insert a few letters which I
received from my folks in the East, beginning with one which I received from my
father:
Gloucester City November 12
1849 Dear Son I take my pen in had to let you know that
we are all well at present and hoe this letter will find you in the same state
of health and happiness.
The letter you sent we got in
October 1 an dare hoping we may see you once more in Gloucester. Murkins
works in the blacksmith shop and Luther in the machine ship. David and
Martin´s families are all well and Elizabeth has saved since you left $300 and
upwards.
All of your friends in Gloucester send
best regards. We ever remain your affectionate father and mother.
Thomas S. Terry.
Arneytown, (Allentown now) June 28, 1852
Dear Brother, I received your letter and was pleased to hear that you were all
well. I write to let you know that your father is deceased. He died
on the 12th of September last at Mary Bales in Philadelphia. He went on a
visit and was taken sick and could not be moved home until after his
death. He was then moved to your sister Rebecca´s in Gloucester
City. He was there buried in the Methodist cemetery. I was down to
Gloucester City this Spring and they were all well then.
John and Rebecca, Martin and Elizabeth
lives at Gloucester, New Jersey, and Murkins and his wife live at Camden and
Luther and his wife live at Trenton. Luther was married on the 25th of
December. Mother keeps a room and sews. Sometimes she nursed, but
nursing is too hard for her, for she has been sick and quite unwell for nearly
a year, but she is quite smart again. David and I live at a place called
Arneytown 10 miles from Bordington. He is carrying on blacksmithing and
has plenty to do. Mary Elizabeth and Thomas and Sarah Ann are the names
of my children. Sarah Ann, the youngest is 4 years old this winter.
Thomas is a good big boy and looks like his uncle Thomas did when he left the Jersey
shores. William Henry is a good big boy and is now with us. William
and my three children had the measles this summer, but they are getting over
them now. Holongshead Martin had got to be a good-sized boy.
Rebecca has buried her son Thomas who was quite four months old and he is
buried where father is. Mother says that her children have all gone one
by one until there is only William Henry and herself left of the family, and
she says that she will take care of him as long as she has strength to do.
She says that you being so far away has worried her a great deal, but since she
has learned that you were married, it has relieved her mind thinking that you
have somebody to take care of you when sick. When William Henry is with
us mother don´t have any board to pay for him but when he is with the rest she
had to pay for his board. Mother wants to know how money matters are our
there and what kind of clothes you wear and if clothing is scarse. She
want you to write and let her know if there is any way she can send your
daughter some presents. Mother sends love to you all. David sends
his love to you all. Give your love to your wife and a share to
yourself. If the Lord spares you to get this I want you to write as soon
as you can and let me know how you are dear brother. I hope as the world
grows wiser that we may grow better. Mary Bales always sends her love to
you. She lost her mother last summer. From your sister Ann Terry.
You will see by the above letter that my
father died on the 12 of September 1851 in the city of Philadelphia at his
niece´s. He went to pay a visit and was taken sick and was so bad that he
could not be moved home. After a lingering sickness of about a month he died
and was buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Gloucester City, Camden County New
Jersey which made him at his death 62 years one month and 25 days old.
My father was a man of sober and
industrious habits and a man of good information. He was an experienced
farmer and was sought after by his neighbors for information in agricultural
pursuits. It was calculated by his neighbors that he was one of the best
hands to sow grain that there was to be found in the country. He was a
great hunter and had much experience in match and game shooting. He was a
great had to shoot gray squirrels and ducks. He took great pleasure in
hunting excursions. He was a man of great temper and would not take an
insult from any man. He was and expert at wrestling and had great
strength in his arms. He had a correct view of the Holy Scriptures and
delighted to converse on the same but yet he belonged to no church until he
joined the Church of Latter Day Saints which was on the 12 of March 1842 and
continued to be a firm believer in the same until his death.
1853: I will now go on with my
history. The fall and winter I spent my time at home and occupied my time
mostly in reading. On the 16th day of February 1853 at 5:00 o´clock p.m.
my wife bore me another fine daughter, which we called Adelia Terry.
I commenced to farm about the first of
April. I put in considerable of a crop which kept me busy during the
Spring. About the middle of April my children caught the whooping cough
and were very bad with it for two months and there were a great many children
who died with it in our neighborhood.
