Saturday, January 28, 2012

Thomas McIntyre Dobson and Amanda Gee Dobson

Amanda Mariah Gee 1861-1924
Amanda is the oldest child of Orlando Lysander Gee and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Bates.  Her family was living in Batesville, Tooele, Utah, when Amanda was born on March 19, 1861. She would be followed by; Mary Melvina, Orlando Lafayette, Laverne Emerette, Orrisa Elizabeth, Lysander Parley, Ella Diana, Ormus Adrian, Minnie Destimonia, Evelyn Venetta, and  Ardella Althera.  Being the eldest child, she probably was kept very busy, helping with household chores and tending the younger children.Both of Amanda's parents were among the Mormon Pioneers seeking shelter in the west, where they could practice their religion with out persecution.  She was a child pioneer.  Anyone being born in Utah prior to May 10, 1869 or arriving prior to that date are considered Utah Pioneers. After that date, the railroad was a big source for people traveling to Utah.
Batesville was named in honor of her Grandfather Ormus Ephraim Bates and later, changed to Erda, when the railroad came through.
Amanda met and married Thomas McIntyre Dobson on 28 of January 1878 in Tooele, Tooele, Utah.  They became the parents of 14 children.  

1.Annie Maria Dobson Alexander 1878-1958.   Annie Mariah Dobson was born in Kanab, Kane, Utah, on November 4, 1878, Her father and mother moved with their family to Circle Valley or Circleville, Piute, Utah. It was there that she met her future husband, Robert Angus Alexander, whose family had moved from Washington, Utah to Circleville.  She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and nurse. She used to go with the doctor and help with babies coming into the world and then stay and assist the mother and family for a time. She worked hard and did all those things that was necessary to care for a large family in pioneer times. She and her husband were among the first people to homestead land in the Uintah Basin.  They had a large family and while they went through many trials and challenges, such as losing some of their precious children in their infancy and younger years, they remained true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Annie  served as a primary president and other callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints.  She died July 12, 1958 in Salt Lake City, Salt lake, Utah, due to complications of diabetes.

2.Thomas Henry Dobson 1880-1951, Thomas was the oldest son.  He married his love, Sarah Alger Dewitt and helped her raise her two boys from a previous marriage.  He was born on the 20 of September 1882 in Kanab, Utah.  He died on the 15 October 1951 in Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada.

3.Mary Elisabeth Dobson Christiansen 1884-1940,  Mary was born on the 20th of March 1884 in Kanab.  She was born deaf and did not understand much about the world she lived in.  Still she married Hyrum Robert Christiansen and they had  a child named Nina Rose.  She was only married about a year when Hyrum died in 1918.  For a time Mary was hospitalized and her family helped raise her daughter.  She died on 11 January 1940 in Provo, Utah. She was buried in the Monroe City Cemetery in Monroe, Sevier, Utah.

4.Isabelle Dobson Cooke 1884-1948, Isabelle was born on December 8, 1885 in Kanab, Utah. She married Benjamin Cooke and was the mother of several children. She died on January 4, 1948 in LaPoint, Uintah, Utah,


5.Orlando L. Dobson 1886-1908,  Orlando was born on 24 April 1886 in Fredonia, Coconino, Arizona. His grandfather Thomas F. Dobson was among the first settlers of the area.  Consequently, Thomas McIntyre Dobson and his wife Amanda were living in the area too.  Orlando died from accidently shooting himself in the groin when removing his gun from a sheep wagon, while sheep hearding near Minersville on January 12, 1908, Beaver, Utah. See Death Certificate at Utah Death Index He was 21 years of age.

6. Joseph E. Dobson 1887-1906, Joseph was born in Circleville, Piute, Utah and died on May 1 1906 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, of Peritonitis.  He had appendicitis.  He was buried in Circleville on May 6, 1906.

7. George Watson Dobson 1890-1950,  George never married, he took care of the younger siblings after his parents passed away.  He was born on December 23, 1891 in Circleville, Piute, Utah. He died on the 24 of May 1950 in Circleville, Piute, Utah.

