In Their Own Words: Charles Pulsipher

The following is an autobiography written by Charles Pulsipher. Contained with his writings are additions by his granddaughter, Eva Clegg Mackay.

I was born April 20, 1830, at Spafford, Onondaga County, New York, the son of Zerah and Mary Brown Pulsipher. When I was two years old my parents joined the Church. We moved to Kirtland in 1835. I remember going to the Temple to hear the Prophet Joseph Smith preach.

The mob violence became terrible and the leaders of the church had to leave Kirtland. They went to Missouri and sent for the rest of the people to come there.

During the winter of 1837-38, the Saints were left in charge of the Seventies at Kirtland, Ohio. All that had means had gone to Missouri, about five hundred remaining. The presidency of the Seventies immediately called them together in the Temple and commenced fasting and praying for the Lord to open the way that they might gather up unto the land of Zion. The council came unto them and told them to scatter out into the country and labor for anything that assist them to move.

We had made a covenant that we would band together, and go up into Missouri together or die in the attempt. Our enemies heard of this and declared we should not roll out more than two wagons at a time. Eighteen of the brethren were called in and turned the means over to the council of the Seventies to deal out accordingly to their best judgment, for the removal of all.

Two days before we were to start, one of our worst enemies came to father, who was one of the councilmen and said, “I understand you are expecting to move in a few days.” “Yes”, father said, “we are.” He said, “I want you to come and camp in my pasture the last night, as there is plenty of feed for all of your animals, and I will use all my influence to prevent you from being harmed.” Consequently, we accepted his kind offer and on the 6th of July, l838, everything being ready, we rolled out. Sixty-five wagons in number, some 500 persons, 60 loose cows which all together made a fine appearance or train of white covered wagons, nearly nine miles long. We were not molested in the least by our enemies.

We moved quietly and peacefully until we came to the border of the Missouri, hearing many reports from our enemies telling us we had better not go any farther. We Mormons were all being driven out and if we went on we would share the same fate. Some of our brethren became faint hearted and wished to turn by the way side and stop. A council was called that night, in which the majority were in favor of going on together, but when a portion still wanted to stop, the council bore a powerful testimony urging them all to hang together, and fulfill the covenant that had been made in the Temple. He said, “I can promise you, in the name of the Lord, if you will hang together, and fulfill the covenant, you shall go through and not one hair of your heads shall be harmed, but if you fall by the wayside there is no such promise given unto me to make to you.”

When we roiled out next morning there were a little over twenty wagons pulled off with their families and went to Haun’s Mill. Most of the men were massacred but Brother Joseph Young, through the mercy of the Lord, escaped without a wound. Brother Knight, while running from the mob, was struck with seven bullets but still he lived to come to the mountains and died at a good old age in Spring Glen. The rest of the company went on through without any harm or molestation.

We were met and welcomed by the Prophet Joseph Smith and others five miles from Far West. He advised us to camp there that night then go on to help strengthen the settlement of Adam~on~diamond (Adam-ondi-Ahman). We remained there three weeks and was driven back to Far West where we spent the winter. We were sent on to Illinois in March of 1839.

I did what I could to assist with the camp duties. I went on many expeditions in defending the rights of the people. When our leaders were instructed to build another Temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, I helped in every way. I was ordained into the second quorum of Seventies in 1845, and received my endowments January 31, 1846, in that
Temple.

I left Nauvoo February 2, 1846, with our family, crossing the river on ice. Along with all the other saints, I suffered many hardships in the cold snow and rain storms which were almost constant for eight and one-half months. After helping to locate the settlements of Garden City and Mt. Pisgah, I then came to the banks of the Missouri River, spent the winter in building houses for the Saints. I made three trips to Missouri in the dead of winter for provisions, camping by the way. It was so cold in some parts where we camped out, that it often froze oxen to death.

