Rebecca Cula (Culey) Langman
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Excerpts taken from the Cluff Family Journal...The financial condition of the Langman family was such that Rebecca from a very early stage of her life was required to labor to assist in the support of the family, hence her opportunities for education were extremely limited, yet possessed of such a physical and intellectual organism, that she stands the peer of many [other women] who have passed through the common grades of the school room.
At the age of sixteen she became a convert to 'Mormonism' and was baptized a member of the CHurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When ... [Rebecca] arried at about the age of twenty-one years, she met Elder Moses Cluff who was laboring as a missionary from Zion, in those parts of the British mission. The spirit of gathering to Zion, with the Saints of God, inspired Rebecca. She sacrificed home, friends, and country and bravely turned her face Zionward. Before setting sail for America, however, an attachment was formed between her and young Moses, which materialized soon after their re-meeting in the valleys [of Utah]." The company of Saints with which she traveled embarked at Liverpool in a sailing vessel which required six weeks to reach New York. The heavy storms which prevailed on the Atlantic drove the vessel back many miles, the cause of the long voyage. On arriving at New York the company boarded the railroad cars and were soon transported through the states to the frontiers on Missouri river where they were provided with 'handcarts' by the church agents, with which they undertook to cross the plains a thousand miles to Utah. This marvelous system of emigration was instituted by the Perpetual Emigration Fund company in 1856 and proved eminently successful with those companies which were started out early in the season. Captain Willie's company in which Rebecca traveled as well as some others were late in leaving the Missouri river and consequently winter storms overtook them before reaching the Rocky Mountains. Rebecca with her own stout hands pulled a handcart across the plains and although there was much suffering and death among the emigrants, yet Rebecca, A robust and stout English girl, stood the exposure remarkably well -- much better than those in companies which were several hundred miles back of Willie's company which arrived in Salt Lake City in the latter part of November. On the 25th o December, 1856, Miss Rebecca was married to Moses Cluff who arrived from his mission a short time previously, he being with the last company. The marriage took place at the residence of President Brigham Young in Salt Lake City. The President gave a supper to the missionaries who had just returned home and as Moses and Rebecca were married the same evening it was suggested by him the supper should be considered a "wedding supper." The newly married couple resided in Provo City until 1876, when the whole family, whose numbers had greatly increased by that time, pioneered into Arizona and located at 'Show Low'. On the trip going over the Mogollan Mountains, the road was so slanted, their oxen's feet got very tender. They would gather pitch from the nearby pine trees and warm it and put the oxen's feet in the pitch then in pine needles. This formed a cushion for their tender feet. In this manner, they were able to make the trip on to Show Low. Moses and other families (William C McClellan included) settled at Forestdale (a few miles out of Show Low on the Salt River Canyon Road). After homes were built and farming started, the government said it was Indian land. The settlers had to move. Moses left to find a place in the Gila Valley and relocated at the settlement called Pima. Moses and his brother then returned to Show Low to bring father David Cluff and Betsy Hall from the Cluff Ranch (located on the Show Low/Lakeside Highway) and brought them to Pima. Cluff Family Journal (Rearranged), 1995
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