The Life of Samuel Lewis

As Told by Several of his Children & Cited Sources
Assembled by Laura McBride Smith, his granddaughter
Reassembled/ typed by Maria Helena Sala Johnson, his 3rd great granddaughter

Samuel Lewis, the oldest son of Tarlton Lewis and Malinda Gimlin Lewis,as born in Simpson County, Kentucky on October 27, 1829. Nothing is known of his life as a child. It is so bad to think as long as we, his grandchildren, have lived around him and all the chances we have had, we were thoughtless as to not ask him more about his childhood. What did he do? Did he go tot school? Did he work on a far? How old was he when he let his whiskers grow long? What color was his hair when he was young? Did he ever go with another girl but Grandma? Was he good to help his mother in the home? Did he learn to use the spinning well and work in the wool? And a dozen other questions. But most of the answers are buried in the grave with their earthly remains and the rest is in another sphere that doesn’t give us much information.

We will try to assemble all we can get and hope it will be of interest to his future posterity. Tarlton Lewis moved with his family from Kentucky to Macopin County after their first girl, Mary, was the baby, and in 1836 he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by his brother, Benjamin Lewis. He became one of the great builders of the city of Nauvoo, where the family located. Before they located there, they settled at a place called Haun’s Mill where they went through the terrible massacre which is written in the lives of Samuel’s father and uncle’s histories. He remembered well the bullets flying around his head like peas. That’s all, only he wondered why he escaped. He might have ran to the woods with Joannah and her children and stayed in the forest until morning, coming back to witness the death and burial of her husband.

Anyway, Grandfather came out whole and well and went with his parents to Commerce, Illinois, later Nauvoo, where his father worked on the great temple from start to finish. Although Samuel was
only 11 years old, he commenced cutting stone for the Nauvoo Temple. Tarlton had a good home in
Nauvoo, but after all the mobbing and terrible killings and whippings they endured, they prepared to leave. They were asked not to retaliate when whipped as that would give their enemies a reason to do more, but to take their punishment with trust in the Lord and after the Temple had been dedicated, they, with many more Mormons, received their baptisms, endowments, and sealings. I make this clear as it has been said their might have been no sealings done in that Temple, but Tarlton and Malinda had all their work done in that Temple, according to the record we find on them.

Samuel left the beautiful city with his parents and camped with them on the prairies of Council Bluffs (so one account records) they endured hardships in the cold The next morning, after they crossed the river, Tarlton and his son, Samuel crossed back and went through the temple, climbing stairs and looking over the city and taking a last look at the dear home and Temple. It is said; several men went there the next day, were caught and beaten by the mobs. The terrible beatings, burnings, whippings, and attacks on women can’t be realized by us after all these years, only those who experienced it can appreciate the freedom they found in the west a long time later.

MORMON BATTALION

It was while the Lewis family was camped in Winter Quarters that Samuel volunteered to enlist in the Mormon Battalion, under the command of Corp. St. George Cook, for the United States Government. Samuel was too young for such a career and he signed up as 18 years and he wouldn’t be 18 years old until 1947. He signed up July 16, 1846, so he lacked more than three months of being 17 when he enlisted. It is said his father was so worried about it that his hair turned gray almost overnight. They were asking for men from 18-45. It was such a blow to these Saints to sacrifice so much after being driven from all they had in the world and in such hard circumstances. Why should they go fight for their country when their country had denounced them? This was supposed to be a free country and thousands of people from Europe had sailed for America for religious liberty and found it, but these poor Mormons; what was their future? It looked very black. Still they loved their government, and would fight for it and even with the awful state of existence they volunteered. Grandpa marched off on a trip that was worse than what he had just experienced. Brigham Young promised the men, if they obeyed orders and lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as they had been taught, keeping out of bad company and say their prayers, they would not have to fire a gun and would come home safely. So there were 500 men volunteered, leaving their families to the mercy of heaven and earth and themselves, and they suffered much, but the trek across the plains began and we find that in another history.

Samuel marched with his company to Fort Leaven worth, where he was equipped with clothes and a sword. He marched on in his company with James B. Brown [Captain James Brown] in command, 90 in each company. He was in Company C. It was a company of noble men, according to his history and most all the Mormon men obeyed orders and went through all the sorrows and hardships of that long march.

