chrissie eveline whitney

8/14/2019 Chrissie Eveline Whitney

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Austin Neal Abbott

Chrissie Eveline Whitney

John Austin Abbott


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Our Story: George Burton Whitney and

Lovina Syphus

By Lovina Syphus Whitney Written for Her

Grandchildren

Y

our grandfather, George B. Whitney,was born March 9, 1846 in Troy, New

York; but he was a delicate child and thedoctors told his parents they could notraise him in the city. So they took himup in the Green Mountains, BenningtonCounty, Vermont, to his grandparents, hismothers people, the Barnards. He got well;they his parents, the Whitneys, broughthim home to the city. He grew weak andpuny and they had to take him back toVermont. They got him home again; but thethird time his grandparents, the Barnards,told his parents the Whitneys they wouldnot take him back unless they promised toleave him with them for good.

So there he went to school with their youngest son, Burton Barnard, who wasseven years older than your grandfatherWhitney. He lived with them until he wasseventeen-years-old. His grandfatherBarnard died at that time. Then he went to

Illinois with his grandmother Barnard toone of her daughters.

From there he went to Kentucky; spenta term in school there; was conductor on arailroad; then he got the spirit of go west

young man. The next place he was in wasSan Diego, California. From there he went to

Riverside, California, helped make the rstcanal there, had some good friends therethat wanted him to stay, but no, this wasat the time the mines were on the boom in1870 or 1871 in Nevada; so he in company

with several others reached Pioche thenight of the big re, when most of Pioche

was burned down; so the next day he cameto Bullionville, 13 miles from Pioche andone mile from Panaca.

At that time, he was not a Mormon, andhad read such terrible things about theLDS. He was most afraid to come to Panaca.But he did come over, and stayed withsome people up by the Court Rock. He wentout in the mills at Bullion that used cord

wood to run the machinery. Your grandpafound he couldnt make much chopping sohe decided to buy horses and a wagon andhire his wood chopped. So he got some men

GEORGE BURTON WHITNEY & LOVINA SYPHUS

Chapter 21c


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4/34George Burton Whitney & Lovina Syphus

in Panaca, rst baptized 1872 in LincolnCounty, Nevada.

By this time we were acquainted andthinking a lot of each other. The winter of1872-1873 he taught school in Panaca. Itook my rst grammar lesson from him.

When school was out in the spring, he drovea four-mule team hauling lumber fromClover Valley to Pioche for Dave Thomson.When that job was nished. he clerked inthe Panaca Co-op store until we went toSalt Lake City to get wed which occurredon October 9, 1873.

Now Ill start on my life. My father andmother were born in England, embraced thegospel there, and were married on the 25thDecember 1851, and took sail for Australia

the last of 1852 or the rst of 1853 on boardthe ship Java. They were on the oceansix months. My oldest brother, Luke, wasborn on the ocean the 3rd of March 1853and died the 29th of March 1853, buriedin the ocean. They nally reached theirdestination, Australia, where my fathersawed lumber, there being a great demandfor same. I could write a lot of things thathappened there from hearing my parentsrelate them.

It was August 31st, 1854, when I rstopened my eyes in Sydney, New SouthWales, Australia. Before I was two-years-old my parents started for California on theship Jeneveve [Jenny Ford]. She caught rethree times on her three months voyageon the Pacic Ocean. There was a largecompany, mostly LDS Saints.

They landed at San Pedro beach[harbor]; most of the company went up toSan Bernardino. Several friends stayedon the beach with my folks as mother wasill. Father gathered material from wreckedships and built the rst cabin on the beach;

where my brother, Edward, was born on the22nd August 1856. In two or three weeks,

we moved up to San Bernardino wheremy father made lumber and made them athree-room house, and got rails from themountains and fenced in a 15-acre farm,

and in 1857 raised abundant crops; butowing to the bad things that happened inUtah, the LDS Saints in California werethreatened with death and were called toUtah.

Lovina Syphus

There were so many things thathappened on this trip, enough to make abook. One thing that happened at the headof the Muddy the Indians had me nearlypulled out of the back of the wagon. Myfather heard a noise, jumped out of thefront of the wagon, run around and there

was Mr. Indian with me half out of thewagon, except he was pulling me out to ndwhat he could eat, for all along the trail theIndians were nearly naked and starved.

I dont know how many days it tookthem to get to Beaver Dam; but there the

whole band of Indians came out and weregoing to kill them; but owing to a youngman amongst them that my father hadbefriended in San Bernardino; he pled withthe chief to spare their lives. So by giving


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them most of their provisions they let themgo in peace.

They nally gotto Cedar City thelast of the year or thebeginning of the year

1858. I do not knowjust how long we werein Cedar; just abouta year I think, for mysister Ellen was bornin Toquerville, Utah,on March 6th 1859.

From there we went to Santa Clara, was there when the

big ood came along the rst of January

1862. My parents lost everything; theirhome, pigs, chickens, all the years crops:corn, wheat, just our bedding and a fewthings father moved when he saw the ood

was going to take the farm, home, and all,he didnt have time to move went down withthe ood. The rain had lasted over a monthand everything was soaked deep down.

The ood cut the channel so deep the landbegan to cave, whole acres would cave off ata time; even enough for a large tree to saildown as far as we could see, still standing

upright. Fathers farm commenced to caveoff before dark, and in the morning when welooked from the hilltop there was just therock chimney standing on the bank; thatmade two homes and farms my parents lostin about ve years.

There had to be a new start made; sofather moved us around the point wherethe Clara settlement now is. A companyof Swiss people had moved there fromthe north in 1861; so father made us atemporary shelter by digging into the sidesof the hill just below where the Boomerbuilding stands; then he went to work andmade adobes and built us a home near thebottom of the street as you leave Clara forSt. George; my father did not get a farm atthe present Clara; he went to building. Hebuilt that Boomer place for Jacob Hamblin,

also the [Marius] Ensign home and severalothers.

That spring the whooping cough and thescarlet fever broke out. My Uncle MathewSyphus had gone to California and left hisfamily for our folks to care for. Aunt Mary

Ann was a noble woman, we just loved her;but she did have trouble; buried her twooldest daughters that spring; they bothdied in mothers bed; as we children hadthe same complaints, my parent could notgo to her home to help her so father movedthem up to our house.

For some reason, my father sold thehome and we moved up to the top of thestreet just across from the Jacob Hamblinplace, where my brother, George, was born.

Thats where I stood on a stool to reach thetable and mixed my rst batch of bread. Itmust have been agonizing for my motherto lie in bed and watch me get out of thatdough.

Well Ive got the cart before the horse,meant to have told you Aunt Mary Ann

went with us to this new home; during thesummer her baby Clara died, her children

were ill all summer; many is the time Iveseen her out under those big cottonwood

trees crying. Uncle Mathew came back thatfall and they went back to their own home.

December of that year, my brotherGeorge was born on December 23rd, 1868.About that time Apostle Snow called myfather to settle with others in Clover Valleyand preside as bishop (he was actuallycalled as the presiding elder to Clover Valleyin 1864). That was the time of the Indianraids. They got so bad the settlers had tobuild a fort and move into it; also built a biground public corral, where everyone drovetheir cattle, cows, calves; then guarded itevery night. The men would go out at dark,stay until twelve oclock. The guard saw aman in the bull fence and shot. Mr. Indianfell forward dead, and then another ran, he

wounded him in the back. Everyone in thefort was up and dressed; the next morningpart of the men started to follow before

George Burton Whitney



daylight. They stopped at a watering placeto get breakfast; my fathers horse got looseand came back to the fort.

