MARY MCREE BLACK BROWN, WIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES BROWN

[Also a Biography of George David Black and Family]

by her son George David Black Jr. and his wife, Mary Hunt Black
and their daughter Harriet Erminnie "Minnie" Black Garner

Among those who received the message of Mormonism in the beautiful valley of the Mississippi were George and Mary McCree (sp) Black who was born in Copiah County, Mississippi. They were baptized in 1841 by Daniel Tyler and that same year, George David Black Jr., was born February 18th. The father died of malaria in 1845. After his death Mary lost two little girls with the same disease within two months. The shock was so great that she became very ill and the doctor told her that if she did not go to a warmer climate she, also would die.

During this time of sorrow she sent for Brigham Young. He answered her request bringing with him James Brown. They blessed her and told her to return to her home where she could be with her own people. She took with her the two remaing daughters and son, George David, and went to the home of her husband's people who had become Mormon converts. Again the angel of death visited her and took both of her little girls.

In the spring she returned with missionaries to Nauvoo. Shortly after George David was stricken with malaria and fearing that he, too, would die she sent for Brigham Young to come and administer to him. Brigham came as quickly as possible. "Mary," he said, "I will take him down to the Mississippi River and baptize him for his health." The boy recovered and was made well and strong again.

When the Saints were driven out of Illinois and companies were being formed to go west, James Brown invited Mary and her son to go with the company. This she was glad to do, joining the trains of snow-covered wagons in almost countless numbers that poured of Nauvoo. After reacing Council Bluffs, Iowa, James Brown proposed marriage to Mary.  She accepted and they were married at that place.

When James was made Captain of Company D [Company C] of the Mormon Battalion he took Mary and George David with him on the long journey where they endured untold suffering. Mary cooked and washed for the men. Little David was her joy and consolation during these trying months. Sfter reaching Santa Fe, New Mexico, Captain Brown was detailed to take the women, children and disable soldiers to Pueblo, Colorado where they wintered. In the spring of 1847, they, with other members of the company, again took up the long journey to the valley, arriving in Salt Lake City July 29, 1847.

George David and Mary went north with Captain Brown when he was called to buy and colonize a tract of land on the present site of Ogden bought from Miles Goodyear, an ole trapper with an Indian wife. Mary lived in the log cabin with a dirt floor and the only furniture was a one-legged bed nailed to the wall. When she saw her new home forty miles from a neighbor, she exclaimed, "This is a hard way to serve the Lord." In this community she later became known as an outstanding cheesemaker. She lived to be eighty-six years of age and died a faithful Latter-day Saint.

David grew to manhood and worked many hours on the land. His education was rather meger, but his mother being a cultured woman had taught him to read from the Bible and tried to instill into his young life the wound and lasting principles which would remain with him throughout his mortal exisence. He was baptized and ordained a deacon in 1851.

While the mothers cooked meals over campfires during the sojourn with the Battalion, David often played with Mary, daughter of Captain Charles Jefferson Hunt. After the Mormon Battalion was mustered out and Captain Hunt returned to Utah, he and others, were called to colonize the San Bernardino Valley in California. Thus the children were separated until May was about fourteen years of age when her father and his family were called back to Utah on account of Johnston's Army. The Hunt family located in Ogden. Mary was then a beautiful blue-eyed, dark-haired girl. During all the years, David had retained a love for his childhood sweetheart. When he met her again he vowed that no other man should call her wife. Mary returned his love and they were married September 16, 1861 at the home of Captain Hunt, the ceremony was performed by Joseph A. West, the first bishop of Ogden. Later they were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

The young couple made their home in Ogden untl 1871, where four chlildren were born to them: Nancy Jane Black, George David Black Jr., Charles Jefferson Black, and William Jesse Black. During this time the father took care of large herds of cattle out on Promontory. John Henry Smith also herded cattle in this vicinity and they became staunch friends. George David was a member of the first martial band of Ogden, playing snare drum and he was also a good violinist, playing for the town dances. He was honored as the official cannon shooter of the city. During a 4th of July celebration, while shooting the cannon, he did not get away quickly enough and received a shock which impaired his hearing for the rest of his life.