Dr. Ryder Ridgway loaned a book to me about the Mormon Battalion. It is hard to get. This book is valued at $100.00. There is so much in this book about the Battalion and is so interesting. My Grandfather, Samuel Lewis was one of these men. He is only mentioned two times in the book, but I have heard him tell of the terrible things he suffered. They ate meat for many days with nothing else, not even salt, so grandfather got used to it that way and he never did care for salt all the rest of his life. If I had only asked grandfather more when he was here. I liked to read this book because it told so many experiences that surely my own grandfather experienced, and it tells just why the Battalion was organized and what it accomplished. It has strengthened my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel, and to read the talks given by President Young, J.M. Grant, Heber C. Kimball, William Hyde,  James Stephens Brown, Samuel? Thompson and others at a big banquet given all the Battalion they could get together in Salt Lake in 1880.

Now when you read this, please pay attention to the last two pages of comment. I have written from a book written by Mr. Taylor about the necessity of the Mormon Battalion, as told by Brigham Young, a Prophet of God. He was inspired to carry on that group for a very special purpose, of which I didn’t understand before reading that book. So, I copied some of the important paragraphs and wanted it printed. Please do read these statements made by members of the Mormon Battalion, taken from a book written by Sgt. Daniel Tylor [probably Daniel Tyler's "The Mormon Battalion in the Mexican War" ] , a member of this famous group.

In this book, President J.M. Grant says this: “I have read many narratives of the valor of men and the service to their country; but I here see a set of men that rendered service to their country- not such services was rendered by the men who first raised the axe to break up wild timber and clear the ground for cultivating; neither do I see that class of men who labored and fought to remove the obstacles that once existed in the United States, but I see men who moved the obstacles, have stood in defense of their country under the heart rendering circumstances that human beings could be placed in; men who have family and friends to leave in the open prairie, and as our forefathers fought under General Washington and saved the country from the enemy, so did the Mormon Battalion save a large tract of land from being taken by the enemy, and they saved this people from being pounced upon by the militia of several states, for heartless villains had concocted plans to have all this people murdered while upon the Western Frontier.

You will know that I want to Washington and I know from what I learned there that the Honorable Thomas H. Benton advocated the necessity of raising troops and cutting off all the Mormons from the earth. Notwithstanding, you have rendered your services and offered your names to go and render service in the war with Mexico, yet while you were doing this, one of the senators and one of the principal men in [3] the Senate, too, did endeavor to induce the Senate, The Cabinet, and the House of Representatives, to raise a force sufficiently strong to go out against the defenseless Mormon women and children who were left upon the wild prairies unprotected. Yes, Mr. Thomas H. Benton wanted to take troops and pounce upon your children and women when you were on the banks of the Missouri River and sweep them out of existence. When the case was argued, the question was asked, “Supposing you cut off the men, what shall be done with the women and children?” “Oh,” said Benton “if you argue the case, and want to know what shall be done with the women, I say, wipe them off too.” Then it was asked, “What shall be done with the children?” “Why,” said Benton, “Wipe them off too, all of them, for the earth should drink of their blood.” The feeling was so strong upon the question that it came a little to close to magnetizing the whole nation.

What should we have done if we could not have argued that we had 500 men upon the plains, engaged in the service of their country, and their wives and children left without protection? What, I say, would have been the consequences if we had not this plea alter and if we could not have raised the complement of men? What would have been the fate of this people? Israel must have been put upon the alter, unless by the interference of High Heaven. “A ram had been found in the thicket.”

Yes, brethren, had it not been for the Battalion, a horrible massacre would have taken place on the bank of the Missouri River. So I say, not withstanding your hardships and the difficulties you passed through, you rendered services to God and his people that will ever be remembered and will be a blessing upon your heads for time and eternity. And if your friends fell by the wayside, and if any of you lost your families, and you sustain the people of God, you can depend upon a reward for all your suffered, for you are the sons of God. This is the real relationship of the Battalion to the Lord Almighty. Our motto is to sustain the constitution of the United States, and not abuse it, and we intend to live by it.

Brigham Young said, “What gave rise to the brethren to be called into the services of their country? I will tell you. Suppose it had been shown to you in a vision, that there were men in Washington, and influential, too who had plotted to massacre this people, while on the frontier of this country full of Indians. All we had to do was beat them at their own game, which we did successfully. I am fully persuaded that a senator from Missouri did actually apply for and receive permission from Pres. Polk to call upon the militia of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and if he needed more, Kentucky, for enough to wipe out the Mormons from off the face of the earth, provided they refuse to give up 500 men to help the army being made ready to fight Mexico, and they were sure the Mormons would refuse, as they had just been driven from their homes and lost all they had and were surely hungry and in dire need, surely they would refuse to join up. Who wouldn’t? Under such circumstances, but in this, they were mistaken.