8.Parley Adrian Dobson 1892-1916,  Parley died in a Ogden Jail. He was found hung by a wire.  The death certificate was issued under the name of John Henry Dobson.  One or two of his brothers came looking for him, He was buried in a paupers grave.  They had the body exhumed, identified him as Parley and had his body transported to Circleville, where he is buried in the family plot. He was 26 years of age.  Some mystery remains concerning this incident and the story I heard from my mother was; Parley may have been robbed of his wallet and the money he had earned as a sheep herder. (See Utah Digital Newspapers for details.)

9.Vera Ardella Dobson 1896-1896, 

10.  Robert Lafayette Dobson 1898-1931, Robert Lafayette served in World War I, he  died from complications from Appendicitis while in the Hospital in Cedar City He was 32 years of age.

11.  Nolen Leonald Dobson 1900-1967,

12.  Pearl Amanda Dobson 1902-1979, 

13. Arland Darvel Dobson 1904-1970,  

14.Josephine Orissa Dobson Bird 1906- 1990.  


In 1914 A flood known as the Hatchtown Flood came through the area where they were living  near the mouth of the Canyon and demolished their farm, some newspaper accounts say that Thomas M Dobson had the greatest losses, including 50 head of cattle.  I can only imagine how this must have devasted the family, not only economically, but emotionally, perhaps, these hardships led to an early death and illness for Thomas McIntyre Dobson.

Thomas died of Nephritis on November 29, 1916.  This was a very hard time for the family as they had just learned of the death of Parley Adrian Dobson.  Burying one beloved member of a family at one time is hard enough, but this time there were two to bury. 
 Amanda lost several children and her husband before her death November 29, 1924 from heart failure.  Some of the chidren were still young and needed nurturing.  George Watson Dobson became the caretaker for these younger siblings until they were out of the home, including Mary Elisabeth’s daughter Nina Rose Christianson 1917-1991.

Left to right, Pearl Amanda Dobson, William Romine, Ida Gifford Cox Dobson, Nolen Leonald Dobson, Josephine Orissa Dobson Bird and George Watson.

Orlando Lysander and Mary Elizabeth Bates Gee Family

The Orlando and Mary Elizabeth Bates Gee family.  Amanda is sitting with her parents in the middle on the right, holding a picture of one of her sisters.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Annie Maria Dobson Alexander








Annie Maria Dobson was the oldest child of Thomas McIntyre Dobson and Amanda Gee Dobson.  She was born on the 4th of November in 1878 in Kanab, Kane, Utah.  Annie's parents were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and as is the custom she was given a blessing and a name on June 5, 1879 by B___Baird, in Kanab.  which record was removed to Circleville, Piute, Utah when they moved there on Feb 1 1889.(Microfilm 0026061 UT LDS Kane Kanab Item 1-5 Kanab West 1879-1936; Item 6 Kanab Stake F.E. 1907-1935.)  She was one of 14 siblings.



Census Record of 1880 Individual record for Thomas M. Dobson birth year <1857> Birth Place Utah, Age 23, Occupation Bricklayer, Marital Status M < married> Race W <White>, Head of Household Thomas M. Dobson Relation Self, Fathers birthplace England, Mothers birthplace Scotland. Sourrce Information:
Census Place Kanab, Kane, Utah
Family History Library Film 1255336
NA Film Number T9-1336
Page Number 443B

House Hold Record shows Amanda M Dobson as Wife -Married-Female- White-age 19-Birth Place Utah Occupation Keeping House-Father's Birth Place PA; Mother's Birth Place NY.

Annie Dobson- Daughter; Single;  Female ; White age 1-Birth Place Utah- Father's Birth Place, Utah; Mother's Birth Place, Utah.The following Census record shows the family of three living in Kanab.
1880 United States Federal Census
about Thomas M. Dobson
Name: Thomas M. Dobson
Home in 1880: Kanab, Kane, Utah
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Birthplace: Utah Territory
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Amanda M.
Father's birthplace: England
Mother's birthplace: Scotland
Household Members:

Name Age
Thomas M. Dobson 23
Amanda M. Dobson 19
Annie Dobson 1




They had moved to Piute county by February 1 1889 and so the 1900 census record shows the family living in this area.  By then there were
1900 United States Federal Census

Name: Annie Alexander
Home in 1900: Circleville, Piute, Utah
Age: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Utah
Relationship to head-of-house: Wife
Spouse's Name: Robert A
Race: White
Occupation:
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert A Alexander 28
Annie Alexander 22
Isabella Dobson 16

 Annie was nice about how she taught mama to clean the house.