During our slow progress of travel four of us went to the edge of the Missouri and built houses and got our pay in provisions and such things as we needed to go on our journey. During our stay there we got acquainted with a fine young lady, a niece of the old gentleman we were working for. She became very much attached to me and said to her brother that she was going to keep me there and not let me go away to the mountains. The rich old farmer saw the kind of feeling she had for me, so just before our job was done, he took me to one side and said to me, “I see there is a very affectionate feeling with Sarah and now I want to say to you, you might just as well stop here and live with us and give up the long journey away into the mountains to suffer or maybe be killed by the wild savages. When you get married, I will give you a good outfit, and there is a good 40 acre farm that will be yours as a wedding present. You can settle down and live an easy life with us.” I thanked him for his kind offer and told him I would consider it. Quite a temptation for a boy of sixteen years old that never had anything before, but the more I thought about it the farther I get from accepting it, for the idea of forsaking my religion and giving up the people I had learned to love did not appeal to me.

In the spring of 1847 a small company of men were sent out to locate the road, and get through, locate the city which they did and returned to the Missouri River to get their families. The next year those who remained behind raised a crop and prepared to go on in 1848. We started on the 20th of May and moved on very comfortably, killing our own meat and catching our own fish to live on. I was appointed one of the hunters of the company. My brother John was to help me. We had to get someone to drive our teams, as we would travel out off the road three or four miles to find our meat. We had shot one buffalo down late in the evening and I stayed to watch it while John went for a team to drag it into camp. That country was inhabited with numerous buffalo which stood about the height of a yearling steer. If several of them came together on a man he had better be somewhere else than in their powerful jaws, for if the smelled game that you were watching it made them very savage. If they gathered in on you and raised a howl to call their help to them, you had better retreat at once and get out of their way. There were many thousands in that part of the country. A large herd of about 2,000 had been to the river for water and when they saw the white top wagons come along and several men rushed onto them to get a shot at them, they took fright and ran towards the mountains where I was watching my beef. The faster they ran the bigger the herd became, which made a mad stampede, rushing over everything they came to. When they got within a few hundred feet of me I began to be alarmed, and started to run, but saw it was impossible to get out of their reach. I just stood my ground and waved. When it seemed as if the next jump they would be upon me the herd parted and some went on each side of me. I just kept on swinging my hat and shouting until they all had passed by me. I was unharmed. A man said that he heard me three miles away. I assure you I was very glad when it was all over. It would take considerable money to hire me to go through an affair like that again.

By that time it was getting dark and started to rain, so that I could not keep the fire to direct John back to me, so my only chance was to listen and try to hear then holler and it was not long until I heard them. I answered but the wind was blowing the wrong way and I could not make them hear me. I found they were about to pass by and I was obliged to leave my game and run to head them off. I ran one-fourth of a mile and made them hear me and soon got together, but it was so dark I knew it would be of use to try to find our beef. We decided to make for camp, which we did. They were keeping a fire to show us where they were. We saw a fire and went toward it. In the extreme darkness we started off from a bank 15 feet with ourselves and four yoke of oxen, all went down together but by good luck no one was hurt as it was sandy country. When we reached camp, wet, tired and hungry, it was not our camp, but we were made welcome. We stayed all night and went on to our camp in the morning. Our folks were very glad to see us for they did not know but what we had been stampeded.

One day as we traveled along the side of the old Platte River, one yoke of lead cattle wanted a drink and so they jumped off the bank into the river dragging the rest of the team and wagon, rolling it over, which contained provisions and goods for a family. Also a bed and a sick mother and baby boy a few days old. With handy help of the men who jumped in to cut the cover loose, they pulled out the things, lifted the mother and baby out and saved them from drowning. They named the baby Platte, for being saved so young.

As we were nearly out of the range of buffalo, the company decided to lay over to get more beef. We started out early in the morning and in the late afternoon we found some. They were very wild so we had to crawl close to them to get any. To get a shot we crept up one on each side and both was near enough so we could signal each other by putting our red handkerchief on the ramrod, talking to each other without alarming the wild game. When both was ready we made a good shot and dropped one down before they knew where it came from. They made a rush to leave, but we felt confident some of us would get a second shot so we were ready for them and as they passed we hit one just  behind the front leg and went through the heart, then the job was to get them to camp which was about 15 miles away. John started for camp while I got them as near ready as possible. On his return - about 11:00 o’clock at night - he had a keg of water which was a very welcome treat as I had not had any since morning and in the heat of August. They came with two yoke of oxen and wagons so we loaded our beef and made our way to camp arriving just before daylight.

Next day we spent in jerking our beef, a process where we cut it into strips and dipped it in strong lime and smoked it. On account of exposure a great number took sick and we buried 300 on the bank of the river.