President Young was inspired to raise the quota at all costs for the Lord was behind the move and directing our Prophet in his doings. Mr. Benton said the Mormons weren’t loyal to the government, and should be wiped off the territory. President Young realized it in time to save the saints. These 500 men, single and married, signed up and made the march to Ft. Leavenworth and were given their needs for the trek and marched all the way to San Diego, a long terrible march, where they nearly choked to death for water, went barefoot through heat and cold, starving, nothing to eat many times, going hungry. Had to eat their old starved mules, a rabbit, or bark from trees and dig wells for water when the captain would get in a hurry and rush the men without time to rest or get all the water they needed. They would kill buffalo, get it half jerked, then the command to march was given and the half of the meat was left lying on the ground to spoil the next day. The Battalion would have nothing to eat. The officers were hard to understand but the Mormons knew why some things were done that shouldn’t be and that was because they were trying to heckle the Mormon men to make it as hard as possible for them to endure and they were worried at leaving their families about on the prairie with nothing to eat. They did what they were told. They were promised officials from their own ranks, but alas!!~ They were men under bad commanders, all but a few officials who were good to them.

These men were under orders from Brigham Young to live the Gospel and do what is right. He promised them they wouldn’t have to fire a shot or fight any one if this was fulfilled. They took over California and had headquarters at San Diego. Our Grandfathers had it hard. They had to scrape off the hair of cow hides, wash it good and boil it and eat the hide and drink the soup to keep life in them. They horses were so thin and weak the men were hitched to the wagons and helped pull them many miles over mountains. They were ill treated by the company doctor. Every man who got sick was given Calimol and arsenic. It didn’t matter what they had, they all took this medicine. At one time there was over 100 men sic, and no one to wait on them, and they took this prescribed medicine. One was so bad and he refused to take the stuff. The doctor got several men to hold him down and force the Calimol down him and within 2 hours he was dead. The surgeon was called away for several days and while he was gone most all of the sick men were well again and ready to work.

It was true none of the officers took the doctors medicine. It was just another way to hurt the Mormons. It was Dr. Stevenson that did the best he could to kill off all the Mormons.

Heber C. Kimball said, “I want to tell you men that you will have times and seasons yet, and you will be brought closer quarters than you were in those occasions. I feel to warn you and forewarn you of these things. Don’t sell your guns, but if you have not good ones, see and get them, and rub up your swords (this is the first and only time swords has ever been mentioned in this book, and grandfather had his sword all his life and gave it to my brother, Clyde, before his death. I have often wondered if they used swords, as guns and knives are all that they mentioned in this history.) And be ready, but fear not, for the Lord will prepare a ram in the thicket, and he will save his people, and overthrow the wicked, if it takes every one of these boys and the Battalion to do it. Brother Grant was in Zion’s Camp and it was said in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph that we then offered a sacrifice equal to the sacrifice Abraham offered when he put Isaac on the alter, and Isaac’s blessings will be upon you. He said that everyone that lifts a hand against you shall fall, every nation, every president, every king who lifts a hand against you shall fall, the curse of the almighty will rest upon them. The Battalion had the respect of all the people who came in contact with them. One officer said he could take 1000 men like them and do more in war with Mexico than could be done with the whole United States Army. These men lived the Gospel while in the service of their country the same as at home and didn’t grumble at the wicked way they were treated in the service. They kept themselves clean. There were a few too weak to refrain, but it is hard for all to live perfectly, as we all have weaknesses.”

The Battalion was a model of righteousness in all their doings and my grandfather I am sure, was one of the best. He was next to the youngest man there. It mentioned Henry G. Boyle who lived just a mile from where I live and he is buried out there in our cemetery. Christopher Layton was our Stake President. Grandfather was buried in Thatcher Cemetery. Levi Hancock has a lot of descendents here in the Gila Valley. He was quite a poet.

The first part of this book tells of the destruction of Nauvoo and how the saints were driven from their homes by mobs and all kinds of wicked men and were beaten and killed and women ravaged and children hurt. Tells of losing all they had and driven out on the prairies to die and it was then that 500 of their needed men were asked to go help fight the Mexicans. Of course, we have all this history, but it gives so much in detail here and is very interesting to ready.