When Mother was small she remembers her mother  playing a game with her and her brothers and having them run around the house and yell Grinny grinny Grin Teeth, and then their mama would jump out from around the corner and scare them.  Annie was good with a gun. She killed Coyotes with her gun when they came on the property.

She also was good to the Indian people who lived in the area and fed them.  They liked our Grandmother Annie.  Annie worked hard and helped assist the doctor, Dr. Whitmore, when women in the area had their babies. Often staying with the mothers for a time to assist the family needs.  Annie was also called upon to come and help her sister-in-law, Sarah Delight Hancock out with her children, when her husband, Woodruff Moroni Alexander, came back from Kansas City after a Cattle drive the Spanish Influenza and Pneumonia.  He died at the home in town. Sarah went into a  coma for three weeks and came out losing her hair from the flu and Annie ended up getting sick from Diphtheria which was also going around at the time.  She did get better, but her twelve year old daughter Amanda died with it that same year. The year of 1918.

Census Record of 1880 Individual record for Thomas M. Dobson birth year <1857> Birth Place Utah, Age 23, Occupation Bricklayer, Marital Status M < married> Race W <White>, Head of Household Thomas M. Dobson Relation Self, Fathers birthplace England, Mothers birthplace Scotland. Sourrce Information:
Census Place Kanab, Kane, Utah
Family History Library Film 1255336
NA Film Number T9-1336
Page Number 443B
All the siblings or children of Robert and Annie were present for this picture with the exception of my mother Mazie.



     Annie Maria Dobson picture taken at age seventeen,  She had brown hair, Mother (Mazie Alexander Nielson) Always speaks of how hard Grandmother worked, she was very tidy and very clean.

     One time when Annie and Robert were first living in Altonah. Robert had to go to Roosevelt to pick up supplies.  Robert was worried about Annie waiting up for him since he was not able to get back home that night. Annie in the meantime was waiting up for him with his supper ready. When she thought she heard a wagon come onto the place and then she  heard Robert's voice saying; "Annie go to bed!"  So she placed his supper on the table and then she went out to look for him and he was not there. So then she did what he told her to do and went to bed.  It was the next day when he came home.
     She had a pet prairie dog that would come up through a hole in the floor in answer to "Billie", and they would feed the little furry creature. She would call, "Here Billie, Here Billie, and up he would pop from his hole in the floor to recieve his portion of food." Grandmother used to go help Mrs. Parker, the mother of the Parker brothers that ran with Butch Cassidy (LeRoy Parker).  When the boys were home the neighbors knew because the blinds were pulled.
     When Annie's mother passed away in May of 1924.  She took my mother , who was four years old and went by train to Circleville to her mother's funeral.  The people on the train thought mother was cute and gave her pennies.
Annie kept a spoon dish for spoons on the table.  It was the custom in her day.  It was ornamental and shaped much like a vase.  many people could buy a spoon dish as part of a set of dishes.  Mother remembers taking baths in galvanized metal round tubs with handles.  (When we lived in Idaho on the Homestead I can remember doing the same thing. Mother remembers bathing in the irrigation ditch, she said it was clean water right out of the well on the homestead.)  Annioe made soap and bought soap.  When she made soap, she did so from a butchered pig.  She would heat side of pork and then scrape the fat or lard off of it and remove any meat particles then she would add lye to make soap.  She cooked it and put it in molds.  It would thicken and become solid.
This soap was used for washing clothes.

Minnie, Clarence, Verda, Wanda sitting in chair holding her first born child, Charlie Rich.

