Grandparents and Great Grandparents

John Franklin Pincock and Susannah Blackford Pincock











John Edmund Pincock and Alice Parker Richards Pincock

PINCOCK HOT SPRINGS

(Green Canyon Hot Springs)

1. INDIANS AND EARLY WHITE MEN

Up until the first white men came into the area, little is known about the hot spring and the human activity concerning it. But it isn’t hard to imagine the Indians, who seasonally made there home in this area, enjoying a cleansing and relaxing morning or evening soak in the sparkling clear hot spring water.

The springs issue forth from the base of the Big Hold mountains at a temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit, a little east of the present building. The water contains magnesium, lime, and trace of iron, but no sulfur. Sulfur is very common in other hot springs and gives them a distinct smell.

The hot springs were first visited by white man in 1811. Wilson Price Hunt visited them while spending time at Fort Henry. The rest of his crew built canoes for their ill-fated trip down the Snake River. Mr. Hunt was to establish a trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. Planning to meet a supply ship sent around South America and bound for the Pacific Coast, Hut, upon arrival, found his ship was blown up and sunk due to an Indian raid. To send the news back to the mother company in St. Louis, he sent seven men to go overland. The group, led by Robert Stuart, made its way eastward, following the Snake River, and ran into Indian trouble near the head of the present day Palisades Reservoir. Horses stolen and left on foot, they built rafts and floated down the river to what we no know is Ririe, Idaho. At this point, they decided to go cross-country to the Teton Mountains. In late September of 1812, they stopped and camped here, and soaked in the hot springs before crossing the Big Hole Mountains into Teton Valley on October, 1812. One of the groups rebelled, refusing to cross “another mountain,” and walked around the smaller hills to the North, a longer but easier route. The individual did make it, and they joined up again in Teton Valley. The group eventually made its way to St. Louis after suffering from serious hunger.

Robert Stuart’s Party made a considerable contribution to the westward movement by traveling the entire length of the Oregon Trail except for their detour through Eastern Idaho.

2. THE CREATION OF GREEN CANYON AS A BUSINESS

It came as little surprise to me that the town of Sugar City also celebrated their centennial in 2003. Not only does Green Canyon and Sugar City share the same birth year but history would surely place them as cousins in the same family of Pioneers.

Sugar City was one of the last of the area towns to be created and settled. On August 5, 1903 the Fremont County Sugar Company was organized in Salt Lake City by Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, T.R. Butler, W.S. McCornick, John Henry Smith, Mark Austin, John C. Cutler, Richard W. Young, and Horace G. Whitney. In October of that same year E. H. Dyer and company was given a contract by the newly formed Fremont County Sugar Company, to build a factory at a location near Salem, five miles northeast of Rexburg. The town that would develop as a result of the business venture was to be named Sugar City. The cornerstone for the new factory was laid at a special ceremony held December 8, 1903.

Green Canyon began that same year as a side venture to the new sugar factory. In order to build the factory, the contractor needed lime for the mortar used in laying the brick. Lime was also needed for the sugar making process after the factory was up and running. Two brothers John E. and James H. Pincock took a contract to supply the lime for the new plant, and the closest lime deposit for them was here at the hot spring. The big white rock just east of the pool is made up of lime. The Pincock brothers filed on a limestone claim and began to mine, burn, and powder the rock for the contract made to E.H. Dyer.

Part of the original land accusation for the Pincocks was a homestead claim. It included 100 acres of farm land. But the spring was owned by a man named Butler, often called “fish” Butler by his friends and neighbors. The Pincocks purchased the springs from him and filed for the water right at Fremont County in 1898 (before the lime contract in 1903). [Note: We were once part o Fremont County and later Madison County was created and we became part of it.]

The rest of the Pincock story is told by Mrs. Verla Pincock Moss, my sixth grade teacher:

In February 1851 John Pincock married Isabella Douglas in St. Louis where a daughter was born. They came to Utah and John E. was born in Kaysville. The family moved to Ogden where twelve more children completed their family. James H. was five years younger than John E.









James H. Pincock made his first trip to the Snake River Valley in 1879. He made two more trips to the valley before marrying Ann Elizabeth Garner. The urge to return to the Snake River Valley to help colonize it became stronger and stronger for James. By spring of 1883 James H., his brother, John E., and a brother-in-law, John A. Garner, and Harold Heninger started north. They reached the spot where Rexburg now stands on May 7, 1883, then went on to make claims one mile east of where the old Sugar Factory stood. By the spring of 1884 the two Pincock brother and Garner had constructed log homes sent for their wives and families, and established themselves in the valley.

