Benjamin Frederick and Harriet Hollis Blake

WE HONOR OUR GRANDPARENTS

BENJAMIN FREDERICK AND HARRIET HOLLIS BLAKE

UTAH PIONEERS OF 1853

(Prepared and presented by Emily L. Wollaston for a Blake family reunion held in Millcreek Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah, 25 July 1958.)

Two of our grandparents who were born in the southern part of England, in the early l800s were destined to become a part of the great pioneer movement of western America. Benjamin Fredrick and Harriet Hollis Blake left their homeland, because of their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and journeyed to America to assist in the building of Zion. Whenever and wherever a new trail has to be blazed, someone must lead the way. Men and women of vision and faith with the ambition to venture forth and build new empires, those who have blazed trails, have earned from their grateful fellowmen the hero title of pioneer. These grandparents of ours were truly pioneers. Not only do we pay homage to them for their part in our great American birthright, but for the heritage they left us of the church 'for which they made so great a sacrifice. They blazed a trail for religious freedom for a church not yet understood by many. It was their faith in God that gave them the courage to suffer hunger, thirst, heat, cold, persecutions and the dangers of the trail. It was their faith and understanding that helped them not only to stand firm but to carry on.

What makes a nation's pillars high

And its foundations strong?

What makes it mighty to defy

The foes that round it throng?

Not gold but only men can make

A people great and strong,

Men who for truth and honor's sake

Stand fast and suffer long.

Brave men who work while others sleep,

Who dare while others fly--

They build a nation's pillars deep

And lift them to the sky.

-Ralph W. Emerson

Because they met this challenge, characteristic of the western movement, and yet retained firm faith, we honor them. We recognize our debt of gratitude to them and treasure the heritage they secured for us, their descendants. With Frank Liebermann we can say, "I am an American. My fore-fathers were America in the making."

Benjamin Fredrick Blake was born March 12, 1815 in Dorset, England. He was remembered, for his jovial nature, since he was always a cut-up and tease. After his school days he was apprenticed to the upholstering and paper-hanging business and later learned to make mattresses and furniture which became his means of livelihood.

Grandmother Harriet Hollis was born in Bishopstoke, Hampshire, England on December 11, l820. When her schooling was completed she obtained an apprenticeship in dressmaking. Harriet's parents were concerned about their daughter's health and feared that she was not strong enough to be married. Therefore, it was with some difficulty that grandfather gained their permission to marry his sweetheart. They were married in England in l84l. Grandmother's health improved and they were blessed with seven children, two of whom died in infancy. Their marriage must have been a very happy one, for it was said if there was any disagreement between them, no one knew it except themselves. They prospered during the first twelve years of their marriage while they lived in England. Grandfather had a large furniture store which boasted of mirrors, a rare commodity for those days.

In 1851 they were taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their testimonies of its divinity were such that they were willing to make any sacrifice asked of them. In 1853 they gave up their home, business, loved ones and all that was dear to them to come to America. In company with over 500 other converts to the church, they left England aboard the sailing ship Falcon. Many of the events of the journey were recorded by Mr. James Jack, secretary of the company. We learn from his journal that meetings had been held prior to their departure in which plans were made for daily activities during the voyage. The members were given encouragement for the trials before them, so that they would not murmur but would be able to bear them like saints of the most high God. They set sail on the morning of March 28, l853 and were singing hymns as the ship left dock. Mr. Jack records that the first few days on the ship were trying ones. The winds had been against them; there was general dissatisfaction because they did not receive all of the food which had been allotted to them. Food was not served on schedule and was improperly cooked. Their spirits were not high.

