Written by Carie Mae Wilkins McGrath, from the James Gale Book
The following history was written as dictated by James Gale, to the writer, in 1919, while we were living near him in Franklin, Arizona. He would come over to visit most every morning, just after the older children would leave for school, about the time I would nurse my baby, Ernest, before his morning nap. He would sit and tell the happening's as they came to his mind. I would write, with the notepad on the arm of my chair. I am trying to use James own words and expressions as much as possible. Some very familiar, which sounds so good to me.
He started by telling that his father, Henry Gale, was born in Box, Wiltshire, England, 18 October 1818, the third child in a family of eight. When he was 16 years old he went to Australia, as many of the younger men did, in search of land holdings. The lure of the new country appealed to them, with the many possibilities there. He worked his way on a merchant ship. Later two of his brothers followed him. He never saw his parents again.
The first work he did was herding sheep. This did not give big pay but gave him a home and living while acquainting himself with the country.
Their isn't much known of his first few years there but it is known that he did farming and other work until he was owner of a grocery store. He was married April 8, 1844, to Sarah Wills.
Sarah Wills was the daughter of Martin Wills and Elizabeth McAudra. She was born Feb. 2, 1822, on a ship in the harbor of Mayo, Ireland. Though circumstances were not given, she was the fourth child in the family, having two brothers and a sister older, and others younger. Sarah and older brother Thomas and small sister Elenor left their people in Ireland in about 1842 and went to Ontario, Canada, where their friends, a Leach family, were living. They thought to go there where they could have work and the other members of the family would soon join them. But the family, before hearing from Thomas as to conditions in Canada, had an opportunity to go to Australia. After arriving there they wrote for the other children to join them. They had settled in the same place were Henry Gale lived.
During this time Thomas and Sarah Wills worked hard and obtained means enough to take them to Australia to see their folks on a visit. Thinking that to return to Canada they left their little sister, Elenor, with the Leach family, she was now about five years old. While in Australia they obtained work to get means to return to Canada, which detained them longer than they expected. During this time he became acquainted with friends, at the parties and singing-evenings. On these evenings Henry Gale first met Sarah Wills, they were married 8 April 1844. Thomas Wills married Eliza Ann Blacker about the same time. They decided then to remain in Australia and send for their sister Elenor to come to them. Because of the expense of building new homes and settling a new country, they were unable to go after her and she was too small to come to them alone. They kept in contact with her through letters and found she married at the age of 20, to James Leach.
When James Gale was six years old, in 1852, C. W. Wandell and Murdock brought the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to them. Henry and Sarah was both baptized (see Henry Gale history) and confirmed by C. W. Wandell 8 May 1852.
On Wednesday, April 7, 1853 they started for America with a small company of saints in charge of Elder Wandell. This was the first company of saints to leave Australia to come to America. They left Sydney in the ship "Envelope" with their four children; namely: Elizabeth, James, George, and Rebecca. While on the Pacific Ocean on May 12th, 1853, another son was born and named Wandell Pacific after Elder Wandell and the Ocean they were on.
(From here on the history is told in first person as James Gale gave it too me.)
When we arrived in Santa Barbara, the ship anchored for the passengers to go to the city for supplies. My father got into the boat and Matthew Walker was going down the side of the ship. The tide was low, and the ladder did not reach the water. Walker went to the lower end and was holding onto the ladder. The man in the boat said, "Hold fast until we get the boat closer to the ship." He let go all holds and went straight down into the sea. I was looking over the side of the ship. Then a man by the name of Evans threw off his coat and dived in after Walker and brought him up. Both were nearly drowned.
Nine weeks after we left Sydney, we reached America, and landed at San Pedro, California. Brother Button and others met us there with teams and wagons to take us to the Church ranch at San Bernardino. On the second day out, we camped at the Coco Mungo ranch to prepare dinner. One woman took us children out in the desert to gather wildflowers and rest us from the tedious journey. Other ladies took care of the tiny babies and cooked dinner. It was a lovely place with any brush and campers, we were in join ourselves. I told the woman I was going back to the wagon elect, and left the group. Then I saw another bunch flowers that I wanted even though I heard them start calling for dinner, I decided to get them.
The others returned to camp, but I missed the trail, and couldn't find my way back. This was the first time in my life to be alone away from the city streets. When the group returned from their flower hunt they ate their dinner, which was spread out on the ground. Everyone ate together and helped them selves. In their hurry to pack up and go on their way, they overlooked the fact that I was not with them. After everyone was ready to start and were climbing in the wagons, mother said, "Where is Jim?" They searched in all the wagons to their great dismay I was not there. They were a long distance from water and knew they must go on, but in spite of this fact, they unhooked their teams and started their search up the wash and around where they had been gathering flowers, but no trace of me could be found. They searched with lanterns and touches all night. Prayer circles were held in my behalf. The search was continued until about ten the next morning, but still they didn't find me. So, they decided I might have been eaten by wild animals or perished with fatigue. They made ready to go on their way without me, because they were unable to find any trace of me and the water supply was getting very low. Mother held back and said she wouldn't go without me. Trying to persuade her to go on, they unloaded her trunk and belongings and left her sitting on her trunk with a small baby in her arms. After going a short distance they looked back and saw her kneeling in prayer beside the trunk. They turned and went back to try to persuade her to come on and it was no use to hunt longer. She arose with faith and confidence that if they would go up the wash a short distance and search again they would find me. With an unwilling attitude, the group went again in the direction she told them and met me coming toward them. . I saw two men coming and they hollered. I was trying to get across a deep hollow. They ordered me to stand still. It was my father and another man. I must have been quite a sight, just a small boy of six, dirty, tear stained and sunburned, and with travel worn bare feet. In my hand was still the wilted bunch of flowers. They soon had me by each hand and were hurrying me to the camp. Here we all knelt in thanksgiving. I told them how I had wandered around looking for the camp until evening. I remember getting upon a large rock, eight or ten feet wide, about five feet from the ground to see if I could see the camp, but it was useless. It was about sundown. So I lay down, tired and hungry, and cried myself to sleep. Next morning I awoke with the sun shining in my face got down and wandered around until I met the men. I took them back to the rock where I spent the night, and they found footprints of the men who had searched for me in the night, also of animals all around the rock. We returned to camp loaded up Mother's trunk and went on our way rejoicing.
