WILLIAM COPE PARKER
Lydia Brewer Parker
Burial: Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden, Weber County, Utah, USA found on findagrave.com
Front Row: Sarah Edgley Parker, Daniel, William Cope Parker
Back Row: Edwin, John, Sarah Jane, Joseph, Thomas
Written by Rebecca Stimpson Thompson
Filed by Murrelle Hunter Cornish – 18 Nov 1982
990 West 4400 South
Ogden, Utah 84403
Daughters of Utah Pioneers
William Cope Parker was a resident of Utah almost a half century, and in looking back to the time he left his native home, a young man in years and full of hope, courage and determination, he could see many wonderful changes that were wrought, partly through his instrumentality, and all for the betterment of the up building of his home and family.
His journey from England to Utah was fraught with many horrors; death stared him in the face almost daily, and when he finally reached his destination, he found a wild and bleak country, over-run with savage Indians – a people he had never seen, but with whose habits he was destined to become well acquainted. The white settlers endured every manner of privation and want with a heroism that could but stimulate his own ambition and encourage him to fresh efforts. He has passed through all that, and finally became one of the solid and substantial citizens of Weber County, respected and trusted wherever known.
William Cope Parker was born in England on March 21, 1827, the son of George and Jane Parker. He was raised in the town of Harthill, and after leaving school, served an apprenticeship as a miller. In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries, and was the first member of the Harthill Branch of the Church. Filled with a desire to make his home among the people whose cause he had espoused, he crossed the ocean in 1854 on the ship Windemere, bound for New Orleans. Small-pox broke out on board ship, and William was among the victims, and when the vessel reached port he was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri River, near St. Louis, where they remained until the quarantine was raised.
After being allowed to proceed on his journey, William went up the river to where Kansas City now stands, but which was then but a small cluster of log houses, and from there the camp was moved to McGee’s Park, where a number died of Cholera.
In the fall of 1854, William crossed the plains in the Robert Campbell Company, reaching Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854.
He worked for a time on the Church Farm, digging beets for the sugar factory, which proved an unprofitable speculation, and then worked on the second sawmill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. He came to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and took charge of Taylor’s Mill on the Weber River. Upon the approach of Johnson’s Army that year, he took the machinery down and went to Provo, where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith Mill, which William Cope Parker ran until the return of the people from the south, upon the cessation of hostilities. When the machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden Mill and William was put in charge, continuing in that work until 1871.
He had bought forty acres of land in Riverdale, and in 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser, and continued in that until his death on April 27, 1917.
His farm grew to seventy acres, most of it being devoted to fruit, having an almost endless variety of small fruits, and for some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping to the north and east, building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture, and since the advent of the sugar factory, turned their attention largely to raising sugar beets, in which they met with fine success.
William Cope Parker had a keen sense of the value of good irrigation and for some years was a director of the Davis-Weber County Canal Company, and acted for six years as a Superintendent of the Councils. He took an active part in the project to build the reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was president and secretary of the Riverdale Canal.
William Cope Parker was married in 1855 to Miss Sarah Edgley, daughter to William Edgley and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. Of the thirteen children born to this marriage, six grew to maturity. Sarah passed away on May 13, 1899 and in May 1900 he married again, this time to Miss Lydia Elizabeth Stratton Brewer.
Politically, he was a believer in the principles of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as School Trustee; he was also Deputy Road Supervisor, and quite active in all municipal matters.
During the early days of railroad building in Utah, he took quite a prominent part in that work, having worked on the construction of the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
In the Church he was ordained an Elder in England in 1853, and on February 23, 1857, he was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. After that he presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England, and has filled a number of home missions since that time. For thirty years he was First Assistant Superintendent of the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones, which position he held for some years.
WILLIAM COPE PARKER
Submitted by Irene D. Parker, February 2001
3875 Madison Avenue.
Ogden, Utah 84403
H. George Parker - Jane Cope
Born: March 3, 1799 Born: February 23, 1806
Bickerton, Chestershire, England Tallenhall, Chestershire, England
They were married about 1826
William Cope Parker was born March 21, 1827 in Bulkily, Chestershire England. He came to Utah October 28, 1854 with the Robert Campbell company. He drove an ox team across the plans for Thomas Bebbington. He married Sarah Bebbington Edgely of Nantwich England, on May 13, 1855. Their family home was in Riverdale, Weber County, Utah. They were the parents of 13 children.
Mr. Parker was always keenly alive to the value of good irrigation and was for some years a Director in the Davis and Weber Canal Company and acted six years as Superintendent of the Canals.
He took an active part in the project to build the East Canyon reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was President and later Secretary of the Riverdale Canal.
He also served two terms as Justice of the Peace, two terms as school trustee, and was Deputy Road supervisor and quite active in municipal affairs.
During the early years of the railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having contracted for construction work on the Idaho Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
He was ordained an Elder in England in 1853 and on February 23, 1857 was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies, and for several years thereafter presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones.
Sarah died on May 7, 1899 and William married Lydia Brewer on December 13, 1899. Lydia was a native of Beltshire, England, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Stratton Brewer. Shortly after their marriage they took a two-year-old girl, Ethel Hill to raise whom they later adopted. She married Edward Hess.
3875 Madison Avenue.
Ogden, Utah 84403
H. George Parker - Jane Cope
Born: March 3, 1799 Born: February 23, 1806
Bickerton, Chestershire, England Tallenhall, Chestershire, England
They were married about 1826
William Cope Parker was born March 21, 1827 in Bulkily, Chestershire England. He came to Utah October 28, 1854 with the Robert Campbell company. He drove an ox team across the plans for Thomas Bebbington. He married Sarah Bebbington Edgely of Nantwich England, on May 13, 1855. Their family home was in Riverdale, Weber County, Utah. They were the parents of 13 children.
Mr. Parker was always keenly alive to the value of good irrigation and was for some years a Director in the Davis and Weber Canal Company and acted six years as Superintendent of the Canals.
He took an active part in the project to build the East Canyon reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was President and later Secretary of the Riverdale Canal.
He also served two terms as Justice of the Peace, two terms as school trustee, and was Deputy Road supervisor and quite active in municipal affairs.
During the early years of the railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having contracted for construction work on the Idaho Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
He was ordained an Elder in England in 1853 and on February 23, 1857 was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies, and for several years thereafter presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones.
Sarah died on May 7, 1899 and William married Lydia Brewer on December 13, 1899. Lydia was a native of Beltshire, England, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Stratton Brewer. Shortly after their marriage they took a two-year-old girl, Ethel Hill to raise whom they later adopted. She married Edward Hess.
He was always respected and trusted wherever known.
His last years of life were filled with sickness, pain and suffering and he died on April 27, 1917 at 90 years of age.
Taken from what looks like a book – no other information provided.
His last years of life were filled with sickness, pain and suffering and he died on April 27, 1917 at 90 years of age.
Taken from what looks like a book – no other information provided.
PARKER, WILLIAM COPE (son of George Parker, born March 3, 1799, Bickerton, Chestershire, England, and Jane Cope, born February 23, 1806, Tattenhall, Chestershire—married about 1826). Born March 21, 1827, Bulkeley, Chestershire. Came to Utah October 28, 1854, Robert Campbell company. He drove an ox team across the plains for Thomas Bebbington.
Married Sarah Bebbington Edgely May 13, 1855 (daughter of William Edgely of Nantwich, England). She was born February 19, 1835. Came to Utah October 28, 1854. Robert Campbell company.
Their children:
Sarah Jane born April 22, 1857, married Frederick Stimpson October 21, 1876;
Thomas born December 31, 1860, married Jennett Mitchell July 5, 1883;
Joseph born August 3, 1866, married Laura Burch June 18, 1890;
Edwin born June 18, 1870, married Ella Maud Elmer November 27, 1891;
Daniel born April 22, 1877, married Pearl Taylor April 4, 1900.
Family home Riverdale, Weber County, Utah.
Justice of peace 4 years at Riverdale.
Married Lydia Brewer December 13, 1899, Salt Lake City (daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England), who was born December 17, 1859, at Trowbridge. Their adopted child: Ethel Elizabeth born December 23, 1897.
Seventy; high priest, missionary to Great Britain 1871; Sunday school teacher; member of Sunday school superintendency 25 years. Miller. President Riverdale Canal Company; superintendent Davis and Weber counties Canal Company Helped to build first railroads in Utah.
Taken from what appears to be a book.
Picture with “Our Gallery of Pioneers” over the article.
WILLIAM COPE PARKER
Picture with “Our Gallery of Pioneers” over the article.