Talk about excitement! The women were crying, one particular friend evenswore if they had killed our Luke she had

punishment in store for them.

[Lovina Syphus Whitneys history endsabruptly at this point.] Waldo C. Perkins

History of George Burton Whitney and

Lovina Syphus

The Whitneys in Herefordshire,England, are classed in genealogical loreas one of the oldest and most distinguishedfamilies in the west of England. The name

of Whitney originally spelled Whitenie orWyeteney meaning White Water datesback to and even beyond the time of theNorman Conquest, A.D. 1066. It derives itsorigin from the River Wye near the bordersof Wales where yet stands the ruins ofWitenie Castle. The name is also said tosignify the island of the Wise Men. WhitneyParish is still intact.

We will skip over the rest of the briefhistory of the family from A.D. 1066 until

1635, when John with his wife Elinor, andtheir ve sons embarked at the Port ofLondon in the early spring of that year andin June landed on the shores of the thenNew World. John Whitney had received agood education, probably at the famousWestminster School and had become amember in good standing of one of the greattrade guilds of that time.

In Watertown, Massachusetts, wherehe settled, he became a foremost leader.He died in 1673, being about 84-years-of-age. From Massachusetts his descendantsspread out over other parts of the continent.Eli Whitney, the famous inventor; JosiahDwight Whitney, geologist and professorat Harvard; William Dwight Whitney,philologist, scientist, scholar and editorof the Century Dictionary; William C.Whitney, Secretary of the Navy under

President Grover Cleveland, and many otherdistinguished Americans are branches ofthis family tree. There are other Whitneysin America, but this history has only todo with certain direct descendants of

John and Elinor Whitney of Watertown,Massachusetts.

George Burton Whitney and Lovina Syphus Family

Some of the Watertown Whitneysmigrated to New York and Vermont. Therein the former place of Troy, on 9 March1846, the hero of this story was born.George Burton Whitney lived with hisfather and mother in Troy, New York, untilhe was nine-years-old (except for a numberof short visits that he spent in the country

with his mothers father and mother, hisGrandmother and Grandfather Barnard.)He had to spend some time in the countrybecause of his health. Later the doctor toldhis father and mother that if he was togrow to manhood, he would have to live inthe country entirely. Therefore, he left thehome of his father and mother to make hishome with his grandparents Barnard inthe country. There he lived until they died.


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Panaca was the only Mormon town inthat section of the country. Like most non-members at that time, he probably entered

with many misgivings as to his safety for atthat time the Latter-day Saints were lookedupon with suspicion, hate, and fear by manypeople. He had heard about the Mormons,

and read about them having horns, andtheir intolerance for other people. Manyother things were written by the emissariesof Satan about the people that would oneday become his people that were not true.In Panaca, he got a job chopping cord woodfor Sy Reynolds, a Mormon man. (At thattime all the mills or machinery in the mines

were operated by steam engines and woodwas used as fuel. Gasoline and gas engineswould follow later).

Never having had the experience ofchopping wood before, he soon realizedhe was no wood-chopper. He bought afour-horse team that winter and hired hisown choppers and began to haul logs forthe mills in Bullionville. He worked all

winter until the end of June. By then hehad his team paid for and a little moneysaved. Being somewhat of a wandererby nature and owning his own team, hedecided he would take a trip to Texas. Onthis particular venture, he had told his

companions of his destination and resolvedthat this would be his last trip after wood.One thing he hadnt realized was that hehad not reckoned with providence and anall-wise Father in Heaven.

It was the custom of many of thefreighters to hobble their horses at night sothey could graze, as hay was not plentiful.As usual his horses were hobbled whencamp was made for the night. The nextmorning the horses did not return to campfor their feed of grain as they had alwaysdone before. He went out and hunted forthem but he never saw or heard a wordabout them as long as he lived.

When he had spent what little moneyhe had saved and decided it was uselessto look longer for his horses, he began tolook for another place to work. His friend

Sy Reynolds told him that there was aMormon man, Luke Syphus, who wantedto hire a man to hoe weeds in his garden.Following this advice he went to the manand was hired.

George Burton Whitney Family Home in St. George

Little did he think then that thisMormon would later be the grandfather ofhis children. It was on an errand to thismans home that he rst met his futurebride. She was sitting on a big dry-goods

box bunching carrots and some othervegetables for the Pioche market. She wasa beautiful girl of 17, with black hair, anddark eyes and complexion. This was in starkcontrast to his light hair, fair complexion,and sky-blue eyes. It was no wonder theirhearts missed a beat as their eyes met forthe rst time in mortality. (Be that as itmay, this girls heart and soul were hersto guard and keep until she knew whereit would go and she felt that the receiver

would be one of her own faith and that hisheart would beat with hers in unison which

would help her in the hopes and ideals shehad for herself and her children).

George B.s pay was small each day plusboard and he was to start work the followingmorning. The custom of the Mormon family

was to hold family prayer every morningbefore breakfast. Luke said, Mr. Whitney,


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we always have family prayers. You canjoin with us or you may go out on the porchuntil we get through. George B. answeredthat it was always the custom in his home

where he was raised. So George B. kneltin prayer with the Syphus family and thatmorning the two men began a discussion

of religion.

Imagine the wagon seat with Grandfather G. Luke

Whitney seated with his 5-year old son at his side,

six lines in one hand, foot on the brake, Book of

Mormon or other scripture or uplifting book in his

other reading to his son.

After breakfast, Luke and Christianawent to Pioche with a load of garden produce,leaving their eldest daughter, Lovina, incharge. She had to prepare dinner for the

younger children and the new hired man.

You can imagine the thoughts that weregoing through this young girls mind as sheprepared the food. She wanted to impressthe handsome young stranger. The family

wouldnt think of eating without blessingthe food. When dinner was ready, Lovina,

wanting everything to be just right, blessedthe food herself rather than asking the

younger children to do it.

George B. spent many eveningsdiscussing and studying the principles ofthe gospel with Luke. The months followingresulted in this wanderer accepting therestored gospel and making it a part of hislife. He was baptized by Bishop Thomas

Jefferson Jones on 1 September 1872.

He was now taking an active part inthe community life, working for rst oneman and then another, and also teaching

school during the winter. His future wife,Lovina, attended school with George B.as the teacher in the winter of 1872-1873.

They became well acquainted with eachother during this time and their friendshipturned into love.

They were married in the EndowmentHouse in Salt Lake City on 9 October 1873(not married for time, but for all eternity byone who was authorized by our HeavenlyFather to give them to each other with acovenant and promise to live true andfaithful to each other.) It was 400 miles fromPanaca to Salt Lake City, a long way to goby team and wagon to get married, whenthey could have been married for time athome. But this would not satisfy the kind oflove they felt for each other. Theirs was the

kind that would endure and not wear awaybut grow stronger and truer with the years.When one would pass on to the next stageof existence, he or she could welcome theother as they passed on to eternity together,in each others love and companionship.

George B. and Lovina returned toPanaca where they made their rst home.Here their rst three children were born:George Luke, 3 August 1874; ChrissieEveline, 16 June 1876; and Lovina Ellen, 4

October 1878.