When I was a child, Grandfather heard me complaining because there wasn’t anything in the house to eat but some dry bread (we always had bread and milk for supper but this night the cows didn’t come home and we had only bread to eat) and he repeated this little verse to me:

Never throw upon the floor, the crusts you cannot eat; For willful waste makes woeful want, and sometime you may say; Oh, how I wish I had that crust that I once threw away.

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Then he told me of how he suffered for food on that march. How he boiled his boot tops, to get a little nourishment. How he strained water to drink when they were suffering for thirst. How they were nearly killed by a heard of wild bulls, and of the way some of the Mormons were treated, because they were Mormons. How they were all made to take a dose of Calimol and Strychnine whether they needed it or not and how some of them died from its effect. How some held it in their mouths until this crazy doctor left and then spit it out. This doctor had dozens of them right down in bed, sick. He had to leave for several days and when he got back they were up and well. (Strychnine is a strong poison; only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects in people. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects, including death. In the past, strychnine was available in a pill form and was used to treat many human ailments. Today, strychnine is used primarily as a pesticide, particularly to kill rats.)

The devil was right there among our men trying to destroy them at every opportunity, and although they suffered much, they were trued to their teachings and returned home safely, all but a few who were weak and couldn’t take it. It couldn’t be a perfect plan with human beings, but the Mormon men did an excellent job, and preached the Gospel by their action and the rest of the men couldn’t help but see it.

There were many men besides the Mormons on this march and some of them watched these Mormons and marveled at the courage they showed with the treatment they received from their supervisors. They had the spirit of the Lord with them and he sustained them. It is my understanding that these men walked this long distance from Fort Lavenworth to San Diego on foot, 2000 miles, over rough country, no road down steep canyons, pulled up the wagons, which held their supplies where it was too steep for horses to climb, by windless, and let them down canyons the same way. There were several women accompanied this trek as laundry women, but we want our children to understand these Mormon men walked every step of the way, 2000 miles and that is further than the Saints traveled by handcarts across the plains, in the early days of the church.

There was some confusion between these men and their leaders- some shortcomings and ignorance. At one time when they had been on starvation rations, had even killed dogs to eat, one man had killed a crow, some had boiled their shoe soles and drank the soup if you could call it soup, when one of the men killed a poor old cow and someone killed a deer. They had plenty of meat, and after satisfying their hunger, they proceeded to cut up the rest of the meat in strips to dry it as they knew they would need it later, but right in the middle of this process, the captain gave orders to move on and most of the meat had to be left to spoil, but orders were orders.

The company finally reached Tucson and they weren’t made very welcome. They succeeded to find a tall pole nearly 150 feet high, sat it up and displayed the United States Stars and Stripes, over that small town, making it U.S. Territory. It took about 6 months to reach their western destination of San Diego. After serving a year in the service, he was discharged and he with other of his comrades, walked back to Salt Lake. Think of that. Walked all the way, he was discharged at Los Angeles July 16, 1847.

Samuel Lewis enlisted in the Mormon Battallion on July 16, 1846. The Battalion made its infantry march of 2000 miles from Missouri River to the Pacific coast. The chart was made by Colonel Cook’s engineers, was placed on file in Washington D.C. and later formed the basis for the construction of the Pacific Southern Railroad. They participated in the conflict which made California, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona part of the United States. Samuel Lewis was the youngest man in the Mormon Battalion, except one, and that was Lot Smith, who was two months younger. (Noted in Improvement Era January 1920)

P.S. Clyde McBride still has the sword of grandfathers and is planning to have it on display in the museum in Pima. Can’t find anything about swords being used by the Battalion in history, but surely they carried them. Don’t suppose they ever had to use them, as they never had to fight anyone.

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Grandfather Lewis was a true Latter-Day Saint. Although he was not a public speaker, he was true to the Gospel and all its teachings. Grandfather was a tall, slender man, well built, and he loved to walk. In fact, he was built just right for walking. It is said by one of his grandsons, Edward Moody, that Grandpa told him that the Prophet Joseph Smith wanted someone to take a message down to Joseph City about 250 miles down the river. Samuel volunteeed to do the job. He said he took a bag of parched corn and some jerky (dried beef) and left on his errand. He made it there and back to Nauvoo in 9 days. Some folks say it could not be done in that length of time but they didn’t know Grandpa. He was a great walker and that was his hobby. He said that trip was just a prelude and preparation for the long trek of 2000 miles he took to the Pacific Coast. He also told Edward he made a trip from Gila Valley up to the Alpine, from Clifton, only 50 mile distance, but it was the worst and hardest trip he ever took. It was worse than the trip to California or the one to Joseph City. It was down in a box canyon and they had to cross the river several hundred times. He was going there to see his daughter, Mary Judd, who lived there in Alpine.

