Edward Partridge

Born 27 August 1793 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts to William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Edward was a successful hat maker in Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio when he heard of the gospel.
He was married to Lydia Clisbee with six children when he made the trip in mid-winter to see for himself. There is some thought that he went at the instigation of friends and neighbors who trusted his judgement.

He arrived in Fayette, New York and was convinced almost on sight of the prophetic call of Joseph Smith. He wanted to be baptized immediately and the story is that Joseph thought it could wait till the next day.

His life would never be the same. He would be called to be the first presiding bishop of the church. He would struggle to know what to do with a prophet a thousand miles away in Ohio while Edward was in Missouri in a calling without precedents. He would be chastised in revelation and praised in revelation. He seems to have accepted both with meekness.

He was subjected to tarring and feathering while in Missouri and the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri was something from which he never physically recovered. He died in Nauvoo on 17 May 1840.

There are extensive biographies written on Edward Partridge.

He wrote the words to Hymn #41, "Let Zion in her Beauty Rise"

Lydia Clisbee

Lydia Clisbee (or Clisby) was born to Merriam Howe and Joseph Clisbee on the 26 Sept 1793 in Marlbourgh, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.

She married Edward Partridge 22 Aug 1819 in Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. They would have a prospers life together for ten years and give it all up when they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

They were the parents of at least six children. They would move to Missouri at the bidding of the Lord.

She would have survived the problems and displacements of the Missouri era of the church only to have her husband die while in the middle of building a home for the family in Nauvoo.

She married again, William Huntington, who died at Mt Pisgah, Iowa. She would make the trek west. At one point in time she was directed by Brigham Young to sell the land in Independence, Missouri that was in the name of her deceased husband, Edward Partridge. Her husband had been bishop of the Church and had land in his name that belonged to the church. She was the only legally authorized agent to sell this land and his heir.

She spent her last years in the Millard County area with her children. She died 08 un 1878 in Oak City, Millard Co., Utah.

She wrote the following Acrostic for her son Edward.

Each day let all your actions be
Devoid of strife or enmity
Walk in the way thy father trod
Attend his council which was good
Remember in thy youth, thy God
Desire to know his holy word

Prepare thyself thy place to fill
And seek to know thy Master's will
Repent of all thy faults each day
Try to pursue the heavenly way
Refuse not counsel from thy friend
Improve thy time til time shall end
Depart from sin, make truth thy choice
Grim death may come with all his force
even that day thou mayest rejoice

Lydia Partridge

Lydia was the daughter of Edward Partridge and Lydia Clisbee.
She was born 08 May 1830 in Painseville, Lake Co., Ohio and knew from infancy the challenges of the new church her parents had joined. Her childhood was spent in Missouri in desperate poverty and her father died in Nauvoo when she was ten years old. She spent her early teen years in Nauvoo; her later teen years on the plains of Iowa and Nebraska, and her early twenties in a newly settled Salt Lake Valley. Her husband would move his families to Millard County so they could be near each other.

She would marry Amasa Lyman as a polygamous wife 07 Feb 1853. Her sisters Eliza and Caroline were also wives of Amasa and the three sisters worked together to survive and raise their children.

One of the things Lydia did was make gloves of buckskin. The sisters were very poor, but worked together and loved each others children. Lydia was the mother of four children.

She died at a young age having been ill for some time prior to her death, 16 Jan 1875. She was buried in Fillmore, Millard Co., Utah.

Amasa Mason Lyman

I love this picture because he looks so sad - and I think he was. At age 62 (about 1875) he was struggling, having been in the leading counsels of the church he was attracted to another spiritual philosophy and confused. He was estranged from at least some of his polygamous wives because of these beliefs. He was excommunicated from the church after having been reproved once for his preaching contrary to the gospel. Before his death in 04 February 1877 he bought some paper and the family believes that he intended to write in regard to these issues but he never did use that paper. Pride seems to have stood in his way.

A daughter, Martha Lyman Roper tells of having heard his voice calling from beyond a river - she called back asking what could she do? The answer came that Francis would know what to do. Francis was serving in the Quorum of the Twelve and would present his father's claim for restoration of blessings. The petition was granted and his blessings were restored through the man who had taken his place in the Quorum of the Twelve when he was excommunicated.

As a boy, Amasa (pronounced in the family Amassee) had been left with his grandfather when is mother remarried and then left with an uncle when his grandfather died. He was in a way a homeless child who found a spiritual home in the gospel. He was born 30 Mar 1813 in Lyman, Grafton, New Hampshire to Martha Mason and Roswell Lyman.

Amasa Mason Lyman spent his life in the service of the Lord, he was known for the power of the sermons he preached. He was often homeless, yet had eight wives and at least 30 children. His wives often found themselves alone as he went on mission after mission. He was one of the first settlers of San Bernadino, California.

Enoch Bartlett and Anna Hall Home

David Sessions

David was the son of David Sessions and Rachel Stevens. He was born 4 April 1789 in Vershire, Orange Co., Vermont. He died 11 August 1850 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.
His first wife was Patty Bartlett.

Patty Bartlett

Patty is a well known character in church history because she kept an extensive journal over many years. These journals have been annotated by Donna Toland Smart and published.

Patty was born to Enoch Bartlett and Anna Hall on the 7th of February 1794, in Bethel, Oxford Co., Maine. She married David Sessions 13 Jun 1812 and Died 14 Dec 1893 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Uah.
After David died she married John Parry. Both of her husbands took polygamous wives and that was a trial for her. She was known for being a midwife and for her industrious work habits.

