Loren DeLance Squire Family History Chapter 5

I wrote on the Tullgreen and Kenney lines back in September and included the following excerpt regarding the spelling of my Great-Grandma's name:
On the Western States Marriage Index it shows her name as Kanney Charistina Kenney. At this point, I was beginning to understand the confusion of Cannie's name. I found her in the United State Census records in 1910 as Christina Squier, in 1920 as divorced Christina Squire, and in 1930 as Christina Peterson.I found it interesting that my Grandpa writes at the end of this chapter:

So far I haven't found anything shady about the family tree...

Nowhere in his history does he note that his mother divorced, but the data from census, marriage records and death dates show that she did get a divorce from my great-grandfather. She married Frederick Petersen in 1922 and John P. Squire did not die until 1932, which is the same year her second husband passed away. I also find it interesting that Cannie is buried next to her second husband, Frederick Petersen, rather than by my Great-Grandfather John P. Squire.
Be certain to scroll to the bottom to see some great pictures!

CHAPTER FIVE

THE KENNEY ADD TULLGREN LINE

Parley Kenney and his wife, Ruth Hutchens came from Maine to the State of Massachusetts to make their home and there in Sutton, Worchester County, on July 7, 1815 they had a son born unto them and gave him the name of Loren E. Kenney (after whom I was named). He married Hanner [Hannah] Nickols [Nichols] a daughter of Robert Nickols and Mary Appleton, and who was born March 27, 1812. Their first child, a daughter and named Ellen, was born Sept. 10, 1843 and they had a son named Albert born March 29, 1846 that died in infancy. [LDS Sources show that Albert died at the age of 15 in 1861.]I have no record of how Loren E. Kenney got in touch with the church, but he was with the saints in Iowa and there in July of 1846 he joined the Mormon Battalion, soon after their son had died. He left for Fort Leavenworth with the Battalion on July 20, 1846, leaving his wife and daughter nearly three years old.

There are many histories of the march of the Mormon Battalion and its many hardships. However, they arrived in San Diego on Jan. 29, 1847. He assisted in making adobies there for buildings. They went from San Diego to Los Angeles where the members of the Battalion received their honorable discharge from the U. S. Army on July 16, 1847. Some of the members decided to stay and work until the next spring in California to get more funds. However, a group left for the east and they arrived in Salt Lake Oct. 16, 1847 nearly three months after the first pioneers had arrived. History lists grandfather Kenney in that group. I can find no record of how his wife Kanney got to Utah and don't know if he went back after her or not. It is a fact that they had another son born in Salt Lake on Nov. 22, 1852 and died in infancy. [LDS Sources show that he died October 1862.] He is reported to have helped make the first adobies in Salt Lake Valley for the building of homes.


Sometime in 1849 Loren E. Kenney married a second wife by the name of Mary Ann Tucker, who came from Kanesville, Iowa. Their 4th child was a son, born April 9, 1857 in Fillmore, Utah and given the name of Amasa Kenney. He married Kanney Christene Tullgren in Spring City, Utah and in 1875 and she was born in Spanish Fork, Utah August 16, 1858.
Kanney Christene Tullgren was a daughter of Axel Tullgren, who was born in Sweden, April 11, 1826 and had lived in Holland and Denmark before coming to the U.S. I have always understood that he was a Norwegian and I do know that he had written his life's history in Norwegian and that a grandson, Alford Larson, has it, but had not had it translated the last I heard. He married Ellen Nielson who was born March 11, 1822 and they came to Salt Lake in 1855, moved from there to Spanish Fork and then on to Spring City in 1863. I remember him well. He was a small man with a full beard and very active. A Carpenter by trade and Spring City residents tell how he did much of the building of their meeting house in labor and donated much of the cash cost. I went to Spring City for a celebration of his ninetieth birthday and found him up in the top of an old apple tree cutting out the dead wood. He came scampering down like a kid to greet me He knew the scriptures better than anyone I ever knew. I often would open the bible or book of Mormon and read a verse and he would tell me just the chapter and verse, often finishing quoting the verse I had started to read. He is the only grandparent I ever saw on my mother's side of the family, the others having died before I was born. He died on Feb. 7, 1924 at the age of 98 and is buried in Spring City near his wife.

Amasa Kenney and his wife Kanney were the parents of two children. First, Amasa, Jr. who married Annis Hansen and they made their home in Gunnison where they raised four children, two boys and two girls. Their second child, a daughter, was born Jan. 12, 1879 in Spring City and given the name of Kanney Christene Kenney. Her mother died ten days after she was born and her father drew up a contract with her dead mother's sister, Lena Tullgren Larson (who later married Moroni Bradley) to have her take and raise this baby girl as her own. (This agreement is in my possession). In this Agreement her father states that her name shall be Kanney Christene Kenney. Many records spell Kanney as Canny and Christene as Christena. This agreement was made and signed on Jan. 30th 1879 when mother was 18 days old. Lena Larson had a baby son near mother's age and she raised them on her breast as twins. My mother had a pretty rough life as a child as her aunt's husband run off and left her with her family along with the additional child she had taken to raise. She was the only mother my mother ever knew and we called her Grandma Bradley, at about the time my mother married my father, she [Grandma Bradley] married Moroni Bradley, a widower. She was also known at times as Aunt Lena.

On Jan 8, 1897,my father, John P Squire, being a widower at the age of forty with two children, Leona age nearly eight and Gilbert five and a half, married my mother, Kanney Christene Kenney who was four days short of being eighteen. So my young mother had a family to start with. Father owned his home and a good farm three miles south of Manti. Father was a hard worker and a good provider and was known everywhere for his honesty.

So far I haven't found anything shady about the family tree...