In the spring of ‘47, a small company was sent out to find a road and locate the great city in the West. All the accounts we could get of Salt take Valley was very discouraging, Mr. Jim Bridger who had been in the mountains for 20 years, said he had been in the valley every month in the summer and always saw frost. He also said it was impossible to raise anything there. He offered $l,000 for the first ear of corn raised in the valley. But when it was raised he did not pay it. He tried to discourage the Saints from stopping here, but this was the place we had started for and in spite of all the reports there and built up a fine city and raised grain in abundance - also fruits and vegetables. We had some very hard times the winter of ‘47 and ‘49, and some became discouraged and left, thinking they would starve to death.

I heard President Kimball say to the people while encouraging them to stay a little longer and not give up - “for within six weeks you shall be able to buy goods as cheap here as in St. Louis, Missouri.“ It was a wonderful saying, for I could not see how it was possible for that to be fulfilled. I noticed the date, which was the first day of May, 1849. I knew no way for supplies to reach us only to be hauled 1,000 miles in wagons. It would take three months to send out and get returns. So I watched for the six weeks to come and see how that wonderful prediction was to come true. On June 15, here came a large company of gold diggers going to California gold fields. When they got to the valley they found out that gold of all kinds was being shipped in by water in great abundance. They also heard that a man could make an ounce of gold a day, so they wanted to sell their heavy loaded wagons and teams for pack ponies and two saddle ponies. They could then get through in a hurry, and gain time enough to pay them for all they had lost in disposing of their heavy teams. As money was scarce they sold for a trifle. We bought three good young tired animals for $45.00, two sets of good harnesses for $12.00, carpenter tools for less than St. Louis prices, a large trunk of good clothes for $7.00, two good wagons for $44.00 and other things were sold for merely nothing; thus was that wonderful prediction literally fulfilled.

I carried the chain to help survey Salt Lake City. I helped to build the first mill in Salt Lake Valley and raised a good crop of corn in ‘49. Gave 50 cents for a half pound of seed potatoes and raised 30 pounds. That gave us seed for next year. They packed a few pounds of potatoes on a mule and sold them for $1.00 a pound. We planted over 1/2 pound very carefully. When they started to grow and had about two inches of sprouts, we took them off and planted them. We reaped 30 pounds of potatoes from them. We arrived in Salt Lake Valley September 22, 1848, helped to survey and helped to build. Hauled one of the first loads of rock for the council house. Was married to Ann Beers on April 30, 1949, by President Young. Served in the Nauvoo Legion as Agent under Colonel W. Burgess, was called on a mission to Green River in November, 1852 - spent ten months on that mission, learned the Snake language and taught the principles of the Gospel to them.