John E. and James H. claimed a piece of land on Canyon Creek, about 20 miles east of their homes in the valley. The prime purpose of the claim was to mine, process, and sell lime found on this land for construction of the sugar factory. The Mineral Patent was recorded in the General Land Office at Blackfoot, Idaho, in 1909 and was known as the Warm Spring Ledge Placer Mining Claim, granting the Pincocks’ the right “to have and to hold said mining premises.” Slack lime or limestone that had been burned and powdered was used to make the mortar to hold the bricks together. Later lime was used in the sugar-making process. The Pincocks built a kiln (which still stands today), quarried the rock, burned the lime, and hauled it with two wagons hooked together, pulled by four head of horses or a string of oxen. Frank and Whitney Pincock and Charley Nibley did a lot of this work. Roads over the hills and through the hollows were not very good and great care and know-how was needed to make a successful trip without breakdown and mishap.

A hot spring was discovered near the claim and it was found that an old man by the name of Butler owned the spring. James H. and John E. purchased the spring from him. A notice of Water Right was signed by them and filed with the court on May 24, 1898. This deed gave them the right to sue the water for agricultural, medicinal, bathing, power, milling, stock growing, and domestic purposes. There were about five cubic feet of water per second at the mouth of the spring. The 20th of July 1910 James H. and Annie E. Pincock signed the Warranty Deed that gave John E. the sole ownership of the mineral rights and the water for one dollar ($1). James did not have any desire to be involved in the development of a “bathing pool.”

Soon, John E. and his boys dug out a small pool which was just a hold in the side of the hill. They built steps down into the water. Most family members did not like the get off the steps. Even though the water was very warm, moss was thick. No one could stay in very long. Whitney told about the boys getting wood out in the winter at Canyon Creek and swimming in the hot pool. Sometimes the air was so cold their hair would freeze from the steam coming up from the water. One time Uncle Tom Williams dared the brothers to go up the snow bank and roll down into the water. It was a shock but no one ever caught cold.

Later, the Pincocks built a small shack next to the spring. It had three small pools of different temperatures. They made two dressing rooms inside, one for the men an done for the women. In front of the dressing rooms was a platform ad steps that led down into the water. This water was highly mineralized and extremely beneficial for anyone with rheumatism or sore muscles. Soon a log cabin was built at the base of the hill near the creek. Now visitors could eat and sleep inside a shelter. What a delight to fill the white-top buggy with relatives or friends and go to stay there for a few weeks, while getting out timber or wood. It was a neighborhood project to go to Canyon Creek for wood. John E., his boys, and George Browning built a saw mill on Canyon Creek, using water power to saw lumber to enlarge the spring house and make it a recreation attraction for the valley.

Of course, a road had to be built, which was not an easy task in those days when horses and hand labor were the order of the day. It was a tremendous effort and explosives were freely used to make the road wide enough around the curves and remove the big rocks, especially on the dug way winding up the hill to the spring. Frank Pincock’s wife, Susie, cooked for a crew of men in a two room log house with a dir roof and to think she was a city girl. What a challenge! It seemed to her they were always working on the road to make it safe. When it rained it was impossible to get down the hill from the springs or up the dug way to the springs. Stories are still told of vehicles backing up that last dug way to get to the top. The gasoline would not feed into the engines going forward because of the steepness of the road.

Susie told of the numerous blow snakes that abound in the area. They are enemies of rattlesnakes. Whenever there were scraps left over from breakfast, such as hot cereal, etc., she went outside to the sagebrush and made a lot of racket as she scraped the pan with a spoon. A blow snake would often com slithering up to eat them.

One of the interesting features of visiting Pincock Springs is to stop on the hill going down. Looking at the canal, the water seems to be flowing upstream. It’s a real optical illusion. There is a legend of bank robbers who holed up in the old shack on the hillside across the canyon, legend has it they robbed the bank and hid their money somewhere in the canyon, and it’s never been found.

John E. Pincock was a man of great vision. Instead of enlarging the small hot pool, he wanted a very large one that would accommodate many patrons. He thought a large covered pool could be built and the hot spring water piped across the road to it. Sam Streeper of Salt Lake City, a nephew of John’s wife, was hired to construct this recreation facility. Whitney hauled a thousand sacks of cement from Newdale to form the large pool. It required much hard labor to build the resort, for Sam and his workmen were equipped with only two teams and a wagon. The resort was completed in 1912 and became known as Pincock Springs.

After the Brownings and Pincocks were finished sawing the lumber they wanted, the mill was converted to generate D.C. power for the swimming pool. Before this project was completed the Springs was lit with as lanterns, so night swimming was discouraged. After the generator was in use, someone would have to make a trip to the bottom of the hill every night to turn the lights on or off. The lighting made a big improvement and evening hours became some of the busiest times.

