HISTORY OF JAMES AND CHARLOTTE CROCKET GOUGH
James Gough and Charlotte
Crocket were married 17 Oct 1863, in the Endowment House in
Salt Lake City, Utah, by Heber C. Kimball.
Their first home was a little adobe house
within the Old Fort Wall in Lehi, Utah.
Herewith, a brief synopsis from, "Lehi
Centennial History":
"The history of Lehi is almost the
history of Utah in miniature. First were Indians. Small bands
of neighboring Utah tribes.. they were nomads. In July 1776,
tow Franciscan monks,...Dominguez and Escalante were the
first white men to behold the beautiful (Utah) Lake... About
1820, came trapper Provost. In 1825, William Ashley, of St.
Louis, founded Fort Ashley on the Lake. From the fort, this
body of water was long known as Lake Ashley. Between 1830 and
1845, of the many who passed through Utah on their way
west...John C. Fremont, the intrepid explorer. Fist of the
Utah pioneers to view the lake, 27 Jul 1847, three days after
the arrival of the first company, was Orson Pratt..
On August 5, Jesse C. Little...reported
soil exceptionally adapted for cultivation. In 1850, Brigham
Young suggested colonizing Utah Valley. The first Fort was
started around Sulphur Springs (later Snow Springs) near Utah
Lake. Spring of 1851, brought more settlers, and the colony
grew. Brigham Young sent Bishop David Evans to preside over
the Saints of Dry Creek. In the early spring all the families
at Sulphur Springs moved up to Evansville. Lehi was the 6th
city in the territory of Utah (State of Deseret) to
incorporate - Feb 1852.
With the colonizing, problems arose for and with the Indians.
In 1853, an uprising resulted in the death of an Indian.
There followed the Walker War. (Chief Walkarah) The settlers
were directed to build a fort for their protection. The site
was selected and many existing log houses moved; built end to
end, forming a hollow square 70 rods long. Inside the
enclosure were corrals, stockyards and stables. The log
school house of Sulphur Springs was torn down, and rebuilt
near the north east corner of the fort. An adobe tithing
office was built, consisting of two stories and a basement.
Occasionally, it was used as the meeting place of the city
counsel. The basement served as a jail. A parapet was erected
a short distance north of the fort. In especially dangerous
times a guard ws assigned as look-out. By the close of 1853,
hostilities lessened in Lehi, and by Spring of 1854, about
500 people had made their home there. In May 1854, even
though Brigham Young had just concluded a peace treaty with
Chief Walkarah, he recommended the erection of a strong wall
around the fort.
For the first time since the founding of
the city, the people of Lehi celebrated 'Pioneer Day' 24 Jul
1854. August 1854, came the invasion of grasshoppers –
1855, more grasshoppers!!
Hard times! Hard work! Perseverance! These
all describe those dedicated, early pioneers.
To this Lehi City, James brought his new
bride.
Most of the settlers lived within the walls
of the fort at this time and would go out to work adjoining
lands, until such time as they felt the Indians were friendly
enough, so they could obtain farm lands of their own. The
community ws on the nature of a United Order, setup where all
had their jobs to do for the sake and protection of all. One
of James' duties was to act as guard to protect the community
from Indian attacks. He stood guard during the Black Hawk War
(1865-1867) and other Indian uprisings.
The young family enjoyed their humble one
room adobe hut even though they had only a dirt floor and
used pumpkins for chairs. Charlotte baked in a 'dutch oven'
for more than seven years before they were able to have a
stove.
On 28 Oct 1864, their first child was born,
a daughter - Mary Ann. When Mary Ann was about six months
old, a friend, Able Evans ws going to Wales, on a mission for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Before
leaving he visited, and had dinner with the Goughs. He took a
piece of Charlotte's home spun dress to show her mother. That
was all right with Charlotte, but she told him not to tell
her mother about the furniture. (Able Evans died in Wales
from the effects of a severe cold, having to sleep in a damp
bed. See Lehi history, page 157.)
Their second daughter, Lavina Jane, was
born 17 Sep 1866. When she ws two years old, the fear of the
Indians became less of a concern, and the family moved into a
little dugout in the side of a hill at what is now 6th
North and Center Street. Here their third child, a son, James
Charles was born 14 Sept 1868. When he was three weeks old,
the family had to move. Samuel Briggs, who owned the
property, wanted to build a molasses mill there.
James applied for, and obtained, about ten
acres of land on the north side of Dry Creek, later known as
the New Survey. They were the first settlers in that area.
James built a small sod house, but could not get windows or
doors, so quilts were used to cover the openings. It was a
lonesome spot, and at night the coyotes furnished the music.
Charlotte used to put the axe by her bed for protection. She
swept the dirt floor with bundles of sage brush. In order to
save the wood, which was hauled from the hills, Charlotte
would sit up in bed to keep warm, while she knitted stockings
for her children.
The little pioneer family had to work hard
to eke out an existence. James had to work away from home
about all the time as a blacksmith, as a teamster (horse
driver), and for different ones to obtain the use of ox teams
or horses to plow the land. He assisted the community in the
building canals, diversion ditches, the little church house
and town buildings. James also worked on buildings the Salt
Lake Temple.
As a result of his absence the children had
to learn the art of 'hard work'. With their hard working
mother they had: to grub the sage brush on their own little
place; to plant the garden, and plant the grain; to harvest
the crops; to dry corn, beans, fruit; to glean the grain
fields (pick up the heads of grain that were left in the
fields after the grain ws cut and harvested by means of the
scythe); to gather ground cherries from the lower Lehi
fields, and dry them for winter. These and many other tasks
taught these children the value of money; how to work hard;
and, as they all worked together, taught them to love and
appreciate each other and their parents. They were pioneers!
James was a blacksmith by trade. He helped
build the first saw mill which was located on the Joe Smith
place in Dry Creek. From this mill was cut the first lumber
in Lehi. They planted their first Alfalfa patch in rows like
a garden. When the crop was ripe, James mad a 'frail'. It was
two sticks fastened together with a strap. The one struck the
hay, the other was held in the hand. The two stick affair
made it easier on the hands in pounding the seed out of the
hull, or to shell it.
Employment was scarce in Lehi, so James and
Carl Field went to Ruby Valley, Elko County, Nevada, to look
for work. They were captured by a band of Indians and taken
to the Chief. James praised the Chief. This pleased him so
much, he let them go. Obeying the advise of President Brigham
Young, they were always good to the Indians, and gave the
food and shelter.
One day a group of Indians camped by the
creek. A small Indian girl strayed away from the camp, and
the Indians left her. Charlotte was gathering wood and heard
the little girl crying. She brought her home and cared for
her. Sometime later, some Indians camped at the bunk house,
saw the little girl and asked where they got her. These
Indians said they knew the girl's mother and would take her
home. These Indians never forgot this kind act. Sometime
later a band of Indians got some liquor from the white men
and went on the war path. Charlotte saw them coming and was
very frightened. One Indian rode straight to the house. He
sat on her door step all day and nearly all night to protect
her. Charlotte tried to send him away but he would not go.
When the Indians left for home he said, "Me go now. You
all right". She learned later he was an Uncle to the
little girl.
One time, some of the older children were
hunting pine nuts, when they lost their way. Their food was
exhausted, and they were feeling very blue. An Indian came
riding along on his pony. He stopped and looked at them. Then
he laughed and said, "I know your ma. Your ma good
squaw. She give us biscuits". He told the children the
way to go to get home safely. This shows that it paid to be
friendly with the Indians.
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Last Updated 7/98