In 1850 in the spring time, I received word that it was my duty to start at once out into Green River country on business of great importance and to shorten the distance I took a short cut, also thinking to avoid the Ute Indians who were very hostile at that time. I cut through the mountains. All went well until I had reached nearly half way and was 40 miles from a settlement. When just before dark or sundown, one evening I was riding alone when all at once up popped an Indian right in front of me. I knew he had seen me, and I also knew it would be impossible for me to run away from him, so my only hope lay in faith and prayer. I knew his camp must be near and my only safety was to put my confidence in him. I could talk the Snake language but this was a Ute. I said “What are you doing here?” He said, “Nothing.“ I said “Where is your camp?” He said, “Just around the hill.” I said, “Take me to your big chief. I have come to see him.” He started and I followed him and he just turned around the point of the mountain and came in sight of a large camp of 200 or 300 Indians. He led me to the chief’s lodge and I jumped off my horse and walked toward him as he came out of his tent. I reached my hand towards him to shake hands, but he stood erect with a savage scowl on his face and did not move toward me. I spoke with a kind voice, but firm, saying, “I have come a long way to talk to you. I have much to say. I am alone and unarmed, and a friend. I have a message from the Great White Spirit to deliver to you and your people. I want to stay all night with you. Will you take my horses out to feed tonight and bring them back to me in the morning?” He reached out his hand and shook hands with me. I knew I had made an impression on him for the good. I said, “I want you to call all your braves together so they can hear this message I have for you all.” He called two small boys to come and takes care of my horses. I took off the saddle and pack from my horses and sat down with them and secretly offered up a prayer to the Father in Heaven to help me to say things to them to their understanding. (Prior to this time, I had a patriarchal blessing and was promised in it that I should be able to speak in any tongue or language of people when my lot was cast among them.) So now I asked Father to grant me this blessing. In a short time the squaw came out and brought me a nice piece of fresh venison. I took it and thanked her. I also gave her two of my biscuits which pleased her very much. I roasted my venison and ate it with my bread. By this time it was dark and the big chief just put his head out of the tent saying “Come in, we are all here.” I went inside, taking my place by the side of the chief’s the only vacant place left. The large tent was filled. I commenced to talk, as I did so I asked if they understood me and they said yes go on. I led out on the Book of Mormon sayings “Many, many moons ago you people were a white people and were loved by the Lord, but because of wickedness and strife they had become so wicked, fighting and killing each other, stealing and so on, the Lord had become displeased with them.” I told them how we got the Book of Mormon and that we all were brothers and we should be kind to each other, not steal or kill, but be good brothers and when we come to see you, you must be kind to us and feed us as you have done to me tonight, and when you come to see us we must treat you kindly and feed you and then the Lord will be pleased with us all. In this strain I talked for two hours, then the big chief talked and explained to them what I had said. He took out his pipe of peace and lit it and took a draw on it then he passed it to me. I did the same and it went the round. This was to show that we were friends, then they all went to their tents. During my talk I heard groans. I asked the chief what that was and he said one of his braves was sick. I said that we prayed for our sick and the Lord healed them. He said - “Want you pray for him.” I did so and then went to bed in my blankets. I slept sound all night as if I had been home. I did not hear any more groans from that sick man. Next morning I asked how he was and the chief said “very much better.” My horses were brought to me at the appointed time and after I had eaten my breakfast, I saddled up and as I was ready to go the squaw came out and gave me some dry venison and I thanked her and went on my way rejoicing and thanking the Lord for his protection.

In the winter of 1836 and 1837, father went on a mission to Canada in company with Elder Jesse Baker. They traveled and preached and baptized many. One night, father was warned in a dream that the time had come for the Elders to leave at once and he started the next day with Brother Baker leaving some of their appointments unfulfilled. When they reached the ferry boat there was an armed force of militia to prevent every foreigner from leaving. Father and Brother Baker said they could not see them and they walked right past them into the boat with the company and the boat pulled out with them and they were not molested and they reached their destination in safety. The other Elders did not heed the warning and stayed to fill their appointments and were prevented from leaving for a long time.

During the winter while father was away, myself and a brother, six and one eight years old, cut and hauled wood on our hand sled to last the winter and we had 2 1/2 cords ahead when father returned. We also had learned to read from the Bible or any book we could get to learn to read in.

It was in the year that the crickets nearly took our crops and we were on rations; our flour was nearly all gone and many others were pretty short on provisions. We had just about one quart of flour in the house One of our neighbors came and asked if we could loan him enough flour to make a biscuit for his wife, who was sick and had not eaten anything for days. She thought if she had a biscuit she might be able to eat it. I asked my wife how much flour we had and she said about one quart, but we will divide with this man and we will not want. Next morning when she went to get the flour there was still a quart of flour in the bin. This same thing happened for a week or more until I could get another sack of flour. So we did not want. (In my Patriarchal blessing I had a promise that if I was faithful my children should never cry for bread, and that promise had been fulfilled to the letter). Although there was many times when it looked as if they might have to go hungry the way was always opened and we hand plenty of bread to eat.

Year 1857, when the pioneers had been in the Valley ten years, they were up (Big) Cottonwood Canyon celebrating the tenth anniversary of their arrival into the Valley when word came that the Government was sending a band of soldiers to Utah against the Saints. President Young was Governor of Utah at that time. He organized an army of boys to keep the U.S. soldiers out of the Great Salt Lake Valley. Our instructions from President and Governor Young was, “That as the Government had not notified us that they were sending soldiers into our midst we had the right to treat them as a mob, and we will run off their animals, burn their wagons, burn the grass in front of them, and in the mountains, but not to take life only in self defense.” On one occasion we found a band of their animals across the Green River from the main camp. We made a charge on them, took the guards prisoners and made them help gather up the animals and guard them while we put our saddles on fresh horses and then help us get them started. Then we let them go to report to their camp while we rushed the band of cattle over the hills - a distance of 60 miles. Before we stopped that day I rode down three horses - the only time I ever changed my little pony for any other. I rode him some 2,000 miles during the four months I was out, most of the time without grain, and he never weakened or failed to carry me through.