At the St. George Stake Conference on15-16 March 1879, a number of brethren

were called from Panaca to settle MesquiteFlats. Among those from Panaca wereBishop Luke Syphus, his unmarried son,Edward, and two sons-in-law, GeorgeBurton Whitney, and Harry (Henry) Gentry.

They constructed a ditch and channeled thewater from the Virgin River onto the landthe rst spring. Early in the summer theyplanted a few melons and a little corn.

When George B. moved his familyfrom Panaca to Mesquite, his oldest son,George Luke, was six-years-old, and heremembered most of the events of his fatherand mothers lives. The following incidentsare told by him: Father and mother locatedon twenty-acres of land on the east boundary



of Arizona. This was approximately three-fourths of a mile above the present town ofMesquite and just below the present locationof the grist mill. Our land ran from the baseof the hill on the north side of the river, southto where the bank of the river was then. Onthe bank of the canal that runs where it does

now along the base of the hill, father built aone-room, rock hut with a dirt roof.

It should be pointed out that all of theabove families called to Mesquite Flats

were living in Panaca according to the 1880Federal Census. It is possible that just themen went to the ats in 1879 to secure theirland and help construct a canal. Anothersource lists Luke and Edward Syphus asbeing among the early arrivals. This has tobe George Luke (Lukes son) for we know

that Luke Syphus never lived there.

On 16 July 1881, St. George StakePresident John D.T. McAllister dined withLuke in Panaca. President McAllister was

again in Panaca on 18 February 1882 andstated that, Bishop Luke Syphus calledon me. Panaca affairs and his own inMesquite. It appears that Bishop Syphus

was discussing with President McAllistermatters relative to his families who hadleft or remained in Mesquite Flats and also

his tenure as a bishop for as previouslypointed out he was released on 6 May 1882and Milton L. Lee was set apart as the newbishop.

Lukes narrative continues: The rstwinter of 1880-1881 was spent in clearingland and hauling salt from the salt mineve-miles below St. Thomas and forty-miles below Mesquite. The salt was hauledto St. George, Utah, making the distancefrom the mine about 90 miles. The hauling

rate was $17.00 per ton. It cost the men$1.00 per ton if they blasted it from themountain themselves, but $2.50 per ton ifthey purchased it already blasted out. Thissalt mine was owned by Daniel Bonelli.

Freighting brought in much needed cash to our ancestors pockets. Extreme heat and extreme cold and

treacherous roads made this way of life extremely difcult and dangerous.


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Because of their small teams, only three-fourths of a ton of salt could be hauled atonce and it took ten days to make the roundtrip. Although they did not make much, thelittle they did get, helped to provide them

with a little our and a few clothes.

The following summer of 1881, fatherthrashed a little wheat. We had it groundin Bunkerville in a small mill owned byDudley Leavitt. Bunkerville had beensettled previously in 1877.

Ellen Whitney Perkins and Lovina Syphus Whitney

at Stowell Ranch

That same summer father and I camedown with the chills and fever and we weresick most of the time. Poor mother! How

she worked milking the cow, looking afterthe little crop, and the hundred and oneother things to be done on a new place,and in a new country with very little toget along with. That fall, 18 October, 1881their fourth child, Luella May, was born toGeorge B. and Lovina.

From 18 October on of that year wasspent in hauling salt and getting moreland cleared and planted. It began to lookas though we would be able to establishourselves there permanently. But it seemedthat the time had not yet come for theestablishing of a permanent settlementthere because in June of the year 1882, we

were struck with one of those thunderstormsthat this arid west is sometimes subject toin the summer. This storm lled the ditchin places, and washed it out in others, andtook the dam out which they had put in

the Virgin River to divert the water intotheir ditch. This was a real calamity foreveryone. They did not seem to have theheart to begin all over again. I think fatherand mother were probably hit worse thananyone else.

I well remember that terrible storm; itcame during the night. Mother had been washing that day and was in bed earlierthan usual, so were all the other childrenexcept myself and a boy, Andy Pulsipher byname, who was living with us at that time.I remember mother saying to father, Whydont you put the light out and go to bed;the ies are so bad I cant go to sleep.

Father said, Im watching the storm,but he put the light out, and he and I stood

in the south door and watched the blackclouds come clear across the southwesthorizon. The lightning was so vivid it lit upeverything. Presently the thunder beganto rumble and as the storm approached,it became a roar; then it just seemed tocrack and the storm was there in a regulardeluge. My, how it did pour down; it seemedto come in buckets full. The water began tocome through the dirt roof and father beganputting pans and buckets on the beds andall around to catch the water; then all of

a sudden it came pouring through theback window. That was a signal for action.Father gathered mother and the baby andstarted for the hill just back of the house;the water was up to his waist. He tookmother and then came back and took therest of us children up on the hill by mother.He returned for a few quilts to put over us;then he left to go help Johnny Hansen andhis wife, who were an old couple living in adugout in the side of a wash a quarter-of-a-mile below us. He got them out and storedthem in a haystack on the back of a wash.

I will never forget that night; my twosisters, Chrissie and Ellen and myself lyingthere on the hillside with a quilt over us;mother sitting there with the baby, littleLouella May in her arms and a quilt overthem and Andy, the boy of about 12 there

with us. The rain was pouring through



those quilts; the lightning ashing; thethunder rolling and rocks rolling down thehillside; it seemed as though father never

would come back. A half-hour seemed along time to a seven-year-old boy. I thinkmother was worried too, but the boy Andy,

was calm and unafraid like he has always

been in the fty years I have known himsince. I remember him saying, We will bealright; nothing to be afraid of here. Wemay be wet, but that is all. When mother

would say, I wonder if father will be able toget back, he would say, Sure he is alright;he will soon be back.

When father came back he moved usup into a cave that was in the side of thehill where the Indians used to cache orhide their dried dogberries and pine nuts

and other food they gathered and storedfor the winter so it would keep dry. Wechildren were soon asleep when we got toa dry place. Father made several trips tothe house, getting out clothes and otherneeded things he could nd. All our tools

were buried in mud, books and many otherthings of value were destroyed.

Father was elected delegate to theconvention on 17 August 1882. He was laterelected a Nevada State Assemblyman.

That winter, 1882-1883, Father wentto Bunkerville and taught school. We livedin a small room in George WashingtonLees home. He had three rooms and waskind enough to rent one. That winter inDecember and January, there was anepidemic of measles and the youngest childLouella May, died on 13 January 1883. She

was one year, two months, and twenty-sixdays old when she died and was buried on14 January. There was a double funeral; aMiss Earl was buried the same day. Mother

was unable to attend the funeral; my twosisters, Chrissie and Ellen were very sick

with the measles.

In June 1883, the family went downto St. Thomas in the Muddy Valley, as it

was then known, to help mothers brother,Edward Syphus, and brother-in-law, Harry

Gentry, harvest their grain crop. They hadmoved to St. Thomas the year before theood at Mesquite (1881). They were the rstLatter-day Saints to establish themselves atSt. Thomas after the exodus of our people afew years previously (1871).

The following winter, 1883-1884,Father again taught school in Bunkerville.It was there my parents fth child, StowellEdward, was born on 28 March 1884. Hisbirth nearly cost my mothers life. She hadbeen sick with chills and fever and thesorrow of the loss of her last child all comingtogether was too much for her frail body.It was only through the faith, prayers, andkind administration of those who attendedher that her life was spared.

