Roots Day Newsletter
ISSUE 1 Aug. 2006

Everyone,

Q1 of this year meant gearing up for any last search attempts on our elusive family ancestor. Our Depew reunion with Canadian relatives pounced on Payson, UT Aug. 4-6,2006.

With no time to spare we had to pass on the D.U.P. (Daughter’s of Utah Pioneer Museum) for stories, as we wanted to enjoy the other planned events. Payson was an hour journey each way from SLC to campsite @ Payson Lake. Can’t imagine how much time it would take by horse & wagon!

 Arriving two days early Dad & I hit up Karen Moore with some help at the State Archives building. We also checked out some obit searching, journals, & books at the Church Archives center.  On our last day prior the actual presentation we managed to get a couple of hours in at the Family History Centre.  NOT enough time as many of you know, having been there before! 

 With no time to spare we had to pass on the D.U.P. (Daughter's of Utah Pioneeer Museum) for stories, as we wanted to enjoy the other planned events.  Payson was an hour journey each way from SLC to campsite @ Payson Lake. Can't imagine how much time it would take by horse & wagon!

Wed. First stop to get a rental car & on to the Church Archives. Obit Index for the following was obtained:

ELMER David b. 3 June 1887 Pocatello ID, s/o David Austin Elmer Des. News 1966 Sep 14 pc 12
ELMER David Austin b. Sep 4, 1860 d. 21 June 1951 Neola UT, s/o Charles Jackson & Mary Ann Richardson Elmer, SL Tribune 1951 June 23 p.30, Des.News 1951 June 23 pB-4, He operated a livery stable & a restaurant.
ELMER Francis M. b. 11 Nov. 1848 Des. News Ap. 18, 1916 p.11
ELMER Henry, d. Dec. 14, 1928, Des.News Dec. 14, 1928 Sec. 2:4
ELMER Hyrum K. Dec. 3, 1937 Payson, SL Tribune 1937 Dec. 4, p39 & 40, 12,  Dec. 5 p. B-11
ELMER Ira B. d. June 20, 1903 News June 30/03:7
ELMER Ira d. Feb. 14/1916 News Feb. 29/16:9
ELMER Mary Huffman d. Dec. 12/1902 Improvement Era Vol. 6/238
ELMER Orrin  b.16 Jan.1873 Payson, d. 13 Nov. 1962 Provo, Des.News 1962 Nov. 15 p.B5 SL Tribune (same)
BECKSTEAD Sarah Ann d. Sep 14/44,
Des.News 1944 Sept. 16 or 18, p.18 or 10; SL Tribune 1944 Sep. 16 p. 18
ELMER William d. Dec. 15, 1894, News Jan. 8/95:6
Des.News Weekly Index 1850 June 15-No Elmer or Depew (var.) Dec. 22, 1900
Zion’s Camp: Depew – none  Elmer – none
Patriarchal Blessing in Kirtland: Depew – none     Elmer – none

l-r Gord Fisher, Dan Ridley, Warren & Sherry Depew, Kay Ridley, Doug Evans

Everything was still packed in suitcases & dufflebags so the Archive visit was a quick pass for familiarity if anything. The above names seemed familiar to  me without documents in hand. Now at home, I see some dates out of whack in my PAF.

Time to break camp before dark!      

Kim & Scott Ridley

Even the newlyweds joined us for the reunion, and their luck at trying camp for the first time together. Talk about bonding trials from the first get go!  Way to go Kimberly and Scott.

Thursday we located the Peteetneet
school that our ancestors attended.       
Some of the activities were held there.         

Heading off for shopping - camera disks, food, batteries, etc. we enlisted the help of Karen Moore for the afternoon family searching.                                              

At the archives:

DEPEW Charles b. ~ 1860 rest not known.

ELMER Lola Ann (Hall) b. 1856

ELMER Lucius B. b. 1833

DEPEW Alice (Manwill) b. 1850

ELMER Charles J. b. 1858

Affidavit concerning service in Indian Wars - for William Depew (wife Alice).

Marks & Brands for William Depew. Unfortunately no obit on William.

Heading back to Payson, we were disappointed not to find a local KFC. They really ought to think more seriously about their visitors from out of town! Mexican restaurants, pizza & fine dining just isn’t enough  :D  Back to camp before dark.  Trees hide the light pretty early.

Friday we headed to SLC again this time with the FHC in mind, Genealogy.com office in Provo, and a few errands enroute.  Dad resorts to plan B, as Genealogy.com officers were in a meeting till noon. Lunch was late at ZCMI mall before heading to the FHC.

Objective:  Find the original transcript of the IA Colonial/Territorial Census of Pottawattamie for 1851.  Here it is!

It did not have headings on the pages. Ancestory.com indicates there's a transcribed page of this Colonial/State census of Pottawattamie listing our Joseph.  I wanted to see an image of it for myself so I know for a fact it not to be an error.  This places our Joseph in Pottawattamie roughly at the time of death of his wife Wealthy Elmer. Many places on the internet indicate Joseph in Lee County or Ambrosia, but this would prove otherwise, as the distance is too far to be be in both places at the same time.

The 1852 census only indicates Ira Elmer, William & Hiram Elmer families, along with most of the others in the Curtis wagon train.

With an obit for daughter Martha Jane stating her mom died at Big Pigeon (which is north of Council Bluffs), one could assume then that Joseph died before the call of the Curtis wagon train. OR, one might assume after all that hard effort in migrating this far, he’d given up and taken to the bottle & apostasized.

That evening Payson put on a fantastic Salmon fish fry. I’m  sure several thousand were present. The clan from Canada enjoyed the treat immensely – including the personal service.  We hauled our meal out of the hot evening sun, back to the Peteetneet school where families could enjoy Bingo, children could enjoy the big toy one could only imagine in a child’s eyes!  My only regret was not capturing a group photo.

Warren leading discussion on the current land issue.

Bingo & more bingo!

A family history presentation was given by my Dad, myself and Donna Tidball for all those interested. Some of this was done by way of modern technology.  We had 3 laptops liined up on a table and spread out a bit so those sitting on the stage behind us could have full view.  We were unable to secure use of a projector & screen on short notice, but the laptops worked just fine. With Craig's help some CD copies were made and each of us manning the laptops would tell each other when to switch to the next slide. It was fun to share. Tables were spread with photos & charts. Donna shared an awesome poem & memories from her side of the Depew/Powell tree.  Whereas my Dad focused on the Depew/Elmer side.  During this weekend she managed to get a photo of the home of Christiana Powell. See her under Surnames below.

After the presentation The head cousins held a special meeting regarding some land issues held in trust.

It was a pleasure to close our last visit with cousins we wouldn't see again in awhile. Although the reunion was to continue another day, we had to leave early for SLC as I had another commitment Sunday evening back in Canada.

Till the next reunion folks!  I'll try to keep our new findings updated on the web.  It's easier to share images there too.  If you don't want to be included, please let me know.  Thanks.  Have a great year!

Wendykins