The back row shows John P. Squire's children from his first marriage, Anna Leona (with her spouse, Charles Phillip Johnson) and Ludwig Gilbert
The front row shows my grandfather, Loren DeLance, my Great-Grandparents, John P. Squire & Canney Christena Kenney, along with their other two children, Adrien and Canny
It is interesting to note the ten year age difference between Kanney/Canney and her step-daughter Anna Leona.    

L to R Back: Loren D., Leona, Gilbert
L to R Front: Adrien, Canny in about 1904

Canny, Adrien, and Loren D.

Canny, Loren D., Adrien, Canney Christena Squire Peterson

Loren DeLance Squire Family History Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR:  JOHN PRICHARD SQUIRE AND ADELIA DEMILL

Adelia DeMill

My grandmother, Adelia DeMill, was seventeen years old when she with her fathers family crossed the plains to Utah. The mode of travel was the ox team; however, she walked every step of the way driving loose stock. She told of camping one night near Chimney Rock. In the early morning hours she with other young people of the company climbed Chimney Rock and as they were climbing do they noticed that the wagon train had left them. They had to run for some time to catch up and she said she never left camp and got behind again. 

Five months after they had made their home in Manti, she went to Salt Lake City for the April conference in 1851. It was while there she meet my grandfather John P. Squire who was working for Lorenzo Snow and was in his work clothes at the time they met. The first time he called upon grandmother she was washing and was some embarrassed to be seen in her wash day clothes. However, he said he had always wanted to see his future wife on a wash day before he married her, because he felt he could tell if she would be a clean and tidy wife with her work.

The early life of grandfather and grandmother Squire was very typical of the pioneers of that time. As before mentioned their home was the school room during the day. They had to carry out the split log benches and seats at night to make room to live in and then carry them in in the morning for school. Grandmother spun the yarn and thread then getting her mother to weave it into cloth from which she made all their clothing, sewing by hand for a number of years.

They were the parents of the following children:

(1) Orpha Elizabeth, born on a Monday. Nov. 21, 1853 at 10:55 a.m. She died a month later on Dec. 28. 1853 of Erecipales. [Erysipelas is usually caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria.]

(2) Harriet Amelia born Dec. 2, 1854 at 10:00 a.m. She married Isaac Morley Allen and died Dec. 4. 1881, leaving three children, two girls and a boy. The girls were: Elenora who married William Preston Vernon and moved into Uinta County where they had a family of ten children. Other daughter. Ada Allen married a brother of her sister's husband, by the name of Andrew J. Vernon and moved to Vernal where they had a family of 6 children. The son Orson Allen was raised by grandmother Squire to manhood. He married Jane Russell in Salt Lake City and had a family of 8 sons and 1 daughter. He was a mailman in Salt Lake for many years.

(3) John Prichard Squire, Jr. (my father) born Oct. 9, 1856 on a Thursday at 3 p.m. More will be told of him later.

(4) Arron DeMill Squire, born May 6, 1858 on a Thursday. He lived his life in Manti where he had two daughters and three sons. Nellie married Mark Waters and made her home in Richfield. Laurette married Clyde Meriam lived in Manti. Franklin, oldest son, married and made his home in Manti. George married and moved to Mt. Pleasant to live. Forrest married and moved to Mesa, Arizona

(5) Anna Maria, born Jan 23. 1860 and died Jan 7, 1865 at age 5 of Scarlet Fever.

(6) Adelia Lovinda born Sept 3, 1862 and married Cyrus Winget, and made their home in Monroe, Utah.

(7) Eliza Roxa born Feb. 1, 1865 married Zenos Winget, brother of the other sister's husband and made their home in Monroe.

(8) Oliver Elias, born Feb. 26, 1867. Married Alice Jones and had one daughter named Alice. Mother died at her birth. Grandmother Squire raised her to womanhood. She married Milton Doxford and lives in Magna, Utah. Later Oliver married Diantha Anderson and they had ten children, lived at Manti, then Monroe then Clarin west of Gunnison and back to Manti.

Grandmother Squire was the only grand parent I ever saw on my father's side. In her later years I would go to her home after school to bring in her fuel and run any errand for groceries and etc. she wanted. I remember her as a white haired kind gentle old lady with piercing black eyes. She was active in her church, a counselor in Relief Society for 17 years. She did a lot of Temple work and was very faithful in her testimony of the gospel.

I remember so well her telling of grandfather coming back to their home one night some years after his death and how she got up out of bed and called his name and went as if to embrace him. She said he backed away and said, ''you can't do that now" I don't remember the other particulars, only her positive statement that he did come back and did appear to her in reality.

Grandfather took up a farm on Willow Creek north of Manti. Later he and his sons took up land about three miles south of Manti. They with others including some of the DeMill boys, made ditches from six-mile creek east of Sterling to water this land. The North Six-Mile Creek Irrigation Company was incorporated in 1889 with my father as the first water-master. This company is still in existence  My father was only sixteen years old when his father died and upon him fell the man's work of caring for his mother and brothers and sisters.I remember my father telling the story on a number of occasions of the time when he was 15 years old and his brother, Arron, 13, were sent out to Nine Mile Creek to care for some sheep. Indians were causing some trouble among the settlers at that time. There was a U-turn in Nine Mile Creek as it wound its way through a meadow with a narrow neck of land in the open end of the U. They bedded the sheep at night in this U and had a covered wagon across the open end of this U were they slept.After they had been there a few days, one night they heard the sheep running about like they were being chased. An Indian stepped up on the wagon tongue and looked in upon the boys in bed. Father said he was wide awake, but did not dare move a limb. He said he remained motionless and wide awake until day light came and then he spoke to his brother and asked him If he had seen the Indian. He assured him he had and he remained awake all night fearing to move. The Indians had killed a sheep and taken it. That day his brother left for Manti to get help and some one older to be there. Yet father said no one came for several days. He never saw a living soul during that time. 