We arrived at San Bernardino ranch about June. My father being a farmer in early life got a sickle and went to the field to cut wheat that was left in the weeds. After cutting, binding and shocking it up, he took me with him to mind the cattle away from it while he helped on the thresher. The cows came and were bellowing and playing around me. It scared me. I ran and they followed me. I ran toward the thresher. I wore dresses then, as was the custom in Australia, which made be fall down. The men, seeing the fix I was in, came with wagons and picked me up, gathered up the grain and threshed it with a two-horse treadmill. They said there was forty-four bushels.
That winter, Dec. 16, 1856, I was baptized by Elder William Matthews.
Father bought a small piece of land, three miles from the town of San Bernardino. This place was bought by the Church, presided over by Apostles Charles E. Rich and Amasa M. Lyman. Father gave his last five dollars in gold to help buy this ranch. We had to walk the three miles to Church and school. It was here that we first knew the Kartchner family.
Father bought a cow from Dan Matthews, gave $100 for her and one dollar for a rope to lead her home with. He also bought one horse, and a two-wheeled cart. He made and did all his work hauling with the mare and cart.
We lived there until the call came for the Saints to gather closer to Salt Lake City. That was in 1857. Father traded his place for four horses and a wagon, and bought two colts. They were two years old. He got an old hack and worked the two colts on it. My brother George and I drove them to Utah. We went by way of the Canyon-Bypass. My, what a time we had. All of us were green drivers and had never done any driving. The horses seemed to know our lack of horsemanship and we thought them quite "giddy" as father used to say for balky. Well, we got along by lifting on the wheels and sometimes pushing the wagon onto the horses until we got to the summit of the hill. Going down they would have to move. Many times they refused to be pushed up the hill. Then father would say, "Well, mother, we will have to unload the wagons and carry everything up the hill and pack it up on old Giney," (the name of the mare). It was dark by this time, but go we must, so we all carried things, and the old mare packed up the hill about half a mile. The horses could gallop with the empty wagon. One time we got the last load on the mare and got halfway up the hill. The mare took fright and downhill she went, scattering everything, especially Mother's dried corn and peaches out of the sack. Father chased her for five miles before he finally caught her. We gathered everything up and re-packed things, which took nearly all night. The next day we over took the campers who were ahead of us, and traveled on to Mojave. Just before reaching the Camp of the Saints, the front axle wagon broke. We had to camp sure enough. The brethren came back the next day, cut a cottonwood tree down and put it in for an axle without any irons, just a lynch pin to keep the wheels on.
We were organized with Captain Chase in charge of the company. Here we spent Christmas.
After New Years we traveled slowly with the company until we reached Las Vegas Spring Stream.
Other companies of Saints came along, among them William Moyes with his family. In a few days we traveled up the big Meadow Valley wash to Cottonwood Springs. We came to the Muddy stream or river.
The Indians gathered in the camp and begged for food. They were almost naked. The Captain called for donations of flour, cornmeal, shorts (a coarse grind of wheat) or anything that would make mush for the hungry Indians. A large iron pot was set on the fire; the water and the donations gathered up were put in to cook. Before it was done, the Indians dipped their fingers into the boiling pot and into their mouths. They crowed around the fire so that the hindmost ones could not get any and they threw up the sand over the fire, pot and all. It all made mush. The next morning an old, poor, work ox got into the mud. The Indians wanted it so the Captain gave it to them. They killed it in the mud, drank the blood and cut it in strips and ate it raw, intestines and all. We thought it was awful.
We traveled up the Virgin River, and at another cottonwood springs, this is where we first met the William Moyes family. Here we saw the first snow in our lives. We traveled on over the desert and passed over the ground of the Mountain Meadow Massacre and saw several graves. Next reached Cedar Creek, then to Summit Creek. Here it snowed all day--twelve to fourteen inches deep. While we traveled, I walked to lighten the load. My brother George had to ride; he had a lame foot. I began to get behind as my feet were being frozen. My team got so far ahead I could not catch up. Brother Meeks and his wife came along, picked me up, took off my shoes, and wrapped my feet in a blanket; rushed on as fast as we could and overtook Father, glad to be with them again.
We got to Parowan, and then went on North and reached Beaver, UT on the 14th of February 1858. The town of Beaver was located February 8th 1856 with Simion F. Houd as the Presiding Elder. We got two city lots. Father dug a big cellar six feet deep, put son long cotton poles across it, then put a wagon cover over them for a roof. We used one corner of the cellar for a fireplace. Mother did all her cooking on the fire. No stove.
Father and I went back to Parowan and traded the two-year-old colts and the hack for a two-year-old heifer and some wheat. We were overtaken by a snow storm. By the time we got home the snow was three feet deep, which broke in the roof of the cellar and left Mother and her six children without fireplace or stove. Father and I went to the mountains through the deep snow and got pine logs to build a house over the cellar and put on a dirt roof. But my, the logs were crooked. There was no lumber in the country. That winter William Decater Kartchner came to Beaver and located on the same block we were located on.
Our heifer brought a calf but it died. Father, thinking the cow would do better and be more gentle, skinned the calf, stuffed the hide with straw, and when he milked the cow he would bring out the stuffed calf, lean it up against the fence, drive the cow to it and sit down and milk.
We took up land in the east field, put in crops, built fences and went to the mountains twenty-five miles away to get posts. The snow was very deep, and our shoes were badly worn. The frost came so early in the fall that the wheat did not ripen for seed. We could not use risening and had to eat unleavened bread.
Between the years of 1858 and 1860, I was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood to the office of Deacon. The ward records of Beaver were destroyed by fire so I could not get the exact date.
