Written by
Ellen Albina Wilhelm Draper
(1846 - 1939)

Submitted by Marcelle G. Belliston

A Pioneer Mother Describes Life
in Early Utah

The first Indian troubles that I can remember started in Salt Lake County. They stole the stock from the people and drove them over to the west side of Utah Lake. The lake was frozen over at the time, but the Indians went around the lake with the stock, but the white men crossed on the ice when they went after them. There was quite a number of men called to go to get the stock back. Mr. Draper was only 16 years old at the time, but he was tall for his age, so they called on him to go with them, and from that time on, he was one of the fighters as long as there was any trouble with the Indians.

There were a few families then in what is now called Draper, and they had to build a mud wall around the houses to form a fort against the Indians, and they had to stand guard nights for the safety of their families. Mr. Draper took his turn with the men, and he was always up when there was any danger. Well, after a while, the Indian War was over, but every once in a while some of them made trouble.

After we had lived in Freedom for a while, the men there had a small band of horses, and the Indians wanted to steal them, so the men had to guard them every night. One day, Mr. Draper went to Moroni and did not get back till after dark, and on the way home, he came across two Indians on the road. They were waiting for him. They started to chase; he was on a horse, so were each of them, and they nearly overtook him. They saw he was going to get away from them, so they shot at him, and the bullet went through his pants and underdrawers but could not go through his temple garments. That was a strong testimony to us what power there was in those garments.

Soon after we moved to Freedom there was a ward organized, and he was chosen as assistant superintendent of Sunday School, and he worked in that office till the bishop moved away and the ward was divided up. I lived in Freedom till Mr. Draper died in 1887. Then I sold my little home to a man by the name of Doph Taylor for sheep. Then I moved to Juab Station where I could get work. When Mr. Draper died I had four little girls that were not old enough to work; my oldest girl was married and lived at Juab, so she took the oldest of the four, and I lost my youngest, so that left me with two little girls to provide for, so I went to Juab where I could get work. Well, soon after I went there, someone got away with all my sheep, so my home was gone and nothing to show for it. Well, I kept on working at anything I could get to do to make a living for myself and little girls. After a while there was a man came from Junction, Piute County, and I got acquainted with him. He came to see me, and I understood he was a good man and a Latter-day Saint. He wanted me to marry him, and I was so tired of washing and other kinds of work that I consented. He said he would be a father to my little girls and help me raise them. So we were married, and I moved to Junction, but I was not there long till I found out I was deceived, for he was neither a good man or a Latter-day Saint, or a father to my girls. But I felt like I would have to try and stand it, but he soon got so he was not only mean to me and the girls, but he would not furnish the good that we needed. It went from bad to worse till I could not stand it any longer, so I told him if I had to support myself and girls, I would do it alone and not have him in the bargain. So I got a divorce, and my lawyer made him give me the little home. Then I got me a loom and went to weaving for a living. The people gave me plenty of work and were good and kind to me, and I dearly loved the people. I worked in all the organizations that women work in. I held three offices in the Relief Society and one in the Young Ladies’ Mutual and two in the Primary association, and I taught in different classes in the Sunday School all the time I was there, and that was almost thirty years. After I had been there a while, my cancer began, and it got so bad I could hardly stand it. I heard of a patriarch by the name of Blackburn that lived in Loa, Wayne County, that had administered to many people for all kinds of diseases, and everyone that he administered to that did as he told them got well. So I went to him, and he administered to me and promised me if I would try and do right, I should get well. That promise was fulfilled, for it never hurt me much after that. A while after that I was asked to write to a mission president in the Eastern mission and bear my testimony about the affair so he could tell the people there of the great cure. People went to Brother Blackburn with all kinds of diseases, and they were cured if they obeyed his counsel. I loved the people there and tried to do my duty in all that I undertook to do. I worked at all kinds of work till I raised my girls until they could do for themselves. Then they went out to work till they go married. Then at last my healthy gave way, and I had several sick spells, and I had to give up housekeeping. It was not safe for me to stay alone, so I sold my little home and came to Nephi to stay with my daughter Emma and her husband James Chase, and I have made my home with them ever since.

After I was here a while, my health got better, so I was able to go to Manti and work in the temple. I went over two different summers and did work for dead women that I had never heard of that had been dead for many years, and it was all charity work. One summer I was endowed for 24 women and another summer for 29 women, and besides that I had work done for an Indian boy that had lived with us for a long while and was dead. I had him baptised for and endowed for and sealed to Mr. Draper and myself. I donated three braided rugs to the temple, besides donating my work there.

Well, I must say what I think about polygamy. I went into it in 1862 and no one has ever heard me say I did not think the principle was true. I know in my heart it is, but it was abused, and that was why it was allowed to be put down. I know if people had lived that principle right, it never would have been put down. If people had lived, prayed, and tried to do right, they could have been just as happy in polygamy as in monogamy, but they had to all try and do their part. I know of some families in that principle that were just as happy in that principle as any monogamous family and a great deal happier than some. I will mention a few. There was one family by the name of Decker. He had five wives. His first wife had had a large family, and they were all grown when I knew them. Then he took four young wives, and I have never seen a happier family than they were. I was at their home many times and sat in the first wife’s room many times, and she talked to me about the other women, and she always had good to say about them. She was getting along in years, and they told her she did not need to go in the kitchen to do a thing. She could sit in her room and sew or knit. She only sewed and knitted for their children. They took turns with the housework and were happy. The young wives talked to me many times about their family affairs and talked as good about each other.