Marriage

Source: The James and Mary Murray Murdoch Family History, Pg 117
(a better picture exists in the non-digital version of the red book)

The following is an account of William Lindsay's wedding journey from Heber to Salt Lake in December of 1868 through Parley's Canyon and then a short time was spent in Salt Lake City:

"My brother Robert & his girl decided to go with us & get married also. About the 12th of Dec. we started out with 2 yoke of oxen on the wagon. Our mother went along with us & Ann Richardson & 3 children. It had snowed a few inches the night before we started but cleared & turned very cold. We got to Kimballs in Parley's Park & camped there in the camp house. A very cold night & next morning the roads were icey & slippy & the oxen could hardly stand on their feet but kept slipping & falling every little while. It got dark when we were still not more than half down Parley's Canyon. Some horse teams over took us & we let them pass. Mrs. Richardson thought it would be better for her & her children to get in their wagon. So she got in & they had only gone short distance when the horses fell down & were floundering under the tongue she got out again as quickly as she could & came to our wagon & got in saying oh the oxen are slow but I think they are more sure than the horses. So we plodded along in the dark as best we could although one ox was so lame he could scarcely walk. However we reached the home of N.C. Murdock's wife Esther about 10 O'clock that night where we fed our on hay we had in the wagon & we stayed in her house for 2 day & nights & bought hay to feed the oxen & ourselves.

On the 14th we went to the Endowment house but so many were there ahead of us we had to wait till next day. So we went & had our pictures taken. That picture we still have. In the evening we attended the Salt Lake Theatre the play was Romeo & Juliet by very good actors.

Salt Lake Theatre Orchestra, December 22, 1868

Source: http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/USHS_Class,18805

Endowment House
Source: http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/USHS_Class,5142

Temple Square around 1868
Source: http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/USHS_Class,5477

Next morning we were at the Endowment house early & found 2 other young couple from Heber who were there like us to be married Joseph Moulton & Lizzie Giles & Albert Mcmullin & Nancy Jane Ross Wm Moulton also were sealed that day. They had been married some time before. I was ordained an Elder by Abidina Pratt, I believe and we were married for all eternity by Daniel H. Wells & had our blessings & anointings according to the sacred ordinances of the gospel & I received one of the greatest blessings any man can receive in this life a good true faithful loving wife. For so she certainly was up to the end of her mortal life more than 47 years afterwards.

Daniel H. Wells

Source: http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/USHS_Class,3968

We bought a hundred pounds of flour $10.00 2 common chairs & a rocker. A gallon of mollasses & a brass kettle. I had bought some plates & other articles while back after emigrants. That night we stayed at John Muirs & made our bed on the floor & mother slept in the same bed with us. Next day we got all our things together & started on our journey home mother came with us.

Robert & Sarah stayed in Salt Lake a week or more. One ox was so lame I chained him & his mate behind the wagon & I gave Mary a long stick to make them walk up & not hold back. And of course I drove the other yoke hitched to the wagon. Of course we must have presented a rather strange picture for a bridal tour. But I want to say we were quite happy & cheerful & there was no complaints uttered by either of us. The only trouble was that,oxen were so very slow & that we were used to. So we plodded along cheerily. We got to Jamie Lairds in Parley's Canyon & camped sleeping on the floor in his house as it was very cold nights. The days were warm right in the sun but cold in the shade. Next day we took up our march slowly as usual up the canyon & kept trudging along. I let the women ride whenever I could & I attended to the oxen that were behind & let Mary ride & whack the oxen on the wagon when the roads were good So in this way we managed to reach Hailstone's ranch about dark. There we were kindly invited to stay all night but of course we had to make our bed on the floor again. Next morning we started on to Heber & arrived about noon having been gone a full week & a day. Of course we were very glad that journey was at an end & especially to get rid of the lame ox & get a bed to sleep on. It was arranged that we would live in part of Roberts house until I could build my own. I had logs on the lot all ready to put up as soon as the spring came. So of course we moved our few articles in & started house keeping.

We had taken considerable time & expense to get properly married & we talked matters over & decided it would only proper & right to attend to family prayers night & morning & to ask a blessing on the food we ate. And I want to say that we made the start then & kept it it up all through our married life & even up to the present time. I feel it has been a great help & a blessing to us in raising our family. I would certainly advice all young couples to do likewise.

Source: Autobiography, pg 289-291

The following passage seems too close to be a different written account, but there are differences including details about what Mary Mair was wearing at the theatre and other things. Could it be that it is a modified version of his Diary/Autobiography (transcription with commentary?) or a different account all together. It doesn't seem that he would have written this twice, put without copy machines, maybe? I've highlighted some of the changes.

