by his daughter, Elizabeth

Daniel Thompson, son of William and Elizabeth McCauley Thompson, was born December 25th, 1834, in Markham, Canada. His parents left Canada and went to Quincy, Illinois, where his mother died October 7th, 1845. (Note from typist - His Father, William, was baptized in Canada in 1836 by Orson Hyde. They went to Caldwell, Davies Co., Mo. and then to Quincy, Illinois before going to Winter Quarters and then to Utah. See William's biography.)

Not long after this the Thompson family heard the Gospel. In l850 they accepted the same and came to Utah, settling in Woods Cross.

In 1851 Daniel started out to make his own way. He went to Fillmore and found work at Brother Noah Bartholomew's. He was a tall awkward boy of seventeen years; and being a stranger in a strange land, he often became very homesick. Brother Bartholomew took a great liking to him and tried in every way to make him feel at home. He would say, "Now Daniel, I know how hungry boys get. I want you to eat all you can. You know you are welcome."

Father began to feel and know that he had a true friend but still he longed for home. One day he said, "Brother Bartholomew, I have decided to go home for awhile."

"Sure, you go home for a visit and stay until you feel better." said Brother Bartholomew.

When he knew he could go it seemed to satisfy him; and he decided to stay on. As he conquered his longing for home, his work seemed to interest him more.

He became interested in civic affairs and his energy and good judgement gave him many opportunities for service. He gained a host of friends through his kindness and trustworthiness, and was given credit for doing much toweard the early settling of Fillmore.

In 1853, at the age of nineteen, he married Lorenda Elizabeth Bronson. May 4th, 1854, they took a trip to Salt Lake City in order to have this marriage solemnized in the endowment house.

Seven children were born to them in Fillmore. Their finances were limited but through strict economy and their trust in the Lord, they got along comfortably.

Father was loyal to his church and country. "Service" was his motto. He was called to act on committees to decide important questions. February 20th, 1858 he signed resolutions to uphold and sustain Governor Brigham Young and the legislative assembly in the adoption of measures to secure the rights of the people of Utah against mob violence. He was twice elected to the

territorial legislature and was a member of the Constitutional Convention.

After leaving the fort in 1868 he built two large log rooms in the center of town. It seemed a palace to them.

President Brigham Young traveled from Salt Lake to St. George every year with a large company to look after the affairs of the church and instruct the Saints. He and his immediate company did not wish to be separated so he asked father to build another room for their convenience. He wanted to help pay for it out of church funds, but father would not allow him to do this. It was, however known from then on as "Brigham's Room." While we all enjoyed the lovely brick home into which we moved many years later, it carried none of the memories of that grand leader, Brigham Young. We still keep the old rock that served as a step to the door through which the President many times entered our home.

Five more children were born to Mother and Father in that old log house, making twelve in all. Their names are as follows: Daniel, Edwin, Wilmer Donrel, Henry, Lorenda Delcena, William Riley, Leamon, Rosabelle, Emily, Matha Ann, Frances Marion, Raymond, and Elizabeth.

In 1869 the name "Round Valley" was changed to "Scipio" and Father was sustained as Bishop at a special conference in the stake house at Fillmore, March 9th. He was Bishop for twenty years, and then became first counselor to Ira N. Hinckley, President of Millard Stake. He served in this capacity for about fourteen years.

About 1870, after the law of plural marriage was revealed, he married Lydia Ann Ivie, as second wife, with the full consent and blessing of his first wife, Lorenda. They obeyed this as another principle of the religion they loved so well.

Nine children were born to Aunt Lydia. Their names are: Orson, Edmund, Lillie Isadore, James Alexander, Don Leroy, Alton Rex, Florence Bell, Lydia Ellis, Earl Edwin and Nina Electa.

I have heard father say that no greater joy could come to a man than to see the children of both his families congenial and friendly as we have always tried to be.

The First Presidency of the church was very desirous of establishing the United Order among the Saints. It was a great undertaking, but Father's faith in the Lord led him to believe and feel that among his people there would be enough unity and good will to make it a success, consequently in 1871 he put the matter before his Ward and big majority were loyal to his call.

It was a wonderful experiment. Large sheds were built for the cows and horses. The boys and girls milked the cows and the milk was distributed to each family according to their needs.

They built a dairy where they made butter and cheese for the community. Animals were slaughtered and meat supplied. The women washed, picked, carded, spun and dyed the wool from the sheep they raised and wove cloth for clothing. Peter Freece, the tailor, cut and fit men's clothes and the women and girls did the sewing, mostly by hand.