WILLIAM COPE PARKER
That fertile, productive section lying between Layton and Riverdale, known for years as the sand ridge, was always potentially a wealth yielding area, but it might have lain dormant indefinitely but for the vision of men who foresee great things, men inflexible in purpose to conquer the wilderness and make the desert to blossom. Water was the one thing the sand ridge needed to make of it a veritable garden, and men there were who saw the opportunity. It took courage, it took co-operation, united effort. More than one must have credit, but amongst them is William Cope Parker. He was president of the Riverdale Canal company and superintendent of the Davis and Weber Counties Canal company, which poured the life giving water on to the parched soil. He was also a pioneer railroad builder and, a miller. Truly a useful life he lived. And in Church activities, too, he was a leader, stalwart and devoted, with an unswerving loyalty to principle. He was a seventy, a high priest, a missionary, to great Britain, a Sunday school teacher and a member of a Sunday school superintendency. He was a son of George Parker, born in England in 1827. He was a Utah pioneer of 1854, arriving in October of that year in the Robert Campbell company. His home was in Riverdale, where he rounded out a long life of service to his fellowmen.
Pioneer Immigrants to Utah Territory, taken from ancestry.com search for William Cope Parker
Page: 001952;
Name: William Cope Parker;
Gender: Male;
Birth Date: 21 March 1827;
Birth Place: Bulkeley, Malpas, Cheshire, England;
Parent1: George Parker;
Parent2:Jane Cope;
Spouse: Sarah Bebbington; Lydia Brewer;
Marriage Date: 13 May 1855; 13 December 1899;
Marriage Place: Salt Lake City, Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah;
Departure Date: 14 July 1854;
Departure Place: Kansas City, Missouri;
Travel Company: Thomas Bebbington, Harriet Bebbington, Elizabeth Pass Bebbington, Sarah Bebbington;
Party: Captain Robert L. Campbell;
Arrival Date: 28 October 1854;
Arrival Place: Salt Lake City, Utah;
Religion: LDS;
Occupation: Miller, Farmer;
Death Date: 27 March 1917;
Death Place: Riverdale, Weber, Utah;
Burial Place: Ogden City Cemetery;
Sources: Birth date from Malpas Parish Records, Marriage date from Endowment house records when Sealed 29 August 1863, Death date from Tombstone, Ogden Cemetery;
Comments: Sailed from Liverpool on the Ship Windermere 22 February 1854, Arrived at New Orleans. After a Mission to England, Sailed 15 September 1875 on Ship Wyoming;
Sub Name: Vance Parker; Sub Date: 20 August 1990.
Joseph Parker and Minnie May Elmer
JoAnn Stagge’s great grandparents. Joseph is the younger brother of Sarah Jane Parker, born 25 April 1857. Joseph and Sarah Jane are the Children of William Cope Parker and Sarah Bebbington Edgeley. William and Sarah were family friends of future prophet and president of the Church, John Taylor who frequently visited their home. Their second child, daughter, Sarah Jane, told of John Taylor visiting their home and holding her on his lap and singing A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief to her. He told her that the Prophet Joseph Smith had asked him to sing that song to him while he was in Carthage Jail just before he was murdered by the mobs. He would also show her the watch that had saved his life because it was in his pocket when a bullet had hit his watch. She could see the dent in its cover made by the bullet.
Sarah Jane, the teller of this story is JoAnn’s great grand aunt.
Sarah Jane, the teller of this story is JoAnn’s great grand aunt.
William Cope Parker
William Cope Parker (son of George Parker, born March 3, 1799, Bickerton, Chestershire, England and Jane Cope, born February 23, 1806, Tattenhall, Chestershire, England) was born March 21, 1827, Buckeley, England. He came to Utah October 28, 1854, Robert Campbell Company. He drove an ox team across the plains for Thomas Bebbington.
He married Sarah Bebbington Edgeley 13 May, 1855. She came to Utah October 28, 1854, Robert Campbell company. Family home was Riverdale, Weber, Utah. William was Justice of Peace 4 years at Riverdale.
He was a Seventy, High Priest, missionary to Great Britain 1871; Sunday School teacher, member of Sunday School superintendency 25 years Miller, President Riverdale Canal Co.; superintendent Davis and Weber Counties Canal Co. Helped to build first railroads in Utah.
"Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" by Frank Esshom
William Cope Parker and Sarah Bebbington Edgeley crossed the plains in 1854. They fell in love and were married shortly after they reached Utah. He worked for her uncle and aunt tho were raising her. They moved to Jordan and later to Riverdale. He worked in a mill there which belonged to John Taylor, who later became president of the Church. John Taylor was with Joseph Smith when he was shot and killed. John Taylor blessed their son Joseph Parker.
Pioneer Pathways, Volume 7, page 134
In 1853 Daniel Burch built a gristmill on the east side of the Weber River. Later, he added a sawmill to rip logs and saw lumber for homes. The river bottoms were covered with cottonwood trees which supplied the lumber. In 1858 Apostle John Taylor, who later became president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, purchased the mill. Among the improvements was the establishment of a carding machine. Richard Dye, William C. Parker, and Edward Stratton took charge of the gristmill and carding machine for Apostle Taylor.
After this purchase, the mill was known as Taylor's Mill. In it were three sets of millstones placed in a row. The wheat came through a funnel to the burrs. The upper millstone was placed by a hand lever the appropriate distance from the lower one. After processing the wheat with the first set of burrs, the coarse remains were transferred to the next set. The third processing produced the finest flour which dropped into the hoppers. In the beginning, each of the millstones weighed two thousand pounds.
United States Census, 1880 for William C. Parker
Name: William C. Parker
Residence: Riverdale, Weber, Utah
Birthdate: 1827
Birthplace: England
Relationship to Head: Self
Spouse's Name: Sarah Parker
Spouse's Birthplace: England
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace: England
Race or Color (Expanded): White
Ethnicity (Standardized): American
Gender: Male
Martial Status: Married
Age (Expanded): 53 years
Occupation: Farmer
NARA Film Number: T9-1339
Page: 538
Page Character: D
Entry Number: 3354
Film number: 1255339
Household, Gender, Age
William C. Parker, M, 53
Spouse, Sarah Parker, F, 45
Child, Thos. Parker, M, 19
Child, Joseph Parker, M, 15
Child, John Parker, M, 13
Child, Edwin Parker, M, 9
Child, Daniel Parker, M, 3
found on familysearch.org
Utah Death Certificates, 1904-1956 for William Cope ParkerName: William Cope Parker
Titles and Terms:
Death Date: 27 April 1917
Death Place: Riverdale, Weber, Utah
Birthdate:
Estimated Birth Year: 1827
Birthplace:
Death Age: 90 years 1 month 6 days
Gender: Male
Marital Status:
Race or Color:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: George Parker
Father's Titles and Terms:
Mother's Name: Jane Cope
Mother's Titles and Terms:
Film Number: 2229749
Digital GS Number: 4121273
Image Number: 1550
Certificate Number: 154
Occupation: Farmer
Cause of Death: Chronic nephritis and prostatitis, senility
Contributory: chronic disease prostate
Age at death; 90 years, 1 month, 6 days
found on familysearch.org
In 1853 Daniel Burch built a gristmill on the east side of the Weber River. Later, he added a sawmill to rip logs and saw lumber for homes. The river bottoms were covered with cottonwood trees which supplied the lumber. In 1858 Apostle John Taylor, who later became president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, purchased the mill. Among the improvements was the establishment of a carding machine. Richard Dye, William C. Parker, and Edward Stratton took charge of the gristmill and carding machine for Apostle Taylor.
After this purchase, the mill was known as Taylor's Mill. In it were three sets of millstones placed in a row. The wheat came through a funnel to the burrs. The upper millstone was placed by a hand lever the appropriate distance from the lower one. After processing the wheat with the first set of burrs, the coarse remains were transferred to the next set. The third processing produced the finest flour which dropped into the hoppers.
In the beginning, each of the millstones weighed two thousand pounds. The mill was converted in 1896 to a roller system, but one set of the burrs was retained and was still in use in 1938. At that time, the millstone measured forty-seven and one-half inches in diameter and sixteen and one-half inches thick. One of these millstones, owned by the Weber County Company of Daughters of Utah Pioneers, was situated on Ogden Tabernacle Square just east of Pioneer Hall. An iron band was placed around it to keep it from falling apart.
Pioneer Pathways, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers Salt Lake City, Utah 2004 Volume Seven, page 134.US/Can 979.2 H2dp v.7William Cope Parker
Came to Utah 28 October 1854 in Robert Campbell Company. He drove an ox team across the plains for Thomas Bebbington. He married 2nd 13 December 1899 Lydia Brewer, daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. He was a seventy, High priest; missionary to Great Britain in 1871; Sunday school teacher, member of Sunday school superintendency for twenty-five years; miller; president Riverdale canal Company; superintendent Davis and Weber Counties Canal Companies; helped to build first Railroads in Utah.
Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, page 1087, picture on page 411 (more dates, information on second marriage same page.