This sampler done by Patty was used as an illustration in the Ensign Magazine in recent years. She was weaving and knitting into old age.

Cyril Call

Cyril Call was the grandfather of Fanny Emoret Loveland. He was born 29 un 1785 in Woodstock, Windsor, Vermont. He married Sally Tiffany in 1805 (her given name might have been Sarah)

I know of two pictures of him. One shows him with one eye closed and dro0ping as if he has Bell's Palsy or some such condition.

Fanny Emoret Loveland

Fanny Emoret Loveland was born 13 Dec 1838 in Amherst, Loraine Co., Ohio. Her parents were Chester Loveland and Fanny Call. She Died 14 My 1917 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah.

Perrigrine Sessions

Perrigrine Sessions was the son of Patty Bartlett and David Sessions on 15 Jun 1814 in Newry, Oxford, Maine. He was the husband of eight women. I don't have sorted out which children belonged to which women. He married Fanny Emoret Loveland 13 Sept 1852 and promptly went on a mission. She was very young at the time. He died 3 Jun 1893 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah.

Donna Toland Smart has written a book titled, "Exemplary Elder" that details his life.

Agnes Emoret Sessions

Agnes Emoret Sessions was born 26 Mar 1851 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah. She was the child of Perrigrine Sessions and Agnes Emoret Loveland. She married at the young age of fifteen and was the mother of fourteen children. She grew up in a polygamous family. Her mother and a sister wife were blood relatives and raised their families together. She died 21 Jan 1913 in Richmond, Cache Co., Utah.

John Telford

John Telford was an Irishman, born 2 Mar 1892 in Armagh, Ulster, Ireland. At this time, I know little about him. He married Jane Telford, possible a cousin of some sort. They were the parents of Anna Telford who married Charles Henry Stoddard. They were the grandparents of John Robert Stoddard. John Telford died 19 Jan 1896 in Richmond, Cache Co., Utah.

John Robert Stoddard

John Robert Stoddard was the son of Charles Henry Stoddard and Anna Telford. He was born 26 Jan 1855 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah. He died 13 Mar 1920 in Richmond, Cache Co., Utah.
He was married to Agnes Emoret Sessions 25 Sept 1876 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were the parents of 14 children.

Lydia Ackerman

I don't have a picture of Lydia Ackerman but I have recently come across information that she wrote herself about the early years of her life.  (edit March 2013 - A picture came to my attention so it has been added  here.)
 

I was maried to Silas Knapp in the year 1821 in July. 1825 July the 10 my son Albert was born Mo in the town of Antwerp, Jefferson Co New York. My daughter Melvina was born in the town of Champion, Jefferson County September the 8 in 1827. My daughter Marinda M was born May the 22 in 1830 in the town of Champion, Jefferson County, State of N Y. My son William was born July the 8 in 1840 in the town of Teray, Jefferson Cou, NY. My daughter Emma Amelia was born in January the 18, 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock Co, Illinois. My daughter Eliza Sarinda was born in April the 6, 1848 in Potowatamie, Ill.
My two oldest children are dead; Albert and Melvina
Provo City 1880

I Lydia Ackerman was born May the 3 185 (eighteen five) in the town of Galiway, Sarytoga County New york state in the year of 188 (eighteen eight) my father and family moved to Jefferson County, New york and there bout a farm and we resided their til I was maried in 1821. My Husband Silas Knapp bought a farm in the town of Antwerp Jefferson Cou New york in 1823. There was a revival of religeonist and previous to this I had experienced relegion and joind the Baptist at the age of twelve years old and I believed in one Lord one faith one Baptism by Immersion and allways felt anxious to see a church that was endowed with the gifts that was in the Church in the days of Christ and the Apostles.

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and in the year of 1823 I went to my secret place to pray and when I prayed that I might see a Church adorned with all the gifts that were in the Church in the days of Christ and the Apostles and a voice spoke over my head Daughter be of good cheer for thou shall have the desire of thy heart I felt filed with joy and love to God I felt humble I came back to the house and told my Husband he pokd at it and it took no efect on him when I went to meting I told my Baptist Brothers and Sisters I believed I would see the day when their would be a Church having all the gifts that were in the Church of Jesus and the Apostles and they said I was deluded I was getting insane they said I never would see that day but I held on to that faith til the year 1834 I heard a man say the fulness of the Gospel was restored buy revelation for the angels were sent from heaven to Joseph Smith to resote the Gospel and the Priesthood and such a serman I never heard before it thriled through my hul sistim I had been afflicted fore 4 years vary poor health I asked the man to pray for me in the name of jesus that I might be healed and he laid his hands on my head and prayed the Lord would heal me and I was healed I was healed and I felt to prais God with all my Soul Might mind and strengh I went forth and was babtised and I received such light as I never had before

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I got the Book of mormon I read its pages through and found the same Gospel that I found in our bible the history of a peple on the (south?) had received the Gospel preached buy the Saviour and the Apostles Ive had many testimonies of the truth of this work in this dispensasion of the Gospel I’ve been healed by the power of God through the administration of the Priesthood by the laying on of the hands of thoes who has been ordained and set a part for that purpus and I have seen others healed by the same power my time has been spent in laboring in this Church ever since the year 1834 I came to Nauvoo in 1842 the December 25 and stayed til the next spring me and my Family moved to Shockocon 25 miles from Nauvoo

