Autobiography of Clarissa Isabell Wilhelm

==Part 1==

==Part 2 THE UNITED ORDER IN ORDERVILLE==

==Part 3: CLARA WILHELM GIBBONS, HER STORY==

My Father Bateman Haight Wilhelm was Born in Cayuga Co New York. Nov 14th 1844. his Father John Benjamine died when he was 8 years old. Leaving his Mother a widdow. There was a Family of six Children Two died in Infancy. John and Elizabeth. and the Eldest son James went of to work. sent word to his mother that he had got his wages and was coming home. But never came. They never knew what happened to him. They were sure he was killed for his money. My fathers Mother Clarissa (Harding) Wilhelm. came into Utah In 1851. Lived in Salt Lake City for some four years. here his eldest sister Susan married a Man by the name Samuel Snyer. Later they moved down into southern Utah. Where he met my Mother Lydia H. Draper. Her Father Zemira Draper. and Amy Terry. crossed the plains in 1848. They endured many hardships. Their family consisted of two little girls Ellen Agginess and Baby Rebecca who took sick and died and was burried on the plains. Grandmother Draper was in delicate Health which made it very hard for them. It was very hard for her to get out and in the wagon she would get the food ready to cook, hand it out to Grand Father and he would do the cooking. One day they were getting ready to eat and Grand Father went to hand the coffe pot to Grand Mother into the wagon. It slipped from his hand and scalded one of her legs very bad. she felt so bad and worried about it so much. That when my mother was born she was Lame in one lege her left leg was only about two thirds as large as the right one, and the one was a little shorter than the other which caused her to walk with a slight limp. But the strange thing about it her leg pained her all through child hood. But after she was grown it did not give her any trouble that way any more. But her knee Cap use to slip and let her fall some times. Which was very bad. They arrived in Salt Lake Ciy in 1848 just a very short time before my mother was borne. They lived here a few years. Then they moved to a place at that time called Willow Creek about twenty miles from Salt Lake City West. Later called Draperville for my Father they being the first settlers. There was also William Draper. Grandfather Drapers Father settled there also several of his brethers. the Indians were very hostile at this time and they had built a fort for protection. They built a High mud wail about 4 feet thick in a square and little houses inside of it. Grand Father was a Bishop in this place for several years. Mothers oldest sister Ellen was married here to a man by the name of James Green. They lived until mother was 12 years of age and they moved into southern Utah to a town on the Virgin river called Rock Ville. Here father and Mother were married Father was 19 years of age and Mother 15. There was two in the Family older than I. A girl Lydia Isora (June 10 1867) and a bro. the oldest of the Family Bateman Haight Junior, born June 27 1865. We lived here until I was three years old. I also had another bro born here George Zemira. Then we moved to a place in Long Valey, called Mount Carmel. Grandfather Draper died shortly after we moved here. We lived here about a year. Then they started the United Order ldia (ldea) and Father was called to help take charage. He was first counclar to president Howard Spencer in the Order called Orderville. Shortly after we moved here I had a sister born Jan 31 about 1875 she lived untill she was two years old then she took a stroke caused by indigestion and was buried here at this place. Her name was Amy Elnora. I was baptised here by a man by the name of John Robson. The Order was very prosperous for Four or Five years. Then so much --------- drifted in people that were to old to work and people to lazy to work. Besides others that was cripled. That: It worked a hardship on the people and dissatafaction creept in and Apostle Erastus Snow was calling Family to go into Arizona to build new Homes and Build up the country. So Father was called to go and he was glad to go. Up to this time I had one half Bro and Three Half sisters. Aunt Nancy Gibbons Father Edward Noble was called to Arizona the same time, also Brothers John C. Neagle, Wm Maxwell and many others. Mother being in delicate Health. Father took her down to Rockville — To her mothers. It being a new country — and no place prepared to take her to. he thought it best. Then he would send back for her. He sent my oldest bro Haight with him to help him drive the stock as he had 50 head of cattle. Grand Mother Wilhelm his mother went with him also. He had a very hard time the first years out in Arizona. Their crop failed them and they had no flour. Father traded a horse for some Barley up at Springer Ville and had it ground for bread. Concho was at that time a small town of about 12 or 15 Family. But he furnished Barley Flour for the Town not another crop. Father and Will Flake and Jessie Brady was the founders of the place. He, Father was Bishop here at this place for several years. In about a year and a half he sent for the Family, he sent my bro Haight fifteen years old at that time. Without any roads in some places. And a span of half Broke mules. He also sent for a malloses mill, so we moved a family of 6 and the Heavy Iron rollers and all of our belongings in one wagon. Not very much for a Family of that size. The baby borne at grandmothers was a little girl her name Fanny Marrilla. Born April 13 1879. Mother and us children walked most of the way us children bare footed. The ground was very hot. Father said for us to waite for company so we went on far as Johnson. A little town not far from Kannab. We waited for two weeks before we found any one going to Arizona. There we found two Family. But they were very very poor company. One old fellow so old he could hardly do anything his name was Oldson he son inlaw Ted Pitcher. He was not the most brilliant. My Bro had to take charge of the little company. The others getting lost if they ventured a head at all, several times he had to go and hunt them as they would get on the wrong road . When we came to Lee Ferry. We found they had a very poar was of crossing the river. They had quite a large raft. Now it might not of been very larage as I was a child. but they put the wagons on that. It was made of Logs. Just flat with a lumber floor, and they made the Horses and cattle swim the river. They had a very small

