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History of Lucinda Gates Bingham

 History of Lucinda [Gates] Bingham wife of Erastus Bingham who was the son of Sarah (Sally) Perry

[and Elisha Warner Bingham], who was the daughter of Capt. David Perry

[and Anna Bliss]

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Lucinda Gates, the eldest of the eleven children born to Thomas Gates and Patty Plumly, was born at Ackworth, Sullivan County, New Hampshire, on the 19th of September 1797.

On the 21st of March 1820 she married Erastus Bingham, the sixth child of a family of nine children, born the 12th of March 1798 at Concord, Essex County, Vermont.

She was mother of ten children, three daughters and seven sons, four of these were born in Concord, Essex County, Vermont; three at Littletown, Grafton County, New Hampshire; two at St. Johnsburg, Caledonia County, Vermont; and one (the youngest) was born in LaHarpe, Illinois.

She was talented in music and singing, an ideal mother and homemaker, very hospitable, and, although her home was only a log cabin, it became a palace to her.

In the year of 1833 John F. Boyington (or Boynton), a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was assigned to the territory where she resided; and she, her children and husband, after prayerful consideration of the truths he declared to them and prayerful reading of the Book of Mormon, accepted his testimony and were baptized. Early in 1836 she and her husband sold their farm and home in Vermont and accompanied Willard Snow and others in migrating from Vermont to Kirtland, Ohio, the central point of the Latter-day Saints headquarters at that early date.

She and her family remained in Kirtland, Ohio, until late September 1836, when they left for Farr West, Missouri, where they arrived 4 November 1836.

Soon after her husband rented a farm located on Shoal Creek about 2 1/2 miles from Farr West. Here he erected a log cabin large enough to comfortably house his wife and their eight children. The farm was fenced and she and the children aided in cultivating the soil until 1838 when the exterminating order of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs was issued. She and her family were driven away from their humble, but comfortable home by the mob and mobbings of individuals opposed to the teachings of the Latter-day Saints. The mob relented and did not burn her home, but permitted them to assemble the cattle and their personal possession, part of which were sold for cash, and take them to Hancock County, Illinois. Early in 1839 a farm was rented near LaHarpe in the North Eastern part of Hancock County, Illinois, where her youngest child, Brigham Heber, was born on the 15th day of Dee 1841.

Her fervent prayers prevailed to the extent that she and her family did not suffer so extensively as did many others when the mob drove the Saints out of Missouri. She saw and experienced the ravages, burnings and destruction of personal property as it occurred in 1838 and early 1839, when the Saints suffered violence through the mobbings directed against the members of the Latter-day Saint Church.

In the spring of 1845 her husband purchased a farm of 160 acres near Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, which he cultivated and erected a comfortable home for her and her children. The next year mobbings occurred again and this mob violence caused her, her husband and family great distress and sorrow, even to the extent that the mob caused them to sacrifice their farm and possessions for a team of horses. With this team, other horses, livestock, wagons stocked with a few personal possessions and a scant supply of food they escaped from the infuriated mob on the 6th of May 1846.

She met the Prophet Joseph Smith while in Kirtland, Ohio, and knew him personally. She loved him and her religion and was willing to undergo great sacrifices for the religious cause she had accepted and knew to be the TRUTH.

She was privileged to receive her endowments in the Nauvoo Temple and passed through all of the trying days of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and theleadership of the Church by the Twelve Apostles. During this time apostasy, hardship, and disruptions occurred in so many ways, but none of these disturbed her faith or knowledge in the divinity of the Gospel and the Testimony she possessed concerning its truthfulness.

The weather prevailing in May 1846 was cold and stormy, and she and her family suffered greatly from exposure and lack of proper food, during their trip from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Winter Quarters in Iowa. When they finally arrived at Winter Quarters, Iowa, she and her family found that food and provisions were very scarce, and as there were so many others there who were less fortunate than they, a decision was made to remove from Winter Quarters to a point or place where the necessities of life could be had. They then migrated a distance of 150 miles north of Winter Quarters, and they wintered with the Ponca Indians at Swift Water living in their wagons and a wickiup provided by the friendly Indians.

In the spring of 1847 she, her three daughters, six sons and husband left Swift Water and the Indians who had so graciously wintered them, and returned to Winter Quarters, Iowa. In June 1847 they purchased additional provisions, equipment, and supplies and joined with the second company to leave for the West, with Daniel Spencer presiding over the group of 100; Ira Eldredge was Captain of 50 and Erastus Bingham, Captain of 10.