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and there we all had the ague and feaver and continued to be sick the hul summer me and my family recoverd so as to be tolerable comfortable but my Husband Silas he continued sick he died in a short time after Joseph and hiram Smith was Marterd my Husband was buried in Nauvoo there to lay til the morning of the resurection I was left vary destitute my Husband was sick no able to doa days work after we came to Shockocon we had no home of our own we lived in a rented house me and my son Albert rented a piece of ground that next summer after my Husband died and we raised our bread and some mellons
and sold them and gather means to get away from that place for the mob was thretning us every day and night that we

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could get but vary little rest well we come to Nauvoo in 1846 and from there to Salom and stoped there a few weeks and the mob began to be hostile and we lad to leave that place and goe to Osgalusia and we thought to stay there for a while and I was Maried to Docter George Coulson we had not ben there but a few days until the mob thretened to drive us out buy force if we did not goe willingly we fixt ourselves and started on our journey to Ioa and there we stoped and made a farm and built houses and made ourselves comfortable and then my Husband tuck sick and died and the mob was thretning us again and the litle branch of the church thout best come to the Vally of the mountain

all in (ways?) well I had to leave my farm all my efects that the mob had not tacen the mob had taken my valuble property and caried of such as could be caried they went into the blacksmith shop and took two sets of tools besides severals plowshiers and loads of grain and potatoes and Cows and hogs and took them and they want satisfied they come into my house and took my furniture and quilts and 5 trunks and they took my chairs and dishes horce worth (?) and stove and looking glass and left me allmost destitute then I don the best I could and got ready and come to U Lak and here Ive laboured vary hard to get a living and when the grass hopers came and destroyed our crops we had but vary little to eat we were drove to eat nettles for greens and dig segoes and such them to eat

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Well in all this it did not leson my faith in the Gospel that I had embraced I kenw that God was at the helm and would bring the Ship safe to shore my testimony is I kow I have embrced the Gospel jesus tough his Desiples revieled to Joseph Smith by angels als by Christ the son of God I feel to witness by the same spirit it is true and the help of the Lord I feel the Saviour to follow the Saviour and finish my mission and receive my reward here is my potograph for you to look upon your great Grandmother Lydia Coulson the wife of George Coulson

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I lydia Ackerman had A dream I had at the age of 12 years old

I dreamed I walked with Salina Brooks through a piece of woods til we come to the riverjordan I said to Salilna I going to cros over into the land of canan she said the water was deep and I could not waid it but I said I could fly over if she would get on my back I would carry her over she got on my back and I flew over into the land of Canan it was a beautiful place then I woke up and found myslef in bead but I felt happy to think of that beautiful place I soon had a letter from Salina she said she had experienced religionl

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I had another dream

I was walking through the same woods with Eliza the sister of Salina I went with Eliza til we come to the river jordon I said to Eliza Im going to cros over this river into the land of Canon if you will get on my back I will carry you over I caried Salina ove and can carry you acros she said no I never shall see that place I left her and flew over to the land of Canon I was awake again and found my self in bead about 4 years after this I dreamed I walded with Eliza through the same woods and came to a road where there much travel I took the right hand road and she took the left hand road I said to her don’t you
That road the right hand road is to get heaven she said no I cant goe to heaven I must goe to hell I said goe with me to heaven but she turned to the left and I to the right I went a few steps I heard her call me I looked behind me she was in a pit with both her hands reached as high as she could rais them but I could not help her I traveld on til I came to a very large house so large I could not describe it at the door stood a man he said to me Daughter enter thou in he took me by the hand and lead me into the house it was ful of pepole drest in white all praising God I was happy there I wakend with surprise to find my self in bead a short time the news came to me that this same Eliza had

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hung herself the bible says no murderrer has eternam life in them after this I heard there was an apointment for a Mormon Preacher to be at our school house I told my Husband and my cousin I wanted to goe to hear him Preach well my heart beat with anziety my cousin said Ill hitch up his team and take me to the meting I went and after I got seated the Elder came in he was the same man I see in my dream that lead me into that big house and he is the man that Baptized me into this Church the latter day Saints and I vear witn001eys to the truth of this work in this last dispensation this is from Grandmah Coulson now Seventy 6 the 3 day of May

Albert Knapp

Albert Knapp born the 10th of Jul 1824 in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., New York. He served in the Mormon Battalion. He married Rosina Shepard 07 Jan 1849. They had at least six children. He had at least one other wife.

Albert Knapp left his family to pursue mining interests.
He wrote the following letter to persuade one of his daughters to join him.


Dec. 11, 1863
"Dear Daughter [Malinda]:
I receivedf your kind letter last Satuday on the way to the city on business. It ound me in better health than I have been sine last January, the cause I will tell you before I get through.

I saw Survina and John. She and little Johnny were well but his father had been very sick, but he was getting better. They have plenty to eat and wear.

You say you are all well and going to school and step-father is kind to you. I tell you I was truly glad to hear of that and to get those little tender lines written by my own daughter's hand.

I want you write as often as you and I will answer.

You say I have forgotten the ear rings I promised you and Armina. Have you forgotten the Coledonias I sent by Hiram Judd to make sets of to put in them? I you have kepp them until I see you and I will keep my promise.

Bishop Hess and Lott Smith promised me before I left home that my famioy should not suffer while I was gone.

Your mother worked very hard and I will tell you a little what I was doing. I was prospecting for money to send to you and to help myself with. I aws traveling the first summer I left home among the Indians[savage] where my life was in danger all of the time and many and many's the day I had to go hungry and without water to drink and traveling over those hot deserts an sometimes I would get a rabbit and sometims I wouldn't.

