The Children of Samuel Claridge
Printed by Publishers Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1987
Compiled by George Ellsworth and Helen Ruth Claridge Cole
Pgs. 15-18
Introduction
In the Beginning
Printed by Publishers Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1987
Compiled by George Ellsworth and Helen Ruth Claridge Cole
Pgs. 15-18
Introduction
In the Beginning
The earth must have smiled on that cold 5th day of December, 1828, in Leighton-Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England. For this was the day that Elizabeth Pratt Hopkins Claridge, wife of David Claridge (1795-1853), gave birth to Samuel Claridge. Throughout his life he was a strong and obedient son. He was known for his honesty, hard work, a loving father and husband, a true pioneer, a poet, and a happy man. But, the most outstanding thing about Samuel Claridge was his dedication to the Lord and his undying faith. Samuel literally lived up to the meaning of his name, "Ask of God", throughout his life.
Samuel was only five feet five inches tall and weighed 135 pounds. His complexion was dark and in his younger years his hair was very black. In his older years, his hair was very white and he had a white beard.
On his 90th birthday, Samuel related many amusing experiences. One instance in particular, which he related concerns the figure '9'. Some years ago he had read in the Deseret News where Queen Victoria was telling of the prominence of the figure '9' in her life. Looking back over his life, he also found that the figure '9' was a particular figure with him and related the following:
"My father was born on the 19th of October 1795. My mother had fourteen children and I was the 9th child I was married December the 9th, 1849, to Miss Charlotte Joy, who was born in 1819, the same year as Queen Victoria, and she was 9 years older than I. Our first three children were all born on the 19th of the month. I left England on the 19th of January, 1853...and left Keokuk, Iowa March 19, 1853 for Salt Lake City. The 9th month and the 19th day of 1868 I was called to the Muddy on a Mission, November 29 1883. We arrived in the Gila Valley and my son George Birdsey was killed the 19th of August 1892.
I was ordained one of the seven Presidents in the 49th corps of the Quorum of Seventies, January 19, 1898, I was ordained a Patriarch. My second wife was 19 years younger than I and I had 19 children. Now, I am ninety years of age and should I die next year, It will be 1919, which will finish me and my 'nines'."
Samuel never cared for the physical things of this world and always reminded his children that the Lord would provide. He said that they had had some sickness, but they always depended wholly upon the Lord for healing. Samuel said, "My wife and I have always lived clean lives, both before and after marriage. We have observed the laws of life and health and our children have benefitted by it."
Samuel left home at the age of fourteen, explaining that his father could get him a 'situation', meaning a job with a neighbor or friend that would train young men with a trade. At age 17 he was living in nearby Hemel Hempstead. it was here that he joined the Methodist Church and met his future wife, Charlotte Joy. They were married on December 9, 1849 which was just a few days after his twenty-first birthday.
At the time of his marriage he had a bake shop that he had purchased from a Mormon. One of his customers gave him a copy of 'The Remarkable Vision', which gave an account of Joseph Smith's first prayer, the visitation of the Father and the Son and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Within two months, Samuel was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His wife Charlotte was baptized soon thereafter, and it wasn't long before Samuel was the President of the Branch. Samuel and Charlotte were busy in other things. On October 9, 1850 before his introduction to Mormonism, a young son had arrived in the household. They named him Samuel David. And then within a month after becoming President of the Branch, Charlotte gave birth on February 19, 1852, to their second child Elizabeth Ann.
In 1852, the authorities of the Church in Liverpool were organizing a company called the "Ten Pound Company' and Samuel and Charlotte decided to 'gather in Zion'. Samuel writes, "A cousin of mine came and took my business." Ten pounds for four people meant he needed about two hundred dollars. He had hoped to get a little help from his father, but when he told him about emigrating to America, his father told him he had to no objections to his being a Mormon, but the idea that he could serve the Lord better in Salt Lake City than in old England was all foolishness. Samuel writes, "When I went to bid him goodbye, I preached Mormonism to my father and he changed his mind and said it was alright for me to go and did all he could to help me."
Samuel was able to pay his debts and his passage in the Ten Pound company. He even had money left over because he found out that the children only had to pay half fare. This excess money he sent back to help other emigrants.
Although his time and energy was taken up completely with preparing to leave his native land and 'gather in Zion', he found time to give thought to his poetry writing and his parents. This poem, Farewell, was published in the LDS Millennial Star, March 5, 1853.
