PLACES AND VOYAGES 
EARLY YEARS IN UTAH 
Salt Lake City 
The Gover family arrived in America in April 1853. They landed in New Orleans and sailed up the Mississippi River on a steamboat one thousand miles to St. Lewis. Then traveled up the Missouri River to Florence (Winter Quarters), Nebraska. They crossed the plains with the church teams and arrived in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1853. They lived in Salt Lake from 1853 to 1869 in the tenth and nineteenth wards. 
The Godfrey family landed in New York in June 1862. They made the trip from New York to St. Joseph, Missouri by train and from St. Joseph to Winter Quarters by steamboat. In August, they began their journey across the plains by means of ox carts under the direction of Henry W. Miller. They arrived in the Salt Lake valley October 1862 where their son George was waiting with a home already prepared in the tenth ward. 
The State of Deseret was formed by the Mormon Pioneers while awaiting the action of the United States Congress in granting their request for admission to the Union. In the winter of 1849-50, the legislature of the unofficial State of Deseret created six counties: Great Salt Lake, Weber, Utah, Tuilla (later named Tooele), San Pete and Juab. The boundaries of these first counties were simply that of natural geographic divisions they found and recognized as logical units for governmental administration.
	Salt Lake Tenth Ward Building, 4th South 8th East 
C      Congress, however, didn't admit Deseret into the Union of States due to Southern congressmen opposed to another "Free State" and many Northern congressmen, especially from Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, opposed admission as well. In September 1850, Congress created not the "State of Deseret", but the "Territory of Utah." This was a flat rejection of the desires of the Mormon people. But President Fillmore appointed Brigham Young as its first governor, and in February 1851, the provisional State of Deseret came to an end. The entrance of California doomed the any future chances of the State of Deseret until the Civil War period. By the time of the Civil War, the conflict over polygamy had arisen, which kept the region from Statehood until 1896. 
Church leaders formed pioneer Handcart travel in the 1850's as a way to reduce the expenses so that financial aid could be extended to the greatest number of emigrants. Saints who traveled to Deseret could carry a limited quantity of provisions and belongings in a cart and then pull the cart across the plains. Between 1856 and 1860, ten handcart companies traveled to Utah. The Perpetual Emigration Fund was established under the direction of President Young. The purpose was to assist the poor who did not have the means to travel to join Saints in Deseret. At great sacrifice, many Saints contributed to the fund, and as a result, thousands of members were able to travel to the Salt Lake Valley. As soon as they were able, those who received help were expected to repay the amount 
48 

PLACES AND VOYAGES 
of assistance they had received. These funds were used to help still others. Primitive conditions existed for the people living in the Utah Territory in the early 1850's. After their arrival in the valley, whole families often lived in wagon boxes, sometimes for days or even months. Such a family's next home would be a dugout in the side of a hill, a breezy log cabin, or a house built of sundried adobe bricks. Roofs were made of timbers with branches that were covered with dirt or sod. When it rained, there were never enough containers to catch the muddy water as it dripped through the roof. 

Food shortages were a concern for worried parents and families. Frost in late spring and early fall destroyed many of their fruits and vegetables. Wandering cattle and horses sometimes ate or trampled gardens. Some years, just when a bountiful harvest seemed assured, hordes of ugly, black oversized crickets would come in from the desert and devour their crops. The settlers learned from the Indians the food value of the Sego Lily tubers, which were in abundance in the Salt Lake 

valley. They learned to prepare them in various ways and they were enjoyed raw as well as steamed, boiled and toasted. The pioneers also ate thistle roots, wild onions, and pigweeds when food became scarce. 
Indian concerns brought other worries too. Nearly all who lived in the Utah area before the turn of the century encountered Indians. Though most of the settler's experiences with Native Americans were positive, cultural differences sometimes created unfortunate misunderstandings and fear. Indian men and women saw nothing wrong with walking unannounced into a white settler's cabin or dugout. They were attracted by freshly baked bread, etc. They considered food to belong to everyone and so they helped themselves but many frightened children ran to neighbors for protection. It seemed to take many years to adjust to the Indians situation, to finally be able to feel secure, and to gradually develop friendships. 

