I was sent to school at the age of six years. We had a free school system in Scotland. Remained in school until I was 15 years old. October 1846, I went to learn the art of builder and architect with a large firm Wilson and Sons, Edinburgh. I was bound out for five years. My father had to give bonds with two others, a minister and a doctor, for the faithful performance of my duties. I boarded and roomed in the Wilson home. The conditions were I had to be in bed every night except Sunday at nine o'clock p.m. and out of bed at five at the ring of the bell except on Sunday. Every Saturday night we had a ticket to go to the leading theatre in Edinburgh which was a treat as the finest performers were engaged to play in that fine city. We always took the play book with us and followed the performance in the text. I took great pride in it every Saturday night. I received an education in relation to building and architectural work in five years to fit me for any country. Four and half I received my papers in consideration I had made six months working overtime. The firm did well towards me. I filled my contract with them and in three months after left with a very fine record. I was then twenty years old. I was offered a position in the city of Glasgow with the firm of Nairn and Sons. I did nothing but put in fine finishing in the finest of buildings for nine months. They paid me the highest wages every Saturday at two o'clock p.m. The balance of the afternoon you had to yourself. They were the only firm in the city that showed that good feeling to their men. All of their men were first class and had a good record. They had over three hundred men. They wanted men that had served a time and had received their papers from the firm with a record he could do all kinds of work and filled their contracts with them. Young as I was, they were about to put me in as foreman over the finishers with a raise on my wages.

My family were anxious for me to go to Australia; my uncle Thomas Fife had written for me to go into the building business with him in Melborne. He went there in 1844. I had another call from a firm in Manchester, England, (Keay) Kay, Nish and McKean, Builders and Architects. They worked where I served my apprenticeship in Edinburgh and made me a fine offer to come to them. The most of my family were for me to go to Manchester. My grandmother said, "You go there, my boy, and you will prosper and the Almighty will bless you for He is your friend and I know it." I paid strict attention to what my grandmother said for I knew she was a good woman. I was her oldest grandson and she respected me. So on June 15, 1852, I started for Manchester, England, arrived there in good shape. The firm I had come to work for was pleased to see me. I soon got to work. They paid every week. My wages were double what they were in Scotland. My people were all pleased to know I had done so well.

The boarding house I got into was nothing like what I had been used to at home. I put in a month. On Saturday after I got my pay I dressed up and started to find a better place. I did not know the city much. I went just as the spirit moved me. I saw a row of fine brick buildings. I went up to them. I could see a notice in the window "Board and Rooms." I pulled the bell. A young lady opened the door. I went in, took a seat, told her what I wanted. I asked her if she ran the house. She told me it was the Mormon Conference house where the Mormon Elders put up. I told her I never heard of such a people before. I told her I was from Scotland, was sent for to work with a build firm. She said I am also from Scotland. She stated my husband is here on a mission at Liverpool. He will be here tonight. She showed me the rooms etc. Very fine well furnished. I felt at home. She told me the family owning the house were out, would soon be at home. There were pictures on the wall of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, John Taylor, Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young and others. I told them these men look well but I never heard of them before. The man and women arrived--Mr. and Mrs. Davis. They took me over the house. I selected my bedroom etc. with board--in advance per week 12 shillings and six pence. I paid them and sent an express man for my trunk. In a short time the trunk was there, was put in my room, had a chat with Mrs. McDonald. I found she was from the same shire as I was--Perthshire. She thought it strange I had never heard of the Mormon people before. In the evening A. F. McDonald arrived and was pleased to meet one of his own countrymen. He told me his experiences and how he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which he intended to go to Utah as soon as his time was up and live amongst the people and build up a home. I told him that was a good idea. I was very much at home and enjoyed his conversation. He gave me some books to read amongst them The Book of Mormon. Next day being Sunday I went with them to meeting. I rather liked the doctrine that was preached. This was July 1852.

Living at the conference house and meeting so many Elders I soon got the spirit of it and could see great order in the Church and a very great union amongst the people. In August a few Elders arrived from Utah to preach to the people. I enjoyed their preaching and the history they gave of the people in Utah, crossing the plains etc. The first I met was Peregrine Sessions and John L. Fulmer. P.G. Sessions was made president of the Manchester Conference. Was at the conference very often. I received a great amount of information from him. His home was 10 miles north of Salt Lake City. I made up my mind to join the Church. On the sixth day of October 1852, I was baptized by Alfred Lamb, Manchester branch. The next man of importance from Utah was Orson Spencer. He was a great preacher. He put up at the conference house and knowing I had just joined the church made himself very much at home with me. He found out I had never heard of the Church until I come to the conference house. He said, "Brother Fife, you are a fortunate young man. The Almighty through his influence has brought you here and forthwith through the same influence you will go to Zion and do a great work and have sons and daughters too. I say unto you, you get ready and go this coming season. Take a fine gun with you--the best there is in this country, any amount of game on the way. You will have many friends on the way through your kindness."

Very soon after he had told me this two Elders arrived. He asked me to come into a room and stated, "I wish to ordain you to the office of priest." After he got through he said, "When you get to Salt Lake City you will be ordained a seventy." I arrived in Salt Lake City on the 18th October 1853 and on the 15th of December I was ordained a Seventy, as he said, and the 37 Quorum was organized at that time. I was a member of the Quorum as the books will show. Orson Spencer was a great and good man. It did me good to meet such, for such I thank the Almighty. I commenced paying my tithing, temple money and donations to the Elders sent on missions from Utah.

Very soon after I was baptized I was getting big wages for a young man twenty-one years old. When the firm I was working for found out I was making a move to go to Utah, they felt very sore and told me if I would give up the idea, they would raise my wages and put me in a foreman's place. I thanked them for their kindness to me. So when the time arrived I took passage on the last ship of the season, April 6, to New Orleans from Liverpool. I bought me a fine gun with a large amount of ammunition for the trip. It cost me $50.00. I had that gun for many years after. Orson Spencer told me to be sure to take a fine gun along.

We arrived in New Orleans June 1st, 1853. From there to St. Louis by steamboat. One thousand miles to our camp ground to fit out with cattle and wagons for the plains to Salt Lake City. Fifty-six wagons, over 500 people from this camp to Council Bluffs 400 miles then to Salt Lake City 1,000 miles. I carried my Mini rifle on my shoulder from the camp ground to Salt Lake City, 1,400 miles. John Brown, one of the first pioneers was our captain, one of the finest of men. I was appointed carpenter for the company and captain of ten. That was my first office. I killed any amount of yearling buffaloes, deer, antelope, etc. Our company had very little sickness. One half was sent by the emigration fund; the others paid their passage at Liverpool. I paid for myself, and also for Alfred Lamb. He was a poor man and had been a traveling elder for years. He baptized me into the Church. After that most of his family got to Utah and proved to be a good thing for them. Our trip across the plains to me was a walk over. We had a fine Captain. After I got located in Ogden he often visited me.

We arrived in Salt Lake City October 18th 1853, the largest company of the season. Many people visited our camp amongst them President Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, all in a fine rig. The Captain James Brown, introduced me to them stating I had brought into the country a very fine gun. I had made a good use of it, etc. They were pleased with it and to know I joined the Church in Manchester as they had done a big work there while on their mission to England. President Kimball invited me to his house and to have dinner. I paid him a visit. He engaged me at once to take charge of his building business. In the evening he took me in his carriage to a family to room and board--the Winchester family. I boarded with them until I was married July 9th, 1854.

Diana Davis Fife 1836-1884

I was married by Heber C. Kimball in his own house to Miss Diana Davis [daughter of Daniel Davis and Sarah Thomas Davis of south Wales], Box Elder County. The Winchester family got up a very fine wedding dinner. The Kimball and Nebeker family and others were invited. I found my wife in Peter Nebeker's house. We at once went to keeping house in the 19th Ward. Next year I moved into our own house in the 16th Ward. Our first child was born July 10th, 1955, in the 19th Ward, Sarah Jane Fife. We moved into a nice comfortable house of our own October, 1855. Planted an orchard, shade trees, etc. in the 16th Ward. Next spring we were called to go through the Endowment House and get our endowments and be sealed for time and eternity. After that I was called to go to Ogden to build the Tabernacle July, 1856. That fall I built a house in Ogden. In 1857 the Reformation, all of the people renewed their covenants and were rebaptized. This was a great year among the people of Utah. Some very vile corrupt men had been sent as Judges.

President Young was governor of Utah and could not put up with their bad habits etc. Owing to this the whole people got down on them. They could see their only safety was to get away from Utah. They misrepresented their case to President Buchanan. He received their report and acted very unwise and foolish. He gave orders an army should be sent with a new governor, named Cummings.

The summer of 1857 it started for Utah. Under the command of Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston, some 4,000 men, artillery, cavalry and infantry. All of the young men were called out for drill. The Nauvoo Legion, many of them the first pioneers. All of the men had crossed the plains and were ready for business. The territory was declared under martial law, etc. by Governor Young. I was still working on the Ogden Tabernacle at the time attending to all military orders and drill every week. I belonged to the 5th Regiment Nauvoo Legion. On the 16th of August I had a son born William Wilson Fife. Named after my great grandfather, a leading architect in Edinburgh, Scotland, William Wilson.

On the 25th of September our Regiment was called to go north through Cache Valley and on to Soda Springs, as the army was making a move to get into Utah by the north. Our instructions were to burn all of the grass, not to kill anyone, except in self-defense. That was done all through Cache Valley and into Idaho. The Johnston Army, so called, had to turn around and go back to Bridger. They got into a heavy snowstorm in October 1856 and they could not move their guns. They tried to get down Echo Canyon. That was so full of fortifications they could not. So they had to remain in the snow all winter.

When we left Ogden in September, I hired an elderly lady to live with my wife and the two children. Men that could not take the field went around the town cutting up fire wood etc., and did very well. Our command were all ordered back to Ogden by way of Malad Valley and from Ogden we went to Echo Canyon through the snow 2 1/2 feet deep. We took a position in the canyon, dug rifle pits, etc. Before the end of the year we were all called to Ogden and what a time of rejoicing and good felling, I never did see. The Almighty blessed the people and the army had to suffer, and that was the downfall of poor President Buchanan, for the next president was Lincoln.

President Brigham Young proved to be a second Moses. At that very time he astonished the world. Well, the Almighty was with the people. President Young ordered a move of all of the people north of Salt Lake City to the south of Provo. In the spring of 1858 I moved my wife and children to my house in the 16th Ward, Salt Lake City, and afterward to Payson. My wife's family camped with us, the Davis family from Box Elder County. If President Young could not get his rights for the people from the American Government his plan was to move to Sonora, Mexico.

Colonel Thomas L. Kane, a very great friend to the people of Utah, addressed a letter to President Buchanan telling him he made a great mistake in sending an army to Utah, that it was about to bring disunion all over the nation and more than that war. He called a commission appointed to meet with Brigham Young and others to settle the matter for the people not to go into Sonora, Mexico, but return to their homes, and the new Governor Cummings was very anxious to see the people move back. The commission was appointed; all met with Col. Kane in the Council House, Salt Lake City. The matter was settled and orders sent to A. S. Johnston, Commanding, giving him instructions to take his troops 50 miles south of Salt Lake City and locate a camp in Cedar Valley, was to be known as Camp Floyd. I was there on military business, was quartermaster of the 7th Regiment, Nauvoo Legion, with the rank of Captain, when A. S. Johnston's Army passed up Main Street and west to the Jordan. They crossed the river and went to Camp Floyd. This was in June.

Very soon the people began to move back to their homes. The detail guard dismissed; the new governor was much pleased, so was his wife. She was a lady of a woman. He was much thought of by the people. President Young and he got along very well. Camp Floyd very soon got built up. General Johnston was a military man of the first order, strictly attended to his own business and was much thought of by the people of Utah and the army at large. His march through Salt Lake City to Camp Floyd was grand. I enjoyed it. It was a great experience to all of them. They suffered in the long winter from October until May. Their bands never played until they were on the outskirts of the city. They camped on the other side of the Jordan River.