      Annie would work after school every night as a janitor at the school in Altonah.  This school had four rooms with two classes in each room.  Mother remembers taking a knive and scrubbing off the gum from underneath the desk to help her mother.  Annie kept the school really clean.  The bathrooms were outside one for girls and one for boys.  There were about three or four toilets in each of these bathrooms.
   Annie would made quilts out of the wool from the sheep for bedding.  She made feather ticks and pillows from the geese and chickens she raised.  Annie liked to read she only went to the fifth or sixth grade. Robert went to the eight grade.


This picture  is believed to be Minnie, Amanda, and Verda Alexander

      Mother says that her mother never failed to raise a garden clear up to when she passed away.  She canned her food and kept it on hand for when the children came home.  She grew tomatoes, spring beans, peas. regular beans which she took the shells off of.  Beets, potatoes. lettuce etc... friut didn't grow well in Altonah because of the cold.
Annie would take the wagon with bedding on it and take Parley and mother to get fruit from Vernal. She then would bring it home and can the fruit such as apricots, plums, apples.
Annie made excellent pies, but wasn't to keen on cooking cakes.  Mother remembers as  a young girl making her dad a birthday cake.  She forgot the yeasr so it turned out quite small.  But Howard Crapo, her sister's husband didn't seem to mind.  He seemed to enjoy it and complimented mother for the fine cake.


Farm in Altonah  My mother Mazie is the one third from right, with a ladies arm around her.

     Annie was a midwife and she would go help the doctor when the babies came.  She helped mother when she had her first three children who were born in Annie and Robert's home in Montwell, also known as Cedar View.  When Annie went to help women who were having their babies she would stay about ten days.  Back in those days the mothers thought they were suppose to stay down for a couple of weeks to recover from giving birth. That is quite different from our day.  Annie received some pay for her work and care.  She worked hard to care for the mother and baby.

Robert Angus Alexander and Annie Mariah Dobson Alexander





1920 United States Federal Census
about Annie D Alexander
Name: Annie D Alexander
Home in 1920: Altonah, Duchesne, Utah
Age: 42 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Utah
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: Robert A
Father's Birth Place: Utah
Mother's Birth Place: Utah
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Female
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 356
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert A Alexander 47
Annie D Alexander 42
Annie O R Alexander 19
Wanda L Alexander 17
Clarence E Alexander 10
Verda C Alexander 8

Theo Alexander  5
Milton D Alexander  2 5/12
William M Browning  60



My mother told me that grandmother lost her teeth and her son, Theo bought her some false teeth, but she had already been without teeth for so long she was not able to use them very well.  Grandmother Annie became very ill from eating wild jack rabbit.  she almost died from the disease she contracted at that time. She always worked hard and served in different callings in her Church, such as Primary President.
Some of the Alexander's stand outside the home of Annie's brother Thomas Henry  Dobson and his wife Sarah Alger DeWitt Dobson,  from left to right in back, Clarence Alexander holding Mable, Annie with arm around brother Thomas, Sarah, Louise Wilterwood Alexander,Robert Angus Alexander, Theo Alexander, holding  Sonya Alexander, daughter of Parley and Melvina Alexander. In the front left to right; Evva Alexander, Melvina Daniels Alexander holding DiAnn, Terry Alexander, Parley Alexander, 

_________________________
Memories from cousin Gae;
 "After Grandpa died Grandma came to Washington and lived with us for a while. She and I slept in the same bed. I remember how she had to inject herself with insulin every day, how much she loved Hopalong Cassidy on television (which was such a new thing for us then), and how much she enjoyed going out for drives in the car. She was with us when my sister Faye was blessed, and I remember how she cried when my father blessed her".
____________________



In her older years grandmother suffered from thyroid disease and Diabetes. I remember as a young child of four years of age, visiting grandmother with my mother at Aunt Verda's Apartment in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was caring for grandmother.  I remember she was in bed, she was very kind and happy to see me.  I remember how my Aunt fixed breakfast and we had little packages of jelly that we could spread on our toast. I loved those cute little packages. I also remember playing outside while they talked inside.  I remember Mother and Verda holding my hands as we walked along a sidewalk and swinging me up and down every so often.It was after we left that Grandmother passed away on July 12 1958 in Salt lake City.


