Chapter Review: ****The Child

This is a chapter I found in an email from Lynn Wardle.  It was a book published in 1965 and edited by William Kessen.  The chapter included is called "Children in Mines and Collieries."  It is for the most port the testimony of Earl Anthony Ashley Cooper before parliament in conjunction with with Mines Act of 1842.   The testimony include graphic descriptions of the conditions in the mines, and particularly with regard to children working in the minds.  It also talks about women working in the minds.  I talks about the age of children when they first enter the mines, as young as 5 years, the long days of work, as much as 14 hours, and that the children miss seeing the sun all day, and often have a mile or two to walk home after work.  It talked about the conditions in the mines, low ceilings, damp conditions and poor ventilation.  It started to trigger anxiety reactions in me just to think about some of these conditions.  The children were generally almost naked as they worked.

He quoted a preacher who talked of how working in the mines corrupted the children, but more than corrupted, perhaps caused them to be cynical.  He also talked about the physical abuse some of the children and women were subject to by the men who worked in the mines. 

The mining act of 1842 started to change the environment in the mines, however passing a law and enforcing it are different things.  I appreciate the information, and added it to chapter two of Isaac's book.

Book Review: ****Charlote's Rose

This book is a novel, a fictionalized version of the third handcart company.  However there are somethings in this book which are interesting, and worth of inclusion in Isaac's history, and also the story of the Ashton girls.

This book is a bout handcart members from Wales.  A woman in the company dies in childbirth, and her husband is too grief stricken to take the baby.  A young girl, age thirteen, takes the baby, and cares for her and carries her on her back across the plains.  The thought of someone taking care of someone else points me to the Ashtons.  I wonder who cared for the baby Sarah Ann, that was born near Florence, when Great Grandmother Sarah Ashton passed away.  The baby lived for almost two weeks, so someone in the company must have been a wet nurse to the baby; and somebody else probably took care of the baby.  When William Ashton left the company, the other girl, while supervised by a family, I am sure, were basically in the care and supervision of Betsy, eleven years old at the time.  When Betsy passed away, they would have been in the care of others, as orphan girls.

One of the characters in the book, John, is escaping the coal mines as part of his trek West.  The dialogue is very interesting. 

Boyfriend talking about working in the coal mines.
“I am free here,” he says.  “I can stand up straight.  Stretch out my arms and legs.  Look up whenever I choose and see the sun.  You have no idea what it is like to go for days and days without seeing the sun because you are buried in the belly of a mine.”
…”Papa took me to work with him the morning I turned thirteen,” he says.  “I felt proud of myself as I walked in the colliery with him.  I was a man.  Just like Papa.  Just like my brother,…”
“ By the time Papa and I reached the pithead, I was sick with excitement.  I couldn’t wait to enter the mines with the rest of the men.  I stepped into the crowded pit cage, waiting to be lowered to the bottom.
“The dropped us nearly a quarter of a mile.
“The ride was fast and hard and dark.  Bits of dust and coal blew into my face.  Wind whistled in my ears.  I screamed, Charlotte.  In front of all of them.…”
John shrugs, “I hated the deep darkness of the pit and the way is smothers a soul like a filthy blanket.  I hated tasting dust and slithering on my stomach through tight places.  And I hated myself for hating it all….”
The ast bit of information, useful for our study of Isaac and his part in the handcarts, is included in a letter to the Reader, after the story is complete.  It explains the reason for travel by handcart. 
“A Letter to the Reader “
Nineteenth-century Mormonism, with its emphasis on social equality and communal living, had a special appeal for Europe’s poor; who suffered under rigid class systems favoring the rich and powerful.  For this purpose, the Perpetual Emigrating Fund was established—to outfit emigrants … and assist them in reaching Zion. 
    Economic reverses in the territory of Utah during the 1850s, however, strapped the church’s resources.  Brigham Young therefore conceived of a radical plan to cut costs while providing European church members with an opportunity to emigrate to America.  Nothing like it had been tried before: Emigrants would pull their own small wagons across prairies and over mountains to reach their new home.  (243-244)
Charlotte’s Rose,  A.E. Cannon, Wendy Lamb Books, 2002, New York, N.Y.

It was fun to find some useful information, when I was mostly reading for fun.

Isaac Wardle History: Forward

Foreword

            I am attempting to write a history of Isaac Wardle, Mormon pioneer.  I have in my possession two autobiographical histories, and four other histories written about him.  I now also have access to Isaac's missionary letters.

In this history I am going to attempt to tell the story of the Martin Handcart Company; but to do so in such a way that it will give some idea of the things that Isaac went through during this journey.  A fellow pioneer said, “The whole story of the travels and sufferings of the Martin and Tyler Handcart companies that arrived in Salt Lake City on the Sunday of Nov. 30, 1856, can never be written or told.”  (Jones, Samuel, Church History)  This is a true statement.  The entire story cannot be told, not even Isaac’s entire story.  John Jaques also echoed this sentiment.  “No human being knows it all.”  (Jaques, Church History)  But maybe we can have bring to light a little bit more of the picture, and thereby appreciate the man. 

