Mark Anthony CHILD

                   Historical information included in notes.



                         ALFRED BOSWORTH CHILD   CHILDALFR.796  RIN 2491

                              FARMER, POSTMASTER, MERCHANT, PIONEER

    With the thought in mind that Alfred Bosworth Child moved with his daughter Polly Ann Child Richardson across the plains into the Ogden Utah area, the following story is going to be told as seen through Polly Ann's eyes.  Realizing that anything Polly Ann went through so did her father and mother and the other eight children.  Other records have been added as the story expands with histories of several of his grandchildren, who gave their parents histories to me.

    Alfred Bosworth Child was a second child and first son of Mark Anthony Child and Hannah Benedict Child.  He was born in the town of Milton-Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York, on the 19th day of November 1796.

    Young Sarah Ann (Polly) Barber, daughter of Ichabod and Annie Dake (Deake)Barber, born the 29th of March 1799, was also living in the same area of Greenfield.

    Alfred B. Child was raised in a very religious home.  His father was instrumental in establishing the First Universal Church of Greenfield, Saratoga Co. New York.   This church believed in the Bible as printed with explanations from his Grandfather, Increase Child and his Uncle William Child's printing press.

    Alfred was a second generation Childs to be born and raised in this little community, Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York, in the Kyadeross, Aderondack, Mountains.  It must have been pleasant growing up in this section of New York, especially in the summer-time, when the cooling, saline breezes of the Atlantic often traversed up the Hudson river, giving a climate similar to the seacoast.

    The deep ravines and valleys cut irregularly into the mountainsides, the marsh and swamp lands at the headwaters of the Hudson, the numerous stands of beech, maple, pine and hemlock must have contributed immensely to the pleasure and providing enjoyment of childhood, growing up and raising a family in this area.  Here Alfred and Polly grew into young adulthood amid the simple comforts and pleasures of the pioneer.

( From Polly Ann Child Richardsons' history we learned that 3 generations of Child's had been born in this area)

    The family life of the Childs during this period must, of necessity, be conjectural.  Alfred was a farmer and a stock raiser.  The stony, rough earth of the area would lend more plausibility to the latter, however, since it is more suitable for pasturage than farming.

    Alfred met Polly Barber, daughter of Ichabod Barber and Annie Deake, born 29 March 1799 in Greenfield, Saratoga Co. New York.  The couple fell in love and they were married the 19th day of March 1817.  They lived in Greenfield several years after their marriage.  Soon they  moved to Morristown in St. Lawrence County, New York.  This area was on the St. Lawrence river and bordering on Canada.  Members of Polly's family was also living there.

    (Later we found a record of Warren Gould Child written about his grandfather which said "in the year of 1822, they with their family moved to Morristown) St. Lawrence Co., New york, where they took up (purchased) a new farm of about 30 acres and with the aid of a hired man, and with hard labor cleared it for cultivation. The 30 acres of land were situated on the banks of the St. Lawrence river.

    The family was industrious and was prospering and acquired a limited amount property.  In a letter dated 26 May 1866, a letter from the county historian of St. Lawrence says the following. "In 1823 a mortgage is recorded between Alfred B. Child and Abraham H. Wooster for $150, and this mentions a piece of land of 40 acres.  This is on what is now called Wooster Road in Hammond, and this mortgage was recorded in 1828.  It was satisfied in 1838, and was recorded in July of that year.

    However, after the discharge of this mortgage, Child never seemed to have the deed recorded if he was still on the land.  The school district in the small area where the Child's lived was known as the Child School Dist.  Church records in this county are not available for as early as you indicated, except in a few I do find some records for the town of Hammond, and the Child, Barber and Wooster families apparently did not go to either the Presbyterian or Methodists, they are the only ones there."

    The town historian for Hammond, "I have found no birth records of the children of Alfred B. Child. Records at that period in Hammond's history are quite incomplete...I have come up with some facts that might interest you---

    "8 May 1827,  Alfred B. Child(s) elected constable at the 1st town meeting.  Commissioner of schools 1828-1829 & 1829-1830."  21 Feb 1832 - 17 Feb 1835, Alfred B. Child(s) held the position of Overseer of Highway (Title changed to Post Master in 1833)

    John Child(s)was appointed Postmaster in 1838.