Cloth and straw hats were made. Father was very proud of his hat made from straw Delcena had gathered from the fields, soaked, braided, shaped Mexican style and sewed. Boots and shoes with wooden soles were a luxury. They made their own tallow candles. All in all, it was a great success.

The church authorities decided the people generally were not prepared for this principle and it was discontinued.

Scipio was the only Ward to try it in Millard Stake, and a great deal of credit was given Father for the able manner in which he had managed it. A satisfactory distribution of property was made at the time it was discontinued.

Father had the mail contract from Scipio to Juab for two years and freighted extensively from Scipio to Pioche, Nevada, carrying grain and receiving bullion in return.

Daniel Thompson was a self-made man. He had no schooling at all after he was twelve years of age; but he was an excellent reader, good mathematician, and could harly be puzzled on points of law. He devoured the newspaper each day, and this made him conversant on current events in all parts of the world.

He was loved and admired by all who knew him. His genial good nature won for him life-long friends who always remembered him for his straightforward character.

He loved good clean sport and never missed a chance to join in with the young people of his Ward, and made them feel that he was one of them. He was a good foot-racer and an excellent

horseman.

It was said of him, "Daniel Thompson was one of the greatest peace-makers and arbitrators of his time."

He was called to sit in many council meetings to pass judgement on a transgressor, both in civil and church affairs. The Prophet Joseph once said, "No man is capable of judging a matter in council unless his own heart is pure." Father's prayers, as long as I can remember, were for "decision of mind, longsuffering and righteous judgement".

In 1865 the Black Hawk Indians were causing a lot of trouble. Captain Gunnison and three other men had been killed near Deseret. Bishop Thomas Callister sent father and others out to get the bodies. It was a dangerous job, as the Indians were very hostile and the greatest precautions must be taken.

After some maneuvering they succeeded in getting the bodies. Captain Gunnison's body was brought to Fillmore for burial. Father, with others, carried mail to Salt Lake during the Walker War. The Indians tried to intercept them but they outdistanced them and delivered the mail. Father received a pension for his part in these Indian Wars.

In 1866 he crossed the plains to assist an immigrant ox-train in the journey to Utah, and was made Captain of the company. There were eighty-four wagons and five hundred people in the train. We find on file his messages to Salt Lake informing the Presidency of their progress:

"September 6th, 1866, Casper, Wyoming. We are passing here. All well. Getting along fine. Daniel Thompson."

"September 9th, 1866, Sweetwater, Wyoming. We are all well. Passed here today. Daniel Thompson."

Captain Thompson's train arrived in Salt Lake in the forenoon of September 29th, 1866. He was highly commended for his

stewardship.

While he was on this mission, Gabriel and Eunice Huntsman were very kind to Mother and the children, waiting on them and supplying their every need.

Father was counselor to Bishop Lewis Brunson of Fillmore for many years.

In 1867 he was called to what was then known as Round Valley to act as Presiding Elder. This necessitated his moving his family there. How they dreaded to leave their home and friends, but it never entered their minds to refuse. It was a call for service in God's work, and they would go.

On account of the Indians they had to live in the fort. The people had no feed for their animals so the boys and men were compelled to herd them in the hills which caused a great worry for everyone.

They lived in one room and a shanty until they left the fort. That was a small home for nine people, but out of the kindness of his heart, Father gave a home to a strange boy and treated him as one of the family.

One man, quite disconcerted at his leniency in an important case, said, "Dan Thompson would reach down to hell and pull every man out and send him to heaven if he had his way."

There was quite a rough element in Scipio in the early days. Two men got into a terrible fight. Each of them weighed about two hundred pounds and they were fighting to kill. Someone ran for Father. Mother begged him not to go. "They will kill you." she said. He assured her he would be all right and rushed to the scene.

Waling up to them he said calmly, "Boys, don't you think you've had enough? I think you'd better quit now."

One of them replied, "Dan, we'll quit for you, but for no one else on earth."

He was fairly successful in a financial way. In later life he ran cattle in the Henry Mountains. All of his sons were with him. He had sufficient means to provide his families with the necessities, but there were no luxuries. He practiced the strictest economy and taught them the same. His greatest pleasure was to do for others. The traveling church people made our home their haven.

He never doubted the Lord's power or promises to his people if they lived according to his commandments.

He was heard to say in church, "I prayed for four years about a matter that troubled me. At the end of that time I received a satisfactory answer." A faith that endures shows the charactor of the man.

