Grandma Elizabeth Entertains the Saints

Late in May of 1852 the Hunter family anxious to begin the journey to Salt Lake was assigned to the ten wagon ? Company, leaving from Winter Quarters. It didn't take long for Elizabeth to find how uncomfortable riding in the bumpy, jostling wagon was. Thus she began the 1,000 mile trek on foot and pregnant.

Every morning the family cow was milked and enjoyed by all. The surplus milk was attached to the wagon wheel. By end of day there was a delicious container of butter freshly churned. They shared with all.

At the end of each long day, the folks would gather round and asked Elizabeth and family to entertain them with some singing and dancing. Remember how she loves to dance. The family's favorite song was 'Get Up and Bar the Door'.

The company joined in for the chorus and all had a great time. Singing and dancing gave the Saints something to look forward during the long journey.This ballad became the Hunter family's most beloved song for five generations. Unfortunately, I am the sixth generation and had never heard of the song. You can bet we will be teaching to our loved ones and pass the memory along.

Adam Patterson Hunter Made a Promise

After the Hunter family was reunited in 1851 at St. Louis, Missouri. They were anxious to leave because the plans for the Salt Lake Temple had been completed. Work would begin soon. Unfortunately, Adam came down with cholera. Elizabeth's mother and brother did also, both of whom died. The disease was raging all up and down the Missouri and Mississippi River communities. People were dying from the illness they knew little about and its unknown cause.

The Hunter family's goal was to travel to Zion in Salt Lake City. But, how could they make the journey without their father and protector? Adam tried to get better and did everything he could, including having the elders give him a Priesthood blessing. Adam prayed to Heavenly Father, pleading that he be spared from this dreaded sickness. He trusted in the Lord and made a promise. 'If Heavenly Father would heal him, he would serve the Lord where ever needed all his life.' He had great faith.

Miraculously, Adam Hunter was made well. The family purchased the needed supplies for their trek to Zion and to keep them fed for a year. They left the end of May 1852 with a small company. The journey was long and hard. The group made it to the Red Quarry Canyon just east of the Salt Lake Valley on Sunday, August 19. True to his word, Adam, found work the very next day helping in the quarry. He donated his team of oxen to haul the stone from the mountain to the temple site. Adam managed the Little Cottonwood Quarry when it was decided the sandstone was insufficient to support the temple.

From 1852 to 1878, twenty-six years, Adam worked at building the temple. He longed for the day when it would be completed. It was not to be. This faithful servant donated his skills and services to the building of the Salt Lake Temple for the remainder of his life. How blessed we are to be the posterity of this righteous saint.

Great, Grandma Elizabeth - Saved Her Baby From Being Tossed Overboard

Shortly after Adam and Elizabeth joined the Church, they began making plans to come to America. In July of 1849 Adam left for St. Louis. He got a job in the Crowley Coal Mines earning money to send for his family. In November Elizabeth gave birth to their fourth child, Mary. Just two months later she, her mother, step-father and their children boarded passage on the Josiah Bradley ship bound for New Orleans.

During the journey, many passengers came down with small pox. The captain and ship's doctor threatened to throw the seriously ill people overboard. They enforced the rule and to stop the disease, the worst cases were sent to a watery grave.

Tiny baby Mary became ill with the pox. Mother Elizabeth, could not bear for her to be tossed into the ocean. Two of the children stood as guards and warned their mother, when they had sickness checks. The baby was placed under the straw mattress, until the coast was clear. She never cried or made a peep. Many times, Elizabeth wasn't sure if the baby was alive or not.

With many prayers, Mary, got well. She lived to old age. Finally their family arrived in New Orleans. The brand new Big St. Louis steamboat took them to St. Louis on the Mississippi River. They had a happy reunion with their beloved father, Adam.

Great, Great, Great Grandma Elizabeth is Scottish

I didn't even know I had Scottish blood, until great grandmother Patterson popped up on the horizon while preparing a report on an ancestor. Born October 6, 1822, in Devon, Scotland, she was the oldest of three children and loved to help rock her younger brothers to sleep. Tragically her dear dad died when she was only five years old. Her new father, Thomas Sharp, expected Elizabeth to earn her keep.

