Silas Richards, A Valiant Wagon Master and Pioneer

SILAS RICHARDS was born in Highland County, State of Ohio, December 18, 1807 to Augustus Richards and Francis Lee Daggett. He married Eliza­beth McClenahan on November 5, 1829 and they were parents of a six children. Silas was hardworking and industrious. He was soon a successful landowner. He and his wife were baptized into the Mormon Church in 1840. They traded their possessions for a large farm near Nauvoo, Illinois. They were expelled from Nauvoo in the spring of 1846 by persecutors of the Church and crossed the Mississippi River. Their daughter Elizabeth Ann died from fatigue and exposure in Council Bluff.

Silas purchases property at Council Bluff with the reduced amount he was able to get for his property in Nauvoo. Three years later he was appointed to lead a wagon train to the Great Salt Lake Valley. They started from Winter Quarters, July 10, 1849 with seventy-two wagons heavily loaded with our families, provisions, merchandise, household goods, farming and merchandise tools, etc. After a long and weary journey of hardship and fatigue through a dreary wilderness without any inhabitants except Indians, the pioneers arrived in Great Salt Lake Valley October 25th, a distance of over one thousands of miles, without any serious accidents. Silas kept a meticulous journal of the trek.

Silas, Elizabeth and their family settled in Union Fort where he became the first Bishop to organize a ward for the Mormon Church. He helped build the fort for protection against Indians. He was also called to assist in settling up the Dixie country, which he did by establishing ware houses in St. George, putting out trees and starting a vineyard, assisting the people by giving employment to many.

On November 10, 1856 Bishop Ed. Hunter directed Silas to take three little orphan sisters to raise; Susannah [Susanna Rebecca] age 11, Sarah Ann age 4½, and Martha [Ann] age 2; the daughters of Daniel and Susannah [Tillet] Osborn [from Norfolk, England, members of the Willie Handcart Company] who died on the plains. His second wife Keziah helped raise these three orphans.

Silas also married Martisha Smoot, widow of Samuel Smith and help raise her large family. About the same time he married Martisha he also Married Keziah Frances Brady and they had nine children.

Silas Richards passed away after a three-month illness on March 17, 1884, in Union, Salt Lake County, Utah. Elizabeth McClenahan Richards died on November 22, 1893 and is also buried in the Union Cemetery, Sandy, Utah.

William Wilson Morrell, Stalwart Settler And Rancher

WILLIAM WILSON MORRELL, Son of Cyrus Wilson Morrell was born May 8, 1830 at Nile Township, Sciota County, Ohio. Little is known concerning the early life of William Wilson Morrell, although the family was known to be living in Schuyler County, Illinois in the later part of the 1840’s.

Mining excitement was running high at this time. The California Gold Rush of 1849 found William Wilson and his father, Cyrus Wilson Morrell, and other family members joining those seeking their fortunes in the gold fields of California, However, other events intervened which significantly changed the outcome of this venture.
As they neared the Great Basin, it is reported that they met a member of Brigham Young’s colony who persuaded William to accompany him to the Great Salt Lake Valley. In late October of 1849, Silas Richards led a party of emigrants to the Salt Lake Valley. Because of this fact and William’s later involvement with the Richards family, it is possible that Silas Richards was the person whom William met on the way westward.

On September 23, 1850, William married Sarah Jane Richards, the daughter of Silas and Elizabeth McClenahan Richards, prominent pioneer settlers in South Cottonwood and Union Fort. William and Sarah Jane were blessed with seven children while living at Union Fort. Four of the seven children survived to grow into adulthood and three infant daughters were buried in the Union Fort Cemetery.

In 1877 William brought his first wife, Sarah Jane, and their children, Sarah Ellen Maxfield and her family, William Elmer and John Franklin back to Fremont to live. He settled this family on the Fremont River just south of the town of Fremont. He help build the first sawmill in the county. He also sowed the first alfalfa seed in the north end of Rabbit Valley in 1881.

In the year 1891, William left his families at Fremont to accompany his eldest son, Silas, and his family to Mexico. Silas’ health had continually worsened since an accident at the mill. When they reached Farmington, New Mexico, they determined that the purpose of the trip was not being accomplished and began their journey back to Utah. When they reached the Colorado River, William was injured as a result of being caught in quicksand. This must have been near the Moab, Utah, area because he remained in Moab for 14 years (1891-1904). Finally, due to declining years and the loss of his sight, he was brought back to Fremont by his son George. His last years were spent mostly with his son, Hyrum, and family in Fremont. He died Monday, January 14, 1907, at the age of 76 and was buried in the Fremont Cemetery.

To view the headstone of William Wilson Morrell click this link:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18983428