In this chapter my grandfather writes about his grandfather, John Prichard Squire. John Prichard Squire was baptized by Lorenzo Snow. John's oldest sister, Harriet Amelia Squire, married Lorenzo Snow, becoming his fourth wife. When Lorenzo Snow went on his mission to Italy he asked my 2nd great grandfather, John Prichard Squire, to care for his family in his absence.
CHAPTER TWO
SQUIRE LINE HISTORY
Ezekiel and his wife, Mary had a son they named Ezekiel Jr., born Oct. 19, 17--in Ludlow, Mass. He died Nov. 3, 1809. He married Margaret Stikes (some records have it Sikes) and to them a son was born September 19, 1795 and given the name of Aaron. Aaron married Elizabeth Prichard in the summer of 1818. She was born April 26 1796. To them were born eleven children, the fourth being a son on March 30, 1824, in Bainbridge, Geauga County, Ohio, and given the name of John Prichard Squire (my grandfather).
I found an old notebook among other papers in a box of old papers that evidently my father had gathered up after his mother's death. In this notebook Grandfather had listed his children with the date, day, and time of their birth and a short history of his life, written in a clear good hand. He tells of living on a farm claimed by his father that he had taken up in Bainbridge, Ohio, which is about 20 miles south of Kirtland. Lorenzo Snow, who later became president of the church was born in Mantua, Ohio, about nine miles southeast of Bainbridge, the birthplace of my Grandfather. Mr. Snow after becoming a convert of the L.D.S. Church, did quite extensive missionary work in Ohio. Grandfather relates of reading a tract on Mormonism written by Lorenzo Snow in the year 1844. He and his sister, five years older than he, were the only ones of the family to join the church. His sister, Harriet Amelia became the fourth wife of Lorenzo Snow sometime in 1846 and their first child a daughter, was born July 16, 1847 before leaving the next April for Utah. After coming to Utah they made their home in Brigham City. In his history Grandfather tells of his being attacked and bitten by a dog at the age of eight. The dog tearing most of his clothing off. Also of falling from a horse, at the age of eleven striking his head on a rock which resulted in cutting a gash in his head leaving his skull bare for two or three inches. The rest of his history I will give as he has written it...
"In the spring of 1844 I read "Mormon Unavail:, published by Lorenzo Snow and in the spring of 1845 I was employed as a clerk in a store belonging to Mortimer Treat, for about two months and then in the fall I worked in a shop making cheese boxes. I had attended school sixteen quarters to my remembrance. Father had said that he intended to give me a good education and I must look out for my own living or, in other words, it would be all he could give me. But he gave me the books "Comb, on the Constitution of Man" and "By Waylands Political Economy".
"I left my fathers residence Oct. 1, 1845, forenoon (age 21), left my relations at Nelson (fifteen miles south-east of Bainbridge) Oct. 2, 1845, shook hands with my eldest brother, Lorenzo, Oct. 2nd at dusk, and parted at Warren, Ohio. (Note: This is the last time he ever saw any of his family except his oldest sister who married Lorenzo Snow.) Took canal boat the same evening for Beaver, Pennsylvania, arrived there the next day about sun down. (Saturday evening unloaded and got a house and stayed until Thursday and started by steamboat for Cincinnati where I changed steamers bound for St. Louis, then on to Nauvoo. Stayed one week and one day, started to hunt up a school to hire out as a teacher. Traveled about for four weeks and found employment in Fairmount, Pike County, Illinois, at twelve dollars a month and board or fifty dollars per quarter and paid fourteen dollars for board to Mr. G. C. Case. a member of the Mormon Church. Worked the next summer at Mr. Daniel Corrie's in Fairmount at ten dollars per month and in the fall taught school for three months and in the winter in Brown County, Illinois near Fairmount (north). The next summer I worked at Fairmount farming on shares with James Wilson for one-fourth and they doing one-half the work. In the winter I taught school in the west of Fairmount for forty dollars per quarter and board around with the scholars. I had been playing ball with the scholars and went to the creek with Joseph Seybold to wash our hands. The scholars shut me out of the schoolhouse and said they would not let me in without a treat. I closed the school on March 16. 1848 and started for Mt. Pisgah. On the 22nd I crossed the Mississippi and on the 23rd I took the fever and ague. Arrived at String Town the 29th. Lay there shaking with the ague on the 30th. Started for Mt. Pisgah the 31st with a Mr. (or Brother) Folks and arrived at Pisgah April 9th. Went to Lorenzo Snow's and was baptized April 13, 1848 about 4 p.m. in the Grand River by Lorenzo Snow and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the evening by Lorenzo Snow. The ague began to wear off. Started April 18, 1848, for the valleys of the Mountains and on west. Had a turn of the dumb ague and stayed on Musquite creek one week and at Winter Quarters one week, also a week on Elk Horn. Left Elk Horn on June 1st. 1848, with a company of about one hundred wagons, crossed Loop Fork and stayed a week or more here, and I had about the last symptoms of the ague. Helped the companies all over except those behind H. C. Kimballs. Went on to a little above Chimney Rock where the companies broke up into smaller ones. Traveled about one hundred miles below Deering, crossed to the south side of the Platt river and stopped on Deer Creek to hunt one week, where Mrs. (Sister) Thompson died of child birth. Saw my first grizzly bear here.
"Arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake Sept. 22, 1848. Worked for Lorenzo Snow. Was ordained an Elder and joined the Elder's Quorum in June, 1849. At the October conference commencing Oct. 6, 1849, Lorenzo Snow was called to go on a mission to Italy and desired me to remain with his families, which I did with the promise of no other reward, only such as he received from his mission. He started October 19, 1849, and I remained with his families doing the best I could for them until Oct. 1, 1852. I worked for and brought some six hundred dollars for the families use besides the labor which I did getting wood, etc. for their use.
"On Oct. 1, 1852, he discharged me and I left for Manti, Sanpete Valley and started to teach school there commencing Dec. 13, 1852.
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| Adelia DeMill |
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| John Prichard Squire |
"On the 31st of December at about 4 p.m. Adelia DeMill and I were married by John Lowery, Sen., then Bishop of Manti. (age 28, wife age 20).
"February 10, 1851, I was ordained in the Quorum of Seventy. (I have in my possession that certificate.) On Feb. 22, 1852, I received my first washings and anointings in the Council House in Salt Lake City.
"Lorenzo Snow gave me one yoke of steers and one cow, two year old past, and calf and in the spring of 1853 he let me have twelve common plates, three deep plates, one platter and two bowls. Also some knives and forks, spoons and cotton cloth to the amount of fifty dollars worth. He told me that it should be to me as a mission for the time I stayed and cared for his families.
"My wife received her washings and anointings on Sept. 21, 1855, and we were sealed the next day by Pres. Brigham Young, Sept, 22, 1855.
"I was taken sick and my health began to fail me in 1858 and 1859. In 1860 I was down. I have not been able to do any work, except a day or two at a time and that light. I have taught school until now, February 1866. I was called out as a guard after Indians near Glen Cove starting August 12...returned Sept. 12, 1865 and not being able to return I was allowed to stay.
"I was elected to the office of First Lieutenant Company A November 18, 1865." (End of Quote.)
This ends the quotations of my grandfather's history as written by himself. The next few pages have been cut out of the note book. More was written as you can see the starting of each line on the margin left of the cut pages.
I know this, he was the first school teacher in Manti. I remember well the Log cabin school house that served also as their home. For desks logs were cut in half, and were from 15 to 18 inches in diameter with peg legs high enough to put your knees under them or partly so when sitting on the seats composed of sawed in two logs with shorter legs and about a foot in diameter. this was their home; but in the daytime, the school was held there. It was just back of grandmother's later home where she lived during my life time. A partly rusty sword in its scabbard hung next to the door. I used to belt it on and draw the sword which was rather long for me to draw as a kid. I am sure grandmother would have given it to me had I asked. Now I don t know what has become of it I wish I had a picture of the old place. The roof was not very steep and was of rough sawed boards, with boards over the cracks.
Grandfather had a hernia which caused his death. In those days they did not know what to do for them. He died April 25, 1872 at the age of forty eight and is buried in the Manti Cemetery.