About the first of June the….made an
appearance in the valley and they were very destru….with part of the country
sweeping everything …. Very very destructive to oats and …. About two acres
which …. I ……. ( bottom of page 11)
…wind. A part of them lit in our
settlement. My oats were perfectly alive with them and they cut the heads
off just like a knife would. I went and hired three men to cut them down
immediately and I kept the grasshoppers off till the oats were down.
About the first of July Captain Walker
the great Indian Chief of the Utah Band declared a three years war against the
white inhabitants of this territory and he seemed to be quite determined in his
course. And it was quite dangerous for a person to be out at night or
alone during the daytime. The Territory was immediately put under martial
law and guards placed every point where the Indians made a break. At this
time most of the inhabitants lived on their farms in a scattered condition,
hence it was necessary that something be done immediately. Therefore, it
was deemed necessary that the people should move into squads and build forts
which was thought by the authorities to be the most safe plan that could be
adopted. The council was immediately carried out which plan proved
effectual to the overthrow of the plan which the Indians had adopted for our
destruction. And when they saw that we were determined in our course,
they were willing to give up and made a compromise. The war was amicably
settled and peace was again declared although several of the brethren lost
their lives.
NOTE: -- by Nora Lund family
historian. Due to the length of Grandfather´s diary it will not be
possible to record it all in this book. From here on excerpts will be
included quoted in his own words. Please note also that his history is
treaded through the histories of his wives and children which are included in
this book.
“At the October Conference 1856, I was
called to go on a mission to the United States. I left the same month to
fill my mission in company with other missionaries. I arrived in
Philadelphia in the later part of November. I was called to labor in the
Philadelphia Conference. After my appointment I went to see my mother and
sister in Glouster City, New Jersey. I arrived on Thanksgiving Day, just
nine years and seven months from the time I first left home to go West.
When I first met my mother she did not know me. She spoke to my sister
Elizabeth, “Who is this gentleman?” She said, “It looks like Thomas S.
Terry.” We were in each others arms. Oh, what a happy meeting it
was a feast day indeed.”
“During the winter of 1856 and 1857, I
labored in New Jersey. In the spring of 1857 I met Apostle Parley P.
Pratt. He wanted me to go home with him. At the spring congerence I
was released to return home with him. I was to meet him in St.
Louis. When I got to St. Louis he had gone. I was on time but he
obliged to leave.
“In crossing the plains coming to the
Valley I was put in charge of a company of Saints as Captain. We left
Florence the last of June 1857for the five hundred mile trip. I had hard
work to get the company along…. Traveling with oxen. In ….. (bottom
of page 12)… we could not go straight across. I t was very
high. We had to start in and then go up stream half a mile then cross to
the other side.
“We were all day in getting over.
In getting the teams across I crossed the river eleven times. The last
time was after dark. I could only see my way by camp fires on the other
side of the river.
“When going to bed I heard a rap at my
wagon. Óh Captain, my daughter is dead.´ It was Brother James
Stevenson I dressed myself and went to his wagon. His daughter Lucy had
passed to the other side. She was dead. I sent for Captain John Dustin
who was Captain of the second te. Brother Dustin was a man of great
faith. We administered to her, but she did not revive. She did not
come back to life. After some time we administered again but of no
use. She still layed in death´s arms.
“I spoke to Brother Dustin and asked him
to stay with the family, that I would go out but would come back soon. I
went to my wagon and got my Temple clothes. I went off in the darkness a
quarter of a mile, dressed myself in my Temple clothes. I knelt down and
asked my Heavenly Father in the name of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, that if
it was His will that the spirit of the young sister return to its body.
“After I had returned I found Sister Lucy
still dead, the family were all crying. I said to Brother Dustin we will
administer to her again. We placed our hands upon her heaad and I asked
my Heavenly Father that her spirit might return to its body. Before we
took our hads off her head her Spirit returned and she came to life. The
time altogether was one hour. She came to the Valley and was married.