The story of William and Mary from here on is one story, and here it is in William's own words:

"We were planning to go to the Endowment House to be married so my brother, Robert, and his girl, Sarah Murdock, decided to go with us. Sarah was 15 years old and Robert was 23. Mary was 16 and I was 21 years of age. On the 12th of December 1868, we started out with two yoke of oxen and a wagon. Mother went with us and also Ann Richardson and her two children. The first night we camped in the camphouse at Kimball's in Parley's Park. It was a very cold night. The
next morning we started out very early, but the roads were frozen and very slippery, so we traveled very slowly as the oxen kept falling down. It got dark while we were still up in Parley's Canyon. Some men with a horse team tried to pass us and their horses fell down and one was floundering under the wagon tongue. It was very dark and Robert and I went to help. One of the men said: 'You boys stand back, you might get hurt.' Mother quickly spoke up in her Scottish brogue and said, 'They are nae boys, they are on their way to get married! ’ "We finally reached N.C. Murdoch's house in Salt Lake, where we all stayed. The next day was Sunday and we attended church. On Monday we went to the Endowment House, but there were so many ahead of us, we had to wait until the next day. So we went and had our pictures taken and bought wedding rings for our bonnie brides. In the evening we attended the Salt Lake Theater and saw some very good actors present 'Romeo and Juliet.' (Mary had a sage green dress with white dots for this special occasion. She had an engagement ring with a green stone, and the wedding rings that were purchased were made of black guterperchie buttons. Aunt Sarah says the girls felt like queens at the theater and they were very proud of their grooms in their homemade clothes.)
"On December 15, 1868, we were united in marriage in the Endowment House, by Daniel H. Wells, for time and all eternity. Of course, we had our endowments and sealings. I received one of the greatest blessings any man can receive in this life, a good, true, faithful, loving wife.

"The next day we bought a hundred pounds of flour at $10.00, two common chairs and a rocking chair, a gallon of molasses, and a brass kettle. I had bought some plates and other articles while I was back after emigrants. We stayed that night at the home of John Muir. Robert and Sarah stayed in Salt Lake a week more. The next day we started our journey home, Mother, Mary and me. One ox was lame, so I chained him and his mate behind the wagon, and I gave Mary a long stick to switch the oxen to make them walk up and not hold back.

I drove the other yoke of oxen that were hitched to the wagon. Mary walked most of the way. I guess we presented a rather strange picture of a bridal tour. But I can say that there was no complaining and we all were quite happy. This was the start of our honeymoon, and I am sure with it all we enjoyed ourselves as well or better than some do in their fine cars. From this day on Mary Mair was Mary Lindsay.

Source: The James and Mary Murray Murdoch Family History, Pg 117

1868 retrieval of pioneers

William Lindsay was part of the 1868 efforts to seek out and guide some of the very last pioneers that made the overland trek west. This call was made by Bishop Hatch and required the then 21 year old William to travel by handcart starting in June to where the end of the railroad line had reached near Rawlings, Wyoming. Below is a map of the path taken, which mostly followed the Mormon trail until Devil's gate where they split south towards Rawlings.


View 1868 John Gillespie Company in a larger map

William Lindsay devotes 3 pages detailing the journey in his journal, included below:

"About this time I was called by Bp. Hatch to drive an ox team back to the end of the railroad after emigrants who were coming to Utah. However before I started on that trip I had a promise from from my Dear girl that she would marry me when I returned in the fall. There were 4 of us called from Heber 3 from Midway & one from Charleston. From Heber Wm Moulton, Willard Carroll, B.A. Norris & Wm Lindsay. Midway Emanuel Richman, John Van Wagoner & Brigham Hamilton. Charleston Geo. Noakes. All had ox teams 3 & 4 yoke to a wagon except Carroll & Norris who had horses & mules. Hamilton was a night herd & had a horse. We started early in June & we was to meet the Captain & the main body of the train at the head of Echo Canyon. We camped on Silver creek & I came near getting hurt the oxen I had on the wagon were rather wild & had not worked on the wheel as we called it & as soon as I unhitched them & the tongue dropped they started to run & the off ox kept kicking at me as I was still between them I however got hold of the yoke & clung to it till they slacked their pace then I dodged out in front of them all right. Of course I soon learned how to prevent further trouble. The Weber river was very high & at Wanship they charged a heavy toll & we had no money so we drove down 3 mile to Rockport up to Peoa & crossed the Weber on an old bridge with the water running over it & all around it & went down to Wanship on the other side over a very rough rocky road that never been traveled before by teams.