When spring came, trees cut during the winter were sawed into lumber, which was used in the construction of buildings. Cutting sixteen inch blocks and shoving them through the saw made shingles.

The pool was 125 ft. X 75 ft. Visitors to the resort had never seen a pool, which equaled that one in size. The pool water looked beautiful with its various shades of blue. There were dressing rooms on either side with concrete floors for easy cleaning, and a front area which suits and towels were rented out. Candy and pop were sold.

Same Streeper and his family ran the resort for several years after building it. Pincock Springs became a very popular spot with schools and church groups coming often. It was a good business because there was nothing like it in the area.

The facility was next managed by one of John’s sons, Henry, his wife, Mae, and his only child, Jimmy. They lived in the log cabin built by the side of the canal at the bottom of the dug way.

In the spring of 1923 John’s daughter, Carrie and her husband, Austin Cheney, managed the Springs. Austin’s uncle, Tom Williams, worked for them. The men usually washed the suits and hung them out on the clothes lines to dry, while the women took them in, folded them and looked for tares and missing buttons. Hot lunches were sold on Sundays ---hotdogs, hamburgers, coffee and pie. Austin took care of the cooking and serving over the counter and Carrie made the pies. Every Saturday she would make six to eight pies ---apple, raisin cream, and lemon.

The second year Austin and Carrie ran the Springs the Springs Company decided a dance hall would really be good for the business. All one summer the brothers worked on it. It was very well built with trees from the nearby forest, using the sawmill to cut the lumber. The hall had a wonderful hardwood floor and Friday and Saturday nights there were dances. They planned a big opening and had a large crowd. There were always big crowds, but on the whole it did not prove to be very profitable. It was too far away from towns in the valley and too much expense in putting on a dance. One time they advertised a dance for Memorial Day. There was a big snowstorm that day and it snowed about 12 inches. The orchestra was stuck on the way in and had to be rescued. The musicians still had to be paid even though there was no one to play for. The hall brought in a lot of riff-raff who figured they would be outside the law. It was very difficult to handle those kinds of crowds.

John’s son and wife, Frank and Susie, bought the Hot Springs from the rest of the brothers in 1939. Every Sunday night was the cleaning night and the pool would be emptied and scrubbed down. Frank put on his boots and with a big broom followed the water down, scrubbing as he went. It would take a long time because the outlet valve was so small. The children’s job was to scrub the dressing rooms. Monday the pool was closed for refilling.

At the time the pool was built two long logs were put in it. After the bark was chipped off, one log was run through the sawmill, making it flat on two sides leaving the other two sides round. The diameter of the other log was two feet. If a swimmer thought he could stay on top of that log, just a little twist would spin him off. Those logs provided many hours of fun and games—having been in the pool over thirty years. The diving board was unique, also. A platform was built above the diving board in such a manner that a person could jump from the platform, land on the diving board and do some pretty fancy diving if he chose.

The family dwelling burned down in the summer of 1942. Frank had gone down to turn on the power. Susie was over to the swimming pool. The dog had chewed the wires in the house, causing a short and setting the house afire. Frank could see the smoke and ran most of the way up the dug way, but things were so dry that the house burned fast. There was nothing they could do but see their only home, plus all their treasures and belongings destroyed by fire. With the two youngest boys, Grant and Paul, both in the service, managing the Springs was too much for Frank and Susie.

Frank and Susie sold the pool to Robert Thueson in May 1944. He piped the water down from the top of the hill, built the larger pool and building at its present location, making it unnecessary to drive up that winding dug way. He also renamed the resort Green Canyon Hot Springs.

In 1952 Darrell Neibaur traded his dry farm for the swimming pool. For over 50 years Green Canyon has been part of the Neibaur family. Randy and Phil built a separate hot pool about 18 years ago and it appeals to seniors with arthritis and aching muscles as good therapy. The water contains lime, calcium and a little sulfur and iron and is believed to provide relief for such ailments.

Even though it is now called Green Canyon Hot Springs, the Geological Survey maps still label the area as Pincock Hot Springs.

Pincock area of Euxton

Euxton (pronounced Exton) is a chapel in the parish of Leyland.  Euxton means "Farmstead of a man called Aefic" and in ancient times the area was forested with undulating hills and rivers. Euxton sits astride a main north-south route (today it's the A49 or Wigan Road) although in the middle ages it was pack route.

At one time Euxton had a lively milling industry due to water power provided by the River Yarrow. Mills included bobbin, corn and even paper making. During the second world war, Euxton was home to a munitions factory employing up to 35,000 people. Reputedly, the factory was placed in Euxton due to the prevalance of mists making it hard for enemy bombers to find the location. The factory site is now being developed into a new village called Buckshaw Village. Some of the original buildings have been retained and are used as an annex to the local 6th form college Runshaw college, which is situated just over the borders of Euxton, in Leyland.