FAREWELL
Farewell my kind parents who be near my heart.
The time has now come that from you I must part.
Though frail human nature should oftimes say nay,
Yet God the creator, forbids me to stay.
Your acts of benevolence in years that are past,
Will ne'er be forgotten while memory doth last.
And while breath is in me, for you I will pray
But Christ, the Redeemer forbids me to stay.
Farewell to my Brethren and Sisters so dear.
How oft' your sweet voices my spirits have cheered.
But now I must leave you and go far away.
The voice of the Spirit forbids me to stay.
Farewell to this country, the place of my birth
Farewell to my neighbors and all friends of worth.
Oh! do be persuaded the gospel obey.
The voice of the prophet forbids me to stay.
I heartily say to old Babylon, farewell.
No longer within it do I wish to dwell
For God in his anger the wicked will stay.
His judgments impending forbid me to stay.
To my kindred and brethren, God bless you. Adieu.
The course I'm pursuing I hope you'll pursue.
And if you should do this, you gladly will say,
' Tis Glory, 'Tis Heaven, in Zion to stay.
On January 19, 1853, less than two years after being baptized, Samuel and Charlotte with their two children, Samuel aged two and a half, and Elizabeth Ann, nine months old, left their good home, friends and family to emigrate to Utah. They boarded the ship Golconda at Liverpool along with about five hundred saints. Their route took them to New Orleans and up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa, their 'fitting out place'.
Six weeks were spent in Keokuk. The women had already made the tents during the crossing on board the ship. The wagons were brought up the river on the boat with their provisions and other things. It was at Keokuk that they went out and purchased thousands of cattle from all over the country, which was quite an undertaking. It was here that they organized their company. There were twelve to each wagon and one tent. Samuel had nine grown-ups and three children in his company.
As we, the posterity of Samuel and Rebecca, read of the things Samuel wrote, it is hard to imagine our little five-foot-five Grandfather crawling up on the seat of a wagon, trying to tell cattle that had never seen a wagon before, to 'gee and haw'. Because here was a baker, a man that had never farmed or worked with cattle... Of this situation Samuel said, "Here were Welsh, English, German, and Scandinavians and none of us had ever had experiences in driving cattle and the cattle had to learn all the languages, but we got started."
The trip across the plains was usual and Samuel in his journal did not dwell on it. They saw hardships, deaths and births and the ever present Indians he sums it up saying, "Our company was very fortunate." He even had time to write more poetry.
They reached Salt Lake City ten months later on October 10th, 1853. (It may be conjectured here that Samuel may have well been disappointed because they did not arrive on the 9th.) President Young met this company at the square where most all of them camped and counseled those that could, to continue on to Nephi, about ninety-five miles south. Samuel did not go. They lived in their wagon for about a month, at which time President Young wanted the square cleared and ordered that places be found for those living there. Samuel and his family and another man and his wife were put with a poor widow and her two children where they spent the winter. Flour was scarce but there was plenty of potatoes and that is what they lived on mostly during that time. "My wife had three china cups and saucers which she traded for three pounds of butter and we did enjoy it," Samuel said. As wood became short the folks would lay in bed very late to stay warm. Samuel worked wherever he could. Hauling wood, on the Canal, building the city wall and doing labor tithing. "But I always attended my meetings and fast meetings and I never felt poor nor discouraged."
The winter of 1853 passed and Samuel concluded that the country would be the best place for him to go, so he made preparations to go to Nephi, Utah. He concluded that he must have a spade, an auger, and a drawing knife, and he didn't have any money to get either. He says, "My wife had som extra cotton and thread and a little ribbon. Our Brother Goddard then keep a little stand on Main Street with all kinds of little trinkets and he had an inch and a quarter auger and a drawing knife. They were quite old, but suited me and we traded the cotton, thread and ribbon for them." This left him needing a spade. Now lets go back to his finding out that his children only had to pay five pounds to make the journey to America and that Samuel had sent money back to help others. Thirty shillings had been sent back to Brother Hayer, a traveling elder, who was now a shoe-maker in Salt Lake City. Samuel went to him and said he needed a spade. Brother Hayer, who was living with a blacksmith, said he would see what he could do about it. He got Samuel a spade and Samuel later wrote, "I build lots of mud wall with it."