Samuel Lewis was the first white man to carry the mail from Utah to San Francisco. He was the first Sheriff of Beaver County, Utah. He owned and operated the first cutting machine that ever cut grain in Beaver or Iron Counties, Utah. He worked on the Nauvoo Temple until the walls were completed, on the St. George Temple 18 months, on the Salt Lake Temple 14 months and on the Manti Temple for 4 months.

The oldest daughter of James William Huntsman and wife, Hannah Davis Huntsman, was Sarah Jane Huntsman. She fell in love with Samuel Lewis and they were married on January 1, 1854. Samuel had been home for several years from his trip to California after an honorable discharge. He came all the way home on foot to join his folks in Parowan, where they had build a home in southern Utah. Soon after they married and moved to Minersville with his folks. There they build another home and Tarlton Lewis became Bishop of that town, and they all lived there for 14 years.

Utah Census, 1850-90

LEWIS, SAMUEL
State: UT Year: 1860
County: Beaver County Record Type: Federal Population Schedule
Township: Beaver Page: 136
Database: UT 1860 Federal Census Index

The long freight and immigrant trains went right through Parowan, bringing merchandise and mail through to the coast. Later the Pony Express was established in 1869, and regular letters cost as much as $5.00 a letter. It took over 8 days to make the trip from Missouri to Los Angeles. It was while living in this place that 4 children of Samuel and Sarah Jane were born, Samuel Edward, Orson, Keturah Hannah, Mary Ellen. Then the family moved again to Minersville. Oliver, Delbert, Laura, Malinda, Joseph and there Lula and Bertha were born. During this time, Samuel spent a lot of time cutting stone for several temples. He helped build while his boys cared for the farm and cattle.

Household Record 1880 United States Census
Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace

Samuel LEWIS Self M Male W 50 KY Stone Cutter KY KY

Sarah J. LEWIS Wife M Female W 46 IN Keeping House OH OH

Oliver LEWIS Son S Male W 19 UT Stock Raiser KY IN

Delbert LEWIS Son S Male W 17 UT Stone Cutter KY IN

Laura LEWIS Dau S Female W 15 UT KY IN

Malinda LEWIS Dau S Female W 13 UT KY IN

Alvira LEWIS Dau S Female W 10 UT KY IN

Joseph LEWIS Son S Male W 11 UT KY IN

Lula LEWIS Dau S Female W 7 UT KY IN

Bertha LEWIS Dau S Female W 5 UT KY IN

Source Information:
Census Place Panguitch, Iron, Utah
Family History Library Film 1255336
NA Film Number T9-1336
Page Number 341B

At the close of the year 1880 the family decided to move to Arizona. That was a long trip in midwinter, but they had been told there was an opportunity there and our grandparents had the Pioneer spirit in their veins and blood, and were used to pioneering and clearing the land and making the desert blossom as the rose. They packed all they could haul in two wagons, sold all they could, and gave the rest away and all but the two oldest girls were ready to leave their old home. The night before leaving was a sad one. The girls sang:
Goodbye dear old home, said is my heart,
To think that tonight, forever we must part,
Weeping we full of pain, we fear we shall never see thee again.

They felt a little insecure, not knowing what they might have to endure. They were very happy to have good teams and wagons and were well prepared for the trip, so away they went. Sometimes they were unable to find water, then no feed for the animals, but they crossed the Colorado River on a flat boat, taking wagons across and swimming the animals.

When the Lewis family left for Arizona, they took eight of their family. Samuel Edward had already gone to St. Johns and Ramah, New Mexico where they had been called to fill a mission. He went to Springerville first and then while living at that place was called to labor among the different tribes of Indians. The five year old boy died and was buried in Parowan, Utah. Then Keturah and Mary had married and preceeded the family to Arizona. Granfather was leavingt the state of Utah where the Temples were and wanted to have his children and his wife sealed to him and his wife. They journeyed to

the St. George Temple where they planned to have these eight children sealed to them. They realized the

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children would soon be leaving home and this was their last chance to have this work done. The temple president told Grandfather this work couldn’t be done until they were all there. Grandfather told him it could be, as they had already had the two oldest ones sealed several years before. The President still refused to do this sealing until they were all together, so Grandfather said he told this president he would hold him responsible for this decision in regards to the future lives of his family. That was so important to them all, and could have been so easily done as the two older ones were already married and settled down in southern Arizona. It was impossible to have them return for the ceremony. So, with heavy hearts, they left the temple and went on their journey down to southern Arizona. To make a long story short, it took these children just 57 years to get this sealing finally finished, or 1837, the last one of them got sealed to their parents. It was a great sacrifice to these children but they finally got it done, showing this man it didn’t have to be done with all of the family at once. Even men of great responsibility make mistakes.