Found in Book of Remembrance of Velda Stagge
My Great Grandfather's Life Story
William Cope Parker son of George Parker and Jane Cope was born March 21, 1827 in Bulekely, Chestershire, England. He came to Utah October 28, 1854 with the Robert Campbell Company. He drove an ox team across the plains for Thomas Bebbington. He married Sarah Bebbington Edgely May 13, 1855. She was the daughter of William Edgely. She was born February 19, 1835.
He had thirteen children and one adopted girl.
He was Justice of peace for four years at Riverdale, Utah. He married again in December 13, 1899 at Salt Lake City. His second wife was Lydia Brewer daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton.
He went on a mission to Great Britain in 1871. He was a Sunday School teacher and a Sunday School superintendency for 25 years. He was superintendent of Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company. He was the miller for President John Taylor's Mill. He also helped to build the first railroad in Utah.
He died in April 27, 1917.
Written by Velda May Stagge in her Book of Remembrance
Romance of Family History
My great grandfather and grandmother crossed the plains in 1854. They fell in love and were married shortly after they reached Utah. He worked for her uncle and aunt who were raising her. They moved to Jordan and later to Riverdale. He worked in a mill there which belonged to John Taylor who later became President of the Church. John Taylor was with Joseph Smith when he was shot and killed. He would have been killed too if it hadn't been for a watch that he was carrying.
John Taylor blessed my grandfather Joseph Parker. His parents were William Cope Parker and Sarah Bebbington Edgely.
Written by Velda May Stagge in her Book of Remembrance
REMEMBRANCES OF GRANDPARENTS - WILLIAM COPE PARKER AND SARAH EDGELEY BEBBINGTON
From MY LIFE by Charles Cope Parker
I knew my grandfather Parker. He was a short man. I guess he was only about five and a half, feet tall, and he was a guy with a good sense of humor too. He learned, by apprenticeship in England, how to run a flour mill, and how to make flour. He left England on a boat. There were some other people that left on the same boat that he was on. Their name was Bebbington. The sister of this Mrs. Bebbington was, traveling with them. Her name was Sarah Edgeley. It took a long time for a boat to make it across the ocean in those days. Sarah Edgeley and William Cope Parker got well acquainted during this trip.
As a company, they rode a boat that came up the Missouri River to where a lot of the Saints got off the boat. In that area there were men who were getting outfits ready to sell to these people that got off the boats. They were outfits that they could cross the plains with. So this man, Bebbington, outfitted two outfits with four horse teams. He told my Grandfather, "If you want to drive one of those wagons, that will earn you a ride across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley." So he took that job and he drove one of those schooners.
We hear a lot of sad stories of other families crossing the plains; but we never did hear of any bad times that they had coming across the plains. It may have been that the reason that we didn't hear of any bad times, was because my grandfather and Sarah Edgeley were having a romance all the way. She rode on the wagon that William Cope Parker was driving, mostly. One time when they stopped for their noon break, they had had a lover's quarrel and Sarah wasn't riding with William any more for a while. He had unhitched his horses and was letting them graze along there by the bank of a stream. He went over there by a tree and went to sleep. It had been a few days that had passed by at that time and Sarah hadn't been riding with him, because of this quarrel. While he was asleep there by a tree, she slipped over there and woke him up with a kiss, and then they weren't mad at each other anymore. Sarah rode with William the rest of the way across the plains on that wagon.
When they reached the Salt Lake Valley, they were married. They were only there a short while, and John Taylor (who was to become the President of the Church in later years) found out that William was a knowledgeable mill operator. So John Taylor hired William to run the mill that he had on the Jordan River. He worked there for some time and then John Taylor built a mill up in Riverdale, near Ogden. He took a stream of the Weber River, so as to give power to, the mill. It was run by water. William ran that mill until he retired from the milling business. Then he bought a farm out on the West side of Riverdale, next to the hill where it goes up over and onto the airport. That is where he lived the rest of his life. Our family and Uncle Joe Parker's family would go over there, like on Thanksgiving or something like that for a big family dinner.
William Cope Parker, organized the people in Riverdale to make a canal from Weber Canyon, down and around the west side of Riverdale. This gave irrigation water to the community of Riverdale. They made William Cope Parker the president of that, because he promoted that project. As time went on, his boys Thomas and Joseph moved out over the hill into what is now called Clinton. At that time they called it the Basin. So William was interested in seeing water get out to Clinton, too. So he was instrumental in organizing and getting the canal made for the Davis and Weber Canal Company. He was the first president of that company. Now that canal extends clear down to Kaysville. He, with others, was also instrumental in locating the site for the East Canyon Darn that has supplied the Davis & Weber canal with water for all of these many years.
When William Cope Parker got here after crossing the plains, along with others, he was a member of what they called the Utah Militia. They had this for protection. The family still have his equipment: The side gun that he wore and a rifle and a sword that he carried on his side. He was a short man and that was a long sword. I remember that we had that sword in our home for many years. I remember that the metal of that sword was worn flat on one side because it dragged the ground most of the time, as he marched along, as a member of the militia. They had some uprisings of one kind or another and this militia helped keep things calmed down so people could live peaceably.
Found on FamilyTree.org
As a company, they rode a boat that came up the Missouri River to where a lot of the Saints got off the boat. In that area there were men who were getting outfits ready to sell to these people that got off the boats. They were outfits that they could cross the plains with. So this man, Bebbington, outfitted two outfits with four horse teams. He told my Grandfather, "If you want to drive one of those wagons, that will earn you a ride across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley." So he took that job and he drove one of those schooners.
We hear a lot of sad stories of other families crossing the plains; but we never did hear of any bad times that they had coming across the plains. It may have been that the reason that we didn't hear of any bad times, was because my grandfather and Sarah Edgeley were having a romance all the way. She rode on the wagon that William Cope Parker was driving, mostly. One time when they stopped for their noon break, they had had a lover's quarrel and Sarah wasn't riding with William any more for a while. He had unhitched his horses and was letting them graze along there by the bank of a stream. He went over there by a tree and went to sleep. It had been a few days that had passed by at that time and Sarah hadn't been riding with him, because of this quarrel. While he was asleep there by a tree, she slipped over there and woke him up with a kiss, and then they weren't mad at each other anymore. Sarah rode with William the rest of the way across the plains on that wagon.
When they reached the Salt Lake Valley, they were married. They were only there a short while, and John Taylor (who was to become the President of the Church in later years) found out that William was a knowledgeable mill operator. So John Taylor hired William to run the mill that he had on the Jordan River. He worked there for some time and then John Taylor built a mill up in Riverdale, near Ogden. He took a stream of the Weber River, so as to give power to, the mill. It was run by water. William ran that mill until he retired from the milling business. Then he bought a farm out on the West side of Riverdale, next to the hill where it goes up over and onto the airport. That is where he lived the rest of his life. Our family and Uncle Joe Parker's family would go over there, like on Thanksgiving or something like that for a big family dinner.
William Cope Parker, organized the people in Riverdale to make a canal from Weber Canyon, down and around the west side of Riverdale. This gave irrigation water to the community of Riverdale. They made William Cope Parker the president of that, because he promoted that project. As time went on, his boys Thomas and Joseph moved out over the hill into what is now called Clinton. At that time they called it the Basin. So William was interested in seeing water get out to Clinton, too. So he was instrumental in organizing and getting the canal made for the Davis and Weber Canal Company. He was the first president of that company. Now that canal extends clear down to Kaysville. He, with others, was also instrumental in locating the site for the East Canyon Darn that has supplied the Davis & Weber canal with water for all of these many years.
When William Cope Parker got here after crossing the plains, along with others, he was a member of what they called the Utah Militia. They had this for protection. The family still have his equipment: The side gun that he wore and a rifle and a sword that he carried on his side. He was a short man and that was a long sword. I remember that we had that sword in our home for many years. I remember that the metal of that sword was worn flat on one side because it dragged the ground most of the time, as he marched along, as a member of the militia. They had some uprisings of one kind or another and this militia helped keep things calmed down so people could live peaceably.
Found on FamilyTree.org
From the Genealogical and Biograph. The state of Utah pg 481
William Cope Parker was a resident of Utah almost half a century, and in looking back to the time he left his native home, a man young in years and full of hope, courage, and determination, he could see many wonderful changes that were wrought, partly through his instrumentality, and all for the betterment and the up-building of his home and family.
His journey from England to Utah was fraught with many horrors; death stared him in the face almost daily, and when he finally reached his destination, he found a wild and bleak country, over-run with savage Indians--a people he had never seen, but with whose habits he was destined to become well acquainted, The white settlers endured every manner of privation and want with a heroism that could but stimulate his own ambition and encourage him to fresh efforts. He has passed through all that, and finally became one of the solid and substantial citizens of Weber County, respected and trusted wherever known.
William Cope Parker was born in England on March 21, 1827 t he son of George and Jane Parker. He was raised in the town of Harthill, and after leaving school, served an apprenticeship as a miller. In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries, and was the first member of the Harthill Branch of the Church. Filled with a desire to make his home among the people whose cause he had ex paused, he crossed the ocean in 1854 on the ship Windermere, bound for New Orleans. Small-pox broke out on board ship, and William was among the victims, and when the vessel reached port he was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri River, near St Louis, where they remained until the quarantine was raised.
