Person:Irene Carter (2)

IRENA CARTER

IRENA, the first child from the marriage of William F. and Roxena Carter, was born in Kanesville, now Council Bluff, Pottawattamie Co. Iowa, 13 July 1849. She was carried most of the way across the plains in the arms of her walking mother. She spent her pioneering days in Utah as one of four large families pioneering in Salt Lake City, SL Co., Provo, Mona, and Santaquin, These families knew hardships for they had very little, if any, of the worldly good things of life, except those made or grown at home, to get along with.

After moving to Mona with her folks, she met a young man who also lived there--Daniel Smith Jerman (Sr.) whom she soon fell in live with @ a civil marriage followed. Daniel, the son of James Alonzo Jerman and Rachel Bunn Lundy, was born 13 July 1844 at New York, N.Y. To this union of Daniel and Irena, only two children were born--Daniel Smith Jerman, Jr. and Orris Lloyd Jerman, 21 Feb. 1867 and 8 March 1869 respectively. Both boys were born in Mona. This couple was sealed in an LDS temple ceremony after the birth of their two boys. Sealing date was 8 Nov 1869.

The father was quite and easy going, but had a quick temper. At first he was gentle and considerate but later kindness between the two turned to indifference or enmity. This estrangement resulted in a civil divorce, followed by a church seperation and their union by a church sealing was, upon their request, cancelled by church officials on 30 July 1870. Daniel Smith Jerman Sr. after raising a second family of seven children--five boys and two girls, mothered by Sussanah Egbert Jerman--died 17 June 1910 and was buried in Grace, Bannock Co., Idaho. All of Daniel's children mothered by Sussannah were born in West Jordon, Utah, except the youngest which was born in Grace, Idaho.

Irena later married in polygamy and became the second living wife of Edward Kay. Edward was born 5 Dec.1830 in St. Helens, Lancashire, Eng. the son of John Kay and Margeret Betersby. Edward, in Oct. 1850 accepted membership in the LDS Church through baptism and on 14 Oct 1851, while yet in England he married Sarah Pardington. To this union 12 children were born--one in Eng. and the 11 in Payson, Nephi, and Mona. Following the birth of the 9th child mothered by Sarah to Edward, a love affair developed between Edward and Irena. This courtship terminated in an LDS Temple marriage which was solomnized 10 April 1871. To this union only one child--a girl, Ellen (Nellie) was born on 28 Jan. 1872. Again the family relation of this union was permanently disrupted, apparently because Kay's first wife was 17 years older than Irena, failed to cooperate in sharing a joint husband. A divorce followed, and the church sealing was officially cancelled on 31 Aug. 1874. Edward died in Mona 25, May 1917, and here he was buried.

The divorce again left Irena alone in Mona with no financial help and her three small children to care for. Her father and mother, with their children that were still at home, had previosly (1867) moved to Santaquin. It was concluded best that Irena with her children should also move to Santaquin. Here at last a limited amount of assistance in the form of food and clothing could be constributed by her father's family and their many friends.

Irena and her children made the move to Santaquin in 1872. Arriving here they lived for a short time with her sister, Arletta, and her husband, Joseph Isaac Chatwin.

Shortly after arriving in Sant. a last friendship developed between Irena and the local school teacher, William Chatwin, who had recently moved to town. William was the son of Joseph Chatwin and Christiana Gilbert and was born 23 June 1823 at Bury, Lancshire, England. William was the father of Joseph Isaac Chatwin, referred to immediately above. This friendship resulted in the marriage of William and Irena in the Salt Lake Endowment House, 26 Oct. 1874. She was his fourth wife. They immediately moved into the home with the present (1962) street address of 259 South First East, Santq-where all their family, five children in number were subsequently born. These children with birthdays are as follows: William Albert, 3 Sept 1875; George Holladay 6 Dec 1877; Sarah Roxena, 22 March 1880; Thomas Edward, 27 Sept. 1882; and Elvina Irena, 15 Jan 1885. From these five children William was blessed with 46 grandchildren.

