compiled by Thirza Hall Proctor
added to this blog by Kathy Castleton
Note:
The following excellent study of the lives of our ancestors was received by Thirza Plumb. It was published in The Merlin Plumb Family 1794-1978, vol. 2.
Compiled by Elizabeth M. Lauritzen
In the opinion of this compiler, it is and will be a very interesting, and well prepared review and foreword, for this volume 2 of the statistical material of the descendants of this couple, whose parents were the some of the first to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The footnotes are mine. EML
The above names are my grandparents and this is to be their story as much of it as I find. But first, I want to write about my great grandparents on both my father and mother's sides.
My grandfather, Merlin Plumb Sr. was born march 4, 1794 or 1797, somewhere in Pennsylvania. He was a direct descendant of the Plumbs from Essex, England. They came to America in the early 1600's and settled in Milford, New Haven, Connecticut. (This knowledge is taken from the Bellow's history). Taken from some writings of Geneva Wiltbank (cousin to Elizabeth M. Lauritzen and grandmother to Kathryn Castleton). Geneva believes that Merlin Plumb was born in Mount Vernon. Also, from the writings of H.B. Plumb, it states that he was probably born in New York (Mount Vernon, New York) then moved to Ohio with his father and then on to Michigan. Merlin Plumb Sr. enlisted in the War of 1812 with Hull. He escaped the Siege of Detroit and returned to Ohio. If this is correct, then he would have been born in 1794 because he would have been 18 when he enlisted. If he was born in 1797, he would only have been 15 years of age.
My great grandmother, Sarah (Sally) Roberts Plumb, was born July 31, 1799 in Wyoming, North Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were both Dutch descendants. They too were early settlers in America. They arrived in the 1600's.
After the marriage of Merlin and Sara (Sally) (no dates given), they lived in Delaware, Chadwell (Caldwell), Ohio. Great grandfather Merlin Plumb Sr. was a physician and merchant. He was well educated and could speak five languages.
This couple had five children before my grandfather, Merlin. They were Eleanor, born May May 15, 1816, Delaware, Delaware, Ohio. Jeremiah was born January 24, 1818. Parell, a son, born December 20, 1820. Pelibia or Peneloby, a girl, born September 20, 1824. All of these children were born in Delaware, Delaware County, Ohio.
There is a record of the family moving to Mulberry or Overton County or Claremount County in the state of Ohio. This is where my grandfather, Merlin, was born August 14, 1826. The family must have moved back to Delaware because the rest of their children were born there. Sarah, March 31 1829 or May 15, 1830. Marion was born on May 15, 1832. Marilla was born on January 14, 1834 and Jasper May 15, 1837. Henry was born December 9, 1838. All were born in Delaware, Delaware County, Ohio.
The children were educated in Ohio. Merlin Sr. was well educated and saw to it that his children all attended school.
The Plumb family was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ohio. As soon as they heard the truths of this religion, they accepted it as the true church. My great grandfather, Merlin, with the rest of the family, was to be baptized into the church by the Prophet, Joseph Smith. But when the appointed day came, the mobs were so violently persecuting the Saints and seeking the life of their leader, that it had to be postponed.
During this time, the Prophet, Joseph Smith, was fleeing for his life from mobs who wanted to kill him. Joseph came to my great grandfather's home and they hid him under a feather mattress. A small baby was lying on top of the bed so the mob did not find him.
Merlin Plumb Sr. died on March 19, 1845. There were no details given about his death. Shortly after his death his family was ordered to leave their home by wicked men who wanted to expel them from their home. They were told to be out of town by sundown. Their grief must have been terrible. They had to bury their father quickly and and pack their belongings to leave.
One history states that great grandmother, Sarah (Sally) Roberts Plumb, was a strong character and had a strong faith in God. She and the family believed that God would guide and protect them. As there was nothing they could do except obey the wicked mob, they started on their long journey, being driven from place to place, with thousands of other Saints. They were all poor, persecuted and suffered many trials because of wicked men.
Later, Sarah (Sally) Roberts Plumb came west with her son Merlin and his wife and family and her daughter, Marilla and family.