            Of course there was more to Isaac’s life than the handcart trek.  This history will also explore these other scenes; before his trek, as well as his life in Utah and Idaho after arriving in Zion.  I will present the things going on around him at the time, and try to relate them to Isaac.  Of course in this, we may have to draw some of our own conclusions.  We cannot know in all occasions, how Isaac reacted to and responded to events around him.  But we can know the scope of what his happening, and infer how this may have affected him. 

Uncle Robert William Springall

When I wrote my mom's history for er, she related the story of her half-brother Bob and his experience with the Bay Bridge.  I guess for a few hours the bridge belonged to my uncle.  He was born April 12, 1914.  His father passed away in 1925, and Grandmother remarried Grandfather Wright. 

            Mom explained to me the “sickness” of Uncle Bob.  It turns out that this occurred shortly after the Bay Bridge was completed linking San Francisco and Oakland.  This bridge opened for traffic November 12, 1936. (Wikepedia)  the ceremony opening the bridge was attended by U.S. President Herbert Hoover, California Senator William G. McAdoo and California Governor Frank Merriam.

            It must have been shortly after this ceremony that this event took place.  Apparently Uncle Bob had been drinking considerably.  In this state he took to the Bay Bridge, stopping traffic, and charging them a toll to cross.  He was going to use the money he collected to purchase more alcohol.  I am not sure if the bridge was a toll bridge then as it is now.

            Uncle Bob got into trouble with the law.  He apparently had problems with alcohol most of his life.

            He would come home from California often in the summer and work for the sugar beet campaign.  He most often worked at the factory.

            Uncle Bob, mom’s brother who played the saxophone, died young as a result of his alcohol.  He died August 8, 1961.  He was 47 at the time of his death.  He had hepatitis and kidney problems.  His funeral was in Lincoln.  His body had been shipped by train from Oakland. 

           

Chapter 3 Note 1

            Mom explained to me the “sickness” of Uncle Bob.  It turns out that this occurred shortly after the Bay Bridge was completed linking San Francisco and Oakland.  This bridge opened for traffic November 12, 1936. (Wikepedia)  the ceremony opening the bridge was attended by U.S. President Herbert Hoover, California Senator William G. McAdoo and California Governor Frank Merriam.

            It must have been shortly after this ceremony that this event took place.  Apparently Uncle Bob had been drinking considerably.  In this state he took to the Bay Bridge, stopping traffic, and charging them a toll to cross.  He was going to use the money he collected to purchase more alcohol.  I am not sure if the bridge was a toll bridge then as it is now.

            Uncle Bob got into trouble with the law.  He apparently had problems with alcohol most of his life.

            He would come home from California often in the summer and work for the sugar beet campaign.  He most often worked at the factory.

            Uncle Bob, mom’s brother who played the saxophone, died young as a result of his alcohol.  He died August 8, 1961.  He was 47 at the time of his death.  He had hepatitis and kidney problems.  His funeral was in Lincoln.  His body had been shipped by train from Oakland. 

           

Biography of Isaac J. Wardle

I noticed that the church history website's history was different than the one in my possession.
http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-10402,00.html
 I requested an entire copy, and this was sent to me by Tyson Thorpe of the church history library.  I have transposed it her which appears to come from the Family History of Olive Palmer Parkinson.  It includes a biography from Junius Wardle, as well as a concluding paragraph, I presume from Olive.  And then the writing of Isaac.  This requires me to go back and change some things in the history I have been writing.  He gives more detail in his schooling, and is definite about being in the Martin group leaving Iowa City.  I have left the typographical errors.  I also copied and pasted the part on the Church History website rather than retyping this.

Biography of Isaac J. Wardle

            Isaac J. Wardle was born in the town of Ravenstone, Lestershire, [Leicestershire] England, June 14, 1835, Third son of John and Mary Kinston Wardle.  As a boy he attended the common school of his toun [town] and Sunday school of the “Church of England.”  At seven years of age he began to work in a rope factory and continued there until eleven years old.  Then he entered the coal mines and worked continual[l]y for ten years.  Sept 23, 1853 he was baptized in the church of Jesus Christ of Lat[t]er Day Saints by Elder Fredrick Smith and was A[o]rdained to the Aaronic Priesthood and acted as a teacher in the Whitwick branch of the Church.  He emegrated to Utah in 1856, leaving Liverpool May 25, 1856 on the sailing vessel “Horizon”, under Captain John Reed and Captain Edward Martin.  There were 856 emegrating Saints in the company.  They arrived safely in Boston after a voyage of five weeks.  Then proceeded by tail to Iowa City and arrived there July 8, 1856.  From Iowa City the terrible journey was made across the plains in Captain Martin’s Handcart Company.  Having no relatives in the company and being young strong man took in my handcart a sick young man by the name of Langley A. Bailey and pulled him 1130 miles to Pacific Springs Wyoming having been meet there by horse teams we left our handcarts and proceeded on to Salt Lake City by teams arriving there on the last day of November 1856.  It having taken us 6 months and 5 days to make the trip from Liverpool England to Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.  He remained in Salt Lake City until April 4, 1857 then moved to  West Jordan to work for Alexander Beckstead until March 1, 1859.