Euxton Hall
 The former Euxton Hall has been converted into Euxton Hall Hospital and is on the main road through the village (A49) on the right hand side traveling from Preston through to Wigan.

 Parish Church of Euxton
The church of Euxton does not have a dedication but was founded in the 14th century although there is evidence of an even earlier structure underneath. The chief architectural features are the windows in the north and south walls. The piscina and sedile belong to the 14th century and four other windows also date from the 14th century.  Today, Euxton parish church is a grade 2 listed structure able to seat 191 people for services.

Riverside Cottage

Considering the rainy morning there was quite a good turn out for Mike’s historical walk around the Pincock area of Euxton. The rain soon stopped and we had pleasant and later sunny weather for the walk. Mike firstly took us to look at the railway viaduct originally build by the London and North Western Railway. Then we headed up the A49 to Cross Houses and the site of and old stone cross, now missing, and the location of the old chain gate which controlled the road traffic in the days of tolls.

Back to Pincock we walked along the river bank where terraces of houses used to be then to the empty Riverside Cottage which used to be a paper mill, probably in the 1600s.

 Riverside Cottage - Interior

It seems a shame that the building has been empty for so long as it seems ideal for renovation. Further downstream one of the old mill races had been renovated. 

 The converted Bobbin Mill

Further along the Old Bobbin Mill is now a very palatial residence. An interesting date stone could be seen in the retaining wall on the right with the inscription ‘Richard Johns 1662’. The wall is directly below Armetriding Farm, reputedly the oldest buildings in Euxton. Further up the lane Mike pointed out a very nice tennon top gate post almost totally hidden on the hedge. We reached Dawbers Lane and returned to the A49, looking at the old Catholic School on the way. After a brief look at Euxton Hall we completed the walk.

Pincock Brow, approaching bridge over River Yarrow

Pincock Bridge

 

Pincock Bridge over River Yarrow

 

River Yarrow flood level gauge at Pincock Bridge.

River Yarrow from Pincock Bridge

 

Weir on River Yarrow near Pincock

John Pincock and Isabella Douglas

Biographies of:

John Pincock, who was the son of John Pincock and Mary Marsden, natives of England

and

Isabella Douglas, who was born in Downham, England, November 1, 1833 and came to America with her parents, George Douglas and Ellen Briggs, in the year 1842, being converted to the Mormon faith, coming by way of New Orleans, landing at that place, April 6, 1842, a year later than the Pincocks

Written by Charlotte Pincock Garner, their daughter, this 28^th day of June 1929, at Rexburg, Idaho.

Note: additions or corrections have been added between [ ] brackets. The text is otherwise as first written.

Biography of John Pincock

Son of John Pincock and Mary Marsden, natives of England. He was born July 27^th, 1830, at Exton [Euxton, Lancashire] England, and came to America with his parents who were among the first to be converted to the Mormon [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] faith, leaving England on board the ship Sheffield, Feb 7^th, 1841, under the leadership of Hiram Clark with a company of two hundred and thirty-five Saints; this being the third company of Saints to leave England.

He settled at Augusta, Iowa. The family moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1844, and in the fall of 1845 his parents both died…their deaths being only twenty-one days apart. He was of a family of nine, being the eighth child. Seven sisters older, namely: Ellen, Elizabeth, Jane, Charlotte, Margaret, Mary, and the name of one unknown, and one brother James, who died while a child. Being thus orphaned, he had little opportunity for schooling, but learned to read and write well.

The home broken up, he found employment with Father Taylor (President [John] Taylor’s father) and drove teams for him until the fall of 1846. He took part in the battle with the mob at Nauvoo. In the fall of 1846 he went to live with his sister, Charlotte Ballard. During this time, he and his brother-in-law, John Ballard, went steam-boating for thirty days, and earned thirty dollars each which was more money than he had ever seen in his life before.

“But,” he said, “we worked hard for it; at one time we worked three days and nights without stopping, only to eat. When we got through with the job, we could sleep without rocking”

He stayed with his brother-in-law the winter of 1846, and went to St. Louis in the spring of 1847. He was a stranger, but found employment on a steamboat running from St. Louis to Keokuk, Iowa. He worked there during that summer; and the next winter, he has running up White River in Arkansas. In the fall of 1848 while running from St Louis to Galema the boat was anchored at Churchville, a little below Nauvoo on the Iowa side of the river on October 9^th; and with his brother-in-law, Richard Douglas, he saw the Nauvoo temple burning. This brought sadness to them when they thought of how hard the Saints had worked and sacrificed to build it in their poverty…many working on it with scarcely enough food to eat, and what they did have was of the coarsest kind He knew the prophet and passed through many of the hardships incident to the migrating of the Saints during that time.