One striking incident that I will mention here. While the soldiers were traveling up Horn Fork our boys saw a good chance to take their beef stock. We were much in need of beef to feed our soldiers. Three thousand U.S. soldiers were moving in a solid body up Horn Fork and the beef stock was about 1 1/2 miles below the main company, so we thought that a good chance to run them off. Two companies of our boys, 26 in each company - one under Porter Rockwell and the other under Lott Smith - concluded to meet in the same road as they rode along, came over the brink of the hill in plain sight of the camp. They came to a halt before they discovered that the soldiers had stopped for dinner and the beef stock had come up to the rear of the soldiers making it difficult to get them without endangering the lives of our boys. Porter Rockwell, being very cautious, said it was too risky to take them, but Lott Smith, being hungry for beef, and did not know what fear was, said he would do his part and at the time pulled his sword from the sheath and flourishing it over his head said, “Come on, boys.” He dashed down the hill on a charge. Of course all the boys were at his heels. Porter, seeing that Lott was determined, did the same thing, and called for his boys to follow him. Wishing to prove to Lott that he was no coward, he dashed right in between the soldiers and the beef stock in less time than it takes to tell about it, we had the herd over the hill and out of their sight. It was done so quick that they hardly realized what was done until we were out of sight. Well, the first thing for them to do was to call the officers together to hold a council of war. They soon decided to mount infantry on their work mules and follow up the Mormons and get their beef stock back. When they were about settled on this plan, the old colonel said, “Hold on, gentlemen, I have not had any say yet. The Lord inspired me to speak. I want to tell you there is a deep hard plot to decoy this camp away from their wagons. Maybe the Mormons have thousands secreted away and will rush in upon us and cut us all to pieces.” So, they took his advice and did not try to follow. We did not have another man within 30 miles of them, and from that time on we had plenty of beef to eat.

We continued to harass them until winter set in and they were obliged to set up for winter quarters. Then most of our men were released to go home, just leaving a guard to see that they did not make a rush to get into the Valley and thus we had beaten them without shedding any blood.

During the winter the Government sent out a peace commission to make a treaty with Governor Young. President Young dictated the terms of the treaty, which we complied with, although we had declared that if they continued to push their way into our midst, and if we had to give up our homes to them, we would burn everything that we could not take with us leaving the place as desolate as possible. To prove to them that we meant what we said, before leaving Fort Supply, we set fire to the place and rode off by the light of it, and thus demolished a years hard labor that I had done in helping to build up that place. We did it cheerfully for the defense of Israel. When the troops came up to Fort Bridger for supplies and found everything destroyed by fire that would burn and the winter was upon them they were licked.

I was in the Black Hawk war and served my time with the other boys. On July 16, 1856, I married Sariah Robbins. I was called to take charge of the Presidency of the Second Quorum of Seventies in l856. I took care of the Quorum of Seventies in the Union Fort Ward for several years. Also, I was called out on expeditions under Colonel R. J. Burton in the defense of the Brick Harmon. I was out four months, starting August 13 and returning in December, going through many hardships.

My first son was born October 3, l858. Also a daughter in 1861. I was called to Dixie in November, 1861. I helped survey St. George and helped to build it up and built and rebuilt 16 miles of road in the southern country. Was called to act as Bishop’s Councilor to Bishop Crosby of Hebron for several years. I had a Patriarchal Blessing and was promised that my missions should be short and speedy and that I should gather means abundantly for the building up of Zion. I was called by President Erastus Snow in 1877 to act as traveling agent to collect funds for the St. George Temple. I spent three and a half years traveling and collected from $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 per year and went home. In my travels I received many very strong testimonies, and fulfillments of predictions fulfilled. On one occasion while speaking to the Saints in Manti, Sanpete County, I was urging them to come down and help us to build the Temple in St. George, and before I was aware of what I was saying, I said, “Come and help us to build that Temple and we will come back and help you to build one here in Sanpete County.” This quite surprised the people, as there had not been anything said on that subject before, and at the close of the meeting they all gathered around me and said, “Why, are we going to have a Temple in Sanpete?” I said, “Yes we are,” before I knew how it was given to me. “When did President Young tell you?” I said, “He did not tell me.” “When did you hear of it?” I said, “You heard it as soon as I did.” “Do you think it will be so?” “Yes, I know it will be fulfilled for it was not me that spoken.”
Sure enough, inside of three years I spent two hands to labor on the Manti Temple, thus the prediction was literally fulfilled.

