Transcript

Transcript for Melissa R. Heyborne autobiographical sketch, circa 1925, 1

I was born July 13th, 1851, at Cajon Pass, California. My parents Eveline and James Henry Rollins were camped for the winter at Cajon Pass where father was teaching school. The following spring father moved the family to San Bernardino. We lived there seven years. Father owned a beautiful vineyard and had started to build a home but it was never completed. He also was part owner of a large store there and was doing very well when President Brigham Young sent the call "To your Tents, O Israel". Seven days from the time the word was received father and a company of other saints were on their way to Utah. The store was left to the mercy of the people, but father took five wagon loads of goods with him. I was only seven years old when he left but can remember well how San Bernardino looked at that time.

On our way to Utah in company with Moses Thatcher we had no trouble until we reached Mojave. My brother, John Henry, was driving a wagon and three span of mules. Mother and [my] brother Watson, a baby about a year and a half old and myself were riding with him. We were ahead of father and the rest of the company and as we rounded a point of a mountain, two Indians sprang out from some rocks and drew their bows and arrows. They were all painted and wore feathers in their hair. John Henry coiled his big black whip to strike them when mother told him not to touch them for fear the Indians would kill us all. The Indians caught hold of the lead mules and turned them so as to cramp the wagon. Mother and I were terribly frightened and both jumped, mother with the baby in her arms. Just then the rest of the company drove in sight and the Indians ran off. We were not bothered again.

The fright made mother so sick that father had to stop in Cedar for a week.

He received word from President Young to help colonize Minersville. We went on to Parowan where we lived two years.