Going through the family "boxes" and looking at Dad's journals and kept keepsakes, there have been quite a few Sacrament programs saved over the years. When family was featured for farewells, talks, musical numbers or prayers. It's interesting to see how the programs change, and stay the same, over the years. When I asked Chris if he had a copy of the program he was able to immediately forward a digital copy that had been sent out to all the ward members. Who would have predicted all the digital shifts brought on by Covid, and just changing with the times. Technology!
Chris featured Family History in his talk, focusing on the
Green River Incident, in which two of the Grandma Zada's great-grandfathers played a part. As Chris shared his talk, he had uncovered some additional journals/retelling of the tale. Phillip Hurst's own history only had a couple sentences, but in the biography of George Arthur Hearst (son from another wife, Elizabeth Wilcox) there was quite a bit more!
Here is Chris's talk ...
The Blessings of Family History
Good morning. I’m Christopher Westra. And my wife is Kim.. we have nine children between us, and the last two still live with us, Cayson Westra and Aaron Taylor. The Bishop asked me to speak about the blessings of family history, since he knows I really enjoy working on it.
I really like old things. I like studying geology, and I like collecting rocks and building with them. I really enjoy learning about my ancestors. I like old things. I really enjoy treasured antiques that are in superb condition. Like my wife. I hope she’ll forgive me for that. She knows that I’m the one who looks older, with all my smile wrinkles.
I’m going to tell you a story today about my own family history and a sad event at the Green River in 1868. But first I want to connect family history to the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Kind of an overview so you see why it’s important.
Family history is discovering and learning more about our family members and gathering and preserving information about them. It is also performing saving ordinances for them in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Families are central to Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness. He has prepared a way for family relationships to continue throughout eternity. By participating in temple and family history service, we discover more about ourselves and our ancestors. We can connect with our ancestors by performing essential ordinances for them in temples.
As we help our deceased family members progress on the covenant path, we can increase the influence of the Spirit in our lives and deepen our testimonies of the plan of salvation.
Family history can also strengthen our relationships with our living family members. As we share discoveries, stories, photographs, and other memories, we establish family bonds and strengthen the love between our family members. In this sense, family history is much more than just researching names, dates, and places.
Now for the story. This story is about The boys of Sanpete County. This is an excerpt from the biography of my great great grandpa James Anderson.
“Probably the outstanding event of James Anderson’s life was his trip to Laramie City for immigrants. This trip was under the leadership of Captain William Seeley and included forty young men from Sanpete. The Company left their homes in June 1868. James was driving a six horse team.
When the Company reached Green river Ferry, the water was high and it was impossible to make the ox team take to the water. This necessitated the loading of the cattle into the ferry boat. A vital mistake was made in loading; the cattle were loaded with their heads down stream. As the water rushed under them, they became frightened and backed up. The water then rushed over the side of the boat and capsized it.
Those of the men who were good swimmers made the shore with difficulty, but six of the boys remained in the muddy sands of Green River. This was a tragic blow to the little company, but there was only one thing left for them to do and that was to complete the journey which they had been called upon to make. After everything was adjusted, and the company on their way again, a song was composed by members of the group. It was called, “We the boys of Sanpete County”, and it tells the story of this sad event better than it could otherwise be told.”
Second excerpt - from my other great great grandfather Philip Hurst. Written by his son.
William Seeley of Mt. Pleasant was captain of the company, father was his first aide, sergeant of guard I think he said was his official title. He told me the date, but I do not remember, only it was the spring of 1868. Everything went along well until they reached Green River. They found the water high and difficult to cross. (I will use his words in the first person in this narrative)”
“We had worked all day passing wagons over on the ferry boat and trying to drive the oxen, but on account of high cold water they would not swim. After we had worked nearly all day, I had swam the river five times, so we decided to put the cattle on the boat and ferry them over. We had a Swedish man that was very stubborn and arbitrary and would not obey orders.
Captain Seely was sick in bed with mountain fever that left me the blunt of work directing the work. This Swede wanted to tie the oxen with their heads all the same way, but we held him down and had our way.
