"To learn that they can do things that are hard"

My oldest daughter, Amanda, went on a pioneer reenactment this week.  Her cousins, Megan and Jeremy Vogel were going and invited her to go along.  At first she was not crazy about the idea of spending days on the trail in a dress, but she eventually decided that she wanted to go. 

I was grateful that she would be able to go and get a small taste of what so many of her 4th and 5th great grandparents went through as they crossed the plains.  I have told her many of our family stories and we watched the movie, 17 Miracles, the night before.

Everything that she took with her had to be able to fit into a 5 gallon bucket (except for a sleeping bag) and she had to carve her own wooden spoon.  They weren't allowed to bring anything the pioneers wouldn't have had.  For example, they could take a tooth brush, but not toothpaste, they brought a pie tin to eat from, etc.

Amanda, prepared for Trek, in her pioneer outfit and her 5 gallon bucket.  They were not able to bring anything the pioneers didn't have, except for tennis shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a camelback for water.

On Wednesday, 13 June, at 7:00am, all the 165 kids who here going on Trek met at the church in Mesquite, Nevada.  The kids were told that it was going to be hard, but at the end, they were going to be glad that they had done it.  At about 7:30am they were driven to the trailhead in the mountains east of Mesquite.

Megan and Jeremy Vogel, Amanda's cousins, and Amanda before leaving on Trek - Mesquite, NV

A small portion of the 165 kids leaving on Trek 2012 - Mesquite, NV

The kids were all broken up into families, with a Ma and Pa, and about 8-10 children.  They were specifically grouped so they would not be with family members, so Amanda saw her cousins occasionally, but was not in a family with them.  Amanda's family had eight kids with five girls and three boys.  They all took turns pushing the handcart, and each family took turns in their place in the line.

There were several kids who were amazed that Amanda came from California, by choice, to participate in such a grueling experience.

The first day they traveled eleven miles before stopping and camping for the night.  Amanda said they had broth and rolls for dinner that night and it was the best broth they had ever tasted.  They slept on the ground in their sleeping bags, in their clothes, and Amanda said she had never seen so many stars.  

For breakfast they had oatmeal, which she didn't like, but ate anyway, because that was all there was.  They had dried fruits as well.  Other mornings they had a "seed-looking thing" for breakfast, which she liked as much as the oatmeal.

There were "casualties", as some of the kids went home early for a variety of reasons, and one of the girls in Amanda's family got stuck between a tree and the handcart wheel and her foot was run over.  She was taken down to the doctor to get x-rays before being cleared to come back and finish the Trek.  It helped them to see what it was like for the pioneers to lose family members along the way.

The second day, they travelled ten miles.  Each day they stopped frequently for water and rest.  They played games the pioneers would have played and one night they had dancing and music.  

There last two days they traveled about six miles each.  On Friday, a Pony Express rider rode into the camp with letters from their families that we had written to them prior to when they had left.  I wrote to Amanda about her ancestors and what they experienced and why, and we told her how proud we were of her and how glad we were that she had an opportunity to experience this.

There was a photographer who went along with the group, and next month there is a reunion where everyone gets together again and gets a copy of the photos.  We will not be driving back to Nevada for that, so the Vogels will get a copy for us.  

On Saturday, 16 June, the Trek returned to the valley.  They had traveled 33 miles in four days.  When we saw the first heads pop up above the bluff, I, of course, started crying!  It was very emotional for me.  I imagine what it must have been like for the pioneers to have traveled so far, with so much hardship, so crest that last hill and see the valley below.  Knowing that they made it!  Later, Amanda told me, "I know you were all feeling spiritual, but we were just so happy to have a popcicle!"

This sign was on a house in Bunkerville, Nevada along the route that the handcarts would take as they entered the town.

These were the first heads we saw as they crested the bluff and came down the trail towards the town.

Making their way down the trail.

It was difficult to see where each of our individual kids were, so I just kept snapping photos.  I happened to get Amanda in this one.  To the right of all the people, there is a woman in a yellow shirt and blue shorts.  Just to her right is Amanda pushing the handcart.

Amanda pushing the handcart as it came into Bunkerville, Nevada.  I almost didn't see Amanda, as she was hidden behind the very tall boy next to her.

Amanda at the end of the trek.  Hot, dirty and tired, but happy!

Megan and Jeremy Vogel and Amanda at the end of Trek.

We gathered up their supplies and headed back to Mesquite for them to take well-earned showers.  This morning, Stephanie Vogel sent us a scan of the front page of the Mesquite newspaper.  Amanda made the front page!!

Amanda made the front page of the Mesquite Citizen Journal - 6/20/2012

There was a reporter that went along on the trip and wrote about it in two parts for the Mesquite Citizen Journal - Part 1 and Part 2.  There are a lot more details in the stories than I got from Amanda. I am glad that I got that perspective as well.