After being allowed to proceed on his journey, William went up the River to where Kansas City now stands, but which was then but a small cluster of log houses, and from there the camp was moved to McGee's Park, where a number died of Cholera. In the fall of 1854 William crossed the plains in the Robert Campbell Company, reaching Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854.
He worked for a time on the Church Farm, digging beets for the sugar factory, which proved an unprofitable speculation and then worked on the second saw mill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. He came to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and took charge of Taylor's Mill on the Weber River.
Upon the approach of Johnson's Army that year, he took the machinery down and went to Provo where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith Mill, which William Cope Parker ran until the return of the people from the south, upon the cessations of hostilities. When the machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden Mill and William was put in charge, continuing in that work until 1871.
He had bought forty acres of land in Riverdale and in 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser, and continued in that up to his death. His farm grew to seventy acres, most of it being devoted to fruit, having an almost endless variety of small fruits, and for some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping to the North and the East building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture, and since the advent of the sugar factory, turned their attention largely to raising sugar beets, in which the met with fine success.
William Cope Parker had a keen sense of the value of good irrigation and for some years was a director in the Davis and Weber County Canal Company and acted for six years as a Superintendent of the Councils. He took an active part in the project to build the reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was President and secretary to the Riverdale Canal.
William Cope Parker was married in 1855 to Miss Sarah Edgley, daughter of William Edgley and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. Of the thirteen children born to this marriage, six grew to maturity. Sarah passed away May 13 1899 and in May 1900 he married again, this time to Miss Lydia Brewer, a native of Wiltshire England and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Stratton Brewer.
Politically, he was a believer in the principles of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as School Trustee. He was Deputy Road Supervisor, and quite active in all municipal matters.
During the early days of railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having worked on the construction of the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
In the Church he was ordained and Elder in England in 1853 and on February 23,1827, he was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. After that he presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England, and has filled a number of home missions. He was for 30 years First Assistant Sup of the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F Jones which position he held for some years.
His journey from England to Utah was fraught with many horrors; death stared him in the face almost daily, and when he finally reached his destination, he found a wild and bleak country, over-run with savage Indians--a people he had never seen, but with whose habits he was destined to become well acquainted, The white settlers endured every manner of privation and want with a heroism that could but stimulate his own ambition and encourage him to fresh efforts. He has passed through all that, and finally became one of the solid and substantial citizens of Weber County, respected and trusted wherever known.
William Cope Parker was born in England on March 21, 1827 t he son of George and Jane Parker. He was raised in the town of Harthill, and after leaving school, served an apprenticeship as a miller. In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries, and was the first member of the Harthill Branch of the Church. Filled with a desire to make his home among the people whose cause he had ex paused, he crossed the ocean in 1854 on the ship Windermere, bound for New Orleans. Small-pox broke out on board ship, and William was among the victims, and when the vessel reached port he was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri River, near St Louis, where they remained until the quarantine was raised.
After being allowed to proceed on his journey, William went up the River to where Kansas City now stands, but which was then but a small cluster of log houses, and from there the camp was moved to McGee's Park, where a number died of Cholera. In the fall of 1854 William crossed the plains in the Robert Campbell Company, reaching Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854.
He worked for a time on the Church Farm, digging beets for the sugar factory, which proved an unprofitable speculation and then worked on the second saw mill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. He came to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and took charge of Taylor's Mill on the Weber River.
Upon the approach of Johnson's Army that year, he took the machinery down and went to Provo where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith Mill, which William Cope Parker ran until the return of the people from the south, upon the cessations of hostilities. When the machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden Mill and William was put in charge, continuing in that work until 1871.
He had bought forty acres of land in Riverdale and in 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser, and continued in that up to his death. His farm grew to seventy acres, most of it being devoted to fruit, having an almost endless variety of small fruits, and for some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping to the North and the East building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture, and since the advent of the sugar factory, turned their attention largely to raising sugar beets, in which the met with fine success.
William Cope Parker had a keen sense of the value of good irrigation and for some years was a director in the Davis and Weber County Canal Company and acted for six years as a Superintendent of the Councils. He took an active part in the project to build the reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was President and secretary to the Riverdale Canal.
William Cope Parker was married in 1855 to Miss Sarah Edgley, daughter of William Edgley and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. Of the thirteen children born to this marriage, six grew to maturity. Sarah passed away May 13 1899 and in May 1900 he married again, this time to Miss Lydia Brewer, a native of Wiltshire England and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Stratton Brewer.
Politically, he was a believer in the principles of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as School Trustee. He was Deputy Road Supervisor, and quite active in all municipal matters.
During the early days of railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having worked on the construction of the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
In the Church he was ordained and Elder in England in 1853 and on February 23,1827, he was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. After that he presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England, and has filled a number of home missions. He was for 30 years First Assistant Sup of the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F Jones which position he held for some years.
Found on FamilyTree.org (contributed by KillianMarcia1 2 April 2014)
Sarah Jane Parker was born 22 Apr 1857 at West Jordon, Salt Lake County, Utah; daughter of William Cope Parker and Sarah Edgley who were born at Bulkley, Cheshire, England. Her parents left Liverpool, England in February 1854 in the sailing vessel "Windamere", they came by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi River to St Louis, and from there by ox team to "Utah" arriving in Salt Lake City in October 1854. Her father was a miller by trade; he operated a flour mill for President John Taylor until 1870 at Riverdale, Weber county, Utah, then moved to a farm, not far from the mill, where he lived the rest of his life They were very active in Church and civil affairs. Sarah was the second child, in a large family of thirteen. Found on FamilySearch.org
(Compiled by Vance Cook Parker, Grandson) Things to be added to Thomas Parker's History- He was kidnapped by Freighters as a child. His Father got on his horse, armed to the teeth, and went and brought him back. He was a great swimmer. He saved a man or boy by the name of Childs from drowning in the River. Found on FamilySearch.org
My Father was about the same height that I am. In my mature life, I've been about 5 foot 10 inches, and I guess my dad was about the same height. My dad was a very well liked, important man in the community. People always liked him, and he always did everyone a lot of favors. I remember as I was growing up, (when I was just a lad and those were horse days), if anyone wanted to move a house in the winter (and that is what they did in the winter, moved the houses here and there where they wanted them), they always had my Dad take charge and run the moving of the houses. When they were ready to move a house, he would have me go along with him and take four good horses. When we were ready to go, he would have his horses hitched on the one side and there would usually be a window there. Dad would stand inside the house at the window and hold onto the four lines and he would say, "Now you follow me." He would say, "When I'm ready, I'll wave my hat and you give a yell and let them come." So that was the way we would do it. Everybody, when he would wave his hat (and there would be several teams of horses hitched on in the various places around the house) everybody would give a yell and make their horses go and we'd have them going on a gallop some of the time. I remember about the last house that I remember helping move was a house that Dad moved for Render Fuit, (straight down 1800 North here, about a mile west of here). I remember we got the house moved in there (and it seemed like the kind of weather that they always chose to move a house was when there was a little snow coming and a wind and the snow would just sift along, with it never quite hitting the ground). I can remember my Dad saying a thing there and I've always remembered it. I thought it wasn't very nice. We had a bon fire there on the ground. Dad was there warming his hands and he said, "My, I wish Dad was here and I was home where it was warm. He is old and tough and he could stand it." He was talking about his father, William Cope Parker at the time. My Father always had quite a few horses. He tried to keep several teams of horses around. He tried to have about 2 or 3 teams, as much as he could, working on construction of railroad grades and highway grades. My brother Bill usually took those horses and worked them. That helped to support the family. The Church has always promoted education and they had the schools started in Clinton before I went to school here. They had a school up on the sand ridge up by where the OSL tracks cross the sand ridge and where the station was. That was where they had the first school. My oldest sister went to school there, and probably Bill. But the people of Clinton bought that building and moved it down to Clinton on the corner of 1800 North and 2000 West. That is where they built a big auditorium onto this building that they had moved. They used the building they moved as the stage and they built on a big auditorium. That is where they had their Church meetings and their school and their dances and all kinds of recreation. That was an elementary school. I remember going