In 1872, William Chatwin received his Patriarchal blessing from Patriarch of the Church, Elder Levi Hancock, Hever City, On Aug. 22, 1874. Irena also received a blessing from Bro. Hancock. William was a kind and gently man and spent his life doing good to his fellowmen. Especially did hundreds of young people benefit, both directly and indirectly from his early training as a teacher. He often provided night school for students who were not able to go to day school. He taught school in Eng. as early at 1848. He arrived in Salt Lake City in 1852, later moved to Provo and thence to Heber in 1859 where he also taught school. In 1873 he moved to Santaquin and became one of the first teachers, teaching all grades. He taught in Santa. for 22 years. His pay was whatever produce the people were able to furnish him. He was active in the church--was Superintendent of Sunday School of 21 years, President of the Teacher's quorum for 22 years, Sexton, without pay, for 18 years, Ward Clerk, organized and was Sec. of the YMMIA. He was always active in his church work. He passed away on 15 March 1905 at Santa. Irena oftime stated that the years she lived with William were the most happy of her life.

FATHER AND MOTHER

William Furlsbury Carter--Roxena Mecham Carter

IRENA'S father and mother, William F. Carter and Roxena Mecham Carter were united in marriage at Winter Quarters, Omaha, Nebraska, by Pres. Brigham Young, 10 March 1847, were sealed 25 Oct. 1869. They lived in Kanesville (Council Bluff) Pottowattomie Co. Iowa, Salt Lake City, Mona, Provo, Goshen & Santaquin, Utah. Through this union 10 children were born. These parents died and were laid to earthly rest at Santaquin, Utah.

In latter 1850 or early 1851 William with his families made the trek to Salt Lake Valley. IRENA'S mother makes the statement in her dictated history that she walked and carried IRENA most of the way. After undergoing the extreme hardship of the Plains travel, mostly by foot, they reached the Salt Lake Valley where they stayed but a short time. The families moved to Provo, in 1852. Here William F. continued to carry on his usual making and reparing activities. In addition, he rented a farm from Isaac Robbins and carried on farming. The families lived on this rented farm but three years when a 160 acre homestead, located on the Provo East Bench, was patented. This homestead is near where the Ironton, Steel Mill (1962) now stands and near where the State Hospital is now located. On this homestead, two and probably more homes were built for the families. The stay on the homestead was not for long because the Indians became hostile---killing the sheep, pigs, and cattle and annoying the families in every way possible. Thus, the Carters were forced to leave the Homestead and return to Provo for protection. Money was no longer plentiful. Moving his families to Utah had taken all of William's surplus. His hands and his oxen were his earning power. He now had a family of 9 mothered by Sarah and 2 by Roxena. These families were both devoted to their callings and work in the church and lived unitedly to render the best service possible to their community, homes, and their Church. Their religion was held sacred, as will be shown as we relate the story of William's mission to India.

At an unusual special Church conference called in Salt Lake City 28 August 1852, a number of missionaries were called on a special mission to Calcutta, India. William F. was one of these missionaries. To readily acquaint the reader with the mission, there is here quoted a statement from "Heart Throbs of the West"--Volume 4

"Elders Nathaniel V. Jones, Robert Skelton, Samuel A. Woolley, William Fotheringhom, Richard Ballantyne, Turman Leonard, Amos Milton Musser, Robert Owen, and William F. Carter arrived in Calcutta and held a conference there April 29, 1853. The Hindustanee missionaries extended their labors throughout India, as the way opened; but finding the Hindustanees destitute of honesty and integrity, insomuch that when converted and baptized they would for a few pice join any other religion, and finding the Europeans so aristocratic that they were hardly approachable, they left the country, after having traveled to all the principal (British Army) stations in India, where frequently they were ordered out of the cantonments and had to sleep in the open air, exposed in that sickly climate, to poisonous reptiles and wild beasts."

A blessing was given on the head of William on 2 October 1852 in the Council House in Salt Lake City under the hands of Orson Hyde, Ezra T. Benson, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Jediah M. Grant. On Friday, 22 Oct. 1852, William bid farewell to his folks at Provo, and he with his oxen and wagon and his very limited supply of clothing, including his Book or Mormon and his violin, in company with a good number of missionaries departed to the different parts of the world. They took the southern route by way of Payson, Parowan, Cedar City, Virgin River, San Bernadino, California, And San Pedro, Calif. They held meetings and taught the gospel in the different settlements through which they traveled. The missionaries were in Parowan 3 Nov and Cedar City 8 Nov. We find the group in the Virgin River area 16 Nov and 3 Dec. they arrived at San. Bernadino, Calif.

