Mary Elizabeth White Herron

MARY ELIZABETH WHITE HERRON 1839-1930

George Gary Creer's Great Grandmother

 Mary White Herron was born in Yorkshire, in England, 9 Feb 1839.

 In every age, in every set of circumstances, there are certain personalities, which may be taken as typical of their environment. Such a person is Mary White Herron, whose interesting life story is, in a sense a typical story of the migration to and the settlement of Utah by the Pioneers. At least it is typical of the spirit, of the courage, of the faith, of the constant striving, and working that symbolized the progress of the Saints to the new country.

 It was in 1848 that two "Mormon" missionaries preached the doctrines of their faith in the country of Lincolnshire in England. Among the many who heard them, were Johnathon White and his wife, Elizabeth Dodd White, of the hamlet of Tealby. Firmly convinced of the truth of the new doctrines, burning with a white hot faith they made ready, the next spring, to follow the missionaries to the new settlement of Utah, across the wide Atlantic and more than half way across the American continent. During the weeks that intervened between the time of this decision to go, and the day of their departure, many and grave were the conferences that the little family held. Relatives and friends sought to dissuade them. Neighbors laughed at them. When they endeavored to sell their holdings of land and goods, they were not able to get full value. The buyers, knowing that they were about to leave the country took advantage of their decision, and refused to pay full price. However, the Whites realized a tidy sum, enough to buy a team of oxen, a covered wagon, a cow, and other necessities when they should reach Council Bluffs, and start across the plains with a wagon train.

The ocean voyage was long and hard, but the Whites and their four children did not notice the discomforts. Their minds were full of the land to which they were going. Johnathon White made many plans. In this new world, in company with those whose beliefs were the same as his own, he could do great things for his family, but his dreams were never fulfilled. Shortly after the family reached St. Louis and started up the river by steamer to Council Bluffs before the wagon train left for Utah, he died.

Mrs. White did not falter in her decision to continue with the wagon train. She had a good team, a good riding horse, her health, and her four children. In Salt Lake, God would find some way for her to provide for her family. The wagon train, in which they traveled, was in charge of Ezra T. Benson, who later settled in the Tooole Valley and after whom the little settlement of E.T. was named.

It was summer when the train left Council Bluffs, and the immigrants were sure that they would reach Utah before the cold weather set in. Mary White, riding her mother's horse all through the long days, helped to herd the loose horde of stock. It was exciting work for a ten-year old girl. The wide flung plains with their strange, wild flowers and birds, the herds of buffalo, the pageantry of Indian tribes, who occasionally visited the train, formed an endless enchantment. August passed by. September, with the changing colors of the leaves and grass, found them still several hundred miles from their destination.

One, cold night in early October when the frosty air was full of the coming of snow, Mary's mother wakened her and sent her to a neighbor¬ing wagon to waken the woman. There followed the excitement of hastily built fires and of kettles put to boil. The White children were bundled into another wagon to finish their sleep. Through the curious night, women hurried to and from, and when morning came, it found another baby in the White family, but it was so late in the year that the wagon train dared not delay for a sick woman, or for any other cause. So the journey continued. Before the wagon train had reached Salt Lake on the twenty eighth of October, Mrs. White was again doing her full share of the camp work. Pioneer women could not demand coddling. Come death, come birth, they must be ready and up and doing.

In Salt Lake the Whites rented a room in a part of what was called "Old Fort." It was a thatched roof building and while it provided some shelter, it provided little protection from the worst storms. Many nights through the first winter Mary and the other children sat huddled up on the beds all night holding umbrellas over them to protect themselves from the rain and snow that came in through the broken thatch.

What could a widow, with five children, two of them under two years of age, do for a living in the now settlement of Salt Lake? Mrs. White found many things that aided her income bit by bit, and provided sustenance for her little family. She helped to do housework, she washed, she ironed, and she sewed. Her sewing was expertly and exquisitely done. From England, she not only brought her needles and shears, but skill that was extraordinary, and that brought many patrons to her.

In the spring of 1851 Mrs. White came to Tooole with Bishop John Rowberry's party of settlers. The families of Phineas Wright, and Cyrus Toman also came; the first settlement was made, at the mouth of Settlement Canyon. Mrs. White and her family lived in a small house on the crook, about where the Caldwell farm is today. The next year, rumors of Indian troubles having grown to alarming proportions, a walled fort was built in the valley, and many of the settlers moved down into the town. The wall, which was about ten feet high and four thick, was built in the valley, and many of the stones were large. It began at the corner of First West and Vine Street and ran south one block. From there it ran east two blocks, to the corner of First South and First East. It followed First East two blocks, turning at First North and ending at the corner of the lane where Dr. Peck now lives. There were watchtowers at each corner, guards walked the wall all night long, and maintained a watch through the days.

One day, when Mrs. White was in the midst of her washing, an excited neighbor came running. "The Indians are coming," he cried. They hastily emptied the tubs, moved the household goods, and the house itself down inside the walls. However, the Indians at that time did not attack Tooele.