About the year 1860, Father bought a claim of land on North Creek, of Matthew McQuan, about three miles north of Beaver, and homesteaded land joining it. We sold our home in the city. Father got some cows and sheep and a loom; then we made most of our clothing. Father (Henry Gale) worked this land until he died, December 16th 1891. We built a house in Beaver for Mother, near her son Henry C. Gale, where she lived until her death, November 12th 1905.
Before continuing my history, I should like to say a few more things about my parents Henry & Sarah Gale. They were always faithful and true to their religious convictions as long as they lived. Going through the trials and persecutions that were given the Church in those days. He was sent to the Penitentiary for six months, and fined $300 by the enemies of the Church because he would not denounce the things (polygamy) upheld by its leaders. For his good conduct he was presented with a beautiful cane braided over with black horse hair and initials "H.G." in gold letters stamped on the head of the cane.
When St. George Temple was opened for work in 1877, my parents drove their team and wagon that distance and camped out while they did the work for their people as far as they could.
Now to continue with my own history. I was ordained a teacher and used to visit the ward once a month with my partner David Muir. When my brother George and I were not in school, which we attended in the wintertime in Beaver, we went to the mountains and hauled logs to a sawmill. With the lumber we built Mother a house. While this was our home, she cooked for the school children so they didn't have to walk so far.
I was called to fill a mission to drive four yoke of oxen across the plains to the Missouri River at Nebraska City for the poor Saints whom the Church was helping to reach Salt Lake City. Here we organized into ten companies with ten Captains, 456 teamsters, 49 mounted guards, 89 horses, 134 mules, 3042 oxen and 397 wagons, with Daniel Thompson as our Captain. President Brigham Young paid us for hauling some oats to Hams Fork mail station. That was the first money that I had ever had and my first trip away from my parents and the family. Fifty miles from Salt Lake City, in Echo Canyon, we had to stop on account of stormy weather. While there, I spent my 20th birthday on the 6th of May 1866. We were compelled to keep day and night guard because of the marauding Indians that were so bad. Our train, one of eight, each containing 50 to 80 wagons, made the trip that year. We reached Wyoming landing 8 miles north of Nebraska City, on the Missouri River on the 20th of June 1866. With seven other teams, I was sent up the river one hundred miles to cross the river at Platt's Mouth on a stream ferry. We went into Iowa returning with flour for the emigrants. It being early in July the weather was very hot. We had to travel up the Missouri River bottoms which were very slouchy and all took sick on the trip or soon after returning to the main camp. The emigrants began to arrive about the 15th of July with 82 wagons and 520 passengers. Started on our return trip July 24th, 1866.
During the first day of our journey to Salt Lake City, we traveled eight miles. My! What rejoicing from the Saints as they were going to Zion -- and on foot! All had to walk that was able. The next morning after prayers and before starting, we buried an old gentleman who had just died. We continued traveling at about 15 or 20 miles each day, but some days had to drive farther to get suitable watering places. We had to gather buffalo chips most of the time. Our road was on the old Pioneer Trail up the north side of the Platte River. We were inspected in several places by the U.S. Government officers. To prepare against Indian attacks we had to stand guard about every third day or night around the camp and the cattle. It was quite trying when our turn came to stand guard after walking all day.
We had a prosperous trip and there was not much sickness. I did get quite sick with bowel trouble but my passengers of eight women and three children took all the care of me they could. They had formed an acquaintance on shipboard and had stuck together all the way. I was relieved of my sickness by eating wild cherries that we got at Cherry Creek. Every time we camped at night the train was corralled. One half would circle to the left which formed a hollow circle. The inside of the wagon circle was used as a corral for the cattle with the wagon tongues on the outside. We all prepared the food as best we could with fires on the outside of the circle.
On crossing the Platte River which was from a mile to a mile and a half wide and quite quick-sandy, the passengers would hold hands and wade the water, which was from one to four feet deep, fifty in a line, so the stronger ones could help the weaker ones. Sometimes it was very dangerous. At Fort Laramie we saw a large lake that looked like ice, but we found it to be "saleratus" like crystals. We gathered many sacks full to take on the road to use in raising our bread. In traveling up the Sweetwater, many of our cattle got alkali and many of them died. At the Little Sandy River we saw the ashes and irons of the government wagons that were sent to Utah with provisions for the U.S. soldiers that were sent to destroy the Mormons at Goose Creek. At one place our train was stampeded just as we were all hitched up and ready to start. Two wagons were crushed in the four mile race. At Echo Canyon we saw the fortifications that were built to defend the Mormons from Johnston's army. The soldiers were held out until peace was established.
We entered Salt Lake October 5, 1866 and unloaded our passengers at the Tithing Yard. We drove out to the Church pasture but were soon asked to load the wagons with some cotton factory machinery that was to be taken to Dixie, Washington County, near St. George. I got the load and started for Beaver, and on the 21st of October my parents and the family met me at Wildcat Canyon, north of Beaver. I was soon home after making a trip of 2200 miles with three yoke of oxen and one wagon in six months and seven days.
Later in October the Indians made a raid on John D. Lee's ranch seven miles southeast of Beaver. The Indians shot Joseph Lillywhite in the collar bone. They tried to burn the house, but Mrs. Lee and the children put out the fire with milk. Joseph Lillywhite was dragged into the house and the doors and windows were barred. The Indians tried to pry the door open, but Mrs. Lee shot at them through the opening they had made. After finding that they were unable to get into the house, the Indians took the horses and the cattle that were in the corral and left. Mrs. Lee put her little boy out the window and sent him to Beaver for help. He came across the hills, a short route and reported to Captain John Hunt. He got the cavalry of Beaver Militia to go. I went with them. We found one dead Indian in a cellar. Others were tracked by their trails. We followed the trails of the horses and cattle for three days and got most of the cattle, but the Indians got off with the horses.
In 1867 my brother George and I farmed the east field that Father gave to us. In December, 1867 my Mother and I went by ox team to visit and spend Christmas with my sister Elizabeth who had married William D. Kartchner and had moved to the Muddy. We returned to Beaver on the 30th of December 1867.