The following summer he went to work on a boat running from St. Louis to New Orleans, remaining there until the spring of 1851. This made five years spent on the river, which work he greatly enjoyed, often telling of his experiences and sailor life.

It was during this time he became acquainted with the Douglas family through having as his companion in his work, Richard Douglas, and also through his association with the Douglas boys, Richard and Ralph, he became acquainted with their sister, Isabella, and on the third of February, 1851, they were united as husband and wife. This marriage was a happy and congenial one. They always did team work, consulting together on the best ways to do everything, and their honeymoon never ended. From this union they were blessed with fourteen children, namely: Mary Ellen, born at St. Louis, Missouri, November 8, 1851; John Edmund, born at Kaysville, Utah, December 16, 1853; Isabella Alice, born at Ogden, Utah, February 5, 1856; James Henry, born at Ogden, January 20, 1858; Ann, born at Ogden, August 20 1860 (died in infancy); Charlotte, born at Ogden, Utah, November 15, 1863 (died in infancy); George Albert, born at Ogden, Utah, March 1, 1865; Violate, born at Ogden, Utah, August 24, 1867; Charles, born at Ogden, Utah; September 22, 1869; William Aaron, born at Ogden, Utah, October 17, 1871; Josephine, born at Ogden, Utah, January 20, 1874 (died at the age of one and one-half years); Richard Douglas, born at Ogden, Utah, March 14, 1876; Wealthy, born at Ogden, Utah, March 8, 1879.

They remained in St. Louis until the spring of 1852, coming West with a company of Saints and relatives consisting of eleven wagons: the Douglas family, the Robins family, the Bennett family, and the Parker family. Brother John Parker (who was the step-father of my mother, Isabella Douglas) being the captain of the company. They drove overland with ox teams, arriving in Salt Lake City, August 28, 1852, having met with no accidents on the way.

They remained in Salt Lake a short time, then came to Ogden and lived with Ralph Douglas that winter. He attended April conference in the spring of 1853, and witnessed the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake temple. (Forty years later, he attended to dedication of the same.) This same spring they bought a small farm at Kaysville, and went there to live, but were compelled to camp out until they could build them a house.

They managed to get logs enough to build one room and moved in before it was finished.

It had neither floor, door, nor window to keep out the cold. A short time after, they were able to get a window and enough lumber to make a door and some home furniture which consisted of a table, a bench, and a one-legged bedstead. Although this was crude, they were happy as could be, not feeling dissatisfied nor wishing that they had not come west. They never had a thought of going back.

It was here that their second child was born, a son. They lived in this house for one and a half years, then sold out and came to Ogden, and settled on a city lot, one block west of the tabernacle on the street now known as Grant Avenue. They also had a small farm in the forks of the Ogden and Weber rivers, and engaged in tilling. He worked on a threshing machine that fall and earned plenty of wheat for his family. The fall of 1856 and 1857 was known as the hard winter. The snow falling to the depth of eight feet in many parts of the valley, there was great scarcity of provisions, chickens froze to death in the middle of the day while sitting in the sun, nearly all the stock died and there were a good many who lived without bread. Some people lived on the meat of animals that had died of starvation. He lost all he had but one horse and one cow which he managed to keep alive by going on the bluffs and cutting bunch grass with a butcher knife and carrying it to them.

There were some crops raised the next summer, and he continued to work on the threshing machine during the fall of 1857, earning enough for themselves and a little to spare to others who had none. It was like the widow’s meal, never seeming to run out, so no one starved. He took part in many public enterprises, helping to build the first road through Ogden Canyon, from which place they hauled wood and timber for building bridges and other purposes, mad canals, fences, and fought grasshoppers and crickets, which were so numerous at times it seemed they would devour everything.

In the year 1858 when Johnston’s Army was about to invade Utah, the call came from Brigham Young for all the Saints to move South. At that time they had a log house and granary with considerable wheat on hand, a wagon, a team of horses, and a cow. They took their bedding and what provisions they could haul, leaving the balance without knowing where they were going or whether they would ever return; with the understanding that everything left, in case the army invaded the territory, was to be burned by a rear guard who was left behind for that purpose. They had no regrets or any anxieties as to the future, believing all the time that the Lord would take care of them. They went South beyond the point of the mountain near where Provo now is, and waited for further orders whether to move on or to return. Later they received orders to return and upon their arrival at the old home found the bin of wheat and everything in the house just as they had left it three months before; with a crop of volunteer wheat ready to harvest so that their faith in the Lord as being able to take care of them was realized.