there one night when they had a dance. My Dad had an irrigation turn going on on the farm across the road to the West. He would have me go and pack the lantern for him while he turned the water in the night. We got the water turned one night and then we came over there to the dance while the water ran. I remember him dancing the square dances with his rubber boots on. We had responsibilities when we got home. In those days, with big families they rationed the work out. I know I had certain cows to milk, and my sister, Nellie, had certain cows to milk. The others had their chores. The smaller ones had to get the kindling and the coal ready for night. Somebody had to fill the kerosene lamps with kerosene, so that they would be loaded, ready for night. Than we would sit around that long table. We had a long kitchen and a long table. We would sit around that table. My Dad got a kerosene lamp that hung from the, ceiling. It had a round wick, and that gave good light. We could see to do what we needed to do. He would sit there by that light and read the newspaper all evening, it seemed to me like. Of course we had games and sometimes I would get the younger ones and make them sit like an audience. My mother would be Clarissa (that was the bear's name) and I would be the fox(Slim Jim). My Father was a leading guy in this community of Clinton. There was no electricity, no telephone, no water and our place down there couldn't even get a good surface well. Most people had a surface well. My folks dug several surface wells, but they were all salty. They were all right for livestock. They would drink it, but we didn't like it. My Father took the lead in getting the electricity down here. The same with the telephone. But we had such bad luck with our wells. Uncle Joseph Parker had a nice artesian well down below the hill there. So we actually hauled water from there on a wagon for 20 years for our culinary use and to wash the clothes in. We kept a wagon, with 4 or 5 fifty gallon barrels on it. Whenever it started to get low, we would hitch a wagon on and go get some water from Uncle Joe Parker. We would have one bucket we were filling. While we were dumping that bucket, we would be filling another bucket. We filled those barrels with buckets of water, until they were full. Then we would take them home, and pull them in by the back door, and unhitch the team from the wagon and leave the wagon right there. There was all of the things that we had to do to help, and I guess it was a good thing. We had a clothes washer that we turned by hand. We had a hand churn (One of those old up and down dasher type.) When I was growing up we would all get around and help get the hay hauled. This one time my brother Bill had come up with a team of horses that were not as well broke as they might be. We loaded a load of hay on that wagon. My brother Hubert had trampled that load and loaded it. We asked him if he wanted to do the other wagon. He mentioned someone else. I believe he said, "George can do that wagon." "I'll just wait here." So we started loading the other wagon. In a little while we heard Hubert yelling "Help!" We looked and there was those horses running away with that load of hay. What happened was, Hubert had decided to come and help and a pile of hay came down on top of the horses as he was climbing down to come and help. The hay scared the horses and that was what made them run away. A few days, before this, Hubert (we mostly called him Kip) met me outside the house. He had a watch that had a leather strap that fastened with a chain to his overalls. He had that watch off. Sometimes my brothers called me Chas. (pronounced Chase) because I spelled my Chas when I wrote it for brief. Hubert said to me, "Chas, I would like to give you my watch." I said, “No." "Why do you want to give me your watch?" He said, "I won't be needing it much longer.” I said, "Yes, you will." "You'll need that watch as long as it will run." I talked him into taking it back. I put it on the overalls for him and tucked it back. But on this day of the runaway, we were running after the wagon and my brother Bill said, "You take one side and I'll take this side. But the horses came to a fence and around the corner of a fence. Bill couldn't run around that corner because the horses had run too close to the fence. I was just about to take hold of the bits on the reins on my side when they hit the corner post. They, broke that post off and they went through a ditch there. That load of hay made the tongue swing and as I ran at the side of the horses, I could see Hubert riding on the wagon tongue with one arm around the wagon tongue and with his other arm around the harness. The wagon hit that ditch and post almost simultaneously. The wagon just threw him loose and down under the horses. Then the wagon ran over his shoulders, with the next wheel running over him. I guess the nerves, just made him flop clear over with his face down. Then the back wheel just ran right over his head. So I didn't follow the horses no more. I just knelt down there beside him. I was privileged to see the spirit come from his body and just flow up and out of sight, like a mist. My brother, Bill came over there. He looked at me and shook his head. I said, "He's dead." So he picked him up. Hubert was a heavy boy. He was built quite heavy, even though he was only twelve years old. My brother Bill picked him up and packed him. I had a hold of his feet and we met Bill's wife about half way to the house. She had heard the ruckus and she was running out there. Then my Dad came and met us. He put his arms under the body of Hubert and said, "Oh, my little man!" He helped pack him to the house. That was really a sad occasion. That was in the summer, (1917), a year, after my Mother had died in February of 1916. My Dad got some water down there to our old home we grew up in. He did it because he wanted some good water. I can remember when we had to dig that trench for the water pipes. We had to dig it with shovels. It came from clear up there North of 1800 North, probably about 20 or 30 rods North. There was a spring area where Dad got that water from a man by the name of Terry. Then he solicited the people down this 1800 North road. About 24 guys signed the paper that said they would help pay the expenses and have that water to use. Some doubted that the water would even run through the pipes. That's how the people were in those days. Dad got that water down to the old place. I can remember the evening when they first got the water in that pipe. The pipe was just slanting up out of the trench, with a stick holding it up. My Mother came out there with a glass pitcher and a drinking glass. That water was running there. There was a tap on the end of that pipe and it was turned on. She caught a pitcher full of water and she poured some in the glass and she held it up and she said, "Isn't that grand?" She said, "Tom, you’re a good husband." That water was piped down there after 20 years of hauling our culinary water on a wagon, an iron wheeled wagon. After some years, Dad didn't want to be President of the Pipeline Company, all of the time. He was President while it was installed and for years after. But he didn't want to stay President. He thought someone else should take an interest in it. Others took a turn at it, like Uncle Fred Mitchell. Remembrances of Dad - From MY LIFE by Charles Cope Parker. Found on FamilySearch.org
Sketch of the Life of William Cope Parker
Sarah Jane Parker was born 22 Apr 1857 at West Jordon, Salt Lake County, Utah; daughter of William Cope Parker and Sarah Edgley who were born at Bulkley, Cheshire, England. Her parents left Liverpool, England in February 1854 in the sailing vessel "Windamere", they came by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi River to St Louis, and from there by ox team to "Utah" arriving in Salt Lake City in October 1854. Her father was a miller by trade; he operated a flour mill for President John Taylor until 1870 at Riverdale, Weber county, Utah, then moved to a farm, not far from the mill, where he lived the rest of his life They were very active in Church and civil affairs. Sarah was the second child, in a large family of thirteen. Found on FamilySearch.org
(Compiled by Vance Cook Parker, Grandson) Things to be added to Thomas Parker's History- He was kidnapped by Freighters as a child. His Father got on his horse, armed to the teeth, and went and brought him back. He was a great swimmer. He saved a man or boy by the name of Childs from drowning in the River. Found on FamilySearch.org
My Father was about the same height that I am. In my mature life, I've been about 5 foot 10 inches, and I guess my dad was about the same height. My dad was a very well liked, important man in the community. People always liked him, and he always did everyone a lot of favors. I remember as I was growing up, (when I was just a lad and those were horse days), if anyone wanted to move a house in the winter (and that is what they did in the winter, moved the houses here and there where they wanted them), they always had my Dad take charge and run the moving of the houses. When they were ready to move a house, he would have me go along with him and take four good horses. When we were ready to go, he would have his horses hitched on the one side and there would usually be a window there. Dad would stand inside the house at the window and hold onto the four lines and he would say, "Now you follow me." He would say, "When I'm ready, I'll wave my hat and you give a yell and let them come." So that was the way we would do it. Everybody, when he would wave his hat (and there would be several teams of horses hitched on in the various places around the house) everybody would give a yell and make their horses go and we'd have them going on a gallop some of the time. I remember about the last house that I remember helping move was a house that Dad moved for Render Fuit, (straight down 1800 North here, about a mile west of here). I remember we got the house moved in there (and it seemed like the kind of weather that they always chose to move a house was when there was a little snow coming and a wind and the snow would just sift along, with it never quite hitting the ground). I can remember my Dad saying a thing there and I've always remembered it. I thought it wasn't very nice. We had a bon fire there on the ground. Dad was there warming his hands and he said, "My, I wish Dad was here and I was home where it was warm. He is old and tough and he could stand it." He was talking about his father, William Cope Parker at the time. My Father always had quite a few horses. He tried to keep several teams of horses around. He tried to have about 2 or 3 teams, as much as he could, working on construction of railroad grades and highway grades. My brother Bill usually took those horses and worked them. That helped to support the family. The Church has always promoted education and they had the schools started in Clinton before I went to school here. They had a school up on the sand ridge up by where the OSL tracks cross the sand ridge and where the station was. That was where they had the first school. My oldest sister went to school there, and probably Bill. But the people of Clinton bought that building and moved it down to Clinton on the corner of 1800 North and 2000 West. That is where they built a big auditorium onto this building that they had moved. They used the building they moved as the stage and they built on a big auditorium. That is where they had their Church meetings and their school and their dances and all kinds of recreation. That was an elementary school. I remember going there one night when they had a dance. My Dad had an irrigation turn going on on the farm across the road to the West. He would have me go and pack the lantern for him while he turned the water in the night. We got the water turned one night and then we came over there to the dance while the water ran. I remember him dancing the square dances with his rubber boots on. We had responsibilities when we got home. In