"After many hardships my Grandfather, also named Thomas [1813-1898], married Isabella Donald [1819-1852] in April 1839. They had 7 children, 3 sons and 4 daughters. In 1841 they left the County of Kent in Canada [on the north shore of Lake Erie] and moved to Galesburg, Michigan [east of Lake Michigan near modern day Kalamazoo].
 |
| George James and Sarah Sophronia Snow |
"My father was born May 23 1844. In 1845 he was very sick and was healed by a Brother Richards blessing him. They joined the Latter Day Saints and moved to Salt Lake City in the summer of 1850. His mother died December 23, 1852 in Salt Lake with her 7th baby. His father married again and moved to Tookerville [Toquerville] (southern Utah) where the family grew to adulthood.
Florence also briefly summarized her mother's history and family. " My Mother's Mother, Sally Adams was also born in Eastern Canada in May 1825. She was married to William Snow in January 1846 and her first deep sorrow was the death of her mother in 1848. She and her husband with their year old daughter came to Salt Lake with the pioneers in 1850. My mother, Sarah, was born in Salt Lake City March 4, 1852. When Johnson's army came in 1858 William Snow and his family moved to Lehi. ..."
NAME: George James Forsyth
Born: 23 May 1844 Port Huron, Michigan
Father: Thomas Forsyth (1813-1898 )
Son of Thomas Forsyth 1782
 |
| Many records add R. as a middle initial or Robert as a middle name |
Mother: Isabella Donald (1819-1852)
Daughter of George Donald 1793/1797
and Jeanetta Taylor 1798
Thomas Forsyth (b.1813) wrote an autobiography in 1896 at age 83. " [Mother] was very sickly and the doctors advised my father that a change of climate was the only thing that would do her any good. So he concluded to go to America and in the spring of 1820 we sailed from Greenock [Scotland] in the ship Commerce. We were about 14 weeks and four days in getting to Quebec. The steam boat came along side and took passengers up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, from which place we were taken by carts to Brockville and then to Perth [Ontario], a town 20 miles from Lanark, the county town, our destination. ... Now when we landed in Perth, or shortly after, my mother died in that town [1820]...
"My oldest brother [Robert] and sister [Christena] went to work as soon as they got the family settled and a little land cleared off for father to put in some crop. This was, I think, in 1821 or 1822. But our family misfortunes had not ceased yet, for my father was killed by a tree falling on him. ... [Thomas was 8 or 9 years old.]
-
"The death of my father called my brother and sister home but in those days it took a long time to get the news to them. There was no telegraph then. There was scarcely any horses to be seen and very bad roads and in many parts no roads at all but only trees marked or blazed, as we called it, in sight of each other from one place to another through the trees. Well, in a few years my brother and sister got married, each taking two of us younger ones.
"It fell my lot to go with my brother. Shortly after he married he moved to Montreal where he worked at his trade on the great Catholic church in that city, being superintendent of one half of the building. The main building covered one acre of ground. it required one month labor of one of the best mechanics to make one window sash. ..."
"In the spring of 1839, I got married to Isabella Donald, daughter of George and Jennet Taylor Donald, both of Lanark, Canada West. They crossed the ocean with us and was my father's nearest nabor at the time of his death. ...
-
In May 1839 I moved in company with my mother-in-law and family to the London district, county of Kent, Canada West, tuck up 200 acres of land and afterwards I bought another 100 acres. I run a sawmill, a mully mill, at Port Sarnia for Durant, during surplus water sission [season?] two years. In 1841 I went back to Sorel,... a port on the [south side of] the St. Lawrence River where two of my sisters were living ... to collect money I loned in 1838, but failed to get it. I went to work in a shipyard to get money to take me back home.
-
" ... I had to take our pasage on a sailing vesel to save money. Coming up lake ontario the capton had to call at osswego and we ware wind-bound for several days there. As soon as the weather would admit the captian put to sea near night but we had not been out to sea long before a heavy gaile struck us and the vesel rolled and pitched terable. I slept in the hold and ...Sometimes I was nearly on my feet in bed and then on my head or nearly so. but towards morning ... I got up and went on deck and found the captian alone, trying to manage the vessel alone. He said he was glad to see me and asked, 'Can you take the wheel or manage the boom?' for his sailors were all seasick and could not come on deck.
