1855-1871 Sarah Ann and Charles's life in Salt Lake Territory.

     Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of a  trial and challenge of one of my  ancestor.  Sarah Ann in the very beginning of her journey across the ocean and across the plains was pregnant with her first child.   She left her comfortable home in England To walk across the plains at a time when Indians threatened to massacre the whole wagon train.  Less than a month after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley her child was born under unfavorable circumstances.  Maybe, a midwife would attend Sarah or maybe it would be a friend or two or three.
Below is a picture of the Salt Lake Valley of how it would look like when the Kidgell's arrived. The wall was built for protection of any Indian invasion. 
The first few years they would live in the 11th ward which, looking at the map, was somewhere around Third South and 5th East. 

Soon after 1860 they built a house in the LDS 9th Ward.  See the purple 

dot on the map, the location is 5th East between 5th and 6th South right across from where Trolley Square is today.  This information is from a Salt Lake Directory, 1867.
(Taken from Charles's history)
"Charles Jr. was not able to work as an engineer in Salt Lake.  He would work hauling slabs of granite and marble with an ox team and wagon that was used to build the Salt Lake Temple.  He also helped to build the Salt Lake Theater, and Lion House, and Social Hall.  After the completion of the theater he became one of the doormen, and later acted as bodyguard for president Bringham Young and accompanied him on many trips  He and Sarah Ann danced an enjoyed many parties at the Social Hall.  Sarah Ann always felt honored when President Young asked her to dance with him." 
On the Utah US Federal Census lists Charles Jr. occupation as "runs job wagons" which I think means he was probably a foreman overseeing the wagons going to and fro in the neighboring canyons hauling granite.   In the 1867 City Directory he is listed as a 'farrier' which also makes sense. (Takes care of trimming and shoeing horses)  I would guess that being a doorman was a part time job. 

I will build a timeline for Sarah Ann and Charles starting with 1855.

First child Ellen Maria 

• 1855 October 19 - first child born; Ellen Maria
• 1857  April 1 - second child born; Charles Edward
• 1857 May 7 - Charles Edward dies at four weeks.
• 1859 July 11 - third child born; William Henry 
• 1859 September 15 - arrival of Charles Sr. and daughter Caroline with husband John Higson and five month old  son Charles James. 
• 1861 November 1 - fourth child born; Joseph James
• 1864 March 1 - fifth child born; Sarah Ann - my great-grandmother
• 1866 February 8 - sixth child born; Caroline Loftus  
• 1866 June 9 - Charles and Sarah Ann take out their endowments and are sealed for eternity in the Endowment House. 
• 1867 September 15 - Caroline Loftus dies at nineteen months. 
• 1868 February 18 - seventh child born; Albert Thomas
• 1869 July 14 - Albert Thomas dies at seventeen months. 
• 1869 July 28 - Parents of Sarah Ann; Edward and Maria Cashmore arrive.  They would travel from New York City to Ogden, Utah by train or aka the Iron Horse. 
• 1869  November 27 - eighth child born; George Daniel 
• 1870 October 13 - George Daniel dies at ten months. 
• 1871 December 20 - ninth child born; Fredrick Cashmore

                                                                                                                                            

                                                         
          

1859 - Charles Sr. - Caroline Kidgell and John Higson arrive in Zion

     It would be four years later when Charles Sr. Kidgell and his daughter Caroline her husband John Higson would join Charles and Sarah Ann in Salt Lake City.   Caroline would have her first child born on the ship William Tapscott while in port at Liverpool, England just days before it set sail for New York City.  Which is more of a challenge, being pregnant for the first time the whole journey or having a newborn to fret over?  

Father Charles joined the LDS Church in England in 1852.  Caroline and John joined in 1854 at age eighteen but, were married at age twenty two in 1858. 

This family would be in the Robert F. Neslen Company leaving Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha) on 23-26 June 1859 and arrive in Salt Lake 15 September 1859.  Can you imagine the happiness of having family with so much to talk about, catching up on the news from home and comparing their voyages's across the Atlantic Ocean and trek across the plains?!    

 Father Charles lived with Charles Jr.'s family until he marries again about 1864.  He is a jeweler by trade and opens a store on Main St. in Salt Lake City.   In the late 1860's he will join the Reorganized LDS Church and by 1870 is a resident of Pleasant View, Cherokee, Kansas where he dies in 1875.  He is buried in Kansas.  

John Higson is pictured in the book of Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah.  He and Caroline live just a couple of doors down from Charles and Sarah Ann. 

John's occupation is minor.  I don't have much information on this family, yet.  They had seven children all lived to adulthood.  

Sarah Ann's Parents arrive from England

    This is Sarah Ann's parents

 Edward Cashmore and Maria Tomlinson.  This picture was taken in Salt Lake City sometime between 1869 and 1875.    

They would be sixty eight and sixty four years old in 1869.

They came with 365 other Saints on the ship Colorado and arrived in New York City thirteen days later; a trip that took Sarah Ann and Charles thirty four days - fourteen years earlier.  On the ninth of May 1869 the transcontinental Railroad would connect the East to the West so from New York Edward and Maria would take the train (aka Iron Horse) to Ogden, Utah arriving 20 August.  They lived in the house next door to Sarah Ann that the Kidgell's had built for them.  

I can imagine the joy of the reunion after so long a separation. 

Edward and Maria would see their four grand-children for the first time sadly, one grandson Albert Thomas died just a month before their arrival.  However, Sarah Ann is six month's pregnant with her eighth child, George Daniel who  dies at ten months. 

On  3 October 1869 Edward and Maria were baptized into the LDS Church.   On 5 January 1874 they would take out their endowments and be sealed for Eternity. This would take place in the Endowment House since the Salt Lake Temple is not finished until 1893.  

They would return to England sometime between 1874 and 1880.  They became homesick for their mother land and three children and many grand-children they left behind.  In my possession I have two letters written by Edward one dated 1864, one dated 1888.

I will post them at a later date.     

Charles Kidgell applies for 'Brand' 1871

http://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes/index.html on this link I have found so much information on my Ancestors, mostly death certificate that have been digitalized and ready to print.  This find is a Book of Recorded MARKS AND BRANDS   Finds like this give a more personal touch about great great-grandfather Charles.  It gives the date his 'Brand' was recorded and that he indeed lived in the 9th Ward.  This also confirms he owned animals.