The leaders counseled together for the comfort and edification of the saints. As a result, wards were organized, each ward to share alike in the privileges given, that there might "be a general satisfaction in all the ship. A school was organized for the children and men were given different tasks to perform for the comfort of the various groups. It was explained to the saints that all of the food was not distributed because the captain did not know how long the journey would be, and the surplus would be divided on arrival. The saints were exorted to work to keep peace and to unite their faith that the winds and waves might be in their favor. Better feelings resulted and by April 6th the sea was more calm and the winds favorable. As the journey progressed the people as a whole were in good health, however, three babies were stricken and died. In each case, less than half an hour after they died, their little bodies were lowered overboard because of danger of the sharks. (We can imagine the gratitude of our grandparents for the preservation of the lives of their young children.)

Three marriages were performed on the boat during the voyage. By the middle of April the saints had started making wagon covers and

tents. After about seven weeks the ship reached New Orleans. Another twelve days was spent going up the Mississippi river to Keokuk, Iowa where the group was divided into smaller companies before they started to cross the plains early in June. It was the last of September when they reached Utah.

Our grandparents lived in Salt Lake the following seven years, with the exception of one year when they were in American Fork when Johnson's army came to Utah. The saints were determined that mobs would not move in and live in the homes they had built here in the west, as had been the case in Missouri and Illinois. Before moving south, preparations were made to burn Salt Lake City if necessary and leave it men. This would have been done had not the President of the United States been informed of the true conditions in Utah and an intervention made.

During these early days in Utah, the crops were often poor and food was scarce. Grandmother often thought of the days when she was attending dressmaking school and was compelled to eat an apple dumpling before each dinner. The teacher thought it helped to digest the food. How she hated apple dumplings then, but how she wished that she might have one now. Three babies were born to this family while they lived in Salt Lake City, before they were called to help colonize a new settlement.

The Mormon pioneers were constantly pushing out into new localities. After the settlement of Salt Lake City, almost every valley of what is now Utah was settled by families picked, by Brigham Young for the task. It is said that in founding infant settlements, Brigham Young carefully selected, the best and strongest saints for pioneer work. No weaklings could conquer the desert, the Indians, the wild animal’s and. extremes of climate and live to develop the country. An example of the truth of this statement is given in the description of the "Settlement of St. George" by Ada E. Woodbury Scott:

"As early as December, l849 the provisional government of Utah commissioned Parley P. Pratt to raise a company of fifty men fitted out with supplies, pack-horses, etc. to explore Southern Utah. Among them were men who understood soil, climate conditions and various rock formations. Part of this company visited the Rio Virgin Valley. It was a tremendous undertaking to get down into the valley because of the mountain fastness of volcanic rock formation making it all but impossible to reach. However, they were men of undaunted courage who had braved every peril to build a Western Empire and no barrier was too great for them to scale. With mule and pack trains they finally reached the valley and found a balmy climate warm even in December, and a soil suitable for growing cotton. Indigo, tobacco, Chinese sugar cane and other semi-tropical products because of the long growing season. It was these findings that later gave St. George the title of Utah's Dixie.

In 1860 President Young visited and explored the Rio Virgin Valley and decided that its resources should be fully developed. His idea was that the territory should be self sustaining. In time of war if necessary the people might produce all that was essential to sustain life. In 1860 President Young stated at a meeting that he wished a city to be built at the junction of the Rio Virgin and Santa Clara rivers, to be named St. George. He called three hundred missionaries to settle that country. Many of these were tradesmen and artisans fitted to aid in the building up of a new country."

Our grandparents were among those chosen to settle St. George. They moved there in l86l. Again grandfather built a furniture shop and worked to make it equal to the one he had left in England. The shop was divided into three rooms; the work room had only three walls so he could have plenty of fresh air. Grandfather did not like to be confined indoors for any length of time. He was a master in his trade and had charge of the upholstering work in the St. George temple.