those days, with big families they rationed the work out. I know I had certain cows to milk, and my sister, Nellie, had certain cows to milk. The others had their chores. The smaller ones had to get the kindling and the coal ready for night. Somebody had to fill the kerosene lamps with kerosene, so that they would be loaded, ready for night. Than we would sit around that long table. We had a long kitchen and a long table. We would sit around that table. My Dad got a kerosene lamp that hung from the, ceiling. It had a round wick, and that gave good light. We could see to do what we needed to do. He would sit there by that light and read the newspaper all evening, it seemed to me like. Of course we had games and sometimes I would get the younger ones and make them sit like an audience. My mother would be Clarissa (that was the bear's name) and I would be the fox(Slim Jim). My Father was a leading guy in this community of Clinton. There was no electricity, no telephone, no water and our place down there couldn't even get a good surface well. Most people had a surface well. My folks dug several surface wells, but they were all salty. They were all right for livestock. They would drink it, but we didn't like it. My Father took the lead in getting the electricity down here. The same with the telephone. But we had such bad luck with our wells. Uncle Joseph Parker had a nice artesian well down below the hill there. So we actually hauled water from there on a wagon for 20 years for our culinary use and to wash the clothes in. We kept a wagon, with 4 or 5 fifty gallon barrels on it. Whenever it started to get low, we would hitch a wagon on and go get some water from Uncle Joe Parker. We would have one bucket we were filling. While we were dumping that bucket, we would be filling another bucket. We filled those barrels with buckets of water, until they were full. Then we would take them home, and pull them in by the back door, and unhitch the team from the wagon and leave the wagon right there. There was all of the things that we had to do to help, and I guess it was a good thing. We had a clothes washer that we turned by hand. We had a hand churn (One of those old up and down dasher type.) When I was growing up we would all get around and help get the hay hauled. This one time my brother Bill had come up with a team of horses that were not as well broke as they might be. We loaded a load of hay on that wagon. My brother Hubert had trampled that load and loaded it. We asked him if he wanted to do the other wagon. He mentioned someone else. I believe he said, "George can do that wagon." "I'll just wait here." So we started loading the other wagon. In a little while we heard Hubert yelling "Help!" We looked and there was those horses running away with that load of hay. What happened was, Hubert had decided to come and help and a pile of hay came down on top of the horses as he was climbing down to come and help. The hay scared the horses and that was what made them run away. A few days, before this, Hubert (we mostly called him Kip) met me outside the house. He had a watch that had a leather strap that fastened with a chain to his overalls. He had that watch off. Sometimes my brothers called me Chas. (pronounced Chase) because I spelled my Chas when I wrote it for brief. Hubert said to me, "Chas, I would like to give you my watch." I said, “No." "Why do you want to give me your watch?" He said, "I won't be needing it much longer.” I said, "Yes, you will." "You'll need that watch as long as it will run." I talked him into taking it back. I put it on the overalls for him and tucked it back. But on this day of the runaway, we were running after the wagon and my brother Bill said, "You take one side and I'll take this side. But the horses came to a fence and around the corner of a fence. Bill couldn't run around that corner because the horses had run too close to the fence. I was just about to take hold of the bits on the reins on my side when they hit the corner post. They, broke that post off and they went through a ditch there. That load of hay made the tongue swing and as I ran at the side of the horses, I could see Hubert riding on the wagon tongue with one arm around the wagon tongue and with his other arm around the harness. The wagon hit that ditch and post almost simultaneously. The wagon just threw him loose and down under the horses. Then the wagon ran over his shoulders, with the next wheel running over him. I guess the nerves, just made him flop clear over with his face down. Then the back wheel just ran right over his head. So I didn't follow the horses no more. I just knelt down there beside him. I was privileged to see the spirit come from his body and just flow up and out of sight, like a mist. My brother, Bill came over there. He looked at me and shook his head. I said, "He's dead." So he picked him up. Hubert was a heavy boy. He was built quite heavy, even though he was only twelve years old. My brother Bill picked him up and packed him. I had a hold of his feet and we met Bill's wife about half way to the house. She had heard the ruckus and she was running out there. Then my Dad came and met us. He put his arms under the body of Hubert and said, "Oh, my little man!" He helped pack him to the house. That was really a sad occasion. That was in the summer, (1917), a year, after my Mother had died in February of 1916. My Dad got some water down there to our old home we grew up in. He did it because he wanted some good water. I can remember when we had to dig that trench for the water pipes. We had to dig it with shovels. It came from clear up there North of 1800 North, probably about 20 or 30 rods North. There was a spring area where Dad got that water from a man by the name of Terry. Then he solicited the people down this 1800 North road. About 24 guys signed the paper that said they would help pay the expenses and have that water to use. Some doubted that the water would even run through the pipes. That's how the people were in those days. Dad got that water down to the old place. I can remember the evening when they first got the water in that pipe. The pipe was just slanting up out of the trench, with a stick holding it up. My Mother came out there with a glass pitcher and a drinking glass. That water was running there. There was a tap on the end of that pipe and it was turned on. She caught a pitcher full of water and she poured some in the glass and she held it up and she said, "Isn't that grand?" She said, "Tom, you’re a good husband." That water was piped down there after 20 years of hauling our culinary water on a wagon, an iron wheeled wagon. After some years, Dad didn't want to be President of the Pipeline Company, all of the time. He was President while it was installed and for years after. But he didn't want to stay President. He thought someone else should take an interest in it. Others took a turn at it, like Uncle Fred Mitchell. Remembrances of Dad - From MY LIFE by Charles Cope Parker. Found on FamilySearch.org
Sketch of the Life of William Cope Parker
Compiled in March 1933 by Altha Parker Sessions
William Cope Parker, son of George and Jane Cope Parker was born in Cheshire, England, March 21, 1827. He was raised in the town of Harthill and after leaving school served an apprenticeship as a miller.
In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries and was the first member of the Harthill branch of the Church. He was also the only member of his family who joined the church at that time.
He was engaged to Sarah Edgley, daughter of William and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. She also joined the church and filled with a desire to make their home among the people of their religion they with a company of saints started across the ocean in February 1854 on board the ship "Windmere" bound for New Orleans. It took them nine weeks to cross the ocean.
Smallpox broke out on board ship, Mr. Parker being among the victims. When the vessel reached port she was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri River, near St. Louis where they remained until the quarantine was raised. After being allowed to proceed on their journey, they went up the river to where Kansas City now stands but which was then a small cluster of log houses and from there the camp was moved to McGee's Park where a number died of cholera although Mr. Parker escaped that disorder.
In the spring of 1854 they started across the plains in Robert Campbell's Company. Mr. Parker hired out as teamster to Thomas Bebbington, uncle of Sarah Edgley. They bought some oxen that were not broken to drive very well so they had a great deal of trouble with them. Miss Edgley helped Mr. Parker drive all of the way to Salt Lake. They had many hardships and adventures, at one time being surrounded by Indians but they showed the Indians that they were friendly so they were not harmed. Mr. Parker was so brown from sunburn that the Indians compared their skin with his and decided he was one of them. Another time a buffalo stampede passed close to their camp, driving away some of their cattle and killing one man who rode out to try to kill a buffalo for food.
One time Mr. Parker was out hunting alone when he met a large timber wolf. He was just ready to shoot it when he heard a noise behind him, turning he saw two more wolves watching him so he just stood quiet for awhile and finally all three wolves went away without attacking him.
The company reached Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854. Mr. Parker worked for a time on the church farm digging beets for the old sugar factory which proved an unprofitable speculation and then worked on the second saw mill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon.
On May 13, 1855 he married Miss Sarah Edgley.
In March 1855 Mr. Parker became assistant miller for D. R. Allen in Gardner's mill on the Jordan River and remained there three years, coming to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and taking charge of Taylor's mills on the Weber River where the Farmers Associated Milling Company now stands. Upon the approach of Johnston's Army that year he took the machinery down and went to Provo where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith mill which Mr. Parker ran until the return of the people from the south upon cessation of hostilities. The machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden mill and Mr. Parker put in charge, continuing in that work until 1871.
He had during the interval bought forty acres of land in Riverdale and in 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser. For some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping fruit to the North and East, building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture and after the advent of the sugar factory they turned their attention largely to raising sugar beets.
Mr. Parker was the father of thirteen children, five of who are still living, Thomas, Joseph, Edwin and Daniel Parker and Sarah Stimpson.
The mother died May 7 1899 and on December 13, 1899, Mr. Parker married Miss Lydia Brewer, a native of Weltshire, England and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Stratton Brewer, Shortly after their marriage they took a two year old girl, Ethel Hill, to raise whom they later adopted. She is now Mrs. Edward Hess.
Mr. Parker was always keenly alive to the value of good irrigation and was for some years a Director in the Davis and Weber County Canal Company and acted for six years as Superintendent of the canals. He took an active part in the project to build the East Canyon reservoir in Morgan County and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was President and later Secretary of the Riverdale Canal. He also served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as school trustee, was Deputy Road Supervisor and quite active in municipal matters. During the early years of railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having contracts for construction work on the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines.