History on Alexander's from book compiled by 



William Zera Alexander and Roxanne Hall Alexander family; Book out of print, Compiled 


Robert Angus Alexander and Annie Mariah Alexander 

Monday, January 23, 2012

Benjamin Lamoni Alexander 1841-1913


My great-grandparents Benjamin Lamoni and
Catherine Malinda Kelley Alexander
Written by Julia Anne Nielson Corry






Benjamin was a fine looking man, a child pioneer. He was born to Randolph and Myrza Alexander in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 22 1841. He was the sixth child of what would become 13 for his parents.  He crossed the plains in the Willard Richards Wagon Train Company of 1848. , He would have been seven years old.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868
 Willard Richards Company (1848)
 Departure: 3 July 1848
Arrival: 10-19 October 1848'
 His parents lived in Parleys canyon and  were called to the Cotton Mission and left  for Washington City, Washington, Utah  around 1963. 
While living in Washington City, Benjamin  met and married Catherine Malinda Kelley, she was living in the household of her step-father and her mother, "Robert Dockery Covington and Malinda Allison Kelley Covington".  
Catherine Kelley was born Feb 7, 1947, the daughter of Milton and Malinda Allison Kelley ,in  Pueblo Pintado, Mckinley, New Mexico, now, Pueblo, Colorado. 
Milton and Malinda all
ison Kelley were with the group of Latter-Day Saints who answered the call to join up with the Mormon Battalion, Milton may of been there to help care for the Hunt Families from info I found in Microfilm.  Although his name is on some records associating him with Company B which is the same company his brother Nicholas was on. He died after a hunting trip, he  developed pneumonia and passed away Nov 4 1846.
 Malinda Allison Kelley had come along some second hand sources listed her as a laundress, but that has been questioned. They were with the detachment sent to Pueblo in charge of Captain Higgins.  She gave birth to Malinda Catherine in February and they were both on the wagon train with Captain James Brown along with many of the other Mormon Battalion members in 1847.  She married Robert Dockery Covington after the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Thomas.  She had one additional child with Robert, Mary Covington and helped raise his children by Elizabeth and later, his children by his plural wife, Nancy Roberts. They were called to Dixie and lived in this stately historical home in Washington.



Benjamin and Catherine raised there family in Washington City, Washington, Utah. Apparently in the following home.

Benjamin and Catherine were married  January 14, 1864, in Salt Lake City, they had the following children;
1.   Zina Myrza Alexander, born on Christmas December 25, 1864 in Washington City, Washington, Utah, married George Adelbert Searle on 9 September 1884 in Vernal, Uintah, Utah,  and died March 22 1932 in Salt Lake City. They were the parents of seven children.
2.  Milton Lamoni Alexander, born on February 3 1867 in Washington City, Washington, Utah, married Lucinda Jane Adams on  June 25, 1888 in Sliver Reef, Washington, Utah.  They had six children, Lucinda died in 1897 and is buried in Circleville, Piute, Utah as are  their twins Della and Delbert.  Milton married Nancy Eunice Hale on September 2 1898 in Craig, Moffat, Colorado. They had two daughters together, Milton died on February 11, 1911 in Altonah, Duchesne, Utah, Nancy or Nan as she was known served for a time there as Post mistress.