My grandmother, Elizabeth Cleopatra Bellows Plumb's father, (my great grandfather) James Bellows was born August 11, 1793 in Long Island, Suffix County, New York. He was the fifth and last child of John and Mary Smith Bellows. His father was a direct descendant of John Bellows, who arrived in America, N.S. Hopewell, 1635, at the age of 12. He was descended from a long line of Bellows in New York State, Brook House Groton, Connecticut and Marlboro, Massachusetts. The family was very prominent being doctors, lawyers, teachers and statesmen all through the East and especially in Massachusetts. James' father, John, was the only member of the family to move West. Mary Smith, his mother was also born in New York, New York.
My great grandmother, Judith Abigail Hopper Bellows was born on June 14, 1801, in Monroe, Overton County, East Tennessee. She was the daughter of Adelpha Fergerson and Thomas Hopper. both her parents came from the southern states. Her mother Adelpha from Richmond, Virginia and her father, Thomas from North Carolina. (taken from a history written by Emma McDowell Jacobson).
James Bellows and Judith Abagail Hopper were married December 22, 1823 in Illinois. While living in Illinois, they knew that the Prophet Joseph Smith very well. This same record states that James Bellows was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839. Judith was baptized in 1844. She received her endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on February 7, 1845.
To this family was born seven children. John Fergerson, born March 24, 1825 in Wayne County, Illinois. Elizabeth Cleopatra (my grandmother) born September 8, 1829 in Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois. James Lemon, born 1831 in Morgan County, Illinois. My great grandparents knew the Prophet very well and talked to him personally many times. Their eldest son, John was baptized in May 1843, shortly after he and his father had had an interview with the Prophet, Joseph Smith.
The Bellows family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, in the fall of 1843. They didn't stay in Nauvoo, however, but moved to Carthage, Illinois. Their eldest son, John went first, in the fall of 1843, and built them a home and planted six acres of wheat the next spring. The rest of the family joined him in 1844. This same year is when their second child, Elizabeth Cleopatra, my grandmother, joined the church and was baptized in 1844, by Elder Aaron York. (From the Payson First Ward Records)
The Bellows family continued to live in Carthage until after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mobs of evil men ran them out of their homes. On the night that the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered, June 7, 1844, John was one of the men chosen to try to guard against this outrage. They were driven back from the jail, but John heard the shots that killed them. He was very upset because before this he had enjoyed the personal guidance of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
John received his endowments in the Nauvoo temple in the year 1845.
While the Bellows family was still living in Carthage, my great grandfather, James Bellows, with three other men went to Morley Settlement, to try to rescue some horses, oxen and cattle that the mob had driven away at night. When they arrived, much to their surprise they were greeted most graciously by the men. The mob agreed immediately to give them back their possessions but strangely insisted that they eat with them. Great grandfather and the other men were not anxious to do so, but rather than have more trouble with them they agreed. Right after eating, they left. They hadn't gone far, when they realized they had been poisoned. The poison had been put in their coffee. They all became ill, but after some time the others were able to vomit. James Bellows wasn't able to vomit. After many hours of intense pain and horrible suffering, he died on Dec. 8, 1845.
While great grandfather was in the Morley settlement trying to bring back the livestock and was poisoned men came to his home in Carthage and burned it to the ground with all of its contents. They robbed Cleopatra Bellows of two cows, a team, some oxen and forced the family to flee to Nauvoo for their lives. This left the family destitute. They were robbed of more than $1,200.
After the death of his father John had to work very hard to support his mother and family. In the Bellows history it says, "John worked exceedingly hard to get a wagon so he could come west with his mother and family. After all of his work, the Nauvoo Wagon Shop cheated him out of his wagon." The history states that the family lived mostly on corn bread amd potatoes without salt.
From the biography of Judith Abagail Hopper Bellows Eldredge, it states that she married (2) a man by the name of Eleazor King in the spring of 1846. (Date given by her son John Plumb.) She came to Utah with him. She broght three of her daughters with her: Mary Adelpha, Martha Jane and Lucy Ann. The other daughter, Elizabeth Cleopatra married Merlin Plumb and did not come to Utah with her mother. In the Bellows history it says the two boys, Charles and james Lemon must have died young, but according to a story my Aunt Martha Plumb Tryon told to my cousin, Charles Plumb, the two boys died on the plains on the way to Salt Lake City.