“We traveled on next day. Two days
after Brother Jessie Murphy was taken very sick with a high fever. We
blessed him and the next day he was up driving his team. We continued our
journey till we got to Buffalo Creek about one hundred and sixty miles east of
Fort Laramie. Here we had a stampede. It was awful! Yes, it
was a fearful thing. Forty wagons and three carriages were all jammed
together. There were five who were very badly hurt. As soon as I
could I went to attend to those that were hurt. In this I was alone,
while the Brothers looked after the wagons and teams.
“The first I administered to was Brother
Pallard and his wife. I found them bothe dying on the ground.
Sister Pallard was lying as if she were dead, she had been knocked down by the
teams. I administered to them; they both got up. The next one was
Brother Bratt who was from the South. I found him also very badly
hurt. He had been knocked over. I blessed him and he got up and was
alright. While I was administering to him I heard a sister call out óh
Captain Terry come here!´ It was sister Mousley. I went to her .
Brother Martin Lincy was holding Whihelmina in his arms. When I got to
her she had passed away, the blood was running a stream . Her face was
very fearfully, her sister was lying by her with an injured spine. She
could not get up. I administered to them both. Whihelmina come to;
her sister got up. By that time the Brethren had the wagons separated and
the camp formed.
“I had the good will and feeling of my
Brother and Sisters all the way. Some years afterwards I met Brother
Pallard in Salt Lake City. He introduced me to a friend of his. He
said ´Brother Bywater, had it not been for Captain Terry I never would have
seen Salt Lake City.´ In this narritive I do not wish to boast but my Heavenly
Father blessed me with his Holy Spirit in administering to my Brethern and
Sisters. I was Blessed the day I got to the City. I met my beloved
wife, Eliza Jane and our dear little son Zera P., at her father´s home in the
city. After two days visiting with my wife, I went to my farm at Union on
Little Cottonwood to see my first family. My beloved wife, Mary Ann, and
our four darling children, Mary Ann, Celestia, Adelia and our sweet little
baby, Lydia. She was born a short time after I had left on my mission.
“December 27, 1857, Miss Lucy Stevenson
was sealed to me as my third wife.
“The next spring, 1858, my time was
employed in looking after my family at Springville and my farm on
Cottonwood. I moved back home to the farm in the fall of 1859. I
was called and made Second Counselor to Bishop Silas Richards of Union.
“Now in regard to my family
affairs. Lucy, my wife caused me some little trouble. In the spring
of 1861, she left me without cause. She was a great dancer, she loved to
go to parties and dances. There was a party at Union and she became very
angry and left me because I would not take her to the party. She went
home to her father in Springville. About this time her father and mother
apostized and left the Church. They took her to Camp Floyd at Cedarville,
Utah County. She was there engaged by the theater and danced on the
stage. From there she went off and married an outsider. The last I
heard of her she was dead.
“In the fall of 1862, I , with my
families, were called on the Dixie Mission. I sold my farm and in
November, 1862 we started on our mission. It was very cold and the
children had the whooping cough on the road. My family at that time consisted
of myself, my two wives and eight children. We got to St. George on New
Year´s Day and reported to President Erastus Snow. We stayed in St.
George durnign the winter. There we had two girls born to us Aluna and
Lenora. (Aluna was Eliza´s and Lenora was Mary Ann´s)
“In March of 1863, I was called by
President Snow to take my families to Shoal Creek, Washington County Utah to
help to establish a settlement there. Brother John Charles and William
Pulsipher had been sent there the year before to herd the St. George
cattle. They were the first on the Creek. Father Pulsipher and
family had moved on the Creek the fall before. In 1865 Clover Valley was
settled. Panaca in Meado Valley was settled in the spring of 1866. During
the past three years my time has been spent in taking care of the carrel and
some farming” End of this history.
ADDED
EXPERIENCES ON THE LIFE OF THOMAS S. TERRY
By Grandsons Amos Frank Terry and Thomas George Hunt
Sent in
Amos Frank says-“I have been thinking for
some time of writing a couple of experiences in the life of grandfather, Thomas
S. Terry, Sr., that I feel are worthy of record since I am a living witness of
his statements made regarding them.