3.  Lois Arabelle Alexander Hancock, was born on December 23 1869 in Washington City, Washington, Utah and married Ether Thomas Hancock on January 20, 1886 in Washington City, Washington, Utah. They had eleven children.  She died on December 21, 1949 in Roosevelt, Duchesne, Utah.
4.  Robert Angus Alexander was born on May 17, 1872 in Washington City, Washington, Utah and Married Annie Maria or Mariah Dobson on October 4 1897 in Circleville,Piute, Utah, They were the parents of 12 children.  He died on June 25, 1955 in Provo, Utah, Utah.
5.  Mary Catherine Alexander was born on December 21, 1874 in Washington City, Washington, Utah.  She married James Orin Searle on June 26 1892 in Circleville, Piute, Utah, they had children, more research needs to be done here.)  She died on July 3 1945.
6.  James Bird Alexander was born on March 17, 1877 in Washington City, Washington, Utah, he married Ruby Collier on Feb 1 1904 in Washington City, Washington, Utah.  More research needs to be done.
7.  Woodruff Moroni Alexander was  born on June 18 1879 in Washington City, Washington,Utah
8.  William Zera Alexander
9.  Benjamin Lamoni Alexander Jr.
10.  Loretta Alexander
11.  Loren Alexander
 I found some records indicating that they were in Circleville, Piute, Utah  for a short time and then moved on to the Uintah Basin where several of their children also moved.   Catherine died in Vernal, Uintah, Utah and is buried in the Maeser Cemetery, near Vernal.  She died Feb 17, 1899.  

 Benjamin met and married his second wife Marie (Mary Kruger Schramm in Salt Lake.  a record showing a license date  Marriage record found on film Early Church Information File; 
1750711  Ruby, Lesle - Schuchart, Eva L.C.

Index card shows name in full Schramm- Marie  (Mary)  Card no.59
When born  age 46.
Residence and Occupation   Salt Lake City

Date of License 17 May 1905  Where issued Salt Lake City
When Married  17, May 1905  Where Salt Lake City
To whom married Benjamin L. Alexander

Groom Last Name:              ALEXANDER
Groom First Name:              Benjamin L.
Groom Residence:             
Bride Last Name:                 SCHRAMM
Bride First Name:                 Mary
Bride Residence:                
Place:     Salt Lake City
Date:      17 May 1905
County of Record:               Salt Lake
State:      Utah
Volume:                
Page:     473

By whom married Theodore McKean
Marriage record of Salt Lake County Book 1.  Page 237 ;





Marie had come to America from Germany with her two living children; Paul and Margaret.  Her first husband, Emil Richard Schramm and daughter Bertha Milda had previously died. She was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ and was honored in a newspaper article as the first woman to start a Relief Society for Women in Berlin, Germany.  

Marie died from a auto-pedestrian accident May 19, 1939 in Salt Lake City. She had been living there with her daughter Margaret Scramm Cannon (Holten) and her grandchild Melville Schramm Holten.  They are buried are three next to each other in the Salt Lake Cem, not far from Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake.
  
My mother told me that when  Benjamin was staying with his son Robert Angus Alexander and his wife, Annie Mariah Dobson Alexander, He would sit in a rocking chair and sing  until around  Annie was not too happy about this as it disturbed her sleep and she was a very busy woman. 
Ben died while at his son William Zera Alexander's home in Altonah on Feb 13 1913 and was buried next to his first wife, Catherine Malinda Kelley Alexander, in the Maeser Cem. near Vernal, Uintah , Utah. they have a grandson, named Alden Alexander who died as an infant and is buried near them. He is the son of Robert Angus and Annie Maria Dobson Alexander.

Alden Alexander, the son of Robert Angus and Annie M Dobson Alexander.  Robert is a son of Ben and Catherine.

Marie and Benjamin were older when they married and did not have any children.  Some people seeing the grave of Alden next to Ben and Catherine's grave had assumed that he was the son of Ben and his second wife, and some confused Marie with her daughter Margaret so there are also records that have assumed he was married to a Margaret Schramm, but it was Marie (Mary) Kruger Schramm Alexander.  

Catherine Malinda is shown as Malinda K Alexander here on their gravestone.  In other records I have researched, I have seen it written both ways.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847-1868
Kelley, Malinda Allison
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868
Kelley, Malinda Catherine

Birth Date: 7 Feb. 1847
Death Date: 17 Feb. 1899
Gender: Female
Age: infant
Company: Mormon Battalion Sick Detachments (1847)


Sources:
Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database





Margaret Schramm Cannon whose name appears on this document was the daughter of  Emil Richard Schramm and Marie (Mary) Kruger Schramm Alexander.  She married Brigham T. Cannon, later, divorced.  She married Melvin George Holten in 1930 and they had a son named Melville Holten.


Original Grave marker for Benjamin Lamoni Alexander.