In the Church he was ordained an Elder in England in 1855 and on February 23, 1857 was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies, for several years thereafter presiding over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England and filled a number of home missions. He was for thirty years First Assistant Superintendent of the Riverdale Sunday School. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones.
He was always respected and trusted wherever known.
His last few years of life were filled with sickness, pain and suffering and he died April 17, 1917 at 90 years of age.
Found on FamilySearch.org (contributed by ParkerMarilynMay 15 April 2014)
William Cope Parker was a resident of Utah almost half a century, and in looking back to the time he left his native home, a man young in years and full of hope, courage and determination, he could see many wonderful changes that were wrought, partly through his instrumentality, and all for the betterment and the up building of his home and family.
His journey from England to Utah was fraught with many horrors; death stared him in the face almost daily, and when he finally reached his destination, he found a wild and bleak country, over-run with savage Indians — a people he had never seen, but with whose habits he was destined to become well acquainted. The white settlers endured every manner of privation and want with a heroism that could but stimulate his own ambition and encourage him to fresh efforts. He has passed through all that, and finally became one of the solid and substantial citizens of Weber County, respected and trusted wherever known.
William Cope Parker was born in Bulkeley, Chestershire, England on 21 March 1827 the son of George and Jane Parker. He was raised in the town of Harthill, and after leaving school, served an apprenticeship as a miller. In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries, and was the first member of the Harthill Branch of the Church. Filled with a desire to make his home among the people whose cause he had espoused, he crossed the ocean in 1854 on the ship “Windmere”, bound for New Orleans. Small-pox broke out on board ship, and William was among the victims, and when the vessel reached port he was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri river, near St. Louis, where they remained until the quarantine was raised.
After being allowed to proceed on his journey, William went up the River to where Kansas City now stands, but which was then but a small cluster of log houses, and from there the camp was moved to McGee’s Park, where a number died of Cholera.
In the fall of 1854 William crossed the plains in the Robert Campbell Company, reaching Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854. William Cope Parker hired out as a teamster to Thomas Bebbington, Uncle of Sarah Edgley. William and Sarah were engaged to be married in England before they set out for Salt Lake City. They bought some oxen that were not broken to drive very well and they had a great deal of trouble with them. Sarah Edgley helped William Parker drive all the way to Salt Lake City.
They had many hardships and adventures, at one time being surrounded by Indians but they showed the Indians they were friendly so they were not harmed. Willaim was so brown from sunburn the Indians compared their skin with his and decided he was one of them. Another time a buffalo stampede passed close to their camp, driving away some of their cattle and killing a man by the name of White, who rode out to kill a buffalo for food.
One time William went out hunting alone and met a large timber wolf . He was just ready to shoot it when he heard a noise behind him, turning he saw two more wolves watching him so he just stood quiet for awhile and finally all three wolves went away without attacking him.
He worked for a time on the Church Farm, digging beets for the sugar factory, which proved an unprofitable speculation, and then worked on the second saw mill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. In March 1855 William became assistant miller for D.R. Allen in Gardner’s Mill on the Jordan River and remained there three years. He came to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and took charge of John Taylor’s Mill on the Weber River. This eventually became known as the Farmers Associated Milling Company. Upon the approach of Johnson’s Army that year, he took the machinery down and went to Provo, where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith Mill, which William Cope Parker ran until the return of the people from the south, upon the cessations of hostilities. When the machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden Mill and William was put in charge, continuing that work until 1871.
He had bought forty acres of land in Riverdale, and 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser, and continued in that up to his death. His farm grew to seventy acres, most of it being devoted to fruit, having an almost endless variety of small fruits, and for some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping to the North and East, building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture, and since the advent of the sugar factory, turned their attentions largely to raising sugar beets, in which they met with fine success.
William Cope Parker had a keen sense of the value of good irrigation and for some years was a director in the Davis and Weber County Canal Company and acted for six years as a Superintendent of the Councils. He took an active part in the project to build the East Canyon Reservoir in Morgan County, and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was president and secretary of the Riverdale Canal.
William Cope Parker was married 13 May 1855 to Miss Sarah Edgley, of Nantwich. England, daughter of William Edgley and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. His children are William Henry, Sarah Jane, George William, Mary, Thomas, Elizabeth, Joseph, John, Richard, Edwin, Robert, James William, and Daniel. Their six children who grew to maturity were Sarah Jane born 22 April 1857, married Frederick Stimpson 21 October 1876; Thomas born 31 December 1860, married Jennett Mitchell 5 July 1883; Joseph born 20 August 1864, married Minnie May Elmer 30 September 1886; John born 3 October 1866, married Laura Burch 18 June 1890; Edwin born 18 June 1870, married Ella Maud Elmer 27 November 1891; Daniel born 22 April 1877, married Pearl Taylor 4 April 1900.
Sarah passed away 7 May 1899. On 13 December 1899 he married again, this time to Miss Lydia Brewer born in Trowbridge, daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, a native of Wiltshire, England. Shortly after their marriage they took a two year old girl, Ethel Hill to raise whom they later adopted. Ethel married Edward Hess.
Politically, he was a believer in the principles of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as School Trustee; he was Deputy Road Supervisor, and quite active in all municipal matters.
During the early days of railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having worked on the construction of the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines, contracting for work on these lines.
In the Church he was ordained an Elder in England in 1853 and on 23 February 1827, he was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. After that he presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England, and has filled a number of home missions. He was for 30 years First Assistant Superintendent of the Riverdale Sunday school. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones.
He was always respected and trusted wherever known.
His last few years of life were filled with sickness, pain and suffering. He died 27 April 1917 at 90 years of age.
Newspaper Article titled:
OUR GALLERY OF PIONEERS
William Cope Parker
That fertile, productive section lying between Layton and Riverdale, known for years as the sand ridge, was always potentially a wealth yielding area, but it might have lain dormant indefinitely but for the vision of men who foresee great things, men inflexible in purpose to conquer the wilderness and make the desert to blossom. Water was the one thing the sand ridge needed to make of a veritable garden, and men there were who saw the opportunity. It took courage, it took cooperation, united effort. More than one must have credit, but amongst them is William Cope Parker. He was president of the Riverdale Canal Company and Superintendent of the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, which poured the life giving water on to the parched soil. He was also a pioneer railroad builder and a miller. Truly a useful life he lived. And in Church activities, too, he was a leader, stalwart and devoted, with an unswerving loyalty to principle. He was a seventy, a high priest, a missionary to Great Britain, a Sunday School teacher and a member of a Sunday School superintendency. He was the son of George Parker, born in England in 1827. He was a Utah pioneer of 1854, arriving in October of that year in the Robert Campbell Company. His home was in Riverdale, where he rounded out a long life of service to his fellowmen.
From “Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah”
Published 1913
WILLIAM COPE PARKER (son of George Parker, born March 3, 1799, Bickerton, Chestershire, England, and Jane Cope, born 23 February 1806, Tattenhall, Chestershire — married about 1826). Born 21 March 1827, Bulkeley, Chestershire. Came to Utah 28 October 1854, Robert Campbell Company. He drove an oxteam across the plains for Thomas Bebbington. Married Sarah Bebbington Edgely 13 May 1855 (daughter of William Edgely of Nantwich, England) She was born 19 February 1835. Came to Utah 28 October 1854, Robert Campbell Company. Their children: Sarah Jane born 22 April 1857, married Frederick Stimpson 21 October 1876; Thomas born 31 December 1860, married Jennett Mitchell 5 July 1883; Joseph born 20 August 1864, married Minnie Mae Elmer 30 September 1886; John born 3 October 1866, married Laura Burch 18 June 1890; Edwin born 18 June 1870 married Ella Maud Elmer 27 November, 1891; Daniel born 22 April 1877, married Pearl Taylor 4 April 1900. Family home Riverdale, Utah.
Justice of the peace four years at Riverdale.
Married Lydia Brewer 13 December 1899, Salt Lake City (daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England) who was born 17 December 1859, at Trowbridge. Their adopted child: Ethel Elizabeth born 23 December 1897.
Seventy; High Priest; missionary to Great Britain 1871; Sunday School teacher; member of Sunday School Superintendency 25 years. Miller, President Riverdale Canal Co; Superintendent Davis and Weber Counties Canal Co.; Helped to build first railroads in Utah.
This history has been compiled from Histories on file at the Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum, written by granddaughters Altha Parker Sessions and Rebecca Stimpson Thompson. The book “Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah 1847-1868”, edited by Frank Esshom, published 1913, story on page 1087, picture page 411. From a story from “The Genealogical and Biographical Record ofthe State of Utah”, page 481. Edited and written by Dorothy Toone Cook, great-grand-daughter. 2008.
