I have spent the last couple of days before this holiday reflecting on my own pioneer heritage. The great people they were, what they survived, struggled through and built so that I, and my children can live in this place, with these modern conveniences, the gospel abounding and Temples scattered in monuments of our faith and testimony.
I picked up one of my most treasured possessions "Ancestors and Descendants of Lydia Gover and John Ezekiel Godfrey" compiled by my Great Aunts Lydia G. Benson and Theo Buttars. This is a book to preserve my Great Grandmother's (Lydia Adline) Gover line. Upon the death of her grandfather, Morris Gover, there was no male descendant to carry on the Gover name in his direct line. Oh how I love this book! I love to read the stories, look at the pictures and find out about the people I come from (I am on page 620 of Morris' descendants)- it is the very reason I am so passionate about preserving my own families memories- some day I hope to have my Great Great Great Granddaughter poor over the pages of my books looking at the pictures, reading my thoughts and stories and learning about where she came from.
With that said, and in commemoration of this holiday, I want to share a little of Sarah Tucker and Morris Gover with you, a small piece of how they made their way in 1853 from Whales to Utah.
(All of the following are excerpt from the before mentioned book)
Morris and Sarah were married in June of 1848 and he worked in the mines of Somerset England. They were happy and comfortable and he made well financially, they had a nice home and were quite contented when the gospel message was brought to them . Morris was interested and began investigating.
The seeds of the gospel took deep root in his soul. His wife was not so readily impressed, she was happy and satisfied, she was confused by the Mormons. Nevertheless they joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Morris was baptized April 10,1849 and Sarah in September 1849.
After joining the church it was hard to find employment, most employers were bitter against the church. They moved to Whales to work until he could save enough to bring his family to Zion. Both of their parents were apposed to them going to America. Sarah's mother told her to tell Morris she didn't want to go. If she would be determined not to go, then he would not go without her. Sarah asked him about it and he responded "It is my desire to take you with me, but if you will not go then I shall go alone." Sarah said "I know he meant it."
They had a 4 year old daughter(Emily) and had given birth to a son(Elijah) one month prior to boarding their ship "International" in Liverpool England on Feb. 26, 1853. While waiting for the winds to take the ship to sea little Elijah died. Morris got permission to leave the ship, found a farmer in a field, gave them money to bury his baby. They took comfort in knowing he wasn't buried at sea. The ship landed in New Orleans after seven weeks crossing the ocean and they sailed up the Mississippi River on a steamboat for 1,000 miles to St. Louis, then up the Missouri River to Winter Quarters. From there they crossed the plains to Salt Lake City with The Jacob Gates Company as part of the Perpetual Immigration Fund that was to provide for those coming across the plains that did not have any other means, they were later to reimburse the church. During their journey it was necessary to go through streams and rivers. On one of those crossing Morris took a severe cold called Ague Fever, as a result he had to ride the rest of the way. This left Sarah to care for the children gather firewood, and do all the camp work that each family was expected to do. She walked the entire journey across the plains and Morris never completely recovered.
They arrived in Salt Lake City on Sept 8, 1953, they had 1 quart of flour left. They slept in a wagon box the first night and the next day Sarah began working at a home where her pay was their board. She had a beautiful piece of wide bright colored ribbon that she traded for some ground corn. She sifted the corn though a piece of thin cloth and was about to throw the hulls away, but thought she had better save them. Later she was glad to mix them with water and bake it for food.
Morris became a guard over the home of President Young, worked on the Railroad in the winter and the rest of the time he worked on the Salt Lake Temple. Morris was trained as a stone cutter and worked in the rock quarry for sixteen years. He said "Every stone was numbered so, if necessary, the temple could be moved and re-erected to be exactly as it is today." He would leave Monday morning and not return until Saturday night. For pay, he received some money and the rest in food supplies for his family. Sarah would go to the tithing office and stand in line, sometimes all day, for her turn in supplies.
In 1869 they moved to Clarkston in Cache County and bought a farm with a one-room log house and a wagon with a team of horses for farming. The log house did not have a ceiling in it, only rafters and a dirt roof. When it rained they had to catch it in buckets.
In 1875 their 18 year old son Henry died and in September of that same year the family got diphtheria and 14 year old Sadie died. After giving birth to 8 children they now had 5 surviving daughters.
I am amazed by their faith, testimony and commitment to endure to the end. After joining the church this faithful couple gave up everything, all their earthly belongings. They packed up their family, buried children, struggled and made their way because of their testimony and love of the Lord. Because of their sacrifices and good example I am here. I was sealed for all eternity to my sweetheart in the very temple that my Great Great Great Grandfather labored to build, I reside in this beautiful state with it's majestic scenery, weather, and 6 temples within 30 minutes of my front door. We are not asked to give up our homes, friends, family, all our worldly possessions to go to a foreign land, walk across the plains with our babies and children, and then start our lives over with new people and a new profession. But we are asked to endure, hone our testimonies, be grateful to the Lord for our blessings, pay our tithe and continue to build up the church. Let us remember today what was sacrificed and given up and left as a legacy for us all, take a moment to think about your pioneer heritage and all that they did for you and me and our way of life.
There are three of them saying "Wish" "Dream" "Grow".