John Prichard Squire, Jr.

Manti Cemetery:
Bottom Left:  The tall tombstone is a joint tombstone of John Prichard Squire and Adelia DeMill
Bottom Right:  Flat plaque is of John Prichard Squire, Jr. Facing his parents' tombstone
Upper Right:  There are three tombstones in a row, which belong to John P. Squire's first wife, Anna, and their two children that died in infancy, John Leslie and Ruth.

In 1888 when father was 32 years old he married Anna Ferre of Provo and to them were born the following children: Leona, born Feb 4. 1889, in Manti, Utah. Gilbert was second child and was born, July 30, 1891.Two other children were born and died as infants. John Leslie, born July 30, 1892 and died March 10, 1893. Ruth born Oct. 24, 1895 and died Sept. 3, 1896.

On November 15, 1895 father's wife Anna died leaving him the three children. Ruth died later. Leona was age six and Gilbert age four. On January 8, 1897 father married my mother who lacked four days of being eighteen years old. Father was forty-one.

Cannie Christena Kenney

This takes the history on my father's side up until the time he married my mother, Cannie Kenney. I will now go back on my mother's side of the family and report what I can of them. 

Loren DeLance Squire Family History Chapter 3 part 2

This entire post is just two letters between brothers, Freeborn (3ggf) and Isaac DeMill. It is very interesting to take a step back in time and hear the voices of the people living at the cusp of the American Civil War. My dad, DuWayne Squire, turned these actual letters into the Church History Library. I was allowed to read the original letters with gloved hands. I am glad that my grandfather included these two letters in his history. Through these letters you get an intimate view of the great divide in families over religious differences. It was great to read my third great-grandfather's testimony in his response to his brother's, Isaac's, letter.

This is the preface from my Grandpa Loren Squire:The following are copies of old letters found among papers left after my grandmother's death at the home of my father. I will copy them as written and spelled. The writing is in a very neat and pretty hand. This first letter is to Freeborn and wife, Anna from Freeborn's brother Isaac and wife, Sarah DeMill.

Saline, New York, Dec. 27, 1857

"Dear Brother and Sister, we are all well as usual. It is very healthy here and has been for two years and there is an abundance of all sorts of provisions, so if we have a contented mind we can have a continual feast. The weather is fine for winter, there is a little snow on the ground now so we can stay inside if we wish. I should like to know what makes you think there will be a famine in the land? I am sure there is no sign of it here at present. I don't know what you can see out there in the Mountains; but I think you put too much confidence in what Brigham Young tells you. In my opinion he knows no more about what is coming to pass as to regards famines than we do here and I don't believe that God ever made a revelation to him in any way unless it is to repent of his wickedness. Now I don't want to hurt your feelings but for some time I have wanted to tell you my views on the subject of Mormonism; but it would be of no use, I suppose for you won't believe anything if it looks ever so reasonable, unless it agrees with your views...You say the bible is only a short sketch of the history from Adam to the Apostles. Well, supposing it aint it is all that you or we have or can get and what we haint got, we don't know anything about.

"But we have more now than we live up to perhaps, but you don't quote scripture right all ways. You say the bible says Deacons must be the husband of at least one wife, you might as well say they should be the husband of one wife only, but if there was no bible about it I think common sense and a little serious reflection would teach a man better than to think of having more than one wife and the woman that would willingly become the second wife whilst the first one is living must be a curious kind of a woman in my opinion, but as a man thinketh so is he. I think you was deceived in the first place by Jo Smith and Sidney Rigdon and led away from the right way and before we knew it you was off with them. Well, you have a right to your religion as long as it don't interfere with the constitution of the United States, but what religion can there be in rebelling against the government. It is not for your religion that the U.S. Troops are sent to protect the officers that are sent there. Now what does it look like to have Mormons bum the grass in the valleys and bum the wagons and supplies that are sent there by the government for the benefit of the troops. What does this look like? Don't you suppose them valleys and mountains belong to the government, or do you think because Brigham Young has led the Mormons off there that they belong to him and he is constantly sending out men into all parts of the earth to deceive all they can to come there by telling them and when they get there he tells them they must help to make it Zion and now he defies the government to drive them off. He threatens to raise the British flag...How would that look to see a British flag on American soil? 0! Brother...can't you begin to peep through the dark mistry. You see, if Young don't show you all a trick yet. Just how many emigrants he has caused to be murdered, robbed and some he has taken prisoners and shamefully abused and put in prison and I don't know but they starved to death there. You may wonder how I know anything about these things. I have read a book that was written by a woman that went to Nauvoo and from there to Salt Lake. Do you remember anything about Mrs. Bradish? You may try to make us think it aint trew, but there is a man here, that was there and knew the woman that wrote the book and he says it is trew. If I had the book now I would give you some of the contents. It's awful. The man has a brother there now and he was there three months and came away with Fremont. In your paper I see the names of some that are in the book. The woman was in Nauvoo when Jo Smith was killed and she knew all about a great many things that took place on the rout to Salt Lake and after they got there. You say you are the happiest people in the world; but she told a different story from that. She says girls are compelled to marry men that have other wives. Their fathers will compel them to marry against their will if he can get more property by it. Well for my part I can't see how you find women for so many wives unless you find more silly women than men to follow the seducers that are sent out in the world to deceive and blind the poor creatures and when they get there they are not allowed to leave unless they go or run away and I mite say steal away with emigrants that pass through and then they are followed by the Donites or painted mormons or artificial Indians and frequently the hole train are murdered and the spoil taken to get more rebbels there to help to fight the troops that are sent there. Well you call it Zion but I should call it Babylon. Perhaps I have written too much all ready but you want us to flee to Zion now; for he says in his history that America is Zion, both north and south. You speak of the north and south being devided. Do you mean that you have had a revelation to that effect; or is it only the signs of the times.