The following is taken from the Bellows History: "Judith's son, John, gave his mother and sisters all of the money he had saved, when she married Mr. Eldredge, to come West. Horace Eldredge was a freighter. He was hauling his own wheat to the West in large wagons. Mr. Eldredge was coming West with a load of wheat during the Big Famine. At this time, his wife, Judith was with him. Mr. Eldredge, also being a baker, mixed and baked his own bread. Judith's allotment was two slices a day. A native American woman travelled with them for part of the journey. The history states that the woman was ill and had a nursing baby. Judith felt sorry for her so she gave her one of her slices of bread each day. The bread was being rationed to each person. When Mr. Eldredge discovered Judith sharing her bread, he said that he would not increase her allotment but if Judith wanted to share with this woman she would have to continue with her one slice of bread a day.
Mr. Eldredge is said to have become exceedingly rich. Some say he was wealthy when he and Judith were married. Mr. Eldredge had been married before and had a boy who went to California. From the story Aunt Martha Plub Tryon tells, he had three sons instead of only one.
I cannot understand this story taken from the Bellows history. After thinking about it, it is my personal opjnion that great grandmother Judith must have first come west with Eleasar King, the first man she married after great grand-father's death. Bringing her three daughters with her. After Mr. King's death May 14, 1854, in Salt Lake city, Utah, she married Horace Eldredge. (One history says his name was Horace while the other says it was Alanson.) I think she then made a trip with him back to the East on one of his frieghting trips. The Bellow's history states that his wife, Judith was with him. Although in the beginning, it says her son gave his mother and sisters all the money he had saved to come west when she married Mr. Eldredge. Then I wonder why John gave her all of his money when Mr. Eldredge had plenty of money to support her? (Could it be that he gave her money when she came west with Eleasor King instead of when she was traveling with Horace Eldredge?)
Written by Emma McDowell Jacobsen
Judith Bellows Eldredge lived in Payson when she first came to Utah. She lived there until about 1880 and then she moved to Lake Shore with her son, John F. Bellows. I am told that after Horace Eldredge died in December 1857, she lived with her daughter-in-law, Marilla Plumb Bellows. This is where her great granddaughter, Minnie Leetham Lapreaze, remembers Judith Bellows Eldredge.
Mr. Eldredge's son liked Judith very much. Minnie remembers the big boxes of fruit he would send her from California, especially the oranges. These being the first oranges she had ever seen. At this time, fruit was never seen in Lake Shore. Fruit of all kinds, figs and dates were a real treat. Minnie remembers that he sent Grandmother Eldredge a large box of cloth. Minnie was living with her Grandmother Eldredge at this time, so she could go to school. Minnie remembers both Grandmother Eldredge and Grandmother Plumb living with Grandmother Bellows. They called Judith Granny Eldredge to tell them apart.
Granny Eldredge's sight was bad. She could sew but couldn't see to thresad the needles in the mornings, before Minnie went to school, she would thread many needles on a spool of thread. Judith could slide the needles down on the thread and they would last all day until Minnie came home again. Taking aanother needle as she used up the length of thread. She remembers judthi always being busy. She usually sewed by hand. She sewed lots of quilt blocks. she knitted and mended even with her poor eye sight. she usually sewed ccarpet rags as she sat on one side of the fireplace. Minnie describes her as being a tall lady, with a large frame but very slim and trim.
Judith Abagail Bellows Eldredge lived to be 85 years old despite all she had gone through because of joining the Latter-day Saints church. She never compalined about her life. she was always true and faithful to her beliefs. She died at the home of her son, John on Septermber 3, 1885 and is buried in the Payson Cemetery.
Sources of Information- Emma McDowell Jacobsen, Church Records, Salt Lake Library, Payson First Ward Records, Minnie Leetham Lapreaze, Bellows History by Allen and Velma Bellows.