We passed thru St. Joseph. Mother called in to see a cousin Lee Howard was his name. While waiting for her the mules being only half broke got to raring in the harnesses and almost scared us children to death. Then we came to Holbrook. or where Holbrook now stands But there was only one Family living there A Mexican Family who had a store. By the name of Barradas. Mother got us some shoes as she was near enough to our own destination that she knew she could spare the money. This was 65 miles from Concho. Where Father and the other family were living. Father and WillIam J. Flake and Jessie J. Brady. Bought the land of the Mexicans and Finally Father bought it all. It was not a very large place as I have said before. We moved up to the White Mountains for the summers. So Father could take care of his Cattle Interests. and we made butter and cheese as Grandmother was an expert at making cheese. We milked 50 head of cows and made cheese that waeghed 50 lbs. This was only about 50 miles from Fort Apache. The Indians would come and pitch there camps right near us. and Father had to be gone most of the time looking after the Cattle. It gave us quite a lot of worry. for you never know how you stand with an Indian.

One day a squaw came into our camp and she did not act very nice. We thought that she might of been drinking. Mother told her to git out. But she paid no attention. So Mother got after her with a club. She sure drifted. Then we worried all night. For Father was away and we did not know what the Indians might do, But the next day they moved camp. We were living in tents at the time. Mother said afterword that it was a very foolish thing to do at that time as the Indians was very disagrable at that time. But it seemed she had to do something. There was just three women in camp. Fathers mother and his other wife. They finely got so hostile that we had to move into Town. Father came for us in the middle of the night. It was a very disagrable ride every dark object we saw we would think it was Indians. We got into St. Johns just as the sun was coming up. I think that was the longest night I ever saw and poor Mother was in delicate health. and we had only been in St. Johns Two weeks when my little Bro John Benjamine was born, Sep 6, 1883. The sun was just coming up when we got into St. Johns. That was one terrible night I never could forget. I was 11 years old. We lived here for a year or so untill the Indians quieted down and then we moved out onto the ranch again.