On the 5th of March, 1868, I married Sarah Ann Thompson with John R. Murdock performing the ceremony. We had a grand supper at the home of her parents, William Thompson and Ann Mariah Fellows Thompson. We lived in my house in Beaver City and in November got recommends to go to the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. With one yoke of cattle we made the trip of 220 miles in eight days, and on December 8th, 1868, I was sealed to Sarah Ann Thompson Gale and Elizabeth Ann Moyes by President Daniel H. Wells. Returned to Beaver December 18th, 1868.
On May 22nd 1869, my first child, Sarah Mariah, was born in Beaver City, Utah. On the 8th of June 1870 Mary Elizabeth was born and died the 23rd of September 1870. Born and buried in Beaver. I was farming the east field during this period.
In June of 1870, I was called by Brigadier General Erastus Snow to attend a grand muster at Old Harmony in southern Utah. I was a Second Lieutenant in the Utah Militia Infantry under the command of Captain Joseph Betterson. We drilled three days and had a sham battle. Our cannons were loaded with powder and half-dry alfalfa leave. When the cavalry charged, we opened ranks and fired the cannon which made a streak of fire a quarter of a mile long.
In July I went to Milford to shear sheep and catch fish. Sarah Ann and babe went with me. December 2nd 1870, I started to Meadow Valley with ox teams. The teams belonged to Ervin Stewart and the wagon was loaded with potatoes. I hauled wood ad lumber all winter. The snow was deep in the mountains. Our cattle could not do the work for the want of feed and shoes, as the ice on the road was very bad. Some of the cattle died. I chopped and sawed logs until spring and started home the 12th of February, arriving there the 20th, after being three months away from home in the coldest of winter, in rain and snow, with very little money. I was glad to meet my family and my daughter Harriet who was born in my absence on the 25th of December, 1870.
In December 1871, I, with my brother Wandell, James Thompson, Samuel Angel, and George Damon went to Meadow Valley to haul wood to Bulionville. I cut the wood for James Thompson and did the cooking for the company. I returned home in February, 1872. My first son, James Jr. was born the 27th of February 1872 in Beaver. We went to Greenville, four miles from Beaver City, and rented a farm from James Whitaker. We raised twelve hundred bushels of potatoes. I bought a span of mules for $350 and hauled potatoes to Pioch, 200 miles away. I sold them for three and four cents per pound, which took until the spring of 1873. On January 18th, 1873 my son George Henry was born in Greenville, Utah.
In the spring of 1873, I took up a piece of land on the river two miles below Greenville and made some improvements, planted a crop of grain and put up some fence. At that time the Saints were called to enter the United Order. I gave in all my property to Bishop Easton. He told me to live on my farm and make all out of it I could. The team I had taken and put to work building on the Seviere for cattle. That left me without a team and my farm not enclosed. The range stock took the crop at night even though I herded them off in the daytime. The stock soon got it. The Bishop said that the Order would pay for the damage but that part is still to come.
As father wished all his family to join him in living in the Untitled Order as a family, I sold my improvements and moved to Father's home on North Creek three miles north of Beaver City. We got permission from the President of the Beaver Stake to do this. I went to Orderville, in Kane County, and moved my brother George and family to Father's and we all worked together for the summer. We attended the farm and my brothers George, Charles, Henry, Wandell and I went to a mining camp and hauled wood until harvest time. We saw that we did not have land enough together to farm and the place was too small to support us. The United Order was not supported by the Church sufficiently to sustain those that entered it, so the Order was discontinued. Father's family scattered.
I went to Beaver and built a log house in 1874 and in November of that year Agnes Rebecca was born on the 3rd. The following November 3rd, 1875, Martha Lilly was born.
In company with William J. Flake, Edwin Twitchell and others, I went to Potato Valley, 150 miles east of Beaver, in the spring of 1875, to search for a place to make a home. I took up some land and planted some crops, but the location was so far away over a range of high mountains that it could not be traveled in the winter. I sold my work there and started for home arriving on the 12th of May, 1876. I got home just in time to attend the funeral of my daughter Agnes Rebecca and Aunt Harriet Baker's little girl who was of the same age. They were buried in the same grave.
I contracted to shear the tithing sheep at Cove Creek Fort for Brother Christopher Layton who had charge of the Church Sheep that had been kept on the island of the Salt Lake. I hauled the first load of rock to build the Fort and worked there until it was finished about 1874. It was built by the Church to protect the settlers from the Indians. I was paid credit on labor tithing and also for my trip across the plains. Sarah Ann and children were with us while shearing the sheep. A young man called "Baby Darling" which reminded us Agnes Rebecca whom we had recently buried. We learned the song, the words of which are:
First Verse:
When our little baby darling
Crossed the river deep and wide,
Who'll be there to give her welcome
And take her on the other side?
For the way was dark and dreary
Baby was so very weak and small
Who will guard the little stranger
Who will hear her tiny call?
Chorus:
Loving arms will ever greet her
Through the heavenly pastures fair and sweet.
Never fear for baby darling
Angels will guide her little feet.
Second Verse:
When her feet had crossed the threshold
of that city without sin,
Who'll be there to give her welcome
Who'll be there to let her in?
Who will watch the little stranger
Toddling up to Heaven all alone?
Is there any love like Mother's
In that place where she has gone?
Chorus:
Angels of Celestial Glory watch her
More than with a Mother's care.
Never fear for baby darling,
Angels will guide her over there.
My daughter Martha Lilly was born November 3rd 1875. She died August 12th 1877 in Beaver. Olive Printha was born August 9th, 1876 in Beaver. Jasper was born the 3rd of November 1877 in Beaver.
