Horace Burr Owens
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Words of Horace Burr Owens
I was born in the township of Mercer, Pennsylvania on June 23, 1819. My parents moved from there to the state of Ohio before I can remember.
My father's name is James Clark Owens, and Mother's is Abigail Cordelia Burr. I heard the gospel in the winter of 1830-1831 and was baptized about February 6, 1831 by Lyman Wright. My parents were baptized the following July. We then lived in the township of Nelson, Ohio. [The church, now, was only a little more than one year old, but persecution ante-position made life so miserable that the Lord revealed to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, a gathering place in Jackson County, Missouri, the Coldville Branch.] We moved to Independence the following winter. The summer of 1833, I saw the printing office, conducted by W.W. Phels demolished [Horace as a young boy took the word to the officials. He also saw Bishop Partridge and Allen tarred and feathered]. The ensuing fall I saw the mob again collect and organize themselves under the command of Col. Pichen to drive the brethren from the Co.. I saw Lt. L.W. Boggs in the ranks of the mob with his gun on his shoulder marching out to meet the Mormons [they passed the Owens house]. When they returned they said the Mormons has given up their arms and agreed to leave the county. The saints were driven across the river into Clay Co. My father crossed the river with them. He came back to get his family but some influencial men, who wanted his work as a mason, made him stay in Independence. We stayed there something like two years and then moved into Clay Co. I think it was 1836 when the mob again collected and forced the brethren to leave the Co.. We then went from there to Cadwell Co. and settled in Far West, where we stayed until the mob again drove us. In 1839, we left Missouri under the extermination order of Governor Boggs, and went to Payson, Ill. In the spring of 1840, I went up to Nauvoo to conference and was ordained a Seventy. In the spring of 1842, my parents moved to Nauvoo and settled about 4 miles below on the river Cluff. I was one that helped lay the foundation for the Temple and Nauvoo House, and I think it was 1841 when I went up into the Pine Country to obtain lumber for the Temple and Nauvoo House. I was gone ten months. When we returned we brought a raft with us. Spring of 1844, I was sent on a mission to Kentucky. I labored there until the death of our dear Prophet when we were called home. In 1845, I again went to the pine country for lumber to finish the temple. I returned in the fall and was married to Sally Ann Layne [by Brigham Young]. That fall, I was ordained one of the Seven Presidents of the 17 quorums of the Seventy. [Horace and Sally Ann were in the first Brigham Young Co. to come west. Sally Ann was pregnant with her 1st child and became very ill so they had to stay at Pisgah (Winter Quarters). The baby girl lived only a few hours. They then went to the Bluffs, from there into Clay Co. and worked until they got an outfit and started across the plains June 13, 1852. They were in the Archibald Gardner company. Horace was one of the hunters to help keep the company in meat. Some of the party died of Cholera on the way, others lost their cattle. Horace let two people who lost their oxen work his cows. One cow worked and gave milk all the way.] We arrived in Utah in the Fall and went to Provo, next spring called to go to Fillmore. Worked there making brick and building homes. Was in the Bishopric. Lived at Corn Creek two years and tried farming. Were among the first settlers there, which was inhabited only by Indians. [About 1857, was called to work on the Salt Lake Temple. Moved his family to the Big Cotton Wood, where he was a stone cutter for the temple stone. When Johnson's army came he was called to defend the valley. Leaving his family at this lonesome place. The nearest neighbor 1/2 miles away, and the Indians not very friendly.] [Called to work on the St. George Temple. While living in St. George, the United Order was started and Horace turned over everything he had into it. It did not last long, and most of his property returned to him. After the St. George Temple was finished, he worked on the Manti Temple for a year. Lived at Virgin, Utah, where Sally Ann's sister and family lived, for a time.] [] are writings of Medora Owens Trueblood
Other writings about Horace Burr Owens
While a young man he was often guard to help protect the saints from mob violence, and did scout work during the troublesome times.
In one of the stories it was said that Horace was in the "Zion's Camp." As a young man (in Nauvoo) he was crossing the Mississippi River on the ice, he was carrying a hog or part of one on his back. He fell and broke through the ice. The resulting cold settled in his head and caused deafness which became worse with age. At one time he gave a lovely thorough-bred horse to President Young as a token of his esteem for him. In 1882, he moved to Woodruff, Arizona as some of his children were there. He labored for many years on the Woodruff Dam on the Little Colorado River and saw it washed out many things by the high water. He fell while down in a basement at night and injured his shoulder. His was was of little use after the accident. Horace Burr was a heavy set man with a cheerful disposition. He was very fond of children and made friends with them wherever he went. He often held several at one time on his knees and played with them. He was a very honest man, he felt that sooner or latter a dishonest man would leave the Church. He was the father of 12 children. He died at Woodruff, Apache, Arizona on June 20, 1897. Lacking three days of being 78 years old. He was true and faithful all his days. taken from words of other papers with no author listed
Edited by Alice Jo Ellsworth: 1997 |