Northern to Southern Utah

Frank Harmon's grandparents, Levi Nehemiah and Eunice Chidester Harmon began their married life in Palmyra as shown in the Bishops' Report at the right.

The city is south of Utah Lake and west of Spanish Fork. Many saints had gone to Palmyra because Brigham Young had advised them to leave the Salt Lake City area before the arrival of Johnson's Army. (The army that was sent to Utah territory to stop polygamy)

Levi and Eunice's first two children were born in Palmyra - Eunice in 1855 and Levi N. in 1857.

When the Johnson Army scare was over, the family moved north to Parley's Park, a settlement named for Parley P. Pratt now known as Snyderville."Parley's Park" by Andrew Jenson pp 639-40 in the Encyclopedic History of the Church

By 1860 they had moved to Salt Lake City in the Second Ward.

The move to Dixie came in 1865. Brigham Young asked for volunteers and the families of Levi N. Harmon and his father-in-law, John M. Chidester, agreed to go. To the right is a map showing the move from Salt Lake City to Washington.

They settled in a valley adjacent to St. George which they named Washington.

To the right is a painting by Jodi McGregor celebrating the Dixie cotton industry..

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When the family returned to Washington in 1874, Levi died very suddenly at age 45. Eunice became head of the family as shown in the 1880 census . "Eunice Harmon" by Lora Thompson

In 1876 the oldest daughter Eunice married Simeon Dunn and Oliver married Almira Terry in 1881. He and Almira are shown in the picture at left.

Eunice Harmon was left to raise the four younger children alone. At right she is shown with the two youngest - Esther Ella and Willard Darwin (who died in 1882 at age 12)

Frank's father Melvin and his brother Levi hauled lumber in order to support the family. On one trip up the Sevier River with a load of grapes they discovered that everyone wanted grape juice. So the enterprising brothers made the grapes into juice. (Don't ask me how; maybe they stomped on it with their bare feet). They traded the juice for grain, flour and pork. Excerpt from "Melvin Myron Harmon" by Alice Harmon Ballard page 2

The grapes were grown in Washington-a warm place which grapes like to grow in.

Eunice moved the the family to Provo so that she could send her children to the Brigham Young Academy. She served as a midwife and did all kinds of work to keep her children in school. To the right is an old postcard picture of Karl G. Maeser the second administrator of the school.

To the left is the restored academy building standing on the location of the first building(the Lewis Building) which was destroyed by fire.

After attending BYU Academy Melvin Harmon became a teacher and taught in St.George, Santa Clara, Toquerville, Kanarraville, Cedar City, and Leeds.

Orin and Ann C. Woodbury first lived in Salt Lake City. Two children -Eleanor and Orin Nelson, junior were born there. In 1857 Orin answered the call to stop Johnson's Army. He traveled with Lot Smith in what sounded like guerilla warfare. The group was in several skirmishes in Echo Canyon. Orin survived the battles but did not fare well on a diet of dough fried in grease. (He evidently didn't learn the survival trick of cooking dough in hot ashes).

Orin and Ann moved back to Salt Lake City and lived in several places - near Taylorsville, on Little Cottonwood Road and in South Salt Lake. Two more children were born to them - Annie Marie (1858) and George Jeremiah (1860).

In October 1861 Orin and Ann were called to the Dixie Mission along with Orin's brother John and Ann's two brothers - Angus and David Cannon. "Reminiscences of Ann Cannon Woodbury" edited by Angus M. Woodbury p 10 "Orin Nelson Woodbury" by Leonora Worthen

They left that fall (of 1861) and took four weeks to get to what is now St.George. They camped at the "Old Adobe Yard" on the 3rd of December 1861. Their welcome to the desert area of southern Utah was 40 days of rain making the adobe yard a very uncomfortable campground. To the right is a picture of the family in about 1865.

Orin soon built a four room adobe house for his family. To the left is a house built by Orin N. Woodbury in St. George but it doesn't look like a four room adobe house. It was probably built later.