Now I will go back to the history of my grandparents. As I stated at the beginning, my grandfather, Merlin Plumb Jr. was born August 14, 1826 at Mulberry, Delaware County Ohio. Grandmother Elizabeth Cleopatra Bellows Plumb was born Sept 8, 1829, in West Jacksonville, Jefferson County, (Or Morgan County) Illinois. Grandfather received his education in Ohio up until the time of his father's death. Grandmother lived mostly in Illinois, so she must have attended school there in her early life. I am unable to find much about their early life except that they were driven from place to place and were persecuted by the mobs.
In the year 1838, my grandfather, Merlin Plumb was baptized by David Fulmer then again when he was 13 years old.
While they were being driven from place to place, my grandfather, Merlin met and married my grandmother, Elizabeth Cleopatra Bellows. (I cannot find the town or year.) In one history it stated it was around the year 1843. Merlin Plumb was only 18 years of age and Elizabeth Cleopatra only 16 years of age. This is taken from the history of Emma McDowell Jacobsen. A.I. was born to this young couple. Another history calls him Hi.
I am sure Merlin did not marry until after his father's death, March 19, 1845. One family group sheet says that the first baby A.I. was probably born in Ohio. Another group sheet says that he was born in Iowa County, Iowa. My great grandmother, Sarah (Sally) Roberts Plumb, said that the baby lived only five days. If so, he died either in the year 1844 or more likely 1847.
John Fergerson Bellows met and married Marilla Plumb. She was a sister-in-law to my grandmother, Elizabeth Cleopatra Bellows Plumb. They were married June 15, 1848, in Wayne county Illinois. They were married just a short time before Merlin's and Cleopatra's second child, John Henry was born on November 27, 1848 in Keg Creek, Pottawattame, Iowa. both families were living and working there to get money and wagons and provisions to come West. They were still there when John F. and Marilla's first son, James Merlin was born on October 11, 1849.
Merlin, his wife, Cleopatra and their baby son John Henry, Merlin's mother Sally, his brother-in-law, John F. and his wife, Marilla, and their son, James Merlin, all started west with the Markham Company on their way to Salt Lake City, Utah on June 1, 1850. http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysources/1,16272,4019-1-191,00.html
Merlin Plumb Jr. walked with his brother-in-law, John F. Bellows and his wife, Marilla, the entire distance from Iowa City to Salt Lake. The company arrived in Salt Lake city on October 5, 1850 after five month's journey. Grandmother Elizabeth Cleopatra was pregnant when they left their home. Merlin was now 24 years old. He was a cooper by trade. He made the first barrel and churn in Salt Lake City.
It seems that Cleopatra and her mother had to drive the team of oxen the whole journey. Although I have been told by relatives that Sarah, (Sally) Plumb rode a horse much of the way crossing the plains and carried a gun in order to help fight the Indians.
They moved from Salt Lake to Provo, Utah. The first night in Provo, the baby, James Merlin, died and they buried him on the banks of the Provo River.
There is an interesting story about my uncle Jeremiah Plumb told to me by my cousin, Geneva Wiltbank. Jeremiah Plumb, brother to my grandfather, Merlin Plumb, was born January 24. 1818 at Delawared, Caldwell County, Ohio. He was among a party coming west with the Mormons. He and some others were sent back to retrieve some of the stock that the mob had stolen from the traveling saints. He became defiant with the mob and was sentenced to serve ten years in prison. At prison they found that he was a good cooper and he was required to make so many barrels a day while serving his sentence. For some reason the Saints failed to get Jerry parolled as they did the others that were taken prisoners with him. He had a wife, Diantia and a child ( a small girl), that went on with the Saints. It is said that Apostle Amasa Lyman married Diantia as a plural wife after they arrived in Salt Lake Valley. The story also states that the little girl fell off from a big platform and was instantly killed about two months after Lyman married her mother.
Jeremiah or Jerry as he was called, served his jail sentence and when he was released, the family never heard from him again. Yet, I find on great grandfather's group sheet that he is listed as married to (1) Mrs. Sarah Hailes and (3) Eliza Blake November 17, 1868. Geneva Wiltbank also said that his brother, Merlin, my grandfather, went back to see him while he was in prison but, because of his large family and his mother being a widow, they had no means to do anything to get him released.