A month after the army got to Camp Floyd, I met President Heber C. Kimball. He told me his sons and others were hauling a great amount of lumber to Camp Floyd. He said I would like to have you go down and take a few contracts, take a few good workmen with you and a partner if you can find one, go direct to A. S. Johnston's quarters and talk with him. As you are posted in your business you may get a contract from him. He said I believe in going to the head. I told him I will go up to Ogden and see what I can do. In a few days I started with a partner, Walter Thompson, and two pretty good workmen with a team of oxen and wagon and our chests. In a few days we got to camp. I carried out President Kimball's plan. I put on a good suit of clothes and started for A. S. Johnston's quarters. The guard told me where I would find him. An officer took me to him. We shook hands. He placed a chair for me to sit on and he sat by me on another. I told him my business. He asked where I lived--Ogden. My partner Mr. Walter Thompson and myself were from Glasgow, Scotland, were trained as architects and builders, can do all kinds of work and have been in Salt Lake City and Ogden for five years doing first class work. He said, "I am very pleased to have you call on me and as you have learned your business in Scotland you have received good training. All of my family came from Inverness, Scotland, in 1772 and settled in Virginia. We are a large family now. I want officers' quarters built, other stores for the infantry etc." He got a drafting board and gave me an idea in relation to what he wanted. He gave me the size. I started and soon gave him the plan of the building. Dinner was sounded. He took me into the officers' dining room. Everything was in order. After dinner I went down with him to look at a big pile of lumber. I told him I can use the most of it. He said, "Mr. Fife, you can have the job and when you get through I will settle."A team and two men were ordered to go with me to get our tools etc. and my partner and two men. We all got to work. In two weeks the quarters were finished. He settled, highly pleased with our work and the way we put it through. We next built a large building for the 10th infantry. Gilbert and Gemish through his recommend we got that then livery stables for Hooper and Williams his recommend, a large hotel outside the garrison for Thomas and Drum, St. Louis, his recommend, a large hall for the camp for the different orders to meet in. We had ten men carpenters etc. working for us by December. We got finished and settled up. Walter Thompson and myself had $1600.00 coming to us.

When I arrived in Salt Lake City, Heber C. Kimball was pleased to know we had done well for all and had the good will of General Johnston. We got to Ogden. Our families and friends were glad to meet us. We then went to work on the Tabernacle at Ogden. The way opened up so we made a finish of the building. We started in on January, 1859, and finished it for dedication October 10th of the same year.

"Douglas fir logs were cut and dragged from Spring Creek Canyon to build cabins [at Providence, Cache, Utah]. The houses faced one another across a narrow road, which could be closed with wagons at each end to make a fort. On 25 April 1859 Peter Maughan visited Spring Creek to establish a religious organization. He chose Samuel Campbell as presiding elder. The first indoor meetings were held in a log meeting-and-schoolhouse erected by John Maddison and William Fife. By August there were sixteen families living at the fort; the following month, a child (Hannah Priscilla Thompson) was born at Spring Creek." --http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/p/PROVIDENCE.html Utah History Encyclopedia, "Providence and Her People" (1974), Doran J. Baker.

I had a daughter born October 7, 1859, Diana Fife [married Valasco Farr in 1881]. So I had a son and a daughter born while I was working on the building[s].

Diana Fife Farr c. 1899
-Photo courtesy of Vicki Lien Holley
A gift from her grandmother, Ruth White Parkinson in 1957

Walter Thompson and I were partners in the building business. I bought a lot from M. D. Herrick, paid $500.00 for it on 26th street, half a block east of Washington or Main Street. The spring of 1862 planted the one acre lot into a fine orchard and in a few years had all kinds of fruit. John D. Fife another son born September 24th, 1863. I was appointed marshal of Ogden 1861. War declared between North and South. The Johnston's Army was called away from Utah. Most of them killed in battle. General A. S. Johnston took sides with the South and was the leading general at the Battle of Shiloh. There he lost his life April 7, 1862. A great battle. This was the turning point in the war in favor of the Union.

We in Utah were at peace with all mankind except a few Indians and we looked after them and brought them to time. The mines opened in Montana and was a good thing for Ogden as we were having big crops and sold at a good price. All was peace in Utah. Every man to work building up the country. In 1863 Pocatello's band of Indians were making trouble in Idaho. Had been killing the emigrants moving from the States to settle Washington, Montana, etc. President Lincoln sent orders to make an attack on them on Bear River in January. The snow was four feet deep. Colonel Conner's volunteers of California and Nevada were called to take the field and had a fierce battle the latter part of January 1863. They were badly used up. Chief Sagwich got into the river and made his escape. All of the other chiefs were killed, over 400 other Indians. Colonel Conner's Command lost 26 killed and over 30 wounded. I was called upon to go as a guide as I knew the country in that section. I took charge of the wounded etc., was the marshal of Ogden at that time. I took all of the wounded men to the city hall where they were well cared for. Doctors from Fort Douglas met me there and operated on some of them. Two died. Lt. Darwin Chase died on the way to Ford Douglas next day. I got a fresh outfit at Ogden and very soon got to Ford Douglas over the snow over two feet deep all of the way. Then men soon got well. That settled the Indians so that they let the emigrants alone.

The war was going on between the North and South. The Union army by this time was a powerful army. Soon after came the surrender. Glad tidings of great joy all over. The people of Utah were all of the time for the Union and always stood by the flag. This I know for I had taken a very active part in our military and knew the feelings of the people. After the war Utah was reorganized and all called upon to study General Upton's U.S. new tactics and every county made a military district; the same as the U.S. Army, under the direction of the Governor Dunkee. He was the last one appointed by Pres. Lincoln. Was a very active man and took a very great interest in military affairs in Utah territory, could see they made good soldiers. In 1866 Ogden and Weber County were made a military district, 12 companies with brass and martial bands. The martial band was the finest in the territory. R. D. Sprague of the Mormon Battalion, the great drum major. He took great pride in it. The Governor and army officers often met with us. On the 8^th of October 1866 I had the privilege of marrying Captain James Brown's widow Phebe Abbott Brown in Ogden, Utah.  Phebe had an eleven-year-old daughter Phoebe Adelaide Brown and a three-year-old son, Orson Pratt Brown from her previous marriage. Shortly after my marriage to Phebe Abigail Abbott Brown I moved my first wife Diana Davis Fife and our children into Phebe's large home. Phebe welcomed us warmly and made us at home.

Phebe Abbott Brown Fife, c. 1866

On the 4th of July an election was held in the Ogden Tabernacle. I was elected Colonel of the first Regiment, First Brigade, Weber Military District. Drilled every Saturday at 10 o'clock a.m. Tabernacle Square, Ogden, in the new tactice of the U. S. Army and 3 days drill at Camp Weber on the north line of Weber County. The Regiment numbered over 1000 strong, officers and men, a fine body of men. All of them had the experience of crossing the plains.

August 17th, 1866, I had a son born Walter Thompson Fife. That year I sold my acre orchard and house to Wm. McKay for $4,000,00. and moved to the north part of Ogden on Washington and 22nd Street. On Adams and 21st I bought 3 acres for another orchard. Put in two acres and one for pasture. Planted this orchard 1867 with Box Elder shade trees on the sidewalk.

This year {1867] Cynthia Abigail "Abbie" Fife was born on the 22nd of July. (Captain Brown's widow Phebe Abigail Abbott Brown Fife is Cynthia's mother.) On November 2, 1867 Cynthia Abbott, Phebe's sister, also married William Nicol Fife. Cynthia Abbott and Phebe Abbott Brown were two of William Nicol Fife's plural wives.)

Cynthia Abbott Fife, sister of Phebe Abbott Brown Fife, and wife of William N. Fife

In 1868 I took a contract to build six miles of railroad. Took Joseph Parry as a partner. On the C. P. Railroad to California 200 miles west of Ogden. We did well. We cleared over $2,000.00. January 11, 1869, I had a daughter born, Agnes A. Fife. In 1869 the Union Pacific Railroad got to Ogden.

I was still marshal of Ogden, had a big celebration. I was marshal of the day. All of the leading people of the territory were present. This movement established the junction at Ogden. In a few days after the celebration the Central Pacific arrived. A mixed multitude of people we had at Ogden from all parts of the world. We had to put on more police, all men of experience. I had an extra jail built at the depot to hold the prisoners. I was kept pretty busy. After a little I organized a chain gang and put evil doers to work on the streets.

Four military officers arrived from Washington on their way to California and Arizona. On their arrival they inquired for me as Colonel of Weber military district. Major General Stoneman, and two majors, and one captain. I found them and took dinner. I took them to the mouth of Ogden Canyon to the pine bridge, at the turn of the river. It was built 1863 out of mountain red pine. I had 25 men with me--was a strong piece of work. They gave me credit for it. From there I took them to the junction of the two rivers, Ogden and Weber. To the lake next day. Brigham Young telegraphed me to come to Salt Lake City. Then we had a fine time with President Young. General Stoneman was a lieutenant in Colonel Cook's Regiment. The Mormon Battalion belonged to the same Regiment and all had made the march together to California which was the closing scene of the Mexican War. After that interview he had with these officers of the army he made up his mind to send one of his sons to West Point Academy. He sent Willard and after a grandson, Richard W. Young, served their time with their government and after in the war with Spain. Very prominent officers, well known for their ability in military matters.

President Young was well pleased with me in taking the officers to my house and to the canyon etc. He said I want to confer a certain mission on Colonel Fife, that is when you meet any more officers of the army, bring them to me and I will furnish you a pass by the year. I received that as long as he lived. The officers went back with me to Ogden and at my house held a reception of the leading men, mayor of city, city council, and the martial bands of my regiment made military music for the company. I sent my son William W. Fife with a few others to Ogden Canyon and they caught some fine trout fish for the affair.

The next officer was General P. Sheridan and wife and daughter. I went with them to Salt Lake City. Next day visited President Young and had a very fine time, together called on General Wells, General of the Nauvoo Legion. Visited Fort Douglas. I took them to the Temple Block. They could see the work going on the temple etc. Then went back with me and on to San Francisco. Many others of note I went with.

I was still marshal of Ogden and got to be pretty well known all over. I attended to my business and anything I undertook I carried it through. In 1870 I was appointed U. S. Deputy Marshal, also Coroner for Weber County. In 1871 a daughter born (Emma). A great many very bad men that followed the building of the railroad to Ogden killed one another. I held many inquests, and soon got rid of all such. From 1869 until 1873 was kept very busy. I stood it well. We had a good police force, well armed and men of experience. Ogden at this time was building up pretty fast. I was appointed inspector of buildings.

In 1873 President Brigham Young called me in August to go to Scotland on a mission as the elders there were sick. He wanted strong men that would not get sick. He wanted to know if I could go by the 15th of October. I told him I could. He stated you will meet your family and have a rest. I have been away 21 years. Fifteen of us left Ogden on the 15th of November for different parts of the British mission, took the White Star Line for Liverpool, cabin passage $50.00. Fine voyage. Was ten days from New York. I took with me a large case of apples, pears and fine fruit to show my people what we could do in Utah in fruit raising out of my young orchard on Adams Avenue, Ogden.

I went to my grandmother, my mother's mother, Mrs. Mary Nicol. She was over 90 years, a most wonderful woman. Over 90 of my relatives were to her home to see the man from Utah and the fruit preached a big sermon. Ministers and leading people many of them knew me when a boy. My father was still living, died six months after, was at his funeral, was 76 years of age. My grandmother states, "Many of your folks found fault with you when you joined the Mormon Church." I had a fine picture of my family with me. It took well. She stated, "You have done better than all of them. Many said you would never come back." She stated, "I always knew you would and the Almighty has blessed you with a fine, beautiful family, and located in a fine part of America." She said, "I know Brigham Young is a pure and good man. I do not care what
they say here in this country. Every tree is known by its fruit." My grandmother always was a reader of scriptures. She always took great interest in me being her oldest grandson etc.