-
"We were very near the Canada shore and running as close to the wind as posable. We had hard work to keep her off land and was runing almost on her broadside to kep off the land. Shortly after daylight, the wind fell considerable and we [made] Port Hamilton the next day and found out the main mast was sprung and we had to lay by to put in another which tuck 2 or 3 days. Then we went through the Wellenton Canal into Lake Erie and had a pleasant time 'til we landed at Port Sarnia near the outlet of lake huron and 7 miles from my home.
"That fall or next spring [1841/2] my sister Christian wrot me a letter that she had receved a letter from my uncle Jeames in Scotland. I wrot to her to send me his letter. When I receved it I wrote to him all the particulers about our family from the time we left Scotland up to that time and also for all of our agese, as we non of us knew our age.
"... In due time I receved his answer with all of our agese but one in it and also his request for me to let him know what the latter day saints were doing. he said, 'You will know them. Joseph Smith is the head one of them.' I neaver had hard of the Latter Day Saints til he asked me that question in his letter.
"In order to answer all his questons, I began to enquire how these latter day saints were and where they were. I could find out but very little about them but all I could learn of them I wrote to him. but the next year 1843 there was a mormon elder came to my motheringlaws place about 7 miles from my place and gave out notic he would hold a meating there.
"I was at that time very onxoius to find out whether there was a God or not and there was any way to worship him. for all I could hear in that line was a mass of confussion to me. So when I heard of the mormon elder going to preach the next day (Sunday) I said I would go and hear him....
"We went to the meeting, heard the elder preach and I knew then and there that he preached the trouth and commenced to investagate it and soon was convinced that there was a god and that I had found that that I had been looking for and praying for. for I trouly had been praying for about two years for this very thing, ...
"There was grat opposision to that elder in this place. However I mead preparations to move west and came to kalamazoo[?], mishagan. at a place caled gailsburg, 9 miles east of Kalamazoo and went to work there. I could not hear of any latter day saints for a long time."
Note: this is near the time that George James Forsyth was born in May 23, 1844.
-
"At last on the 4th of August 1844 I told my wife I was going to hunt up some Mormons if there were any in the country. So I started South not knowing where I was going. I traveled til ... seeing a team coming ... I went on to met it and asked the driver if he knew of any mormon meatings in that part. ... He said, 'Take the first road leading to your rite hand and go on about two miles and you will find a meating ... but when I came to the road going to the rite I only had to go about 50 or 60 rods to find the place I was hunten for. I was baptized that day, August 4, 1844 by M.E. Webb.
"... When the people of Gailsburg found out that I had joined the mormons they were very much excited and some came to perswed me not to go to nauvou. when I came home from being baptized I brought with me a bundle of Joseph Smiths vews of the powrs and polacies of the United States goverment and distrabuted them, which caused conciderable excitment, some very much in favor ... others condeming them only becaus the[y] were of mormon origion.
"...In the winter of 1844 and 1845 when they Elders were sent out from nauvou to collect tithing to finish the temple thair F.D. Richards came to the district where I lived on that business and Bishop David Evens, going to Pen.[nsylvania] stoped with me a few days to recrut himself I paid to bro. Richards one tenth of all I was worth to the shirt on my back. I let him draw the amount out of the two stores I was working for ... This mead my employers very mad and would have discharged me if they could have found any one to fil my place, but that they could not do.
" My son George James was quite sick at that time with a geathering as larg as a goos egg on his jugular vain. I had Bro. Richards and bro. Webb lay hands on him and he was heald. this also excited the people and many came to see for themselves, for they did not beleve the boy could be cured. bro. Richards also laid his hands on my head and blessed me and said I was the only man in all his district that had paid a full tithing, that there would never be a principel [revealed] but what I would receve. ... I heave been offered many inducements to apostatize but I all ways told them that ofered such that I embraced the Gospel for the love of truth and I was going to see the end of it, God being my helper.
"I had been working for nearly a year for two firms ... making potash. They were to pay me the money ... on the first of June 1845. ... When I asked for my pay [the owner] said he would pay me out of the store in goods, but no money. I declined to take goods as my contract said I was to be paid in money. I went to see if I could not compel him to pay me the money. I [was] told I could but that the law would alow him to keep me out of it for a year or more so I went back and ofered to take the goods but he said if I had taken the goods at first I could heave had them but now he would not pay me the goods." Here ends Thomas' record.
