The Chauncey W. West Monument Fund account at America First Credit Union now has two custodians. Norma Buchanan and Rich Brewer. Please send all of your relatives who are also descendants of Chauncey the logon for this blog: http://chaunceywwestmonument.blogspot.com and my email address: norma.buchanan@gmail.com. Any of you may email me at any time if you have questions or suggestions concerning this project or information you want me to include here.
For the benefit of the younger generation who may never have heard of Chauncey West and his great achievements and as a review for his older descendants brief biographical sketches of the life of Chauncey Walker West, a most remarkable man, and each of his wives who were equally remarkable women, will be posted on this blog each Wednesday evening.
Quoting from the Ogden Junction, dated Wednesday Morning, Jan. 19, 1870 "Bishop Lester J. Herrick said at the funeral of Bishop Chauncey W. West: "……..He was truly a father to the people and a friend to the poor…." This is only one of numerous accolades and honors paid to Bishop Chauncey West at his funeral.
Many years later in the Ogden Standard newspaper article commemorating 150 years since Ogden was settled, is this: "Chauncey Walker West is considered one of Weber County’s greatest pioneers and a highly respected leader in the history of the territory.” As one of his many descendants, I am truly grateful for his life, his character, his integrity, and his faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ. His contributions to building the Kingdom of God on earth, a great family, and the community in which I was born and raised and continue to reside has blessed my life immeasureably.
Chauncey was born in Pennsylvania February 6, 1827 to Alva and Sally Benedict West. His parents and their family responded to the message of Mormon missionaries and were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in about 1842.
In 1844 the family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois where Chauncey met Mary Hoagland, a lovely daughter of Abraham and Mary Quick Hoagland. They were married in May 1846 when Chauncey was nineteen and Mary seventeen.
Due to intense persecution by neighboring communities, the saints, under the direction of Brigham Young moved almost the entire population of the then largest city in Illinois, about 20,000 people, across the Mississippi River and out of the United States in early spring 1846. Their original plan was to travel to the Rocky Mountains before winter , but the crossing of Iowa Territory took four months due to unusually heavy rains that year. When they arrived at the Missouri River they decided to spend the winter. Many temporary communities were built on the Iowa side of the river, but about 500 log cabins were constructed on the west side and was called Winter Quarters.
Chauncey, with his young wife, his parents and brothers and sisters left Nauvoo in late May 1846 and traveled by wagon to Winter Quarters. Chauncey’s father, mother and elder brother Joseph died at Winter Quarters and are buried in the Winter Quarters cemetery. In the spring of 1847 Chauncey and his wife Mary brought his two younger brothers, Israel age 13, Alvin age 11 and sister Adelia, 5 across the plains to Utah arriving in the Salt Lake Valley September 1847. They built a small cabin and stayed in Salt Lake about two years. Life in the valley at that time was very hard. Take time to see the pioneer cabin across the street from Temple Square or the Miles Goodyear cabin near the Daughters of Pioneers Museum at 2150 Grant and imagine what it would be like for the five members of this family to live in one.
Logon again next week - You won't want to miss the next exciting episode
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