I enjoyed my mission and never was sick. I hunted up my genealogy at the register office and all of the clerks took an interest in it. I paid them well for it. When the temple was finished I was told to come with my family and do a work for the dead. We attended to this important part. They told me in the register office, Edinburgh, I was the only man of the name Fife that had hunted up his genealogy, up to that time of 1874. We cannot do too much for the dead. I was appointed by Joseph F. Smith April 1874 to take charge of the Scotch mission and take charge of the emigration, as many were going to Utah that year. October I was called to take charge of the last company of the season from Liverpool by way of New York to Ogden, Utah. Crossed in the steamship Nevada, a very fine passage. I had a cabin passage, free ticket all the way to Ogden, took on fifty passengers at New York, had no sickness. All got to Ogden in good shape. Had in all over 300 passengers.

I was wanted to take charge of the finishing of the Court House, Ogden. Got out the style and finish and went ahead. The finish got the best workmen I could in Ogden and Salt Lake City. Put my son William W. Fife to work with me, and he got fine instructions, as it was first class work. It made a fine workman of him. I named him after my great-grandfather, William Wilson, an Edinburgh architect of very high order. He went from Scotland to Hamburg, Germany, to do some work for that city and married an architect's daughter and brought her to Edinburgh. That is my grandmother Nicol's mother. Her maiden name was Mary Wilson. That is my grandmother that was 90 years old when I was on my mission in 1873 and her mother's name was Mary Monkis, my great-grandmother from Hamburg.

[Church historian states that on Wednesday, September 14, 1874 the steamship Wyoming sailed from Liverpool England with 155 Saints, under the direction of Wm. N. Fife. The company arrived at New York October 26^th and at Salt Lake City on November 5^th.]

My son William W. Fife was a natural born architect and also a very fine workman. He was born while I was working on the Ogden Tabernacle 1857 and worked with me on the Court House 1875. I had four young men working with me learning the trade 1876. They got after me to be marshal on the day of the Fourth of July 1876, Centennial Celebration for the Territory. I was appointed by the Governor, had 16 aides, held at Kay's Grove, on the Ogden River, formed the procession on Tabernacle Square by 10 o'clock a.m. All was on the move. The 15th Infantry Band took the lead, all the states and territories were represented. Washington and Staff, The Ladies of Liberty, Miss Ferry, the artillery was sent me from Fort Douglas. Ogden never had such a crowd and martial music and Brass Bands from all over. Uncle Sam was well represented in Ogden for the Territory of Utah, America 100 years old and a glorious future as a nation.

It makes me feel good when I think of it what a great people made up from all of the nations of the earth, a land of liberty where they can make happy homes for themselves and children. Utah had not been behind in this. The Almighty God is at the head and will be for this nation is good to the poor, and has always assisted in times of trouble and I believe the American Flag will lead. Time will tell.

In 1876 the black smallpox was brought to Ogden. A few sick people got off the train and sent to the pest house. Some of them died, turned black all over. The men in charge of the place burned their clothes. The smoke from them settled all over the city and the people were taken down with the same sickness. And it was alarming. Over 500 people taken down with it in a few weeks. Walter Thompson's daughter was the girl who first got the small pox in 1870. She lived but was pox marked. She wore a sunbonnet for a year. The city of Ogden was at once placed under quarantine regulations for 90 days. The people of Salt Lake got alarmed. President Brigham Young had a meeting called in the Tabernacle to select someone to take charge and run it, hire help, etc. That was attended to and I was the officer they wanted as I had passed through just such a scene brought in by the railroad May 1870. Was marshal at the time. I got a rig and moved the people up to Farr's Grove, known now as Glenwood (Lorin Farr Park). Put up tents, placed guards so that no one could get there without my consent. Being a military man, I saw that order was needed and I strictly carried it out, and all operating with me to check this smallpox. The mayor, Lorin Farr, and alderman Herrick trained as to assist me. In a week they were taken down with it and had to be taken to the grove. I hunted around and found a few young people that had had the disease in England. They said not so bad as this. I kept moving them to the grove. I had moved in all 169. Was three months before I got rid of it. Hired men to do the washing and buried the clothes, some of them for good. I allowed no burning of clothes. In three months I raised the quarantine.

The merchants after did a big business. So my experience in 1870 being good, the people in 1876 thought I had better drop all building business and take the field. The same feeling from the people of Ogden. I said to the mayor, "The voice of the people is the voice of God." The first month I worked very hard on horseback and rig. I put a flag up at every house taken down and had to for some time take all they needed as families. I disinfected day and night until I could see I was killing it. After I disinfected in the daytime put women nurses for their sex, and men for men, hired strong men that had been down with it I and were not afraid of it. What few that died we buried them at night. I never got home to my family, stayed at the city hall. The city council gave me full authority. That was a good move. All of my orders I sent through the city recorder.

I feel the Almighty blessed me in doing this work. I never was sick. I remember C. W. Penrose was running a paper in Ogden at the time. He made the remark I looked well. He said you never were afraid of the smallpox. The quarantine was raised a few days before Christmas 1876. The council had me ride all over for two weeks in case anything might take place. By this time I was home with my family.

A month after I went to Salt Lake City with my wife. In Mr. Jenning's store I met President Brigham Young and Brigham Jr. They were pleased to see me looking so well. He blessed me and said God was with you and you did your duty as an officer and if you had done the same work in the city of San Francisco, you would have a pension for life. He was a man with a big mind and full of charity for his fellowmen.

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Colonel William Nicol Fife was a member of the 37th Quorum seventies and a member Ogden Stake High Council. He was the Coroner in Weber County from 1869-1880. He held the office of Ogden City marshall from 1861-1876 and deputy U.S. marshal in 1866. Colonel William Nicol Fife served on the 1st Regiment Weber military district. He was also an architectect and builder. (PPM Page 870). Fife was the husband to three wives: Diana Davis Fife, Phoebe Abigail Abbott Brown Fife, and Cynthia Abbott Fife.

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[Written in the Journal of Fife's stepson Orson Pratt Brown:

"Then in the month of October of 1880, my stepfather William Nicol Fife, his two sons Walter Thompson Fife and John Daniel Fife and my mother Phoebe, sister Cynthia and myself started on a trip to Arizona. We had one team of horses, two mule teams and three wagons as we traveled down through the settlements of Southern Utah. We arrived at Johnson, the most southern settlement in Utah, about the 20^th of December we got on top of the Buckskin Mountains now known as Kiabab forest. There it snowed about six feet deep that night and one pair of our mules left us. We hunted them all day, but the snow had obliterated their tracks, so we had no success. I put a quilt over the back of one of the mules and went to Johnson, thinking they had gone there. I reached Johnson about two o’clock in the morning nearly frozen to death, but I was too shy to awaken anyone and crawled into a haystack beside some hogs and waited until daylight. The mules were not there, but I found a man with a bunch of horses coming from Montana and going to Arizona, so I arranged with him to borrow a pair of his horses to continue our journey to Arizona. …

 We came down off the Buckskin Mountains and arrived at Lee's Ferry. There we met a company of men with teams and equipment going to work

                                                             (2)

 …on the Santa Fe Railroad that was just being built. They told us that a man by the name of Johnson had found our mules and had taken them to a little town about 60 miles north east of Lees Ferry. My stepfather arranged with the Montana Man to let me have a horse and saddle to go after them. I left Lees Ferry in a snowstorm and arrived at a little town called Peoria about four o’clock in the next afternoon, wet and cold. There I learned that Johnson had taken the mules to Hillsdale, 125 miles north east of Peoria. Instead of going to Hillsdale I returned to the town of Johnson where the father of the mule thief lived. Joel Johnson wrote his son in Hillsdale asking him to return the mules to Johnson. After waiting about ten days, Joel Johnson received word that his son had sent the mules with the mail carrier to a town of Kanab that was sixteen miles west of Johnson. I immediately went to Kanab and saw the mules in a corral. When the lady who answered the door of the house nearby told me that there was a $20.00 bill against the mules, I was sunk. Then she asked me to come in and wait for her husband who was the sheriff. She asked who I was and where I had come from. When I told her tears came to her eyes and she embraced me and said over and over again—“Can it be true? Is it possible? Why your father saved the lives of my father and mother and my husband’s father and mother together with their children. He saved then from starving to death!”

 When the sheriff came in he said—“Look who is here—it is the son of Captain James Brown and Phoebe, from Ogden.” The sheriff then embraced me and cried with joy.

1879-1880 Christmas Dinner While Searching For Lost Mules

It was Christmas day and of course I (16) joined them in a big turkey dinner. When the meal was over, the sheriff went to the corral with me to catch the mules. He helped me saddle one of them, and he bucked and bucked all around the corral. “Young man”, said the sheriff “Do you think you can ride him? Why he’s never been broke yet.” “Yes, I can” I said “I have to this pony I’m riding is too weak to make the trip.” So he held him and I got on. He bucked around and around again, and then I got him under control. The sheriff’s wife brought me a great bag of food, enough to last several days. I told the sheriff I didn’t have the money to pay him for the mules and he said, “You don’t owe me anything, and when I catch that damn rascal who stole your mules I’ll put him in jail.”

I arrived at Johnson Town about sundown and spent the night there. The next morning it was snowing and sleeting and I arrived at the sheep camp about noon. The boys invited me to stay there, and it snowed the rest of the afternoon and all night. The next morning I started again. The snowing had stopped and it had turned cold and clear. That night I dug a hole in the side of the hill, but I had neither bedding nor any wood with which to make a fire, I very nearly froze.

The next evening I arrived at Lee's Ferry and the next morning ferried across the big Colorado River. About noon of that day I saw a team of mules grazing. Imagine my joy at finding that it was my stepfather William Fife and his son Walter. We remained there that night and the next morning went to Willow Springs where mother and sister Cynthia and John Fife were waiting our arrival.

                                                             (3)

That was indeed a time of rejoicing. Mother said that she knew we were coming for she had dreamed that she saw me come in with the mules.

The next morning we started out again. And after two or three days we arrived at the new colony Sunset, where President Lott Smith had established the United Order. It was a new experience for me to see all of the people of the colony sit at the long tables in the big hall and eat together. We remained there two or three days, and President Smith invited is to join the colony. They treated us nicely and it was some regret that we pushed on.

1880 Through Snowflake, Stories of Chief Victoria

We kept going south arriving at the Mormon colonies of H. Joseph Woodruff t Snowflake and to Fort Apache, where we were advised by the Colonel in command that the notorious Indian Chief Victoria had gone on the par path and had attached a government ambulance, killing some of the soldiers and mules. We stayed at Fort Apache for two days and then started south again until we reached Camp Tomas on the Gila River. On we went again for three or four days until we came to Pima, which was a new Mormon settlement….

1883  Chief Loco Leaves the Reservation

When I arrived at the sawmill after the trip from Bisbee and the Bisbee murderer. I went home to the Fife Ranch [Oak Grove Ranch] and then shortly afterwards the bandit subchief Loco broken away from his Chief Geronimo from the San Carlos reservation with about 75 young warriors. They came down through the Sulphur Spring Valley and then crossed into the San Salmon county north of Fort Vuhi(sp) and when they got opposite of little town of Gayly(sp) Bill thirteen of them crossed over the mountain and into the Pionery(sp) Canyon. My step brother John Fife and two men one by the name of Tom Fernoy and the other John Lobby went up the canyon with four mules and two wagons after mining timber. When they had just crossed the Pionery(sp) Creek they were attacked. Tom Fernoy was shot through the head and killed instantly. John Lobby as he ran down the road was shot 7 times in the back and killed. John Fife was shot through the left forearm and in the right leg. Just about the wrist. He kept to the bottom of the canyon running as fast as he could arriving at the little mining camp by the home of Tip Top. He arrived at the little mining camp about three and one half miles from the place where he had been wounded.