            In company of Alexander Beckstead Jr. pioneered South Jordan.  On April 17, 1859 was married to Martha Ann Egbert.  In Sept 1860 went with ox team to Echo Canyon to me[e]t his Father, Mother and brother James Wardle.  In 1862 he again went and met his brother William and his wife and family.  In 1869 again went and met his brother Thomas and family.  September 23, 1867 was married to Mary Ann Ashton who died April 5, 1869.  On July 26, he was married to Sophia M. Myers.  In 1896 he was ordained an Elder by J.D. Long.  In 1873 was ordained a high priest April 24 by George B. Wallace.  In January 1879 went on a mission to England and was released to come home on account of sickness September 26, 1879.  On November 9, 1879 was appointed Superintendent of the South Jordan Sunday school.  Given to me, Olive Palmer Parkinson by Uncle Junius Wardle.

[Auto] Biography of Isaac John Wardle

Written by his own hand

            Isaac John Wardle was born June 14, 1835 at Ravenstone, Lestershire, [Leceistershire] England and was the third son of John and Mary Kinston Wardle.  I had four brothers and one sister.  I did not have the priveledge of attending much school as I was put to work at the age of seven years in a rope factory, at nine years went to work at the coal mines where I worked for ten years.  I moved to the town of Coalville with my family where I continued to work in the coal mines.

            During my early boyhood I attended the Sunday school of the Church of England.  In September 23, 1953 I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Elder Fredrick Smith.  I was confirmed the next day by Elder Smith.  I was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and acted as a teacher in the Whitwick branch of the Church.  I then moved to the town of Worsall, Staffordshire.  I stayed there until I had earned enough money to emmigrate to America, then I went back and stayed with my Father, Mother, Brothers and Sister until the spring 1856.  On the 19^th of May 1856 I bid my family good-bye and left for Liverpool to sail for America.  One May 26, 1856 I boarded the Sail Vessel “Horizon” under Captain John Reed and President Edward Martin and counselor Jessey Haven.  There were 856 on board of Emmigrating Saints.  We arrived safe in Boston Saturday at 10 A.M. after five (5) weeks sea voyage. After 2 days proceeded by train to Iowa City, arriving there July 8, 1856 and went on to Council Bluffs. I left Council Bluffs in "Captain Martin's" handcart company. Being a stron[g] man and having no relatives in the company I took a sick young man (eighteen years old) in my cart. His name was "Langl[e]y A. Bailey", besides the sick boy I had 100 lbs. flour, a tent, and camp equipment for seven persons which I pulled for 1130 miles to Pacific Springs, Wyoming. John Bailey helped me pull some of the way. We crossed the Missouri River at Florence, when we left Florence there were about 740 souls in our company. With Edward Martin as our Captain we did not have much difficuilty on the road except a few visits from the Indians until we encountered a sever[e] snow storm at Platt[e] Bridge this was early in October. Then our old men and women and some of the younger children began to give out and to get sick and many of them died which I helped bury, but we kept moving on a little every day in spite of the cold and hardships. At one time I became so weary and over come with cold that I fell down and was forced to lay there for some time. About this time one day while we were stopped for noon two men rode into our camp, they were "Joseph Young" and Ephraim Hanks who had come to tell us that men where coming to meet us with teams and wagons from Salt Lake City. We met the first team at Pacific Springs, Wyoming who had provisions for us with them. By this time our company was much smaller than when we left Council Bluffs, as so many had died some had stopped at different places along the way. We proceeded on to Salt Lake City with the teams leaving our handcarts behind. We arrived there Nov. 30, 1856 having taken us Six (6) months and five (5) days to come from Liverpool England to Salt Lake City U.S.A.

President Brigham Young along with many of the other Brethern and Women came to welcome us and took us into their homes, fed and warmed us and gave us warm clean beds to rest our weary bodies.

I stayed in Salt Lake City till April 1857, then went to West Jordan to work for Alexander Beckstead untill March 1859.  In company with Alexander Jr. and my self we pioneered South Jordan.  Young Beckstead, my self and one other man dug six (6) miles of canal or ditch with pick and shovel, this being the first ditch carr[y]ing water out of the Jordan River for irrigation.  Purposes in the Salt Lake County.