I asked President Young “What shall I do if some poor person wants to give a donation and can hardly spare it? Shall I take it?” And he said, “Yes, take their donation, but always leave a blessing with them.”

Another striking incident was strictly fulfilled which I will mention. Brother Isaac Carlin from Fillmore City handed me $1.00 just as I was leaving and said, “We have kept this for some time and could not decide what to do with it, as we needed so many things and it would not get all of them, so we will give it to you.” I took it and gave him credit for it in the Temple list and said to him, “The Lord will reward you with many dollars in return for this.” The next time I came that way, Brother Carlin came to me and said, “Do you remember what you said to me when I gave you that dollar for the Temple?” I said, “I don’t know.” “Well, you said the Lord will reward you with many dollars in return, and it was fulfilled to the letter. That same day a man called me in and gave me $10.00, but I said ‘I did not expect this from you.’ ‘Well, it is for you and I feel I must give it to you.’ So, we had enough for all our needs.”

I traveled alone part of the time. I sent word that I would be at Mayfield to hold a meeting at 10:00 on Sunday morning and when the day came I drove 15 miles that morning and arrived a few minutes early. I met the Bishop. He said, “Do you understand the Danish language?” I said, “No, I do not understand one word of it.” “Well, our people have just all come from Denmark and settled here by ourselves and I am the only one that can understand English so you will have to speak and explain what you wish to me and I will have to interpret it to them.” I arose with the calculation of speaking about three-fourths of an hour and then give the Bishop the same time, but I was carried away so much in the spirit that I did not realize what I was saying, only I was on the Temple subject. The time flew until it struck me I had talked one and a half hours; no time was left for the interpreter. I said to the Bishop, “What shall we do? I had no idea that I was speaking so long.” He answered “it is alright, for I am sure they understood you all right.” He called out to the people, “Did you understand him?” “Yes!” they cried all over the house. The liberal donations they made for the Temple were good evidence that they understood me. This brings to my mind very forcibly the words of my Patriarchal Blessing that was given me some 30 years ago previous to this mission - that my missions should be short and speedy and that I should have power to speak the language of any nation, or people, amongst whom my lot was cast and these words have been literally fulfilled.

In 1877, when the Temple was completed and I was released and went home, I received a telegram from President Young that he wanted to see me at once. I immediately drove 40 miles the next day from Hebron to St. George and reported myself to President Young. He said he wanted me to go to Windsor Ranch and take charge of the church property there. This I did and spent three years there. He also told me to get a young wife and raise me a family as I was too good a man not to raise any more family than I had, which was a son and three daughters, mostly grown up. So on December 13, 1877, I married Julia A. Johnson and from this union there were 12 children, making me the father of 17 children.

In 1880 the church company was combined with the Cannon Company so that released me as superintendent. I moved to Sink Valley in 1880, taking over stock amounting to 80. We lost most of our stock that winter and two years after suffered another loss by fire of $800.00. In 1882 President Erastus Snow advised me to move to Emery County. As our stock was lost we did not have water for farming, so we moved to Castle Valley in November, 1882, and I put my means into water ditches and a saw mill to help build up the country and assisted in building or helping to build the town of Huntington. In December 1885, I was ordained a high priest and set apart as one of the high council by Apostle F. M. Lyman.