    In the history of St. Lawrence and Franklin Co(s), we find that"Hammond was formed from Rossie and Morristown, New York, the 30 March 1827, to take effect on May following". (Gs call #974,75 H2h)

    In the record of Warren Gould Child we find "in the year of 1829 he (Alfred Bosworth Child) sold his farm...(In 1820 he had sold his farm of 100 acres to Mr. Taylor) And soon afterward bought another farm of about 160 acres, in the same town, for which he paid ten dollars per acre. This farm was on the banks of the St. Lawrence River and was covered with trees. " (Very enterprising young man)

    "21 Feb 1832 - 17 Feb 1835, Alfred B. Child(s) held the position of overseer of highway (title changed to postmaster in 1833)."

        "John Child(s) was appointed postmaster in 1838."

    It was here in Hammond, New York, in 1837, the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) found them and taught them the gospel of the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.

    Warren's diary, " While living on the above 160 acre farm the Child family heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, called Mormonism.  They opened up new farms and were in process of improving them, when there came into the town or neighborhood, one, George E. Blakesly, a Mormon Elder, who after a time succeeded in getting a few to come out to hear the strange doctrine of the new Prophet, known as Joe Smith.  He met with little success in the neighborhood.

    My father, after hearing him several times, was somewhat impressed with his doctrines, so much so that he continued to investigate them.  After a careful and thorough investigation of the principles of Mormonism, Alfred and several of his children were baptized.

    Records show that on June 5, 1837, Alfred and Polly and their daughter Polly Ann, Mark A.,Myron B.,and Hannah P., were baptized and confirmed members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, by Elder Charles Blakesly. The rest being under age for baptism.  This date is important because it marks the severance of the old, fairly secure and comfortable life from the insecure, arduous future they were to endure.

    They immediately began to make preparations to join the main body of the Saints, at their head-quarters in Kirtland, Ohio.  They sold their farm in New York and started on their strenuous journey with one team of horses, all of their possessions and ten members in the family, in a wagon.

    Alfred evidently was sufficiently convinced of the truthfulness of the message that he was willing to sell his farm in Greenfield, pile his belongings, food, clothing, bedding, cooking utensils and a few meager spare parts for the wagon, into a wagon, and suffer the hardships of a 1500 mile journey to Missouri.  Most of the 1500 miles would have been traversed on foot, sleeping in tents or under the wagon at night in this sparsely settled and often savage wasteland.

     One must admit that a journey of this sort required a great deal of courage and fortitude that would be tested to the breaking point within a few short months.  By August 11th the entire family, then ten in number, had turned their backs on three generations of family and begun the long, laborious trek to join the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri.
    The immediate destination of Alfred and Polly was Kirkland, Ohio--about one-third the distance to Jackson county.  Here he hoped to join up with a body of Saints moving from Kirkland, Ohio to Missouri.

    "Embarking on a small steamer up the St. Lawrence river and crossing Lake Ontario and landing at Lewiston, a short distance below the great Niagara Falls.  Having shipped his team and wagon and such of his effects as could be loaded with the family in one wagon drawn by two horses. Thus he started by land via way of the city of Buffalo, N.Y. And the then forests of eastern Ohio, arriving in Kirtland some time in September."

    To give them strength and to buoy up their spirits, they had encouraging and spiritual experiences on the way, which Polly tells in her history.

    Unfortunately young Polly, a daughter, has left us no information regarding this pilgrimage. Consequently the route taken, the time involved and the events along the way can only be speculative.  She dismisses the entire trip in one concise understatement: "My father came the entire route with one span of horses and wagon and ten in the family."

    It takes little imagination to fill in the blanks in Polly's statement. Carrying food, clothing, bedding, cooking utensils and a few meager supplies for an unknown farm in the west would have taken up every spare space in the wagon.

    One must admit that a journey of this sort required a great deal of courage and fortitude--a courage and fortitude that would be tested to the breaking point within a few short months.

      Warren Gould Child's Diary is in the Salt Lake Library.  From Warren Gould Child's diary we find the following:

    While traveling through a dense forest in Ohio a very singular coincidence occurred.  The road was narrow and seemingly but little traveled, though the forest was quite clear of underbrush.  At this particular point there were by accident two other teams that were traveling in the same direction that we were.  But as they had fallen in with us a few days previously our family was only casually acquainted with them.  They were not of our faith but made very pleasant company for us in traveling in a comparatively wild and strange county.