Bert, Ralph, Luke, Stowell - Whitney (Nay) Ranch

I remember as a child in my tenth yearhow the Elders and the two good sisters,Aunt Mary McQuarrie Bunker, mother ofMartin Bunker, and Aunt Viola Earl, caredfor her and helped her in every way. I alsoremember others of the Bunker family,because of their kindness to us John M.

who married mothers sister Mary Etta;Francis, May, Ezra, Robert and Hector. Itseems to me as I remember it that I wasindebted to these good people for motherslife. I know Father and Mother have alwaysheld these people as their closest friends.Another good lady I want to mention is AuntMariah Leavitt, one of the wives of DudleyLeavitt Sr., who was one of the original


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settlers of Bunkerville. I pay tribute tothese good sisters because of their faith inGod and the wonderful unselsh help theygave their fellow men all the days of theirlives.

Today (2008) the George Burton Whitney home is

known as the Green House - It is in St. George,

Utah and is available for short term rental

On the last day of April they carriedmother and put her in the wagon and westarted to look for a new home. Circle Valleyand Junction in Piute County were beingsettled up then and since mothers three

brothers, Alfred, George, and Levi werelocating in Circle Valley, father was goingthere too.

We got as far as Washington, Utah,and mother stayed there with Virgil Kellysfamily, people they knew in Panaca, Nevada.In fact, Mrs. Kelly was one of mothersgirlhood friends. Father and mother weremarried at the same time this lady and herhusband were. After leaving mother withthe Kellys, father and I went on to CircleValley.

On arriving in Circle Valley, fatherplanted ten-acres of wheat and startedback to Washington for mother. The SevierRiver was very high when we were comingup the river going after mother. The water

was in the road in places and when we gotback to the Sevier it was so high we could

not get down the river, so we stopped at aranch owned by a man named Wooley.

Luke Whitneys story ends here, butit seems that George B. and Mr. Wooleybecame friends and the Whitney familyspent the summer of 1884 at his ranch south

of Panguitch where the green meadowsborder Panguitch Lake. In the fall of that year they moved back to Panaca. Heretheir next four children were born: MaryMaudeen, on 18 February 1886; MabelClara, on 18 December 1887; Levi Burton,on 25 July 1890; and Ralph Emmanuel, on26 May 1892.

They needed a school teacher in St.Thomas, Nevada, so George B. Whitney andfamily once again decided to move. They

arrived in St. Thomas in the late summerof 1893. They moved into the Bonelli homeand many times the Saints gathered therefor church services.

School was held in a boarded up tentfor two years; then for several years it washeld in the front room of the Moses andLizzie Gibson home.

There was only one ward of the LDSChurch in the Muddy (Moapa) Valley at that

time and it was located at Overton, eightmiles up the valley. George B. Whitney wasa counselor to Bishop Thomas Jefferson

Jones (the man who had baptized him inPanaca) of the Overton Ward while theylived in St. Thomas. He was also sent tothe Nevada State Assembly to write or help

write the original school laws for the Stateof Nevada. His Book of Procedures isdated 1897. (This book is in the possessionof Idona Merrill, a granddaughter.)

The trials and drudgery of pioneerlife could not for long suppress fun andromance in the Whitney family. In spiteof long hours of hard work, there wereintervals for singing and dances and familyoutings. During this St. Thomas sojourn,Luke, Chrissie and Ellen were buddinginto manhood and womanhood. From littlequotations in John M. Bunkers letters from


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George Burton Whitney & Lovina Syphus

George Burton Whitney Mission Letter


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St. Thomas to Lovinas sister, Mary Etta, inPanaca, we catch a glimpse of the courtingthat was going on, usually in a white-topbuggy. Here is one quotation: Utey hasEllen, Louisa, and Nellie out in Brigsbuggy. He is Ellens best fellow.

But Chrissie was the rst one married.On 10 March 1895, she married JohnAustin Abbott. A little over two years later,on 10 June 1897, Ellen married her bestfellow, Ute Vorace Perkins. Both of thesemarriages were sealed in the temple of ourLord, proving the effectiveness of the gospelteachings in the Whitney home.

A great deal of thought, counseling,and prayer preceded the marriage of Luke.On 17 February 1887, Lovinas brother,Alfred Luke, had married the lovely brown-eyed, Julia Wardell, in the St. George

Temple. Seven years later on 16 May 1894,Alf passed away, leaving Julia with threesmall children and an unnished adoberoom and no means of support. The young,blond, Luke Whitney had been working forhis Uncle Alf, and when he noticed peopletaking advantage of the young widow

in their nancial dealings with her, hedetermined to do something about it.

There were long counseling sessionswith his mother and father and the bishopof the ward. Luke, being of a religiousnature, was well aware of the scriptures

which state that if a man die, his next ofkin shall marry the widow and care for herchildren. So the resourceful young Luke,

with Bible in hand went boldly to UncleAlfs bachelor brother, Levi, explaining thesituation and pointing out the Lords willin the matter. But Uncle Levi, being averseto marriage, refused to marry Julia. Therefollowed more discussion with his parentsand the bishop. Luke was now the next-of-kin who was not married, but it was a harddecision to make since Julia was sealed tohis Uncle Alf. Luke would have to sacricehis right to a wife and children in the lifeto come. But in spite of this, and the factthat he was six years younger than she, hecourted Julia and they were married on 10

January 1897.

A few months later another importantevent occurred in the Whitney family. On

Envelope of above mentioned letter


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Hand Written History of Luke Syphus and Christiana Long. Written by Lovina Syphus


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12 May 1897, a baby girl, Jane, was bornto Lovina and George B. She had a shortsojourn on earth and passed away thesame day she was born and was buried inthe St. Thomas cemetery.

In April 1899, George B. and his

15-year-old son, Stowell, went to Enterprise,Washington County, Utah. Here theyleased a ranch about a mile above town.

The rst week they were there they planteda garden and cleared sagebrush from thetwenty or thirty-acres of land. He was realpleased with the work they had done andthat Sunday on 23 April 1899, he wrotea long letter to Lovina, telling her of theiraccomplishments, describing the country,outlining his plans and giving instructionsfor the familys journey to Enterprise. One

sentence in the letter shows his faith andtrust in Lovina and gives a glimpse of hercharacter. Now, Lovina, I am going to statethe situation to you and you can act on

your own judgment. Whatever you do inthe matter will be alright with me. I haveall faith and condence in your judgmentand business qualications. So whatever

you do, I will stand by you.

Since there were cows and pigsavailable in Enterprise, he advised her to

sell their animals if she could, since theweather would be too warm to move themsuccessfully.

At that time, Chrissies husband, JohnAbbot, was on a mission for the church soGeorge B. suggested that Chrissie and herchildren come and live with them, but Lukeand Bub (Ute, Ellens husband) were freeto make their own decisions.

The letter is included later in thischapter as it shows a fathers faith andcondence in and his love and devotion forhis wife and children.

As soon as the pigs had been sold andpreparations for the journey made, Lukeand Julia moved his mother, Lovina, andher children to Enterprise. They took thecattle with them and Bert, who was only

eight-years-old, had to ride a horse anddrive them. It was a big job for a small boyand it made the journey slower. Luke andEllen decided to remain in St. Thomas andOverton where they raised their childrenand helped build those communities. Afterhe returned from his mission, John and

Chrissie made their home in Idaho andOregon.

