THE PAPER TRIAL OF WILLIAM DECATUR KARTCHNER 1820-1892 - MORMON PIONEER Nauvoo [IL], Salt Lake City [UT], San Bernardino [CA] Mission, Beaver City [UT], Iron County [UT], Muddy [NV] Mission, Little Colorado [AZ] Mission *********************************************************************** Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by G. Kartchner [KartchG54 @ aol.com] Copyright - 2004 by G. Kartchner, Seattle Washington *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Second generation born in the United States, son of Christopher John and Prudence Wilcox Kartchner [Pennsylvania] Siblings: Caroline , Peter Wallover, Margaret, John Christopher, Mark, and Sarah Ann 1820 Family Records: Born 4 MAY 1820 in Haverford, Pennsylvania (Recorded as in Montgomery County, but research suggests that Delaware County is correct. Confusion may have been due to the close proximity of Haverford to the county line) [Source - William Decatur Kartchner Journal and The History of Delaware County Pennsylvania] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1830 Census [Roll:M19-154/Pg:142/Line:3]: A record was found for his mother and two of his sisters in Pennsylvania, but from his own accounts, after his father died in 1826, William was apprentised with several individuals, so if he was counted it would have been with the Household of his Mentor/Master, Mr McKnight ???. (His mother remarried after death of Christopher, no Census records have been discovered for her until after the death of her second husband and her move to join her son John Christopher in Jasper CO, IA - Census for 1860 and 1870) [Sources - Department of Commerce, Fifth US Census-Schedules for Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and William Decatur Kartchner Journal] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1840 Census [Roll:M704-72/Pg:229A/Line:4]: A record was found for his brother, Peter, in Washington Co, IL, listing 3 males between 20 - 30 and 1 female in the same age range. William would have been 20, and based on his accounts was contacted by his brother Peter to join him in Illinois about this time. So it is most probable that William was included in this Household as well as one of his other brothers. [Sources - Department of Commerce, Sixth US Census-Schedules for Washington County, Illinois and William Decatur Kartchner Journal] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1843: May> Baptised at Freeman Settlement, Washington County, IL [Source - William Decatur Kartchner Journal] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1844: March> Married Margaret Jane Casteel (9/1/1825 - 8/11/1881, born to Jacob I. and Sarah Nowlin Casteel in Cooper County, MO) and received Endowment at Carthage, Hancock County, IL. Margaret would give birth to eleven children - six male, five female: Sarah E. [Twitchel/Miller] 1846-1934, William A. 1848- 1852, Prudence J. [Flake] 1850-1896, John C. 1851-1946, Mark E. 1853-1939, James P. 1855-1858, Alzada S. [Palmer] 1858-1936, Mary M. [Clayton] 1860-1919, Nowlin D. 1862-1927, Orrin 1864-1961, Euphmia A. 1867-1868 [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, Biography of Margaret Jane Casteel Kartchner as recounted by Roberta Clayton (12/5/1936)/WPA Project to preserve histories of early Arizona pioneers.....confirmed by various Censuses] July> Acquired a Land Patent Record: Illinois Patent IL1460__.432 for 40 acres in Kaskaskia, Washington County, Illinois. [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management] September> Took part in the poorly conceived and lead James Emmett Company (supposely ordered by Joseph Smith prior to his death, yet not approved by Brigham Young) to begin west. [Source - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, Biographical sketch of JAMES HOLT (1804-1894), etc] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1846-1847 Mississippi Company: At Independence, Missouri in the latter part of May 1846, William and his first wife joined fourteen families from Monroe County, Mississippi, led by William Crosby and John Brown. They encamped in Pueblo, CO during winter of 1846 with a significant portion of the Mormon Battalion. On July 19, 1847 W.D. Kartchner, wife and a newborn child, entered the Pioneer Camp in the Great Salt Lake Valley. The second group, also may be refer to as the "Pueblo Colonists", to enter the Great Salt Lake Valley, three days after the main body lead by Brigham Young. [Various Sources] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1850 CENSUS [Roll:M432-919/Pg:143/Entry: 58]: Taken MAY 1851 Census Place: Peteetneet Creek [Payson], Salt Lake County, Utah Territory Household:::::::::::::::::::Age:::::Birthplace KARTCHNER William D:::::::::::::::::::::31:::::::PA [Occ: Blacksmith, Value Property $200] Margaret J:::::::::::::::::::25:::::::MO Sarah E::::::::::::::::::::::::5::::::::CO William A::::::::::::::::::::::3::::::::UT [Died. 22 FEB 1852 San Bernardino, CA-11/6/1852 Deseret Weekly] Prudence:::::::::::::::::::::1::::::::UT [Sources: Department of Commerce, Seventh US Census-Schedules for Salt Lake County, Utah Territory] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1851: William was amongst several families of the Mississippi Company chosen for and instrumental in the layout of the City of Holladay / Cottonwood Area - just south of Salt Lake City. [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal and the History of Holladay, UT] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1851-1857: Selected member of the San Bernardino Colony of Southern California. Wiliiam was