“Ruth was a schoolteacher. While working in Smethport, Pennsylvania she met and married 29 September 1829 Ruth Fellows Bennett, at Burtonville, Montgomery County, New York, a school teacher who was also living and working away from home. She was the daughter of John "T." and Mary Slafter Bennett, and was born 28 September 1808, at Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York. Three children were born to them while they lived there: John Franklin, Henry Herman, and Sarah Jane.
Ruth Oviatt was a tall
woman with black snappy eyes and a quick temper, the very opposite in
temperament to her large good-natured husband. She had a great love for flowers
and always had a beautiful flower garden. Everything she planted seemed to
grow. In order to keep the children and chickens out of the garden she would
build a fence made from twigs and willows. They owned a few sheep and the wool
from them was washed in home-made soap, corded and spun into yarn, then woven
into cloth for use of her family or to sell.
Ira and Ruth Oviatt
were the parents of nine children.”
The information for
this history was obtained from the Deseret New, July 15, 1868; from Genealogy
and minute records of Farmington; from pioneers and prominent men of Utah
1847-1858; from Church minute records, Salt Lake City; from Church emigration
file; from Smethport newspapers; from Genealogical Dictionary of New England;
from Genealogy of Northern Pennsylvania; and family records and histories of
the Oviatt family, by a granddaughter and a great grand-daughter, Judith Oviatt
Welling, and Maurine Cotterell Parry.
History - Ira Oviatt, son of Reverend Benjamin F. Oviatt, Circuit Preacher of New York, was born December 8, 1804 at Berlin, Rensselaer County, New York. Ira had been raised in a strict Baptist home and it must have been a great sorrow to his parents when he wanted to become a blacksmith. For some time they refused to let him do it, as blacksmiths were considered undesirable men. Ira was taught the carpenters trade and worked with his father to let him learn the blacksmith trade, never realizing how important it would be in helping the Mormon pioneers. Finally his father gave his consent on condition he would train under one who did not indulge in the "hilarious" cup. At length one was found living in Smethport, Pennsylvania and his father consented to Ira learning the blacksmith and wheelwright trades.
While working there he met and married 29 September 1829 Ruth Fellows Bennett, at Burtonville, Montgomery County, New York, a school teacher who was also living and working away from home. She was the daughter of John "T." and Mary Slafter Bennett, and was born 28 September 1808, at Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York. Three children were born to them while they lived there: John Franklin, Henry Herman, and Sarah Jane.
They heard the Gospel preached in the year 1839 by Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, and A. R. Kelsey, and joined the church at that time. They entertained the Elders in their home many times and were taught the Gospel truths. They desired to go to Missouri to be with the saints, but on the way heard of the expulsion of the Mormons from the state and therefore stopped in Kirtland, Ohio for about four years.
They bought two city lots, one near the river and the other near the Temple, and here they made their home. Sometime in 1842 they moved to Nauvoo, living across the street from the home of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Ruth Bennett Oviatt told her grandchildren many times of sitting on her doorstep or in her rocking chair and listening to the Prophet preach to the people in his front yard. When the wooded country was cleared to build houses, a large stump was left in the Prophets front yard and when people came to him to talk with him or for advice he would mount this stump as a group would always gather when he began to talk and sometimes he would speak for hours at a time. His voice was clear and distinct and he could be heard across the street with ease. No matter what their task, they would be ready to stop and listen and would feel his influence as soon as they heard his voice. When Joseph and Hyrum were tarred and feathered by the mob they came to the Oviatt home and obtained clothing to put on before going home. The staunch testimony Ruth and Ira had of the Prophet Joseph Smith from living near him greatly influenced their grandchildren to remain steadfast in their testimony of the Gospel.
Ira was baptized while at Nauvoo by Silas S. Davies in 1840. While at Nauvoo he was also ordained to the office of an Elder, April 1844 by Elder Williams, President of the Elders Quorum.
When the Saints started from there for the West in 1846, Ira and his family went with them as far as Winter Quarters in Council Bluffs. He was so proficient at his three trades and such an expert wheelwright that her was called by Brigham Young to remain at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to outfit the wagons of the pioneers for crossing the plains. Otherwise he and his family would have been in the first company to enter Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
From the records of minutes at the Historian's Office in Salt Lake City we read:
"Monday, August 24, 1846: Near Mosquito Creek. Very pleasant morning. Dr. W. Richards stayed at the home of Ira Oviatt, 27 March 1846. The weather was pleasant, mild but cool, at Winter Quarters. President Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Pheneas Young and Thomas Bullock crossed the Missouri River from Winter Quarters for the purpose of attending the Council meeting in Millers Hollow (Kanesville)."