On 19 Dec. they bade farewell to San Bernadino and from here traveled 90 miles to San Pedro, Calif. Here he sold his oxen, wagon, violin, and all the earthly possessions he had with him except his scant supply of clothing and his church books he held sacred. For all he sold, he received $200.00. This was the amount required to pay his transportation from San Francisco to Calcutta. They visited most of the known Saints enroute to Calif. and found them, in most cases, in very good spirits and the Saints contributed freely to help defray the actual cash outlay on this mission. These Elders were surely traveling without "Purse or Scrip." On 19 Dec. they took the ship "Fremont" under Captain Erskin for San Francisco, Calif. and on 7 Jan 1853 William was in San Francisco. While there he makes this note:

"San Francisco is literally alive with people. They pay no regard to the Sabbath. Trading, drinking, gambling, and all manner of wickedness are carried on, that can be thought of or named."

On 12 Jan. the missionaries met to make further arrangements for collections to help them on their way. That evening William and Brother West chartered passage on the Steamer "Wilson T. Hunt" for Sacramento, Calif. From here they went to Mormon Island, thence to Honeytown, to Salmon Falls, to Green Springs, to Diamond Springs, to Coon Hollow, and back to Honeytown. In all their visits they were preaching and collecting money. They reported good and substantial contributions received to the missionaries for their journey. William reports that he spent two weeks with the miners, many of whom he no doubt knew from Utah. He said the boys were homesick, working under bad influence and were saving very little, if any, money. Flour was 50 cents per pound, beef 40 cents per pound, etc. He counseled the boys to go home where they could serve the Lord and be in a better environment. He stressed throughout his trip how hard the times were in Calif. and how numbers were starving in the mountains and how thousands were begging their living. The people, although poor and making hardly enough to live on, treated the missionaries with great respect and all were anxious where possible to help. Saddened in heart because of the wickedness and the poor conditions of the people, the missionaries returned to San Francisco. Here, one brother, John M. Horner, presented the missionaries with between four and five thousand dollars to help them on their way. Jan 23, 1853, these missionaries went on board the ship "Monsoon" which was captained by Z. Winsor Master from Massachusetts ready for the ocean trip to Calcutta. The 13 missionaries were aboard. They set sail at 2:00 p.m. This was a most beautiful ship--carried 750 tons---brethren. The fare to Calcutta was $200. each. Feb. 10 they passed the Sandwich Islands, 12 days and 2,241 miles from San Francisco. March 1 they passed the D. Tharon Islands, one of the Ladrone groups--5,560 miles from San Fran. March 3 was spent by the Missionaries in meetings transacting business they believed to be to their best interest in carrying out their assignments. At this meeting Nathaniel V. Jones was appointed to be the President over the Calcutta Mission. This position he held until the Mission was closed. March 9, Bird Island, one of the Phillipian groups in the China Sea was passed. March 19 was in the China Sea 75 miles from the strait of Singapore. March 20 they entered the strait and passed the city of Singapore (population 50,000) at sunset. They sailed up the strait of Malacpa and on Sunday, March 27, sailed into the Bay of Bengal and passed Mr. Ophir. Here Solomon was supposed to have secured the gold for ornamenting the Temple at Jerusalem. Meetings were held daily on the ship and many enlightening gospel subjects were studied. April 7 passes Barren Island. This island is in Bengal Bay northeast of Andaman Island, 675 miles from Calcutta. April 12 passed through the Andaman Islands. April 24 the ship halted at Sandheads--here the day and dates were changed in their Journals, it being Monday, April 25 in Hindustan, and one day later than at home in America. April 26, 1853, was the day long looked forward for the day to land in Calcutta--86 days and 10,965 miles from San Francisco, six months and three days from home. Here again the day and dates had to be changed in the Journals. This was actually April 27.

In Calcutta, the missionaries found seven or eight Saints, but only two that had kept the faith. A conference was held, April 29, and two local brethren, Brothers James B. Mech and Saxon, gave a description of the country and the best places to start their labors. Brother Nathaniel V. Jones was again appointed to head up the Mission over the Saints in India. Brother Musser remained with him.