It was a long, slow trip, but finally landed in the town of Pima, February 10th 1881 and was given a corner lot bordering the Cottonwood Wash, west of town, where Samuel and boys cleared the lot, built a 2 room log house from cottonwood logs found on the Gila River, and made a real comfortable home. The roof was made of willows and straw with dirt packed in. It was fine until it rained, and then the mud trickled down on the lovely white cloth the girls lined the living room with. They didn’t mind and as soon as the storms cleared up, down would come the factory, it was washed and put back again. At first the family had a wagon box and a shed to live in until this house was build, so we can see how they appreciated their new home, and thanked the Lord for bringing them safely there. On their trip they saw lots of Indians, but they were friendly. How they could settle down and send the children to school and the log school house wasn’t far away. They had to haul their water from a town well a block away. They put a barrel on the Lizzard, made of a forked log, hitched a horse to it and hauled all their water until they dug a well of their own. Food for such a big family was hard to get, but they had cattle to kill, cows to milk, and grandfather always raised a good garden. It was his enjoyment to have plenty of every kind of vegetable for the table and grandma was a good cook. Grandfather had a garden up the Cottonwood wash several miles, where he had a garden every year. Aunt Bertha tells about it in her history, so I will omit it here, but it is very interesting and I hope all his grad grandchildren will read it. Many people know the very spot where it was located and I am anxious to go see the place.

I don’t know how long the Lewis family lived in Pima, but it must have been 1886-7 that they sold out and moved to Thatcher, where Grandpa took up a quarter section of land, built a two roomed lumber house, and settled there. Then a very sad thing happened. For some reason our dear grandparents separated, after rearing a family of 12 children, and all the hardships they went through. They decided to each go their way. Grandma kept the house and Grandpa just spent the rest of his life as a wanderer.

Lived first with one of his children and then another. He was always making a garden somewhere, and always walking. He would get up early and be gone, walking up in the hills when he lived with my mother, worrying her, but he always came back safely.

When I, Laura McBride, was a child my father worked on the railroad in Mexico. When the work was ended, he took my mother and us children down to Juarez, Mexico and left us for a year. While we lived there, Grandfather had a big garden up the river from Juarez. I remember we all went up there and would stay a week at a time, caring for tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. He sure had a knack for making things grow. That was what he did when they settled in Pima, plant a big garden up in the wash where he narrowly escaped death by Indians when he happened to spend an extra day at home.

Twas then the Indians came and destroyed his garden, fruit trees, fences and burned his tent. If he had been there, he might have gone with the rest of his property. He always said that was the hand of the Lord that kept him home that day, as that same day the Indians killed a man from Pima, who wasn’t many miles from where Grandfather’s garden was.

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It is reported, Grandfather went back into Mexico several years later. The Bakers had moved to Chuchupi, Mexico, so he landed with them as his daughter lived there. He cleared land and farmed a few years and one year he had a lovely garden just ready to harvest when a flash flood came and wiped out everything he had. He then came back to the states and lived among his daughters here in the Gila Valley.

Even while living at the home of his daughter, Laura McBride, he still figured he could make a garden. He bought a hand cultivator and other tools and tried to garden, but water was low and he was about 75 years old, so he finally gave up the idea that he could grow anymore.

When he was cutting stone for Temples, a piece flew into his eye. They tried to get it out, but never did. In later years, he had the eye out and it bothered him. He lost his memory and spent the last years of his life in Phoenix in a hospital, dying 31 August 1911. He was buried in Thatcher, Graham, Arizona.

I am writing part of this from memory of what I have seen and heard. Also from history as given by different members of his family, some were officially. Grandfather was a quiet man, never said much but the thought a lot and was a true Latter Day Saint to the last. I loved Grandpa and Grandma, too. It was a sorrow to think of each alone when they needed each other the most in their old age.