He taught his children that same faith in God, and that honesty, truthfulness, virtue and charity were the principles by which we would gain eternal life. All honor to his name.

He was ordained a Patriarch about 1904. He died July 29th 1912.

Note: The following is found in the DUP books "Our Pioneer

Heritage"

Vol. 10 - Page 26-27 - "They Came in 1866"

(Sept) "29th. Capt. Daniel Thompson's ox train of immigrants, which had left Wyoming July 25th, with 84 wagons and about five hundred immigrants, arrived at Great Salt Lake City."

Vol. 5 - Page 394 - Settlement of Scipio - Monument #234

"In 1860 thirteen Latter-day Saint families settled Round Valley. Brigham Young visited them in May, 1863 and advised, because of Indians, they move their settlement away from the mountain area. He accompanied the men to the center of the valley, laid out the townsite, designated the location for a public square and center of town, and named it Scipio. A log room was built, which served for church, school, and public meetings. In 1869 an L.D.S. ward was organized with Daniel Thompson as first Bishop. The bell on top of this monument was used to call the people together."

"President Young named the town in honor of Scipio Kenner one of the men who had accompanied the president. Jesse Bigler Martin of Lehi was sent to be the presiding Elder of the new settlement which office he held until 1869 when a ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Daniel Thompson as Bishop, was organized."

Vol. 15 - Page 345 - The United Order

Scipio. Since the United Order was one of the principles of the Latter-day Saint Church, the officials told the members of Scipio they should organize the Order. Bishop Daniel Thompson was made president. Everything was taken from those people who were not opposed to the idea. Their hay and grain was stacked on the lot southeast of town, then owned by Niels Johanson. The milk cows were taken to the Johanson lot, where girls and men from the various parts of town went twice daily to milk their alloted number of cows. P.C. Nielson, the supervisor, divided the milk and dairy products according to the number of members in each family. In the spring of 1875, a dairy was established at Dairy Knoll. The cattle were branded with the Order brand. Many of the girls helped make cheese and butter, under the supervision of Matilda Thueson, while others stayed home spinning and weaving cloth. All clothing was homemade. The United Order failed within one year. - D.U.P. "Millard Milestones"

Vol. 18- Page 29-30 "A MORMON HOME-1874" Deseret News, July

29,1874

Round Valley, or Scipio, is the poorest and newest of the settlements we stopped at and has been much troubled with the Indians. The Mormons say "troubled with Indians" as we might say "troubled with mosquitoes." No one had been killed for four years back, though cattle had been driven off that year, we were told. The bishop (Daniel Thompson) came riding out to meet us, a handsome, kindly-faced man, mounted on a horse that moved T.'s admiration.

We were taken to the house of his second wife (Lydia Ann), a little one-roomed log cabin, with a lean-to behind, in which the cooking was done. The living room was given up to us. Its main glory consisted in a wide chimney place, on whose hearth a fire of great pine logs blazed, that sent a ruddy glow over the white-washed logs of the wall and the canvas ceiling, and penetrated every corner of the room with delicious light and warmth. There was a substantial bedstead in one corner, and curtains of old fashioned chintz were tacked from the ceiling around it as if it had been a four-poster, and a neat patchwork counterpane covered the soft featherbed. A good rag carpet was on the floor, clean white curtains hung at the windows, and clean white covers, edged with knitted lace, covered the various bracket shelves that supported the housewife's Bible, Book of Mormon, workbasket, looking-glass and a few simple ornaments. Two or three pretty good colored prints hung on the walls. Then there was a mahogany bureau, a washstand, a rocking chair and half a dozen wooden ones, with a large chest on which the owner's name was painted....The small, round table was already spread for our supper with cakes, preserves and pies, and the fair lydia was busily engaged in bringing in hot rolls, meat, tea and other good things, while a miniature of herself, still fairer and rosier, about two years old, trotted beside her, now endeavoring to re-arrange the table by upsetting plates, and now making shy overtures of friendship to my boys, with the assistance of a blue-ribboned yellow kitten.

After our tea was over, the husband bishop came in from his other dwelling, and with wife and baby, withdrew to "go to a meeting," leaving us in sole possession of the house. We heard no sound of their re-entering till morning, when the host came in to rouse up the smouldering fire.

I have given this minute description of the furniture of the mansion of which I was housekeeper for twelve hours, because it was a fair specimen of many of the humbler homes I visited in Utah. I have already remarked upon their unusual cleanliness, and have now only to note the absence of the colored prints of Polly, Nourmabal, &c, in half dress common elsewhere.