Samuel and Charlotte and their two children then established themselves in Nephi, Utah where they lived for the next fourteen years. While in Nephi another son James Joy was born 19 July 1855 (dying the next year 1856) and another daughter, Charlotte Joy (Lottie), was born May 11, 1857.
There were hard times at first, but they improved as time went on. Of this time, Samuel wrote that the first four or five years were a struggle, but after that, he raised good crops, got a team and wagon, cows and sheep, built himself a good house, bought two lots, had a nice orchard and married a second wife [Rebecca Hughes].
Samuel was only five feet five inches tall and weighed 135 pounds. His complexion was dark and in his younger years his hair was very black. In his older years, his hair was very white and he had a white beard.
On his 90th birthday, Samuel related many amusing experiences. One instance in particular, which he related concerns the figure '9'. Some years ago he had read in the Deseret News where Queen Victoria was telling of the prominence of the figure '9' in her life. Looking back over his life, he also found that the figure '9' was a particular figure with him and related the following:
"My father was born on the 19th of October 1795. My mother had fourteen children and I was the 9th child I was married December the 9th, 1849, to Miss Charlotte Joy, who was born in 1819, the same year as Queen Victoria, and she was 9 years older than I. Our first three children were all born on the 19th of the month. I left England on the 19th of January, 1853...and left Keokuk, Iowa March 19, 1853 for Salt Lake City. The 9th month and the 19th day of 1868 I was called to the Muddy on a Mission, November 29 1883. We arrived in the Gila Valley and my son George Birdsey was killed the 19th of August 1892.
I was ordained one of the seven Presidents in the 49th corps of the Quorum of Seventies, January 19, 1898, I was ordained a Patriarch. My second wife was 19 years younger than I and I had 19 children. Now, I am ninety years of age and should I die next year, It will be 1919, which will finish me and my 'nines'."
Samuel never cared for the physical things of this world and always reminded his children that the Lord would provide. He said that they had had some sickness, but they always depended wholly upon the Lord for healing. Samuel said, "My wife and I have always lived clean lives, both before and after marriage. We have observed the laws of life and health and our children have benefitted by it."
Samuel left home at the age of fourteen, explaining that his father could get him a 'situation', meaning a job with a neighbor or friend that would train young men with a trade. At age 17 he was living in nearby Hemel Hempstead. it was here that he joined the Methodist Church and met his future wife, Charlotte Joy. They were married on December 9, 1849 which was just a few days after his twenty-first birthday.
At the time of his marriage he had a bake shop that he had purchased from a Mormon. One of his customers gave him a copy of 'The Remarkable Vision', which gave an account of Joseph Smith's first prayer, the visitation of the Father and the Son and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Within two months, Samuel was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His wife Charlotte was baptized soon thereafter, and it wasn't long before Samuel was the President of the Branch. Samuel and Charlotte were busy in other things. On October 9, 1850 before his introduction to Mormonism, a young son had arrived in the household. They named him Samuel David. And then within a month after becoming President of the Branch, Charlotte gave birth on February 19, 1852, to their second child Elizabeth Ann.
In 1852, the authorities of the Church in Liverpool were organizing a company called the "Ten Pound Company' and Samuel and Charlotte decided to 'gather in Zion'. Samuel writes, "A cousin of mine came and took my business." Ten pounds for four people meant he needed about two hundred dollars. He had hoped to get a little help from his father, but when he told him about emigrating to America, his father told him he had to no objections to his being a Mormon, but the idea that he could serve the Lord better in Salt Lake City than in old England was all foolishness. Samuel writes, "When I went to bid him goodbye, I preached Mormonism to my father and he changed his mind and said it was alright for me to go and did all he could to help me."
Samuel was able to pay his debts and his passage in the Ten Pound company. He even had money left over because he found out that the children only had to pay half fare. This excess money he sent back to help other emigrants.
Although his time and energy was taken up completely with preparing to leave his native land and 'gather in Zion', he found time to give thought to his poetry writing and his parents. This poem, Farewell, was published in the LDS Millennial Star, March 5, 1853.
FAREWELL
Farewell my kind parents who be near my heart.
The time has now come that from you I must part.
Though frail human nature should oftimes say nay,
Yet God the creator, forbids me to stay.
Your acts of benevolence in years that are past,
Will ne'er be forgotten while memory doth last.
And while breath is in me, for you I will pray
But Christ, the Redeemer forbids me to stay.
Farewell to my Brethren and Sisters so dear.