 A runner came to the ranch about midnight advising us of what had happened as we had had previous arrangement that in case of serious Indian troubles. We were to congregate at the Riggs Ranch about six miles north of our place. We had no wagons nor teams available. There were three of us men, John Sponseller, a man by the name of Stevens, and myself. We all got up and dressed. Also there was my mother, my sister Cynthia, Aunt Diana Fife, and her daughter Agnes. We all went over the trail on foot.  I was taking the trail on foot ahead and the other two men coming behind the women folks. We arrived at the Riggs Ranch about three o'clock in the morning. About five o'clock Thomas Riggs hitched up his mules on his team wagon and went up the Tip Top to get Hon Fife. There was a man by the name of Colonel Clutt who was general superintendent of the Tip Top and mining and smelting company. When we got there up in the canyon a little ways we men, Colonel Clutt on horseback, a Lieutenant of the U.S. Army, and about twenty- five soldiers. Stringing along behind them was about seventy-five miners and other men from the camp. They had become stampeded; they were scared half to death, as we got up to the camp.  John my brother was lying under a tree with five soldiers guarding him. They said, "If you hadn't arrived they were going to tie him on a mule and bring him out." We lifted him into the spring wagon where we had a mattress springs and started down the canyon….

INCIDENT AT THE FIFE'S OAK GROVE RANCH

 I went to work building a little ranch about five miles to the east of the home ranch [Oak Grove Ranch located at the mouth of Pinery Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains], when one night my brother Charles Fife and William Nilson, who were living at the Fife Ranch, came to my camp and said that Aunt Diana Davis Fife had been murdered by a Mexican. I got my horse and started out, I found out that the murderer had gone to a ranch about seven miles north from the Fife Ranch and had gotten some supper that night at a small ranch belonging to Italian Joe [John Deminiski]. We called him and spent the rest of the night looking for this man at a little mining camp called "Dos Cabezaz"?  We met Deputy Sheriff [Ward] who had been advised of the killing and were on their way to the Fife Ranch.  My brother Charly and Billy Nelson accompanied the two deputy sheriffs and I went by the Riggs Ranch to see if they had found out anything, one of the Riggs boys said to me, "YES, THEY FOUND HIM." and that was all he would say, as I came near to the Fife Ranch I looked at a big oak tree and there sure enough was the Mexican hanging with a rope around his neck.

Diana Davis Fife

I caught up with the deputy sheriff before they got to the ranch. They asked me if I had heard anything and I said "No, I haven't heard much, but I've seen the biggest acorn that I ever saw hanging to a black jack oak tree." One of them smiled and said "then they got him did they?" and I said, "Yes." A posse of settler's had captured him. We went back to the ranch where they were getting ready to bury Aunt Diana Fife, the ranchers from all around the country that had heard of it were there. It was a very sad, sad funeral, this Mexican murderer tried to grab little Agnes who was 12 years old, and had made a proposal to the Mexican who was working on the Ranch that they burn the ranch, steal the horses, and take the girl, but the Mexican fought him and ran him off and went to the nearest ranch for help.

1887    Orson Prepares to Leave Safford for Mission to the Mexican Mormon Colonies

So I began to arrange my affairs [and obtain my passport] and on the first of May 1887 I started on my journey towards Mexico. Apostle Thatcher on returning to Mexico had stopped at the Fife Ranch and there advised my Mother to go to Mexico. So I went to the Fife Ranch and from there to Thatcher and on arriving there my stepfather, William Fife, who had brought his last wife and children from Ogden, was to have sold out his ranch and come to Mexico also. But instead of him coming to Mexico he sold out his ranch and went back to Utah.

 See Orson Pratt Brown's Journals for more information.]

"A wide-awake, useful career, thrilling and even tragic in some of its phases, is that of William N. Fife, a prominent citizen of Weber county, who has also been a colonizer in Arizona. A native of Scotland, he was born at Kincardine, Perthshire, on the 16th of October, 1831. His parents were John and Mary M. Nicol Fife. The father was reared on a farm, but later in life followed surveying as a profession. William received a good education, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to a carpenter and builder for a period of five years.

At the end of his apprenticeship he found employment in the city of Glasgow, with the firm of J. Nairn and Sons, builders, and remained with them for nine months, after which he fitted out for Melbourne, Australia, to go into the building business with his uncle, Thomas Fife, who for eight years had been a resident of that land.

He sailed from Glasgow August 2, 1852, and next day reached Liverpool, intending to travel through England and re-sail in the winter from London. At Manchester he entered into a contract with a building firm for one month, and took lodgings in a house which proved to be the Mormon conference house. There he met Alexander F. McDonald, Cyrus H. Wheelock and other missionaries from Utah, and was converted to their faith. He was baptized by an Elder named Lamb, and confirmed by one Elder France, on the first day of October. The course of his life was now completely changed; he thought no more of going to Australia, but made up his mind to emigrate to Utah.

On the 7th of April, 1853, he sailed with a company of Latter-day Saints for New Orleans, where he arrived on the 2nd of June. There he met John Brown, the Utah Pioneer, who took charge of this the last company that crossed the plains to Salt Lake valley that season. Mr. Fife was the carpenter and a captain often among these emigrants, whom he helped to fit out at Keokuk, Iowa. They started from that point on the 27th of June—fifty-five wagons, with two yoke of oxen to each wagon—and reached Salt Lake City on the 20th of October. Seven lives were lost between Liverpool and the end of the journey.

Mr. Fife's first employer in Utah was President Heber C. Kimball, with whom he remained, in charge of his building business, for eighteen months, and at whose house he married, July 9, 1854, his first wife, Miss Diana Davis, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Davis; President Kimball performing the ceremony. Their first child, Sarah Jane Fife, was born July 10, 1855, at her father's home in the Sixteenth Ward.

In the fall of 1856, the Fife family moved to Ogden, the head of the house having entered into a contract to complete the Tabernacle in that city. His partner was Walter Thompson. The other parties to the contract were Chauncey W. West and Albern Alien. His first son, William Wilson Fife, was born at Ogden, August 16, 1857. This was the year of the Echo Canyon war, in which Mr. Fife, who had seen volunteer service in the Indian troubles of 1853, and had risen from corporal to second lieutenant in the militia, figured as first lieutenant and subsequently as quartermaster, with the rank of captain. He went with the Weber and Box Elder militia to head off Colonel Alexander, who was endeavoring to enter Salt Lake valleys by way of Soda Springs; and afterwards served in Echo Canyon. Returning from the "move," Mr. Fife next entered into building contracts at the military post rounded by the government troops in Cedar valley.

"This," says he, "brought a great amount of money into the Territory, in company with my old friend, Walter Thompson, I started for Camp Floyd, arriving there September 15, 1858. We entered into a contract to put up government buildings at the post. We were treated with great courtesy by General Johnston and the other officers, and profited handsomely by our contract, in 1859 we built a tannery for West and Hammond at Ogden; also stables for Wells Fargo and Company, who were running a stage line from Salt Lake City to Montana, in 1860 I helped to finish the Seventies' Hall in Salt Lake; and later assisted to build the Ogden House for C. W. West, a store for William Jennings at Salt Lake City, and many other buildings of note.

Page 163

In April, 1862, Mr. Fife was appointed city marshal of Ogden, succeeding James McGay, and was elected to the same office February 1, 1863, and re-elected for many succeeding terms. Subsequently he was coroner for Weber county and pound-keeper of his district, in April, 1863, he was a member of the High Council of Weber Stake, in the fall of 1864, he presided over the local dramatic association.

All along he continued to be active and prominent in military matters. As regimental Adjutant, he organized the first company of militia in Ogden valley, July 24, 1862. in January following he witnessed the battle of Bear River, where Colonel Connor annihilated the hostile Shoshones of Southern Idaho. Marshal Fife assisted in getting teams to convey the wounded soldiers to Ogden. On July 1, 1866, he became a Colonel of Infantry hi the Weber Military district.

In 1868, when contracts were let to build the grade of the transcontinental railroad across Utah, he, with Joseph Parry, to whom he was second counselor in the third ecclesiastical district of Ogden, took a contract to build several miles of the Central Pacific road between Promontory and Ogden. Between September 28 and the following December they completed the work, paying off their men and doing well for themselves. At the jubilation over the advent of the iron horse into Ogden Mr. Fife was marshal of the day. About this time he acted as a school trustee, and at all times did everything in his power for the improvement and advancement of the town. Concerning some of the events following the advent of the railroad he says:

"In May, 1870, the smallpox was brought into Ogden, supposedly by an Indian squaw. The first person taken down with it, a Mrs. Eggleston, died, and later some of Walter Thompson's family were afflicted with it, and one died. John Murphy and his wife also fell sick, and Mayor Farr thought it best to move them up on Brick Creek. Accordingly I erected a lumber room and moved them to it, furnishing them with food and other necessaries. The city was placed under quarantine, and I was instructed to follow up the disease with disinfectants and place a yellow flag in front of every afflicted house. I attended to this duty personally. By July forty cases were moved from their city homes to Farr's Grove on the banks of the Ogden river, the Mayor assisting me in this work. Very soon he was taken down with the disease, though in a mild form, and was also moved to the grove, where at the end of July I had eighty-nine cases. I got good kind nurses for the sick, and by strict regulations in the camp and the city the contagion was prevented from spreading any further. About half the people in camp I furnished with supplies from Z. C. M. I, at the expense of the city. A great portion of the time I was on the move day and night, and though handling most of the sick people in taking them to the grove, I was not attacked by the disease. Only seven of the eighty-nine cases proved fatal, and by the end of October all survivors were back in their homes. In 1876 the smallpox again took Ogden by storm, and as city marshal I worked day and night to destroy the disease. It was practically a repetition of my former experience, though most of the sick were quarantined in their own homes. Many lives were saved, and by the 28th of December the quarantine was raised. The scourge lasted over three months. The city paid me well for my services, and many leading men of the town presented me with tokens of respect.

"Many strangers from East and West had made their homes in Ogden; the hotels were crowded, and the railroads brought many bad characters. I had plenty to do, making many arrests, newly equipping the police force, furnishing and refitting the city hall and adding more cells for prisoners. Among the cases brought to justice was a man named Lee, living with some ticket brokers at the Ogden depot. He had committed a dastardly outrage on a Mrs. Parley, a lady from the East. I followed him to Tacoma, Nevada, and arrested him in bed in the presence of four of his friends; a local officer accompanying me. I hand-cuffed my man and brought him back to Utah, where he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary for four years."

In the fall of 1873 Mr. Fife went on a mission to his native land, and at Glasgow hunted up and visited his relatives, whom he had not seen for twenty-three years. None of them knew him. He found his father and his grandmother, the latter in her ninety-third year. He describes it as "a great meeting." He fulfilled a successful mission, baptizing many, and having charge of the Mormon emigration from Glasgow to Liverpool, by appointment of President Joseph F. Smith. He returned home in November, 1874. From 1877 to 1880 he superintended the erection of various buildings, the last being the Central schoolhouse at Ogden, considered at the time the finest school building in the Territory.