In the year, and just before William
McKinley was elected to the President of the United States, my father, Thomas
Nelson Terry, and Uncle Zera, due to Grandfather´s persuasion, moved their
families on to the Beaver Dam Wash Ranch where Grandfather, with Aunt Hannah´s
family lived. Before moving, father and I took our stock down. On
this occasion Grandfather related the following story, which as a boy, ever
searching for the truth, noted very carefully. I have lived to see it
fulfilled. Directly quoting Grandfather´s words, I write:
“Aunt Hannah and I were camped for the
night and had just retired to bed when four characters appeared, following each
other. Three of them wrote on a board as though advertising their
wares. The fourth did not write. It was President Heber C. Kimball.
He looked me squarely in the eye and pointed his finger ar me as I´ve seen him
do many times and said: ´There shall be four more Presidents then we will have
a terrible war and blood shed in abundance.´”
Grandfather then said, “At first I
wondered if it meant Presidents of the Church or Presidents of the United
States, but the interpretation came to me that it was Presidents of the United
States.”
Amos Frank goes on- It made such an
impression on me then, at the age of 16 years, that I determined to keep close
check on the future. McKinley was the First President. Theodore
Roosevelt was the second President, William Howard Taft was the third
President. Woodrow Wilson was elected in due time as the fourth President
and then came the war, which involved the world in a great bloodshed.
While conversing with grandfather a short
time before his death I asked him if he remembered it, he said “Yes, Yes! If I
had been a betting man, I would have bet that Woodrow Wilson would be that
Fourth President.”
Then he told me something else that would
come and said, “I will not live to see it, but you will take your notebook and
pencil and write it down for you will live to see.” He then said, “I have
the vitality to live and would like to do so, but because of this affliction on
my face, if it is the Lord´s will, I would like to go right now. Right
Now.”
The next day or two me mother-in-law came
into the field where I was working in the hay and told me that Grandfather had
stepped into a hole and broken his leg. Because of the nature of his
conversation to me, I was so sure it was his time to go that I sat down and
wrote a preparatory warning to my father at Ruby Valley, Nevada. Of
course, we all know that the Lord did answer his plea and took him at that
time.
Another incident which I will relate also
happened while we were living on the Beaver Dam Wahs. Grandfather arose
one morning and during the day said to my father in my hearing:
“Something has happened to Tom
Price. I saw Tom pass by as plain as I can see you. Before night we
will hear something.”
Well, the Beaver Dam Wash was about 35
miles from Canan´s Ranch on the west and no means of getting word only by
someone passing that way. However, about 4 P.M. o´clock, a white-topped
buggy came across by way of Canans Ranch from Delamar, Nevada, going up to St.
George to Tom Price´s funeral and got my father´s black team, nig and Coaley,
to go on into St. George, leaving their team with us until they returned.
In the rig was Jode Price, Tom´s bother, and Ann Price, Jode´s wife; John Alger
and My Bryson. So we did hear before night.
A few days later, as they returned, we
learned that Tom and his son Bert, about 16 years old, were in the mountains
(toward the Cliff Station from the Indian Reservation) fro wood when Tom was
run over with the wagon and killed. Young Bert mounted one of the horses
and rushed to St. George for help.
Thus, I, Amos Franklin Terry, am a living
witness to the inspiration of the Lord upon a humble and great man, Thomas
Sirls Terry,
In the Biographical Encyclopedia Volume 3
by Church Historian Andrew Jensen the following is quoted:
“Brother Terry built a ranch at the so
called Moroni Springs, five miles above Hebron where in 1874 he was taken very
ill and went to Hebron to be taken care of. While lying in the room
writes Elder Terry, ´I was visited by the devil. Standing before me with
his hand upon the bed post he said, ´You are sick and had better give up and
die and not go through the sickness in store for you. You will never have
another passage through tour bowles.´ I did not answer and the evil one left
the room. Immediately I called my wife and said: ´I am going to be very
sick. I want you to see that I have a passage of the bowles every
day.´ For six weeks I was at death´s door but through the administration
of the Elders I recovered.´
“In 1876 Bother Terry was ordained a High
Priest and Bishop and set apart to preside over the Hebron Ward occupying that
position until September 9, 1894. In 1878 he married Hannah Louisa Leavitt.