Historical Marker on Robert D Covington home where Malinda Catherine or Catherine Malinda grew up.  Robert would have been the only father that she  knew, as her father died before he birth.  This home had a floor on the top that you could only access with stairs on the outside of the home. It was used for public meetings and other activities in the community.  This family is attributed with giving the place the name of Dixie.





 Utah Digital Newspaper Collection online site; Salt Lake Tribune; article on Marie Alexander; who died as a result of an Auto-Pedestrian Accident.  She evidently referred to Ben by his middle name, Lamoni.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Randolph Alexander II (1802-1879)





Randolph Alexander II was the son of Angus Alexander and Unity Murphy Alexander.   He was born on the 22 day of March 1802, in Union District, Union, South Carolina.  His family migrated from the Carolina's, into Tennessee along with several other close relatives, Jackson's Murphy's. It is believed that he was Scotch-Irish.
  Their families had come from South Carolina into Tennessee.  Where Randolph and Myrza were married June 1930.  They heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ first preached by Wilford Woodruff. 

     Wilford Woodruff recorded in his journal; while on a missionary tour in Tennessee. He held a meeting in Devon Creek. "On my arrival, I met a large congregation; but on commencing meeting, Parson Browning ordered the meeting closed. I told the people I had come ten miles to preach to them and was willing to stand in a cart, on a pile of wood, or on a fence , or any other place they would appoint, to have to privilege. One man said, "I own the fence and the land in front of the meeting house, and we might use both." For he did not believe that Mormonism would hurt either. So the congregation crossed the road, took down the fence and made seats of it, and I preached to them one hour and a half.  At the close of the meeting a young man who gave his name as Randolph Alexander said he was convinced of the truthfulness of the message that had been given. He invited us, (Wilford Woodruff and David W. Patten) to his home for dinner with he and his wife. He bought a book of Mormon and I organized a branch in that place".

  The following is from a history written by George Alexander;   "Randolph Alexander, Benjamin L. Clapp were ordained elders, and Lindsay F. Lane was ordained to the lesser priesthood. Randolph Alexander was blessed on the 27th day of May 1837(36) by Isaac Morley. He was baptized August 7, 1837(36) by D. W. Patten. and Confirmed the same day by D. W. Patten. And ordained an elder the same day (unknown)  Myrza Nix Alexander was baptized and confirmed 27 May 1837,(mothers records say Aug 7, 1837) by Isaac Morley and David W. Patten.  In 1837, he moved with his family to Far West, Missouri, where he shared the trials of the saints until they were driven out of the state by the extermination order of Governor Boggs. They then emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois. They went through all the trails and persecutions during their building up of that beautiful city and temple. He received his endowments in the Nauvoo Temple, on December 24, 1845. and Myrza also received her endowments on that date. They were sealed on 24 January 1846, in Nauvoo.  In October 1844, Randolph was made the first senior president of the 7th Quorum of seventies. and On July 12, 1847, the Prophet Joseph Smith, called him to preach the gospel He drove all the way across the plains with a team comprised of a mule and a cow. and arrived in Salt Lake Valley, Sept. 18, 1947. He was in the 2nd company that came to Utah. He settled up in parleys Canyon, near Mountain Dell. He took 100 acres there and erected a saw mill. He must have shortly moved to Cottonwood, where Myrza was born in 1848.


     The Alexander's, being from the southern states and being acquainted with the growing of cotton, were then called to Utah's Dixie. They settled in the town of Washington in 1862. Here he lived and spent his life's energy in building up the community. He was a partner with a man named Rhodes, and bought the Moccasin Spring and the adjoining land which was owned by the native Indians. But had to leave in 1866 because of trouble with the Indians.  Note: in 1871, Levi Stewart bought the Alexander property and a company under Lewis Allen, consisting of people who were compelled to leave their homes on the Muddy Valley, Nevada, made their homes temporarily on the Pipe Springs and Moccasin Springs land.   In his later years Randolph's eyes failed and he finally lost his sight. On the morning of March 12, 1879, after an illness of six months, he passed from this mortal life. He lived a faithful L.D.S. life. He left his wives and 17 children and a host of friends, who will miss his many kindnesses and fatherly council and encouragement.. He was always ready to give all he could for the happiness of others."(From History written by George Alexander.)