Thus I passed off the time when John Hess and I discovered leads in Eldorado Canyon. We located them leads for ourselves and others and formed a company so as to get enough to help ourselves with and get machinery to get out the money with. Thus I worked the next summer from 14-16 hours a day and I wrote your mother every opportunity and told her if she could get along a couple of years longer we would have plenty.

And while I was riding to gather grass for the mules I received a private injury that will last me as long as I live, and I have not done a day's work in the apst year.

One year ago on th 8th of this month I sold Levi Parsons $2,500 worth of the company and went with him to San Fransico to be paid. Providence has seen fit to lead me to this tresury and I am now in possession of means to help myself and my children. I have got it by hard licks the same as I have always got my living and I intend to enjoy som of it myself. When my children can see fit to come to live with me, they can help me enjoy it; While I live and after I am gone. Tell Silas I am glad he is mindful of his father. O I wish I could see and talk with you.

If you were here I could give you a better education than it is possible to get there. There are many young ladies here of your age and older that have a good education to reading, writing, and music. They can sit down adn take the accordian out or the piano and enterain guests and they can have an agreeabale time together with everything else around them to make them happy. o, my children, I cannot explain to you the beauties of this country and climate. It is raining a slight mist and it is warm and the grain is just beginning to start and people are beginning to plow.

I do not know you will believe the half I have written so I will quit. So, goodbye children. Write, I want to hear from you all. Malinda will write for you.

From Albert Knapp to Malinda, Armina, Silas, Justin, Willis and Morgan

He died as a result of a mule kick and was buried in Centerfield, Alameda Co., California.

Isaac Monroe Shepard

Isaac Monroe Shepard was the father of Rosina Shepard. I can see similarities, even in this rather poor image, that have carried through to the Skidmore line today.

BIOGRAPHY: Isaac M. Shepard

(Additional material written by Zella Skidmore McEntire after checking the genealogical sheets and after reading Justin Shepard's history).

Isaac M. Shepard is my great, great grandfather. The Shepard family kept good records; as a result of this I am able to trace back for eleven generations (see last page). The first Isaac Shepard I know of, was born in London, England in 1571. In 1635 he arrived at Charlestown, Massachusetts, having come on the ship "Abigail" under Captain Robert Hackwell. He was sixty-four years of age and his son Ralph was about thirty. Ralph lived in towns in the Boston area--Dedham, Rehoboth, Weymouth, Concord, and was buried in the Old Bell Rock Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts. Others of my Shepard ancestors lived in Newton, Watertown, Norton, New Marlboro, and Bellingham. Isaac M. Shepard's father was born November 13, 1776 at New Marlboro, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. He (Obediah or Obed Shepard) died September 7, 1858 at Copenhagen, Lewis County, New York. Isaac's mother (Mary Yeomans) was married November 24, 1805. Mary Yeomans was born September 18, 1785 at Meriden, New Haven, Connecticut; her son Isaac was born there also, on September 2, 1806. She died April 10, 1853 at Copenhagen, Lewis, New York.

On July 25, 1825 Isaac M. Shepard married Sarah Lackore who was born in Ruthland, New York. This couple made a home together for more than nineteen years at the town of Denmark, Lewis County, New York, where their nine children were born. Lovina was the oldest daughter. My great grandmother Rosina came next. Then Justin was born. Justus died in the East two months after birth. Lusina, the third daughter died at the age of three on 12th of March 1837 in New York. Sarah Lackore wrote, "I tried to do all I could to help those in need--the poor and needy and those in trouble. I was a Relief Society teacher, helping prepare the dead for burial." (From Justin Shepard's story).

Route of Travel: Isaac M. Shepard and his wife Sarah Lackore and seven of their children left by team from Rodman, New York to Sackets Harbor, New York. Rodman is about twenty-five miles from Denmark, New York where the children were born and about fifteen miles from Copenhagen, New York where Isaac's parents were buried. They traveled by boat down Lake Ontario, through the Welling (Welland) Canal, down Lake Erie and docked at Cleveland, Ohio. Here the family lived for one year. They left by team for Nauvoo and stayed there just one month. Next, they moved to Zarahemla, Lee County, Iowa where they remained for 2 1/2 years, so they could get the means to go West with the Saints to Salt Lake City. The Shepards left Lee County, Iowa, by team and went to Council Bluffs and remained for the winter at Davis Camp. At this time the Saints were called on for volunteers for the Mormon Battalion. Albert Knapp was one of the volunteers and left a sad sweetheart, Rozina Shepard, at Council Bluffs at this time (July 16, 1846). The following spring the family moved to Linden, Clay County, Missouri where the wife and mother, Sarah Lackore, passed away in confinement and the child died, leaving seven motherless children. She died May 7, 1847 at the age of forty. The children left ranged from two years of age up to twenty-one years. My great grandmother was one of the three teenagers who had a lot of responsibility to help the widower care for the four children nine years of age and younger (the youngest being just two).

In the Spring of 1848 the Shepards went by team to Winters Quarters and the same Spring left in Brigham Young's Company number 3 with Lorenzo Snow, Captain of the Hundred. Many hardships and trials were experienced on their trip across the plains, the buffaloes even stampeded the cattle at certain times. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the Fall of 1848. Isaac had remarried to Eleanor Jane Davis on February 1, 1848, who later bore him three children. The Shepard Family remained in Salt Lake the first winter and the next Spring (1849) moved to Farmington. Shepard's Lane and Shepard's Canyon are named after this pioneer. They lived there for ten years working hard to keep alive. The men went ahead and prepared a place for the members to live in Richmond. Isaac and his family were among the 14 families who stayed in Richmond, Utah, during the winter of 1859. They lived in the fort to be safe from the Indians. During this time they built a large, log cabin; it was the only one with a floor in it, so it was used for a meeting place, especially for dances and entertainments.

