Svithe: Family. Isn't it about time?

The 24th of July is fast approaching and the celebrations have already past. This really only means something to Mormons, and maybe only to those with connections to the "Mormon Belt" of UT, ID, and AZ.

Growing up in Snowflake, the 24th of July was given more attention and celebration than the 4th of July, really. That was when we'd have our firework shows. That was when we'd have our parades. That was when the town sponsored 2 mi. and 10 K races. We had huge youth dances put on by the church that were attended by locals and supplemented by many visitors from surrounding cities and towns (including the Mesa/Phoenix area 3 hours away). Class reunions take place over the 24th weekend, and I'd venture to say that many family reunions do as well.

Side note: If you remember, my brother was almost killed by a drunk driver April 15th this year. That same brother has had such an amazing attitude, worked very hard in his rehab, and has been blessed by many miracles in his recovery. My mom just told me that he ran in the 24th of July 2 mile race this past weekend and took 2nd only to a guy 10 years younger than him, who, incidentally, had not almost been killed 3 months ago. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

So why is July 24th so important to Snowflakians? Or Mormons in general? In Snowflake we were celebrating both the founding of Snowflake (by Mormons) as well as "Pioneer Days." For Mormons in general it's primarily a holiday to commemorate and celebrate the Mormon pioneers entering the UT valley for the first time. The first Mormon party was led by Brigham Young in 1847, commencing in Winter Quarters, Nebraska, and ending after 4 looooong months of handcart travel in the present day Salt Lake City. Just as the 4th of July signifies independence for the nation, the 24th signifies independence and religious freedom for Mormons. It meant the possibility of living and worshiping without the fear of angry mobs, burning houses, tarring and feathering, persecution and death that they had left behind.

So what does this have to do with family, the title of my post? Well, I did have family who made that trip across The Plains. They were not in the first company, but they were not far behind. My (5th great)-grandmother Louisa Barnes Pratt led her 4 daughters on the trek while her husband was on a 5 year mission in Tahiti. When she asked President Brigham Young who was going to help her, he replied, "Sister Pratt, we expect you to go by yourself and help others along the way!" So much for sympathy! But she did it, and President Young did help assist her family as much as he could. The following is an excerpt from her autobiography.

Pratt, Louisa Barnes, Journal and autobiography 1850-1880, 145-51.

When I had decided to go, and asked strength and courage of the Lord, means came flowing into my hands. Things I had thought of no value, that I should throw away were sold for a fair price, to those who were not of our faith, or who were not prepared to go at that time. The Pres’t ordered my wagon made ready, a thousand pounds of flour was allotted me: a yoke of oxen in addition to what I owned: a man hired to drive my team. Fifty dollars worth of store goods was appropriated to clothe myself and children. this with what I obtained by my own economy made me very comfortable. I began to feel myself quite an important personage! It was hard for me to move the dread of, (as I felt,) a never ending journey!

The gloom on my mind wore gradually away. When I had been three weeks on the way there was not a more mirthful woman in the whole company. The grandeur of nature filled me with grateful aspirations. The beautiful camping grounds, which were so clean, that one was led to conclude no human foot had ever trodden there! So green was the grass, so delightful the wild flowers, so umbrageous the grounds on the banks of the rivers!

On sweet water we camped for two weeks or more to recruit our teams; but it proved fatal to many. There being alkali in pools about on the range, the cattle drank it and several of them died. While we remained there teams were sent by the pioneers from S Lake to meet our company and help us on our journey. This gave us new courage. My daughters wore out their shoes, and made I made them mocasins of buckskins.

Aug 19th day Still traveling through Canyans [canyons], deep mudholes, willow brush, big rocks, steep hills, objects that seem almost insurmountable, still nothing impedes our progress! Slowly we move along, gaining a little every day. We find an opening every night for camping, clean and pleasant. I feel now as if I could go another thousand miles. Frances our second daughter makes her fire the first of any one in the morning; it is her greatest pride to have people come to her to borrow fire, and praise her for being the lark of the company.

I find her diligence, faith and attitude quite amazing. She was reunited with her husband not long after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. Two years later, her husband was called on another mission to Tahiti; she promptly went and told Brigham Young that "he either had to free her from her marriage so she could have a husband or send [her] and the children along as well." And thus she became the first woman LDS missionary in this dispensation.

What better time than now (the 24th of July week) to begin a new family project. Because of my recent unemployment, I decided that it's a great time to do some family history research. My parents have been diligently working on my dad's line, and my grandma has made amazing strides on my mom's side. Since Matt's dad is a convert to the church, I thought they might need a little help with his line. They've done a lot of work on the Bras(s) line, but there are a few noticeable stoppages of information on Matt's grandma's line, and I think I will begin my search there. I downloaded the Personal Ancestry File, Matt's parents sent me the info. they have collected, and I'm ready to go. It's a bit overwhelming, and I'm not quite sure what I'm doing, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.