When we had the boat loaded and ready to start across, Captain Seeley raised up over the wagon and said, Phil get off that boat. You have been in that river enough today. I was just simple enough to obey orders and got off. After I left the boat, they pushed it out a short distance. The Swede had his own way and moved the cattle that were tied with their heads down stream. When they got out where the water was swift, the animals seemed to have become hot and dizzy and moved forward, which sank the upper side of the boat that allowed the current of the stream to stride the flat surface of the boat and broke the cable that the boat was fastened to.
That turned them upside down in the river. The Swede got hold of a yoke of oxen and was hanging to them, and as soon as he could climbed up on top of the yoke. The men on the band shouted to him to get off the yoke and hold onto the tail of the oxen, but he would not heed the advice, and when the oxen could not hold him up any longer, they went down and the Swede went with them.
The most pathetic thing was that a young man by the name of Nielsen, a son of a widow, was on the boat when they were turned. A drift down the river caught a plank and held onto it. I grabbed a long rope and followed along talking to him and telling what to do. Finally the plank was carried close to the bank where I was. I told him to leave the plank and swim to a bunch of willows. He did as I told him. He reached the willows all right. I threw the rope to him, but before the rope reached him the bank caved off and broke half way under the half soled of my boots.
When the bank caved, it went under, willows and all, and we never saw him again. You may imagine how we felt when we reached home in the fall and were compelled to tell his widowed mother where I last saw her boy. Darkness came on. We did not know who drowned and who were saved. When we were all in camp, I called the roll to find out who was missing.”
“Then father sang a song to me that he composed at that time. After finishing the song he talked to me about how to handle the farm in his absence.”
Song below
1.
“We the boys of Sanpete County
In obedience to the call,
Started out with forty wagons
To bring emigrants that fall.
Without fear or thought of danger,
Lightly on our way we sped.
Every heart with joy abounding.
Captain Seeley at our head.
Chorus -
To accomplish our mission,
We were called to fill below.
We left our friends, and dear relations
O’er the dreary plains to go.
2.
Over hills, and by the fountains,
Through the mud and in the dust.
Slowly climbed the lofty mountains,
Far above the snow white crust.
With the sun to us declining,
Glad to welcome close of day.
By some stream or gushing fountain,
To refresh at night we’d stay.
3.
When we reached Green River Ferry,
On her banks all night we stayed.
Morning Ferried our wagons over,
Thinking soon to roll away.
Next to drive our cattle over,
But we found they would not swim;
Though the boys were in the water,
Many hours up to the chin.
4.
Thus we tried from morn till evening,
Weather most severe and cold.
For the water and the labor,
Brought us low, though we were bold.
And the mighty winds were blowing,
All the day and night before;
And the gurgling, rushing waters,
Drove our cattle back to shore.
5.
As the boat was passing over,
Water in the boat did pour.
Captain cried, “Boys we’re going under,
We shall die this very hour”.
Down she went and crushed the tackling,
Neath those waters, all went down,
And the mighty rushing current,
Swept them off with haughty frown.
2nd Chorus-
Farewell Comrades, you may never
Meet us on this earth again,
But there is yet a brighter morning
When we all shall meet again.
6.
Some to oxen horns were clinging,
“Till with them life was all o’er,
Boys and cattle all went under,
Ne’er again to step on shore.
Some planks and boards were clinging,
Down the swelling tide did float.
Some by heaven seemed protected,
Driven to shore upon the boat.
7.
One had landed on an island,
Clinging to the willows green.
But to him life was extinguished,
He fell backward in the stream.
These six boys from parents taken,
And from friends whom they did love,
But we soon again shall meet them,
In the better land above.
As a boy, I have heard Daddy sing this song many times. Always was he so effected that his voice would tremble and the tears swell in his eyes. No wonder it has become one of the gems which I prize.
You can learn more about this historical event by using YouTube or Google. Search for the boys of Sanpete County.
Seth Lyman helped type. He is descended from James Anderson, Jr, the first child, who was born before the event. I am descended from Hannah Alzada Anderson, the second child, born the year after the Green River event
Also, the son of Philip Hurst (born before the event) and the daughter of James Anderson (born the year after the event), married, and their third child, Hannah Lucinda Hurst, was my great grandma whom I remember quite well.
It is rewarding to share these stories with living family members. And it’s also rewarding to post them onto family search and receive comments from distant cousins about how much they appreciate the new pictures or the new story added.
I encourage all of you to enjoy the blessings of family history. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Here's the rest of the Sacrament Meeting Program ...
