A Tennant Family

In the year 1856, I with my mother left our native land, England, with about 600 others for our Mecca, the Zion of our God, on the good ship Horizon spending 5 weeks in our voyage to Boston; where we took passage upon a river steamboat to Iowa, awaiting there for three weeks for our Hand Carts to be made that we were to carry our all across the vast stretch of the plains to Utah. Each family supplying themselves with the necessary food for their journey there if all were well.

At Iowa City, Iowa where we were camped, a gentleman told me that we would starve to death if we went there at this season. One of our people and his family decided to stay over. I became tempted to do likewise and upon telling my mother that we had better stay, she became much depressed in spirit and told me to wait for a little while. During this time, she prayed to our heavenly father for guidance. Our fellow traveler after deciding to stay went out one day to hunt in the woods for game, and while away was seized with the fever and ague, he hurried home and upon entering his tent, where Mother and I were awaiting him. He laid on the cot and commenced to sing in poetry and rhyme telling Mother to take me with her to the valley and that we should get there alright. He appeared all this time to be in a queer stupor or comates state. Mother then told me she had made it a matter of prayer and by this means her prayers were answered. I then told her that we would go to the valley at all hazards because I was satisfied all would be well.

Upon the company starting we were in line with our cart and ready. All went well with us as we joyously sang, for some must push and some must pull, as we go marching up the hill, as merrily on the way we go, until we reach the valley oh--h.

Five more children were born to them while they were living in Lewiston. Morris Artel was born 29 October 1908; Quenten Glen born 20 January 1910; Bertha Gwen born 7 December 1911; Dennis Don was born 29 September 1913, and Ben Earl born 2 August 1915. They were parents of 12 children 9 boys and 3 girls.

As days wore on, our spirits lagged as we became weary. Some of our people becoming sick were compelled to ride, thus compelling others to be more heavily loaded. Provisions commenced to get scarce as the days wore on, necessitating our captain to place us on shorter rations; many dying by the wayside, where they were buried each night where we camped and their graves were left unmarked except by our tears.

At this season of year, and in that part of the plains the weather commenced to be cold, and we were again placed on shorter rations of 4 ounces of flour to each person per day.

We traveled to the sweet water river where we camped being so weak and exhausted that it was almost impossible to move. Many of our people while there died of starvation, while some froze to death by the wayside. A man by the name of Stone from London while trying to get to an Indian Camp was devoured by wolves. When found by some of our camp nothing was left of him but his legs inside his boots. Rescuers was sent out from the Valley to assist us, and they found us thinking we were lost on the plains the rescue party concluded to return to the valley, but one of their number declared he would go to the states but what he would find us. About noon a horseman was seen coming into our camp and he looked like an Angel to us poor starving emigrants, who had eaten nothing except flour for 3 days. With words of encouragement he entreated us to make another start, but many, while their will was good their strength failed them and drooped and froze to death by the wayside. The relief party returned and met us and assisted us with some provisions, but scores of our Brethren and sisters died and were left in unmarked graves. At this time, I was permitted to sleep in a tent with two of my companions each of them dying by the side where I slept by them until morning when they were taken away and buried.

In a later trip across the plains to assist the emigrants, at one of our camps I saw many of the bones of my companions that had been dug up by wolves. At the time of the death of my companions I, became so despondent through weakness that I longed for death and tried to hide myself from the company that I might die; but one of the brethren returning back for something found me sitting behind a rock where I had hoped to die. He took me along with him for a day before we caught up with the company. I was permitted to sleep in a wagon that night, where I slept with a dead man all night. The next day we were permitted to see and enter into the valley although I was too weak to walk. My feet being much swollen I wrapped them in my mothers shawl until we were taken care of by kind friends awaiting us. I being young was so hungry that I could have eaten everything before me. But Brother Hack, our kind friend would allow me only a limited amount of bread and butter as he was afraid it would kill me. But the next day they had a pot pie on the fire for the family. Brother Hack went up into town. I finished up the whole pie and am alive yet. And I have been hungry up to date. How long before dinner will be ready, I am almost starved now.

My grandfather was George Frederick Housley, who was born on 29 November l826 in Sutton, Ashfield, Notes, England.

His father was Charles Douben Housley and his mother was Harriet Agnes Cook. His mother left his father in England and sailed with her family of at least two sons to America one was my grandfather, George Frederick Housley. Landing in Boston we made the journey to Salt Lake City, Utah, whore we lived a short time.

Later moving to Drapervill, Utah where I went to work for a farmer by the name of Shepley. It was while there I met my future wife I Maria. She had been sent to live with these people where she was to be raised as their own. She was only 14 years old at the time and these people were not treating her as they should and were letting their own children make all manner of fun of her because she couldn't speak their language. She felt so badly about this that she prayed to the Lord and ask him to help her to forget the Danish language which she did forget. Grandfather had left a sweet heart in England, who had refused to come to America and so he married my grandmother at just 14 years old. To this union was born 12 children. When my mother was just a small child her mother had developed dropsy and Phueumatian and so raised the balance of the family in this condition. She was only in her fifties when she passed away leaving grandfather to care for 4 small children. Later on he married Mary Ann Barron, who had several children and they later on had 3 more and 1 boy.

Grandfather moved to Paradise, Cache County, Utah. After he was married and while there he sang in the choir when ever ho could get to church. They never were blessed with too much of this world’s good and both he and his wife were very proud people. However they taught their children the Gospel and tried to keep them as active as they could in the Gospel. Eight of their children were married in the temple and two went later. One died as a baby and the youngest passed away some time ago with out this privilege.

Grandfather came across the plain in the Martin and Taylor Handcart Company. He was 19 years old at the time and grandmother came in the Independent Company and was just 8 years old. She was baptized in Drapervill, Utah.

He was a war veteran and Indian Scout and also a freighter. He brought the paper from St. Lewis, Missouri by freight wagons that the first Deseret News was printed on. He established the first woolen mills in Cache County and was also a mail carrier. He made to trips to Winter Quarters to living immigrants to Salt Lake by handcart, and later on was one of the few who had the privilege of having his record endowments in the temple. He passed away in June of 1915.

Grandfather was married in the old endowment house 22 February 1862. At the time just prior to the birth of their first child this old sweet heart who had remained in England came to America and sought out grandfather, who was truly surprised to see her. She still was in love with him and so was willing to become his second wife, but my grandmother just couldn't see it that way and so they waited for awhile and a short time later this young woman, whose name was Emma took ill and passed away. As the other children came to this union grandfather wanted to name one girl after this sweetheart and so finally after a time grandmother gave her consent and the next baby girl was named Emma.