After finishing the sheep-shearing job, we returned to our home in Beaver. At this time there was so much persecution against polygamy that we decided to look for a place to start a new home. William J. Flake was moving all his family and belongings to Arizona and we decided to go with him. We had our wagon box enlarged by projections on the sides and with covered bows. With all our household furniture, bedding and provisions, four children, Sarah, Harriet, Christina, George Henry, Olive Printha; Sarah Ann Gale and myself, our wagon was full to the topbows. Our wagon was drawn with one large pair of horses and we had some cows in with Brother Flake's herd. Leaving Elizabeth Ann in Beaver, we started for Arizona on November 12th, 1877. Our road was over to Panguitch, up the Sevier River, over the mountains to Long Valley and across the Buckskin Mountains.
On the east side of the mountain, going down the last hill, Clara Turley's baby died. We were ten miles from water but had to stop in order to buy the child. Some of the men went with the horses to water and brought back a two gallon keg. They were gone all night. Barney Greenwood and I went a mile south down the wash, dug a grave and buried the child before sunrise and put up a board to mark the grave. The night was so cold that the child's body had completely frozen.
We traveled on and later overtook Isaac Turley in the Buckskin Mountains. We drove on to House Rock Springs and then to a spring called Jacob's Pool. We crossed the Colorado River at John D. Lee's Ferry on a large flat boat. The cattle and horses had to swim. It was so steep climbing out of the river we had to double up with the teams to pull out. Then on to Navajo Springs, then to Bitter Springs on Christmas day, 1877. Then on down the Moancoppy Road to the Little Colorado, which was frozen over. We had to cut holes in the ice to get water; this was the coldest time I ever knew. We went on up the river to Sunset Camp where Lot Smith and his people were living the Untied Order. We spent New Year's day there in 1878, and ate around one big table. We were counseled to organize into the United Order and went up the Little Colorado twenty miles east of Sunset and five miles below St. Joseph to locate.
Setting some cottonwood logs up on their ends, we built a house, but all went to the common table to eat with about one hundred souls. The Little Colorado Branch was organized with John Kartchner as presiding Elder and James Gale as Sunday School Superintendent, January 27th, 1878. We planted Wheat and then made a ditch three miles long up to the river. We worked three months on a dam but the rocks and timbers sank in the quicksand and we did not get any water for our burning crops. The grain began to burn so we gave it up as a bad job.
We began to be bare in spots for the want of clothes but our Bishop could not arrange for any clothing, but something had to be done.
William J. Flake and I decided to leave the company and do for ourselves. We went to Silver Creek and looked for a location and met a Mr. J. Stinson in the valley that was afterward called Snowflake. We sat down to talk as his Mexican man was preparing supper. We sat there until two o'clock in the morning. By that time we had bought his entire ranch which included the whole three mile square valley. The land had not been surveyed and had been used as a cattle ranch and farm. We were to pay him eleven thousand dollars in yearly installments. Our contract included all rights to the land and water, one thresher, one reaper, one mower, one rake, five span of mules, one wagon, some plows and other small tools.
We then returned to Taylor, where we had originally located with our families and settled up with the United Order Clerk. He paid us in our cattle, teams and wagons, that had been appraised to us in joining the United Order a few months before, which ended our contract with the United Order. We got back all of our own property, but had to pay for the amount of food that we had consumed.
Brother Flake did the trading for the company and went to St Johns sixty miles up the Little Colorado to trade horses for some wheat. The wheat had been threshed by sheep and winnowed by the wind. He took it to a grist mill that was turned by burros and everything that was in the wheat, sheep pills and all, was ground into flour. It was brought to camp an made into straight graham bread; the smell when baking was not so good, but we ate it.
We loaded up our "junk" and families and started for Silver Creek and got there in three days. We used some adobe rooms that were not finished; we put mud roofs on the buildings and moved into them. I commenced to cut the barley with the reaper and ran it until some of the machinery wore out. I then cut the rest with the mower and raked it up with the hay rake. The barley was quite ripe and the storms beat it down so that the rake could not gather it up. Then Mr. Stinson told the people to gather it up with garden rakes, thresh it an sack it and he would give them 7 cents a pound for the barley. They hauled it and stacked it in separate piles; I threshed it. Mr. Stinson paid us in cash. The wages were good and we soon clothed ourselves which was a great blessing to us all.
Quite a number of people came and joined us. They came from Arkansas a year or so before. In July of 1878 Jesse Brady and wife, Alonzo McGrath and child, and Sister Jackson (Alonzo's mother), Alexander Stewart and family, the Wansley family, Web Demsy, John and William Waddle, Father Quinn and family and others.
Mark Kartchner and Alma Palmer from Taylor, Little Colorado came to look for a place to locate. They expected to buy a place up near the Indian Reservation near Fort Apache but failed to do so. They then returned to Snowflake and had a talk with W.C. Flake. He told them they could have one-third of this place at cost. They selected the east side of the valley, and went to Taylor for their families, moved up to their lands and lived the United Order with their families. They located across the creek east of Flakes camp and were building a large log house for their dining room. Then Apostle Erastus Snow came to visit them. He went to their camp as they were considered a better people because they were living the United Order. In a meeting he held with them, they asked him if he required them to live in the order. He told them that he did not and if they thought that they could do as well or better by each one living separate, just as they could serve the Lord best it was for them to decide. They then and there said, "Let us go to Flake's camp, buy city lots and live separate." Apostle Snow came over to Flake's camp. I was in charge as Brother Flake had gone to Utah for some more of his property. We went out into the place where we had laid out the town site and on to the block that was to be the public square in Brother Snow's hack. He thought a moment and said, "The name of this place would be called Snowflake, in my honor."
William J. Flake and Kartchner selected lots. The Snowflake ward was organized September 24th, 1878 with John Hunt as Bishop and James Gale as Sunday School Superintendent with Sarah Ann Gale as one of the teachers. On October 12th, 1878, my son William Taylor was born, the first white child born in Snowflake, Arizona. In 1878 W.J. Flake returned to Snowflake and brought Elizabeth Ann Gale and family with him.
In 1879 the month of June, Sarah Ann and children went to Beaver with brother Joseph Fish to visit her people, thinking to return soon, but decided to stay so she had no way to come back until I could go after her. While there James Albert was born, March 27th 1880.