Isaac and his son Justin were minutemen who helped to watch for the treacherous Indians. They were extremely cautious while working in the canyons getting wood and logs. When the shoes were gone, the legs were wrapped in gunny sacks and tied with twine. Later, moccasins were made out of hides of the cattle.

Isaac did many things well. He was an excellent blacksmith. He made an effective bear trap and caught a big, black bear. It was a blessing to have the hide for robes and the grease to make soap, etc. At one time he shot a bear dead just six feet in front of him.

The crickets were so bad that it became a regular task to drive them into the ditches to be drowned, so the crop would be saved.

The Shepard men were great hunters. They shot and caught wild geese, ducks, rabbits, wild fowl, fish, and venison which was enjoyed as a delicacy when salted.

"The Indians killed a man and Justin Shepard helped thaw out his body and dug a grave to bury him."

Cradles and scythes were used to cut the grain and hay. The Shepards were experts with these partly wooden tools. These tools are in the Richmond Relic Hall. For many years it was necessary to haul the grain 27 miles to Brigham City to be ground into flour. Later, there was a mill in Logan. Then W.D. Hendricks built a grist mill in Richmond out on High Creek.

Isaac was a reserved, respected man who did his part working on schools, houses, churches, the Logan Temple and Richmond Tabernacle.

It was interesting to note how much the pioneers valued mahogany wood when they could find it. A chunk of it would last just as a chunk of coal would.

Isaac Shepard married for the third time Anna Marie Adams on September 1852. She bore him five children. According to the record of Charles Henry Skidmore he was the father of 17 children. According to a grand daughter Ella S. Thomson he was the father of 20 children.

Isaac was a very ambitious man. He was handy at anything he decided to do. He was a member of the 40th quorum of Seventies and later became a High Priest. He lived a rewarding life. He died October 23, 1882 at Richmond, Utah (Austin, Nevada).

Isaac M. Shepard's Posterity

BIOGRAPHY: Isaac M. Shepard was born September 2, 1806 at Meridian, New Haven, Connecticut. He was the son of Obadiah Shepard and Mary Yeomans. On July 25, 1825 he married Sarah Lackore. They were the parents of nine children:

BIOGRAPHY: 1. Lovina Shepard of Bishop Creek, California was born July 30, 1826 at Denmark, Lewis County, New York. She married Joel Smith and died in September 1906.

BIOGRAPHY: 2. Rozina Shepard was born January 21, 1829. She married Albert Knapp (1). They were the parents of six children. Albert, a member of the Mormon Battalion, got the mining fever in his blood after twelve years of farming in Farmington, Utah and set out for California. Rozina married Frederick Nelson Francis (2), by whom she bore two children:

BIOGRAPHY: Rozina Adalaide died at the age of ten months.

BIOGRAPHY: Maria Melvina Francis married August "S" Schow on the 9th of February, 1881 (Reference: History of August Severene Scow, Biographical Encyclopedia by Jenson, Vol II, pg. 767). Together Mr. and Mrs. Schow raised a large family.

BIOGRAPHY: Rozina married Christian Larson Hyer (3) on February 15, 1869. Hyer was born at Christensen, Oslo, Norway on September 17, 1817. His father was Lars Hejer and his mother Ann Olsen of Norway. Two children graced the union of Hyer and Rozina:

BIOGRAPHY: Ezra Taft Hyer was born on December 11, 1869 at Farmington, Davis, Utah and died there at the age of 10 months (September 1870).

BIOGRAPHY: Ester Jane Hyer was born September 27, 1871 at Farmington, Davis, Utah. She married Samuel "W" Hendricks; they were the parents of a large family.

BIOGRAPHY: Hyer died September 20, 1901 at Richmond, Utah.

BIOGRAPHY: 3. Justin Shepard of Richmond, Utah, was born in Denmark, New York January 21, 1831. He married Eliza Maria Allred on May 1, 1855.

BIOGRAPHY: 4. Justus Shepard died in the East at the age of two months, born 25 August 1832 and died 2 October 1832.

BIOGRAPHY: 5. Lusina Shepard was born March 15, 1834. She died three years later on March 12, 1837.

BIOGRAPHY: 6. Alzina Shepard was born August 15, 1836. She lived in Bishop Creek, California and was married to Alden Burdick.

BIOGRAPHY: 7. Judson Shepard was born April 17, 1840. He married Eliza Barnett on March 15th, 1864.

BIOGRAPHY: 8. Sarah Shepard was born November 19, 1842. She married Fountain Welch and they raised a large family, living at Providence, Cache, Utah. She died after her husband on August 25, 1935.

BIOGRAPHY: 9. Servina Shepard was the last of nine children born to this couple at Denmark, Lewis County, New York, on May 15th, 1845. She married John Cole. She died August 25th, 1935, having lived in Santa Cruz, California.

BIOGRAPHY: Isaac Shepard married another wife, Eleanor Jane Davis on February 1, 1848. She bore him three children:

BIOGRAPHY: 1. Ephraim of Mona City, Utah.

BIOGRAPHY: 2. Joseph of Echo, Utah, and

BIOGRAPHY: 3. Josephine of Mona City, Utah (the latter were twins).

BIOGRAPHY: Isaac also married a third wife by the name of Anna Maria Adams on September 8, 1852. Their five children were named:

BIOGRAPHY: 1. Mary Ann

BIOGRAPHY: 2. Malinda

BIOGRAPHY: 3. Isaac

BIOGRAPHY: 4. Philinda

BIOGRAPHY: 5. Philena

BIOGRAPHY: They all went to California to live. Malinda and Isaac died there.