A brother of George James Forsyth, Thomas Robert Forsyth, just less than 4 years older than George, made a history that detailed many specific dates and aspects of the life they led. (Thomas Robert was born in 1840 so it is always easy to think of his age and subtract 4. This helps me imagine what life was like for George at specific ages.) He wrote: “My Mothers Brother Drove our one yoak oxen Teamn untill my Father overtook Us somewhare on the way. Mothers Brothers name was Neail Donald. And he went west with the Batalion In Conmpany C and Died in Sandiago California in the hospitle
“While my Father and famiely
went To Missouri for the winter of 1846 Coming Back up on to Cag [Keg] Creek 20
Miles below Knesvill or whare we Left
the fall before in 1846 and located In a French setelmant or mostly so As he
could speak French and work At his traid repairing houses or building And by
this means obtained corn and bacon And such things as we needed for the Winter
“In the spring of 1847 we moved back Up to
what was called Cag crick whare Thare was a few famielyes of the Saints who had
settled. this was 20 miles Below
Canesvill on the Missouri river On the Eastside while florance or Winter
quarters was on the west side Whare the main boddy of the saints ware Located Which
was afterword called Florance
“Thair being saw a Mill on
this Cag crik my Father Worked some at the mill and at farming untill he got
some wagon timber seasoned when he again commenced making new and repairing old wagons By putting new wood
to the old irons untill the spring of 1850 crosing the Misouri 20 or 24 milles
below Florence at [?]arpeas Point so
knowen by the Emigration saints
“We left the Misouri river
some time In June and reached the Salt Lake Valley the 1of Oct 1850 after
staying on the campgrond a few days we moved Into Bingham Kanion whare my
Father Took the Job of cutting and hauling Logs for Archie Gardners Saw Mill
located at west Jorden about 15 or 16 about miles East
 |
| Thomas Forsyth Family 1850 SLC Utah Territory US Census. George James appears to be born in Canada and attended school with 2 sisters. |
“From the timber two the mill
we lived Thare all winter then moved back To the citty in the spring of 1851
and Locating In the west part of town on second south fifth west or near The
old doby [brick] yard in the spring of 1851 Apr the 1 I think
“I was then in my 11 year up
two then I Had onely atended two schools and they Ware in the years that we
lived on Cag creek one taught by Miss bishop and one by Mrs Owens a widdo
“Now I … spent the greater
part of the summer of 1851 In the kanion with my father as he followed That
Buisness get out squre timber and Getting lumber In a generaly way as the
public Required as well as shingles & stave fo coopers To make tubs and
Barels and he made square timber For mills and Barnes & Bridges the winter Of 1851and 2 I spent mostley in school taugh
by a Mr Cushe[?] on his way to
Calafornia
“In the year 1852 I comenced
to drive team In company With Bro John Thomas who worked for my Father haweling
lumber Pooles & wood In The fall I got kicked with a horse and was laid up
for some time I went to Shool this 1852 winter but did not go all the time As my mother died Dec 23, 1852 and my
Father was In the lumbering Business and Had to hire a girl to take care of us children
we did not do much at it Father being away most of the time and My Father had “Started to build quiate a big
house [?] it Was 20 by 40 ft with a [l]ea 16 by 18 in the clear And he was
quite a little In Det and These conditions with a hired girl that Had to be
changed Two or three time during the next year Did not help him much
“So my father was in this
condition until Aug 20 1853 when he maried Marry Browett an E[n]glish Laddy durin this Summer I drove team hawling lumber shingles staves & wood until
In the fall I Fell from a scaffold on the upper floor and went through two Pair
of jois in two the Celor or bacement and was laid up For a long time but
attended schoole this winter
“In the Earley Spring of
1854 I comenesed Halling logs to the mill from Bingham Kanion and during the
sumer halled Some posts and Pools to fen[i]ce a peacs of land near Whites fort
of 20 achors As my Father had taken up 160 acers thare In the winter of 1854 and 1855 I atende school but as my Home surroundings had changed
I did Not have much Interest In school
so when Ever I had a chance to work for some one or most any excuse I was not In
School so my time this winter did not Amount to very much during this Winter …
“Now I had had any thought
of bringing in The history of Utah into my life But as The Grashopers took most
of our cropes in 1854 It made Bread
quite scarse in 1855 So that my Father never hired any Hands to work that sumer
of 1855 until fall So my Brother and me halled pools posts and Put up fense but
In the fall of 1855 Father and I With some hands comensed work in the Timber
& I worked thare all winter in 1855 & 1856 We moved into Dry kanion
whare we Peald 130 ton cords of Bark In
June of 1856 We commenced halling Bark we got $30 Dollars a cord for some And
25 for the rest near 130 cords and then we comensed Logging and got out the
timber that we had Pealed The Bark from this dry kanion Is about [?] Miles
north of Bingham we made the Road into this kanion in 1854 or commenced the road And worked in that
kanion mostly for 3 or 4 years
George James Forsyth was Baptized: 17 May 1856.