We intended to camp at Grass Creek but just we got to the Chalk Creek bridge some boys were coming with a bunch of cows & rustled them on to the old bridge to be ahead of our string of wagons. The bridge gave way & the cows & timbers were carried down the raging stream towards the Weber river of course we camped right there. It was known that a new bridge was need ed & new stringers were all in place ready to lay the new plank on. So next morning the new plank was laid & we crossed on it. Two days after we reached Cache cave at the head of Echo & joined the main part of the train. The men & teams were mostly from West Jordan, Cottonwood & Salt Lake The Springville Provo, Battle Creek, & American Fork teams came up Proyo Canyon & joined us at Heber. Now there was over 50 wagons & that many men besides the Captain John G. Holman his assistant Chauncy Bacon & some 6 night herders. We laid over one day to get acquainted & get instructions as to our places in the train & what we were expected to do. The Captain warned us all to be very careful of our health. He said we are now starting out on a long & tedious journey that will take all summer. We have no extra men & everyone of us have our part to do. One thing I especially remember he said boys it will be warm days & cool nights traveling over the high mountain country be sure to keep your coats handy so you can slip them on each evening as the sun goes down. We started on our journey got over Bear river on bridge all right Went over the Quakingasp ridge crossed the Muddy near Bridger & on to Green river which was a raging torrent a quarter of a mile wild. Three days before 6 men were drowned there by the ferry boat being up set & it certainly was a dangerous stream to cross The wagons & men of course were taken over on the boat. But there was some 400 oxen & we had a job making them swim over to the other side We finally drove them up the river to where there was a riffle or shallow- er place & the men on horse back forced the oxen into the stream & we on foot waded into the stream as far we dare to keep them from turning back & of course the water was very cold & everybody had to get in up to their waist & stand there for hours. It took most of two days getting all the oxen over. There was several narrow escapes from drowning one, man was saved by getting hold of an ox's tail as he was being carried down the raging stream, another on a horse in swimming water the horse turned over backwards with him & kicked him but others were near & helped him out. I tell you we were all thankful & happy when everything was landed safely on the other side. Men from the other train were still there trying to find the bodies of their comrades. Some I think were never found although the river & its banks were searched for miles

Our train traveled on day after day on what was the original trail of the Pioneers passed Big Sandy, Little Sandy & Dry Sandy & Pacific Springs & on to South Pass & Sweetwater which we follow- ed down for nearly a week to Devil's Gate. From there,we struck of to the right through Whiskey Gap & on to Rawlins on the line of the U.P. railroad. Some grading was being done there at that time However we traveled on till we reached the North Platte near a railroad town called Benton*.
Here was very good feed for the oxen & it was decided best for us to camp right there until our emigrants came along. Some of the other trains went on to Laramie and got the emigrants that came in the earliest companies. We were the last train going down & we had to wait for the very last company of the season & they did not arrive till the first of September. We had taken supplies of flour bacon & beans with us enough to last us & our emigrants back home. But having to wait so long our stores would have come short, so Captain Holman took a contract to haul some hundreds of cords of wood to some of the railroad camps & us teamsters soon filled the contract & in that way raised money to buy all necessary supplies. The North Platte river was still quite high when first reached it & the best feed was on the other side of the river. So we had to take turns going over to herd the oxen we used the horses to get over & back & they had to swim. That was the only time in my life that I ever rode horses in swimming water & I was lucky in always getting a horse or mule that was easily managed. Of course we had lots of leisure time while lying over on the river but we enjoyed ourselves very well when off duty sing songs or playing games & visiting other camps as they came along on the return journey with their emigrants on their way to Utah In these trains I met several persons that I had worked with in the coal mines in Scotland. John Livingston, Wm Wilson & James Elliot among the rest. Of course we were very glad to see each other but they had to go on with their train. I met an old Scotch lady named Osborne who had been an invalid for 20 years but she had a very great desire that her body might be buried with the Saints in the land of Zion that was her great ambition & to get her daughter who was with her settled down among the Saints. The Dear old sister was very frail but she had faith that she would live to reach the valley which she did. She died at Grass Creek & was buried in the Coalville cemetery & had a Latter Day Saint funeral & a nice coffin to lay her body in."

The Pioneer Overland Travel Website, 1847-1868, repository includes accounts of all the Mormon pioneer treks, including other accounts of this journey. William Lindsay's group is listed as being assigned to the Ogden settlement in John Gillespie's account book.

