Family History Stories

I've been trying to compile a book of pictures of my ancestors with quotes or anecdotes and have found some inspiring journals records regarding them online in the process.  When I read some of the following stories about the challenging lives of my ancestors my life seems so richly blessed. It's hard for me to imagine the frequent illnesses, deaths, travels and harsh conditions which they endured.  I feel so blessed to live in this modern era in a warm home with the modern conveniences of stoves and beds and toilets!  But even more than that, I'm grateful that I was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ from a young age & am surrounded by friends and family who share the same values.  I've pasted a few excerpts from their biographies but if you click the links you can read the whole story & see pictures.





Phoebe Melinda Butler  (maternal grandmother of Emily Judd) "In December of 1889 her daughter Sarah Adeline, a lovely, brown-eyed young woman of 18, died of meningitis. Three years later on April 12, 1892, a married daughter, Georganna Cameron, passed away following childbirth, leaving her husband, two little girls and the new baby girl, so Grandma Sevy took the baby and cared for it until she herself became very ill. She passed away just a few days later. During the illness, the baby became ill too and died, so the family held services for the two of them together. A beloved mother, grandmother and a community friend went to her final rest."  She had 14 children, helped colonize & settle 3 different places.

George Washington Sevy, Jr.  "A miracle converted me," confessed Bishop Sevy in one of his rare sermon ventures, "but it has not taken a miracle to keep me converted. The testimony it left with me is my choicest possession and burns ever brighter as the days pass."



George Laub - Father died when he was age 8, mother died when he was 14, Later was taught the gospel and was baptized despite persecution of friends & family. "I then Prayed that I might have my understanding fully opened. I prayed often and the Lord heard me and answered my potitions and my memery was strenthened and my understanding opend to the truith of the doctrin,"

George Laub

Nanny Longstroth     (married to Franklin Dewey Richards & Willard Richards )Patriarch John Smith told Nanny in a blessing which he gave when she was sixteen years old, "that prophets, seers and revelators, should proceed forth from her." This prediction  was fulfilled.

Nanny Longstroth

Franklin Dewey Richards

Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nephew to Levi and Willard Richards, he journeyed west and arrived at Haun's Mill only to find his brother killed and thrown down a well. Another brother died on the Battalion march, and lost two sons on the trek west. Pressing on faithful he served 4 times to Britain, 3 times as Mission President. Published there the first Pearl of Great Price, 30 years later becoming canonized scripture of the Standard Works of the Church. Returning home to Ogden, UT he served as President of the Twelve for 15 months til his death. (spelling modernized)

Franklin Dewey Richards

Knight Family Website   (Some interesting photos/history of various ancestors)

Lydia Goldthwaite Knight

Another neat free resource that I discovered is the Fast Fan Chart (highlighted in the
 August Ensign) helps you see at a glance your family tree going back 9 generations!