In the letter I wrote to her, I expressed to her about how I feel about what she was experiencing:

You have a strong pioneer ancestry, and you have many family members before you who had to do this too, and I hope that it helps you feel closer to them.  John Macfarlane, Charles Penrose, Agnes Gray, Louise Lusty, Hector Macquarrie, Ann Chatterley, to name a few.  

Ann is my favorite!  She was an amazing woman!  She came across the plains, in wagons her father had built, with her family when she was fourteen years old, like you.  The were in the John Brown Company.  She talked about the herds of buffalo "as far as the eye could reach".  She told of her fear of the Indians, and how wagons were stationed in a circle and how men stood guard, changing shifts during the night.  On the plains she learned how to make buckskin from deer hides, and she learned which herbs were best for food and healing the sick.  

I want you to know and understand how important a trek this was for them!  They had such a strong testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ that they left their homes and family, everything that they knew and loved, and crossed the ocean and the plains.  They believed so strongly that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God that they sacrificed their comforts, and in some cases, their families as they made their way across the plains.  Many died on this trek, but they had a strong testimony of the higher purpose they were following.  They had a testimony of eternal families and they knew that though they lost family members along the way, they would all be together again.  They sealed their testimonies on the trails the forged across the plains and mountains they crossed.  These grandparents of yours are looking down on you right now, knowing that you are learning to more greatly appreciate the sacrifices they made so that you could have the gospel in your life.  You will know them when you see them again!  What a wonderful blessing!

Amanda says that she will not do this again, but that she is glad that she went.  She had a good time and we were so glad to see her home!

She learned, in a different way than she ever has before, that she can do things that are hard.

St. George - Day 2

I am going to tell you right away that there will be a "St. George - Day 2 Revisited", as I don't have a lot to show for what I did today.  I got a lot of information, but not a lot of photos.....yet.

I started the day at the St. George Temple.  Both Hector McQuarrie and Ann Macfarlane served as temple workers for many years in the St. George Temple, so I was very excited to have a chance to actually go into the temple.  I have been to the temple grounds many times, but never had a chance to go inside.  It was very emotional for me, imagining seeing them there.  I know they are not "in" St. George, but it made me feel good to be where they have been.

The entrance to the St. George Temple

The St. George Temple

I took this one because it is Flag Day today.

I asked in the temple office if they kept records of when temple workers had been there.  Their records didn't go back that far.

I next went to the DUP Museum in St. George.  They have an impressive collection there, including many photos of the Macfarlane and McQuarrie families.  I ordered a disk with histories and photos on it.  It will be mailed to me.  First example of not having a lot to show for today.

Yes, that is the same McQuarrie as we are related to.

The McQuarrie Memorial Hall Pioneer Museum, cared for by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers

 Also, there is a big sign as you walk in the door of the museum that says "Absolutely No Photos".  So, I don't have anything to show from my visit to the museum other than a photo of the building.

One thing I did find, however, was a photo of several female temple workers from the early 1920s, including Ann Macfarlane!!!  I was so thrilled!  It said on the binder that the photos were available at a local photography studio that was a few blocks away.  I went there and the photographer had the photo, but her printer was jammed, so I paid for the photo and gave her my address. So, yet another example of how I don't have anything to show for all the work I did today.

From the Museum, I went back to the St. George Cemetery.  If you recall from my last St. George post, I did not take a photo of Robert Gray McQuarrie's headstone.  I went back looking for it today, and all I found was a patch of dirt next to Charlotte Ann McQuarrie's headstone that is getting overrun with grass.  I spent the next couple of hours trying to see if I could find out what happened to Robert's headstone.

Charlotte Ann McQuarrie's headstone with a bare patch next to it.  I would imagine that Robert's headstone said FATHER at the top and looked very similar to this one.

I called the Sexton who is over this cemetery and he said that they do not keep records of what happens to headstones.  I have been told that there was significant vandalism to this cemetery a couple of times in the last several years.  Also, the storms can knock over the headstones, and this type of limestone headstone will shatter if they get knocked over.  Also, I was told at the library (I will get to that in a minute) that the water that the City of St. George has started using lately is straight out of the river and is very alkali and it is deteriorating the headstones.  Lovely!

I wanted to see if there were some local history books that might have pictures from the cemetery, or something like that. Next I went to the Family History library next to the temple, and they didn't have any information.  They suggested I try the City Library.  So, I went there.  They didn't have enough information on Robert McQuarrie to know if there originally was a headstone, but I did find something else out.