[NOTE BY EVA: Soon after landing in Huntington he took up a homestead and bought some school land. When they decided to lay out a town site he took his homestead and laid it out in blocks. The town of Huntington is his homestead. He gave it away to home-seekers and only got what he had to pay for it. He reserved a city lot for each of his wives. Soon after he was ordained Bishop he built a home in the center of town for his first wife, Ann Beers (who had no children). She had an idea that a hotel or rooming house was needed in the town to accommodate those who were traveling through, so he added more rooms onto the house. About 1890 she started a hotel and a small store. As time passed the store was enlarged. (My mother stayed quite a bit with the first wife to help in this business). They took butter and eggs and all kinds of produce in exchange for store goods. He ran a peddlers wagon and sold the produce up to Castle Gate and Helper. Everything went fine as long as he got his pay for the produce, but when he began to trust his customers and collect on pay day, many who were dishonest would run a bill then move just before pay day. He lost so much pay in this way that in time it put them out of business.]

In May 1886, I was ordained Bishop of the Huntington Ward, by Apostle Wilford Woodruff. In 1896 I was released by Apostle F. M. Lyman on account of poor health and in January 1897, I heard that F. M. Lyman was to attend conference at Huntington. When I heard of his visit, I received a warning that he was coming to ordain me a Patriarch. I went home and told my wife about it. She said, “He will not stay with us but will go to the councilor of the President.” Sure enough, he came to stay with us and before conference was over he ordained me to the office of Patriarch and also President C. G. Larsen. He said the man that rustled the hardest is the man that will gain the biggest reward, so I went immediately and got a record book with a full determination to do all could and was almost constantly giving blessings in all of the wards of the Stake and took great satisfaction in the same.

I was a High Priest, Bishop, Bishop’s Councilor, Patriarch, Carpenter, Farmer and also ran a saw mill and surveyed most of the water canals for Huntington and Cleveland.

 

EVA’S NOTES ON CHARLES PULSIPHER:

They suffered many hardships. When Julia’s second pair of twin girls were three years old, one little girl fell into a kettle of boiling water and was burned so badly she died and in an hour after her death they lost a three month old baby. They were buried in the same casket.

They raised a big family of girls, but lost all of their boys except the youngest one, Lorenzo Charles. About 1889 their boy William about 12, was waiting for some ducks to land on a pond and said to his mother, “This is my last shot and I’m going to make it a good one.” Just then his gun slipped from his hand, hit a board and went off, blowing off the side of his head, killing him.

They had many trials to put up with when the gentiles were after them for polygamy. One time he moved Julia to Colorado for a year and a half with several small children and here another baby was born to them.

At one time while he was Bishop and was at work at his saw mill, the gentiles came to get him. He said to the boys that were with him, “When they ask for me tell them you don’t know where I am.” He stood by a large tree and prayed for protection to his Father in Heaven. The men came and hunted all over the mill for him, passed right by him a dozen times at one time stepping on his foot, and couldn’t see him. They raved and profaned because they couldn’t find him. They said they knew he was there. The boys said if you are sure he is here, why don’t you find him? They said, “We can’t see him anywhere,” and they were standing right by him at the time and could not see or feel him. They went away so mad they could hardly drive their team. Another time he was at the store when they came for him. He just went outside and stood close against the wall. They went in and searched the store from one end to the other and rubbed against him that time, and again they were blinded so they couldn’t see him. He was spared again, and they went away very angry.

In the spring of 1900, Charles Pulsipher with his family, sold out what little property they had and moved to Old Mexico to help build up the Mormon colony of Colonia Diaz, arriving there during the summer. He gave Patriarchal Blessings to all who came for one, and several of the Mexican natives received blessings.

In the fall he went to Colonia Dublan, purchased an acre of ground, dug a well and built a cabin there. He and his first wife lived there while his other wife stayed in Diaz with her mother until he could get a cabin built for her. Then she moved up there and they lived there until 1908, when they decided again to move back to Utah. They landed in Elmo where they stayed a short time. Then he went to Huntington and built a log cabin for each wife on the same lot and they lived there until his first wife became so feeble in 1911 she was not able to take care of herself. She went to Elmo and stayed with his daughter, Florence, who took care of her until she died in May 1912. During that time he built another log cabin for Julia and when Ann died, he went to live with Julia. They were very happy to be able to live together again until his death, November 20, 1915. Four years later, Julia followed him. He was always pioneering, helping to build up the waste places and to beautify Zion. He gave patriarchal blessings where ever he went and they numbered many thousands, so he earned a great reward in Heaven.

He was loved and respected by all who knew him and was always faithful and true until the last. He often said, “The race is not to the swift, but he that endureth to the end.” He gave patriarchal blessings to all his children and grand children until he died.