In the year 1885 Brother Terry moved from Hebron to the Beaver Dams Wash in
Washington County.
“During the anti pologamy raids he had
several barrow escapes from being arrested by the U.S. Deputy Marshals.”
NOTE: I would like to include here
a touching little story sent in by Thomas Nelson Terry Jr., of Payson, a
grandson, to be put in this book.
“When I was a small boy about 12 years
old my father and family lived at Spring Creek Ranch about three miles south of
where Enterprise is now located. He had a crop of grain to be cut and
Moroni Canfield of Mountain Meadows was on his way to the ranch to do the
cutting. As he passed Holt´s Ranch. John Armstrong and McGarey the
U.S. Marshels, were eating dinner there. They asked him to stop and eat
but he refused and asked them where they were going. They said "Over
to old man Terry´s place to get him."
“Well as soon as Mr. Canfield got out of
sight of them he whipped his team into a gallop and got back in the ….. wagon
so as nto to lose any….. When he got ….. (bottom of page 15)
“Father ran to the stable saddled a horse
then caught me by the shoulder, tossed me into the saddle and spatting the
horse on the hips with a board said, ´Get to Terry´s ranch as soon as possible
and tell Grandfather the Marshals are after him.´
“I cut through the hill from Spring Creek
Ranch to Erran Huntsman´s Ranch and came in to the road must ahead of the
Marshals. I rode on to Terry´s Ranch as fast as I could get me orse to go
notified Grandfather and he and Uncle Joseph Terry saddled two horses, took two
sacks of hay and rode off through the hills.
“So, Moroni Canfield, Father and I saved
Grandfather from falling into the hands of the U.S. Marshals and probably from
serving a prison term.”
Brother Jensen goes on.
“After the danger of the raids were
over. Bishop Terry moved back to Hebron, where he remained until the ward
there was discontinued. He was ordained a Patriarch by President Francis
M. Lyman, June 14, 1908. (And gave some 500 blessings.)
“His wife, Mary Ann, died September 18,
1913 and was buried at Enterprise. By his three wives Bishop Terry became
the father of 30 children. By his wife, Mary Ann he had Mary Ann, Adelia,
Celestia, Alydia, Mina, Almira, Lenora, Thomas Sirls Jr., Susan, Elizabeth,
Luther and Joseph.
“By his wife, Hannah Louisa, he had Maud
Etna, Mary Elsie, David Dudley, Jeddiah Murkins, Edward Sirl and Exie.
“Patriarch Terry adds the following in
his own words. ´In the fall of 1913, while at my house in Enterprise I
knelt in prayer and there appeared before me a Heavenly light in the form of a
circle. While looking at it I was impressed to go to Panaca, Nevada,
where one of the families lived. On reaching that place the next
evening. I was enjoying myself with my family when I was called out to
see a lady who had been ill or nearly four months and had not spoken a work for
three months.
“I seated myself by her bedside and kept
close watch of her, but couldn´t tell what was the matter. Assisted by
the brethren present, I administered to her, rebuking the devil and commanding
him to leave her and go to his own place. Immediately she arose and then
talked as though nothing had ever been wrong with her from the day until this
the lady has not been troubled. I space would permit. I could
related many such manifestations of the power of the Lord.”
NOTE: Grandfather was affected with
a cancer on his nose however, his general health was sufficiently good that he
hoped to live to be 100 years old. But one dark evening he went out into
the yard of his home, he fell and broke his leg. This accident caused his
….. (bottom of page 16)…. Of 94 years, 11 months and 9 days. August
12, 1920 and was buried in Enterprise, August 15. He had lived a full
life and was well prepared to meet his Maker and his loved ones who had passed
on before.
His wife Eliza Jane died May 5, 1919, in
Panaca, Nevada, and his wife Hannah died January, 1938, at St. George, Utah.
A
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THOMAS SIRLS TERRY
By a daughter Maud Etna Terry
On a beautiful little farm called Cherry
Hedge and Cherry Land in Bristol Township, Bucks County Pennsylvania, on a
crisp October morning the 3rd day of the month there came to earth a tiny red
faced baby boy. The child of a family of eight children. This child
was very frail and a few hours after his birth his mother declared his name to
be Thomas for his father. His nurse said, “Give him a middle name to
distinguish him from his father.” The mother then added Sirls ( the
surname of the nurse who was a very dear friend).