There is but one authenticated instance of the Indians really attacking. Some emigrants lost a number of horses, which were supposed to have been stolen by the Indians of the valley. The men of Tooele went out in search of the thieves and captured a number of the Indians. They started to Tooole with their captives, by simply driving them ahead. They failed to disarm them. As they approached the South gates in the wall, one of the Indians hid himself behind a boulder. After the white men had passed him, he gave a blood curdling war whoop and began to fire. The other Indians turned and there was a small battle. One, White lost his life. It was believed that one, or more Indians were killed, but as they carried their dead or wounded into the hills, it was not fully determined.

About this time, a worthy man, Benjamin Clegg and Mrs. White were married. Mr. Clegg, who was known throughout his life as "father” to his step children, was more than kind. He cared for them and provided for them as he did for his own children. After her marriage to Mr. Clegg, Mary's mother found the world a brighter place for her and her five children.

Mary, now thirteen years of age went to Salt Lake City. Here she worked for one family or another earning her keep but very little more than that. When she was seventeen she met Alexander Herron, a young tailor. They were married December 8, 1856. They made their home in Salt Lake for a year. With the coming of Johnson's army and the founding of Camp Floyd in Cedar Valley, the Herrons moved to the camp. Here Mr. Herron set up a tailoring shop. He had more work than he could do, for the officers and soldiers of the camp. Here Mary saw another, General Johnson, were at times wild and disorderly. It was an exciting time for the little "Mormon" woman living in the midst of the soldiers who had been sent on a "wild goose chase" against the Mormons, and who misunderstood the people in every particular.

When Camp Floyd was abandoned at the outbreak of the Civil War, the stores of the camp were sold at auction. It was recorded that goods of the camp were sold at about a hundred thousand dollars. They were worth four million dollars. The foundation of many present-day fortunes were laid in the shrewd buying up of the supplies sold, but there were tons of ammunition and provisions that were not sold. So before the soldiers left the camp, they destroyed all the provisions remaining. The gigantic bon fire is one of the most vivid of Mrs. Herron's recollections.

In 1865, the Herrons moved to Tooole. Here Mr. Herron opened a tailoring shop in one of the upper rooms of the Co-Op store, which stood on the site of the Tooole Drug. Here he did a thriving business.  In 1873 he began the construction of the stone house, which Mrs. Herron now lives. The building was completed and the family moved into it in 1875. ¬

 Mr. Herron died in 1890. Following his death, Mrs. Herron move the sewing machines from the tailoring shop to her home and for years carried on the business of manufacturing overalls. Several years later Mrs. Herron was elected County Treasurer, which office she held for one term, discharging her duties efficiently and conscientiously.

Still later she opened her good home to boarders, and became famous throughout the country for her bountiful means that she provided.

Mrs. Herron has been a conscientious member of the L.D.S. Church throughout her life. For many years she acted as a ward teacher.

She was the mother of twelve children. They are Alexander, Jr; Mary, who is now Mrs. William McLaws; Elizabeth, who is now Mrs. Frank Walters; Ella, who was Mrs. George McLaws; Maggie, who died in her early twenties; Annie, who in now Mrs. B.H. Rowberry; Elmer, with whom Mrs. Herron makes her home. These are all from Tooele.

Joseph, Howard, and Rose are all deceased; Ruby, who in now Mrs. George Nuttall of Provo, and Mable, who is Mrs. E.H. Minn, of Salt Lake City. Mrs. Herron has fifty eight grand children sixty two great-grandchildren, and eight great great grand children.

At a recent dinner, given at the home of Mrs. Edwin M. Orme, in honor of the birthday of her mother, Mrs. Wm. McLaws, there were five generations present at the table: Mrs. Herron, her daughter, Mrs. Wm. McLaws, her grand daughter, Mrs. ElM.Orme, her great grandson, Ellis M. Orme, and her great great grandson, Leon E. Orme.

Mrs. Herron, who was ninety on the Ninth of February, is exceedingly strong and active. her keen eyesight is remarkable. She sews, unaided by glasses, on the sheerest of white materials, doing work that is delicate and exquisite. She delights in the care of her youngest grandchild, Kenneth Herron, age fifteen months, who finds his grandmother a wonderful companion and playfellow. Mrs. Herron, in speaking of her life, has no thought of any hardship that she underwent personally.

"My mother had a hard time," she says,” with father's dying on the road, and 2 new babies being born before we reached Salt Lake. Mother was hard put to it." To her, life seemed to be more pleasant fifty years ago, than it is today.

"We used to be neighbors then," she says. "A woman could pick up her baby and her mending and run across to the neighbor's and visit while she worked. They don't today, and miss a lot of friendship."

"In the old days," she goes on, "we had to make the best of every chance to enjoy ourselves. You don't have to make an effort today, and you don't know what real enjoyment is. It comes so easy that you miss the best of it all."