At seven she began to work in the coal mines, crawling through the narrow tunnels looking for coal. The carts were too heavy for her to push, so she used her head with those strong little arms to get them moving. After years of working with all her earnings going to her step-dad, a lump formed on the top of her head. This didn't keep her from being happy and singing her heart out down in those mines.

As a teen she began to learn the Highland Fling and other Scottish dances with such precision that she won many contests. She got the attention of her first cousin, Adam Patterson Hunter, who also worked in the mines. A quiet, hard working, honest young man four years older than Elizabeth, really admired her. His mom and Elizabeth's father, William, were siblings.

When Elizabeth was nineteen, Adam surprised her by proposing. They married April 25, 1842. After starting a family in 1847, they met the Mormon missionaries and were impressed. Many of their questions were answered. Both were baptized in September after receiving strong witnesses that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was true. She had thirteen children. All but one lived to adulthood. Once when someone asked how many she had she stated proudly, “I ha’ thirteen and na’ne to gie away!"

I will share more interesting tidbits next time, because I know you are anxious to hear more.

Just An Inconspicuous Old Box

That's right! It was just a big old inconspicuous box, in the basement covered with blankets and things. Only a curious boy would be snooping around to see if it held any treasures. Sure enough, my brother, Jim, looked inside to see what it may hold. For most of the week he'd had his detective hat on, along with his hound dog nose, sniffing around for a sign of Christmas gifts. Lo, and behold, the box was full of wrapped gifts.

He didn't stop there. Sharing with his sisters was the next step. Then taking the gifts out, shaking each one and oh, so carefully undoing the tape. Peeking inside to see what or who the gift was for came next. This man of stealth wasn't stopping at finding the jackpot, he wanted a piece of the action.

All this took place when our mother was gone, of course. He looked forward with anticipation for Christmas. This taught me a smart thing that my mom did. She prepared ahead of time for Christmas by wrapping and stashing our Christmas. I did the same thing years later, trying to find the 'Best hiding place ever'.

Christmases have come and gone, but I still remember the secret we stumbled upon that year we found the inconspicuous old box.

Devoid of Divinity & Other Divines

One of Grandma Crane's favorite Christmas treats was Divinity. We always colored it pink or green. It isn't easy to make, because if you stir it too much it goes grainy. Mixing it wrong could turn into a runny mess that won't harden to perfection. I don't plan to try the finicky confection.

Cereal Candy was another staple at Christmas parties and oft requested. No one in the family has mastered the treat quite the same as Mom did. She began stocking up on Cheerios, Rice Krispies and Cornflakes a month in advance. It is easy to make with only corn syrup, cream and sugar in the syrup.

Caramel Candy was a monthly treat, made often. Mom liked to cook it to the hard stage. The advantage was, the candy would last longer. Instead of cutting it and wrapping it, we would leave it in the pan, then break off pieces of the hard candy with the handle of a knife. Brother Jim, would take 2x2 inch pieces. One piece wasn't enough, because we wanted some for now and put the rest in our pocked for later.

Once we tried Steamed Carrot Pudding. It cooked in a water bath for three hours inside a canning jar. I loved the caramel sauce on it. It was good, but too time consuming to do.

The making and taking of goodies as gifts was one of the highlights of Christmas. We seldom bought candy.

Only 1/2 Piece for Me

Mom loved to chew gum. Her favorite was Wrigleys Double Mint. As a child I did, too. She would only give us 1/2 piece to chew. All her life she did the same. 'It lasted longer,' she said. When I grew up, I always used a whole piece. It was a way of showing I had 'Made it!' I was now affluent and such.

Mom never changed the size of her stick of gum, but she did change the flavor. She used Big Red later in life. I quit chewing gum. It lost its flavor all too soon and the chonking on it drove me crazy. I ran across one of her packets and put it in my desk at work. On occasion, when I get hungry or bored, I pull out the Big Red and have 1/2 piece. I do it for Mom.