Thomas Sirls then grew up a very delicate
child, small in statue but with a bright intellectual mind. Twice before
his second year he was pronounced dead by the family physician and was laid on
what was then called his cooling board. His grieving mother hovering over
his still little form detected a pulse beat in his hand and hastily began to
revive him. The second time she would not permit him laid out but watched for
some time and again discovered life.
The family at one time was well to do for
those times, but at the close of the Revolutionary War their property was in
ruins with the exception of some few fishing boats which were leased and
finally lost at sea. This left the family or the father to build up his
own fortune. The father´s health was broken and at the death of his
wife´s parents he had taken over the guardianship of her eight younger
brothers and sisters rearing them as his own. This large family added to
his own children and his broken health necessitated the selling of his home and
moving into a city where the family could go to work. They moved across
the Delaware River a little to the south to Camden New Jersey. Here the
children were placed in the print works to learn a trade and also help in
earning their living.
Thus at the age of seven years Thomas,
though very frail went to work at 7:00 a.m. and worked the year around for ten
and sometimes twelve hours a day. HE often told of the great joy he
experienced on his two holidays- the 4th of July and Christmas. Being a
frail lad he was too greatly fatigued after his strainous hours of service to
attend the night school. His mother gave him his lessons at home.
She was called quite learned and her teachings accounts for his flowery accent
and refinement of speech. Always, even in his old age strangers mistook
him to be of English birth and culture. Thomas Sirls was very ambitious
and this made him a great favorite of his associates. He rose from a
bobbin boy in the print mills to a cotton superintendent or second floor
manager of his department.
The gospel of the Latter Day Saints was
brought to their home when he had just turned sixteen. His father´s
family was greatly impressed and began an investigation of this doctrine which
resulted in the baptism in the Delaware River of his parents and their older
children on March 13, 1842. This ordinance was performed by Elder Joseph
Newton, a traveling elder.
The family had by this time moved to
Philadelphia or Bridsburg, a suberb of Philadelphia. Here in his father´s
house a group of converts – 42 in all- met each Sunday for worship and a closer
study of the gospel. They were happy and greatly enthused in their newly
found religion for some time or until William Smith a brother of the Prophet
came to their colony. There he met a beautiful girl and began advocating
plurality wives. This resulted in the breaking up of the colony and the
apostatizing of most members. When this word was sent to Nauvoo the
Prophet sent Jedediah M. Grant to investigate the affair. He succeeded in
bringing a few members back. Thomas´s parents had never doubted the
gospel so their home was again the gathering place of the Saints.
Thomas from the time of his baptism had
begun to rapidly gain strength and he began to grow until to grow until at the
age of 21 he was fairly good-sized man with handsome features – laughing violet
blue eyes and dark brown curly hair. He was admired and loved by his
friends and fellow laborers. He ha always planned in his own mind to go
west as soon as he had reached maturity. So on the day he was 21 his
parents in keeping with an old family custom gave him a coming out part.
They bought him a nice dark greenish-black suit of broad cloth for the
occasion. Before the close of the party his father made the announcement
that Thomas Sirls that day had reached his manhood and from then on would
continue to live on with his parents until he saw fit to branch out for
himself, but he was his own master. Thus given his freedom to do as he
chose, he began to plan to join the saints and share their lot. Early the
next spring he left his fiends and home against their pleadings and tears and
started west to join the saints.
At Philadelphia he joined a company of
Morman immigrants from Boston and New York. Arriving at Winter Quarters,
now Florence he discovered he must have a different lot of clothing than he
had. … missing page 19
Of course there was romance in Thomas
Sirls´ life. He had been reared to think there was no good ever came from
a dance but that was the pleasure of the day and according to the old adage
“when in Tome do as the Romans do” he decided to learn to dance. He
singled out a very pretty young girl by the name of Amanda Nebiker who was a
very graceful dancer. He asked her to instruct him in the art of dancing,
which she smilingly consented to do. He soon learned her choicest favors
were reserved for a young man by the name of Boyl with whom he had formed a
real and lasting friendship. He made a compact with this young man to
treat the young lady in question as a sister and it was Thomas Sirls´ pleasure
to be best man at their wedding which was one of the first in the state.