AFter leaving Provo, ,y grandfather, Merlin Plumb and family, his mother Sarah (Sally) Roberts and john F. Bellows and family moved on to Payson. The Plumb and Bellows families lived close together in the Fort. Here Merlin became very active in the church. While living in the Payson first Ward he was baptized several times, even up to March 16, 1857. Cleopatra was baptized several times also in Payson 1851 and 1854.;
While they were living in Payson four more children were born. Merlin James, May 2, 1852, Elizabeth Elenor (probably called Ellen) November 17, 1855. Itw was this same year that Sally Roberts received her Patriarchal Blessing, February 14, 1855 by Isaac Morley.
Elizabeth Eleanor only lived until she was 11 months old. She died in March 1856. Martha Jane was born October 14, 1857. Euphrates was born February 9, 1869. He died in 1861. Great Grandmother Sally said he only lived 11 months so he died in December 1860. But his death date is 1861, so he must have died in January 1861.
During the year of 1860 the family was called to help settle Pond Town (now Salem). This is found in the history of Salem. He was a pioneer of Pond Town settling to the east of Payson and on the far west and south end of the river. he also helped to set up the pattern of irrigation for Salem. the town was first called Pond Town because of a pond of water in the center of the town.
In Salem, their seventh child Owen was born, Ohon Sacratus, in about 1861. His death is recorded in Salem about 1862. Great Grandmother Sally says he only lived ten months. Next came Charles Riley, March 23, 1862. Cleopatra's health was beginning to fail before he was born. She was stricken with St. Vitus' dance as it was then called, or shaking palsy but she could still card wool to make their clothes. She also could weave baskets from reeds and as they had to be wet this caused her condition to grow worse. Despite this, she had another child. Sarah Judith was born in Payson on July 15, 1866. Copied from Peteet Neet Sketches.
While living in Salem in 1866, Merlin Plumb went with a group of men back to the Missouri River to assist in bringing the Mormon immigrants to this territory. Ten teams were fitted out and loaded with provisions. Merlin Plumb was in charge of these men. Some of their names were L.M. Calvin, Edwin Tanner, James Betts and 26 others.
Merlin Plumb made two trips from Salt Lake across the plains to the states for immigrants. he was Captain over ten men. On the first trip he became ill. They were afraid he would die. The man in charge under him stopped the wagon train. After they had camped they asked him what to do. Merlin replied to their question by saying, "Well boys, if you do what I say I will get well." Then he told them to take him into the tent, wash and anoint him with oil and administer to him and he would get well. So they knelt down in a prayer circle. The next morning he was able to drive his own team. In one of his trips he swam the Mississippi River. (I can remember when I was very young, my mother telling me this story
After one of these trips their last child, Mary Marilla was born on October 4,1869 in Salem. (She is my mother). On December 9, 1869, Merlin and Cleopatra received their Patriarchal Blessings in Salem given by John Smith.
All of the children were blessed and baptized in Payson except my mother Mary Marilla. She was baptized in St. George. Those searching the records had not been able to find this date. Sometime ago, I ran onto an old worn notebook where I had written some things down that my mother had told me. In this book mother had said that she was baptized in St. George. To make sure I went to the St. George records and there it was. So, she must have been baptized on their way to Arizona as the baptism date was September 1878. That is the year that they left for Arizona.
Merlin married his second wife, Mary (Polly) Ann Clifford, January 11, 1870. She had one child at the time. this is the person my grandfather married. My mother told me that Polly, Mary Ann Clifford had to marry "Timothy Reed who already had a grown son. The child Celestia Ann Reed was the result of this union. Merlin adopted this child and had her sealed to him. It states on the bottom of the family group sheet of Merlin and Piolly that Polly Ann divorced Mr. Timothy Reed. No dates found on divorce or marriage.
Mary Marilla told me that she was only six months old when father married his second wife. From the dates given she would have only been three months old.