William Cope Parker was a resident of Utah almost half a century, and in looking back to the time he left his native home, a man young in years and full of hope, courage and determination, he could see many wonderful changes that were wrought, partly through his instrumentality, and all for the betterment and the up building of his home and family.
His journey from England to Utah was fraught with many horrors; death stared him in the face almost daily, and when he finally reached his destination, he found a wild and bleak country, over-run with savage Indians — a people he had never seen, but with whose habits he was destined to become well acquainted. The white settlers endured every manner of privation and want with a heroism that could but stimulate his own ambition and encourage him to fresh efforts. He has passed through all that, and finally became one of the solid and substantial citizens of Weber County, respected and trusted wherever known.
William Cope Parker was born in Bulkeley, Chestershire, England on 21 March 1827 the son of George and Jane Parker. He was raised in the town of Harthill, and after leaving school, served an apprenticeship as a miller. In 1850 he became a convert to the teachings of the Mormon missionaries, and was the first member of the Harthill Branch of the Church. Filled with a desire to make his home among the people whose cause he had espoused, he crossed the ocean in 1854 on the ship “Windmere”, bound for New Orleans. Small-pox broke out on board ship, and William was among the victims, and when the vessel reached port he was quarantined for a number of days and then the passengers were sent to an island in the Missouri river, near St. Louis, where they remained until the quarantine was raised.
After being allowed to proceed on his journey, William went up the River to where Kansas City now stands, but which was then but a small cluster of log houses, and from there the camp was moved to McGee’s Park, where a number died of Cholera.
In the fall of 1854 William crossed the plains in the Robert Campbell Company, reaching Salt Lake City on October 28, 1854. William Cope Parker hired out as a teamster to Thomas Bebbington, Uncle of Sarah Edgley. William and Sarah were engaged to be married in England before they set out for Salt Lake City. They bought some oxen that were not broken to drive very well and they had a great deal of trouble with them. Sarah Edgley helped William Parker drive all the way to Salt Lake City.
They had many hardships and adventures, at one time being surrounded by Indians but they showed the Indians they were friendly so they were not harmed. Willaim was so brown from sunburn the Indians compared their skin with his and decided he was one of them. Another time a buffalo stampede passed close to their camp, driving away some of their cattle and killing a man by the name of White, who rode out to kill a buffalo for food.
One time William went out hunting alone and met a large timber wolf . He was just ready to shoot it when he heard a noise behind him, turning he saw two more wolves watching him so he just stood quiet for awhile and finally all three wolves went away without attacking him.
He worked for a time on the Church Farm, digging beets for the sugar factory, which proved an unprofitable speculation, and then worked on the second saw mill to be built in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. In March 1855 William became assistant miller for D.R. Allen in Gardner’s Mill on the Jordan River and remained there three years. He came to Ogden in the spring of 1858 and took charge of John Taylor’s Mill on the Weber River. This eventually became known as the Farmers Associated Milling Company. Upon the approach of Johnson’s Army that year, he took the machinery down and went to Provo, where Elder Taylor bought the Higby and Smith Mill, which William Cope Parker ran until the return of the people from the south, upon the cessations of hostilities. When the machinery was again put in operation in the Ogden Mill and William was put in charge, continuing that work until 1871.
He had bought forty acres of land in Riverdale, and 1871 began life as a farmer and fruit raiser, and continued in that up to his death. His farm grew to seventy acres, most of it being devoted to fruit, having an almost endless variety of small fruits, and for some years he and his son Edwin were engaged in shipping to the North and East, building up a very profitable business. They also spent some years in tomato culture, and since the advent of the sugar factory, turned their attentions largely to raising sugar beets, in which they met with fine success.
William Cope Parker had a keen sense of the value of good irrigation and for some years was a director in the Davis and Weber County Canal Company and acted for six years as a Superintendent of the Councils. He took an active part in the project to build the East Canyon Reservoir in Morgan County, and liberally supported all matters tending to better irrigation for Weber County. For some years he was president and secretary of the Riverdale Canal.
William Cope Parker was married 13 May 1855 to Miss Sarah Edgley, of Nantwich. England, daughter of William Edgley and Sarah Bebbington Edgley. His children are William Henry, Sarah Jane, George William, Mary, Thomas, Elizabeth, Joseph, John, Richard, Edwin, Robert, James William, and Daniel. Their six children who grew to maturity were Sarah Jane born 22 April 1857, married Frederick Stimpson 21 October 1876; Thomas born 31 December 1860, married Jennett Mitchell 5 July 1883; Joseph born 20 August 1864, married Minnie May Elmer 30 September 1886; John born 3 October 1866, married Laura Burch 18 June 1890; Edwin born 18 June 1870, married Ella Maud Elmer 27 November 1891; Daniel born 22 April 1877, married Pearl Taylor 4 April 1900.
Sarah passed away 7 May 1899. On 13 December 1899 he married again, this time to Miss Lydia Brewer born in Trowbridge, daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, a native of Wiltshire, England. Shortly after their marriage they took a two year old girl, Ethel Hill to raise whom they later adopted. Ethel married Edward Hess.
Politically, he was a believer in the principles of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as Justice of the Peace and two terms as School Trustee; he was Deputy Road Supervisor, and quite active in all municipal matters.
During the early days of railroad building in Utah he took quite a prominent part in that work, having worked on the construction of the Utah Central, Utah Northern and other lines, contracting for work on these lines.
In the Church he was ordained an Elder in England in 1853 and on 23 February 1827, he was made a member of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. After that he presided over the Mass Quorum of Seventies in Riverdale and Uintah. In 1875 he filled a short mission to England, and has filled a number of home missions. He was for 30 years First Assistant Superintendent of the Riverdale Sunday school. In 1887 he was ordained a High Priest by Miles F. Jones.
He was always respected and trusted wherever known.
His last few years of life were filled with sickness, pain and suffering. He died 27 April 1917 at 90 years of age.
Newspaper Article titled:
OUR GALLERY OF PIONEERS
William Cope Parker
That fertile, productive section lying between Layton and Riverdale, known for years as the sand ridge, was always potentially a wealth yielding area, but it might have lain dormant indefinitely but for the vision of men who foresee great things, men inflexible in purpose to conquer the wilderness and make the desert to blossom. Water was the one thing the sand ridge needed to make of a veritable garden, and men there were who saw the opportunity. It took courage, it took cooperation, united effort. More than one must have credit, but amongst them is William Cope Parker. He was president of the Riverdale Canal Company and Superintendent of the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, which poured the life giving water on to the parched soil. He was also a pioneer railroad builder and a miller. Truly a useful life he lived. And in Church activities, too, he was a leader, stalwart and devoted, with an unswerving loyalty to principle. He was a seventy, a high priest, a missionary to Great Britain, a Sunday School teacher and a member of a Sunday School superintendency. He was the son of George Parker, born in England in 1827. He was a Utah pioneer of 1854, arriving in October of that year in the Robert Campbell Company. His home was in Riverdale, where he rounded out a long life of service to his fellowmen.
From “Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah”
Published 1913
WILLIAM COPE PARKER (son of George Parker, born March 3, 1799, Bickerton, Chestershire, England, and Jane Cope, born 23 February 1806, Tattenhall, Chestershire — married about 1826). Born 21 March 1827, Bulkeley, Chestershire. Came to Utah 28 October 1854, Robert Campbell Company. He drove an oxteam across the plains for Thomas Bebbington. Married Sarah Bebbington Edgely 13 May 1855 (daughter of William Edgely of Nantwich, England) She was born 19 February 1835. Came to Utah 28 October 1854, Robert Campbell Company. Their children: Sarah Jane born 22 April 1857, married Frederick Stimpson 21 October 1876; Thomas born 31 December 1860, married Jennett Mitchell 5 July 1883; Joseph born 20 August 1864, married Minnie Mae Elmer 30 September 1886; John born 3 October 1866, married Laura Burch 18 June 1890; Edwin born 18 June 1870 married Ella Maud Elmer 27 November, 1891; Daniel born 22 April 1877, married Pearl Taylor 4 April 1900. Family home Riverdale, Utah.
Justice of the peace four years at Riverdale.
Married Lydia Brewer 13 December 1899, Salt Lake City (daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Stratton of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England) who was born 17 December 1859, at Trowbridge. Their adopted child: Ethel Elizabeth born 23 December 1897.
Seventy; High Priest; missionary to Great Britain 1871; Sunday School teacher; member of Sunday School Superintendency 25 years. Miller, President Riverdale Canal Co; Superintendent Davis and Weber Counties Canal Co.; Helped to build first railroads in Utah.
This history has been compiled from Histories on file at the Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum, written by granddaughters Altha Parker Sessions and Rebecca Stimpson Thompson. The book “Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah 1847-1868”, edited by Frank Esshom, published 1913, story on page 1087, picture page 411. From a story from “The Genealogical and Biographical Record ofthe State of Utah”, page 481. Edited and written by Dorothy Toone Cook, great-grand-daughter. 2008.
