James Harvey Tidwell
Contributed By SJ Knuteson · 15 July 2013 · 0 Comments
HISTORY OF JAMES HARVEY TIDWELL Information furnished by Ora Hutchinson Peterson — granddaughter. Arranged by Nora Lund — D.U.P. Historian. James Harvey Tidwell was born 29 November 1829 in Washington, Clark County, Indiana. His father, John Tidwell had moved to Indiana with his mother, Sarah Goben Tidwell from Kentucky, after his father William Tidwell’s death while returning from participation in the war of 1812. His father John married Jane Smith December 10, 1828 and James Harvey became their first child. His brothers and sisters were —— Willian Nelson, Mary Jane, Jefferson, Lyman, Marry Ann, Martha, Margaret, Sarah, John, Emma Jane, and Emeline Maria; three dying in infancy. James’ father, and no doubt his Mother, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—Day Saints 25 September 1835, being baptized by Elder Levi Bracken. This was when James was 6 years old. As long as he could remember, he was taught Mormnonism and lived by the guiding truths of the gospel. When he was 10 years old his parents took their family and on September 11, 1839 they left Clark County, Indiana to gather with the Saints in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. They reached there November 6, 1839. It was in Nauvoo on August 25, 1841 when James was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—Day Saints. He was 13 years old when the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred at Cartage jail, June 27, 1844. With the rest, he felt great sorrow at this terrible outrage. He remembered well all the mobbings and persecutions this defenseless people were obliged to endure. It was in the dead of winter of 1846 when the Tidwell family crossed the Mississippi River on the ice and sought refuge in the more friendly state of Iowa. The migration west to the Rocky Mountains commenced in 1847 but James and his folks didn’t leave Council Bluffs (Kanesville) Iowa until June 8, 1852. He was a sturdy young man of 23 years. His father didn’t stay in Salt Lake only few days he moved south to the new settlement of Pleasant Grove in Utah County. It was in Pleasant Grove that James Married Elizabeth Harvey on August 28, 1853, and on 2 February 1857 the Salt Lake Endowment House he took as his 2nd wife Emma Sanders. In June of 1859 he took his two families and traveled with his father’s family and a group of others over the mountains some 80 miles to Sanpete County. He figured there was more land and better advantages for a growing family. They chose the town of Mt. Pleasant, which was at the very year being resettled. An attempt had been made in 1852 to settle Pleasant Creek, but the people had been driven to Fort Ephraim by the Indians. May I quote from the Mt. Pleasant write—up in the Sanpete County book “These Our Fathers” page 95, “As soon as the last wagon pulled into the circle at Mt. Pleasant on organization began to be effective James Ivie was chose President. William S. Seeley was chosen Bishop with four counselors -- James H. Tidwell, Peter Y. Jensen, Perry McArthur and Justus W. Selley. Under the direction of James Ivie the Fort was built. Even while living in the fort the men, going in groups for protection from the Indians, broke up the virgin soil for planting and pioneered an irrigation system to get the water from the creek to water their crops. James took part in the Black Hawk up rising to protect the community, but when peace was established the men built homes for their families and moved out of the Fort. James was a successful, hardworking farmer and livestock man. His wife Elizabeth lived in town. But his wife Emma and her large family lived on a farm between Mt. Pleasant and Moroni, Later she lived in Moroni. Throughout all his life James H. was faithful to his church duties and taught his children to live by the gospel standards. He was honest in his dealings with his fellow men and paid an honest tithing to the Lord. In the late summer of 1896 he went to Wellington, Carbon County to visit, his son who was living there. Before he left he went around to all his children and said good bye to them. He was enjoying his stay until he took very ill. Everything was done for him that was humanly possible but he passed away September 2, 1896. He was taken home to Mt. Pleasant for burial. He was only 67 years of age. He left both his wives, widows, to mourn his death. Elizabeth died 6 June 1905 and Emma died 5 October 1916.
HISTORY OF EMMA SANDERS TIDWELL
Contributed By SJ Knuteson · 15 July 2013 · 1 Comments
HISTORY OF EMMA SANDERS TIDWELL Born 23 Jan 1841 — Nauvoo, Illinois Died 5 Oct 1916 — Moroni, Sanpete Co., Utah Came to Utah 1850 Married James Harvey Tidwell — 1857 History filed by Granddaughter Ora H. Lund D.U.P. Historian History arranged by Nora Lund, D.U.P. Historian Information furnished by a Grandaughter, Ora Hutchinson Petersen Arranged by Nora Lund, D.U.P. historian
Emma Sanders was born 23 Jan. 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. She was the 9th child in a family of 12 children born to Moses Martin and Amanda Armstrong Faucett Sanders.
Her brothers and sisters were: William, Carl - died young, Richard Twigg, John Franklin, Rebecca Ann, Martha Brown, David Walker, Joseph Moroni, Sidney Rigdon, Eliza Jane, Hyrum Smith and Moses Martin Jr.
Emma’s parents were from the deep South. Her father was born in Georgia and her mother in Tennessee. The family made their home in Tennessee until 1829 when they moved to Montgomery County, Illinois.
On the 28th of January, 1835 her parents were baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—Day Saints. They moved to Far West, Missouri where the Mormons were gathering at that time. By 1839 we find them living in Nauvoo, Illinois assisting in the building up of the City, participating in the building of the temple, where they received their endowments in January of 1846.
The prophet Joseph Smith loved little children and took a special interest in grandmother, naming her Emma after his wife Emma. She remembered sitting on his lap. It was a great sorrow to the Sanders family when the Prophet was killed.