He was age 11 and had his 12th birthday one week later. His brother Thomas Robert was baptized by their father at age 8 on 'Cag Crick, Ioway', (25 miles below Florence) but we do not have a record of who baptized George or where. Robert, at age 15, was asked by his Bishop to be ordained a deacon some time the previous fall or winter of 1855. They worked closely together at this time of their lives. Their mother had died a few months after George was 8 years old in 1852.
Lucy F Phelps shares a few additional details about her grandfather George James Forsyth as a young boy. "Thomas was left with six children to care for
with the oldest, Thomas Robert being twelve years old, and the youngest
Cornelius Donald, two years old.... George James was now only eight ... He only went to school a few months during the winter for a few years.
He needed to help his father in the canyon cutting logs. His teacher was very
strict and knew very little so could not keep the children interested. He
carried a whip and cane with which to punish anyone who disobeyed a rule. Many
times he drew blood on the backs of boys who usually had only one shirt on. The
bleeding would cause the shirt to stick to the sores when he hit them with the
willow whip. George got the most because as time went on the boys realized he
would take the blame for them and never say a word. He did not dare tell his
step-mother because she would punish him again. Benjamin, his youngest brother,
said that George was called Jakey Faithful because he always took the rap. [Thomas and Mary had 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls - in the same sequence as his first family.]
Lucy also tells us that, "In 1859 Brigham Young got word that some immigrants on their way to Salt
Lake were in desperate circumstances and needed help. He asked that anyone who
had a wagon and team and a driver go and get them. Thomas sent his two older
boys, Robert and George. They went twice in an eight month period. ... They returned the day before October Conference in 1861. At Conference,
Brigham Young called some families to go to Dixie. Thomas Forsyth was among
those on the list. As in the past when he was asked to do something by the
Authorities he didn’t hesitate one minute. November 1st, they were
on their way. They arrived in Santa Clara, December 15, 1861. As usual he
looked for a mountain with pine trees on it to sustain him as he had done since
a young man in Canada, Salt Lake, and now Pine Valley. George was seventeen
years old. He did not care about the lumber business. His desire was with
horses and cattle. He could find plenty of work helping on cattle ranches in
the Pine Valley area.
" Before George got married he lived with his oldest brother, Robert in Pine
Valley who was already married, when George was not on the range, he found all
the work he wanted working for cattle men in the Pine Valley area. At first he
took pay in cattle and horses. After he had acquired quite a large herd he and
his father went into business together. They ran their cattle up Pine Valley
Mountain which is to this day called Forsyth Canyon. The creek running down the
mountain from where his father had his mill is named Forsyth Creek and the mill
is called Forsyth Mill."
Isabelle F. Gardner, [Aunt Belle] a daughter of George James Forsyth documents more about the Forsyth family life and character in her history of her father. "Grandmother Mary was a very efficient woman in every way and
a great worker. She taught all the
children the dignity of work. The girls
all learned to sew, so they could make their own clothes. As fast as they got old enough to, they also
learned to make buckskin gloves, a job at which Grandmother Mary was very
efficient. They always kept their home
work done up well, but make lots of gloves for sale. Every girl and every boy was taught to do all
kinds of work that they would have to do in later life and to do it well.
" Both Grandfather and Grandmother were very strict and demanded
strict obedience. Father was a delicate
child and until he was fourteen years old, did not grow as rapidly as most
children do. Grandfather believed that
all children should be taught to work and share responsibilities, so although
my father was small and delicate, he had his work to do. But they did give him some of the easier jobs
for his regular work. One of these jobs
was herding the milk cows, of which they had several, as Grandmother made
butter to sell. Sometimes he had to take
dry cows out quite a ways from town and stay with them a few days so they would
not come back home. One spring he had to
take the cows out and be gone three days.
Grandmother usually had a little flour in the house, but it was very
scarce then, and they would go for days sometimes with very little or no
bread. This time he had only a bucket of
cooked pig greens, or lamb quarters they were sometimes called, to take with
him.