In my previous post I mentioned that I didn't know who the headstone next to Hector McQuarrie was.  From the book, "Saint George, Utah Original Pioneers: December 1, 1861 - May 10, 1869: Histories and Pictures", by Roberta Blake Barnum and Paul Peine, it states: "[Hector's] wife Agnes Gray passed away 25 Oct 1900 in St Geoge.  Hector then married his wife's niece, Elizabeth McKillop McMurtrie 24 Dec 1900.  She passed away 15 May 1912.  Hector died 16 Nov 1920.  All are buried in the St George cemetery."  (I found this book at the City Library.)

Is there any chance that anyone has a personal photo of Robert Gray McQuarrie's headstone?  I would love to see it!

So, just ten copies today, but as soon as I get the photos......woohoo!!

Stay tuned. : )

Ann Chatterly Macfarlane - The Flag - 1852

Happy Flag Day!!

Ann Chatterly Macfarlane

In the spring of 1852 the men went to the mountain and selected a tell tree to be used as a Liberty Pole.  This they did in preparation for their first 4th of July celebration.  After this proud pole was securely placed in the ground (inside the Fort) 'twas found they had no flag large enough to hoist that high.  Ann Chatterly - age 15 - offered to make one.  The Chatterly's had brought, among other goods, white marine - and Ann had two long, full petticoats, one of blue and one of red.  There she contributed and sewed by hand a most beautiful flag.  Of course, in 1852 there were not so many stars to make, but it was a tedious task; however, she loved to do it.  Every one appreciated it because what would the 4th of July be without a flag!  From that day on she was known as "The Betsy Ross of Iron County".  

(From a biography by Ann's granddaughter, Ruth M. Penrose)

I have partial copies of obituaries for Ann and at the age of 89 she was still referred to as the Betsy Ross of Utah.  In the obituary it relates the story as follows:

"Mrs. Macfarlane was known as the Betsy Ross of Utah.  When in 1852 the pioneer settlement of Cedar City proposed to celebrate the Fourth of July there was no flag to be displayed.  Mrs. Macfarlane solved the problem by making a flag from three skirts which she had brought from England, which, fortunately were of the three national colors. One skirt was red silk, the other was white merino and the third of blue cotton.  At the time she was fifteen years of age."

As we celebrate our nation's flag, let us also celebrate Ann Macfarlane's part in honoring it! 

Direct line ancestry: Ann Chatterly Macfarlane --> Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie --> Ruth McQuarrie Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

St. George - Day 1

I am visiting family in Mesquite, NV and I wanted to spend a day in St. George, Utah doing family history resreach.  Turns out, I will get two!!  Woohoo!  Today I went with my sister-in-law, Stephanie, and two of our kids to get clothes for them to take on the Pioneer Trek they are taking this week.  I am excited for Amanda to go on Trek and hopefully gain a much greater kinship to her pioneer ancesters.

So, today we went to the St. George City Cemetery where many of my ancestors are buried.  I have photos of Hector and Agnes McQuarrie's headstones and John and Ann Macfarlane's headstones, but they were not as nice a quality as I would like, and I wanted to get digital photos of them.  And, in the meantime I had found several other relatives that were buried there.

First, here are Hector and Agnes McQuarrie's headstones.  They are getting a bit deteriorated, so we covered them in water so they were more easily read.

Hector McQuarrie
1834-1920
grave site B-7-22-2

Agnes Gray McQuarrie
1835-1900
grave site B-7-22-1

Next to Hector's headstone there is one for Elizabeth M. McQuarrie.  I am gong to have to do some further research on who this is.  I believe it may be his second wife, but I am not entirely sure.  I have checked a family history website I use and there is severely conflicting data on who his second wife may have been.  All I know is that he moved to Salt Lake City in 1919, which was seven years after Elizabeth died.

The next grave I found was Agnes' father, Matthew Gray.

Matthew Gray
1808-1893
grave site A-F-100-3

Hector and Anges' oldest son is Robert Gray McQuarrie and he married Charlotte Ann Macfarlane.  (Robert and Charlotte's oldest daughter is Ruth McQuarrie Penrose, my great-grandmother.)

(I just realized as I was loading the photos here that I took a photo of the wrong headstone, so I have another errand to do when I go back to St. George on Thursday!)

Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie
1858-1917
grave site B-9-8-3

The final headstones I took a photo of was the obelisk with John Menzies Macfarlane and his three wives, one on each side.  There are also grave markers for each of those that are buried there.

John Menzies Macfarlane
1833-1892
grave site A-A-6-2

John Menzies Macfarlane's grave marker

Ann Chatterley Macfarlane
1837-1926
grave site A-A-6-1

Ann Macfarlane's grave marker

Three of John and Ann's children are buried with them. 

Kate Macfarlane 1868-1869 (4 months old)

Duncan Sinclair Macfarlane 1871-1873 (2 years old)

Duncan Macfarlane 1874-1876 (21 months)

To see all the photos that I took at the cemetery, CLICK HERE.