With a number of others he made a trip to Omaha for the Church to bring out emigrants, leaving Salt Lake early in May 1863, having in the company 384 wagons, 3604 oxen, and 488 men, taking 234,969 lbs. of flour to assist the poor in emigrating. He returned home October 4, 1863 after a long and tiresome trip of six months. He traveled in the Thomas E. Ricks company. He continued farming and helping to develop the country. May 10, 1869, he attended the completion of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads, or the driving of the golden spike at Promontory, northwest of Ogden, Utah.

He helped build the grade for the Utah Northern in 1871 and in the fall of that year went to work at the freight depot, and was later promoted to depot policeman. He served in that capacity for about twenty years, but resigned on account of his feet getting bad from walking on the board platforms so much. He was honored and respected by all the railroad officials and employees. On account of his uprightness, he was given the title Honest John.

In the spring of 1974 [1874], he purchased a farm in the southwest part of the city, now known as 33^rd street where he moved his family; living in a barn all summer while he was building them a home. Here he resided the balance of his life.

For two years he was county commissioner of Weber County and served for a period of years on the City Council, being the promoter of the first tramway or track for moving gavel [gravel] from the pit to the streets for building good roads. He was a member of the first brass band organized in Ogden, and played the bass drum.

He was a High Priest and member of the Weber Stake High Council for seventeen years; filling every position he had held with honor and fidelity. He went through the Endowment House at Salt Lake City, and was sealed to his wife for time and eternity, October 12, 1855. He was baptized by James Bennett in the year 1840.

After leaving his work at the depot he spent his time looking after and caring for his lawn and other things around his home. He was fond of a good joke, but took no part in smutty or vulgar stories, he was a lover of music, and he and his wife often sang together at parties in early days. He also enjoyed dancing and did his share of it when a young man. He was unselfish, kindhearted, sympathetic, and even-tempered and just in his decisions, never getting excited or hasty in any matters with which he had to deal. He was very fond of children, enjoyed talking and joking with them, and often took them on his knee and asked them questions and taught them the answers. He was opposed to card playing and never allowed cards to be kept in the home, nor had a game played. He was a lover of good animals, especially horses. He fed them well and prided himself in keeping them is fine condition by giving them the proper care. He would rather walk than ride behind a poor team. He was of a sunny disposition, a sturdy, healthy type, blessed with a strong and vigorous body and never had any sickness, not even a toothache or ever having sat in a dentist’s chair. He lived a consistent Latter-day Saint life and was honored and respected for his unquestioned loyalty to his church and country.

He passed away December 16, 1905 at the age of 75 after a short illness of bronchial pneumonia, leaving a posterity of six children, (now living), sixty grandchildren, and one hundred and thirty-seven great grandchildren. [count was in the year 1929]

At his death his grandson, Dr. H.B. Forbes, gave this wonderful eulogy of him:

“Honest John Pincock is dead after an honorable and useful career of seventy-five years. His was a life of earnest effort and generous deeds, unmarred by a single selfish thought or act. He was characterized by an unconscious simplicity of mind and that is akin to genius, and from which sprang a degree of love of truth and honor and moral courage that is rarely seen. Coupled with these was a contentment of mind, open countenance, a sunny disposition, which diffused sunshine and happiness on all about him. His life was, and will remain, an inspiration to those he leaves behind and, like the golden grain of autumn that has filled his destiny, he died matured and ripe and has gone to a well-earned and unfeared repose without a single enemy or having knowingly injured anyone. He died, as he had lived, in peace, surrounded by loving relatives and friends, poor in worldly attainments, but rich in the esteem of all and loved most by those who knew him best.

Words cannot describe the beauty of his character.

One of God’s noblemen has gone from among us forever, but he has left us a heritage of loving memory more lasting than worldly monuments. Peace to his honest soul.”

Biography of Isabella Douglas

Daughter of George Douglas and Ellen Briggs, natives of England.

The wonderfully successful life of John Pincock would never have been what it was without the help and fine understanding of his loving wife, Isabella Douglas.

The story of her life is best told as related it herself at a meeting of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers a few years ago, and is as follows:

“I was born in Downham, England, November 1, 1833 and was the daughter of George Douglas and Ellen Briggs.

My parents were converted to the gospel of the Latter-day Saints by Heber C. Kimball in March 1838. The family came to America in 1842 one year after the Pincocks, coming by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi River and landing in Nauvoo, Illinois, April 6, 1842, where they made their home for four years. They became very familiar with the historic events that took place in the Church during these years. My father went to work as a day laborer, worked some on the Nauvoo temple and later found employment on the Prophet Joseph Smith’s farm. He was a mason by trade in his native land and was not accustomed to the extreme heat of this country, and succumbed to sunstrokes while laboring in the harvest field July 12, 1842, having been in America only three months.