George Burton Whitney and Lovina Syphus - If you

look closely youll see a little round circle on the

left side of his chin underneath the corner of his

mouth. That was a hole where a cancer had been

removed. It went completely into his mouth. All the

grandchildren were fascinated by it.

The people of Enterprise tried topersuade George B. and his family toremain there, and offered him a job teachingschool. But he felt he was getting too old toteach as his patience was not as good as hegot older.



In the fall of 1899, the Whitney familymoved to St. George, Utah. George B. washired as water master for the WashingtonFields. He rode horseback to do this work.He often took Ralph, his youngest son,along with him as he rode the ditch. It wasa wonderful experience for the boy and has

been a fond memory for him throughouthis life.

The Whitneys lived in rented homesin St. George for several years, and thenbought the old home at 300 West and 200South. This old home is still standing (1965)and is occupied. It looks the same as it did

when the Whitneys lived there.

George B. worked at Shem for a while.He also freighted to Modena and Acoma,

taking ore to the railroad and bringingback supplies for the stores.

Lovinas parents, Luke and ChristianaSyphus came to St. George and lived withthem one winter, working there in the

Temple. Clara Syphus, Lovinas unmarriedsister, came from Panaca and spent asummer with them.

In the spring of 1901, George B. wascalled on a short mission to teach the

gospel to his family in Troy, New York. Thisturned out to be a disappointment to him,as he said many times, Their hearts weretoo much set on this lifes worldly goods.His people were comparatively wealthy,and if he would have given up his religionand come back, he could have had a shareof it, but this he refused to do. His uncle,Burton (who seemed like a brother), and

wife, Helen, came out West from the Eastand spent two months with the Whitneyfamily. Burton never joined the church, butasked George B. to do his temple work andhave his rst wife sealed to him after he

was gone.

George B. took every opportunity tomake a living for his family, even though ittook him away from home many times. Hefreighted from Las Vegas to Goldeld. Thenin 1904, Levi Syphus, Lovinas brother,

asked George B. and Lovina to help him.He had charge of the Indian Springs ranchand needed help. So George B. and Stowellhelped with the farming and care of hishorses. There were many freight teamsgoing through there then, including thetwenty-mule team wagons carrying borax.

Lovina cooked for the freighters and theirdaughter, Maud, waited on tables. Mabel,then 16, was left at home to take care ofBurt and Ralph, who were 14 and 12.

Lovina Syphus

The Whitneys moved back to their homein St. George in the fall of 1905, and on18 February 1906, Maud married AbramBurgess.

In later years, George B. earned hisliving by hauling wood and selling it by thecord. This he did with a one-horse wagon,as was the custom in Vermont where he wasraised as a boy. He also raised vegetablesand sold them to help with their needs.Burt left home at a young age to work inthe mines in Arizona and Nevada and onthe freight roads. He married Nellie ValateHughes in June 1910. They had a daughter,Mabel, born in December 1911. Her mother,Nellie, passed away when Mabel was abouttwo years old, so George and Lovina tookher into their home and raised her.


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Previous to Burts marriage, Mabelmarried Isaac Chauncey Macfarlane on 8October 1909, so Ralph was their only childleft at home. When he nished the eighth

grade, he left home and went to work withBurt and Stowell. The boys spent much oftheir time in St. Thomas and while they

were there, Luke and Julia cared for them.

Stowell married Anna Isabel Frehneron 21 May 1914 and Ralph married DorisElizabeth Nay, on 23 December 1920.

In the fall of 1921, Ralph left his wife,Doris, with his father and mother at theirhome in St. George to await the birth oftheir rst child. Doris really learned tolove George and Lovina. George was sucha kind, patient, man and treated her as ifshe was his own daughter. At this time,he spent most of his time working in thetemple. Lukes daughter, Clarice, andEllens daughter, Lorna, stayed with themone winter while they attended school in St.George.

The home of George B. and LovinaWhitney was always open to anyone whoneeded help. George B. passed away on5 April 1927, and was buried in the St.

George cemetery. At his funeral in the St.George Tabernacle, there was a profusionof beautiful owers. The speakers were hisneighbors. They paid tribute to this greatpioneer in the following words:

He was one of Gods noblemen, a man ofgreat faith; the gospel was the main-springof his life. His life was above reproach; hehas been an inspiration to all who knewhim. While he did not have much of this

worlds goods, he was wealthy; the fullnessof the earth was his. He loved his life of toil,and while he appreciated the love and helpof his children, he liked to be independent.God bless Sister Whitney who has been hisfaithful companion.

I doubt if ever a man lived truer tohimself than Brother Whitney; his was a

First Row: Mabel, Maudeen, Ellen. Back Row: Ralph, Burt, Stowell


20/34


21/34

conrming, and in due time you will returnwith your sheaves to the *Center Stake ofZion. Then you will give an account* of yourstewardship. They will say *well done thougood and faithful servant, thou has beenfaithful over a few things. We will make youto rule over many cities.* You shall have

power over the winds and waves of the Sea.As you rebuke in the name of Jesus, thereshalt be a calm.

You will have many wives and a largeposterity, and you will teach them the waysof the Lord and they will walk in his paths,

you will have an inheritance in Zion andthe Glory of the Lord will be upon it. You

will enter into the House of the Lord and with your wives you will go through theordinances of that House for yourselves and

your Dead. And you will have power to callthe dead forth. You will see many gravesopen and the dead coming forth. You willassist* in building up many temples, andbe a strong pillar in the house of the Lord,and I seal the blessings of life, and strengthupon your body, that you may do all this

work to the Glory of God, and seal uponyour head a Crown of Celestial Glory, in thename of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

George Burton Whitneys Blessing

Recorded in Book C, Page 67.

* spelling changed or not sure of word

Patriarchal Blessing of Lovina Syphus

Whitney Received December 16, 1874

Panaca, Lincoln County, NevadaDecember 16, 1874

A Patriarchal Blessing by Joseph L.Heywood upon the head of Lovina Whitney,daughter of Christiana Long and LukeSyphus, born in Sidney, New South Wales,Australia, August 31, 1854.

Sister Lovina,

I place my hands upon your head in thename of the Lord Jesus and by virtue of theAuthority conferred upon me I seal upon

thee a fathers blessing. Thou art a rightfulheir to all the blessings pertaining to thedaughters of Abraham. Thou art greatlyblessed in having had parents capable ofinstructing thee in the principles of theeverlasting Gospel, and in raising thee up acompanion who will honor the Priesthood.

Seek earnestly for the treasures of Heavenand for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Seekto honor these whom God honors, and thylight shall increase thy heart be enlargedand thy gratitude to God abound. Seekfor every opportunity to inform thy mind,that thou mayest be qualied to instructthy children and prepare them for futureusefulness. Thou art of the Seed of Josephand thine inheritance shall be in Zion. inthe name of Jesus of Nazareth, Amen.

No. 36, recorded in Book A, Page 30

Milton L. Lee, recorder

Patriarchal Blessing of George Burton

Whitney Received May 24, 1875

Panaca, Lincoln County, NevadaMay 24, 1875

A blessing by John L. Smith, patriarch,upon the head of George Burton Whitney,

son of George S. and Mary Eveline Barnard.Born Troy, New York, March 9, 1846.