In May I went to Beaver and got her and the children. I freighted from Milford, Beaver County to Leeds, southern Utah in company with Joseph Moyes until November of 1880.
I left Beaver, in company with Reuben Dotson. We were on the road going back to Snowflake, Arizona, twenty-five days. On August 5th, 1880 my son William Leroy was born in Snowflake. We resided there until February 1883, when we decided to move over the mountain into Gila Valley to Pima, Arizona.
A few days after arriving there, on April 12th 1883, Reuben Ray Gale was born. I bought a farm across the river on the Origan Canal from Reuben Fuller, consisting of about 40 acres. I farmed this land for one year and intended to take up other lands as a homestead. I was working in the water so much I took chills and fever so bad that I could not work. During this year we built a rock house of white stone that we could cut with a hatchet. It was quite soft but hardened in the weather. It stands on Main Street north towards the river. On July 1st 1883, at Pima, Joseph Oscar was born. We were quite sick with the chills and fever, nine of us down at one time. On November 14th 1884, Philo Gale was born and September 15th 1885 Charles Gale was born in Pima and only lived a few hours.
I continued to chill for nine months and in January 1885I was counseled by the President of the Church to go to Mexico as our enemies were persecuting the Church for plural marriage. I was taken from my bed, put in my wagon, given the lines and told to go. Brother Mons Larson, in his wagon was to go with me. We drove to Thatcher or north of where Thatcher is now. We were in the mesquites on an old road. I stopped my team as I was too sick to drive them. Brother Larson said, "What for you stop here? The officers will get you sure!" I said, "If they do they will take better care of me than I can myself." I unhitched the tugs, took off the bridles and tied the horses to the hind end of the wagon. I curled up in the hay and shook all night with the chills.
We traveled on in the morning and continued on to La Ascension in Old Mexico. We paid our duties on the 12th of January, 1885, and went on to Corrolitos where we met Joseph K. Rodgers, Peter H. McBride, Andrew Anderson, Jorgan Jorgenson, Lyman Wilson and John Lavine.
They had left the Gila in November 1884 and had rented lands from the Carrolitos Company. We joined them in their contract and planted crops. Brother Larson and I worked every other day, did the cooking and chilled the balance of the time.
Peter McBride and I sent to the Gila at Pima for some of our families, so Elizabeth Ann and family and Laura McBride came. They were the first Mormon women to colonize in Mexico and were allowed a free pass over the border on the 16th day of February, 1885. A few days previous, Apostle George Teasdale organized a branch of the Church at Carrolitos, with Joseph K. Rodgers as President and James Gale as the first Sunday School Superintendent in Old Mexico. Peter H. McBride was the Secretary to the Sunday School. Louisa Rodgers, Betsy Loving and their families had previously come by way of El Paso to Ojo Calienta or Hot Springs to San Jose and then by team 120 miles to Carrolitos. As we were the first Latter-day Saints located and renting land, there were many who called on us. It became the headquarters for gathering. This summer we had many visitors which took most of our crops to supply. Brother Alexander McDonald was negotiating with the officials to purchase land.
I had a pair of mares that was used most of the summer in making trips to the Rail Road to San Jose to get the Apostles and others who were on the go to keep away from persecutions. The team was over driven and neglected and got locoed and alkalied so that they were useless. I lost the use of them but did not get anything for their use. Brother Thatcher said the Church should pay me for them, but it was not reported to the Church authorities.
In the summer of 1885 my wife Sarah Ann and family came to us at Carrolitos together with others of our first company. We continued to live at Carrolitos and farmed there in 1886 and 1887.
On May 31st 1886, Walter was born to Sarah Ann Gale at Carrolitos, Mexico. Many families came to Mexico by team and went up the Casa Grande River. There was a small place bought by Brother Alexander McDonald on the Piedres River, afterwards called Colonia Juarez. The people gathered there and also at Colonia Diaz. In the summer of 1887, on April 10th, Sarah Ann's baby Walter died. As we wanted to bury him in Juarez, 35 miles away, I started with Sarah Mariah and Sister Lavine that evening. We traveled all night and went to the Mexicans of Casa Grande. I asked for a pass to go on to Juarez but the officers said they could not pass by a burial ground. I was taken from one court to another and they said that I would go to the penitentiary for 20 years for breaking the law. I was kept there until afternoon and was finally released after paying a fine of $22. We went on to Juarez, buried Walter and drove back to Carrolitos in the night. When we got home Aunt Lizzie's William LeRoy was sick with the same disease (scarletina) and died that night. The next day we took him to Colonia Juarez and buried him by Walter. I got a pass this time through the Mexican's sympathy for us.
That fall we went to Colonia Diaz where the Church bought a piece of land. A Ward was organized with William Derby Johnson as Bishop. We bought city lots and made adobes to build with. We put them in the walls while they were frozen, covered them with mud roofs, then built fires in the house to dry the walls. On the 20th of September 1887 Aunt Lizzie's son Ira Bartlett was born. We built Aunt Lizzie a house on the same lot as the other one. On the 22nd of December Carrie Mae was born in Orsen Richens house.
I was Sunday School Superintendent in Diaz during this time. In 1888 I took Joseph James' teams with mine and freighted ore from the Sabenal mines to Deming, New Mexico and loaded back with goods for the Mexican merchants in the Sierra Madre Mountains 100 miles away for ten dollars per thousand.
In 1889 we continued freighting and hauling and farming for Mr. Scoble and so in the mountains until 1890. We built a ditch to the river to bring water from the Pala Tarda Ditch to Diaz until the spring of 1891. Then we went to the Boco Granda and 15 miles further south of Las Palomas and worked on the railroad for John W. Young. We did not get our money as he skipped out of town.
It was there we knew the great Panco Villa, the great revolutionary warrior, for the first time. He was then a boy of 18 years and used to play with my boys of a night the game of spat bottom. He was quite a good boy at the time.