He next turned his attention to the South, starting early in November, 1880, with a view to exploring in Arizona and Mexico. He was accompanied by his second wife, a

Page 164

[Phebe Abbott Brown] widow of Captain James Brown; and by her son Orson, her daughter Cynthia and his first wife's sons, John D. and Walter T. Fife. By way of Kane county they crossed the Buckskin mountains, the Big and Little Colorado rivers, and arrived on the Gila February 1, 1881. After exploring a week in that vicinity they proceeded on through the San Simon valley, struck the S. P. R. R. (just completed) and thence by way of the Apache Pass reached the great Sulphur Spring valley, where Mr. Fife left his family while he explored Sonora in Mexico; an account of which he wrote to President John Taylor. In the Sulphur Spring valley, at a place called Oak Grove, he located a fine ranch, and there, on the closing day of 1881, was joined by his first wife, Diana, his eldest son William W. and his daughter Agnes.

The country in which they settled, which was grassy, wooded and fertile, was claimed by the Chiricahua Apaches, who because of their blood-thirstiness had been placed by the government on the San Carlos reservation. In the spring of 1882 these Indians broke away from the reservation, got into the mountains and went into Mexico, some of them also making a raid on the Arizona ranches. "My teams," says Mr. Fife, "were at the time in Pinery Canyon, nine miles above the ranch, at Lobley's logging camp; my son John D. being engaged in hauling logs to the silver mines at Tombstone. The Indians surprised them, killing Lobley and his partner, Fenroy. My son made for the hills and defended himself, fighting them alone, fifteen in number. He received two wounds; they tried to burn him out, but he made his escape; the animals were run off by the Indians. He was taken to Rigg's Ranch, and afterwards to my home. We followed the Indians, who went through the mountains to Sonora. I now built an adobe house to supplement my frame house, and provided it with port-holes on three sides as a protection against Indians. Soon after this I was visited by Brothers Erastus Snow, Moses Thatcher and Christopher Layton, whom I assisted in exploring for the benefit of our people." Mr. Fife also aided General Crook, who had been sent by the government to put the Indians back upon the reservation. He speaks of him as a brave, wise and kind officer. The Indians yielded to his persuasions, and he did the country a great service.

And now came an episode that cast a deep shadow over a career for the most part happy and prosperous. On the 10th of September, 1883, Mrs. Diana Fife was murdered at Oak Grove ranch by a Mexican desperado, whose purpose seems to have been plunder. The day before the deed was done Mr. Fife had gone to the nearest Wells Fargo Company's office, forty-five miles away, to express money to some of his folks who had been to the St. George Temple and were expected home after visiting friends in Ogden. His sons John and Walter were down on the bottom lands, cutting hay, and the only ones at the ranch were his wife Diana, her daughter Agnes and a hired man, a worthy, kind-hearted Mexican, who chopped wood and did other work about the place. Choosing his time, the desperado, who had evidently planned the murder of all three, presented himself at the door, and diverting Mrs. Fife's attention by saying "Look!"—at the same time pointing to a window—he drew a pistol and shot her. The ball passed through the upper part of her hip, and she fell mortally wounded. He then aimed at the daughter, but the gun would not revolve. At this moment the hired man sprang upon and disarmed the murderer, and as he fled fired several shots after him, none of which took effect. He made for the hills and escaped. Mrs. Fife died in a short time. Her husband arrived home at daybreak next morning, to receive, along with the terrible tidings, the sympathy of many kind friends who had gathered to offer aid and condolence. With characteristic promptness he had the news spread in all directions, and every available man and boy was soon in the saddle, scouring the country in quest of the assassin. By ten o'clock that forenoon he was run down, captured and brought back, within half a mile of the scene of his crime, where he was examined, but would make no confession. A hundred men demanded his immediate death, and he was forthwith "strung up;" a horseman at one end of the rope being ordered to "take him off at full gallop." He hung for two days upon a tall oak tree, awaiting the arrival of the County officers.

Another Indian outbreak is described by Mr. Fife, the result, in his opinion, of the ill-advised appointment by President Arthur, in February, 1885, of an incompetent Indian agent. The savages killed men and destroyed property wherever they could. General Crook again took the field, and under orders from President Cleveland, captured most of the Indians and shipped them from Bowie Station to Florida. General Miles finished the work, though he was not as successful as General Crook had been, and finally Geronimo and the rest of the savages were taken out of the country. The troops were stationed at and near the Fife ranch during much of the trouble.

In 1887 Mr. Fife assisted Apostle Erastus Snow and others in exploring parts of Mexico, and subsequently sent one of his families to reside there. His third wife, [p. 165] Cynthia [Abbott], and her family took up their abode at Oak Grove ranch. He is at present among his children in Ogden. One of his sons—John D. Fife—is in business at Salt Lake City."

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The Pioneer Tabernacle

Albert L. Bott    Ferrell E. Carter    Mrs. Iretta Fife Lindsay

Pages 14 and 15 are reproduced from the 40 page Souvenir Program published for the dedicatory services of the new Ogden Latter-day Saints' Tabernacle, Sunday, February 12, 1956. President David O. McKay, Presiding.

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During July of 1855 when Ogden boasted some fifty families, William Nichol Fife, architect and builder of Salt Lake City, and Walter Thompson were commissioned by Brigham Young to come to Ogden and build a Tabernacle for the saints of this area. According to William Fife's diary, now in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. James (Iretta Fife) Lindsay, he received about $100 and some foodstuffs in pay. They went to work under the direction of President Lorin Farr and in spite of the hard winter the work progressed satisfactorily with volunteer labor giving able support. Red pine logs were cut in the mountains east of Ogden and floated down Ogden River and sawed at Farr's mill. With nails costing $100 a keg--and none to be had--it was necessary to fasten the timbers in the huge roof rafters and arches with wooden pegs. The foundation was of rock and the two-foot thick walls were made of adobe.

William Nicol Fife, pioneer architect and builder. 1831-1915

The original pioneer tabernacle building.

After the coming of the railroad in 1869 a move began to plan and build a new tabernacle and to utilize the old one as a concert hall. Work was actually begun and red sandstone foundations reached a height of about four feet when the plans were abandoned and the center of the square became a heap of rubble and debris. Eventually, most of the red sandstone blocks were sold or given to adjoining property owners and may be seen today in the foundations and steps of homes in the neighborhood.

As early as 1894 each woman in Weber Stake was asked to give 5¢ a month and her "Sunday Eggs" to a building fund for a Relief Society Stake Hall to be erected on the Tabernacle Square. The dream was finally realized when the hall was completed in 1902, becoming the first such hall to be built in the entire church. As the stake became divided and the need for a separate hall no longer existed, it was given to the Weber County Daughters of Utah Pioneers as a meeting place and relic museum.

An original contribution pledge.

A more recent remodeling covered front windows to eliminate traffic noises.

During the many years Tabernacle Square was the center of community activity, housing circuses, carnivals, athletic events and other entertainment. "Buffalo Bill" brought his tent show, complete with Indian village, to the square several times.

In 1896, under the direction of President Lewis W. Shurtliff, a large county fair, called the Tabernacle Fair, was held to raise money for the remodeling of the Tabernacle. During fair week the whole tabernacle was fenced in and admission charged to view the many exhibits and entertainments provided. Handiwork, produce and other items were sold to aid the cause. Mrs. Richard Smith of North Ogden was chosen Queen after more than $500 was raised in a queen contest. Other contests, dancing, sideshows, and all sorts of entertainment were included. Finally a total of $15,000 was raised for the remodeling project.

William W. Fife, son of William N. Fife, Tabernacle builder, and born during the early construction of the Tabernacle, was selected as architect and builder. He had served his apprenticeship under his father and assisted in the building of many landmarks still in use in Ogden. Although the building remained unchanged, the inside and outside were remodeled and redecorated. An imposing front and entrances, together with other side wings, sloping floor and other changes made it one of the outstanding edifices in the state. The vestry was made into a choir loft to provide quarters for the Tabernacle choir, now grown to 121 voices. A large reed organ (with elaborate dummy pipes) and pedal board was installed and Squire Coop was called to direct the choir. Mrs. James Lindsay, daughter of William W. Fife, who supervised the remodeling, recalls how her father made all the plaster-of-paris molds from which the decorations on the great arched beams and cornices were made. Many present residents will remember the glittering array of lights that lined the interior arches when electricity later became a practical reality.

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Celebration at Ogden!

by Joseph Hall
Ogden City, Utah,
March 8, 1869
Editor, Salt Lake Telegraph:

At 11:20 this a.m. the U.P. R.R. track-layers hove in sight of this city, and from that time continued their march with great rapidity. The citizens exhibited the liveliest enthusiasm, and testified the liveliest joy, as, from the high bluffs and every commanding elevation they feasted their eyes and ears with the sight and sound of the long-expected and anxiously looked for fiery steed. Onward and still onward they came, and thousands and thousands of our citizens, both from here and from the adjoining settlements, decked in their holiday attire, gave a hearty welcome to the advent of the nation´ s great highway into this city. About half-past 2 p.m. they steamed into Ogden, when Colonel Daniel Gamble, with true Hibernian enthusiasm, ran up the first flag, which, while floating gracefully in the breeze, was soon followed by numerous others.

And here, let me observe, that never, to my mind, did the flags of our Union wave more gracefully, or more proudly, than on this auspicious occasion. Our excellent military brass band was soon out, and, under the able leadership of Captain William Pugh, soon sent forth the soul-enlivening strains of rich music, which, with a salute from Captain T.S. Wadsworth´ s artillery, gave the preliminary welcome to the iron horse.

At 4 o´ clock a public stand was erected alongside the track. At 5 o´ clock the procession was formed under the direction of the committee of arrangements, (Colonel W.N. Fife, Captain Joseph Parry [husband of Susan A. Wright Brown, Benjamin Franklin Brown's widow] and Francis A. Brown, Esq.,) which consisted of the Mayor, members of the City Council, the various schools, under the superintendence of their respective teachers, headed by the band, bearing banners, with numerous appropriate mottoes, among which the following was conspicuous: " Hail to the High Way of Nations!
Utah bids you Welcome!"

Pedestrians, equestrians, and crowded vehicles now thronged the festive scene. Wadsworth´ s artillery having arrived, a salute of twenty-one guns was now fired, whose deafening echoes vibrated through the mountains, hills and vales.

At half past five o´ clock the rails were laid to a point in a line with the Tithing Office street, five blocks north into the city. The vast audience being called to order by Hon. L. Farr, Mayor of Ogden City, Hon. F.D. Richards was then introduced, who delivered an eloquent and soul-stirring address . . .

At the close of the address a salute was fired, and the boys struck up the " Star Spangled Banner." At this juncture the Company´ s boarding and sleeping cars, which had hitherto remained a little to the south, now, with three engines, steamed to the front of the stand. Three cheers for the great highway were now proposed and given, when the wildest enthusiasm, and demonstrations of joy prevailed and loud shouts rent the air. Amid the alternate pealings of the artillery´ s thunder, the music of the band, and the long continued, shrill whistling of the three engines, the waving of hats, kerchiefs, and other demonstrations of pleasure, rendered the occasion such that will not soon be forgotten by those present.

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Posterity of Colonel William Nicol Fife

From the Barnard White Family Book

Colonel William Nicol Fife, b. 16 Oct. 1831 at Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland, d. 21 Oct. 1915 at Ogden, buried, Ogden City Cemetery, (Lot 12, Block 1, Plat "A") Ogden, m. 9 July 1854 at SLC. (Endowed, Salt Lake Endowment House, 18 Mar. 1856), to (1)Diana (Dinah) Davis (Davies), daughter of Daniel and Sarah Thomas Davis (Davies), b. 12 April 1837 at Llystyn, Llanfihangel Rhosy Corn, Carmarthenshire. South Wales, d. 12 Sept. 1884 at Oak Grove Ranch (near Willcox), Cochise County, Arizona, buried, Oak Grove Ranch, Cochise County, Arizona. Re-interred, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden. (2) Phebe Abigail Abbott Brown, daughter of Stephen Joseph Abbott (1804-1843) and Abigail Smith Abbott (1806-1889), b. 18 May 1831 in Hornellsville, Steuben, New York, md. 6 Oct 1866 in Salt Lake City, Ut. [or Ogden, Weber, Utah], d. 10 Apr 1914, buried in Thatcher, Graham, Arizona. (3) Cynthia Abbott, daughter of Stephen Joseph Abbott (1804-1843) and Abigail Smith (1806-1889), b. 28 Dec 1839, Perry, Pike , Illinois. md. 2 Nov 867 Salt Lake City, UT (later divorced), d. 14 Nov 1910 in Ogden, Weber, UT.