How oft' your sweet voices my spirits have cheered.
But now I must leave you and go far away.
The voice of the Spirit forbids me to stay.
Farewell to this country, the place of my birth
Farewell to my neighbors and all friends of worth.
Oh! do be persuaded the gospel obey.
The voice of the prophet forbids me to stay.
I heartily say to old Babylon, farewell.
No longer within it do I wish to dwell
For God in his anger the wicked will stay.
His judgments impending forbid me to stay.
To my kindred and brethren, God bless you. Adieu.
The course I'm pursuing I hope you'll pursue.
And if you should do this, you gladly will say,
' Tis Glory, 'Tis Heaven, in Zion to stay.
On January 19, 1853, less than two years after being baptized, Samuel and Charlotte with their two children, Samuel aged two and a half, and Elizabeth Ann, nine months old, left their good home, friends and family to emigrate to Utah. They boarded the ship Golconda at Liverpool along with about five hundred saints. Their route took them to New Orleans and up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa, their 'fitting out place'.
Six weeks were spent in Keokuk. The women had already made the tents during the crossing on board the ship. The wagons were brought up the river on the boat with their provisions and other things. It was at Keokuk that they went out and purchased thousands of cattle from all over the country, which was quite an undertaking. It was here that they organized their company. There were twelve to each wagon and one tent. Samuel had nine grown-ups and three children in his company.
As we, the posterity of Samuel and Rebecca, read of the things Samuel wrote, it is hard to imagine our little five-foot-five Grandfather crawling up on the seat of a wagon, trying to tell cattle that had never seen a wagon before, to 'gee and haw'. Because here was a baker, a man that had never farmed or worked with cattle... Of this situation Samuel said, "Here were Welsh, English, German, and Scandinavians and none of us had ever had experiences in driving cattle and the cattle had to learn all the languages, but we got started."
The trip across the plains was usual and Samuel in his journal did not dwell on it. They saw hardships, deaths and births and the ever present Indians he sums it up saying, "Our company was very fortunate." He even had time to write more poetry.
They reached Salt Lake City ten months later on October 10th, 1853. (It may be conjectured here that Samuel may have well been disappointed because they did not arrive on the 9th.) President Young met this company at the square where most all of them camped and counseled those that could, to continue on to Nephi, about ninety-five miles south. Samuel did not go. They lived in their wagon for about a month, at which time President Young wanted the square cleared and ordered that places be found for those living there. Samuel and his family and another man and his wife were put with a poor widow and her two children where they spent the winter. Flour was scarce but there was plenty of potatoes and that is what they lived on mostly during that time. "My wife had three china cups and saucers which she traded for three pounds of butter and we did enjoy it," Samuel said. As wood became short the folks would lay in bed very late to stay warm. Samuel worked wherever he could. Hauling wood, on the Canal, building the city wall and doing labor tithing. "But I always attended my meetings and fast meetings and I never felt poor nor discouraged."
The winter of 1853 passed and Samuel concluded that the country would be the best place for him to go, so he made preparations to go to Nephi, Utah. He concluded that he must have a spade, an auger, and a drawing knife, and he didn't have any money to get either. He says, "My wife had som extra cotton and thread and a little ribbon. Our Brother Goddard then keep a little stand on Main Street with all kinds of little trinkets and he had an inch and a quarter auger and a drawing knife. They were quite old, but suited me and we traded the cotton, thread and ribbon for them." This left him needing a spade. Now lets go back to his finding out that his children only had to pay five pounds to make the journey to America and that Samuel had sent money back to help others. Thirty shillings had been sent back to Brother Hayer, a traveling elder, who was now a shoe-maker in Salt Lake City. Samuel went to him and said he needed a spade. Brother Hayer, who was living with a blacksmith, said he would see what he could do about it. He got Samuel a spade and Samuel later wrote, "I build lots of mud wall with it."
Samuel and Charlotte and their two children then established themselves in Nephi, Utah where they lived for the next fourteen years. While in Nephi another son James Joy was born 19 July 1855 (dying the next year 1856) and another daughter, Charlotte Joy (Lottie), was born May 11, 1857.
There were hard times at first, but they improved as time went on. Of this time, Samuel wrote that the first four or five years were a struggle, but after that, he raised good crops, got a team and wagon, cows and sheep, built himself a good house, bought two lots, had a nice orchard and married a second wife [Rebecca Hughes].
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