John Lorin was born November 4th 1880 and Milo T. was born April 10th 1891, both sons of Sarah Ann were born in Diaz. Laura, Aunt Lizzie's daughter, was born the 9th of May 1892 in Diaz.
After leaving the railroad, I took the teams of Joseph James and Erastus Beck and plowed a ditch 7 miles long that we had built to get water from the reservoir.
In January 1894, I moved Sarah Ann and family to Thatcher, Arizona and worked for President Christopher Layton. On March 24th 1894, Annie was born. She was Sarah Ann's 14th child. In 1895 Sarah Ann went to Utah to visit her father. She took Mae and Annie with her. When she returned, my mother came with them on a visit.
In July 1896, I went to the Manti Temple and was sealed to my parents July 21st. After returning from Utah in 1896, I went to Franklin, Arizona, an worked on the Moddle Canal. In November of that year, I moved Sarah Ann and her family to Franklin and continued to work on the ditch. In 1897 the water crossed the railroad wash. A branch of the Church was organized that year with Samuel Echols as President and Jams Gale as Sunday School Superintendent. On April 1st 1897, I went to Diaz, Mexico to move Aunt Lizzie and family and gather up the cattle. We got back o Franklin the 22nd of June 1897, and I helped George H. Gale buy a quit claim of land. George filed and patented a homestead and let Aunt Lizzie have some of he land. I took up land as a homestead and built a board house on it. This was Sarah Ann's home.
(This history now takes the form as transcribed by Laura Gale Moyers from the words of James Gale.)
I was set apart as Superintendent of the Franklin Ward Sunday School February 3rd 1898 by Apostle John Henry Smith and was also set apart as Ward Clerk on the same date by Apostle John W. Taylor. I served nineteen years as the Sunday School Superintendent of the Franklin Ward.
We built the first lumber house on the Franklin flat near the Israel Elledge place. I homesteaded for Sarah Ann in 1897. We carried George, who was sick with rheumatism from the Elledge house to our new house on his birthday, January 18, 1897. That year we planted twenty-five acres of corn and planned to water it from the Moddle Canal. I stood over the headgate all day long on my birthday, May 6th, waiting for the water that did not come. We mailed to make any crop from that planting. We suffered many failures of crops due to shortage of water and cinch bugs that ate up the grain. We labored along as best we could, building up the Ward. Elizabeth Ann Gale was set apart as Relief Society President February 3rd 1898. That same day, Sarah Ann Gale was set apart as President of the YLMIA. George Marlin, son of George and Elsie Gale, was the first baby born in Franklin, July 26th 1897. About this time Sarah Ann's health failed due to kidney and stomach trouble.
In the year 1912, Sarah Ann, Elizabeth Ann an I were recommended by Stake President Andrew Kimball to go to the house of the Lord in Salt Lake City and receive our second anointing, June 11th, 1912, by Anthony H. Lund. From here we separated, Elizabeth Ann going to Beaver, our old home, and Sarah Ann and I going to Idaho and Oregon to visit our daughter Mae Wilkins and family and my brother Joseph Gale and family. From there we went to Beaver, Utah, to visit our relatives, returning to Franklin early in August
Sarah Ann's health grew worse. Thinking to help her, we went to Showlow, Arizona, to visit her son, George, and his family April 25th, 1914. For a time she seemed to improve, but owing to the dreadful disease, diabetes, it was necessary to amputate her right leg just above the knee, on June 12th. She survived the operation, but due to lack of vitality and strength, her death occurred at 7:20 a.m. June 16th, 1914, at the home of my sister, Elizabeth Kartchner, at Snowflake, Arizona, an was buried in the Kartchner plot in the Snowflake cemetery. Annie and I then returned, by way of Thatcher, Arizona, and called at Sadie's home. Annie being the baby and only child not yet married, went to live with her sister Mae Wilkins, who had returned from Idaho to live in Franklin. We all gathered at dear Sarah Ann's home to divide her property and keepsakes among her children, according to her will. It surely was a sad time for us all.
On my birthday, May 6th 1915, we met in Franklin as a family reunion and decided to meet on that day each year and form a family organization. On May 6th 1917 we met and organized according to the Church rule with the following persons as officers: James Gale Jr. as president, William Taylor Gale, vice president; Jasper Gale, second vice-president; Milo T. Gale, secretary. The by-laws are: a fee of 25 cents for entrance and 25 cents annual fee will be paid. Also a temple and genealogical committee was chosen with Mae Wilkins as chairman; George H. Gale, secretary; John L. Gale, treasurer. All money to be used in doing genealogical work.
We have continued to meet each year on May 6th, according to appointment, and given in reports of record and temple work. At this date, May 7th 1927, we have finished the annual gathering and the day had been spent in exchanging and copying family records at the home of Elizabeth Ann Gale.
Prescott, Arizona
October 26, 1932
This book was sent to me (Mae) by my sister, Sadie, as Father had given her the book. After his death she wanted me to put in the finishing chapter of lines, as best I could, what our dear Father had so many years ago had me start for him. In 1921 he came to my house very often to get my help in fixing up his records and talked about someone writing a family history. His eyesight was poor and he didn't know how to go about it. After much talk and thinking, he started to tell me the happenings of his life while I wrote on scratch paper as he dictated. Later he got a book and head me transfer it in ink. He helped to fill in things that were left out in the first writing. This was just intended as a start, but it is all we have now. I copied all the pages from the first to the part where he moved Aunt Lizzie to Franklin. I do not know who put in the others, but they are good an I wish they had kept on and finished it.
Now, after the passing of our dear loved ones, I have been asked to finish, what seems to me, so sacred. It is no small talk and one I feel unable to do justice to. How I will miss his kink voice dictating what to put next. I feel so sad now because of our dear brother George's illness, which has been serious since last January. He is at this time so weak and bad, bloated up so often, caused by his heart, and has to be tapped to give him relief. Each time he gets weaker. He feels he cannot stand many more times of tapping and he may pass away at any hour.
