Elizabeth's first son, Abraham, was born January 10, 1867, in Coalville. When he was a little over one year old, she moved with Joseph and his two wives, Caroline and Charlotte, and their families to Eden, Utah to make a new home. Joseph had been helping to build the Union Pacific Railroad through Echo Canyon. One day he traveled over the mountain and fell in love with the little settlement of Eden. He took two hundred and fifty acres of land to homestead. He called it his little 'Garden of Eden'. Mother nature had endowed this place with lavish gifts of majestic mountains, lush green meadows, sparkling streams, fertile land and beauty more extravagant than the beholder could comprehend. Joseph built two homes on the southeast edge of the valley. Caroline and Charlotte lived in one home and Elizabeth lived in a log cabin about a half mile away. They began to clear the land, build barns, chicken coops, fences and till the soil. It was hard work, but Joseph and his son's soon became very successful farmers.
Elizabeth was finally getting used to little cabin in Eden. But she still hated being so far from her dear family. One day when little Abraham was fifteen months old, he was out in the barn watching his father shoe a horse, when the horse lashed out with his foot and struck little Abraham, killing him instantly. Elizabeth was devastated and cried herself to sleep many nights. She was happy to welcome her new baby into her arms seven months later. His name was Don Carlos Stallings. Born, November 20, 1868. Our Great-Grandfather.
As Joseph's family grew, he could not support them the way he would have liked to. Because Elizabeth was the youngest wife, he moved her to North Ogden to work in the woolen mill. Ezekiel, Nellie and David were all born in North Ogden, Utah.
When little David was two years old, he got typhoid fever. It was very hard for his family to see him suffering. The doctor said to keep water away from him as part of his treatment. One day, eleven year old Don Carlos couldn't stand to hear him cry out for a drink any longer and gave his little brother a drink. David smiled up at Don and then went to sleep. On August 5, 1879 he died.
In 1962 President Lincoln signed into law the anti-bigamy law, known as the Morrill Law; but because of the Civil War, it's enforcement was overlooked. This legislation struck at both polygamy and the Church's power, by prohibiting plural marriage in the territories, disincorporating the Church, and restricting the Church's ownership of property to fifty thousand dollars. The saints believed that the law was unconstitutional and that it deprived them of their first amendment rights to freely practice their religion. They chose to ignore the law until it was constitutionally defined.
The Church decided a 'test case' should be brought before the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of the anti-bigamy law. In 1878 this appeal reached the Supreme Court and in 1879 the Supreme Court ruled the anti-bigamy law constitutional.
In 1882 Congress passed the Edmunds Act which defined 'unlawful cohabitation' as supporting and caring for more than one woman. Proof of a second marriage was not needed. The law disenfranchised polygamists and declared them ineligible for public office. Anyone who believed in polygamy was disqualified from jury duty and the privilege to vote.
The leaders of the Church, and many of the brethren living polygamy, had to go 'underground' to avoid arrest. Some of the United States Marshall's sent to uphold the law, became obsessed in the harassment of the saints and sending the leaders of the Church to prison.
Joseph had married Caroline and Charlotte before 1862 when the Morrill Law was passed, so the law allowed him to keep and support them. However, he had married Elizabeth in 1865 and was under constant watch and the constant threat of going to jail. Joseph decided to send Elizabeth and her three children up into Idaho, where they could start a new life. Joseph gave her three cattle, horses to pull the wagon and a crate of chickens nailed to the side of the wagon. Elizabeth and Don Carlos, age fifteen would be driving the team that pulled the wagon. Deke, twelve, held a willow stick in his hand and was trying to keep the cattle from wandering off. "Come on, Mama, let's go. I can't herd cattle standing still." He said. Nellie, nine, sat up on the wagon seat, with her mother, softly weeping. She was leaving her sisters behind.
"Elizabeth, aren't you even going to speak to me?" Joseph said, looking up at her on the wagon seat. "You know I have no choice but to send you away. If I go to jail, who will take care of Caroline and Charlotte and the children?
Elizabeth turned to the other side of the wagon to yell at Don Carlos. "Hurry, Don, get that last trunk loaded and let's go. You know we have to be at the Junction at noon to meet up with the others."
"Elizabeth." Joseph said again. Elizabeth heard Don Carlo latch the board across the back of the wagon and climb aboard.
"Good-bye, Joseph." Elizabeth said, looking straight ahead. She gave the reins a great shake and yelled, "Yea!" The horses lurched the heavy wagon forward. Forward to Idaho. Love, Jelene
No comments:
Post a Comment