In the fall of 1871, George David moved his family to Huntsville.  The snow fell so deep that winter it covered the little dugouts in which many of the people lived. David and Mary lived in a one-room log cabin and here on April 21, 1872, Harriet Erminnie Black was born. In March of the next year they were on the move again, settling in Oxford, Idaho, and here they stayed for eleven years. During this time five more children, Joseph Warren Black, John Franklin Black, Mary Abigail Black, Grace Black, and Henry Harrison Black came to bless their home. In 1874, George David was ordained an Elder by John Boice and, in 1875, was made Presiding Elder over the Oxford Branch, Cache Stake of Zion. He held that position for three years and then was chosen first counselor to William F. Fisher who was called from Richmond to be Bishop of the Oxford Ward. The Black family lived in Oxford until the Upper Snake River Valley was being colonized by the Mormons. George David was called by the President of the Stake, William B. Preston, to go and help build up the valley.

So once more they traveled over mountains and through deep sand, through the Bannock Indian Reservation, then a barren desert with only an Indian agency at Fort Hall. "As we drove through Portneuf we children expected every moment a band of Indians would come rushing out of some of those ravines. Finally we reached the great Snake RIver, and crossed the old toll bridge at Eagle Rock, then on to Market Lake. How the old wagon jolted over the lava beds. There were no roads, just a trail to follow. Again we reached the river north of Rexbury. When we found out we must ford the wide deep stream, our hearts almost failed us, but we had come to build a new home and knew that was the only way we could get to it. Father told us not to be afraid. We offered up a prayer to our Heavenly Father, then fater drove into the stream following the sand bar. How happy we were when we reached the opposite side of the mighty river, and reached our lone log cabin near the banks of the north Teton River, November 6, 1883.

"The snow fell that night and we never saw the bare ground again until the first of May. It was a long hard winter. There were no amusements of any kind. Neighbors had to travel back and forth on snowshoes. The older people visited with each other and read a few books they had brought with them, while the children played games and amused themselves as only children can. In March Thomas E. Ricks came from Rexburg and partly organized a Sunday School so we might have something of a spiritual nature."

As Christmas time came near, the younger children began to talk of Santa Claus which made George David and Mary very sad as seventy-five cents was the total sum of money in the house. They talked it over and decided that the children would have a little candy at least. He would drive to Rexburg, a distance of seven and one-half miles. The day before Christmas a raging blizzard came, but David hitched his horses onto an old homemade sleigh and started out. He had to ford two rivers before he reached Rexburg. At the first, the Teton, the horses broke through the ice, plunging into the icy water.  David somehow got hold of the horses bridles and got them back on the bank. It was several hours later when he reached home nearly frozen. Mary, although disappointed that the children would not receive even the candy, was truly thankful that her husband was safe at home again and late that night she made a little candy of the precious sugar on hand and parched som corn. With the help of the older daughter, Minnie, she made rag dolls for the little girls using charcoal to make the hair and eyes and fruit juices to paint their cheeks. The children were overjoyed with their gifts and it can truly be said that this was one of the happiest Christmases spent by the family, for every heart in that humble home was in tune.

The spring found George David busy plowing and planting his precious seed. Along with his other duties he became superintendent of the Wilford Sunday School. He was also presiding Elder of the Wilford Branch. When the bannock Stake of Zion was organized he was chosen a member of the First High Council, and was the senior member. He often walked a distance of twelve miles to attend quorum meetings.

George David was a true friend of the Indians and learned their language. They taught him to hunt and fish and were often amazed when he caught the biggest fish. They named him "Pigga Panguitch" meaning "big fish". After forty years he went to Salt Lake City to attend the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Saints arrival in the Valley. Heree he saw an old Indian woman he had known as the young mother of one of his playmates. He stepped up to her and said, "Loanna" in her language. She was now almost blind. When she recognixed him she cried, "Pigga Panguitch", tears streaming down her face. Members of her tribe had been fed in his home and many would have given their life for him.

George David and Mary passed through all the trials and hardships incident to pioneering a new country. He filled many positions of trust, helped build new meetinghouses and schoolhouses as he was a carpenter and plasterer by trade. While living in Wilford three more children were born to them, Celia Margaret Black, Wallace Edwin Black, and Maudeline Black, the latter dying [March 28, 1899] when she was eight and a half years of age.

In 1903, George David moved his family to Grande Ronde Valley, settling in LaGrande, Oregon, where his son Jefferson Black was bishop, but they did not stay long for they wanted to be with their loved ones in their old Idaho home. When they returned he built a home at Sugar City but again they moved to Oregon to Mount Glen. They eventually moved back to Wilford where he bought another, and as he said "his last home". On April 2, 1912, while riding home from St. Anthony on a heavily loaded wagon of wheat, he was knocked off by some boys who were scuffling, between the wheels of the wagon and was so badly crushed, he died five days later.
------Minnie Black Garner

Found in "Our Pioneer Heritage -- Women and Children of the Mormon Battalion", pages 481-485.
Submitted to this site by Erold C. Wiscombe