#52 Ancestors - Week 17 - Road trip

 Margaret Burt - 1814 - 1874.  Information taken from history found on FamilySearch, author unknown, and a history by Margaret H. Burt Tensmeyer written 20 Aug 1964.

Margaret was born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, a daughter of Ann Allen and Peter Burt.  Her family worked in the coalmines.  She gave birth to fourteen children, six of whom died before the family immigrated to America. Margaret Tensmeyer states: "The condition portrayed in the show "How Green Is My Valley" [this is one of my favorite books, maybe I was drawn to it because of the connection] were very similar to the stories my father John Burt Jr. told about his experiences in the mines when he was a lad.  Women carried coal in baskets or creels, as they were called, their faces streaked with dust and sweat.  Horror gripped them at the sound of the disaster whistle, for those at home as well as the workmen."  

It is believed that she joined the church near the same time as her husband, John Burt, 19 July 1847.  Fifteen years later they would say good-bye and John would leave his wife and smaller children as he and his older daughter immigrated with a plan to send money for the remainder of the family to come to Utah.

About two years later, with the help of the Perpetual Emigration Fund (it was hard for either group to raise the money as wages in Utah were paid in provisions, clothing and exchange of work), they left London on the ship "Hudson" on the third day of June 1864.  Margaret and her five younger children were in the John McKay Company. 

Crossing the ocean, measles broke out.  Many adults died of it.  Margaret's family was blessed that they had no casualties.  Arriving in New York, 18 July 1864, they had spent 46 days on the water.  Soon after noon on the 21st they boarded a train leaving for the west.  At Buffalo a change of trains was made and they were made to ride in cattle cars that were not clean.  They came to learn that the land trip was more dangerous than the ocean voyage.  At times the train was boarded by Army men looking for deserters. 

Along the way many bridges had been torn, washed out and sometimes burned.  It was then expected of them to carry all the baggage across the streams.  They had to walk long distances at times.  While staying at a railway station after crossing the Mississippi River, a great storm arose and they sought some protection by the river.  "While there, some wicked men tried to drown them in the river." (Tensmeyer)  They again boarded cattle cars and at St. Louis all were placed on a river boat which carried them to Wyoming, Nebraska.  Here was the gathering place for the Saints to prepare for the trip west.  A large church house was the only building and was used as a storehouse for the Perpetual Emigration Fund under the leadership of Elder Erastus Snow.  Teams and supplies were sent from Utah.  

They were assigned to the Warren S. Snow Company.  They camped at Ft Kearney.  During the journey there were bad storms and snow came early.  Buffalo chips were used along the way for fuel.  Adults were buried along the way.  

John Burt Jr. said that they entered the valley in a blinding snow storm and that they were cold,  wet and hungry.  Because they were so late entering the valley the companies were given a special reception.  Saints came with hot soup, beef, potatoes, pies, tea, coffee and sugar and the sick were cared for and those that had no home were taken into homes of the Saints.  

Tensmeyer states, "Grandmother Margaret Burt Burt [her husband was a second cousin] was rather a large woman, strong in mind and body.  She had worked in the mines even when her fourteen children were being raised, staying at home only long enough to be confined, then she was required to take her place with the other able bodied women in carrying coal in baskets or creels, as they were called, for only a few cents a day."  John Burt Jr tells that his mother Margaret had long dark hair.  She had developed heart trouble and was ill for a long time.  "He stated that she was so lovable and kind, yet if she set her mind to accomplish anything even when time and odds were against her that task was completed."  (Tensmeyer)  

This was the ultimate road trip.  I've crossed the US via automobile five times - Utah to Boston, Utah to North Carolina and back, Utah to Virginia and back - with some adventures along the way.  I don't know how the immigrants did it as I complain about the size or softness of the beds.  They were strong people.  The women, though we sometimes think of them as weak, dependent or incapable, were anything but.  They worked hard providing for their families, often times without a spouse's help, they knew great sorrow, and I hope they experienced great joy.  They have left me a legacy that I know I am unable to duplicate.   

#52Ancestors - Week 9 (albeit a year late)

 

FOUNDATIONS

From A History of John Burt Jr. 1853-1926 by Margaret Hazel Burt Tensmeyer and Carolyn Tensmeyer Andersen.

Though he was engaged in building railroad, when Father (John Burt Jr.) could be in Salt Lake City, he courted a lovely young lady with hazel or dark grey eyes and golden hair.  They married on 6 Nov 1879.  Father took his bride to live in a new home he had built for her of adobe, next door to his father’s home on 3^rd West Street.    

When the BURT and CONDIE Construction Company contracted railroad building up the Spanish Fork Canyon during 1884 and 1885, Father moved his family to Spanish Fork Town so that they would be near his work.  A small home was rented from Alfred Reese, who was the father-in-law of Adam Burt, father’s younger brother.  After returning to Salt Lake for a brief time, Father disposed of his property in Salt Lake City and moved his family permanently to a small two room house in the Palmyra District in Utah County.  The house was situated on a knoll, as was the small shed for horses.  The house was situated on a knoll, as was the small shed for horses.  The place had a tree or two, was not fenced and there were a few patches of alfalfa.  This needed much care, cultivation and water to yield a small crop.  The property in general was quite undeveloped and a great deal of clearing the land of grease-woods, saleratus and saltgrass had to be done.  It was rather low and ponds of water in the northern part had to be drained.  It had a good water-right for irrigation but it meant hard work and patience before it eventually yielded good crops.  Deep ditches were dug to carry away the alkali and salt water that formed when it rained or was irrigated.  Renewing the old irrigation ditches and making new ones to take care of the cleared off land kept the men folks busy.  It seemed the water turn came frequently and must be used to the best advantage.  It was a never ending job of grubbing and stacking of the pitch-filled brush.  When a large stack was dry enough, it was used in the stoves for firewood.  It gave a great deal of heat so sometimes we roasted corn and potatoes on a stack for a treat. 