We read again from the autobiography of Thomas Robert Forsyth just after George's 13th birthday:“1857 We commenced Pealing
Bark The last of May again having got out Several thousand Pine Pooles in the
winter And spring of 1857 as well as all
the log[?]s we had pealed before this thare was 4 of us Pealing and we pealed
over 100 cords My Brother George cooked for us and He he[l]ped Us a little We all went home for The 24 of July as the
selabraton was In Big Cottenwood kanion that year …
1857 this celabration was Intended
to be something out of the usueal As we had been in the valley 10 ten years And
it was truly a grate time … [but] at noon on the 24 [men]
arrived in cam[p] with The newes that the U S government … with 2500 troops [were
being sent] to Repress the mormon Incerection that That never had Existed Based
on [false reports] that They had Burned the Records of The then territory which
ware found To be untrue on Examanation the whole Camp returned to the citty in the Afternoon
of the 24 & 25
“Soon after this I commenced
Hawling bark & wood until Earley winter Whare I lay off until after new
years When In Compeny with other yong Men I went out to Echo canion And staid thare
as a gard all Winter while Johnsens armey Was at Fort briger that winter Came
home in May 1858 Thare was not a Womman
in Salt lake Citty they had All moved south My folks went to Lehi The armey
came In and went Through the citty and camped over Jorden for a few days then they
Moved on to Bingham crick and stayed Thare 8 or 10 Dayes then moved two Camp
floid west of Utah lake About 40 miles from Salt lake City
“The year 1859 I worked
loging and on the Farm south west of the citty and In 1860 I worked mostly
logging and some on the farm In Apr 1861
I started for The frontteer after Emagrants to florance On the Mosouria River
getting home the 1 of October of 1861 and at conference My Father and famiely
was caled Two the Diexie mishin or St George and started for Dixie In Nov 1861 In
And arrived on the sante clara in Dec 15 Duering that winter Father Rented A Saw Mill In
pinevalley and we moved up thair In febuary about the last
‘Worked with my Brother George until the Middle of March wen I was
called To go East to the fronteer after Emagrants Again I started the last of
March 1862 With 7 yoak of oxen And returned To salt lake citty the first of Oct
1862 and to Pinevalley the first of Dec And came back to the santa clara for Christmas
and spent the winter halling And fencing In some land and lots and building a
house and Apr 15 1863 I married Miss Fredonia M Goheen of Washington …”
"The first day out about noon he saw a cow belonging to one of the neighbors which had a young calf. It didn't look to him like the calf could
take all her milk. He was so hungry that
he sure did want some of that milk, but he had nothing to put it in. Finally he decided to milk some into his
bucket of greens and drink it off. This
he did and he said it sure tasted good and the greens were better too. But the next morning the milk that was left
in the bucket was sour and the greens kept getting more sour all the time. By the time he got home he was good and
hungry and he never could eat pig weed greens again.
"He only went to school a few months during the winter for a
few years. The teacher, only one man for
all the students in the community, was very strict and knew very little. He carried a whip or cane all the time with
which to punish any one who disobeyed a rule.
Many times he drew blood on the backs of boys who usually only had one
shirt to cover them. Father said that
many times his back would begin to bleed when he took his shirt off at night,
because it stuck to the sores where the teacher had struck him with his willow
switch. But he never complained at home
about being punished for he knew he would be punished again if he did. Instead of being called George in school, he
was nicknamed Jakey by which name he was known by some of his boyhood friends
in the Dixie Country.
"Years later in
1879 after he had moved out to Wayne
County Dixie happened to be traveling that way, and he asked if
anyone could tell him where Jakey Forsyth lived. The man he asked said there was no Jakey
Forsyth who lived any where around there.
While they were talking Father came by.
His friend caught him by the hand and said, 'Why, this man told me you didn't live here.' The other man turned to Father quite bewildered and said, 'Why, I thought your name was George.' So father told him that Jakey was his nickname among many of his
friends. This man was quite disgusted
and said he always thought that Jakey was a nickname for Jacob.
"A few years ago while I was visiting in St. George, I met a
Sister Empey. When she found out who I
was, she laughed and said she knew my father and all his family well. Then she asked me if I had the “gift of gab”
like all the other Forsyths. She told me
my father was called “Jakey Faithful” in school because he never failed to get
punished every day for something he or someone else had done.
 |
| George James Forsyth is the last entry on this page of the 1860 SLC Utah US census. He is 16 years of age and listed with his father and other family members as FOWSITH |
"When father was sixteen years old [1860], the Church asked members
of the Church that could, take a team and wagon and go out on the plains to
meet the poor immigrants who were coming to Utah .