The missionaries were all set apart and Elders William F. Carter and William Fotheringham were appointed missionaries to Dinapore, all the missionaries separated for regular assignments. Brothers William F. Carter and Fotheringham were without cash to start on their assignment. The few Saints in Calcutta likewise were pennyless. Here these two Elders were forced to sell their watches, at reduced prices, to secure means to start their labors. William F. received $37.50 for his watch and Brother Fatheringham received $25.00. Clothes were furnished by the local Saints. With this money in their pockets, off they went to start their assignments. These two Elders took passage for Dinapore on the steamer "Benares," captained by Mr. Elder. On May 17 they left Calcutta and went down the river Hoagly--passed through the Sundar Bargs. On 22 April the mouth of Danube River was reached. The river shores are packed with worshippers; they wash themselves with river water and worship idols. While on the ship, May 23, the temperature was 114 degrees in the cabins. The ship next reached the Holy City of Benares, the largest and most beautiful city of Hindostan. Here missionary work was done. Wherever the ship would stop, attempts were made, by the officers of the soldiers, to get a place to preach but no one would give a listening ear. They were not interested even to the extent of granting the missionaries the use of a place to meet. Nor would they let the soldiers attend the meeting, even few that there were because of lack of accommodations. The officers likewise refused to permit the Elders to rent their houses as places in which to live. Thus they were forced to abide in the open and combat all the animals, vermon, and people who were in most cases hungry, starving, and acted like savages. This, with the extreme heat at times as high as 135 degrees in the shade, made life most miserable. May 30 the missionaries' ship reached Dinapore late in the evening. Here, too, an army General was contacted with little success. They were refused the use of a meeting place. They were advised that the soldiers were marched to their meetinghouses on Sunday and this was sufficient. They did not want these soldiers to be bothered with another religion. Keep in mind that everybody was under army control. In addition to not being allowed to use their meetinghouse or a house to stay in, they were advised not to meet with or have any conversation with the soldiers, Priest, Officers, or magistrates which, of course, comprosed the total white population of Dinapore.

The missionaries left the Dinapore area with its own traditions, but at the same time praying that our Heavenly Father would at some future time open their hearts and that they would accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness.

Leaving Dinapore, the next stop was Buxon. Here the stop was short for they found the exact repeat of conditions they had encountered at Dinapore. On June 11, they reached Chunar. Here they found members of the church--Brother Willis and Sisters Goodyear and Scoot.

From this date until the time William F. returned to Calcutta and left for this dear old U.S. July 9, 1853, his mission was very hard discouraging. We quote from his diary, "Saturday, June 11, 1853: Landed in Chunar at 2 o'clock. We got some natives to take our trunks up to a large tree where we might be sheltered from the powers of the searching sun, Under its shady branches, for it was almost impossible for a white man to endure its heat."

They contacted the Saints that were in Chunar, but the government would not let the missionaries even stay over night with the people. The Saints lived in government homes and the missionaries respected the law of the land so the were forced to spend four hours in the hot sun. Finally a Conductor Green, a Swedenburgian by profession, sent his servant and engaged a dinghy to take them to Mizapoor. The next morning they arrived at Mizapoor and went a board a steamboat. The next day they went back to Dinapore. They tried to get permission to preach there but the General said they could but no one would come. The army rules were so strict the men did not have any say about their lives.

They next went to Calcutta and found the Brethren in poor health. Sunday they held a meeting. Monday they called the Elders together and thought William F. should come back to the U.S. as his health was very bad. "Quote, My health was tolerable good until I arrived in Chunar. By being under a tree in the hot wind and sun about four hours, where the thermometer stood from 110 to 120 degrees in the shade, which over-heated my blood to such a degree I have not had good health since."

The Consul and the ship Captains helped William F. with passage and money to go back to Boston. They left Calcutta July 9, 1853 and had a very hard journey. It took 86 days to sail from San Francisco to Calcutta and 126 days from Calcutta to America. The total distance traveled on this mission was just under 38,000 miles. He suffered, preached the Gospel wherever he went, bore his testimony continually, and throughout his trials he remained a steadfast Saint.

Quote "One year this morning I left home. I have not heard from home since I left. I have seen many dark and lonesome hours and days since I left home and no one can realize, unless they pass through like circumstances, which will be rare, if ever. While crossing the different seas, I witnessed heavy gales, wind, thunderstorms and squalls, almost without number, which were very dangerous to encounter. Besides the ship leaks, and I have travelled through lands where cholera had swept off its thousands each day. The dead bodies hourly were floating up the river which bespoke the great mortality of the inhabitants. I feel in my heart to praise my Heavenly Father for perserving care he had over me the past year and for the blessings he has bestowed on me."