BIOGRAPHY: Justin Shepard recorded the route of travel from New York to Richmond, Utah with his father's family as follows:

BIOGRAPHY: Isaac Shepard left Rodman, New York, by team to Sackett Harbor; took boat on Lake Ontario through Welland Canal, Lake Erie, to Cleveland, Ohio; remained there about a year, left by team for Nauvoo, Illinois; remained there about one month, then left for Zarahemla, Lee County, Iowa; remained there for about 2 1/2 years to get means to continue our journey to Salt Lake City; left by team Lee County for Council Bluffs where we wintered at Davis Camp. At this time the Saints were called on for volunteers for the battalion. The following Spring we went to Linden, Clay County, Missouri where Mother died May 7, 1847 (Sarah Lackore). The following Spring we left for Winters Quarters, the same Spring we left with Lorenzo Snow's Company for Salt Lake City. This was the year of 1848, and arrived in Salt Lake City in the Fall; we remained there over the winter. The Spring of 1849 we moved to Farmington, Utah, remaining there ten years. In the Spring of 1859 we went to Richmond, Utah to prepare a place for our families and moved all of our holdings in the Fall of 1859. Shepard's Lane and Shepard's Canyon in Davis County, Utah are named after Isaac Shepard and his family. The Shepard Family came to Utah with fine horses.

BIOGRAPHY: Genealogy of Isaac M. Shepard and

BIOGRAPHY: Daugher Rozina Shepard Knapp, Francis, Hyer


BIOGRAPHY: Sarah Armina Knapp was born February 20, 1853 at Farmington, Davis County, Utah to Albert Knapp and Rozina Shepard. She died November 14, 1891 at Richmond, Cache, Utah. She married William Lobark Skidmore on March 28, 1868. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1844. He died November 11, 1933 at Richmond, Utah.

BIOGRAPHY: Charles Henry Skidmore, son of William Lobark Skidmore and Sarah Armina Knapp, was born July 24, 1875 at Richmond, Cache County, Utah. He died June 12, 1964 at Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Anna Louise Wangsgard on June 3, 1903. She was born in Huntsville, Utah, February 29, 1880 and died March 23rd at Salt Lake.

BIOGRAPHY: Zella Skidmore McEntire, a daughter of Charles H. Skidmore and Louise W. Skidmore was born June 15, at Logan, Utah in 1912. She is the writer and submitter of this history.


BIOGRAPHY: Isaac M. Shepard

BIOGRAPHY: By Charles Henry Skidmore
Compiled by Zella Skidmore McEntire

Rosina Shepard

Rosina was the daughter of Isaac Monroe Shepard and Sarah Lackore. Rosina was born 21 Jan 1827 in Denmark, Lewis Co., New York. Her first husband was Albert Knapp. She and Albert were the parents of six children. He left to pursue some mining interests and she stayed in Utah and married again. I know little about her second marriage to a man surnamed Francis.

Her third marriage to Christian Hyer found her living in Cache Valley Utah. She died in Richmond 23 Oct 1882. This picture indicates that she had children in her later marriages. I don't know very much about those marriages.

I can see similarities in her facial features to a couple of my Skidmore uncles. She was the mother of Sarah Armina Knapp, wife of William Skidmore.

William Lobark Skidmore

William Lobark Skidmore was the child of Charles Brett Skidmore and Harriet Henriette Schrider
(or Schrader). He was born 22 Sept 1844 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I was born on September 22, 1844, in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My memory reaches back to my old home on the Avenue which branched off from the street where draymen hauled great loads of freight into the city. I was much interested in watching them pass by and soon received the title of the "Little Red Curly Head".

I began attending school when six years of age and was Baptized into the Church by my brother Henry when I was eight years old. I was baptized in the Delaware River.

In April, 1855, with my mother and other members of the family, we started for Utah. My mother, Harriet Henrietta Sharedier Skidmore, the oldest son Henry, his wife and daughter Harriet, and another man, Samuel, who settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a daughter, Rachel, made up the party who came to Utah. The father, Charles Breet Skidmore, a son George, and a daughter Mary were left in Philadelphia. They did not join the Church. We went to Pittsburgh by rail, then down the Ohio and up the Missouri to Atchinson, Kansas, where we had our first experience of camp life. It rained for several days which made it very unpleasant for us. My brothers soon bought some cattle and an outfit, and we joined Captain John Hindley's Company for the journey across the plains. It fell to my lot to provide the fuel with which to cook our food. Since no wood grew on the plains, I would take a sack and gather up dry buffalo chips to fry our bacon and bake our bread. Often the wind would blow the lid off the pan, and some of our food would be seasoned with sand and ashes. This annoyed the women until all of us would have to laugh. We had no fresh meat except when someone killed a buffalo.

What was not eaten immediately was cut into strips and dried in the sun. At one time we saw a band of Indians coming toward us and the captain gave orders for the train to stop. All who had guns were ready to defend us. When the Indians saw that we were ready for them, they became friendly and wanted to trade buckskins and moccasins for sugar and salt. My brother, Henry's wife was young and pretty, and the Chief wanted to trade a pony for her. Sometimes we would stop for a day to rest and shoe the oxen and make necessary repairs. One day when the Captain was riding by, he told my brother, Henry, that our family was one of the best of the train and never caused him any trouble as did some of the others. At a place called Ash Hollow, the road was very steep. Mother with two girls had to walk and were left behind. Darkness came on, and they thought they were lost and were about to give up when they saw our camp fires. They were very tired and hungry when they reached camp, but no trouble came to them. We had tried to play a joke on them by filling the wagon with service berry bushes, but when we saw their plight we were sorry.