Thatcher, Graham County, Arizona Cemetery NAME BIRTH DATE DEATH DATE LEWIS, SAMUEL OCT 27 1829 AUG 31 1911 As you come into Thatcher proceed to Stadium when coming from either direction. Turn towards the South or turn towards Mt. Graham. Proceed as far straight as can go until the road curves by the baseball fields. There is a hill and a road going to the top. Spanning the road is a sign that says Thatcher cemetery. This cemetery was copied by Thatcher LDS 3rd ward youth organized by me. There are about 150 unknown graves in this cemetery. People in the valley may know who they are but I don't. If you would like more information or have questions about the cemetery please contact me at clonts@zekes.com

-- Our Pioneer Heritage- Emigrant's Guide Volume 7, Two Utah Pioneers, Mary Minerva Dart Judd, Pioneer of 1850

During some of these exciting times Samuel Lewis tied his horse to a fence near the house. In a short time an Indian came along and leaping upon the back of the horse rode away. Several boys soon had their horses and were in pursuit. This brought out all the Indians around to watch the pursuers. They formed a plan to attack the fort if anything happened to the Indian with the horse. Ten or twelve Indians were to be dispatched to attack the whites in the fields, about the same number to attack those in the canyon, and five posted at the shop of Calvin C. Pendleton, our gunsmith. The rest of the Indians were to use their bows and arrows on the people at their doors. Those to attack the gunsmith and the people outside the fort had guns; those in the fort had bows and arrows. These preparations being made, the Indians waited to see what was done with the young Indian. The boys soon overtook him and brought him back without hurting him in the least. In case he had been killed the Indians would have made the attack as planned. The Indians always claimed to be friendly and they often went with us boys after wood. The boys played with them and often shot their bows. When they worked for us we generally paid them with something to eat. I well remember this incident of the stolen horse and noticed a strange attitude exhibited by several of the younger Indians, especially one whose bow I had often borrowed. On this occasion I asked him for his bow but he refused and seemed interested in something else, but we had no suspicion of their plan. I am not aware that any of the whites suspected an intended massacre. At a later peace talk the

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Indians related the plan stated above and also told several other things, including the theft and killing of a few animals at different times which had never come to the knowledge of the whites. The people of Parowan had no idea that the Piedes had been the aggressors in the cases mentioned until told at this time.

However, it was pardoned and overlooked at the peace talk. At this time there was a great effort being made to establish an iron foundry at Cedar City, a new settlement 18 miles from Parowan. They were much in need of a considerable quantity of wrought iron to complete the works. Before our trip to Salt Lake in February, 1853, my husband, Z. K. Judd, John Steele, J. A. Little, William Barton and Samuel Lewis, started on a trip to the Muddy, 200 miles from Parowan, on the southern route to California, with the hope of obtaining the needed iron, which had been left along the road from wagons destroyed because they could not be hauled any further. The party was gone about three weeks and several days longer than they expected to be, when they left home. This, and the report brought in by some Indians that two or three white men had been killed on the Muddy, raised considerable excitement in Parowan. A company of men under Captain George Woods took the road to the Muddy to learn the fate of the absent ones and afford them relief, if necessary. They met the party at the Mountain Meadows, alive and well, but contending with the large snow banks which blocked the road through the Meadows. They had cached some of the grain for their teams when going out. This, which the Indians stole, had retarded their progress by weakening their teams. When Captain Woods and company returned, it raised a heavy cloud of worry from the families of the men and from the people generally.--Our Pioneer Heritage, Volume 11, D.U.P, The Mormon Battalion, Page

List of Battalion- Company C, Officers Born Died or Buried
Lewis, Samuel 27 Oct 1829 31 Aug 1911, Phoenix, Arizona --Conquerors of the West: Stalwart Mormon Pioneers, Volume 2, Page

Name: Samuel Lewis
Birth Date: 27 Oct 1829
Birth Place: Simpson Co., Kentucky
Parents: Tarlton and Malinda Gimlin Lewis
Death Date: 01 Sep 1911
Death Place: Phoenix, Arizona
Arrival: Dec 1847, Mormon Battalion Co.
Spouse: Sarah Jane Huntsman
Marriage Date: 01 Jan 1854
Marriage Place: Parowan, Utah
Spouse's Parents: James William and Hannah Davis Huntsman
Spouse's Birth Date: 05 Apr 1834
Spouse's Birth Place: Steuben Co., Indiana

Samuel was the oldest son of Tarlton and Malinda . They were apparently members of the Church when he was young, as they moved to Missouri with the saints when he was about nine years old. His father anUncle were hurt and Samuel remembered the bullets flying around him. After the families moved to Nauvoo , Samuel learned the trade of stone cutter and mason work, while helping build the temple. He later helped build the St. George, Salt Lake , and Manti Temples. Samuel enlisted in the Mormon Battalion at the age of 16 and was next to the youngest volunteer. Upon his discharge, he walked to Salt Lake , where he found his father. He was the first man to carry the mail from Salt Lake to San Francisco .