However, in the spring of ´49 just after
building his little room on his land while at church one Sunday in the old
Bowery, he was standing in the back of the congregation. There were no
upholstered chairs, the sears in this place of worship were of split logs and
the floor of dirt. He was talking to a friend when an unknown voice said,
“There is your companion for all time and eternity.” He looked around but
saw no one that he did not know and he went on conversing. Again the
voice said, “There is the girl you are to marry.” He turned and this time
he looked down the aisle a short distance from where he was standing. There
he met a pair of brown eyes in a beautiful face with rose-carmen cheeks and
lips of a deep cherry-red. As she turned her head to hide a blush for
being caught gazing at the handsome young stranger, the long black curls fell
in clusters around her head. He asked his companion who that pretty
little brunette was.
Thomas ´s friend answered, “Why she is
Mary Ann Pulsipher, Brother Pulsipher´s girl. You know Brother Pulsipher,
his is one of the first seven presidents of the seventies. He has a
wonderful family.”
Thomas was not slow to find this out for
himself. A colorful romance followed which brought about a marriage on
Christmas day, 1849. This union was a happy and eventful one. With
the exception of four Christmas Days was for sixty-four years celebrated by
Thomas Sirls and his wife in thanksgiving for their perfect love.
By this time he had acquired a farm at
Union Fort where he and his wife, Mary Ann had labored hard and had built up a
nice little home. They had moved on to this farm with a wagon box for a
bedroom and a leanto or shanty for a kitchen. His father-in-law gave them
a cow. Thomas Sirls dug ditch for a young sow pig. His wife´s
mother gave them a hen and a friend gave them a cat, iron kettle and fire
shovel. His wife had a quilt, a sheet and straw tick. Mother
Richardson gave him a pillow. He had worked for a quilt and some buffalo
hides. Thus this city bred young man and his beautiful bride ….. (bottom
of page 20)
The first year the cat and her increase,
the hen and her chickens, the cow and her calf, their sow and all her pigs
died. But December 14, 1850 the first of their twelve children was born.
On May 6, 1855, he married Eliza Jane
Pulsipher as a plural wife. Eliza was Mary Ann´s youngest sister.
On March 16, 1856, Zera Pulsipher, the first son of Thomas Sirls was born to
this union.
At the April conference Thomas received a
call for a mission to the states. Utah was then a territory. He
left his wife, Mary Ann, at Union Fort, his wife Eliza with her parents in Salt
Lake and set out in May with a company of Elders to fill that mission.
He was assigned to labor in his native
state and he received permission to visit his family at Thanksgiving. It
is a real touching story the way he tripped up the street to his mother´s
gate. His father had passed from earth five years before. His
unmarried sister was sweeping the front steps. As he reached the gate she
dropped her broom and rushed into his arms.
He was revered by all who knew him – Jew
and Gentile, the reving Indian or thoughtless cowboy. Old men and little
children came to pay their homage to him. He lived to the ripe old age of
95 years 10 months and 9 days, dying from a broken leg. His body was laid
beside his wife Mary Ann who had proceeded him in death some 5 years
earlier. He passed on blessings to his children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren. He left three acting
bishops and five highpriests from his 9 sons. Also he left many talented
and lettered grandchildren – A POSTERITY TO PRAISE THE MEMORY OF THOMAS SIRLS
TERRY – PATRIARCH, COUNCILER, AND FRIEND.
Thomas
Sirls Terry — Born October 3, 1825 — Arrived in Utah
I kept at work until the last of March,
1847 (working spinning cotton in the cotton mills of Gloucester City in New
Jersey.) By this time, I had got me some good clothing and also had
sufficient money to carry me to the West. I now notified my father and
mother that I was going to start for the West. They both, and the rest of
the family, tried to persuade me to stay at home, but all of their persuading
was of no use. I was a Mormon, and was determined to gather with the
Saints. Although it was critical times with the Saints as they were
driven from Nauvoo the year before the Church was on the move, and they had no
home, and more than this, but a very few friends. But their God was my God and
if they died, I could die with them.