Celestia Ann was born December 10, 1868. She would have been two years old at the time her mother married Merlin Plumb.
Merlin and mary (Polly) Ann's first four children were born in Utah. Hiram, March 11, 1870, Salem, Utah. Henry, March 1, 1871, Salem, Utah, William Lafayette, May 15, 1875, Salem, Utah.
After these children were born the family was called to help settle Arizona with a group of other families. They took supplies and cattle with them.
Marilla was eight years old at the time they started for Arizona. This is how she happened to be baptized in St. George. They were en route to Arizona at the time. Judith was eleven years old at the time. They arrived in Taylor Arizona where Merlin and Polly's sixth child was born. T.C. Plumb was born on February 8, 1879.
The family moved from Taylor Arizona to St. Johns. While living in St. Johns they lived the United Order. Food, clothing and necessities were proportioned out, and Judith says she got a little extra because her mother was sick.
It is hard to tell how much schooling any of them had. Education was interrupted as they moved from place to place.
Merlin Plumb built the first adobe house in St. Johns. He built one in the field and also the one that his son, John Henry raised his family in. For many years they stood as a monument to his good work.
Merlin's granddaughter, Geneva Plumb describes him as small of stature and having coal black eye.s She believes there are two adobe houses in Snowflake, Arizona that he built. She said she remembers hearing about how he passed through Snowflake with two wagons, oxen and large families. This occasion may have been the time he took up a homestead on Silver Creek and was later driven out by the Indians. Geneva also wrote that he was a great friend of the Indians until after the skirmish at Walnut Springs. He overheard the Indians plotting to make a raid on the town of Snowflake that day. When he left their camp, he took the opposite direction. The Indians got suspicious when he left and opened fire on him. He raced his team as fast as he could and reached the town in time to get word to the men.
They set up barricades and were able to fight the Indians off. Merlin was given credit for saving the town.
The Plumb families then moved to Brigham City, Apache County Arizona. Here Merlin and Polly's seventh child, Etta Creola was born on March 5, 1881. During this same year they must have moved from Brigham City, to a place called Walnut Creek which is about eighteen miles from the town of Snowflake. The following story, written by a man named Edward Wilson, states that the following incident took place in that year of 1881.
An Unwritten History by Edward Wilson
To cross the country from Arkansas, thirty five years ago on the way to Arizona meant a long, hard journey.
the only means of travel, at that time was by the old fashioned "Prairie Schooner" The railroad, in this part of the country, was still an event of the future.
In the year iof 1879, my father decided to go west or to be exact, way out west. We lived about fifty miles east of Little Rock, Arkansas, at the time. our jouney was made over the Old Santa Fe Trail.
Emigrants crossing the country during those days formed "trains" or "parties" and traveled together. This was for their own protection as the country to the west and southwest was full of hostile Indians.
An emigrant train today would look rather odd. some of the wagons had horses and some of them had mules. Some had oxen and several in our party had two oxen and one horse in the lead.
We passed through country that today is thickly settled with numerous towns and cities. We traveled days seeing no one except the members of our own party. Trinidad, Colorado was only a "tie-camp" or a place where travelers made camp for the night.
Our journey across the plains was rather uneventful. The country being rather at peace. Although, we heard of occasional fights between the Navajo and Apache Indians away to the south.
Our first stay was made at Old Fort Wingate, New mexico. From here we moved to a small town called Cebolla, meaning onion, in Spanish. Our stay here was short. We moved on again this time to Snowflake, a little town in Navajo country, Arizona.
Father took up squatter's rights and we began ranch life eighteen miles out of town. The Place was known as Walnut Springs. Here we began cattle raising and farming witha man by the name of Plumb. Their farm or ranch was right by ours.
The years that followed were full of dangers and trials to the early settlers. Many indeed were they who coming to a land of promise, had their hopes cut short by a bullet from an unseen foe.
The Indians never gave warning. They waited for hours, if necessary to get their victim where he could not fight back and seldom came out in the open to fight unless having superior numbers.
Indians
Early in the year 1881, I saw my first indian trouble, but many years passed before it was all over with.