In 1852 he helped move his parents to Parowan . He was made counselor to his father, who was bishop. Samuel was the first sheriff of Beaver County . He owned and operated the first grain cutting machine in Beaver and Iron Counties . After his marriage, they continued to live in Parowan where four children were born. Then they moved to Minersville where six were born and then two more in Panguitch . While Samuel cut stone for the various temples, his sons worked his farm and cattle. In 1881 they moved to Smithville , and later to Pima, Arizona , where they were one of the first settlers. In 1886 he moved to Thatcher, Arizona , to homestead. He and Sarah Jane separated. She kept the house and he wandered around, living with first one child and then another. He was described as a tall, slender, well built man who loved to walk and garden. His last years were unhappy ones. He later lost one eye in an accident when a piece of stone entered it. He also ruptured himself while moving a large stone. In order to get the care he needed, he was put in a hospital in Phoenix , where he died.

Children:
Samuel Edward Lewis , b. 17 Jul 1854 , Parowan, Utah . Md. 8 Apr 1881 , Daphne Jane Hamblin; D. 25 Jul 1932 , New Mexico .

Orson James Lewis, b. 18 Dec 1855 , Parowan, Utah . Unmarried. D. 14 Feb 1860 , Parowan, Utah .

Keturah Hannah Lewis Baker ,b. 25 Sep 1857 , Parowan, Utah . Md. 1 Jan 1876 , Alfred Baker . D. 11 Apr 1939 , Thatcher, Arizona .

Mary Ellen Lewis Judd , b. 9 May 1859 , Parowan, Utah . Md. 3 May 1874 , Don Carlos Judd . D. 31 Dec 1928 , St. Johns, Arizona .

Oliver Lewis, b. 4 Mar 1861 , Minersville, Utah . Md. 15 Jun 1885 , Viola Maria Mathis . D. 5 Mar 1947 , Brigham City, Utah .

Adelbert Lewis, b. 17 Nov 1863 , Minersville, Utah . Unmarried. D. 9 Oct 1935 .

Laura Lewis McBride, b. 16 Jan 1865 , Minersville, Utah . Md. 1 Nov 1882 , Peter Howard McBride . D. 25 Dec 1954 , Glenbar, Arizona .

Malinda Gimlin Lewis Moody, b. 10 Sep 1866 , Minersville, Utah . Md. 7 Nov 1882 , Francis

Winfred Moody . D. 28 Jul 1902 , Central, Arizona .

Joseph Tarlton Lewis, b. 30 Jun 1868 , Minersville, Utah . Unmarried. D. 26 Oct 1890 , Ramah, New Mexico .

Sarahlavira Lewis Pipkin McBroom, b. 16 Jan 1870 , Minersville, Utah . Md. (1st), 14 Jan 1885 , James Knox Polk Pipkin . Md. (2nd), 17 Nov 1897 , Robert Lee McBroom . D. 4 Oct 1960 , Globe, Arizona .

Lula Jane Lewis Layton, b. 22 Apr 1873 , Panguitch, Utah . Md. 24 May 1892 , Oscar George Layton . D. 19 Nov 1946 , Mesa, Arizona .

Bertha Mariah Lewis McClellan, b. 5 Apr 1875 , Panguitch, Utah . Md. 27 Sep 1891 , Samuel Edwin McClellan . D. 4 Apr 1962 , Mesa, Arizona .

Right Click mouse on image to view enlarged photo

Sources:

PAF - Archer files = Captain James Brown + (7) Phebe Abbott > Orson Pratt Brown > Descendants

"The Life of Samuel Lewis" As Told by Several of his Children & Cited Sources, assembled by Laura McBride Smith, his granddaughter. Reassembled/ typed by Maria Helena Sala Johnson, his 3rd great granddaughter.

Additions, photos, bold, [bracketed information], etc. added by Lucy Brown Archer.

Copyright 2001 www.OrsonPrattBrown.org