Not far from the house was a clay bed and as Father knew the art of molding this substance into blocks, he made molds for blocks.  With these blocks he made a large room some 16 by 10 feet in size.  It was cool in summer and warm in the winter and made a lovely addition to the house.  A milk house was also built of adobe where the water ran through the wall into a trough and out the other end.  This was used as a refrigerator for milk, butter, eggs, meat and fresh fruit.

The home was five miles from the town of Spanish Fork where supplies were bought and the mailed picked up.  We were some distance from any neighbors and almost two miles from the Little Red School house where we went to school. 

In 1903 the original two rooms were torn down and the house from my mother’s brother’s property was moved to give us three large bedrooms.  This gave us ample room and many improvements were made to make it even more comfortable.  A defective flue caused a fire that destroyed the home and most of its contents in the spring of 1908.  This was such a tragedy to witness – our lovely home and precious belongings went up in flames.  Even the trees were blackened and barren from the heat.  A strong wind from the north fanned the flames and when we returned at night only the walls of the adobe room were standing, bleak and cold.  The remainder of the home was an ash heap. 

Mother, Samuel and myself and the two little girls were eating our lunch on that beautiful spring day in April.  The door to the kitchen was open and we smelled smoke.  The door to the front room was opened to investigate and the draft fanned the embers into flames.  In seconds the roof was on fire.  Our neighbors saw the fire and came to help but it was too late. 

A fund was raised by our friends to help replace the house.  Workmen swarmed all over the place to clear away the debris and start the new building.  By fall, it was ready to move into.  The new home did not have the room we had before and part was not finished but we were grateful to be back home again.  It took several years to replace clothing, bedding, dishes, pans and furniture. 

This was the prompt from Amy Johnson Crow the first week in 2022.  I have been putting off doing this blogpost since that time.  I knew that I wanted to do something about the construction company and John Burt Jr. but just never took the time.  As I read from the history, I had forgotten about the house fire.  I then thought that I needed to add current content to the blogpost to pull two stories together.

On Friday, January 14, 2022, I was at my son’s home in Utah County visiting for a few days.  I received a phone call from my brother-in-law stating that he couldn’t get a hold of my husband.  He told me that he was on his way home from work because he got a call that his house had burned down (in Kearns, Utah).  I told him I was on my way and would see him there.  I rushed there and this is what I found:

 

 

It was a total loss.  And it was heartbreaking.  My father-in-law had been living there with him at the time so they are both homeless.  They will rebuild on the foundation that is there.  Because of the over-priced and short-on-inventory housing market in the valley, four weeks later it continues to be difficult to find temporary housing.  It would be nice if this could be repeated from 1908:  A fund was raised by our friends to help replace the house.  Workmen swarmed all over the place to clear away the debris and start the new building.  By fall, it was ready to move into.  For all of our technology and advancements, community, family and friends remain the most important foundation in our lives.

 

#52 Ancestors - Week 6 - Valentines

I thought with this one I would find as many stories as I could about how a couple met.  I'll work backwards.

Brock and Angie - He was deployed in the Navy to Iloilo, Philippines and used the Tinder dating app while he was there and met Angie.

Brad and Erin - They had a mutual friend and met at a group activity.

Bryce and Alicia - He was her roomate's home teacher in their BYU student ward and were in the same FHE group. 

Scott and Bobbi - Scott was a wrestler and I was a wrestlerette at Jordan High School in 1978.  

Ray and Maida - from Mom's history:  "He had given me a ride home from school in October.  I didn't know him, but he lived in Highland Park Ward, too.  He had joined the Air Force not long after we moved into the ward, but I do remember him in church when he came home on leave.  He would sit on the back row with his uncle, Jay Peterson, who was as dark as Ray was light.  (They were married one year later after the ride home.)

Ray and Wanda - from Dad's history:  "I am an only child.  My parents were divorced when I was an infant.  I believe my mother was pregnant before she was married, but she won't talk about it."

Hudson and Maida - from Hudson's audio history:  I had an opportunity to go to Daynes-Beebe, it was the big music business in the city.  Maida worked there, we worked side by side.  She was actually my boss.  And we dated.  Although not seriously.  I remember the first date I took her on.  We went to Wandamer, that was where the golf course is now, it is located at 7th East and 27th South [Salt Lake].  They had a lake there and on the lake they had a stage... I took her there and she got out of the car and he stepped in a ditch of running water.  Oh, I was embarrassed to death. 

Heber Peterson and Lovina Short - "For several years Lovina worked at the Glenwood [Sevier County, Utah] store and then she fell in love with a returned  missionary - Heber Peterson."  Heber owned a ranch at Grass Valley, a section of country between Glenwood and Fishlake.  

Charles Cottrell Jr. and Erminnie Layton - His mission journal begins with leaving his home in Kaysville for the depot and stopping at the home of Mr. Charles Layton (Erminnie's father) and wishing them all goodbye. 

John Burt Jr. and Mary Etta Seddon - "Though he was engaged in building railroads, when Father could be in Salt Lake City, he courted a lovely young lady with hazel or dark grey eyes and golden hair.  She lived in the 6th Ward - a few blocks away on 3rd West and 6th South St [Salt Lake City] and was employed by the Deseret Book Binding Company."    

This was fun exploring.  I need to do more and add to this when I can.