My mother was then left with a family of seven children in a strange land without support, excepting the little means that she and the older children could earn. She was compelled to go out to day’s work, leaving me at home as a house-keeper with three younger children, my age at the time being nine years. We continued to make a living in this way until the Saints were driven from the city of Nauvoo.

I saw Governor Ford and staff when they were there and when he pledged his word of safety to the Prophet, and I distinctly remember the military display and the feeling of fear that came over the entire community. I heard the bugle blowing and was very much excited as it was the first time I had heard a bugle call. This bugle was blown by one of the Governor’s party who were on their way to the city of Nauvoo to assure the Saints their Prophet was safe, when at that very time the mob was murdering him. I saw the wagon pass containing the bodies of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum and later passed through the mansion house with thousands of others to view the remains.

I also saw and stood by the side of a sled drawn by a team of horses upon which the wounded Apostle John Taylor was being taken home. (A sled was used because it was more comfortable than a wagon. Conditions in Nauvoo continued to grow worse until the Saints began to move westward. About this time my mother [Ellen Briggs Douglas] was married to John Parker who had three children and his aged father. This increased our family to thirteen. My mother, step-father and the three older children were compelled to go out to work leaving me with the remaining eight to care for. (I was then fourteen years old.) All the responsibility of the home and family was in my care. We had no stove. We baked our bread in a bake kettle by a fireplace. We had no yeast cakes with which to make bread, but would set salt-rising bread and bake every day. Washing, ironing, mending and caring for the family depended entirely upon myself.

After the expulsion of the people from Nauvoo, we returned to St. Louis and remained there about six years, during which time my parents accumulated sufficient means to emigrate to Utah.”

As stated in the previous history it was at St. Louis where she became acquainted with and married John Pincock and the balance of her life is told in his writing.

“I was kept very busy caring for my children. They had nothing to wear except what I could make, not even hats and caps. I braided straw hats for summer and made caps for winter. I did all my sewing by hand, knitting all the stockings, spinning the yarn and coloring it, made candles and soap and many other things which cannot be mentioned.

Our log cabin was clean, and although we were poor and I had much to do I felt happy and contented in caring for my little ones, believing all the time I was doing a mother’s duty.

I [Isabella] am now in my 82^nd year, and while I am not enjoying the best of health, I am able to be about the house and enjoy the comforts of my home, for which I am very thankful. I feel satisfied with my life’s work, and after having passed through all the trials and hardships incident to pioneer life, and for the benefit of those who read these memoirs that they may not forget what the pioneers had to pass through that made conditions such as they now enjoy.” [end of Isabella’s memoirs]

And now I wish to write a few of the fine qualities and gifts of my dear mother.

She was an ideal wife and help-mate devoted and loyal to her husband and his interests and their success in life was due in no small measure to her ability, devotion, and industry. She worked shoulder to shoulder with him [her husband, John] and her practical wisdom and vision were a great asset in the partnership.

She was ambitious, frugal, and thrifty, ingenious, and resourceful. She had very little schooling but seemed to know just how to adjust herself to any condition that came up. She was a good cook and housekeeper, always having her work planned ahead of time. She was an expert darner, mender, and was a beautiful sewer. She was gifted in caring for the sick, her touch bringing relief and comfort. (There were no doctors in those days.) Many times in case of emergency, she relieved many of her neighbors and friends in time of confinement.

Being alone when one of her children was born, she did first requirements for herself. This happened on the 20^th of January. It was very cold weather, but having a fire in the fireplace, she arranged her bed close by so that she could keep warm until help came. No bad effects came to her. On another occasion, sister Belle had two of her fingers severed by an axe. Mother put them in place, wrapped them up, and the result was that they grew on without much disfigurement.

She also set the broken limbs of several animals with good results. She taught her children honesty, thrift, industry, and never allowed them to waste anything.

I am sure it took courage, faith, and willpower to face the obstacles, struggles, and privations that our pioneer fathers and mothers had, and I am proud and thankful to be born of such ancestry.

She [Isabella] passed away August 15, 1918 in Ogden, Utah, where she had lived the greater part of her life.

May all who read this emulate the wonderful traits and examples set by our Pioneer parents.