These emigrants suffered the hardship of storms and early snowfall, but successfully overcame these and arrived in Great Salt Lake Valley on 9 September 1847. She experienced the hardships of the early pioneers, and the attacks from the Indians, who frequently had to be fed to pacify them. The lack of large supplies of food, reduced them to want during the winter of 1848-1849, but she bore these trials with patience and with faith in the Lord that means to meet every emergency would be provided by God her Eternal Father. I t was this enduring faith that helped to make her home a happy one during the period from the fall of 1847 to the spring of 1851. During her stay in Salt Lake County, her home was in Salt Lake City; however, the men engaged in farming and ranching in the valley and near the mouth of Bingham Canyon.

The Indians knew the kindness of Mrs. Bingham and her family and they were safe from the violence of the occasional raids.

Early in 1859 her husband, Erastus, was called by Brigham Young to leave his family and help make new homes in Weber County. He left his wife and part of the younger children to care for the farm in Salt Lake Valley, while they removed northward to select a new farm, build another log cabin, and establish another new home in the wilderness to the north. A log cabin was erected in Ogden, but before it was finished the 'leaders of the Church recommended erecting homes at Lynn, where his farm was located. There he erected another log house and in 1851 moved her and the balance of the family to their new home. A fort was constructed to protect the women and children and this place was known as Bingham's Fort [now located on west 2nd Street in Ogden].

Her husband was selected to preside as Bishop which position he continued to occupy until the year 1868. His responsible positions in Church and State affairs (as he served in the Utah Territorial Legislature and other civic responsibilities, etc.) required her to sacrifice companionship and to adjust herself to many responsibilities. She was required to give part of her time to the sick and others who had been unfortunate, especially the new emigrants who arrived in Utah in poor health and lacking resources. These required assistance in food, clothing and home comforts or necessities and Lucinda was often called upon to lead out in administering to those who needed comfort, advice and assistance. She was equal to all demands made upon her, both as mother, homemaker, and also in aiding others in all cases where help and assistance in homemaking was required.

During the period of time required to cross the plains, she and her three daughters, each night or evening, took a leading part in singing songs of praise and encouragement. In this manner they rendered excellent service to the Saints and gladdened their hearts to prepare them for a rest, patience and fortitude to endure the trials of the next day. In this respect she was greatly blessed of the Lord, and was able to mingle with others and create greater faith and cheer among everyone who joined in the trek with the Daniel Spencer Company of June 1847.

Lucinda passed away in Ogden, Utah, 3 January 1874.

 

 

[from Denise G. Jones -- a descendant of David Perry1, Sarah [Perry]

Bingham2, Erastus Bingham3 and Lucinda Gates, Sanford Bingham4 and Martha

Ann Lewis, William Bingham5 and Anna Maria Petersen, Annie Maria

[Bingham] Gudmundson6 and Arthur Daniel Gudmundson. Sr.)

I regret that many of our biography's had to be cut in the interest of space so as Sadie's biography was written first and contains much that was mentioned in Marx's biography, those parts I shall skip and center principally on Marx's life before their marriage.

I was born 19 May 1886 in a little country town called Dingerdon, just a few miles from Hamburg, Germany. I was the eldest of 13 children.

I started school at the age of 5 years. School continued summer and winter. On Wednesday and Saturdays we had half a day at school. This half day was 6pent in acrobatics and Military Training. All boys at 5 years were compelled to start school and military training. I continued in school until I reached the sixth grade, 25 Sept. 1896.

In 1891, the Mormon missionaries came to us. They had to come to the house after dark. This was because the Mormon missionaries were not allowed in that part of the country. If seen they would be jailed, fined and transported out. Mother would let them in. They would explain the gospel doctrine to my parents, sometimes all night long. Then mother would give them a good meal, fill their pockets with sandwiches and send them on their way before day-break, so the officers wouldn't catch them.

The officers were brightly uniformed with glittering tips on their helmets. We school kids could see them coming for a mile or more. When they passed us we had to line up to one side of the walk and salute.

My p-rents were converted and baptized in the fall of 1893. Mother was the only one of her family to join the L.D.S. Church. When they found out, they disowned her. And when the law found out, we were ordered out of the country, of course my parents expected this to happen when they first started to investigate. After they joined the church they began to save up for their journey to Utah. This would take about $375.00 in our money. This took two years to save enough to take us to American Fork where Father's parents lived.

We boarded our first ship in Hamburg, Germany to cross the North Sea.

We left there about 8:00 p.m. on 3 Oct. 1896. The next morning early the sailors brought us food and told us we could not go to the dining room to eat, because of a big storm coming up. They locked our doors. For two days we were tossed and rolled about in our rooms. We were very seasick and vomited. The waves seemed as big as mountains. The ship would take a nose dive. It seemed almost as though it were standing on its tail. Then it would roll from side to side.