Brother George,

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth*I place my hands upon thy head and sealupon thee* a Fathers blessing. Thou art ofthe house of Joseph and thy reward shallbe with Ephraim*. Thou hast a mighty workto perform among thy Fathers house andamong the Nations of the Earth. Power inthe Priesthood to stay the raging* of the sea,to remove mountains, even to commandthe destroyer* to stay his hand that thoumayest gather out the honest in heart fromhis dominion*. So speedy* and importantshall be thy mission that you shalt travelas upon the wings of the wind. When the

Ten Tribes come from the North thou wiltmeet* them as a messenger of high repute*



from among the Saints. Thou shalt see aTemple built in the Center Stake of Zion,stand on the earth with thy Savior*, thy

wives and children with thou*, a numeroushost among the mighty ones* of Zion. Inthy house there shall be no lack* and thycouncils shall be esteemed far and wide.

All thy former gifts and blessings I renewupon thee* with every desire of thine heartin righteousness, with Eternal life and allthou canst imagine, for not one word shallfail if thou art faithful to the end for theyare sealed upon thee in the name of Jesusthy Redeemer, Amen.

G. Pulsipher, Scribe

Recorded in Book B,

Page 42, No. 54

Agnes A. McDonald, recorder

*spelling changed or not sure of word

Patriarchal Blessing of Lovina Whitney

Received on May 24, 1875

Panaca, Lincoln County, Nevada,May 24, 1875

A blessing by John L. Smith, Patriarch,upon the head of Lovina Whitney, daughterof Luke Syphus and Christiana Long. BornSydney, South Wales Australia, August 31,1854.

Sister Lovina,

In the name of Jesus Christ of NazarethI place my hands upon thy head and sealupon thee a patriarchal blessing. Thou artof the house of Joseph and entitled to allthe blessings promised to the daughters ofEphriam.

Thy guardian angel hath watched overthee and preserved thy life many timesand will continue to do so, until thou shaltaccomplish all the labors required of theein thy fathers house. Thy posterity shallbe mighty and numerous and thou shalt

be crowned a queen to reign in company with thy companion over them to allEternity. The riches of heaven and Earthshall be thine, thy store house shall be

well supplied and peace shall be all aboutthee, thy sons among the mighty and thydaughters among the favored ones of Zion,

a wise counselor among thy seeds. Powerin the priesthood with thy companion topreserve the lives of thy children and drivethe destroyer from the habitation shalt liveto see Zion redeemed and peace establishedin all her stakes and see thy Savior face toface and know that he is thy redeemer. Allthy former gifts and blessings I renew uponthee with Eternal life, which is the greatestgift of God. And every desire of thine heartin righteousness, and not one word of thisblessing shall fail if thou art faithful to the

end. Even so amen.

George B. Whitney as scribe

Recorded in Book B. page 42, No. 55

Agnes A. Macdonald, recorder.

George Burton Whitneys Legal Battle

in Nevada on Behalf of all Mormons

by Mark Lindsay Rawlins

In 1888, the national campaign againstthe practice of polygamy by the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (TheMormons) was coming to its climax. Overthe years, Congress had passed a seriesof laws disenfranchising the Church, andmaking polygamy a felony. This battlenally ended when the church formallyrenounced polygamy via the Manifesto

which was accepted in 1890, and Utah wasallowed to become a state in 1896.

However, during the 30-year battle overpolygamy, the States surrounding the Utahterritory got into the act, and in 1888 at theheight of the confrontation, Nevada passeda law that required anyone who voted tosubscribe to or swear an oath that in partsaid:


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Reno Evening Gazette

Thursday - August 9, 1888

Published every evening except Sunday

The Mormon Question

There is much being said

relative to an Act prescrib-

ing the qualifications of elec-tors and modifying the oath

of registration in conformity

therewith, passed by the last

Legislature. The intention of

the framers of the Act, and

those who voted for it, evi-

dently was to not only weak-

en, but to take away the

political power of the organi-

zation known as the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

Saints, commonly called the

Mormon Church.

Before anyone can exer-cise the election franchise,

unless this law should be

held to be unconstitutional,

he will have to subscribe to

and take an oath, among

other things, that he is not a

bigamist or polygamist; that

he neither teaches nor prac-

tices bigamy or polygamy;

that he is neither a member

of nor belongs to the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

Saints, commonly called the

Mormon Church; that he isnot a member of nor belongs

to any order, organization or

association which sanctions

or tolerates bigamy or po-

lygamy, or plural or celestial

marriages, etc. Many claim

that this Act is in violation

of not only the spirit of our

National and State consti-

tutions, both of which rec-

ognize the free exercise and

enjoyment of religious pro-

fession and worship, but the

letter. That there is a large ele-

ment in the Mormon Church

that disbelieves in the plu-

rality of wives is beyond

question. One branch of that

church, so to speak, as far

as the marital relation goes,

is orthodox, and denies the

alleged revelation authoriz-

ing the plurality of wives. Yet

these people are members of

the church, and cannot take

the oath; hence are disfran-

chised, yet they can hold of-

fice.

The clause of the State

Constitution which accords

the right of religious belief

has an exception, which

says; But the liberty of con-

science hereby secured shallnot be construed so as to ex-

cuse acts of licentiousness or

justify practices incosistent

with the peace and safety of

the State.

Whether the exception is

broad enough to cover the

Act is a question of some

gravity, and one which the

Gazette will not attempt to

decide.

While averse to the teach-

ings and practices of the

Mormon Church as a church,and radically opposed to the

power exercised by the few

over the many in that body,

if this law goes beyond the

limits of the Constitution

we say it should be held for

naught.

If the Constitution gives

the power to the Legislature

to disfranchise the members

of an organization as a body,

because the law-making

power may think that they

are guilty of acts of licen-

tiousness or that they jus-

tify practices inconsistent

with the peace and safety of

the State, without a hearing

before some court of compe-

tent jurisdiction, it is a vast

power, and in certain cases

might work great injustice.

There is no telling what

the result of the exercise of

it might lead to or what a

fanatical legislative body,

prompted by a spirit of vin-

dictiveness or religious zeal,

might do. The exercise ofthe power under the Act is

one of grave importance. Its

interpretation involves the

proposition of religious lib-

erty. Some one should raise

the questions and have them

passed upon by the higher

courts and set at rest.



He is not a bigamist or polygamist; thathe neither teaches nor practices bigamy orpolygamy; that he is neither a member ofnor belongs to the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints, commonly called theMormon Church; that he is not a memberof nor belongs to any order, organization

or association which sanctions or toleratesbigamy or polygamy, or plural or celestialmarriages, etc.

Obviously even in modern days suchan oath would be impossible for a faithfulmember of the church to accept, let alonein the days before the Manifesto.

On the opposite page is a portion ofan article from the Reno Evening Gazettefrom Thursday, August 9th, 1888 to help

you understand the tensions of the day,and after that a letter about George BurtonWhitneys role in overturning this law.

Overton, Nevada, 21 Feb 1933

George L. WhitneyHurricane, Utah

Dear Brother Whitney:

Your letter of the 16th inst, received,

I am much pleased to hear from you andlearn that you are well. My association with

you and your fathers family has been oneof pleasure to me and very much prot. Igot a better understanding of many thingsin the Old Testament from your father thanany other man. My association with youin this Stake has always been such that adeep love for you has been kindled in myheart that I feel will continue through-outthe ages to come.