His wife Ann shown at right, spun wool and cotton making clothes for the family. She managed to save $50 to purchase a colony of bees (from California). She learned the habits of bees by watching them for hours while she sat knitting. (That may have been the only time she did any sitting). Bee Culture in the History of the Jeremiah Woodbury Family by Angus C. Woodbury pp 114-115

Ann Woodbury was a pioneer in the silk industry starting to raise worms in 1877 and involved in the industry for 25 years. Her low opinion of one of the weavers makes interesting reading. "Reminiscences of Ann Cannon Woodbury" edited by Angus M. Woodbury p 14 To the left is a picture of a silk dress made in St.George .(worn by her daughter, Alice Woodbury Harmon, Frank Harmon's mother)

In 1866 Orin married a second wife, Frances Goddard. At right is her picture.

With two families to care for, Orin spent less time with Ann. She went on trips accompanied by her children. She was busy being stake Relief Society president (for 21 years), counselor in the stake Primary and worker in the temple.

Six more children were born to Ann in St. George - John T.(1863), Leonora (1865), Frank B. (1867), Alice (1870-Frank Harmon's mother), Angus (1873), and Clara (1875).

The town of St. George grew and prospered. In 1876 the tabernacle was completed as shown in the picture at the left.

In 1877 the St. George Temple was finished - the first one in Utah.

In August 1890 Orin Nelson Woodbury died of blood poisoning. Death of Orin N. Woodbury in History of the Jeremiah Woodbury Family by Angus C. Woodbury p110 To the right is picture of Orin's gravestone in the St. George Cemetery. "Orin Nelson Woodbury" in History of the Jeremiah Woodbury Family by Angus C. Woodbury pp 107-111

Ann's children, of course were growing up. Her daughter Alice had grown into a young lady by 1890 shown in the picture at right. She learned to sew and was so skillful that at 17 she went to Salt Lake to take courses in dress making.

The picture at the left shows her with friends at about age 20.

Alice caught the eye of Melvin M. Harmon ( Frank Harmon's father). They first met in July 1880 at a Mutual-Sunday School Conference in Pine Valley a resort are north of St. George. To the right is a picture of Melvin with the Sunday School Board. .

To the left is a picture of the church in Pine Valley where the Mutual-Sunday School Conference was probably held.

Alice was teaching at Grafton; Melvin was teaching at Leeds. He would go to see her every two weeks in a horse-drawn cart or on horseback. The map at the right shows the distance between the two towns.

They were married at the end of the school year. Alice was out in March 1891 with the wedding set for May 17, 1891. She used the time to make her wedding dress. List of materials in the wedding dress from "A Sketch of My Life"by Alice Cannon Woodbury Harmon Her dress cost a grand total of $14. To the right is Melvin and Alice's wedding picture Histories of Melvin and Alice C. Woodbury and Their Romance, Chrolonogies, and Patriarchal Blessings

Brigham Young had called them to add support to the saints in Salt Creek who were having problems with Indians. To the left is a map showing their move from Salt Lake City to Salt Creek.

In 1854 Brigham Young instructed them to build a fort. To the right is a map showing where the John Esplin family lived in the fort - named Fort Nephi. John and Margaret Esplin lived there from 1853 - 1868 (Maybe that is why the name of the town was later changed to Nephi.)

Lillie's father, John James was born in Nephi in 1857. According to the History of Juab County shown at right, John Esplin received his final citizenship in Nephi.

On the 20th of September 1868, Margaret and John Esplin's eighth child, David was born and they received a call to go to the Muddy Mission. Were the Virgin and Muddy River Names Switched? At left is a map showing the distance from Nephi to St. Joseph - one of the towns in the Muddy Mission.

The "Muddy" is a desert - a wide open area that seems to stretch out in all directions. To the right and below are recent photos of the area taken of the remains of St. Thomas (another town in the Muddy Mission) that have surfaced because of receding waters of Lake Mead. Daily Herald Article About St. Joseph 31 August 2003

The Muddy settlers raised cotton, corn, wheat and sweet potatoes. It was also a good climate and soil for melons. Another plus - the red ants kept fleas, bedbugs and lice under control. as shown in the excerpt at right. "The Muddy: A Mission Too Far?" by Lois and Jack Worlton p.1

To the left is a map showing the location of St. Joseph , one of the towns in the Muddy Mission.

In 1870 the section of land comprising the Muddy Mission was made part of Nevada. The government of Nevada insisted they pay three years back taxes. They could not do that because they had already paid Utah taxes. Brigham Young released them and said they could go where they chose but recommended two settlements in Berry Valley (now called Long Valley) that had been abandoned because of Indian problems.