"What I have written, I have written; but not to hurt your feelings, but I want you to look at things as they are and not be deceived. Write again as soon as you get this. We remain as ever your affectionate

Brother and Sister,

Isaac and Sarah DeMill

And must I now the world forsake 

And fly direct to grate Salt Lake 

And leave my friends and flee
To a land where poligamy is free?"Don't be offended, but write soon. I put this in an old envelope for it is better than the new ones that we have." (end of letter)

 (Insert by Loren D. Squire) The following letter is in answer to the one above. Just how there was a copy of it among the papers found I do not know: this also was written in a very neat clear hand.

Manti, June 29, 1858

"Dear Brother and Sister: We received your letters on June 22nd dated November and December and we were glad to hear from you and were also glad you wrote your mind in plainness. You say it is no use to preach polygamy to you and we believe it; but I think you judge me very hard although I am not offended. You think I am deceived and blinded and led away by the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes and that I marry women to gratify my carnal lusts. I deny the charge you have condemned things you know nothing about. I would tell you by what authority I done as I have and my motive for so doing; but it would be no use for I see by the spirit of your letters the more you hear the harder you are. I can tell you I have not done it without good authority, there is none so blind as them that won't see. We have read the passages you referred to; but find nothing contrary to the principle of polygamy. We believe that adultery is the greatest sin a man can commit except denying the holy ghost after having received it; or shedding innocent blood. As for Joseph Smith being a Prophet it makes no difference whether you believe it or not. We hear the same stories you tell about and a great many more about as foolish. Years ago we were acquainted with him in Broome County before he got the plates and afterwards and know all about it. You have got ahead of us in getting the news from Salt Lake City. It is true the people here are gathered from many nations and will be from all. We read in the bible that Israel shall be scattered among all nations. Now I will not quote much scripture for I am forgetful and perhaps will make a mistake; but if l do it will not add to nor take away from the Bible. I think the Lord says by some of the old Prophets "I will gather them out from every nation under heaven withersoever I have scattered them." We read about his sending hunters to hunt them and about pushing them together from the ends of the earth. Now we varily know that these men you call deceivers are servants of the living God called and chosen of him to help perform his great work in these last days. It will be accomplished tho men and devils oppose for the Lord hath said he will perform his work this strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act. Now you say there two classes of people that gather here one are poor silly creatures that are deceived and led away and that they are not allowed to leave if they wish too. You talk as tho you knew it was so but I know it is not so. You talk as tho you would not believe our testimony. Well you can do as you like but let us look for a moment at your testimony. You say you have read a book that was written by a woman that went to Nauvoo and from there to Salt Lake. I do not know anything about this woman I never heard the name before. I suppose she apostatized and went back. You say it is awful and that there is a man there that knew the woman and that he said it is true. That is but one witness who is that man? Is he an apostate or a mobcrat. Now if you chose to believe that testimony and reject ours and thousands of others (that you can have if you will take the pains to get and read them) you are welcome too. But remember it will stand against you in a coming day. Now is it possible that you will believe that fathers will compel their girls to marry against their own will to get more property because that woman says so? Do you think that we poor deluded creatures become so degraded when we get here in the mountains that we have no care for the peace and happiness of our children? I say as I said before that we as a people are the happiest people in the world. You say that woman tells a different story. Well I don't think there was any happiness here for her for we read in some of the prophets of old that sinners in Zion shall tremble and fearfulness shall take hold of the hypocrite. We read somewhere in the bible about some believing a lie that they may be dammed but if you believe all that you have wrote to us you must believe a multitude of lies. It is true that some of the filth and of sewrige of the earth are gathered here else there would not be so many to run back to the states and tell such abominable lies. You know that Paul talks as tho false brethern were the worst creatures he had to deal with in his day. Now aint it strange that so many get back alive. I hear there is a great many more a going back. I suppose when they get there they will say they just escaped with lives. But we cannot blame them much for they know if they tell the truth they will not be received there. You think that Brigham Young is not fit to govern a territory but I think he had some government over the United States troops for when they came marching up here like a mob (without any official notice being sent by the government) with their silk robes prepared to hang the leaders of the church and the soldiers bragging all the way what they would do with the women. They were as big as the grasshoppers that came here a few years ago; but we did not fear them half as much. When they got as far as Hams Fork Brigham told them to stop and they stopped. If they had not they would have been sent to hell a cross lots or some other way. But he conquered them without firing a gun and they stayed there until he told them they might go to Fort Bridger. They went there and stayed there until this summer. Then Uncle Sam or Mr. Buchannan happened to think he had better send some men to see what was the matter and they found there was no rebellion here against the government no laws had been broken only what some of the officers themselves had broken. No officers had been abused unless they abused themselves running after the squaws as there is no accommodation houses here like you have there in that Christian country. No emigrants have been killed nor imprisoned or starved to death here. Now if old Buck had of taken that step in the first place he could of saved a heap of money. They have come to Brigham’s terms now and made a treaty. The people here have been quietly minding their own business all the time. We don’t want to kill folks but we have been mobbed and robbed enough to stand in our own defense now. You say that Brigham Young has threatened to raise a British flag? That was never heard of before in these vallies. When he raises it please let me know and I will go and see how it looks. You want me to see things as they are here? But these great and abominable wicked things you write about are not to be seen here. I should have to go back to the states to see them. Now we do not wish you to flee to Zion unless you want to, it is true you are in the land of Zion, but Zion is the pure in heart and I want to be where I can help to make it Zion. We read that truth will sweep the earth as with a flood and gather out the righteous from all nations and the work is now began and when it is accomplished both north and south America will be Zion and all that will not help to make it Zion will be cut off. You want to know if I feel safe here? Yes I feel safer here than I would in any other place on the face of the earth, because I know I am with a people the Lord owns and blesses. All I fear is that I will not be faithful enough in keeping his commandments and obeying his ordinances. You think I was deceived and led away from the right way; but it is not so for I always had that fearful foreboding you speak of until I found the right way and ever since I have been free indeed. Although we should have to flee to the mountains and live in dens and caves like the saints of old, that fear will find no lurking place in a saint of God. Now I could tell you something about emigrants being killed if it would do any good; but I see it is a great deal easier to believe a lie than it is to believe the truth. Now when some men in camp goes through the Indian Country, as is often the case, they will shoot an Indian or commit some depredation and then the next company that comes along are sure to reap Indian vengeance  That was the case when Capt. Gunnison was killed and one of our near neighbors, a mormon was killed the same time. He went with them as a pilot and if they had listened to him they would not have been killed. He pled with them to camp in the open prairie  but they would camp near the brush and in the morning the Indians came up and fired on them when they were eating their breakfast. You may call them artificial Indians if you like. Now about the famine and the north and the south being divided. If you do not believe it, just wait a while and I think you will have a revelation there that will cause you to wish you were in Zion. July the fourth now, and you ask what has become of the officers that was sent here and their books and property. You say I know as well as you, and I suppose I do; but I did not know anything about it until this morning I read an article in the News written by some teamsters formerly connected with the Utah expedition. It was taken from a paper printed in Los Angeles, the fifth of June. They tell how friendly the Mormons were in helping them along through their settlements, without which they say they never could have reached their destination. It then goes on after making these statements they solemnly declare for the information of the public that they heard his excellency, Governor Cummings assert on the public stand in Salt Lake City relative to the United States court records as circulated by Judge Drummond and others to be false, unfounded and most malicious representation and that the said records were delivered over to him in good condition and were at that time in his charge and custody. You want to know if Brigham has to see all the letters you write? That is something I never thought of before. We live one hundred and thirty miles from him and have not seen him for more than two years. There is one thing more I will speak of concerning the history of the Bible. You say it is all we have or can get and you say we have more now than we live up to...perhaps; but I think we have a great deal more than we believe or else we would not say we cannot get any more, for the Lord says he will give line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little and blessed are they who believe and receive these things. If you read the prophecies and believe them you must know there are great things to take place before the coming of the Savior. Do you think there is a set of people on the earth that has got knowledge and wisdom enough to prepare themselves to abide the day of his coming without revelation. If you have found such a people perhaps you had better tarry with them; but I cannot learn that God ever owned or blessed a church on the earth unless he had Prophets and Apostles in it. Therefore I could not feel safe anywhere only with this people. Now Brother, I thought I had wrote enough and I don't know but that you will think so, but I looked over your letters again and see what a picture you have drawn and I cannot refrain from writing a little more. I would like to show you who has rebelled against the government; but it would take me all Summer to write all I know about it. This people has been driven five times from their homes and their property by mob violence in violation of the laws of God and the laws of Humanity and the laws of the United States, Now just look at it, who rebelled against the government and who took the spoil? Did they take it to get more rebels with and when we were driven from Nauvoo and from what you call civilization into a savage country, it was then the government called for five hundred of our most able bodied men to go to Mexico and they went and left their families to get along the best they could and while they were gone in the service of the United States the poor, the old, the lame that were yet in Nauvoo were drove out by the point of the bayonet and some were killed. Now will you please look at it and tell me who rebelled against the government, now what next? Why as soon as we got here and got the wilderness turned into a fruitful field the mail was stopped from coming here and all for what? Because the great officers told some great lies. Now brother what does this look like? Does it look as tho this people were led by a prophet of God. I think it does for the savior said, 'Ye shall be hated of all nations". You speak about a dark mistry. There is no dark mistery in mormonism. It is all light and truth, eternal truth. Now I could prove every word I have wrote and ten thousand times more if I had time and room; but one thing I will tell you whether you believe it or not; the mormons never have rebelled against the constitution of the United States, never no never.