Plowing on our adjoining farms was accomplished by means of oxen. We had but one lone horse between us.
Grass was plentiful in the country and so we always turned the oxen out at night to graze.
One morning father went out to look for the oxen, but they were nowhere insight. Along about noon he returned without having seen a trace of the strays. Plumb saddled up the horse and rode off to try his luck, thinking only that they had wandered off farther than usual.
Nearly two and one half miles from the ranch, on Silver Creek, was a cattle corral, he saw a number of Indians. They were camping there and cooking some fresh meat, over a small fire. The Indians hardly ever built a large fire. They made fun of white man's fire. "White man heap fool, make big fire and away off," they said.
The Indians had seen Plumb coming and so he made the best of it and rode up to them. They were friendly and even glad to see him. Their business was horse stealing and as they drove horses away from ranges, cattle sometimes followed along and made their efforts more worthwhile.
Plumb visited with them for a while and then mounted and rode away. He had gone about twenty-five yards when the true character of the indians came to the front. Perhaps Plumb had seen too much. Anyway, they opened fire on him but he was not struck. He began to speed up, when a number of indians comeing to the corral with more stolen horses, began to shoot at thim also. he was now between two fires and the horse was shot in the stifle joint, but no bones were broken. Poor old horse was still able to travel and willing to run. So was Plumb. As he rode for his life, the Indians followed, still shooting.
Mother, father and we younsters were in the gardenk, that afternoon, picking vegetables. We could plainly hear the shooting and mother started toward our house.
A number of U. S surveyors were in the country as we always sold them eggs, butter and vegetables. When the shooting was heard, mother thought it was the surveyors hunting nearby and went to get the eggs and butter for them.
Soon after mother left, a number of shots whistled over our head and father, looking across the country could see a rider coming on the run. The rider, as soon as he saw us, gave a oud yell and father called to us. "Come children, something is wrong." He hustled us into Plumb's house, which was nearer than our own and then ran to our house to get mother.
Father knew that the trouble meant Indians and that we might have to stand a seige against them.
We were milking about twenty cows at the time. he and mother poured all the milk out of the pans into the washtub and carried it over to the Plumb house.
The milk would serve a double purpose. "We could either drink it or use it to put out a fire on the roof, if the Indians tried to burn us out," said father. The early settlers had to be resourceful and keep their wits about them at all times. Setting places on fire, to "Soak out" the defenders was a favorite way of way of the Indians.
Plumb rode up to the house and called to usk, "We'll all be killed by Indians." He came into the house, leaving the horse tied just outside.
Our only means of defense was an old muzzle loading rifle, shooting a cap and a ball. Our outlook was not very good. But the attack on Plumb at the corral had a witness that neither the Indians or Plumb knew anything about.
About a mile below our place lived a man named Leightel. He was riding in the hills that day and when the Indians began to shoot at Plumb, he was able to see it all.
He hurried to his ranch and taking his mother who lived with him, started across country to Snowflake. having witnessed the indians following Plumb, supposed that our families were in danger. He got a posse of men and started back toward Walnut Springs to help us or to find the bodies as they fell.
We kept a lookout for possible help from the house, and in this way, it happened that Plumb saw a man riding a mule. plumb recognized him by his mule. His name was Perkins. Perkins, who was well armed, sent Plumb to get help while he stayed with us. Although the horse was lame, Plumb escaped the fire of the indians in his dash across the flat. how he did so, is a mystery. They kept shooting at him as he rode away but he was not hit.
Plumb was about a mile from town when he met the posse with Mr. leightel, so he returned with them.
The Indians did not make a direct attack on the house for some reason. Soon after Perkins came, the Indians left, going down Silver Creek. When the posse arrived, they found us safe and went to follow the Indians. They soon found out that others had not been so fortunate as we. Leihtel's house was plundered, all provisions taken, and an attempt made to burn the house down. An old feather mattress was set on fire, but it went out.
Some distance below Leightel's the Indians had killed a beef beloning to a rancher named Robinson. The tracks very plainly showed what had taken place.