On April 17 I married Martha Ann Egbert, grand daughter of Alexander Beckstead Sr.  In Sept 1860 I sent with ox-team to Echo Canyon to meet my father and mother and brother James Wardle.  In 1862 went and meet my brother William his wife and family.  Sept 23, 1867 I was married to Mary Ann Ashton who died April 5, 1869 at child birth.  On July, 1869 I was married to Sophia Myers.  In 1867 I was ordained an Elder by J.B. Long.  In 1873 I was ordained a Seventy by Joseph Young Sr.  I was ordained a High Priest April 24, 1897 by George B. Wallace.

I went on a mission to England in January 1879, was released to go home September 26, 1879 because of illness.  On November 9, 1879 I was appointed Suprintendant of the South Jordan Sunday School.  In 1900 I moved with my two wives and families to parker Idaho.

He and his three wives received their endowments at the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City.  He Died October 31, 1917 at Heman Idaho in Fremont County at the age of Eighty-two years and four months.

If anyone else in the family has a history, or writing from Isaac, please let me know, so the history can be complete as possible.  My email is billywardle@sbcglobal.net

 

Church History Trail Excerpt for Isaac Wardle

I have noticed some differences between the trail excerpt for Isaac Wardle, and that which has been handed down to me as typed as he wrote it.  I previously posted the copy I have:
http://billywardlegen.blogspot.com/2011/08/isaac-wardless-history-in-his-words.html
Her is also the link to the Church website with the article copied in full:
http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-10402,00.html

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868

Source of Trail Excerpt:

Wardle, Isaac John, Autobiographical sketch [n.d.], [2].

Read Trail Excerpt:

We arrived safe in Boston Saturday at 10 A.M. after five (5) weeks sea voyage. After 2 days proceeded by train to Iowa City, arriving there July 8, 1856 and went on to Council Bluffs. I left Council Bluffs in "Captain Martin's" handcart company. Being a stron[g] man and having no relatives in the company I took a sick young man (eighteen years old) in my cart. His name was "Langl[e]y A. Bailey", besides the sick boy I had 100 lbs. flour, a tent, and camp equipment for seven persons which I pulled for 1130 miles to Pacific Springs, Wyoming. John Bailey helped me pull some of the way. We crossed the Missouri River at Florence. when we left Florence there were about 740 souls in our company. With Edward Martin as our Captain we did not have much difficuilty on the road except a few visits from the Indians until we encountered a sever[e] snow storm at Platt[e] Bridge this was early in October. Then our old men and women and some of the younger children began to give out and to get sick and many of them died which I helped bury, but we kept moving on a little every day in spite of the cold and hardships. At one time I became so weary and over come with cold that I fell down and was forced to lay there for some time. About this time one day while we were stopped for noon two men rode into our camp, they were "Joseph Young" and Ephraim Hanks who had come to tell us that men where coming to meet us with teams and wagons from Salt Lake City. We met the first team at Pacific Springs, Wyoming who had provisions for us with them. By this time our company was much smaller than when we left Council Bluffs, as so many had died some had stopped at different places along the way. We proceeded on to Salt Lake City with the teams leaving our handcarts behind. We arrived there Nov. 30, 1856 having taken us Six (6) months and five (5) days to come from Liverpool England to Salt Lake City U.S.A. President Brigham Young along with many of the other Brethern and Women came to welcome us and took us into their homes, fed and warmed us and gave us warm clean beds to rest our weary bodies.

Book Review: Church History; Scribo to Zundle

This is part of the trail excerpts available through the church history website.  In this bundle are many useful resources.  It includes discourses from Brigham Young, history of rescuers, newspaper articles, and remembrances written by Martin Handcart Company members.
The most useful I have found is an autobiographical sketch written by John William Southwell.  He was part of the Haven group, which was later combined into the Martin Handcart group at Florence.  He gives insight into why there was a division, as well as describes many of the happenings of this group.  AN interesting insight he gives is describing the actions of the young men, the day they were caught in a serious thunderstorm without their tents.  The eventually got them up, and had shelter over their heads.  However the were standing in two or three inches of mud, as they did not have floors.  The young men took knives and hatchets and chopped willows from a grove, and with these they were able to construct a floor of a fashion for the tents, and get they Saints out of the mud.

Brigham Young describes how his thoughts were with the Saints out on the plains.  He described how he couldn't get them off of his mind.  There is a report from Joseph Young, who came back as an express rider from the rescuers to report on the conditions of the companies.  These were the articles which I found most interesting.  I am adding quotes from this material to the history I am writing.

Of course the most important contribution for what I am writing is the excerpt from the history of Isaac Wardle.  The Church History site only includes those parts dealing with the handcart trek.