The many questions you have asked I answered them quite free

And thought it not a heavy task To explain them unto thee,
But you have now rejected all Advice and answers to.You say it is no use to preach
Polygamy to you...
Then why so many questions ask And expect to answered be,
And then reply I know it all And wish that you could see
You say Polygamy is wrong But still you want to know
When to another woman sealed What process we go through? Now if we answer it to youYou will not us believe.
But to some old dissenters tale Great credence you will give We ask you not to come away From Babylons wicked clan
If you with them do wish to stay Farewell: 0 foolish man.

Freeborn and Anna DeMill

Freeborn DeMill

Loren DeLance Squire Family History Chapter 3

This is a rather lengthy chapter so I am saving part of it for next week.  I hope you take the time to read it as you will see it is full of church history.  It was exciting to read about my 4th great-grandfather, Joseph Knight, and his role in our early church history and to read some of the words that the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in regards to him.  It also includes Freeborn DeMill's Patriarchal Blessing given to him by the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I am so grateful for my Grandpa Loren Squire and that he took the time to research and write our family history.

CHAPTER THREE

DE MILL AND KNIGHT LINE HISTORY 

Anthony DeMill, Jr. the first DeMill to come to America was a son of Anthony DeMill, Sen., and Maria Cobraysse who were religious refugees from Flanders, France and were living in Haerlem, Holland.