    All was still, except the jostling of our wagon wheels, or and occasional chirping of birds.  The family members were all riding in the wagon with the sides of our painted cover rolled up a few feet and fastened with strings to buttons on the bows to admit fresh air and permit the family to view the scenes by the roadside, when a voice was heard to say "whoa."  Our team being in the lead, the other two were following close in the rear.

    Father, sitting in the front driving, had not, to that time when the voice was heard, seen any person in the vicinity.  At the word "whoa" from the strange voice, the team stopped so suddenly that the teams traveling behind came in contact with our wagon.  When father recovered a little from the sudden and so abrupt stop, a personage walked unconcernedly up to the wagon.  He had the appearance of being very aged, well dressed with an unusual long white beard, was about six feet tall and of rather square build, with a pleasant and happy look on his face.

    He ask no questions as to who we were or where we were going, but proceeded to shake hands with the family, commencing with father, then mother and each of the children according to age, blessing them in the name of Jesus Christ.  The writer was next to the youngest in the family at that time.  After getting through in this manner he turned to me (Warren Gould) the second time and pronounced a further and special blessing upon me, placing his hands on my bare head.  Without further words he slowly passed on.

    The visit was so sudden and unlooked for that not a word had been spoken by the family.  Father expected he would do likewise with the families occupying the two wagons behind us.  But as he simply made a slight bow as he passed them some members of the families got out to hail him and get further explanation of so strange and unlooked for occurrence.  They went quickly to the rear and to their surprise he was nowhere to be seen.  They made hasty search in every direction but he was nowhere to be found.  They searched the road in each direction for his tracks but none were found.  The families traveling with us remarked that we had received a strange blessing from the stranger.

    (Note:  Warren Gould Child was only 3-1/2 years old at this time.  He has written the story later in life, principally from what his parents may have told him, perhaps.  At one time I asked my aunt, Julie A. (Child) Dye, one of his daughters, what was the special blessing given?  She said he was told he would live to do a great work.  I asked if there had been anything definite in his life wherein he felt the blessing was fulfilled?  She said, "Yes, on a trip east, he met Elias Child, the author or compiler of the Child Family Genealogy, now in the genealogical library.  Grandfather furnished him with much of the information for his research efforts.  After the book was published he sent grandfather a copy, and then grandfather took upon himself the responsibility of seeing that the work was done in the temples, and thus accomplished a great work.)

    Eventually the Child family arrived at Kirtland, Ohio, about one-third of the distance to Jackson County, Missouri, some time in September and learned, however, that events moved faster than he. Here he had hoped to join up with a body of Saints who were moving from Kirtland to Missouri but He soon found out that the unbelievers of Missouri had persecuted them for their beliefs.  Many of the Mormons had vacated the city by the time he arrived.

    I will continue writing from Warren Gould's record. But his information here causes a question because, as I read church history, the prophet Joseph Smith was at that time in Missouri, and not in Kirtland.  (He traveled about between those two places as the people were moving to Missouri.)  But, no doubt, as they did relate the story to him and he gave the answer.  Also, no doubt, someone took them through the Kirtland Temple, and carried him as a child.

    "On arriving in Kirtland, father related the occurrence to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he told him that the personage was none other than one of the Nephites who were permitted not to taste death, and that they made occasional visits where they were permitted to do so."

    The city of Kirtland offered the Child family only a brief respite from the rigors of the trek.  The had traveled almost a month by the time they reached Kirtland and would be another month and a half to two months before they reached their destination in Missouri.

    They stayed but a few weeks in Kirtland, when under the direction of the Prophets counsel continued their journey in the like manner westward to Missouri.  Having rested the animals and replenishing supplies, before returning to the well defined trail of Saints moving west.  They had been traveling almost a month and a half to two months, arriving in October, before they reached their destination in Missouri.  It was late fall when the Child family reached their destination.  That October they purchased a farm on Shoal Creek in Caldwell County, he got several cribs of corn on the ear, which served us and the team for food during the winter of 1838-39.

    However, before the spring came we were relieved of our best horse which was confiscated by the mob, which invaded the County, as also they did in Jackson and adjacent counties where the Saints were settled.

    While in Kirtland the family had been shown through the Temple by the Prophet Joseph Smith, he taking the writer, then three and a half years old in his arms and carrying him up the different flights of stairs.

    It seemed that as soon as the Temple in Kirtland was completed, persecution of the Saints became unbe