When Emma was 5 years old her family left their home in Nauvoo and took refuge in Iowa. Her father was one of the stalwart men who assisted all he could in getting the Saints across the Mississippi river that cold winter of 1846. Thousands of people who had fled with scarcely nothing but their lives made quite a city at Winter Quarters.
Early in January of 1847 the Lord made it known to Brigham Young. President of the twelve apostles, who was leading the Saints, that it was time to go the long distance to the Rocky Mountains to find refuge for his harassed people. Martin Sanders and his family made the necessary preparations to cross the Plains in 1850 and arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake that fall.
Martin didn’t remain long in Salt Lake because President Young sent him on to colonize new settlements. His history says he was called to different towns He was one of the first to move to Fillmore and in 1859 he was called to settle Fairview Sanpete Co. and he stopped in Mt. Pleasant.
His family story is that Emma was working at a boarding house in Fillmore. As she came down the stairs into the main dining room, she immediately attracted the attention of one of the men there. This man was James Harvey Tidwell, a freighter. He had a wife and child at home in Pleasant Grove, and had no particular thought of going into polygamy, though the practice was being encouraged by the Church authorities. But as he beheld this beautiful, young 16 year old girl with golden red hair, sparkling blue eyes and a pleasant smile, he knew that he was going to marry her.
He made her acquaintance, courted her and married her in the Salt Lake Endowment House Feb 26, 1857. Emma’s first child was born in Pleasant Grove 26 Nov. 1858. His name was John Franklin Tidwell. He married Caroline Johanson.
It was in June of 1859 when Emma’s husband accepted the call to Sanpete County and they made their way to Pleasant Creek (Mt. Pleasant). No doubt Emma’s folks were among the group, which would naturally please her, The north end of Sanpete Valley was indeed promising for new homes.
Emma was strong and healthy, willing and able to do her part in aiding in the pioneering of this lovely valley. She lived in the Fort which was the first thing built for protection from the Indians who were always lurking around. Added to the ever present Indian danger there was the concern about the food lasting until another harvest, and about obtaining clothing with which to keep warm. As soon as a log cabin could be built, or a dug—out made, families moved from the Fort to their own settlement lots. Their place vacated in the Fort was occupied by a new settler.
When the drum would beat, all would rush back to the square for safety. John Tidwell and Hans Simpson were the “Minute Men” of that day. Their horses were left saddled and bridled so that in case of Indian trouble they could ride quickly to Manti or Thistle Valley for help where soldiers were stationed. Black Hawk and his painted warriors terrorized the women and children, and he led his braves in many battle against the white people. (Taken from the book “These Our Fathers”, Mt, Pleasant write—up.)
From the family group sheet at hand, we notice that Emma Tidwell regularly gave birth to new babies after coming to Mt. Pleasant.
Her 2nd child, William was born l8 July, 1860. He married Ana Draper;
3rd Child, James, born 6 Feb. 1862 married Lauraetta Draper;
4th child, Martha Ann, born 22 Dec. 1863, married John William Pritchett;
5th child, Joseph Martin. born 18th Dec., 1865, married Martha M. Morgan;
6th child, Albert, born 9 Feb. 1868, died 1876; 7th child Rosetta, born 30 Nov. 1869, married John Johansen;
8th child, Willis Hyrum, born 17 Feb. 1871, married Esther Nielson;
9th child, David (twin) born 3 Nov. 1873 -lived 3 hours;
10th child, Nathan Alvin (other twin, lived to maturity but never married);
11th child Cyrus Delbert, born 28 June, 1876, married Calista Vicena Bai1ey;
12th child, Amanda Venretta, born 12 April, 1879, married John U. Bailey;
13th child, Lewis Willard, born 13 Feb. 1881, married Macel Evella Cook;
14th Child, Emma Irene (my mother) born 1 May, l883, married Sidney James Hutchinson.
In 1865 Emma Tidwell bid farewell to her parents and brothers and sisters because her father had been called to the Dixie Cotton Mission in St. George. It was there her father died on Nov. 8th, 1878. Her mother died in Tonto Basin, Gila, Arizona where she gave birth to Moses Martin Jr. who was born when his parents were sent there to help colonize that section.
James Harvey Tidwell established a home for his wife, Emma, and her little children on the farm called “The Bottoms”, located about half way between Mt. Pleasant and Moroni. Her home was of logs with a dirt floor. Gunny sacks were hung at the windows in lieu of glass. Emma was so very frightened when the Indians would come and stick their heads through the opening demanding——”piggy meat and sugar”. Other frightening experiences she and her children encountered were when the U.S. Marshals would come looking for her husband, trying to arrest him and put him in prison for co—habitation.
On the farm, she and the little boys would break and milk wild range cows. From the milk, she would make butter and cheese. Besides supplying her own family, she kept the 1st wife and her family supplied with these commodities also.
Finally Emma’s husband moved her and her family to Moroni where some of the older children were living. Her home was a comfortable two—story frame house, made out of rough lumber. Here she remained the rest of her days.
Emma had a natural talent for taking care of the sick. She was the first person called, or sent for, when help was needed in sickness. She was away from home a good deal of the time in her lifetime taking care of the sick. She knew the medicinal value in herbs and was very successful in using them. She was only 55 years old when she was left widow. Her husband, James Harvey, went to Wellington, Carbon County, to visit his son William Henry. While there he took sick and died Sep. 2, 1896.
It was a great sorrow and loss to his wives and children when he was brought back in a casket. He was laid to rest in the Mt. Pleasant cemetery. Emma lived on being lovingly cared for by her children until Oct. 5, 1916 when she died at the age of 75 years. She was buried beside her husband in Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah.