one of two blacksmiths - included within a group of 20-25 families specifically chosen by A. Lyman and C.C. Rich to take part in the San Bernardino Mission. When he initially declined to be a part of the California Mission, supposely Lyman implied "that if he refused to go he would be assigned a worst mission." This time in California was not a part of his life that he choose to write about. (Edward L. Lyman's 1996 book on San Bernardino suggests that one reason Willliam was chosen for the Mission was in consideration of the pain he endured in his rheumatic limbs during the cold seasons) [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, E.L. Lymans book, "San Bernardino: The Rise and Fall of a California Community, San Bernardino County Museum, etc] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1860 CENSUS [Roll:M653-1314/Pg: 735-Sheet: 124/Line: 8]: Taken JULY 1860 Census Place: Beaver City, Beaver County, Utah Territory Household:+:::Age::::::Birthplace KARTCHNER William D::::::::40:::::::::PA [Occ: Farmer, Property $700] Margaret J::::::34:::::::::MO Sarah E::::::::::15:::::::::CO Prudence J:::::10:::::::::UT John:::::::::::::::9::::::::::UT Mark E::::::::::::7::::::::::UT Alzada:::::::::::::2::::::::::UT Marinda M::::::2/12:::::::UT + A son James Peter was born and died between censuses, 1855-58 - died a day after Alzada was born. [Sources: Department of Commerce, Eighth US Census-Schedules for Beaver, Beaver County, Utah Territory] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1862: December> At the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, entered into a Polygomist marriage with Elizabeth Gale (1/20/1845-3/9/1928, born in Sydney, Australia to Henry and Sarah Wills Gale. She immigrated with her parents - on the "Gold Ship", Envelope in 1852. The Gale Family was noted to be part of the first group of LDS Converts to immigrate to the United States via the San Bernardino Mission) Elizabeth would bare him ten children - five male. five female: Aaron 1863-1922, Henry 1866-1868, Culver 1868-1949, Minnie [Stratton] 1870-1969, Byrtle 1873-1949, Darien 1875-1964, Elsie [Gale] 1878-1945, Etta [McCleve] 1881-1926, Zina [Perkins] 1883-1977, Melva 1886-1903 [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, Autobiographical Sketch written by Elizabeth Gale Kartchner in 1920,.... confirmed by various Censuses and LDS Historical Records] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1870 CENSUS [Roll:M593-834/ED: 16/Pg: 301A-Sheet: 3/Line: 29]: Taken September 1870 Census Place: Overton Township [Muddy Creek Mission] Pah Ute County (Division #16), NV + Household::::::::::::::::::::::Age::::::Birthplace::::::::Birthname KARTCHNER W. D.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::50:::::::Penn:::::::::::::William Decatur [Occ: Farming, $1800 Property] Marg't::::::::::::::::::::::::::::45:::::::MO::::::::::::::::Margaret Jane Casteel ++ Sarah:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::24:::::::Colorado John::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::18:::::::Utah Mark::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::17:::::::Utah Alzada::::::::::::::::::::::::::::12:::::::Cal Marinda::::::::::::::::::::::::::10:::::::Cal:::::::::::::::::Mary Marinda Noland:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::8:::::::Utah::::::::::::::Nowlin Decatur Orin:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::6:::::::Utah::::::::::::::Orrin KARTCHNER (Polygamist marriage - 2nd wife) +++ Eliza:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::25::::::Australia::::::::::Elizabeth Gale Aaron::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::7::::::Utah Culver::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::2::::::Nevada + The Muddy Settlement was in the southern point of Nevada, which politically & geographically was a part of Arizona Territory. ++ A daughter, Euphmia Ardemona, was born & lost 1867-1868, between Censuses. +++ A son, Henry, was born & lost 1866-1868, between Censuses. [Sources: Department of Commerce, Ninth US Census-Schedules for Overton Township, Pah Ute County, Nevada] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1880 CENSUS [Roll:T9-0036/ED: 37/Pg: 36B-Sheet:14/Line: 21]: Taken before MAY 1880 Census Place: Snow Flake, Apache County, Arizona Territory Household::::::Rel::::Age:::Birthplace KARTCHNER Wm. D. :::::::::Self::::59::::PA:::::[Occ: Blacksmith w/ Dropsey]:::[Parent birthplace - Fa:PA Mo:PA] Margaret J.:::::Wife:::54::::MO::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::[Parent birthplace - Fa:TN Mo:IL] Nowlin D.:::::::Son::::17::::UT Orin:::::::::::::::Son::::15::::UT Elizabeth:::::::2nd W::34:::AUSTRALIA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::[Parent birthplace - Fa:ENG Mo:IRE] Aaron:::::::::::::Son::::16::::UT Culver:::::::::::::Son::::11::::UT Minnie:::::::::::::Dau:::::9::::UT Byttle:::::::::::::Son:::::7::::UT Darien:::::::::::::Son:::::5::::UT Elsie::::::::::::::::Dau:::::2::::AZ [Sources: Department of Commerce, Tenth US Census-Schedules for Snow Flake, Apache County, Arizona Territory] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1890 CENSUS : The Census records for all but a few states were destroyed in a fire at the Commerce Department in 1921. With his death in 1892, this would have been the last one to show William D. - he would have been 70 and living in Snowflake, AZ with second wife, Elizabeth Gale. (Elizabeth was found on three additional Censuses schedules after William's death; 1900, 1910 and 1920 - either as a "Widowed" Head of Household or living alone