As the Indins were dressing the beef, Robinson had ridden along to where they had left the hide, to see who it belonged to. Realizing that he had not chance against to many Indians he had started to ride away. He had gone but a few yards from his horse almost completely riddled with bullets.
The Indians then caught his horse and went to where their victim was lying and pounded his head beyond recognition with rocks. They took his bloody shirt and hung it in a tree, close to the place.
Perhaps they meant it as a warning and again it might have been sort of a defiance to white men. They dragged the body over the rocks to the bank of Silver Creek and dropped it in the deep water hole and partly covered it with boulders.
When Robinson did not return home that night, his family was afraid he had been killed by the Indians.
Early the next morning the posse set out to look for him and found all the details. They could see the body in the clear water of Silver Creek.
Merlin Plumb is said to have been the one that discovered the body of Robinson.
After the Indians killed Robinson, they took a short cut across the country and returned to the reservation at Fort Apache. They sneaked into their camp and long before the news of their raid had reached the Fort, were around as usual and it was impossible to tell which ones of them really did the killing. No one found out and we never saw our oxen again.
Soon after this event we moved into Snowflake for safety and never returned to the ranch. Merlin and Polly's next child, Merlin Lionel was born March 10, 1883 at Walnut Springs.
The family moved to Snowflake and then on to Eden, Graham county Arizona. This is where Melinda Marie was born, March 18, 1885.
Elizabeth Cleopatra Bellows Plumb died in Eden on October 22, 1886 after being an inbalid for 21 years. She was bedfast for 15 years. My mother, their youngest child, was about two years old when she took to her bed. She still could tie and card wool and make clothes and weave baskets from reeds. The wet reeds only helped to make her condition worse. Imagine being ill and moving from Utah to Arizona and then moving from place to place and suffering hardships in this condition. Marion Thatcher says his mother, Judith Plumb Thatcher, took care of her mother most of the 15 years she was bedfast. I am told Charles Riles worked and supported her.
Cleopatra died two years after Judith was married. My mother, Mary Marilla, was three years younger than Judith and did not marry until 1888. I wish I would have listened more about what my mother tried to tell me about her early life as a pioneer.
Grandmother Elizabeth Cleopatra was buried in Eden, Graham County, Arizona. After her death Merlin and Polly had two more children born at Eden. Myrtle Iris, born January 19, 1887 and Zettie Elizabeth was born March 1, 18888. After this, they moved to St. David, Cochise County, Arizona, and two more children were born there. They were Sallie Heritta, born March 28, 1891, then Permella, born February 7, 1893.
I have been told many times that Polly left my grandfather for a younger man and left him to take care of the little girls. History states that she did marry a younger man by the name of Will Sessions.
This is taken from a story told to Charles Plumb by Aunt Martha, the oldest daughter of Merlin's first marriage. She said "my father finally came back to Eden and lived with me eleven years until he died." From the dates, it would have been eight years as Permelia was born in 1893. Aunt Martha states that she could still see him coming down the road an old gray headed man leading two little girls by the hand. I was very interested in a story Aunt Heritta plumb Reynolds (Sally Heritta Plumb Reynolds) told me when i visited her in Arizona in 1972. She is the last living member of the two Merlin Plumb families. She said, "Daddy wanted to go back to the Gila Valley to live, but Mamma didn't want to go. She was going to marry Will Sessions. So, the baby stayed with Mamma and the other two girls went with their dad. But the reason Zettie went was beause she wanted the trip in the wagon."
Merlin took Myrtle Iris and Zettie Elizabeth (Lizzy) back to Eden with him while Sallie Heritta and the baby Permelia stayed with their mother in St. David. Aunt Hattie said the girls helped to take care of their father until he died. This is taken from a writing by Geneva Wiltbank.
Elizabeth Cleopatra bore him eleven children and Mary Ann Clifford bore him thirteen. In his old age he was blind and was taken care of for many years by two little girls. Aunt Martha took good care of him.
He has a large posterity and can be considered as one of the great men of the earth. I am sure that his memory is loved and revered by his descendants. The blood of nobility in Israel trickled through his veins and beause he accepted the call of plural marriage, which was a great sacrifice, he must be turly loved by the Lord.