(In Antwerp, Holland in an old church cemetery a tombstone marking a grave has the following inscription: "Here lies hurried Francis DeMill, Lord of Western and Faerden, who died in the year 1544, Feb. 28th". Also on a shield a coat of arms show three eagles and a head and shoulders of a female figure the hair being tied with a ribbon.)

Anthony DeMill Jr. married Elisabeth Van Der Liphorst in the Dutch reformed church of Haerlam Holland on Sept. 19, 1653. They moved to Amsterdam, Holland where he was engaged as a grain merchant and here their first child, a daughter was born in 1654 and named Maria. They moved back to Haerlem, Holland in the spring of 1657 and on Aug. 21, 1657 a second daughter was born and named Anna. When she was about nine months old, the family sailed from Amsterdam, Holland in May, 1658 on the ship De Vergilded (Gilded Beaver) for New Amsterdam (which later became New York.)

On Dec. 7, 1659, their first son was born in America (New York). He was named Isaac and our family line comes through him. One son and two daughters were later born to this couple.

Isaac DeMill lived in New York and worked as a ship builder. He married Sarah Van Joosten about 1664. Their first child was a son born Aug. 23, 1685 and named Anthony. Our line comes down through him. He had eight brothers and two sisters.

Anthony married Maria Provoost April 26, 1706 in New York and they had ten children. We are descendants of their third child, a son whom they named Benjamin. He was born Feb. 5, 1710. He married a woman named Elizabeth about 1740. They were the parents of eight children. Their second child named Garrett born August 12, 1743 is our line of decent. 

In the year 1771, Garrett married Delana Eighmay or as some records list her as Lanah Amey. He was a farmer in Duchess County, New York and was thirty-three years old when the Revolutionary War started in 1776. He was in the Duchess County Militia under command of Colonel Abraham Brinkerhoff and fought in some of the battles against the British. (In one of his son's record, Isaac a brother of Freeborn stated he had the barrel of the rifle his father used in the Revolutionary War and that Freeborn had his sword and had taken it to Utah. Possibly the one which hung in the old school house as it on the same lot where they lived in Manti.) Between the years 1791 and 1794 the family moved to Plattskill, Ulster County, New York. They were the parents of ten children the last two being twins and were named Freeborn and Garrison, born March 3, 1795 in Plattskill. Their father was fifty-two at that time. Some time after this, the family moved to Colesville, Broome County, New York, where Freeborn met and later married his wife Anna Knight. my great-grandmother. She was a daughter of Joseph Knight and Polly Peck.

Early Knight history shows that a John Knight born about 1595 in Romsey, England came to America in 1635 with his family. They had four children, their second, a son named John Jr., born in 1622, Ramsey, England and was about thirteen years old when he came to America and is our line of decent, During his life he married five wives the third named Mary Bridge had six children. The fifth, a son was born July 12, 1675 in Charleston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and was given the name of Samuel. On July 19, 1700, Samuel married Rachel Chase and to them were born six children. Their fourth, a son born March 4, 1709 was named after his father Samuel Jr. and was born in the same town as his father, He married Annie Eames April 23, 1740 and they had four children. The third child, a son was born Dec. 26, 1744,in Sudbury, Middlesex County Massachusetts and given the name of Benjamin. He married Hannah and they were the parents of five children. Their first a son was born Nov. 26, 1772 in Oakham, Worchester County, Massachusetts and was named Joseph Knight who married Polly Peck, the parents of Anna Knight. 
In the year 1811, Joseph Knight and family moved to Colesville, Broome County, New York from Marlboro, Windham County, Vermont, where the first six of their seven children had been born. He took up a farm along the Susquehanna River and had a grist mill and carding machine. He hired Joseph Smith, when a young man, on various occasions to work for him and so the prophet became well acquainted with the Knight family. The Prophet had told them of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in the near future. Joseph Knight was taken into the confidence of the Prophet to the point that he purposely so arranged his affairs to be at the Smith family residence, near Manchester at the time the plates of the Book of Mormon were given into Joseph's possession. Mr. Knight had driven to the Smith residence with, black horse and carriage and in this conveyance according to the statement of both Lucy Smith, mother of the Prophet and Joseph Knight, Joseph Smith in company with his wife Emma, drove away very early, before daylight, on the morning of September 22. They went to Cumorah and there the Prophet received the plates of the Book of Mormon, the Urim and Thummim and Breastplate which were, for some time, excepting the Urim and thummim, concealed in the woods. 

Mr. Knight remained at the Smith residence several days and was there the day Joseph Smith brought home the plates; and in company with Joseph Smith, Sen. and Mr. Stoal, went in search of those men who had assailed the prophet while on his way home with the plates: but failed to find them. (I remember my grandmother on various occasions relating the above story, adding the fact that the horse used was a beautiful black one.)

In the History of the Church, Vol. I, Period I the Prophet Joseph Smith writes: "About the same time an old gentlemen came to visit us of whose name I wish to make honorable mention, Mr. Joseph Knight. Sen., of Colesville, Broome County, New York, who having heard of the manner in which we were occupying our time, very kindly and considerately brought us a quantity of provisions in order that we might not be interrupted in the work of translation by the want of such necessaries of life; and I would just mention here, as in duty-bound that he several times brought us supplies a distance of at least thirty miles, which enabled us to continue the work when otherwise we must have relinquished it for a season."

Anna Knight was born March 5, 1804,in Marlboro, Windham County Vermont. She was seven years old when the family moved to Colesville, Broome County, New York. Here she met and later married Freeborn DeMill on March 11, 1819 when she wasjust past fifteen years old. Her husband was just past his 24th birthday. They made their home in Colesville. 