Sarah Jane Fife (White)

        I.            Sarah Jane Fife 1855-1932, b. 10 July 1855 at SLC, daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 14 Sept. 1932 at Ogden, m. 1 May 1876, Endowment House, SLC, to Barnard White, son of William White and Mary Ann Syer, b. 9 Nov. 1839 at Walworth, London, England, d. 8 Mar. 1912 at Ogden. Both are buried, Brigham City Cemetery, Brigham.

A. (ten children)
One of the ten is John Fife White, he married Verna Gladys Brown in 1931,

William Wilson Fife

     II.            William Wilson Fife 1857-1897, b. 16 Aug. 1857 at Ogden, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 31 Aug. 1897 at Ogden, m. 7 Dec. 1882 to Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of Isaac Mitton and Elizabeth White Stewart, b. 3 Sept. 1863 at Draper, Utah, d. 10 Oct. 1920 at Ogden. Both are buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

                             A.            William Stewart Fife, b. 18 Oct 1883 at Ogden, d. 12 June 1958 at Gridley, California, m. 16 Sept. 1908, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Iva Dorothy Layne, daughter of Charles Ellis and Marcia Allen Layne, b. 16 Nov. 1885 at Ogden, d. 11 Aug. 1959 at Gridley, California.

1.      William Stewart Fife, M.D., b. 5 Aug. 1909 at Ogden, m. 22 June 1934, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Lois Smith, dau. Joseph Fielding and Ethel Georgina Reynolds Smith, b. 26 Mar. 1912 at SLC. Address: 4201 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento 25, California.

2.      Robert Layne Fife, b. 21 Oct. 1916 at Ogden, m. 21 Oct. 1940, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Marvis Jensen dau. Willis Clifford and Eulalia Maria Hyde Jensen, b. 15 Sept. 1919 at Oakley, Idaho.

                             B.            Isaac Davis Fife, b. 2 Oct. 1885 at Ogden, m. 13 Feb. 1910, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Margaret Miller, dau. Fredrick Andres and Geneva Shaw Miller, b. 15 Nov. 1884 at Ogden. Address: 178 B Spazier Avenue., Burbank, California.

1.      Isaac David Fife, b. 31 Jan 1911 at Ogden, m. Natalie Swope (Gustaveson), dau. Bruce and Dorothy Pillar Gustaveson.

2.      Bernice Fife, b. 18 Mar. 1912 at Deerlodge, Montana, m. (1) Weston Bird, Mesa Temple, Mesa, Arizona, 23 Feb. 1934, (Divorced). m. (2) 1 Sept. 1939 at Los Angeles, California, to David G. Watts, b. 16 Aug. 1897 at SLC, d. 26 Nov. 1962 at Los Angeles, California.

3.      Iretta Fife, b. 29 May 1918 at SLC, m. Lowell James Yancy, b. 17 June 1916, son of James Henry and Effie Jane Cobbley Yancy.

4.      Clyde Miller Fife, b. 5 Dec. 1918 at SLC, m. 26 Aug. 1948, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Lois Wahlen, b. 22 Dec 1920 at Logan, dau. Julius Oliver and Lucy Wahlen ______.

                             C.            Leland Taylor Fife, b. 29 July 1887 at Ogden, d. 11 Aug. 1960 at Gridley, Butte County, California, m. (1) 7 Dec. 1910, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Mary Elizabeth Jackson, dau. Lorenzo L. and Annie Welch Jackson, b. 8 Sept. 1888 at Ogden, d. 24 Oct. 1949 at Burlingame, San Mateo County, California. m. (2) 31 May 1951, Idaho Falls Temple. Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Mabel Victoria Erickson Fife, dau. John Eric and Ida Matilda Bengtson Erickson, b. 5 Nov. 1897 at SLC. Address: 348 Haskell Street, Gridley, California.

1.      Leland Jackson Fife, b, 3 Nov. 1911 at Ogden, m. 8 Sept. 1938 at SLC, to Margaret Smart, dau. Thomas Lawrence and Nellie Buckwalter Smart, b. 8 Mar. 1917.

2.      Lucille Elizabeth Fife, b. 27 Apr. 1914 at Ogden, m. 24 Oct. 1935 at SLC, to Keith Watt Thomas, son of Norwood Washington and Choloe Agnes Hislop Thomas, b. 28 Nov. 1908 at Vernal, Utah.

3.      Paul William Fife, b. 21 Feb. 1918 at Magna, Salt Lake County, Utah, m. (1) 17 July 1942 at New Orleans, Louisiana to Helen Biddleman, (was divorced), m. (2) Velda Peterson, 8 Feb. 1946, dau. Willie James and Leonora Robers Peterson, b. 17 May 1922 at Benson, Cache County, Utah.

4.      Donald Stewart Fife, b. 17 Dec. 1920 at Magna, Utah, m. 2 Apr. 1941, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Betty Ann Pathe, dau. Laborn Roy and Zina Althera Baker Pathe, b. 9 Dec. 1921 at Bakersfield, Kern County, California.

5.      Ruth Fife, b. 16 July 1925 at Sparks, Washoe County, Nevada, m. 20 Mar. 1947, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Willis Elmer Cole, son of Elmer David and Edna Ruth Wood Cole, b. 26 Apr. 1923 at McGill, White Pine County, Nevada.

                             D.            Iretta Elizabeth Fife, b. 4 Sept. 1889 at Ogden, d. 13 Dec. 1960 at New Orleans, Louisiana, m. 2 Oct. 1912, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to James Edward Lindsay, son of William Thomas and Hannah Elizabeth Sparks Lindsay, b. 29 May 1888 at Dingle, Idaho, d. 6 Dec. 1964 at Roy, Weber County, Utah. Both are buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

1.      Ruth Iretta Lindsay, b. 29 Oct. 1913 at SLC, m. (1) 8 Sept. 1933, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, (Temple Divorce, 1946) to Colin McKay Edward, son of William and Isabella McKay Edward, b. 17 Dec. 1906 at Huntsville, Weber County, Utah. m. (2) 7 Oct. 1944 at Ogden, (Endowed, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, 25 June 1947), to Francis Harold Steele, son of David Francis and Martha Ann Hatfield (Hetzler) Steele, b. 19 Dec. 1896 at Ogden, d. 2 May 1964 at Ogden, buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden. (The first wife of Francis Harold Steele was Margaret Esther Doty, b. 9 Oct. 1900 at Sharpesburg. Pennsylvania, d. 27 Oct. 1942 at Ogden. Buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.) Address: 1444--27th Street., Ogden, Utah.

2.      Verna Elizabeth Lindsay, b. 30 Apr. 1919 at Ogden, d. 13 Apr. 1944 at Wickford, Rhode Island, m. 11 Sept. 1942, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Sheldon Winchester Winkler, son of Ernest and Venetia Procter Winkler, b. 18 Feb. 1914 at Richfield, Sevier County, Utah, d. 13 Apr. 1944 at Wickford, Rhode Island. Both are buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden. No Children.

3.      James Edward Lindsay Jr., D.D.S., b. 11 Mar. 1921 at Ogden, m. 31 Oct. 1944, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Elsa Romane McKell, dau. Heber J. and Romania Julia Hunsaker McKell, b. 21 Feb. 1924 at Ogden. Address: 7731 East 4th Place., Downey, California.

                              E.            Randolph Wilson Fife, b. 25 Feb. 1892 at Ogden, d. 14 Nov. 1943 at Gridley, Butte County, California, buried, Biggs-Gridley Cemetery, Gridley, California, m. 4 Dec. 1918 at Farr West, Weber County, Utah, to Mabel Victoria Erickson dau. John Eric and Ida Matilda Bengtson Erickson, b. 5 Nov. 1897 at SLC.

1.      Randolph Erickson Fife, b. 19 Nov. 1919 at Woodland, Summit County, Utah, m. (1) 26 Nov. 1945, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Norma Berry, dau. Dr. Herbert Alonzo and Anna May Whiting Berry, b. 27 Feb. 1917 at St. John, Arizona, d. 5 May 1960, near Bakersfield, California, buried at Gridley, California. m. (2) 15 Dec. 1961 at Alamitas, California to Barbara Jean Pickering (Seymour), dau. Paul Beezley and Sybil Leone Husbands Pickering, b. 22 Apr. 1926 at SLC. (Barbara Jean Pickering's first husband was Lewis William Seymour, Jr., b. 6 July 1922 at Sacramento, California, d. 14 Feb. 1952 at Atsuigi, Japan).

2.      Gwendolyn Victoria Fife, b. 8 Apr. 1921 at Woodland, Utah, m. 17 Dec. 1943 at Albany, California to John Virgil Bushman, son of Preston Ammaron and Daphne Decker Bushman, b. 23 May 1921 at Snowflake, Arizona.

3.      Helen Josephine Fife, b. 31 Oct 1922 at Woodland, Utah, m. 21 Mar. 1943 at Woodland, Yolo County, California, to Loren Arthur Stoddard, son of Aaron Asa and Margaret Owen Stoddard, b. 14 Apr. 1918 at Burley, Cassia County, Idaho.

4.      Calvin Barnard Fife, b. 22 Aug. 1924 at Garden Grove, Orange County, California, m. 24 Dec. 1948, Moose Jaw, Sask, Canada to Valeta McCaslin, dau. John William and Lucile Craven McCaslin, b. 18 June 1927 at Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

5.      Mabel Elizabeth Fife, b. 19 Apr. 1927 at Garden Grove, California, m. 1 Apr. 1948, SLC, to Richard Wayne McDowell (Joseph Wayne Peterson), son of DeVere Christian and Emily Elizabeth Elder Peterson, b. 21 Apr. 1926 at Spokane, Washington. (Richard W. McDowell took the name of his stepfather, Robert J. McDowell).

6.      James David Fife, b. 2 Nov. 1932 at Gridley, California, m. 11 Apr. 1958, Los Angeles Temple, Los Angeles, California, to Irene Katherine Reim, dau. Reynold Louis and Barbara Mulkay Reim, b. 14 May 1937 at San Francisco, California.

7.      Florence Esther Fife, b. 5 May 1935 at Gridley, California, m. 31 May 1957, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Otto Ludwig Draper, son of Otto Ludwig and Elda Peterson Draper, b. 14 May 1935 at Portland, Oregon.

                              F.            Walter White Fife, b. 28 May 1894 at Ogden, m. (1) 6 Mar. 1918, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, (later Temple divorce) to Emma Barlow, dau. James M. and Jane Clark Barlow, b. 21 June 1896 at SLC, d. 19 Oct. 1951 at SLC, buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

1.      Elizabeth Fife, b. 25 Feb. 1919 at SLC, m. Thomas P. Wheelwright, son of Hyrum B. and Ruby Pearse Wheelwright, b. 4 Apr. 1918 at Ogden, d. 10 Feb. 1965 at Scottsdale, Arizona, buried, Scottsdale. Arizona.

m. (2) 31 Oct. 1934 at New Orleans, Louisiana, (Endowed, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, 21 June 1935) to Helen McAllister, dau. Daniel Handley and Buelah May Keeler McAllister, b. 27 Apr. 1912 at Provo, Utah. Address: #12 Marilyn Street., New Orleans, Louisiana.