When we neared the Rocky Mountains, we met a company from Utah on their way east. They advised us to go back with them, saying that the grasshoppers were so bad in the Salt Lake Valley that they had eaten everything up and we would starve. We were not convinced by what they told us, and so we continued our journey. We reached Salt Lake City on October 3rd, after a journey of five months by ox teams.

We learned that the grasshoppers were pretty bad and had destroyed most of the grain in the valley. The winter was very severe and was cold with deep snow. We could get but little food and had to live on corn meal and molasses. When spring came, we dug Sego roots and other plant roots to live on. In May, 1856, I went to live with Beason Lewis who offered to take me in as his son, and it would relieve mother of one to feed and clothe.

I went to live on a ranch twelve miles west of Salt Lake City which belonged to Beason Lewis. His business was in the city. His wife, Elizabeth Ryan Lewis, lived on the ranch, and her husband would come as often as he could as he was very much interested in our welfare. On the ranch were two log cabins, and we lived in the one that had two rooms. We lived in the north room, and Stillman Pond and family lived in the south room. James Imlay lived part. of the time in the other cabin.

Most of the time, Mrs. Lewis and I were the only persons on the ranch which was a long way from the other settlers. There were many rattle snakes there and often, when all alone, I would hear them rattle and then I knew they were near enough to strike at me and I would hurry away to escape their poison. Sometimes the wolves would steal the new-born calves. The Indians would come often which I did not like at first. They came to us to beg for a biscuit. We were good the them, and they became friendly. After living there for some time, I was glad to have the Indians come, and I learned to talk to them to pass the time away.

When I was only eleven years old, it became my duty to take care of the mules that were used to haul the U. S. Mail 1000 miles from the states to Utah. The mules were very thin and worn from the fast driving across the plains, and Beason Lewis had the contract with the government to take the mules and get them in shape to be used again. They were placed on good food to fatten up and gain strength, another group of mules taken from the ranch in good condition would be used to pull the mail from west to east. I took care of the mules and kept them in the hills nearby. One morning, I rode a horse to drive the mules to water. In going over a hill, the saddle slipped back and the horse became frightened and kicked both saddle and me off. My head struck a rock and I was stunned. I don't know how long I was unconscious. When I came to, I caught a little lazy pony and drove the mules to the water. When I returned home, Mrs. Lewis saw the blood dripping down my back and she was alarmed. We were all alone, no one being near us for miles. I got off the horse, and she bathed my head with water and took off my bloody shirt. The wound wasn't too deep, and I soon recovered. That was an accident that could have caused my death. The scar remained for a long time, but I know that some power protected me.

At the time of the Echo Canyon War in the spring of 1858, all the people moved south and we moved with them to Spanish Fork. I herded cows on foot mostly all summer. I took my little dinner bag each day. The Indians would come on horseback and take the herd-boys' dinner. But I was lucky. I hid mine. The Indians were good to me. I think that being red-headed with sore lips and a freckled face, they thought I was one of them and belonged to a strange tribe.

The army passed peacefully through Salt Lake City and camped on the west side of the valley at the mouth of Bingham Canyon, so we went back home. I was glad to get back to the ranch in the late part of the summer. One day, Beason Lewis said to me, 'Well, I am about to sell the ranch and move to Cache Valley. Will you go with me?' After thinking about it for some time, I answered, 'Yes I will go.' I had been on the ranch three and one half years and had learned to love the place, so there was sadness mingled with joy at leaving. The fall and winter of 1859 60, we lived in Salt Lake City and I went to school. I was also prompt in going to meetings. I had the privilege at different times of listening to the remarks made by Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Jedidah M. Grant and the Apostles. I never became tired of hearing them speak. Their words were powerful. Their counsel has been a guide in my life.

In April of 1860, I went with Beason Lewis and family to Richmond, Utah, in Cache Valley. We had a wagon and horses and an ox team and wagon, a few cows and sheep. I drove the cows and sheep on foot. We were nine days coming from Salt Lake City and were glad to arrive at our destination.

When we arrived, we had much hard work to do, the first being to plow the land. It was very tough to plow and break up, and so we had to use four oxen on a plow. The plows were made of scrap iron by the local blacksmiths, and the harrows were made of wood with wooden teeth. We planted a few acres of wheat. Ditches had to be made from Cherry Creek to water the crops when we finished planting. We had to go up a high, steep mountain which we called Nebo to get house logs and fence poles. There was a cold spring of water that we drank from before going up the mountain, and we were very glad to get back there for another drink as the weather was warm and there was no water on the mountain. It has been 68 years since I went up Nebo, but as I look up at the mountain while standing in the street on the north side of the Tabernacle, there is a bare mark plainly visible. It has been made by water flowing down the old drag road made when we got the logs out. When the house logs were on the building lot in the fort, next came the building of the houses with dirt floors and sod roofs. A few settlers hauled logs they got from Cherry Creek to Logan and to the first sawmill in Cache Valley and had them sawed into lumber for their houses. After toiling all day, we had to take turns standing guard to keep the Indians from stealing our horses. The worst trouble we had with the Indians was in Smithfield. An Indian had been accused of horse stealing and was made a prisoner, but he broke loose and started to run. The officer shot and killed him. His tribesmen fled up Smithfield Canyon with revenge in their hearts. They met two white men coming down the canyon with their loads of logs. The Indians shot and killed them and then escaped on horseback into the canyon. I have often thought that the Indian charged with stealing had not committed any bloodshed, and it would have been better to let him escape than for our friends to have been killed.