in Snowflake, Arizona) ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1891 Land Patent : Arizona Territorial Doc #457 - William acquired a patent to 160 acres of federal land in section 24 of Snowflake Township on 2 Nov 1891. [Sources - William Decatur Kartchner Journal, Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management and Navajo County Records] ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1892 : May> William Decatur Kartchner died on the 14th at the age of 72. He was buried in a joint grave next to his first wife, Margaret Jane Casteel Kartchner at the Snowflake City Cemetery, Navajo County, Arizona. (His second wife, Elizabeth Gale Kartchner would be interned in a separate plot at the foot of this joint site in 1928) June> Obituary was published in the "Deseret News" 4 June: "Death of Another Veteran" William Decatur Kartchner 1820-1892 [Allen Foot writes to us from Snowflake under date of May 30th, as follows:] Another of the veterans of our Church passed away at this place on the 14th ult., namely, William Decatur Kartchner. Deceased was the son of John C. Kartchner, and Prudence Wilcox, was born at Hartford, Montgomery Co., Penn., May 4th, 1820, and baptized May 8th, 1843, having heard the Gospel the previous day for the first time. He was married to Margaret Jane Casteel in March, 1844, passed through all the mobbings and persecutions at Nauvoo, standing guard greater part of the time during a six weeks' rain, and was stricken down with rheumatism. He could not move hand nor foot at the time of the martyrdom. He was called to go with the famous "Emimetts' Company," and through the operations of those in charge. was reduced, with many others, to distressing circumstances. It was only by a desperate effort that he and his wife were enabled to get away from the company, and work their way back to St. Louis. Here Brother Kartchner was well treated by his brother John, although not in sympathy in religious matters. In the spring of 1846 Brother William and wife joined a company of Saints who were preparing to go to the Rocky Mountains, preferring the hardships and dangers of such a trip to remaining among a people who had abused him and his fellow Saints. This company was in charge of Captain William Crosby, and arrived in Salt Lake Valley July 28th, 1847-one year and three months from the time of leaving the State. Brother Kartchner, who was a blacksmith by trade, faithfully assisted as a pioneer in the settlement of new places in Utah and Arizona. He had been quite feeble in body and mind for the last ten years, having almost entirely lost his sight. He always bore a strong and faithful testimony to the truth of the great latter-day work,and was a true and consistent Latter-day Saint. His first wife died ten years ago. He leaves seventeen children and forty-three grandchildren to mourn his loss. The deceased was highly respected by all who knew him. [Sources: Deseret News...from the files of Micheal A. Kartchner, Beaumont CA] ________________________________________________________________________________________ Followup Notes: All oddities and errors described below have been corrected in each of the Census listing above. 1847 Mississippi Company Roster - Lists that Wm D. Kartchner, wife and child were among the second body of this Company to reach the Salt Lake City on July 29. This portion of the company, along with a troop of the Mormon Battalion, were the second assembly to enter the Pioneer camp. Although this has still not been fully acknowledged by the LDS Historical Library at Brigham Young University. 1850 Census - William D was born in May 1820, even though this census was for 1850 - all ages noted above are for 1851. In addition, early transcriptions of the original pages mislists William D, as "Kackbuer" with a ?, suggesting the the transcriber was not certain of this entry. 1860 Census - Several oddities appear in this census as well as the various transcriptions. A copy of the original page, William appears to be "Wan B."; Margaret shown as born in Pennsylvannia; Sarah E, age 13 or 18 - it appears as "Mex" noted as birthplace. In an early transcription, Sarah birtplace is listed as "Ark". Alzada is transcribed as Abrigail. Marinda was misspelled as Miranda is listed as "Amma", perhaps this was a nickname or [maybe] the transcriber misunderstood "M.M." for "Amma". A later transcription has the Census Place as "Millard County", the county structures in this part of the Utah Territory were evolving, Beaver was correct in 1860 and is presently correct. Refer to "Location" sheet at the end of this report for clarificatiion. 1870 Census - This census showed William Decatur birthplace to be Tenn; John & Mark in Cal. A early transcription has him listed as "Kartchlane". The listing for Elizabeth Gale Kartchner reflect the similar error and she is listed as being a household of "1" Other Notes of Interest: William and Margaret are noted for giving birth to the first white child in the territory/state that would be Colorado, Sarah Emma - born in route to Utah. The State of Colorado would later acknowledge this importance by awarding Sarah a Gold medallion. William was listed on the Landmark celebrating the Mormon Families deployed to the San Bernadino Colony. He was also appointed the First Postmaster for the Snow Flake colony in Arizona and was apparently appointed similarly to areas of Iron County, Utah. The Census Indexes showed him as either farmer or blacksmith, but his journal entries describes a man that spend as much time on Church affairs as he did as either of the above.