Person:Samuel Linton (2)

He came to Utah in 1853. Samuel helped rescue the Martin & Willie Handcart Companies in 1857. He was member of the 49th Quorum seventies; a high priest. He was also a veteran of the Echo Canyon War. He was a farmer.

Family Group Record from the records of Mary Ann Linton Morgan, Samuel's daughter, of Salt Lake City, Utah now (2011) in the possession of James L. Tanner of Mesa, Arizona gives history as follows: "Samuel Linton b. 27 June 1827-8 County Tyrone, Ireland. Came to St. John, New Brunswick abt 1838. With his father, mother and three sisters, Margaret, Sarah Jane and Mary Ann. His fathers brothers John, James and Samuel had already settled there. It was in St. John he learned to cut timber and cradle grain. He became and expert in this labor and after coming to Utah was noted for his ability to cradle 5 acre a day. In the Spring of 1848 he was permitted by his parents to go to Philadelphia to join his mother's people who had located there. While there, one Sunday morning, he was reading the advertisements of the different Churches and was attracted to the one of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He thought they were a somewhat presumptuous sect so determined to attend their service. He was much impressed by their teachings and began investigating the Gospel. He was baptized by Samuel Harrison, President of the Branch about the 1st of June, 1854. He was the only one of his fathers' or mothers' people to join the Church. He started for Utah 3 April 1854 by rail to Pittsburg, then took steamer down the Ohio River to St. Louis. Horace G. Eldridge was forwarding agent for the Church and he asked Mr. Eldridge how he could get to Utah? He told father there a good chance if he could furnish his own gun and blankets. He left in a few days for Fort Levenworth, Kansas. Here he helped set up wagons etc. He had charge of the guard from there to Salt Lake, 3 Oct 1854. Orson Pratt was Captain of this company for awhile. Then Ezra T. Benson and Ira Eldridge from Salt Lake met them. He worked for Heber C. Kimball when he first came to the Valley. There was employed by Pres. B. Young for some time while on guard as a soldier became acquainted with Uncle Peter Sutton who invited him to their home where he met mother, a young beautiful widow with a little girl, Sarah Ellen. Her husband had apostatized from the Church and gone to California. He tried to persuade mother to go with him but she could not give up her religion to follow him. Father and Mother were married 9 - 26 April 1858.

Handwritten note on Letterhead for The Office of the St. Johns Stake of Zion, St. Johns, Arizona with David K. Udall, President, Chas. P. Anderson and John W. Brown, Counselors; states "John Morgan born 8th Aug. 1842 at Greensburo Decature County, Indiana. married Mary Ann Linton of Nephi, Utah the 7 of June 1888, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Died 14 Aug. 1894 Preston, Oneida County, State of Idaho. Mary Ann Linton born 11 Feb 1865, Nephi, Utah. Linton Morgan born 21 Sept 1890 Preston, Idaho married Eudora Eggerstren [spelling} Provo, UTah Co., Utah 4 of Apr. 1917 S. S. City Utah in the Temple. Harold Morgan 2 June 1892 Nephi, Utah married Jessie Christison [spelling], St. Johns, Apache Co., Ariz. Civil marriage 28 of mar. 1914 at St. Johns, Ariz. by President David K. Udall. Temple marriage 8 of Apr. 1914 in S. S. City Temple by alvin F. Smith. Mathias Cowley Morgan 24 June 1894, Preston, Idaho married Mildred Pearce of Pinedale, Navajo Co., Ariz. 7 of Oct. 1915 Salt Lake City Temple, Utah. (over) married (crossed out) I met some fine young fellows in in groups that was sent out to guard. Among them Peter Sutton the eldest brother of Ellen Siutton with whom I go acquainted and married 26 April 1858. She was a beautiful young woman, tall with dark brown hair and eyes. She had married a man, Charles McKetchney, who apostitized from the Church and went to California, and had a little girl Sarah Ellen b. 29 May 1853 in Salt Lake City. She was a very lovable child and lived with her grandmother Sutton most of the time. I forgot to say in the Fall of 1856, I went out to help those late handcart companys into the valley in, had a very hard time. In the month of Sep. 1858 Bp Hunter sent me with eight others out to meet Rawleys handcart Co. We met them at Harris Fork. They were out of flour and everything. With all, it was one of the plesantists trips I ever recolect having; dispite the fact I came nearly loosing my life by a party of Soldiers who followed us from fort Bridger a distance of 10 miles. They got in trouble with the Captain they were doing sonething he did not like so ordered them out of camp. They went on about a mile to a Saloon." This is evidently a journal of Samuel Linton in part.

1.   Old Nephi Ward Records, in Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nephi Ward, Old (Utah); Old (Utah) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nephi 2nd Ward; and Old (Utah) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nephi 1st Ward. Record of members, 1852-1882; minutes of meetings, 1852-1854. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953).

   FHL Film No. 26218 Item 2