Transcript

 HISTORY OF OUR FATHER, HENRY GEORGE LABRUM

1840-1912

Written by his daughters, Mary Elizabeth Labrum Bushnell and Bessie Maria Labrum Brunson

Henry George Labrum was born born July 15, 1840, at Stukley, Buckinghamshire England. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth George Labrum. The family consisted of seven children - three boys and four girls - besides the parents. They were among the older converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This brought them much happiness, but along with it much grief.

Thinking it for the best, the father undertook coming to America in the year 1851. Upon his arrival at St. Louis, he was stricken with Cholera and died. Due to the slow way of travel and mail service at that time, it was twelve weeks before the family learned of the father's death. They now being left without a husband and a father, George, being the eldest - eleven years of age - had to work hard to help his mother support the family [the family was compelled to go to the Poor House where they remained about a month]. He did whatever he could get to do to earn a few cents each day, such as frightening the crows and birds out of the wealthy farmers' corn and grain crops. At the age of sixteen years, he was fortunate in getting steady work on a farm. In those days they did not work the horses hooked, as they do now, but they were tied one in head of the other in a line of four or five hooked to a farm implement. Father would walk all day leading the head horse. He also had to feed and care for each horse morning and evening. Being small for his age, he would have to stand on the manger to fasten the collars. He could not afford to buy himself comfortable shoes and was glad to wear what others had thrown away, thus causing him to always suffer with his feet.

In the year 1853 [4 Oct 1852], father was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder Mathew Syphus. His mother's parents were well-to-do people; but on account of her family having joined the Church, they refused to help or do anything for the family; however, they were blessed and by careful management was able to save enough for his mother and the three younger children to sail for America in the year 1862, just eleven years after his father's death, thus leaving father and his two sisters still in England. The three of them of them [Mary (Polly), Henry George, and Jane]. The three of them continued to work and save, anxiously waiting for the day when they too could come. In 1863 father with his two sisters set sail for America on the ship "Amazon". After being on the ocean six weeks, they arrived at the New York Harbor on July 18, 1863. They crossed the plains with Captain McArthur's [wagon] train, walking most of the way. Arriving in Salt Lake they were joined by the rest of the family. From there they went to South Cottonwood [now Murray], where they were successful in leasing a farm and father and his two brothers [Thomas and John] went to work.

In the year 1866, father, with others, was called back to Wyoming to assist in bringing in immigrants. It was on this trip that he became acquainted with his future wife - our mother - having seen her for the first time washing and cleaning up her younger brother, preparing him for the evening meal, he crying at the top of his voice. The company arrived in Salt Lake City on October 1, 1866. Father was married to Jane Criddle in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on March 16, 1867 by Heber C. Kimball [member of the 1st Presidency of the LDS Church). They located at South Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, where two sons and two daughters were born [Mary Elizabeth, Thomas Henry, Henry George & Alice Jane]. The lived there until the spring of 1872, when they moved to Meadow, Millard County, Utah, where one daughter and five sons were born [Besie Maria, John Charles, William Arthur, Ernest, Percy & Edgar].

Father took part in the early settlement of Meadow, passed through many of the hardships, build up a comfortable home and surroundings for his family. On March 1, 1888 he was set apart as first assistant superintendent of the Meadow Ward Sunday School and faithfully performed every duty pertaining to that office with the love and support of all for eleven years. On Novemeber 19, 1898, he was ordained a High Priest by Apostle Francis M. Lyman and chosen as First Councelor to Bishop Hyrum B. Bennett. He held that position for three years. He was President of the Meadow Irrigation Company for a number of years; also held other positions in the ward. Always working for the betterment of those associated with him. Among the children, he was always a favorite, recognising and speaking to them wherever and whenever he met any of them.

[On 8 Nov, 1893, Henry George, and some of his siblings went to the Salt Lake Temple where they were sealed to their parents]

Father was called to the Great Beyond on Wednesday, December 18, 1912, about 5 o'clock PM while out doing his evening chores. He apparently died without a struggle, his lifeless form being found about an hour later by his devoted wife and sons. After very impressive funeral services, father was lovingly laid to rest in the Meadow Cemetery, December 24, 1912, leaving a devoted wife, five sons, three daughters, three brothers, thirty-one grandchildren, fifty-seven great grandchildren, five great great grandchildren, to mourn his departure, two children and three grandchildren having preceded him in death.

Written by his daughters, Mary Elizabeth L. Bushnell and Bessie Maria L. Brunson

Meadow, Utah

December 1, 1938

This biography was located at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum's history dept.

Inserts by Meliah Crow. Information on the Poor House was found in his mother's obituary that was printed in the Millenial Star. [Copy of transcript also found on ancestry.com]