After we left the cemetery, we drove up to 86 West Diagonal where the Gates-McQuarrie House is located.  This home belonged to Hector and Anges' son, Hector McQuarrie and his wife, Ella.

It sure is a gorgeous house!  It has been well taken care of!

The plaque that is on the sidewalk in front of the Gates-McQuarrie House

I am really looking forward to going back to St. George on Thursday!  I am going to go to the St. George Temple.  My 3rd great-grandparents, Ann Macfarlane and Hector McQuarrie, were both temple workers there for many years.  I will be going to the DUP Museum, which is housed in McQuarrie Hall.

Today I met a cashier at the DI Thrift Store in St. George whose great-grandfather was John Macfarlane.  Cousins!  I am willing to bet this town is full of relatives!

Direct line ancestry: Hector McQuarrie/Agnes McQuarrie --> Robert Gray McQuarrie/Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie --> Ruth McQuarrie Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring
--and--
Direct line ancestry: John Menzies Macfarlane/Ann Chatterley Macfarlane --> Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie/Robert Gray McQuarrie --> Ruth McQuarrie Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Preserving Our Heritage

I believe I have mentioned that I am a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  I will have been a member for twenty years in November of this year.  Our District's annual Convention was in Fresno this year, and I was in charge of the decorations.  I wanted to share the idea that I had for the decorations, as it had to do with my family history.


Using the theme, Preserving Our Heritage, I went with preserving.......preserves......canning......and this is the end result:

Several other people, including Carol, Kevin's mother, provided a great deal of the preserves and canning equipment for the centerpieces.  The photos in the jars are of many of my ancestors who crossed the plains themselves, and many others from mine and Kevin's families that were pioneers in coming to this country.

I used photos from my family history in the jars.  The invitations were done by another person and went perfectly with the decorations!

I also did a table showing different ways to preserve histories, including scrapbooks, Book of Remembrance, personal histories, journals, shadow boxes, scanning photographs and documents, blogs, and detailed artifact inventory.


I am applying for the DUP Honorary Heritage pin, as my grandmother, Lu Penrose Bond and my great-grandmother, Ruth McQuarrie Penrose, were also members of DUP.  I am honored to be in an organization that works so hard to preserve the heritage and histories of our beloved ancestors.

Memorial Day 2012

For the last many years, we have always gone to the Memorial Day Ceremony at Fresno Memorial Gardens in Fresno, CA.  We love the Avenue of Flags that they have there, we "visit" Gpa Bond, and we attend the ceremony.

Amanda and Rebecca at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2005

Katrina at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2006

Katrina and Kevin with one of the many American flags in the Avenue of Flags at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2006  (I love this photo!)

Amanda, Katrina and Rebecca at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2007

Amanda, Rebecca and Katrina at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2009

Katrina, Amanda, Rebecca and Lora at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2010

Katrina places the flag at Richard Bond's grave - Memorial Day 2010

Rebecca, Amanda and Katrina at Richard Bond's grave at Fresno Memorial Gardens - Memorial Day 2011

The bagpipe corps that played at the Fresno Memorial Gardens Memorial Day Ceremony 2011

Over 1600 flags are displayed at the Fresno Memorial Gardens - 2011

This year we did something a little different.  When my Gpa, Richard Marshall, was buried in October of last year in the San Joaquin National Cemetery, my Aunt, Lindi, donated his flag to their Avenue of Flags.  This year we drove to Santa Nella, CA to the cemetery for Memorial Day.


We went to see my grandfather's grave first.  The grass has been put in since the last time I was there and it looks nice.

Richard Marshall's grave at the San Joaquin National Cemetery - 2012

Rebecca, Katrina, Lora and Amanda at Richard Marshall's grave at San Joaquin National Cemetery - Memorial Day 2012

The Avenue of Flags at the San Joaquin National Cemetery.  Somewhere in there is the flag that covered my grandfather's casket. - Memorial Day 2012

The Avenue of Flags at the San Joaquin National Cemetery - Memorial Day 2012

The San Joaquin National Cemetery Avenue of Flags with the pavilion in the right background that is near my grandfather's grave - Memorial Day 2012

 I was very glad that we could drive to Santa Nella and visit my grandfather's grave on Memorial Day.  There were so many people there honoring those they love!  It was wonderful!

Today I had the unique experience of being able to go out to Fresno Memorial Gardens and help other volunteers to fold and sort all the flags.  There were six volunteers who were folding the flags (several of whom were Blue Star Moms) and I was sorting the rolled-up flags into all the containers that were for each of the different areas in the cemetery.  It was very enjoyable, and I am glad that I was able to find that way to serve.