     Randolph and several members of his family were buried on his property in Washington City, Washington, Utah and at this time their is a single monument to honor those who died and were buried on this plot of ground now owned by a family by the last name of Larsen.    

Myrza Alexander was the daughter of Jonathan Alexander and Tabitha Nix.  She was born in Union District, South Carolina on the 15th day of September 1815. They had the following Children:  Thomas Murphy Alexander, b. 21,Feb 1831, d. 9 Oct. 1905; Susan Arabella Alexander Bowman, b. 8 Feb. 1833, d.  ;Adaline Alexander Andrus Sproul, b. 1 Jan. 1835 , d. 26 Sept. 1911; Moroni Woodruff Alexander, b. 4 Mar. 1837, d.July 8. 1901 ;John Quincy Adams Alexander, b. 13 Feb. 1839 , d. Feb 26, 1899; Benjamin Lamoni Alexander b. 22 Jan. 1841, d.  Feb 13 1913; Margarett Alexander b. 1843, d. 1845;  Sarah Elizabeth Alexander Murphy Rynearson, b. 14 Jun. 1845, d. 2 June 1922; Myrza Jane Alexander Whitehead Bond, b. 29 Nov. 1848, d. 15 Feb 1883; Eliza Snow Alexander Butler, b. 13 Dec. 1850, d. 3 Aug. 1931; Matilda Alexander Alger, b. 10 Jan. 1853, d. 12 October 1930; Lydia Ann Alexander Crow, b. 29 Dec. 1855, d. 10 August 1934; Bertha Alexander Bond Bosen, b. 13 March 1860, d. 26 May 1911;

     While in Nauvoo, Randolph took a second wife; a widow by the name of Lucy Courser Taft Harwood.  She was born on March 26 1812 to Amasa Taft and Delphia Flagg Taft in Massachusetts.  Her first husband, Forrester Harwood, also of Massachusetts had traveled to Nauvoo where he passed away on August 25, 1845.  She had two children that we know about with him; Amasa Harwood, b. 1837 , d. 1838.and Jonas, b. Sep 15 1839, d. January 29, 1898.
Randolph and Lucy were married between 1847 and 1848 as by 1848 they traveled with the Willard Richards wagon train on their trek west to Utah. (See the Mormon Overland Trail.)
  When Randolph was called to the Cotton Mission. Lucy did not go she stayed in She stayed in SLC and died in Ogden, Utah.  The Children he had with Lucy were:  Twin Girls; Eveline Adelia Alexander Griffith, b. 26 Nov 1849, d. 22 May 1915; Emeline Amelia Alexander, b. 26 Nov 1849, d. 15 Feb 1883.  Angeline R. Alexander, b. 16 November 1850, d.  (1856)  and Caroline Amania Alexander Williams, b. 3 August 1855, d. 10 March 1924.

 Jane Pugh, a third wife of Randolph was born 6, Nov. 1814 in Tennessee. to Daniel Pugh and Martha Harris Pugh, her parents were from North Carolina.  They had three daughters; Elizabeth Alexander Adair Bernhardt  Kennedy, b, 2o June 1852,  death unknown ;Unity Alexander Mangum, b. 24 Feb 1855, d. 2 March 1912,  and Rebecca Ann Alexander Lee, b. 4 Oct 1858, d. 5 Oct 1936.  We know she was an  accomplished seamstress. She came out with the family and was a part of the Cotton Mission.    We believe she died sometime after 1876 and possibly is also one of those buried on the Alexander plot in Washington, Washington, Utah.  Her mother died in Idaho.

Sources;  Personal knowledge, family genealogies, my own research, a history written by a George Alexander and shared with me by Geneel Scott, and information obtained from researching USGenweb Tennessee site on the Alexander Families; Utah death index, ancestry.com, new,familysearch. ancestry.com, Utah digital Newspapers, Research in southern Utah.)