William F. was to continue, and thus complete his mission call, here in the United States, where he felt the weather and with the help of his Father in Heaven would readily be factors in regaining his health.

11 Nov 1853 William stepped on the shores of America again, he spent the day in searching for some information from the West, but in vain. He visited his uncle in Maine, then to Albany, N.Y; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; and Cincinnatti, Ohio. He went to Louisville, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missiori; Quincy, Illinois; Lima, Hancock, Ill. This trip took him over a month and he had to sell some of his clothes to pay expences. At Lima he lived with a brother Phillip and a sister Mary Jane Dewey for the rest of the winter because he was still a very sick man. Here he saw the first news from home.

By spring of 1854, he had gained most of his strength back and was ready to resume his missionary work. On 1 April he was called by the Church Officials to St. Louis, to act as an agent of the Church. He was assigned the responsibility of arranging transportation, equipment, and provisions for the large handcart companies of immigrants waiting to start the overland trek to Utah. All was handled with dispatch, wisdom, and skill. By 10 April he had the first company of English and Welsh Saints ready which he took to Kansas.

William was president of one of the three companies that left in June. After a long and tedious plains trip of three months his company reached Salt Lake City 30 Sept. 1854. The church records show that this was the day he was released from his mission. William was away from home 23 months and 10 days. He was the second Elder who had circumnavigated the globe as an L.D.S. missionary and the first missionary to carry the Book of Mormon the full distance around.

William was glad to be home. He was not the only one who had gone without "purse or script" during this mission. His two families at home were making their own way, and many hardships were endured because of their friends, neighbors, relatives and the church.

William remained with his families on his Provo Bench homestead, doing some farming, and on the side doing mill work, turning out furniture parts, and making and repairing machinery. About this time he completely built a threshing machine which was used for custom threshing of grain throughout Utah Co. William in carring on his industrial arts while living on the homestead did not overlook his family life. At this time he had Sarah York, with a family of nine children and Roxena Mecham with three to care for. This did not discourage him in the least for on 9 Oct 1854, a few days after arriving home, he married Elizabeth Howard, his fourth wife. The next marriage event in William' life was 2 Dec 1857. While still living in Provo, he took unto himself his fifth wife, Sally Ann Mecham, a sister of his third wife, Roxena.

In late 1863 and early 1864, William moved his families to Mona--then called Willow Creek--Juab Co. Utah. Here he operated a store and a small farm and at the same time did carpenter and blacksmith work for the inhabitants of Mona and Nephi. He also continued diligently with his Church and civic work.

In 1867 they moved to Santaquin, Utah Co. Utah. While living in Santaquin, William and his families remained true LDS and worked hard for the church and community as they had done all their lives. Here he carried on his regular pursuits. In all of his years of activities he carried on by assisting his communities with his musical talents.

In late 1867 we find William' family mothered by Sally Ann and probably other wives except Roxena, moving to Benjamin, Utah Co. Utah. Here in Benjamin and Santaquin later years were spent. Most of the time with the family of Sally Ann who was his youngest wife. He carried on to near the end with his normal pursuits--church work, farming, carpenter, blacksmithing, and his music. In the last years, he lost his sight. He testified to the last as to his great faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In all, William F. fathered 36 children. There were 17 boys and 19 girls who gave to him upwards of 260 grandchildren.

Two of William F.'s wives preceded him in death. Hannah Cordelia died in Council Bluff, 3 April 1847, and Sarah York in Provo in 1888. The other three wives departed this life as follows; Elizabeth--1 Sept 1903 at Santaquin; Sally Ann--10 Nov. 1910 at Benjamin: Roxena--14 Sept 1919 at Santaquin. William F. on 11 Oct. 1888 at the residence of his daughter Arletta Chatwin of Santaquin. Funeral services were held in the Santaquin school house. Words of comfort and praise with instructions of how to carry on, to the relatives and friends, were spoken by Bishop George Holladay, Coun. Eli Openshaw, and Elders Levi Openshaw and William Chatwin. Both Roxena and William being buried at Santaquin, Utah.