"At 12:40 o'clock the meeting was called to order in the Log Tabernacle. Brigham Young was elected chairman and Evan M. Green, secretary. The following prominent citizens were present by invitation". (About seventy men's names were listed as being present and Ira Oviatt's name was listed among them).
The Whig credentials were presented and addresses given by some of the Whigs of Iowa in which they reviewed at some length the persecutions heaped upon the Saints in Missouri, the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and other leaders in Missouri and Illinois. Deception and treachery of the 'Loco Focos' heaped neglect, abuse and persecution upon the Saints and deprived them of their civil and religious liberties. A number of short talks were given and a preamble and resolution were adopted, "Uniting our votes with the Whigs of Iowa as the democrats had not kept their promises."
The April 6th Conference was held at the same place -- Log Tabernacle, Miller's Hollow, Iowa. Ira Oviatt was sustained as a High Councilman in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Ira was ordained a High Priest and a member of the High Council by James Allred, President of the High Council, September 1846 at Council Bluffs (Winter Quarters), Iowa.
Ira and his family remained in Council Bluffs for five years until 1851. Lewis and Mary were born there, their two youngest children, "on the way to the wilderness", the record reads.
In 1848 Henry Herman, their second oldest son, as he had not learned the blacksmith trade, drove a team for Heber C. Kimball into the valley of the Great Salt Lake, then returned and came in with his own family in 1851.
Ira Oviatt, his wife and family, crossed the plains to Salt Lake City in 1851. A large company came at this time which was organized June 10, 1851, with Captain Eli B. Kelsey captain over all 100 wagons, Isaac Allred over 50, Ira and others over 10 wagons each. The groups were organized in this way for their own help and protection. Ira and his family had four wagons, seven yoke of oxen, and six yoke of cows.
One hundred wagons assembled with occupants. They traveled to the East bank of the Missouri River and crossed to the West bank. On June 20 they came to a large river, the
Elkhorn, which was very high for that time of year. Roads were bad and rocky. They made a bridge of material from the woods intending to cross the river the next morning.
The rains came down in torrents during the night. Water ran under their wagons, washing frying pans, buckets, etc., away that were tied hanging from the wagons. Also, the bridge was washed entirely away. They followed the river a ways and were able to cross more easily at another point.
The rains still came down in torrents with thunder and lightning. Two men standing by the stove were knocked down by the lightning, but none were killed. In one place on their way the sand was so deep and wind blowing so hard that the sand blinded them, making traveling very difficult. Another river they encountered, which was 10 rods wide and 10 to 12 inches deep gave considerable trouble because of the quick sand in the bottom. When they came to the Platte River a message came from President Orson Hyde telling the companies to return back to Six Mile Grove as some of the Mormons ahead had had some trouble with the Indians. Some did not want to go back, but at last decided to heed council, and were very thankful after that they had.
At one time a squaw and several Indians came into the camp and wanted five beef, saying they were very poor. The Mormons said "We are very poor also. You stay with us tonight and we will feed and shelter you," which they did. The Indians handed their bows and arrows over to the Mormons for the night. The Mormons fed them a good supper, gave them a night's rest and breakfast the next morning and returned their bows and arrows to them, and the Indians went on their way content.
The company came to a large herd of Buffalo, stopped long enough to kill some and dry the meat. They saw some Indians doing likewise. On the way fifty head of their cattle wandered away, causing much concern until they were found and returned. One time a dog knocked over a tub of dishes, which caused a stampede. They were thankful that the animals were soon brought under control.
Ira had several milk cows that were milked night and morning and the cream carefully saved in a bottle. The bottle was hung on the back of the wagon to jolt and churn all day. By night camp time the family would be quite certain of butter. During the journey the Allred Company put up a flag and hoped to have a dance, but Captain Eli B. Kelsey said that it would be against counsel and persuaded them against it.
Ira Oviatt's son, John Franklin Oviatt, crossed the plains. Shortly before they reached Laramie, Wyoming he had to pull his wagon out because his wife was having labor pains. Left alone John Franklin was frightened when he saw some Indians coming his way. He put a red flag out which meant Small Pox to frighten them away. Shortly after they left his first child was born, a daughter. He then drove into Laramie and rejoined the column.