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The Deseret Alphabet was formed in 1854. While most of the original pioneers came from New England, it was not long until people from every state in the union and from every 
civilized country in the world, especially 
	The Deseret Alphabet 	Europe, joined the pioneers in the valleys of the 
As these new people speaking and writing a different language mingled with the 
mountains. 
49 

PLACES AND VOYAGES 
American born, a serious problem of understanding each other arose. The leaders met with the regents of the University of Deseret, which group decided to introduce a new alphabet that would be easier and would be the most useful and beautiful in the world. Parley P. Pratt, Wilford Woodruff and George D. Watt were chosen to take care of the new enterprise. They worked to simplify the alphabet. Eventually a new alphabet of38 characters was decided upon. However, even with the many positive reasons why the new alphabet would be better than the old, it only lasted until 1869 and was discontinued due to the difficulty of application and use. 
With the hum of labor and domestic life filling the air, President Brigham Young turned to the concerns of the Church. At the general conference, he assigned several members of the Twelve, along with newly called missionaries, to serve foreign missions. They accepted these calls even though they would leave behind their families, their new homes, and many unfinished tasks. In most of these areas, the missionaries had little initial success. However, they sowed seeds that resulted in many coming into the Church in later missionary efforts. 
Brigham Young selected families for new colonies and their names were presented during general conference. The leadership for each new settlement was carefully selected, and persons were chosen to supply the wide variety of useful talents and skills required to build a new town. Farmers were the mainstay of most settlements, but carpenters, millwrights, mechanics, cabinetmakers, plasterers, painters, brick 

makers, masons, dam builders, weavers, tailors, tanners surveyors, butchers, bakers, schoolteachers, musicians, wagon makers, wheelwrights and others were called as needed. 

These colonizers considered that they were called on missions and knew that they would remain in their assigned locales until they were released. They traveled to their new areas at their own expense with their own supplies. Their success depended on how well they used their skills and the resources at hand. They surveyed and cleared fields, built gristmills, dug irrigation ditches to bring water to the area, fenced pastures for their stock, and built roads. They planted crops and gardens, built churches and schools, and tried to maintain friendly relations with the Indians. They helped each other in 
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50 
ARI~ZONA 
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MORMON COLONIZATION 

PLACES AND VOYAGES 
sickness, as well as in births and deaths. The success of the colonization stemmed from the loyalty of the people to their leaders and their unselfish devoted personal sacrifice in carrying out their calls from President Young. The colonists sacrificed material comforts, the associations of friends, and sometimes their lives to follow a prophet of the Lord. 
The settlements were designed to encourage close-knit social life and religious activity. The center square was set apart for a meetinghouse, which served as both church and school. Communities were laid out in square blocks separated by wide streets. Each family had acreage in town for a garden, a small orchard, and sheds for poultry and livestock, but the main planting and herding of cattle took place outside of the township. 
Wednesday, April 6, 1853, could not have dawned a more perfect day. People came from every direction, and a more glorious sight had not been seen for those at Salt Lake City that day. The Deseret National flag was unfurled to the breeze. Nearly all the general authorities of the Church were present for this grand and momentous occasion of the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple. The Nauvoo Brass Band, Captain Ballo's Band, and the Military Band enlivened the air with their sweetest strains. President Young made a few introductory remarks; the choir sang several numbers and prayer was offered by John Taylor. The day was enjoyed greatly by all the pioneers. 
Twice during the 40 years of construction, work came to a standstill. In one instance in 1857, the entire excavation was filled in and the mason work was completely covered up, the ground was plowed and the whole plot presented the appearance of a cultivated field. Johnston's army was approaching Utah and the Saints were preparing to abandon their homes and move south. With peace and understanding restored, 
	the foundation was 	~~~~ Dedicated Aprll6, 1893 
	uncovered and work 	~ 	' 	"mm""" 	' ••• ,,",,""~-,----_. 
	resumed. 		The Making of the Mormon Temple 
The granite for the building was obtained at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, twenty miles to the Southeast. Morris Grover worked in the quarry for 16 years as a stonecutter. These huge granite stones were hauled to Salt Lake taking 3 or 4 days round trip. Few realize how much effort and sacrifice went into the construction of this temple that shows the dedication of the early Saints. 
Endnotes 
Church History in the Fullness of Times. The History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 
Prepared by the CES, and published by the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 1989, 1993. 
History of Tooele County, Tooele County Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, 1961. 
"Statehood," Box Elder County Historical Photo Tour, Utah Statehood Centennial Edition. Graphic Design and Photo Restoration by RG Design, Russ Garn, Brigham City, Utah. 
Treasurers of Pioneer History, Kate B. Carter, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers 1853and 54. 
Our Heritage, A Brief Historv of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-dav Saints, 1996 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
Growing Up In Zion, Susan Arrington Madsen, Deseret Book Company, 1996. The Restored Church. B.H. Roberts, 1965 by Deseret Book Company 
51