Margaret Esplin really wanted to return to Nephi. She talked about it so much that when they came to the turn-off point for Nephi at Toquerville, John told his wife she could take one of the teams and go to Nephi.

Margaret had two month old Clara Isabel in her arms and two year old Dave dragging on her hand. She said, "I felt I just couldn't go on." Her dramatic solution to the problem surprised even quiet John Esplin.

They left St. Joseph in February 1871 and arrived in Windsor(Mt. Carmel) the 4th of March 1871. After they arrived and had set up homes, the saints who had deserted the town returned to claim their property.

So early in 1875 those who wanted to live the "order" moved and built their homes in a square like the Old Fort in Salt Lake City. On July 14, 1875 they officially reorganized themselves and named the settlement "Order City." Later it became known as Orderville.

Lillie Esplin's grandfather, John Esplin was a member of the first board of directors. To the left is a picture of John and Margaret with children and/or grandchildren.

People were summoned to meals by a bugler. The wake-up tune was "O Ye Mountains High."

The call to breakfast was "Do What is Right." (Was that a hint to avoid pigging out on breakfast?)

They were called to church to the tune of "Come, Come, Ye Saints." The Legacy of David Bancroft Fackrell and His Family by William J. and Lois Fackrell Worlton p.3

John James Esplin was fourteen when they arrived in Mt. Carmel. By the time the "order" moved to establish Orderville, he was 18. His chances for a formal education were limited but adult education was part of Orderville life and classes were open to all.

John James grew up in a large family. His two youngest sisters were born after he left home to get married. To the right is the John Esplin- Margaret Webster family group sheet.

In 1851 Israel and Amanda moved to Salt Creek (Nephi) as shown in the map at the right.("History of Israel Hoyt" by Harriet B. Sorenson.

They lived in the fort (built in 1854) and their names are on the map at the left. Israel's parents, James and Beulah Sabin Hoyt died in Nephi and were buried in the Pioneer Cemeter.

The History of Juab County lists Israel Hoyt as the sheriff as shown at left.

Clarissa Amanda Miller Hoyt's father, Josiah Miller was the first mayor of Salt Creek(Nephi)

In 1856 Israel Hoyt married a second wife, Hannah Cook, shown with Clarissa Hoyt in the picture on the left.

To the right is a picture of Israel Hoyt with son Timothy (born to his second wife, Hannah).

In 1868 the Israel Hoyt family was called to the Muddy Mission. They arrived in St. Joseph a few days before Christmas 1868. To the right is a map showing the distance between Nephi and St. Joseph.

The Hoyts were in St. Joseph with the Esplins when the land was surveyed and found to be in Nevada. They left with the St.Joseph Ward when Brigham Young released them and traveled to Berry Valley - now Long Valley.

He was also the overseer of the sawmill as shown on the left.

John James Esplin and Emily Alvira Hoyt were teenagers at the beginning of the order - difficult years when meals were often crumbled bread covered by molasses. "Orderville" from The Legacy of David Bancroft Fackrell & His Family by William J. & Lois Fackrell Worlton pp 1-8

Margaret Esplin was remembered fondly because she always fed them and because she loved to sing church hymns - happy or sad she sang them - but not in tune because she was hard of hearing. One granddaughter said she sang with so much feeling that it didn't matter if the tune was incorrect. "History of Margaret Webster Esplin" by Hattie Esplin

His Scotch background was a subject of amusement in the community, but he insisted that Scots aren't stingy; they are just careful with their resources as indicated by another of his favorite sayings on the right

He proved how careful he was of his resources with his hair cutting method. As shown at left he never went to a barber. He singed the edges of his hair and beard with a candle and then combed out the singed ends.

John was also famous as the owner of a pet bull which he maintained was a gentle soul and easier to ride than a horse (it would certainly be broader). His grandsons sometimes untied the old bull ( tied at the edge of town while John did errands) and proceeded to ride the bull around being careful to return it where they found it before their grandfather returned. "She Loved the Songs of Zion" by Shirley Esplin Hart pp1-4 "Memories of My Parents" by Persis E. Heaton, Daughter of John and Margaret Webster Esplin "Memories of John and Margaret Esplin by John C. Heaton, a grandson