2.      Helen Elizabeth Fife, b. 17 Oct. 1935 at New Orleans, Louisiana, d. 1 Dec. 1935.

3.      Walter Daniel Fife, b. 31 Jan. 1937 at New Orleans, Louisiana.

4.      Diana Fife, b. 19 May 1938 at New Orleans, Louisiana, m. 28 June 1957, Los Angeles Temple, Los Angeles, California, to James Dalton Sones.

5.      Jo Ann Fife, b. 13 June 1939 at New Orleans, Louisiana, m. 20 Mar. 1959 at New Orleans, Louisiana, (Endowed, 21 Jan. 1962 Los Angeles Temple, Los Angeles, California) to Joseph Edward Beckhoff.

6.      Jon McAllister Fife, b. 18 Apr. 1941 at New Orleans, Louisiana.

7.      William Wilson Fife, b. 13 July 1943 at New Orleans, Louisiana.

                             G.            Joseph Barnard Fife, b, 31 Oct. 1896 at Ogden, m. Delores Cluff, dau. Benjamin and Mary Cullimore Cluff, b. 8 Sept. 1907 at Tabasco, Mexico. Address: 4437 Painters St., New Orleans, Louisiana.

1.      Joseph Kingsley Fife, b. 29 July 1932 at New Orleans, Louisiana.

2.      Mary Ellen Fife, b. 7 Apr. 1939 at New Orleans, Louisiana, m. 9 Aug. 1962, Logan Temple, Logan, to Larry Richards Silver.

3.      Michael Scott Fife, b. 2 June 1946, ae New Orleans, Louisiana.

Diana Fife (Farr)

   III.            Diana Fife 1855-1904, b. 7 Oct, 1859 at Ogden, daughter of of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 18 May 1904 at Ogden, m. 24 Sept. 1881, Salt Lake Endowment House, SLC, to Valasco Farr, son of Lorin and Olive Ann Jones Farr, b. 29 Aug. 1855 at Ogden, d. 12 Dec. 1937 at Ogden. Both are buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

                             A.            Diana Edith Farr, b 28 Nov. 1881 at Ogden, m. 22 Feb. 1906 at Farmington, Davis Co., Utah, to Parley Tracy Moyes, son of Alexander and Nancy Miranda Tracy Moyes, b. 27 Mar, 1882, at Ogden, Utah. Marriage dissolved, m. 19 Dec. 1929 in Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Henry Moss, son of John and Rebecca Wood Moss, b. 15 Nov. 1869, Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah, d. 25 Oct. 1933, at Salt Lake City, buried in Henry Moss plot Bountiful, Utah. Address: 182 N. Main St., Salt Lake City.

1.      Diana Moyes, b. 15 Apr. 1907, at Ogden, Utah, m. 9 Apr. 1928, at Salt Lake City to William Francis Leahy, son of Edward and Margaret Griffin Leahy, b. 10 Apr. 1901, at Mt. Pilaski, Illinois. Marriage dissolved. m. 23 Aug. 1950 Salt Lake City, to Jack C. Slade, son of Harry and Eliza Haigh Slade, b. 9 Aug. 1906, at Los Angeles, California. Address: 2273 Garfield Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah.

2.      Gordon Alexander Moyes, b. 30 July, 1909, at Ogden, Utah, m. 13 June 1931, at Salt Lake City, Utah, to Wanda Abigail Pettey, dau. of James Melvin and Lilly Jeanette Stevens Pettey, b, 16 July 1910, Salt Lake City, Utah. Address: 1962 Princeton Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah.

                             B.            Olive Ann Farr, b. 21 Jan 1884 at Ogden, m. 10 June 1909 at Ogden, to Harry Hales, son of Orlando and Hannah Matilda Erickson Hales, b. 14 July 1883 at Vernon, Tooele County, Utah, d. 26 Nov. 1939 at Ogden, buried in Hales plot, Ogden City Cemetery. Address: 125 South 3rd East, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1.      Olive Lucille Hales, b. 28 Dec. 1912, Ogden Utah, m. 30 Aug. 1938, at Salt Lake City, Utah, to Norman Park Summerhays, son of George F. and Dora Brewer Summerhays, b. 30 Aug. 1912, Salt Lake City. Address: 1351 Browning Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah.

2.      Rae Louise Hales, b. 9 Dec. 1916 at Ogden, Utah, m. 10 June 1938 at Ogden, Utah, to George Willis Bateman, son of George Willis and Alice Butler Bateman, b. 21 Jan. 1916, at Ogden, Utah. Address: 1961 East Claybourne Ave., Salt Lake City.

3.      Shirley Hales, b. 2 July, 1927, at Ogden, Utah, m. 29 Sept. 1952 in Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Fred Lee Hill, Jr., son of Fred Lee and Millie Richeson Hill, b. 10 May 1930, Ogden, Utah. Address: 2101 West, 3900 South, Roy, Utah.

                             C.            Raymond Valasco Farr, b. 20 Nov. 1886 at Ogden, d. 22 Oct. 1951 at Ogden, m. 27 Oct. 1909, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Almira Shurtliff, dau. Lewis Chester and Almeda Raymond Shurtliff, b. 29 Mar. 1887 at Plain City, Weber County, Utah, d. 24 Oct. 1957 at SLC. Both buried in Valasco Farr plot, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

1.      Leah Farr, b. 9 May 1913, at Ogden, m. 18 June, 1954, in Salt Lake Temple, SLC to Karl Angus Merrell, son of Fuller Remington and Sarah Christine Angus Merrell, b. 28 Oct. 1906, at Jensen, Uintah Co., Utah. Address: 2826 Morgan Drive, Salt Lake City.

2.      Zoe Marion Farr, b. 3 Jan. 1918, Ogden, Utah, m. 22 June, 1951, in Idaho Falls Temple, Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Franklin Don Wixom, son of Franklin David and Zella Jane Walters Wixom, b. 13 Mar 1918, at Burley, Idaho. Address: Route II 1 Paul, Idaho.

3.      Marjorie Diana Farr, b. 29 Mar. 1922, at Ogden, Utah, m. 24 June, 1944, at Washington, D.C. to Dennis Heely Hall, Ph.D., son of James and Frances Heely Hall, b. 28 May, 1922, at Brigham City, Utah. Address: 816 Eureka Avenue, Davis, California.

4.      Marilyn Farr, b. 4 Aug. 1926, at Ogden, Utah, m. 22 Sept. 1948, in Logan Temple, Logan, Utah, to Kay Ernest Freeman son of Ernest and Ruby Cotter Freeman, b. 4 Nov. 1921, Brigham City, Utah. Address: 4883 Ben Lomond Drive, Ogden, Utah.

                             D.            Lamar Fife Farr, b. 1 Feb. 1889 at Ogden, d. 5 Aug. 1952 at Los Angeles, California, buried in Valasco Farr plot, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden, m. 1 Sept. 1945 at Logan, to Lettie ElGeva Allen Johnson, dau. of George Wilford and Mary E. Nielson Allen, b. 9 Jan. 1891 at Hyrum, Cache County, Utah.

                              E.            Agnes Fife Farr, b. 6 Nov. 1891 at Ogden, m. 6 May 1914 at Ogden, to Harold Tribe Goddard, son of Joseph and Emma Tribe Goddard, b, 19 Sept. 1891 at Bountiful, Davls County, Utah, d. 26 Jan. 1952, buried in Joseph Goddard plot, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden. Address: 239 East South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1.      Grant Farr Goddard, b. 19 Jan. 1916, at Ogden, Utah, m. 16 Dec. 1939, at Chicago, Illinois, to Dora St. Clair Bundy, daughter of Ora and Bessie St. Clair Bundy, b. 10 July 1915 at Vincennes, Indiana. Address: No. 13 Westwood Forest, Kirkwood, Missouri.

2.      Harold Valasco (Val) Goddard, b. 30 Nov. 1919 at Ogden, Utah, m. 12 Dec. 1941 in Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Ruth Shurtliff, daughter of Ervin R. and Della Shaw Shurtliff, b. 11 Aug. 1921 at Ogden, Utah. Address: 79 South 650 East, Bountiful, Utah.

                              F.            Merlin Fife Farr, b. 5 Apr. 1897 at Ogden, m. 28 June 1918, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Florence Dinsdale, dau. James Rhuston and Polly Ann Rawson Dinsdale, b. 21 May 1897 at Ogden. Address: 2727 Jackson Avenue, Ogden, Utah.

1.      Helen Farr, b, 5 Nov. 1919 at Ogden, Utah, m. 12 May 1948 in Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Roy Floyd Nilsson son of Owen Nilsson, b. 19 June, 1913 at Sterling, Idaho. Address: 520 Hawthorne Ave., San Bruno, California.

2.      Boyd Merlin Farr, b. 14 May 1923 at Ogden, Utah, d. 13 Sept. 1962, at Seal Beach, California, buried in James Dinsdale plot Ogden City Cemetery. m. 28 Sept. 1950 at Yuba City, California to Joan Wendells, daughter of W. H. Wendells, b. 14 May 1924 at Yuba City, California, Address: No. 310 Prospect St., Newport Beach, California.

3.      James Ivan Farr, b. 7 July 1928 at Ogden, Utah, m. 20 July, 1955 at Pasadena, California, to May Shimoda, daughter of George and Hede Shimoda, b. 1 May 1931 at Salt Lake City, Utah. Address: 2448 Valewood Drive, San Dimas, California.

4.      Florence Farr, b. 26 Dec. 1932 at Ogden, Utah, m. Kent Clark Nichols, D.D.S., on 6 June, 1951, in the Salt Lake Temple, SLC, son of Ezra Lee and Hulda Clark Nichols, b. 22 Apr. 1931, at Blackfoot, Idaho. Address: Office 437-39th St. Ogden, Utah.

                             G.            Ivan William Farr, b. 16 Dec. 1900 at Ogden, d. 10 May 1918 at Ogden, buried, Valasco Farr plot, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

John Daniel Fife

  IV.            John Daniel Fife 1863-1944, b. 25 Sept. 1863 at Ogdan, d. 22 Jan. 1944 at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana Davis Fife, m. 20 Feb. 1889, Logan Temple, Logan, to Eliza Jane Stewart, daughter of Isaac Mitton and Elizabeth White Stewart, b. 27 Aug. 1865 at Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah. d. 25 Oct. 1933 at SLC. Both are buried in Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

                             A.            Cornelia Diana Fife, b. 6 Apr. 1890 at Ogden, m. 11 Nov. 1914 at SLC, to Laurence Christian Monson, Sr., son of Joseph and Laura Larson Monson, b. 8 Nov. 1888 at Richmond, Cache County, Utah. d. 21 Jan. 1965 at SLC, buried at SLC. Address: 1209 Fourth Avenue., Salt Lake City, Utah.

1.      Laurence Christian Monson, Jr., b. 22 Sept. 1915 at SLC, m. 25 Oct. 1940 to Loraine Huss.

2.      Joseph Fife Monson, b. 29 Dec. 1916 at SLC, m. (1) Greta Hess, m. (2) 2 May 1940, Anita Austin.

3.      Elaine Diana Monson, b. 7 Dec. 1916 at SLC, m. 12 May 1943 to Raymond Lee Habenicht.

4.      John Daniel Monson, b. 19 Jan. 1921 at SLC, m. 28 Oct. 1944 at Oakland, Alameda County, California, to Julia May Linford, b. 13 June 1925 at Oakland, California, dau. William Blood and Verna Johnson Parkinson Linford.

5.      William Stewart Monson, b. 22 Dec. 1922 at SLC, m. 7 Mar. 1953 at SLC, to Carroll Louise Peterson, b. 25 Oct. 1925 at SLC, dau. Sidney William and Violet Muriel Budd Peterson.