Beason Lewis lived up to his contract and gave me all the advantages that other boys had at the time. I lived with him for twelve years, and the greater part of my clothing was made by Mrs. Lewis. She spun the wool into rolls and into yarn, dyed it and made it into cloth on a loom and then made it into clothing.

In tribute to Beason Lewis, W. L. Skidmore said: 'Once I was hungry. When I was nine years old my mother gave me to Beason Lewis. For some time, I had not tasted bread as wild roots and weeds that were cooked were my bill of fare. When Uncle Beason took me into his home, Aunt Betsy cut off a big slice of bread, spread it thickly with butter and gave it to me. That was the sweetest, best food I ever ate in my life.' When W. L. Skidmore married. Beason Lewis gave him ten acres of land and a team of horses.

In 1863, nine Richmond boys made a trip to Florence Nebraska, to assist in bringing into Utah the Saints from various parts of the world. Eight teams of four yoke of cattle made up the train. Charles Allen was the night guard. The teamsters were: William L Skidmore, Thadeus Goslind, John Buxton, Samuel Rogers, Thomas Petty, Eli Harris and Henry Dobson. (A picture of this group is on exhibit in the Museum in Brigham City.)

From the Book of Pioneers: W. L. Skidmore assisted in bringing immigrants to Utah. He was Superintendent of the Richmond Ward Sunday School in 1879-1880; Counselor to A. U. Hobson, who was the first Superintendent of the Y.M.M.I.A., in 1875-78; Bishop of the Richmond Ward for 21 years; ordained a Patriarch by Charles W. Penrose; Minute Man; Justice of the Peace; member of the City Council; member of the first Dramatic Society in Richmond; President of the Benson Stake High Council; hauled rock and lumber for the Logan Temple in 1878-79.

On March 28, 1868, he was married in the Salt Lake Endowment House to Sarah Armina Knapp. Rachel Andersen told this story: "Harriet Skidmore, a daughter of Henry, William L. Skidmore's oldest brother came to Richmond to visit her Uncle "Will", with whom she crossed the plains. While here, she met and fell in love with Silas Knapp, a brother to William's wife Armina. She stayed all summer, and in the fall William and Armina took the young couple to Salt Lake City to be married in the Endowment House. Returning to Richmond. the young couple lived with William and Mina in their two room log house. Later, when both women were expecting babies, they had no cloth with which to make diapers. They cut an old canvas cover into squares, washed it and pounded it and rubbed it until it was soft enough to use for diapers. Harriet took care of Mina when her baby was born, and then two weeks later Mina took care of Harriet when her baby was born.

On May 4,1879, at a special meeting held in the residence of Moses Thatcher in Logan, William L. Skidmore was ordained a High Priest and was set apart as Bishop to preside over the Richmond Ward by Apostle Charles C. Rich. On the same occasion, Christian Hyer was set apart as first Counselor and Wallace K. Burnham as Second Counselor to Bishop Skidmore. The latter held this position for twenty-one years.

Again from Rachel Andersen: "When William L. Skidmore was made Bishop, the Richmond Ward consisted of all the area, which is now Richmond and also that of what is now Cove, all the way to the Idaho Border. A block west of William's home and across the street where the old Willard Merrill and C. Z. Harris homes used to be, was the tithing lot. There was a large barn, a granary and a tithing office. Tithing was collected or paid in produce as there was very little cash. People would bring in anything from a half dozen eggs to a load of hay or grain, a beef or a cow, or even a few sacks of potatoes or a squash. All these things had to be recorded, receipts given and then the produce cared for. There was a big cellar under the barn where the vegetables, eggs, butter and such things were kept. A grain grinder powered by two horses travelling around in a circle, ground the grain for the cattle. A man by the name of John Anderson was hired full time to care for the stock. The bulk of the work and all of the responsibility rested upon the Bishop. Once each week, he would load the butter, eggs, vegetables, etc., into a wagon and take them to Logan to the Tithing Office there. It was located on the northeast corner of First North and Main Streets. Both Rachel and Malinda Skidmore Cutler remember going with William on these trips. They would take a lunch and eat it while waiting for him to give an accounting and transact his business."

He was married to Wilhelmina Pearson on February 19, 1885, in the Logan Temple. He was the father of 18 children, 12 sons and 6 daughters.

William L. Skidmore died on November 11, 1933, and his funeral was held on November 14,1933. A message of confidence from Governor Blood was read wherein he paid tribute to the integrity and outstanding ability of Mr. Skidmore. Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Council of Twelve Apostles, an intimate friend, brought love and blessing from the presiding authorities of the Church. Brigham F. Grant, General Manager of the Deseret News and a life long friend of William, was also a speaker. He was a brother to President Heber J. Grant and was a member of the Beason and Betsy Lewis family and had had a great influence over his whole life. No boy or girl who ever lived with Beason and Betsy Lewis could have had a more loyal father and mother. Beason Lewis had two wives and no children of his own except those who came to him. He and his wife were perfect parents to all they cared for.






BIOGRAPHY: Guide to Mormon Diaries and Autobiographies p. 315 .... On (polygamous)
underground - appearing at my door in the guise of a tramp asking for bread,
my little daughter Melinda did not know me until I changed my voice and smiled."


BIOGRAPHY: (note he married Charlotte before Sarah died and was therefore
polygamous)