BENJAMIN FREDERICK BLAKE

Benjamin Frederick Blake was born in Blandford, Dorset, England, 12 March 1815 to Isaac and Sophia Wood Blake. At the age of twenty-five he met and married twenty year old Harriet Hollis. They married 1 May 1840. In 1842, their first child was born while living in Daunton, Hampshire, England. He fathered thirteen children, six died young. In the year 1844, they moved to Blandford, Dorsetshire, England. In 1846, they moved to Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. This is where they first heard the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In May of 1851, they and their eldest son Frederick, who was eleven, joined the church. The year following, they and their five children, having buried two of their seven children in England, emigrated to America and on to Salt Lake City, Utah, with the Ten Pound Company. He is mentioned among the “Pioneer’s and Prominent Men of Utah”. It is on film at the Genealogical Society in Salt Lake, 1953 WK 2362. Benjamin Frederick Blake was a High Priest in the Mormon Church, a noted furniture and cabinet maker. He was also known as “Chair Maker Blake”, in the Dixie Mission. He had a row of shops 6 rooms long on his lot, where he made and sold furniture. After his death 9 March 1884 in St. George, his shops burned completely down in 1911. The city had no fire department and the bucket brigade was no match for it. Most of all the early day homes in St. George and surrounding towns have furniture made by Benjamin Frederick Blake. One rocking chair now in the possession of his great grand-daughter Roberta Blake Barnum was restored by her husband and brother Trueman and wife DeLoris Cox Blake. It can be seen at her resident at 4522 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada. There is also the signature of Ben Blake written in deep pencil on the bottom of the seat. This chair is estimated to bee, well over 100 years old.

Harriet Hollis Blake

Taken from family ledger, written by Harriet

Harriet Hollis Blake, daughter of William Hollis and Maria Wooldridge, was born at Bishopstoke, Hamp. Eng. 11 Dec. 1820. Moved to Netley Lodge Farm when one year old and when eight years of age, moved to Brittern near Southampton, England, where I went to school and when I was fourteen years of age was apprenticed to the dress making business in Southampton. Here I joined the Baptist Denomination but did not feel satisfied with that religion. When I was twenty years of age I married Benjamin Frederick Blake and moved to Blandford, Dorsetshire, England and in 1846 moved to Salisbury, Wilshire, England, where we heard the true Gospel preached by an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I, with my husband joined that church in May 1851 and in 1853 we emigrated out to the Great Salt Lake City, Utah with our family of five, having buried two in England. Our oldest was baptized before we left England. He was eleven.

We came by the “Ten Pound Company”, leaving Liverpool the last week in March and arriving in Salt Lake City, the last of Sept. We lived in the 12^th Ward and moved south to American Fork Grove at the time of Johnson’s Army was camped in Ham’s Fork. We returned with the rest of the saints until we were called to go to the “Dixie Mission” in 1861, to which we responded.

We went back to Salt Lake City in 1864 and got our Endowments at the April Conference in the Endowment House. We renewed our covenants farther in the St. George Temple.

I am the mother of 13 children, six of these children died young and I never had the privilege of raising the to maturity. Seven married in the Church and are all very active members and good people. My one daughter Emma died from childbirth of her first. Her husband was so broken hearted that the church thought it best for him to go on a Mission. This he did, going to England where he met a women by the name of Mary Ann Bowler Ellicock, whom he persuaded to come to America and became my husbands second wife. (Benjamin Married Mary Ann Bowler on Jun 26, 1879 in St. George, Utah) Her eldest daughter later married my son Benjamin.

After over three years of suffering, my husband died 9 Mar. 1884 of gravel. (Which is Sand like concretions of uric acid, calcium oxalate, and mineral salts formed in the passages of the biliary and urinary tracts, the debris which is formed from a fragmented kidney stone.) He died in St. George, Utah and is buried there in the Blake Family plot.

It is noted from Harriet Hollis Blake’s ledger that she went to the Temple quite often and has done many of the ordinances for our direct and kindred dead. Also her husband and many of her children has attended to this important work.

“Under Dixie Sun” the book states that there were “English Gentle Women” who are remembered for their exquisite manners and the refining effect that they had upon the Pioneer Women. Harriet Hollis Blake is mentioned as one of these women. Page 97

Harriet Hollis Blake died in St. George, Utah 31 Oct 1908 at the age of eighty-eight. She is buried along side of her husband in the St. George Cemetery.