They got after Father for plagamy. and he left for Old Mexico a horse back in the night. In company with an old Mexican man Friend named Desidena Gregao. Father sent back after the Familys. But mother wouldn’t go. She had been imposed on beyund ennrounce (endurance?) If the other woman had been the patient kind soul that Mother was it would of been a different storry. Father owned several homes in Concho and he owed D K Udall on the store he had gone broke on. so he sent word for mother to pick out the home she wanted and turn all the rest of the property to D.K. We were living on a place that was not yet paid for. so we decided to stay on this place finish paying for it. and let D. K. have all the rest, so he would be sure of his pay. So Mother and I took in washing Ironing and sewing. and maintained the family while the two boys payed for the place. I wish I could tell of the many hardships we went through but it would take to long. But we finaly got the place paid for and lived there for several years. during the time we were living there a young man by the name of Richard Gibbons came and stayed several times. I little thought that he would be my futher pardnor for life. I respected him at this time was all. We sold the old place and moved up to a ranch at that time it had no name. Mother George and I and two younger children Homesteaded the first place up there. My Brother Haight married a girl by the name of Maggie May Baird. about a year before we moved up to this ranch. he stayed at Concho and worked and we went to this ranch and half starved homesteading it. for Two years we sure did undergo some tearible Hardships. Richard Gibbons came to our place on several trips for he was in the sheep man. We corsponded for about six months. and on his return trip from the country below Holbrook. he camped at our place. on the night of the 11 of April 1892 he asked me to share his lot through life to which I agreed to do. and I can truthfully say I have never regreted it. he was kind and good to me. An Honest up right man. So we were married on July the 4 at the pine top Confrence. at the time that the 4 stakes met. we were married by George Q. Cannon. There were 7 other couples married the same time. I went to St. Johns to live and left poar old Mother alone on the ranch. I Hated to leave her as she had been a good Mother to me. after we had been married about a year Father came back as he and the other Family had broke up. and the other woman had gone to Kansas. He had to talk pretty hard to get Mother to take him back, but finaly they came to some agreement and he staid. Then the next event was the birth of our first child, a little Boy on the 14th of May 1894. his Father gave him the name of Edward. and I the name of Richard after his Father. I moved from place to place to be with him with his work and to help him all I could. Both when he had sheep and then when he went in to the Cattle Business. We would move into the White Mountains for the summer and back to town for the school in the winter. In a couple of years our first Girl was born June 16th 1896. I named her Mabel Clair. When Edward was 10 months old Grandmother Gibbons died March 17 1894 at Uncle Jashe’s and Nancy home of aprlectic strok. When they found her in her room she could not speck was unconcious She lived 4 days after they found her. Then we had another Boy born Feb 22 1897. His Father named Wilhelm Smith for his two Grand Fatahers. Then in about two and a half year’s we had another baby born, and I gave him the name Howard Haight for my oldest Brother. Borne on Sept 1st 1901. When he was about three months old his Father Left on a mission to the southern states Georgia Tennessee. When he got to Salt Lake City. He under went an operation on his nose and ears He had a piece of bone taken out of his nose a very severe operation. he suffer Terrable with his nose. He was in Salt Lake City for about a month. Then he went on his mission. I was left with 4 Little children. In a finnancial way I was left well provided for. But The Two little ones took sick and we came very near loosing them and I had rehatisum in my right Hand and could hardly do anything for several months. It seemed I could hardly get any help at all. and what I did get weren’t at all reliable I guess if I had of realized How dangerous it was for the Missionaries in the south at that time my Troubles would of been compleat as only a year or Two before. Elder Reevy and Gibbs had been mobed and murdered. and another Elder or Two. The Childrens Father wrote to them and told them to pray for him. as he was loosing his Hearing. I think the change of climate was to sudden after having under gone his operation, as the climate is very damp. The Three little one prayed very earnest for their Fathers Hearing. and one day. we got a letter from him. in it was a letter addressed to Edward and Mabel the two oldest Children and he did not mention Wilhelm the next to Baby. They listened to the letter read all standing around my Knee. pretty soon Wilhelm started cry and sob as hard as he could. I said what is the matter. The little Fellow said papa never said nufin to me. and I am not going to pray for him any more I am just going to let him die. He had said his hearing was getting better and he thought it was because Edward and Mable had prayed for him and he did not mention Wilhelm’s name. and it was sure sad for he had prayed just as earnestly as the other Two Children. He was just Three years old. I wrote and told his Father about the offence he had given. and his father wrote him ever so many letters trying to make things right with him. But I thought it was cute a little childs Faith in prayer. He stayed a year but his hearing got so bad he had to come Home as they said it was putting in to much dander him not being able to hear. But before he left to go on his mission he sold out his sheep Intrests and bought Cattle. He was also Elected to go to Phoenix to represent the people of Apache County in the Legislature in 1901(?) Then he came Home and he went into perdnershlp with his Brother Ray. and they Bought more Cattle and the Malpais Ranch. and we moved out about 16 miles from St. Johns here is where we were living when my father died in 1903 and here our second Girl was borne. June 4, 1904. We named her Amy Rizpech (?). Then Mother came back from (New) Mexico. George went after her. she came and lived with us for a year. Then she went to Vernon and took up a Home Stead and Built her a home. Then Ray got tired of the Cattle business and we bought him out soon we sold the Malpais Ranch and moved to Vernon. My Brother George and my husbands niece Naomi Gibbons were married here at Malpais ranch. We wanted to get some where close to the Cattle ranch to send the children to school so we bought a place in Concho that once had belong to my Grand Mother Wilhelm and moved there, and here Lydia Agusta our Third Girl was born June 10, 19 . We moved to (there seems to be a page missing here)