Below is a list of folks assigned to William Lindsay's care for the journey (from John Gillespie's account book):

Ogden City Wm Lindsay Good teamster Good wagon 3 yoke good oxen Emmigrants lbs Luggage
William Nichols 232
Ellen Nichols
Catharine Nichols
Isabella Nichols
Mary E Nichols

Robert Broun [Brown] 178
Mary Broun [Brown]
Henry Jones 100
Rachael [Rachel] Jones
John Stevins [Stevens] 100
Mary Thomas 100
David Thomas


Ann Bryan Osborn, who died September 12th, 1868 in Coalville, Utah was disheartening for me since she was so close!

*More on Benton, Wyoming, no longer in existence but an interesting place as described here:

"Benton was Wyoming Territory's first ghost town. Benton, 11 miles east of present day Rawlins at UP milepost 672.1, lasted only three months from July to September 1868, and attained a population of 3,000. During that period, however, it provided an interesting contrast. On one hand, it had twenty-five saloons and five dance halls. During its brief existence, reputedly over 100 souls met their Maker in gunfights. One visitor referred to Benton as "nearer a repetition of Sodom and Gomorrah than any other place in America."

Grant during his 1868 visit to Wyoming visited the town. Additionally, the town in August and September 1868, provided the jumping off location for 2,000 Saints in 5 companies heading to Utah." Source: http://userpages.aug.com/bdobson/photos9.html

Courtship

William Lindsay met Mary Mair soon after her arrival from Scotland at the home of John Murray Murdoch in the fall of 1866.

I became quite interested in them especially in the girl of which I shall have much to say as I write the story of my life.

Source:Autobiography pg 283

The following is William Lindsay's description of Mary when he first met her:

"Mary was then fourteen years of age, and she attracted my attention more than any other girl I had seen, and I visited her quite often. She had been ill crossing the plains, but soon got well and strong and was a very fine looking girl. Her cheeks were red, her eyes blue gray, and her hair was a very light yellow. And above all, she had a smiling face and a kindly sociable disposition, and a winning way that won my heart, and I seemed to win hers. There were two or three suitors who tried to win her affection, but they gave it up as they saw I was her choice. We were very happy in each other's company always, which in time, was very frequent; at meetings, Sunday School, dances, concerts and theaters. She had to work at different homes to earn her living and I used to visit her there at times. We never had any lover's quarrels as some do. Of course, I had to go off at times to work here and there, but I always got a welcome home from Mary."

Source:(The James and Mary Murray Murdoch Family History, page 113-114) *where did this originally come from, not found in journal

One of those times he had to work "here and there" was the entire summer of 1868 returning halfway across the plains to pick up fellow Mormon immigrants who could ride the railway as far as Rawlings, Wyoming. William had been dating Mary prior to leaving and at some point between finding out from Bishop Hatch that he would lead a wagon back to Wyoming (December 1867) and actually leaving (June 1868), he asked Mary to Marry him.

However before I started on that trip I had a promise from from my Dear girl that she would marry me when I returned in the fall. Source: Autobiography, Pg 284

After 4 months separation and upon safe arrival back in Heber, William said "And my Dear Mary seemed to be as glad to see me as I was to see her." (Source: Autobiography: pg 289)

There wasn't much time to continue the courtship as William felt pressure to quickly return to work. Luckily for him, he was able to find an arrangement where he could work in Echo canyon and bring his bride to be along.

Not having had a chance to earn any means all summer & still making calculations on getting married before the years was out I as quickly as possible I went out to the head of Echo canyon where most of the Heber men were working to earn some money. But they were all very much in need of someone to cook their food in decent shape. All expressed a desire that I should go back to Heber & bring two women cooks & stove & dishes. They were living in dugouts on the side of a hill & they agreed to build an extra dugout for the women & pay me for my time going after them. So on these terms I went & got my mother who had a stove & dishes & my intended wife to go also. We lost no time in getting back so we could all get to work.
There was 20 men to cook for so the women folks were kept busy & they gave good satisfaction. The men were made comfortable & got their food in good shape & I of course worked on the grade every day. We enjoyed ourselves although the night were cold it being in the month of October. Another thing we had a large dugout called Scientific hall where we gathered in the evenings & entertained each other in singing songs, reciting, speech making & reading to fill in the time. In this way we got along very nicely all being friends & neighbors & well acquainted with each other. We were there about 2 months from Oct. 1st to Dec. 1st. Of course it was very cold towards the end of our stay. The women folks were paid about $90.00 each for the 2 months work. So we loaded all our outfit into wagon & started for Heber it took 3 days to get home. As soon as we arrived we began making preparations
for going to the Endowment House in Salt Lake city to get married.

Source: Autobiography, pg 289