They arrived near the mouth of Emigration Canyon October 5, 1851, and remained there in camp for a week. Ira with others, walked down into the Valley the following day in order to attend Conference.
The family lived in Salt Lake for a few months. A group was called by Willard Richards to go to the North Cottonwood Creek in Davis County to make mill irons for the grist mill they were preparing to build. Ira's was one of the first families sent. They stopped at what is now Centerville until March 22, 1852, and made irons for the Cherry Mill and did blacksmithing there. Then Ira and family moved to Farmington, Davis County, living first in an adobe house east of Oscar Mayfield's and close to the flour mill which was being built. He made irons for this mill. Next, they moved a block west on the west bank of the Cottonwood Creek in a 1 1/2 story adobe house. Ira built himself also a blacksmith shop on the main road.
Sunday was a strict day of rest in the home of Ira and Ruth Oviatt. Saturday night the children were all bathed ready to be dressed in their best on Sunday morning. Then they would all gather around and listen to the teachings of the Gospel and Bible stories from their mother. Having been a school teacher, Ruth was well qualified to teach them.
Soon they invited other children into their house to be taught the Gospel stories, for they did not like to see them playing ball and other activities on the Sabbath Day. From this originated the second Sunday School established on the Utah Territory in the spring of 1852. It was first held in their home and later held in a log school house which had been built in the fall of 1840 on the bank of the North Cottonwood Creek about two blocks south of their home. The first school house built in Farmington in 1850 was used as a
place of worship and other public gatherings. A few years later it was purchased by Ira Oviatt and moved farther north near the same creek, and used as a blacksmith shop.
In 1855 the family moved about one mile south and two blocks east on the property across the street south of where their daughter Judith later lived and their shop was on the street one block east. Printed in the Deseret News from minutes taken of the quarterly Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Davis County Branch of the S. A. & M. Society held at Farmington, July 6, 1863, we read: "At the fair to be held on Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, 1863, Ira Oviatt is to be one of the judges on Farming
and Tools".
Ira Oviatt married into polygamy Nancy Maria Whitlock, a sister of Mary Jane Whitlock who married John Franklin Oviatt and Sally Ray Whitlock who married Henry Herman Oviatt, all daughters of Andrew Hyrum Whitlock and Hannah Carline Allred. The two men were sons of Ira Oviatt. The marriage between Ira Oviatt and Nancy Maria Whitlock was dissolved shortly afterward and she then married William Beal.
Ira died in 1868 after which Ruth Bennett Oviatt sold the place and built a room on their son "D"'s home where she lived until she died August 15, 1893 at the age of 84 years.
The funeral was held in her home.
Ruth Oviatt was a tall woman with black snappy eyes and a quick temper, the very opposite in temperament to her large good-natured husband. She had a great love for flowers and always had a beautiful flower garden. Everything she planted seemed to grow. In order to keep the children and chickens out of the garden she would build a fence made from twigs and willows. They owned a few sheep and the wool from them was washed in home-made soap, corded and spun into yarn, then woven into cloth for use of her family or to sell.
Ira and Ruth Oviatt were the parents of nine children: John Franklin, Henry Herman, Sarah Jane, all born in Smethport, Pennsylvania; Zera and Willis Murray, born at Philpsburg, New York; Judith in Kirtland, Ohio; "D" born in Nauvoo, Illinois; and Lewis and Mary at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Sara Jane, Zera and Willis Murray died before they left Nauvoo, Illinois.
The information for this history was obtained from the Deseret New, July 15, 1868; from Genealogy and minute records of Farmington; from pioneers and prominent men of Utah 1847-1858; from Church minute records, Salt Lake City; from Church emigration file; from Smethport newspapers; from Genealogical Dictionary of New England; from Genealogy of Northern Pennsylvania; and family records and histories of the Oviatt family, by a granddaughter and a great grand-daughter, Judith Oviatt Welling, and Maurine Cotterell Parry. - Edited by Geneva M. Wilding
Family links:
Spouse:
Ira A Oviatt (1804 - 1868)
Children:
John Franklin Oviatt (1830 - 1856)*
Judith Oviatt Wilcox (1841 - 1918)*
Dee Albert Oviatt (1843 - 1887)*
Lewis Oviatt (1847 - 1928)*
Burial:
Farmington City Cemetery
Farmington
Davis County
Utah, USA
Plot: E-17-7