I quit work the last of March, 1847. At
this time there were two companies of Saints fitting up; one in Boston and the
other in New York. The one in Boston was in care of Augustus Farnum and the
other in Elder Miles' care. Both companies arrived in Philadelphia the 15th of
April, 1847. I left home the same day and joined them in Philadelphia. We left
here next morning, the 16th, at 10:00 o'clock, in the Columbia cars on the
Pennsylvania road. We arrived in Columbia about 5:00 p.m. Here we took the
canal boat for Pittsburgh. From Pittsburgh we took the steamboat for St. Louis.
We traveled 800 miles on the Ohio River. We passed Cincinnati and Louisville
and other small towns on the river, and then traveled up the same 200 miles and
arrived in St. Louis on the evening of the 13th of April. In St.
Louis we were disbursed among the Saints, who then lived in the place. I stayed
here about two weeks. It was now understood that a large body of Saints
would start for the Rocky Mountains in search of a home for the Church, and
that President Brigham Young with about a hundred and twenty had already
started in search of a place for the Saints to gather to.
While in St. Louis I became acquainted
with Brother Darwin Richardson who was one of the company which was then
fitting up in St. Louis for the purpose of accompanying the Saints on their way
to the Mountains. I engaged with Brother Richardson to drive one of his teams.
The company left St. Louis on the evening of the 11th of May on a steamboat for
Council Bluffs where the Saints were stopped as a place of winter quarters.
The afternoon before we left St. Louis
there was a very hard thunder storm, and as I had charge of Brother
Richardson's goods, I was out in most of the storm and got wet through. I took
cold and the next day was taken very sick with the diarrhea and was sick all
the to the Missouri River, and it was thought by my friends that I would not
live. We were two weeks on the River and arrived at Winter Quarters at Council
Bluffs on the evening of May 27. We were on ship next morning. I was now very
weak in body. I could walk and that was about all. Brother Richardson and
family made their quarters at Brother Joseph Steaten's. The most of our company
bought teams here and also their wagons. In about three days, I commenced to
get better very rapidly and in about a week was able to go out with the boys to
herd our cattle. We got ready to start, and our wagons left Winter Quarters on
the 9thof June, 1847. We traveled about twenty-eight miles to Elk Horn River.
Here we waited until all of the wagons came up. On the 18th of June there was
656 wagons on the ground and was all organized into companies of ten, and tens
into fifties, and fifties into hundreds. Our wagons were in the first ten and
first fifty and first hundred.
Our fifty left next morning for the
mountains in the command of Perry Green Sessions and Elijah F. Sheets, Captain
of the first ten and Daniel Spencer, Captain of the hundred. We left Elk Horn
River June 19, 1847. We were on the road three months and six days. We were
pilgrims in search of a home. We were banished by a ruthless mob, who was
sanctioned by the authorities of our government, from our homes and the land of
our birth, to seek an asylum in the far distant west among savages and the wild
beasts of the mountains. But the noble band of pioneers who were led by Brigham
Young, who was a Prophet of God, had started in the Spring. We followed their
trail as much as possible. It was sometime difficult to follow as the heavy
rains and the high grass had covered it all up. Our journey was toilsome and
fatiguing, yet we had many first rate pleasure and joy while on the plains. It
was a new life to me and suited me well. I enjoyed good health and the time
passed away pleasantly.
After a journey of 1030 miles, which took
us three months and six days, we arrived on the 25th of September in the Valley
of the Great Salt Lake, where the pioneers had arrived on the 24th day of July,
1847, and which place they had selected for a home for the Saints.
When we arrived here the country was new and it was barren and very dry. We
were now out a thousand miles from any settlement, and the country was untried
by any living being. We did not know that the soil would produce crops or not,
but we had faith in God who had led us here. The pioneers, before
they left to return to their homes in Winter Quarters, had selected ten acres
of ground to build a fort upon and had left a few men to commence the work.
When all of the companies had arrived, we found that the lot was too small. We
went to work and laid off 25 acres more. We then commenced to build our houses
and before Spring had opened we built a row of houses around the 35 acres, also
three row of double houses across from side to side, which separated the houses
into forts.