I think you understand aright what Isaid about your father; it was in the summerof 1888 that the incidents occurred that Ireferred to:

A commission had been appointed bythe United States to supervise the electionin the Territory of Utah. Before one couldregister to vote, an oath had to be taken,

the nature of which no true Latter DaySaint could take. Idaho had also passeda law requiring all to take an oath aboutthe same as the Utah law. It was designedto disfranchise all the Mormons, becauseno Latter Day Saint would take the oath.Nevada, to be in line with the others,

had, through its Legislature, passed alaw requiring all voters before they couldregister to take the same oath. (I am notsure that the Oath was just the same as theothers oaths but was such that our peoplein this state would not take it.)

Brother Findlay was the Register Agentat Panaca. Your father protested the oath,claimed that he was an American Citizenand had a right to vote, that the oath wasunconstitutional and demanded that he be

registered without taking the oath, thus thematter was brought to a head. The Ofcersof Lincoln County at that time were friendlyto our people, claiming that the Oath wasan outrage on law abiding people.

George Sawyer, a lawyer of Pioche, hada law partner in Carson City by the nameof Trenmore Cofn. They agreed to carrythe case to the Supreme Court for $50.00(Sawyer not having to make a trip to Carson,this was the whole cost). They did it for the

bare cost as they felt that it was aimed atour people and was unjust.

The people of Pioche raising part of themoney, Panaca and Pioche paying $30.00,and the people of the South paying $20.00.

The case went through in a rush, ofcersin Pioche depended on the Mormon Vote toput them in ofce, so before the time forRegistration had passed, the case had beendecided, the Supreme Court declaring thatthe oath was unconstitutional, thus the

whole thing fell at, and we all rejoiced.Your father making the ght for the peopleof this State.

I took the ballot box to Pioche that fall. There was much rejoicing even in Piocheover our victory. George Sawyer was electedSenator from Lincoln County over Gear ofPharanagat Valley, but Gear was very sore


25/34

and never got over it, though in a way wasfriendly.

To Kindest regards to you and SisterWhitney and Fenton and Family;

I am yours Truly

J.I. Earl

Letter from George Burton Whitney to

his wife, Lovina Syphus on April 25, 1899

Copy of Original letter from George Burton Whitney

to his wife Lovina (Syphus) Whitney at St. Thomas,

Lincoln Co. Nevada. It is postmarked Hebron, Utah,

April 25, 1899, which at that time was the mail station

for Enterprise, Utah, and was where the George B.

Whitney family were planning to locate before moving

to St. George. Original letter is in the possession ofRalph E. Whitney family, George B. Whitneys youngest

son.

Enterprise, UtahApr. 23, 1899

Dear One,

Another Sunday has come and as Iam not clothed for attending meeting I willput in most of the day writing to you. I

have been watering the beets and carrotsthis morning. I can rest contented withmyself today as far as last weeks work isconcerned. I dont think I ever accomplishedmore in six days that we did last week. Weare both well and hearty and have got ridof that lazy sluggish dont care feeling that

we had and just begin to feel as though we could undertake anything. Last weekAaron Huntsman, Stowell and I got a biggrubber, put six horses on it and grubbednearly 30 acres of big sage brush and gotpart of it cleared and burnt off. So you see

we are not idle. We* are taking a big resttoday, ready for next week.

I dont remember whether I wrote youabout the places and distances or not but

will now. St. George is 45 miles, Cedar 45miles, Panaca 43, D E Lanny 70 miles, railroad 18 miles from Enterprise so you see we

are about in the center of all the businessof the country around. There is from ve totwenty ve wagons pass every day since wehave been here. Heber Harrison past hereto Panaca with a load of potatoes for N. J.Wadsworth last week. He saw pa. Ma was inCedar. Levi was in Pioche on Grand Jurior.

I engaged seed potatoes for two acres.

You remember you have often spoke ofthe time you and your pa lost your horsesat the mouth of the canyon. How you wentacross the valley and found a spring. Wellthere is a house about where you campedand I am about to rent it for a year. It isclose, or that is, right in sight of Enterprise.You can look right down on the town. It isa very good place to catch travel and willgive us a chance to look around us and get

us a good start on our own place when youcome and we nd one that suits us.

Now Lovina, I am going to state thesituation to you and you can act on yourown judgement--whatever you do in thematter will be all right with me. The caseis just this: the weather will be very hotbefore I will be able to get away from here(as I want to get in everything I can), sohot that I am afraid that it will be deathto hogs to try to haul them so if you could

nd out how much more we owe Harry andhe would allow you what they are worth oranyone else or Bub might want them andturn the price to Brig, or anything you thinkbest, I have all faith and condence in your

judgement (?) and business qualications.So whatever you do I will stand by you. Ithink in fact I know we can get some pigshere, quite reasonable for money. Now asto the cows we can get all we want to milkfor nothing and to buy for ($26). Twenty sixdollars for cows and calves and the Bishoptells me the some of the range cows are goodcows too. What I want to leave to you is

whether when Commerell comes down nextmonth it will be best to turn everythinginto cash that you can, for everything is ascheap here as there, and the extra time it

will take to bring them and the expense offeeding on the road and when we get hereas hay and grain are high here. Hay $12


27/34

twelve dollars per ton and none to get atthat. Grain $1.50 one fty and none to getand then it would take some time for themto get use to the range and climated. As Isaid I will be satised with what you do. Ionly wish you were all here now or as soonas I get the house ready Crissie and her

children and all but I shall never say anymore to Luke and Bub. They must act ontheir own responsibility. I saw Jo Comorellthe other day. He said he had rather chancethis than White River. And as far as I cansee our chances here are good. Of course

we cannot control the elements the windis blowing very hard today from the southand looks like it might blow up a rain.

We had a caller just now from Hebron.He said Thomas Terry, who married Roxy

Woods, had lost a child about a year old. Ithas never been strong or well. We are doingour own cooking, we get milk and butterfrom Sister Huntsman. If there should comea rain soon there will be a considerablecorn just, (?) in Enterprise without any

water they all have wells of ne water itdoes one good to drink it. But I guess you

will be tired of so much of this country soI will leave it for you to see and decide for

yourself whether you like it or not.

I got the letter you wrote before youheard from me last night. The mail comesand goes Tuesday and Saturday so if youmail a letter Monday I will get it Saturday.If I mail it Tuesday you will get it Saturday.I have written you every Sunday and willdo so till I see you. Unless you tell me youdont want to hear from me any more and Ishall look longingly for one from you everySaturday. Oh! if you were all here and time

would not seem so long.

Give love to Luke and family. Crissie andchildren and all who take pains to inquire.I guess not many will go the trouble. TellMaud, Mabel, Burt and Ralph to be goodchildren and kiss ma for me and you then.

Tell Burt Pa has got Dick Deck and Daisyall right.

xxxxxxxxx

Geo Whitney

Minutes From the George Burton

Whitney Organization

These minutes have been very fun to read. The

George Burton Whitney family organized in October

1918. The George Burton Whitney Reunion is stillheld every other year in late October or November.

For more information about the reunion, go to www.

georgeburtonwhitney.org

As you read these, youll see what the consequence

was for not attending the meetings and how it was

executed. However, it must have been less than

popular because by the fth meeting, they discontinued

this practice.

First Meeting, October 11, 1918

George B. Whitney and family met atthe home of Chauncey Macfarlane, St.George, Utah October 11, 1918.

The purpose of this meeting being toorganize as a family. to elect ofcers, andstart gathering genealogy. Father GeorgeB. Whitney acting chairman. George L.Whitney was unanimously sustained aspresident and Mrs. Mabel Macfarlane assecretary and treasurer. Father and each

son and daughter were assessed threedollars each, cash to be paid on or beforeNovember 1, 1918.