Anna Knight & Freeborn DeMill

Anna Knight

Their first child was a daughter that they named Mariah who was born May 12, 1820.On December 24, 1822,a second daughter was born and given the name of Orpha. The third child was also a Freeborn DeMill daughter, that they named Lora Ann, born June 2 1828. Their 4th child, a son was born March 30, 1830 and given the name of Oliver. This was just a month before the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints was organized.

In Freeborn's own record he states that he was baptized in the Susquehanna River at Colesville and a few months later his wife was baptized in Sept, 1830 in New York State, He does not give the date of his baptism but his church record gives it as June 30, 1830. Church history shows a number of the Colesville members were baptized in June 1830. However, all the Knight family had joined the church and became members in 1830. Freeborn and wife were numbered with the total of seventy members, in all of New York State in Dec. 1830.

In Dec. 1830, section thirty-seven of the Doctrine and Covenants was received by the prophet in which the Lord told him to visit and strengthen the church at Colesville and commanded the church members in New York State to assemble in Ohio.

The latter part of January, 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and his wife with Sidney Rigdon and Edward Partridge left New York for Kirtland, Ohio, with instructions from the prophet that the members of the church in New York should follow in the spring. 

In Freeborn's own written record, he states that on April 21, 1831, he with his wife and family, the oldest being eleven years old and the youngest thirteen months, left Colesville for Ohio. They arrived in Thompson, Ohio on May 16, 1831. The church History relates that the members of the Colesville branch, (which included all the Joseph Knight family) were instructed to settle in Thompson, Ohio, about ten miles east of Kirtland, where arrangements had been made for them to settle.

Leman Copley had a considerable tract of land in Thompson, that he (a member of the church) had offered to let the saints from Colesville occupy. A contract was agreed upon and work commenced in good faith. However, Copley broke the agreement and some trouble over it caused the prophet to receive the 54th section of the D. and C. early in June, 1831.As a result of this revelation, the church, at Thompson composed of the members of the Colesville branch made all possible haste to leave Ohio for Missouri. In John Whitmer's history of the church, chapter 8, it states that Newel Knight was appointed leader of the company which was made up of the Colesville branch and under his leadership they made the entire journey from Thompson, Ohio to Missouri.

In the record of Freebom DeMill, he states that they left Thompson, Ohio, June 28, 1831, and arrived at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri on July 25, 1831. (twenty-seven days) The Colesville branch did not settle in Independence, but in Kaw Township a few miles west of Independence, in the valley of the Blue River. The saints rejoiced in the revelation of section 57 of the Doctrine and Covenants naming the land of the Missouri as a gathering place for the Saints and the place for the City of Zion; here they felt they could make their home in peace and safety. 
History of the Church, chapter 16 starts out, and I quote, ''On the 2nd day of Aug., 1831, I (prophet Joseph Smith) assisted the Colesville branch of the church to lay the first log for a house, as a foundation of Zion in Kaw township, 12 miles west of lndependence. (This was in between Independence and Kansas City, and is now covered by suburbs of Kansas City.) The log was carried and placed by 12 men, in honor of the 12 tribes of Israel. At that time the land of Zion was consecrated and dedicated by Elder Sidney Rigdon for the gathering of the Saints." 
Freeborn DeMill was one of the 12 men and it was from his record I gave the church historian the names of the 12 men. The church did not have the names of all 12 before I gave it to them. 
I quote from the same chapter 16 of the History of the Church as written by the Prophet as follows: "On the 4th of August, I attended the Ist conference in the land of Zion. It was held at the house of Brother Joshua Lewis, in Kaw township in the presence of the Colesville Branch of the church. The spirit of the Lord was there. On August 7, 1831, I attended the funeral of Sister Polly Peck Knight, the wife of Joseph Knight, Sen. This was the first death in the church in this land, and I can say, a worthy member sleeps in Jesus Christ till the resurrection." 

She was my great-great-grandmother. According to her son, Newel, her health had been failing for some time and she was very ill during the journey from Thompson, Ohio to Missouri. Yet she would not consent to stop traveling. Her greatest desire was to set her feet upon the land of Zion and to have her body interred in that land. While traveling on the steamer down the river, Newel went on shore at one of the stops and bought lumber to make a coffin, in case she should die before they arrived in Missouri.

History of the Church, Chap. 20, the Prophet states he visited the Saints in Kaw township a few miles west of Independence. He reported that the Colesville Branch, in particular rejoiced as the ancient Saints did with Paul. The foot note states that as the Colesville Saints were among the 1st to receive the gospel and were mostly converts of the Prophet that his heart was very tender toward them. 

Sept. 29, 1832 Freeborn DeMill and his wife had their fifth child born to them. A daughter given the name of Adelia. She was born in Kaw township, Jackson County, Missouri and is my Grandmother. 
I will not take the time and space to tell of the persecution and hardships of the Saints in Missouri as it is on record in the Church History. It must have tried the faith of the best of them after coming to the land of Zion and rest for them to have mobs and persecution drive them from their new-made homes. 
In Freeborn's own account he relates that on Dec. 1, 1833 as winter was setting in they were driven from their homes by mobs and out of Jackson County. They crossed the Missouri River to the north into Clay County where they took up their new homes. Here a little over two years later, in the spring of 1837, they were driven with the rest of the Saints out of Clay County and went north-east to Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri. Here on January 12, 1838, their sixth child, a son was born and given the name of Ellias DeMill. 

