Charles Adams: 1843-1927

I don't think that back in 1843 Ireland there were town signs welcoming tourists into their communities.  But there sure were in 2007.


September 16, 1843, to be exact, was when Charles Adams was born in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. Now you might wonder why the sign says Hillsborough.  Well, I didn't think to take a picture of Banbridge while we were there, but it is a neighboring village.  And the grass and shrubbery look the same. 

Very likely, this was the actual church that his parents, William Adams and Mary Ann Leech, attended prior to their conversion to the Church of Jesus  Christ of Latter-day Saints just a year before Charles was born. 




And..............this is what the church looks like from a distance.  If you use your imagination, you can picture them walking down the well-groomed pathway every Sunday morning for their worship services carrying their infant son, Charles with them.



In his autobiography, Charles says, "I was brought to America at the age of 3 months by my parents who embarked at Liverpool, January 20, 1844, for New Orleans, arriving in Nauvoo in April 1844."


"Crossing the plains I well remember the herds of buffalo, and at Ft. Laramie I remember seeing the Sioux Indians in all the paraphernalia of war, painted and feathered, going to fight the Cheyennes.  We were 3 1/2 months on our trip across the plains.  The first winter in Salt Lake we lived in the Old Fort.  Father left in December 1850 with a party sent to colonize Parowan under George A. Smith.  In 1851 my mother left Salt Lake with her 3 children, I being 7 years old to join father in Parowan.  When I was 14, my father went to Salt Lake to work on the temple for 6 months.  I took charge of his farm, hauled wood, and had the responsibility of his affairs."


Where do we get our family determination?  Read on...

In 1862, before he was 19, he went as a teamster in a Church caravan.  In March he married Sarah Ann Davenport, and one week later, leaving his young wife behind, started on his 2nd trip across the plains.  He volunteered again in 1866 to make his 3rd trip to Missouri.  He crossed the plains 7 times in the service of bringing pioneers to Utah.


How's this for a real life adventure!!
On his last trip, an accident happened which nearly cost him his life. The ox-team caravan was crossing the Platte River and Charles' wagon was carrying 30 kegs of gunpowder.  He had crossed the river safely and was pulling up the steep bank, when lightning struck his lead cattle, killing them in their tracks.  The electric current followed the hitch chain back to the wagon killing 3 more oxen and set the wagon on fire.  Charles was stunned and was in the gravest danger from the gunpowder.  Another teamster, following close behind took in the scene and rushed to give assistance.  A good shake brought Charles to his senses and then the two worked furiously to unload the powder and extinguish the fire.


Many of us know about Minnie's Mansion at the base of Brian Head in Cedar Breaks.  Minnie was Charles' daughter who took over the wooden building her father built and turned it into a hostelry used for summer social events.  The "Mansion" was popular for several years before it was abandoned in 1934.

Meet Thomas and Luella Redd Adams

Let me introduce you to Grandpa Ray Adams' parents.

Thomas Davenport Adams – son of Charles and Sarah Ann Davenport.  Born 15 Nov. 1870 in Parowan.  Didn’t go to school regularly due to helping his father on the family farm and on the sheep range.  While attending school in Provo at Brigham Young Academy, Pres. Woodruff called him to be a missionary and asked if he had a young lady in mind to marry, and if so, to find out if she would marry him now.  If she would consent to marry him, she would also be called on the mission.  According to Luella Redd, his wife-to-be, he was a shy boy and loved to dance; he was a steady and well-behaved man with no bad habits. His mission call, February 1893, was to the South Sea  Islands.  They decided to marry and had 1 week to make wedding plans and mission plans as well.  They all rose early on Monday, February 20, 1893; were to be married in St. George and then depart  for the Samoan Islands  where Tom served for 3 years.  After the first 2 years, his wife returned home due to poor health.  While building their 2^nd new brick home (currently Aunt Carol’s home in Parowan) they moved in October 29, 1914, Thomas contracted a heavy cold that developed into pneumonia.  His illness was of typhoid type that ran 2 courses.  He lived for 40 days on nothing but liquids.  His life was spared but he was an invalid the remainder of his days on earth.  He passed away on Sept. 2, 1938.  For 17 summers  their home was in the Parowan mountains at Cedar Breaks, Little Ireland, where they homesteaded grazing sheep and making cheese.  Tom filled offices as mayor of Parowan, sat on the school board, and served on the city council, and many others. (Memories; Maria Luella Redd Adams, her autobiography)

Maria Luella Redd Adams – born in the small village of Harmony, Utah on 16^th of June 1875.  One of her childhood memories was the story of her mother’s silver thimble.  She writes:   “One sunny afternoon I ‘borrowed’ it to take it with me to the orchard to make doll clothes.  After gathering up my doll and scraps of calico and returning to the house, the silver thimble was not to be found.  Mother was most upset, and I was heartbroken.  We searched until dark, and I went to bed with swollen, tear-stained eyes.  How I prayed that night, kneeling beside my bed, begging Heavenly Father to help me find the thimble.  I finally slept and dreamed – and saw in my dream exactly where the thimble lay.  I woke up and hurried to my father’s bed to tell him he must come with me to get it.  Father said, “But Louie, it is three o’clock.  Go back to bed, and if you know where the thimble is  we will find it in the morning.”  I simply could not do that, so father got up and lighted a lantern.  We walked the length of the path into the orchard.  I asked father to hold the light underneath a small plank bridge over the irrigation ditch. There in the mud left from yesterday’s watering was the thimble – exactly where I had seen it in  my dream.  What a wonderful answer to prayer!  What an example for me to remember all my life!” ( Memories  p.36-37).

   She married Thomas Adams on  Feb 20, 1893 in St. George Temple “after which we departed for the Samoan Islands on a church mission ; our mission destination: Nukoalofa, Tonga Tabu .   We were taken by a small canoe to our island home located in Muia, a small village.  My mission assignment was to teach the native children mornings and evenings. As the first 2 years drew to a close, I found my health declining.  I had much trouble with swelling feet.  Finally I was released with Sister Maggie Durham (whom we shared our home with as missionary couples) to return home. Our husbands remained to complete their 3 year assignment.” 

   

Root Bound

A root bound plant is one where the roots are tightly wrapped around the root ball inside of a pot. They need to be loosened so that they can reach into the soil for the air and nutrients necessary for growth. Roots also function as an anchor, providing strength and support for the plant as it grows. Whether a flower, shrub or tree, a plant requires a sturdy root system to thrive.


Not unlike plants, we (people) have roots which contribute to our very nature.  Many of the stories of our predecessors remain tightly wrapped or even buried in the archives of time just yearning to be loosened - told and shared.  We can be strengthened by our ancestors only after we unravel the root bound stories waiting to be heard.


So, the purpose of this blog is to help us feel bound  to discover our ancestral roots.  Unlike being bound for Alaska or bound and determined to master a goal, my intent is to encourage us as family, to become more root bound as we learn more about our family roots.


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Theoretically each month a different ancestor will be introduced.  As time goes on, I may realize that that is way too ambitious of a goal.  Anyway, periodically a new person from our family past will  be featured. Keep in mind that in many cases I will select only snippets to post.  But where you might hunger and thirst for more of their stories, just let me know. Hopefully we can all benefit from the nutrients (faith, courage, determination) gleaned from them as we become root bound together.