It was moved and seconded and votecarried that the secretary have power toassess and notify members of any necessaryfunds to carry on the work.

The date for the annual meeting orfamily reunion was set for December 10,1919, unless changed by a majority ofvotes of the family. Place of meeting notdesignated. It was agreed that each memberof fathers immediate family must be at thereunion, or give a reasonable excuse fortheir absence. An unreasonable excusecalls for a ne not to exceed the expense oftrip required to attend.



There was present at the meetingFather, Mother, four sons, three daughters,eight grand daughters, Chrissie Abbott, theoldest daughter, being the only chiid notpresent. A vote was carried that George L.Whitney, oldest son, become a member ofthe

Genealogical Society in order that bestresults be obtained in gathering genealogy.

Ten dollars was appropriated for hismembership fee. Meeting was adjourned.

Mrs. Mabel Macfarlane, actingsecretary

Second Meeting, November 30, 1919

Minutes of the second annual meeting

of the George B. Whitney family held atthe home of B.L. Whitney, November 30,1919 at St.. Thomas, Nevada. President

George L. Whitney presiding, Father takingcharge. Father explained the purpose ofmeeting. Prayer was offered by George L.Minutes were read and with amendment

were approved.

Financial report was given showing

a balance of $14.45 on hand, PresidentGeorge L. gave a genealogy report of whathad been done during the year. Father gavean interesting account of his forefathers andthe names and dates of many members ofhis family. George L. explained why Juliaschildren should be members of the Whitneyorganization.

Father gave the plan of Life andSalvation as believed by Latter Day Saints,

which was very interesting and instructive.

It was moved and seconded, vote carried,that the next meeting be held the rstWednesday after the 20th of August 1920.

Map of Residences of George Burton & Lovina Whitney


29/34

An assessment of $2.00 was made fromeach child of Fathers family. All joinedin singing and an interesting program ofsinging, reciting and speaking followed.Count showed an attendance of ftymembers present. Out of town membersremained at St Thomas three nights and

two days.

Minutes taken by Mabel Macfarlane

Back Row: Luke Whitney, Ute Perkins, John Abbott,

Chauncy Macfarlane, Abe Burgess, Stowell Whitney,

Ralph Whitney. Front Row: Julia Whitney, Ellen

Perkins, Mable Macfarlane, Maude Burgess,

Isabel Whitney, Doris Whitney

Third Meeting August 24, 1921

Minutes of the third annual meeting ofthe George B. Whitney family held at the

home of George B. Whitney, August 24,1921 at St. George, Utah. President GeorgeL. Whitney presiding and taking charge.Opening prayer was offered by FatherGeorge B. Genealogical reports given byGeorge L. Minutes of previous meeting readand approved.

Financial report read showing a balanceon hand of $14.45.

There was present: Father, Mother, threesons, two daughters, one son-in-law, onedaughter-in-law, eleven granddaughters. onegrandson-in-law, one great granddaughter,making a total of twenty-two present.

The members present lamented greatlyat the small attendance. The excuses sentin by the absent children were seriouslyconsidered. A vote was called and carried

that only Ellens excuse be accepted, hersbeing sickness. It was decided that asmall ne of seven dollars and fty centsby Chrissie and Bert. It was decided thatall money taken in the treasury fromassessments and nes be used to carryon the work of the organization and to be

loaned at a reasonable rate of interest toany member who is nancially unable toattend the reunion. A vote carried that the$2.00 assessment for last year be collectedat once and an assessment of one dollar belevied on all George B.s children. to be paidon or before date of next meeting or at callof treasurer if needed. Time and place ofnext reunion set for December 28 and 29,1922 at Moapa Valley. Meeting adjourned.Visiting members from out of town remainedin St. George two nights and one day.

Minutes taken by M. Macfarlane, Sec.& Treas

Patriarchal Blessing of Lovina Syphus

Whitney Received on September 1, 1929

Nampa, IdahoSeptember 1, 1929

A blessing given by William HenryEdgley, Patriarch, upon the head of Lovina

Syphus Whitney, daughter of Luke Syphusand Christina Long, born August 31, 1854at Sidney, North Australia.

Sister Lovina Whitney,

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christand by power of the Holy Priesthood, Iplace my hands upon your head and give

you a Fathers and a Patriarchal Blessing, with the blessings, hopes, and promisesextended unto the faithful daughters ofAbraham, with the blessings of the Gospel,and the new and everlasting covenant.

The Lord is pleased with your laborhere in mortality; continue to call on Him.He loves you and has blessed you, and

your Guardian angel has directed you inthe paths for you to walk in the past and

will continue to direct your activities in



this life, and the days that are still before you on this earth shall be peaceful. Thetestimony of the Gospel shall at all timesburn within your heart, and your mindshall grow stronger.

Maude Burgess, Stowell Whitney, Mable McFarlane,

Luke Whitney (front), Ellen Perkins, Ralph Whitney

You shall not want for the necessariesof Life, and some of the comforts of lifeshall be yours. Your Heavenly Father and

your loved ones on earth shall pour outtheir blessings upon you, and you shallbe blessed with the good things that willcomfort you in this life.

Thou art of Ephraim and entitled toall of the gifts and graces extended to theDaughters of Abraham.

I bless you with continued healthand vigor of body and mind. You shall beblessed with eternal life and come forthin the morning of the rst resurrection,and associated with your Husband, yourChildren, and those whom you love dearly,redeemed and sanctied, receive your crownof glory for your righteousness, receiving

your lot and portion in the CelestialKingdom of God. All of these blessings aresealed upon you.

I seal you up against the power of theDestroyer until the day of redemption, byvirtue and power of the Holy Patriarchalofce, and in the name of Jesus Christ,Amen.

Wm. H. Edgley, Patriarch

Account of Trip From Hurricane to Visit

Children

The original account was written on a Las Vegas High

School Commencement Program.

Written by Lovina Syphus

Left Friday, May 25th, 1934 went to StGeorge. Met my daughter Maud Burgessand family there. Saturday morning Maudand I took the bus for Las Vegas. Gothere and went to Overland caf to drivefrom there to the Macfarlane home wherethe 3 boys and their families and otherfriends came to visit us. Early Sundaymorning Idena took me all over town infour directions to the Suberb of (town?).We stopped at G. daughter Afton Hannig

but they were not (home?). Went home andmy son Stowell and wife called to take meto this program. By the time we returned,our daughters Maud and Mabel Mack hadreturned from Glendale where they went tomeet their sister Chrissie from Idaho; thenour rancher, Stowell, took us all 8 miles tothe ranch where there was chicken dinnerready. He brought us back to town while heand his son delivered milk to a man by town.When we got back to Macks our other twosons, Burt and Ralph, with their families

spent the evening. Monday afternoon all ofthe family in town took picnics and wentto surprise our two youngest sons on theirranches. The Overton folks had to go backhome that night so Chrissie, Maud and I

went over with them. Maud had to get backto (central?). The folks took her to Glendale

where she met the car she went home in.Tomorrow my daughter Chrissie is leavingfor L.A. Calif. A G. daughter (Vera?) to theGeneral Conference in Salt Lake City and Ifor home. Also a dear grandsons wife, sisterElla Perkins, accompanied my daughterChrissie to California on a 3 monthsmission.


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chrissie eveline whitney

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