John Edmund Pincock

Life of John E. Pincock

Early Pioneer of Snake River Valley

My Father, John Edmond Pincock was born December 16, 1853, at Kaysville, Utah. In a log cabin, with dirt roof, dirt floor, and without either door or window. The next year he, with his parents, John and Isabelle Douglas Pincock, moved to Ogden. There he grew to man-hood, attending school only a short time during the winter seasons. The remainder of the year he worked with his Father on the farm, until the advent of the coming in of the Union and Central Pacific Railroad in the spring of 1869. He worked for the Railroad Co. on grade transferring freight, and assistant station baggage master, and run on the road as train baggage man for six years. Making in all fifteen years he worked for the railroad company.

On February 27th, 1879, he was married to Alice Parker Richards, Daughter of Samuel W. and Mary Ann Parker Richards of Salt Lake. From which union there were ten children. Seven sons and three daughters. Their names were according to age John Franklin, Mary Alice, Henry Dewey, Richard Parker, Samuel Whitney, William Aaron, Howard, Edith Vilate, Carrie Alene, and Parley Parker. Five sons and two daughters are now living.

In the spring of 1883, he resigned his position with the railroad company and started for his new home in Idaho. The same ranch is now located just north and east of Sugar City.

He had two yoke of Oxen, a wagon, a saddle pony, a mare. and two colts and eight head of stock cattle. He traveled alone, and in crossing the Devide, North of Collinston, Utah, the following incident occurred. On one of the pitches, the oxen were unable to pull the load, after spending a half day trying to hire someone to help him up the hill, he unloaded flour, potatoes, grain, and etc., and carried the same on his back to the top of the pitch.

Then he preceeded without further trouble, arriving 18 days later on the site of his home on the 10th day of May, 1884, where he continued to reside until the time of his death. He has lived in a Territory, a State, five different Counties, Six precincts , without changing his place of residence. The counties were Bannock, Onedia, Bingham, Fremont and Madison.

He commenced at once to prepare the land and put in a small crop of wheat, oats, and potatoes. When the harvesting was completed, he had 171 bushel of wheat and 10 bushel of oats. On account of poor fence he slept out in the field for two months to keep horses and cattle from destroying his crop.

On July 7, 1888, he was set apart as second counselor to Bishop Davis of Wilford Ward, and served in that capacity until 1892. In 1893 he was ordained Bishop of Teton Ward, this part of Wilford being annexed to Teton. Under his direction, the only stone meeting house in the Stake at that time, was built. He served as Bishop for ten years and was then honorably released.

During this time the railroad came in the Valley and Sugar Ward was organised. This part of Teton Ward was annexed to Sugar. Father was one of the building committee to build the Sugar Ward meeting house. He also served as a school trustee.

On July 1st, 1904, he was set apart as High Priest couslor in the Fremont Stake. On June 16, 1907, he was ordained President of the High Priest quorum.

He was a member of the building committee for the Ricks Academy, also the gymnasium

building and the Stake Tavernacle. Father was very active in civic life a nd affairs as well as in the church. In the year 1896, he was elected Sheriff of Fremont County, served two years. Was then elected assessor and collector, then the county commissioner, serving in each capacity two years. Later he was appointed State Grain Comissioner by Governor James H. Hawley.

In 1916, he was elected State Senator from Madison County, and in 1918 was elected county commissionor for Madison County. During the time He served as county commissioner, the county issued bonds in the amount of one-hundred-thousand-dollars, for the purpose of building a county court house. The said building is now complete and is said to be one of the best arranged and most substantially built court houses in the state of Idaho.

At the death of James Siddowny, father was elected President of the Fremont Woolgrowers association and still hold that office at the time of death. In 1918, he was elected President of the Water Users Protective Association of the North Fork of Snake River and its tributaries. The same year, he was elected President of the Fremont, Madison Reservoir Company, known through the press and to the Public, as the Fall River Meadows Reservoir, which is located in the extreme Southwest of the Yellowstone National Park. This reservoir site aroused much opposition in the east against its construction because of its being in the Park, by people who do not understand and who are not familiar with what the building of a reservoir would mean to the Park as well as the agricultural interest of south-eastern Idaho.

Through-out all this time, he was a successful farmer and stock grower, a nd I quote from his own words, “So as I turn back the pages of memory and look at the years of struggle and toil that I have experienced and watch the growth from a desert to a great producing empire, I feel that I have certainly been favored by having participated in this great period of development.”

Father was known everywhere for his sterling qualition of honesty and integrity. His Wise council was sought by many and he was often called to settle disputes between people because of his fair judgement.

His posterity numbers seven sons and three daughters, thirty seven grandchildren, fifty-one great, grandchildren.

In May, 1924, he was stricken with Brights disease and passed away at his Fathers old home in Ogden, Utah. His funeral was held in the Rexburg Stake Tabernacle on October 16, 1924, and he was buried in the Sugar City cemetery

Transcribed by: Larissa Barsalou

Fall 2002