6.      Ruth Marguerite Monson, b. 20 Dec. 1924 at SLC, m. 15 Sept. 1946 to Jack Blaine Haun.

7.      Carolyn Jane Monson, b. 1 Sept. 1932 at SLC, m. 6 June 1952 to John Calvin Neal.

                             B.            John Daniel Fife, Jr., b. 5 Dec. 1891 at Ogden, m. 15 Apr. 1914 at SLC to Bertha Ursula Maud Payzant, dau. John Dexter and Mary Emma Buchner Payzant, b. 30 Apr. 1890 at Mondovi, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Address: 8980 Otis Street., Southgate, Callf.

1.      Dorothy Jane Fife, b. 23 Aug. 1915 at SLC, m. 3 Jan. 1941 to Ranson W. Smith.

2.      John Howard Fife, b. 10 Nov. 1916 at SLC, d. 6 Jan. 1944.

3.      William Marshall Fife, b. 17 May 1918 at SLC, d. 7 Dec. 1947, m. 19 June 1942 to Laverne Watson.

4.      Milton Eugene Fife, b. 5 July 1921 at SLC, m.

                             C.          Viola Elizabeth Fife, b. 24 Dec. 1893 at Ogden, d. 11 Oct. 1894.

                             D.           Stewart Blaine Fife, b. 17 Sept. 1895 at Ogden, d. 21 Oct. 1933. Unmarried.

                              E.            William Earl Fife, b. 13 Sept. 1897 at Montpelier, Bear Lake County, Idaho, m. 7 May 1917 at SLC, to Lillian Mae Berquist. (Separated).

1.      Robert Moore Fife, b. 3 Aug. 1918.

2.      William Earl Fife, b. 25 June 1920.

3.      Beverly Lillian Fife, b. 12 Oct. 1921, m.

                              F.            Marguerite Stewart Fife, b. 7 Jan. 1900 at Montpelier, Idaho, m. 27 Aug. 1939 at SLC, to Benjamin Brown Hall, b. 27 Apr. 1884 at SLC, d. 20 Dec. 1964 at SLC, son of Erastus Foote and Mary Edna Brown Hall. Address: 1926 Imperial Street.

                             G.            Samuel Stewart Fife, b. 1 Jan. 1903 at SLC, d. 24 Apr. 1965 at Culver City, California, m. 20 Oct. 1926, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Norma Smith, b. 21 May 1903 at Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah, dau. Solomon Elias and Mary Edith Miller Smith, Address: 1421 Pandora Ave., Los Angeles 24, California.

1.      Mary Dianne Fife, b. 25 May 1931 at SLC, m. 6 Juneo 1952 at SLC, to Harold Thomas Kay, Jr., b. 22 Sept. 1930 at Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, son of Harold Thomas Kay, Sr., and Anna Frances Cooke. Address: 222 Kawaikui Place, Honolulu 16, Hawaii.

2.      Nancy Jane Fife, b. 23 Sept. 1937 at Santa Monica, California, m. 17 July 1959 to Charles Douglas Bo-dine Warren, son of Edwin Douglas and Jane Ann Bo-dine Warren, b. 31 Mar. 1938 at Tacoma, Washington. Address: West Covina, California.

3.      Susan Christine Fife, b. 11 June 1945 at SLC.

                             H.            Harold D. Fife, b. 17 Jan. 1906 at SLC, m. 24 June 1929 at Washington, D.C. (Endowed Salt Lake Temple, 1931), to Elva Mendenhall Boden, dau. Willard and Effie Mendenhall Boden, b. 23 Sept. 1905 at Lewiston, Cache County, Utah. Address: Yuma, Arizona.

1.      Annette Fife, b. 27 Nov. 1933 at SLC.

2.      Janice Fife, b. 25 July 1936 at SLC.

                                I.            Isaac Sherman Fife, b. 11 June 1909 at SLC, m. 10 Apr. 1930, Salt Lake Temple, SLC, to Alice Leone Naylor, dau. Arthur and Mary Esther Clark Naylor, b. 6 Oct. 1911. Address: Salt Lake City, Utah.

1.      Marilyn Fife, b. 21 July 1931, d. 15 May 1934 at SLC.

Walter Thompson Fife

     V.            Walter Thompson Fife 1866-1927, b. 17 Aug. 1866 at Ogden, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. near Nogales, Arizona, 23 Jan. 1927, m. 31 Dec. 1889 at St. David, Cochise County, Arizona, to Mary Jane Merrill, daughter of John Smith and Rebecca Weaver Merrill, b. 15 Aug. 1872 at Soda Springs, Idaho, d. 6 Oct. 1932. Both are buried, Inglewood Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

                             A.            Walter Thompson Fife, Jr., b. 19 Apr. 1891 at St. David, Arizona, d. 22 July 1891 at Thatcher, Arizona. Buried at St. David, Arizona.

                             B.            Ralph Eugean Fife, b. 25 Dec. 1892 at St. David, Arizona, m. Viola May House, 8 Aug. 1927 at Los Angeles, California, daughter of Edgar D. and Lilliam May Lawrence House, b. Brooklyn, New York, 1 Jan. 1898. Address: 11629 Calvin Street, Yucaipa, California.

                             C.            Lorin Merrill Fife, b. 28 Feb. 1895 at St. David, Arizona, d. 29 Sept. 1931 at Riverside, California, buried, Inglewood Cemetery, Inglewood, California, m. 4 May 1921 at Los Angeles, California to Genevieve Owen Young, dau. Marshall and Blanch Owen Young, b. 31 Mar. 1903 at Windsor, Missouri. Address: Mrs. Harry Bedell, 830 North Ramona., Hemet, California.

1.      Lorin Merrill Fife, Jr., b. 6 Apr. 1922 at Burbank, California, m. 21 June 1952 at Los Angeles, California, to Marian Stromwall, dau. Albert C. and Ruth Dorsey Stromwall, b. 25 Jan. 1926 at Hanford, California. Address: 11450 Curry Avenue, Granada Hills, California.

2.      Walter Marshall Fife, b. 12 Nov. 1926 at Los Angeles, California, killed, Korean War, 3 Nov. 1950. Buried Inglewood Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

                             D.            James Maxwell Fife, b. 5 Apr. 1899 at St. David, Arizona, m. 19 Sept. 1925 at Los Angeles, California, to Lindo May Reuper, dau. Louis Fredrich Herman and Lillian May Lawrence-House Reuper, b. 17 Oct. 1904 at East Orange, New Jersey. Address: 11639 Lenox Street., Yucaipa, California.

1.      Mary Lou Fife, b. 22 Apr. 1928 at Los Angeles, California, d. Bethesda, Maryland, 9 June 1962. Buried, family plot, Inglewood, California.

2.      Virginia May Fife, b. 13 Aug. 1942 at Los Angeles, California.

                              E.            Miles Martin Fife, b. 30 Jan. 1901 at St. David, Arizona, d. 5 June 1901 at St. David, Arizona. Buried, St. David, Arizona.

Agnes Ann Fife ( )

  VI.            Agnes Ann Fife, 1869-1891, b. 11 Jan. 1869 at Ogden, daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 13 Aug. 1891 at Draper, Utah. Buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

Emma Fife

VII.            Emma Fife, 1871-1874, b. 15 May 1871 at Ogden, daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 8 Feb. 1874 at Ogden. Buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

Robert Nicol Fife

VIII.            Robert Nicol Fife 1873-1874, b. 22 May 1873 at Ogden, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. 23 Sept. 1874 at Ogden. Buried, Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden.

Barnard Fife

IX. Barnard Fife, 1881-1881, b. _____ Jan. 1881 at Ogden, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Diana (Dinah) Davis Fife, d. _____ Feb. 1881 at Ogden. Buried, Ogden City Cemetery.

Cynthia Abigail "Abbie" Fife (Layton)

X. Cynthia Abigail Fife, 1867-1943, b. 22 Jul 1867 at Ogden, Weber, Utah, daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Phebe Abigail Abbott Fife, d. 22 Jul 1943 in Phoenix, Maricopa AZ , md. Joseph Layton 2 Sep 1886, b. 28 Jul 1864 at Kaysville, Davis, Utah, d. 10 May 1897 in Thatcher, Graham, AZ, son of Christopher Layton b.8 Mar 1821 at Thorncote, Northill, Bedfordshire, England, d. 7 Aug 1898 at Kaysville, Davis, Utah, and Caroline Cooper b. 20 Jun 1842 at Northill, Bedfordshire, England, d. 1 Oct. 1912 at Cardston, Alberta, Canada.
A. Joseph Christopher Layton, b. 14 Sep 1887 Thatcher, Graham, AZ. md. Lou Irene Hall Evans (1884-1973) on 17 Sep, 1907, d. 26 Jun 1962
B. Glenna Selina Layton, b. 26 Apr 1889, Graham, AZ, d. 12 Feb 1892
C. Edna Cynthia Layton (Jones) b. 24 Jan 1891 at St. David, Cache, AZ., md. Dr. Byron Jones (1889-1981) on 16 Aor, 1912 in Thatcher, Graham, AZ, d. 23 Aug. 1971 Englewood, CA.
D. William Walter Layton b. 3 Oct 1892 at Thatcher, Graham, AZ., md. Maida Elizabeth Cluff, d. 19 Dec 1921.
E. Iretta Layton b. 28 Oct 1894 Thatcher, Graham, AZ, md. Alma Vining Tate (1895-1974) on 7 Jun 1917, d.
F. Phoebe Caroline Layton, b. 23 Sep 1896 Thatcher, Graham, AZ, md. Thomas Clarence Naylor (1895-1971) on 4 Oct 1916 in Salt Lake CIty, UT, d. 15 Mar 1966 in Mesa, Maricopa, AZ.

Female Fife

XI. Female Fife died at birth, 1869, daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Phebe Abigail Abbott Fife.

Child Fife

XII. Child Fife died in 1870 from smallpox, child of Col. William Nicol Fife and Phebe Abigail Abbott Fife

Mary Lucina Fife

XIII. Mary Lucina Fife, 1868-1950, b.20 Sept 1868 in Ogden, Weber, Ut. daughter of Col. William Nicol Fife and Cynthia Abbott Fife, d. 14 Jul 1950 at Bell, LA, CA., md. Joseph Arthur Hutchings or Hutchens or Hutchins. (1867-1923) 7 Dec 1898 at Ogden, Weber, UT, son of William Birch Hutchens and Mary Eliza Stone Hutchens.

Child Fife

XIV. Child Fife, b. and d. 23 Sept 1869 in Ogden, Weber, UT., child of Col. William Nicol Fife and Cynthia Abbott Fife,

David Nicol Fife

XV. David Nicol Fife, b.17 Feb, 1871, Ogden, Weber, Ut., d. 29 Jan. 1924.,son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Cynthia Abbott Fife,

Joseph Stephen Fife

XVI. Joseph Stephen Fife, b. 4 Sept 1873, Ogden, Weber, Ut., d. 26 Sept 1879, five years old, son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Cynthia Abbott Fife, .

James Abbott Fife

XVII. James Abbott Fife, b. 9 April 1977 at Willard, Box Elder, Ut., son of Col. William Nicol Fife and Cynthia Abbott Fife, d. 28 Jan 1878, nine months old.

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Sources:

PAF - Archer files

http://students.cs.byu.edu/~heath/family/white/book1.htm    Chapter 29   

I believe William Nicol Fife had a number of additional wives, I saw them mentioned in a work I have not been able to relocate. I will keep looking.

"William Nicol Fife", History of Utah Vol. 4," by Orson F. Whitney. Pages 162 - 164.

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, Frank Esshom, Western Epics, Inc., 1966 Pages 381, 870       

See also: http://www.cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/Salt_Lake_Tel_Ads_1869.html  

Descendants of John and William Fife : Fifeshire, Scotland, 1721; Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, 1890 by Joseph Vance.

http://fifeancestors.blogspot.com/

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