On the third day, late afternoon, the storm stopped suddenly. The sailors came down and unlocked our doors and brought us a drink that stopped our sea sickness. We had a delicious meal that evening in the dining room and the sailors put on a three hour show.

After several stop overs and changing from trains to boats and boats to trains, we were taken by motor boat for a one half day ride to a ship anchored in the Atlantic. After landing in New York it took us five days by train to reach American Fork, Utah.

Grandpa Pehrson met us and drove us in his wagon to his small farm. None of us spoke English, all German or Danish.

We lived with my grandparents, Anders and Hannah Pehrson, at Highland Branch. Jan 1897, Father rented a farm on shares. It had an old broken down house on it. It belonged to Bro. Hunter from American Fork, who furnished us with a team of horses, a wagon, harness and seeds to plant. We fixed things up and stayed there two years.

I went to school once in a while and learned to speak English, by force and ugly fights. Immigrants were shunned and fighting was the only way to gain respect.

I was baptized in the Lehi ditch 13 June 1897 at age eleven. When I was twelve years we moved close to Robinson's Flour Mill. Father went to work at the Sugar Factory in Lehi. I got some work at the mill driving their team and hauling wheat from American Fork to the mill. After a while they decided to teach me the miller trade. They let me work in the mill with machinery. That's where I got my hand ground in the cog wheels. I guess I was too young. It left me with a crooked finger.

I did not get money for my work, I received flour which was 35 cents - 50 pound bag. I worked 2 days for each bag, but I was happy. I had stored up some flour for mother. So I went around with my hand in a sling, picking up small potatoes and anything good to eat that I could get to help mother feed the family.

At the age of 13 we moved to Lindon, Utah, on to a farm of 160 acres. It belonged to Dr. Rogers of Salt Lake City. Dad tried to buy this farm. He had a two year contract wlth Dr. Rogers but before this contract was up he sold it to James Duffin, a Provo man for $1000. Then he turned about and purchased 40 acres across the street for that $1000.00.

I and my two small brothers did some farming. our bed was a pile of hay covered with an old canvas. Our meals were scarce. Sometimes one or two meals a day, sometimes none. Sometimes we had a jack rabbit to fry over an open fire. I did not mind for myself but I did worry when my two brothers said they were hungry. I looked into an old forgotten orchard which had some green apples on the trees. We picked and ate some. I prayed we could digest them without pain. We did and were happy.

At age fourteen and nine months, I left home with raged clothes and worn out shoes. I went to the Salt Lake Brigk Yard. It was a cold day and I prayed all the day that I could get something I could do. I contacted the foreman. He was a big hearted Swede. I told him I needed better clothes and shoes but most of all I needed something to eat. He said, "Yes, I see. He asked if I could handle horses. I told him I could. he showed me a horse and said, "put the harness on him, hook him to that dump cart, clean all the brick bats and the yard up good. Every day that's your job until I tell you different." They paid $1.50 a day half in cash and half in store pay. Their store was in Murray. Once every two weeks I would go to the store on Saturday, guess the size of the clothes our family of kids would wear, buy them and mail them to my mother.

After ten months at this job the boss asked me if I would like to make $2.00 a day. This was to handle 15,000 face bricks for the shayding gang. This was for doing it in 6 hours. Plus loading a flat car with 20,000 wire cut bricks for $1.00 extra in 2-1/2 hours. I chose two big Swedes to help me. I had that Job for 2 years.

I was 18 years old when I quit this job, because of the death of my younger brother, Rex. He was killed by his horse, who stumbled and fell on him.

On May 19, I was 19 years old. I went to a ward dance. That night I asked Sadie Ogden to let me walk home with her and she said, "Sure you may." So that was our beginning. I told her I was leaving home again and asked her to write to me. She promised.

I worked for the Murray smelters for a year.

I returned to Lindon to the home of Mrs. Joseph Ash. I rented her fruit farm on a 50% basis.

Now I began to take a very active part in the Ward affairs. I sang and worked in music with Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain. He was the music teacher for Lindon and Pleasant Grove Schools.

At the age of 21, I asked my 18 year old baby sweet heart if she would take a chance and join me to be my life's guide, because I loved her with all my heart. She said, "I feel the same love for you and want to be with you. "

Bishop Cullimore gave us our temple recommends, Stephen L. Chipman, our stake president gave us very good spiritual advice.

So on 13 Nov 1907 Papa and Mama, (Sadie's parents), Sadie and I hooked up good old Fanny, (Dad's mare) to a two seated buggy and went to Salt Lake to the House of the Lord to be married. Thus we started our life together.

 

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