But to continue with our dear Father's life. I have a minute or part of an outline of the last reunion he was with us, held May 6th, 1928. I will copy:
Called to order at 10:30 a.m.
Singing No. 18, "What was Witnessed in the Heavens"
Singing No. 41, "Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning"
Report on Temple work by George Gale
64 baptized
67 endowments
19 families sealed
87 names in Temple yet ready to do
Remarks by father on Temple work
That is all that is given of the day's program except an account of the members in the family at that time. Father has 24 children in all, 15 still living and 105 grandchildren.
As near as I can make out from the writing I have of Father's talk given that day, as follows:
"It seems like I've got the worst part of it. I'm kind of lost for something to say. Oh, don't say why? I've lived a good long while in the Church and lived the principles of the Gospel. I thought today I'd get out of it. I find the older I get the more I find to do. When I find out what has been in the Gale family -- it's the only family in America that have taken up the Gale family line. I've undertaken to do genealogy work, but that part of it is just started. We haven't really understood our duty. We are all green at the business of genealogical records. There is something promised the generations of the earth -- it is now and we ought to appreciate it. We don't know what genealogy work is. It is in the brain of every member. We've got genealogy work to think about. Genealogy is in the mind of every individual.
Family records are what we make genealogy from, and it comes to us through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit of God. This is what constitutes genealogy work. Therefore, I'm not posted, only we've organized ourselves as a family to do research work and make a record of what we have done and have it recorded in their name.
I am glad you came out today, so I can see what I can see of you. I'm in a bad shape. My hearing is bad and I have a bad cough. My eyesight is bad. I'm not well. I welcome all of you to help make the celebration. Go on and visit as Saints and friends and people. Conduct the program as best you can. As an Elder in Israel I ask God's blessings on every one of you, Amen."
Father's health had been failing for some time and he was quite sick in January, but got a little better and was able to be with us that day on his birthday. It was the last one he was with us. Soon after he got so he was not able to be up much. While he was so bad, George got Aunt Lizzie Kartchner and Aunt Rebecca Thompson, Father's sisters who were working at the Mesa Temple, and brought them to see Father. He had not seen Aunt Becca for sixteen years. He was glad to see or have them visit him. All the family who could went to see him.
He was under Doctor Neighbors and DeMoss for about one year. He passed away December 12th 1928, at 6 a.m. Aunt Lizzie and brother Will were with him.
All the family who could came to see him laid to rest in a beautiful casket and vault selected by sister Sadie in Thatcher. Martin Mortensen, her husband, helped to bring them up on a truck. He was buried December 14th in the Franklin Cemetery. He had the best that the times and means could do for him.
Aunt Lizzie's Gales health failed and on February 20th 1930 she passed away at the home of her daughter, Laura Gale Moyers.
I think as a family we should say:
We know just beyond times little space
They found with Christ a resting place.
They have gone to fairer mansions
To prepare a welcome there,
When our mission here is ended,
When we leave this world of care.
Though they walk with us no more,
We must go on just as before,
''Tis meant it should be so.
Let each his house in order set,
That he may live without regret
Whenever called to go.
Sarah Ann Thompson Gale
Th
e following is a short sketch on the life of Sarah Ann Thompson Gale as written by her daughter Mae.Mother's Church work was mostly with the Primary, Sunday School and Mutual Improvement. She served as president, teacher, singing director, and various positions in the Relief Society, and was loved an respected by all who knew her. She was called so often to go where there was sickness among the children and confinement cases. Not having doctors, they felt that they should go and do what they could to relieve misery and pain and offer comfort to those in distress. She loved her children and they all loved her. We were always welcome at her home. Regardless of the number she could make room at the table and extra beds to take care of them. Our evenings at home were spent in such a happy way. Father played the violin, Mother taught us to sing together, an Mae played the little organ for Church and dances. We played games and had the neighbors young folks there often. She would make molasses candy and popcorn balls. Father always grew the cane and made the molasses and grew the popcorn.
Mother often grieved because she was so far away from her parents and families. We did not have grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins near so our only relatives were Aunt Lizzie's and Mother's children. Although we were poor so far as money, nice clothes and large homes, we were happy and thankful for the many blessings we did have.
Our parents taught us the Gospel and how to live it by their own lives and were always leaders in Ward and Church activities.
Mother's passing was on the 16th of June 1914 in Snowflake, Arizona. Father called us together the next year on his birthday, 6th May 1915. As a family he wanted us to meet every year on that date and renew our love and friendship. Later, he organized us into a Gale Family Organization. He wanted us to keep in mind one purpose: to combine our efforts to do research and compile records for temple work.
We were wonderfully blessed as a family to have parents who always took an interest in our social life. Father played the violin for dances and parties. They bought a small organ, which we put in the wagon for Church gatherings, and for dances for miles around us. I pedaled and played six and eight hours at night for dances, and was paid one dollar cash. Father was given from three to five dollars, but what we made helped so much when the flour can was all but empty.
Comments by Gary L. Foster, Great Grandson of James Gale: Today, February 16, 1998 the Gale family has grown tremendously in size and blessings. Over 5,000 living descendents share the heritage of birth through the loins of James Gale. Yes, he was an early pioneer in southern Utah and Arizona and Old Mexico. He worked hard. He took time out to play and most of all he loved all of his 24 children. He enjoyed the companionship of his two wives and endured the challenges of trying to provide for both of their families. His life and theirs was not easy and nearly impossible. They survived the persecutions of their government and moved their families out of harms way. They loved each other and lived for each other. When the time came they could move back into the United States they settled in Franklin, Arizona. They were always loyal to their citizenship and obeyed its laws. Their many moves caused them to not have wealth or accumulate lands. Their greatest gift to their posterity was that they lived their testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many thousands of converts all over the world have joined the Church because of the missionaries this family has sent. Temple marriages and faithful Church service continue to bless their descendents generations later. Leaders in all aspects of business, Church and political life have come through this family. Let us remember to seek out all of our ancestral dead and unite them as an Eternal Family.
Hey loved ones! It’s time… for the