The following is a copy of the Patriarchal blessing of Freeborn DeMill, the original is in the possession of myself and is at this date one hundred twenty one years old: 

"A Patriarchal blessing pronounced by Joseph Smith, Sen. upon the head of Freeborn DeMill, son of Garrett DeMill, who was born in the town of Plattekill, County of Ulster, and state of New York, AD 1795 in the third month, and on the third day of the month:

"Brother, in the name of the Lord, even Jesus Christ, I lay mine hands upon thy head, to bless thee; and I desire that thou mayest be confirmed in the covenant made with Abraham, and that thou mayest become great in the kingdom. And I bless thee with the blessings of a father, and say unto thee, thou art of the household of faith, thou art one of the covenant people, and hast a right to the priesthood, for thou art of the seed of Abraham and hast come down, from Abraham to Joseph, and from Joseph to Ephriam, and thou art of the pure blood of Ephriam, and thou must become rich, by the labor of thy hands, but if thou wilt labor diligently in the vineyard, thou shalt receive thy penny: and blessings shall be multiplied upon thy head, and God will give thee knowledge, and wisdom. You must go forth in the name, and in the strength of Israels God; realizing the worth of souls, and your labors, shall be crowned with success; and many souls shall be made to rejoice, through your instrumentality. I seal the seal of God, upon thy forehead. Thou hast been driven from thy home for the testimony of Jesus, thou was't one of the first to come into the kingdom and thy substance has been wasted; but God will make up thy losses; and thou shalt have the Holy Ghost, and shall behold things that are shortly to come upon the earth; when God shall come forth out of his hiding place, to vex the nations. God shall keep thee and make thee rich in the things of this world. Faint not for thou shalt yet perform great things ...Thou shalt rend the prisons; thou shalt burst the bands of iron and the sick shall be healed the blind shall see the lame shall walk and the dumb shall hear when thou speakest in the name of the Lord. I seal all the blessings upon thee that will be for thy good. I seal thee to long life thou shalt live as long as thou shalt desire even if it is to behold the winding up seen, and I seal thee up to eternal life in the name of the Lord: Amen ..." 

Done at the residence of Joseph Knight, Jr. in the city of Far West County of Caldwell and state of Missouri on the 6th day of the second month A.D. 1839. Sysander M. Davis Scribe 

Freeborn states that in the spring of 1839 they with the rest of the Saints were driven out of the state of Missouri. They crossed the state for about one hundred miles to the east came to the Mississippi River crossed that and settled in Quincy Ill. on the bank of the Mississippi River. While here in Quincy their oldest daughter Marl at the age of 2I on April 22, I84I was married to Daniel Buckley Funk. After coming to Utah this couple made their home in Sterling Utah (six miles south of Manti) and raised a family of nine children.

Freeborn's record states that they left Quincy in I842 and moved to Nauvoo Ill. Here on Jan. 8 I843 their second daughter, Orpha at the age of twenty-one was married to Perry Davis and she died the same day. Here also in Nauvoo on May 13, I843 the seventh child of Freeborn and Anna was born. This was their last child a daughter and was named Lovina Ester. 

On Thursday Dec. 25, I845, (Christmas day) Freeborn and his wife received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple. (There were 107 endowments given that day) on January 27, I846 they were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple. 
Freeborn states in his record that they left Nauvoo for the west on April 22, I846, being again driven out of their homes by mobs they arrived in Mt. Pisgah on May 26, I846. Freeborn DeMill had injured his leg with a saw and was laid up for about five years while in Missouri. Most all the time they were in Mt. Pisgah he was laid up with fever sores. 
Here in Mt. Pisgah on Oct. I, I848 their third daughter Lara Ann married Samuel K. Gifford. After coming to Utah they were called with others to settle in Utah's Dixie and made their home in Shonesburg southeast of Springdale. Later moved to Springdale. They were the parents of ten children. 

In the spring of I850 they left Mt. Pisgah for the valleys of the Great Salt Lake and arrived in Salt Lake City Sept. I7 I850 with the Capt. Warren Foot company. After a short rest in Salt Lake, they left for Manti Utah and arrived there Nov. 5, I850. Freeborn was now past fifty-five years old and his wife past forty-six. Manti was their home for the rest of their lives, never again to be driven by mobs. 
On Dec. 3I, I852, their fifth child Adelia married John P. Squire Sen., Manti's first school teacher. They made their home in Manti and had a family of 8 children. More will be told of them later. 
On May 13, I855 the oldest son Oliver at the age of 25, married Emily Almina Beal. They had eleven children. He married a second wife, Fidelia Winget June 3, 1865, and they had seven children. This family was also called to settle in Utah's Dixie and made their home in Shonesburg later moving to Rockville. 
On December II I859 the youngest child, Lavina Ester not quite 17 married John Alma Beal. They had eleven children and lived in Manti until about I875 and then moved to Shonesburg. 
On June 11, 1863, the youngest son, Ellias, the last to marry, was married to Malvina Winget. He was 25 years old. They made their home in Manti and were the parents of nine children. 
Freeborn was a member of the first High Council organized in Manti and was a member for many years after. 
Anna Knight DeMill died on July 28, 1878 in Manti at the age of seventy-four and is buried in the Manti Cemetery. 
Freeborn DeMill died in Manti, Jan. 23, 1881 at the age of eighty-five and is buried in the Manti cemetary by the side of his wife. 

On May 3, 1856, Freeborn DeMill married a second wife by the name of Lynittee Janett Richards and to them two sons were born: Orrin, born Jan 29, 1858, Manti, Utah, and Benjamin born Jan 23, 1860.In Manti, Utah. In his record he relates that one died and the other was living in Ephraim with his mother, dated April 21, 1864. I have been unable to find any trace of this other son...don't know if he died before age of marriage or not. 

A note from Cyndee:
I looked for Freeborn and Lynittee's sons in New Family Search and it showed that both died as children.  The first son, Orrin, only lived a year and the second son, William Edmund, died at the age of five in 1865.