Many of these immigrants had to walk and as the winter would soon be
coming on, they should be helped. Father was still very small for his age and
not strong enough to do heavy farm work, but he loved animals and could handle
horses well, so Grandfather let him take a team and wagon and go with the men
who were forming a relief company. He
enjoyed the first trip so much, that he went again the second time to help
another train of immigrants. In all, he
was gone more than eight months and when he finally came home; he had grown in
weight and height as well as experience.
When he left, he weighed a little more than 90 pounds but on his return,
he tipped the scales at 140 pounds."
[In 1963 Neil Snow Forsyth wrote that his grandfather, Thoma's Forsyth, 'was a wagon maker and he made one wagon in Salt Lake City which father (George James Forsyth) used to go back to the Platte River to bring emigrants to Salt Lake. He made two trips back there in 1860 with an 8 mule team. The wagon box was a very large one and father used it as a grain bin all the years we lived in Wayne County. It held 100 bushels.']
[In 1963 Neil Snow Forsyth wrote that his grandfather, Thoma's Forsyth, 'was a wagon maker and he made one wagon in Salt Lake City which father (George James Forsyth) used to go back to the Platte River to bring emigrants to Salt Lake. He made two trips back there in 1860 with an 8 mule team. The wagon box was a very large one and father used it as a grain bin all the years we lived in Wayne County. It held 100 bushels.']
"Grandfather had plenty of boys to do his work without Father’s
help, so he began going out to help other people. A number of people hired him to help with
their riding after stock or range cattle.
He loved Cattle and horses, and that was the kind of work he liked best
to do. First he earned a riding
pony. Then, most of his pay he took in
calves. Before long, he had a small herd
of cattle and some horses of his own.
His Father by this time had moved to Toquerville in the Dixie Country. His older brother Robert had gone down to Dixie too and had married a girl from Pine Valley
"He was a pretty good entertainer and almost everyone liked
to be in his company and enjoyed the stories he told. He could always see the amusing side of
things that happened and loved a good joke even though it might be on
himself. Well, life went on quite
happily for him in Pine
Valley Gardners , Brackens, etc., ran their herds of
cattle in the Pine
Valley Mountains Forsyth Canyon
 |
| 1870 Toquerville Utah US census for Thomas Forsyth family |
When he was 26 years old, October 1, in 1870, he married my
mother, Sarah Saphronia Snow, who was then 18 years old. ... My Grandfather Forsyth was a very religious man, but my
father was not. He had spent too much of
his time riding after cattle or freighting since he was fourteen years old that
he necessarily missed going to a lot of meetings, but we always had family
prayer twice a day in our home, in the morning before breakfast and at night
before supper. I remember many times
Father read a chapter from the Bible or Book of Mormon just before breakfast or
our evening meal when we older ones were small."
-
Spouse: Sarah Sophronia Snow
Married: 31 Oct 1870 Pine Valley, Washington, Utah
 |
| Sarah Sophronia Snow and George James Forsyth circa 1870 |
Died: 6 February 1927 Bountiful, Davis, Utah
Buried: 11 February 1927 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
* Several pioneer era journal/histories contribute to information above. Spelling was not standardized so names of people and places often vary significantly. When possible I have inserted my best research/understanding [thus] in square brackets - all square bracketed information is my insertion unless otherwise noted. As needed for clarity and to help the reader not puzzle about meanings, in the rendering here I have added some punctuation and made minor corrections that are not indicated. Speaking odd spellings aloud may help to understand the text. I will note source information when it is available. I do not own originals but am willing to share photocopies [or scanned images] of original documents. Some are handwritten, some are transcriptions and some are typed.
* Several pioneer era journal/histories contribute to information above. Spelling was not standardized so names of people and places often vary significantly. When possible I have inserted my best research/understanding [thus] in square brackets - all square bracketed information is my insertion unless otherwise noted. As needed for clarity and to help the reader not puzzle about meanings, in the rendering here I have added some punctuation and made minor corrections that are not indicated. Speaking odd spellings aloud may help to understand the text. I will note source information when it is available. I do not own originals but am willing to share photocopies [or scanned images] of original documents. Some are handwritten, some are transcriptions and some are typed.
