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Show ,_ Warren B. Smith - page 2 Black Ha.wk War, because the seened to be bitter against ~twas the rrost trying time 111 the settlerrent of Utah. and fife in the band. Indian chief was called by that narre. He the white settlers and made war with them. the pioneers went through with the Indians Father was in this war and played the drums One of his natural talents and greatest ·loves was nusic. He led the Arrerican Fo7k choir for thirty years, from 1871 to 1901, and was a rrember of the Arrericar_i Fork brass band. He had a fine bass voice and sang in the tabernacle a:ioir. He also was a stm.ent of harrrony with Evan Stephens. alw":lys said music was to be listened to, . and not just heard. Under his direc~on, there was silence during a musical rendition. Al though he had · no musical degree, he had a trained ear, and understood rrusic very well. _One tine in his life I rerrember him telling about the mines in AI;e7ican Fork Canyon. 'Ihe Aspinwall Corrpany was so enthusiastic with the minmg outlook, tl1ey built a railroad from Arrerican Fork to the mines in th~ canyon. It was built by non-.lt>rrrons, one year before the Southern Railroa~ reached Arrerican Fork. The cars were pulled up the canyon by loconotive power and then allowed to cone down on their own rrom:mtum. 'Ihere were brakenen on board to regulate the speed. The brakerren were Warren B. Smith, Ebinezer Hunter, and others. I ima.gine this was a very dangerous job. They had to go from one car to another to adjust the brakes. Father•~ principal occupations in life were farming and nerchandising. He was super111tendent of the Arrerican Fork co-op store for fifteen years. He also was ernpl<;>yed by the Chip-nan M2rcantile Corrpany for thirty:..five years. At one tine he was a rrember of the Arrerican Fork City Council. . Father married Mary Erraline Tyrrell (Seager) , a widd.v, for his second wife •. She had one son, Orin O. Seager. 'Ihey were married on January 5, 1874, in the End~t House in Salt Lake City. Six children were born to them, two boys and four girls. They made their hare in Arrerican Fork, Utah. He was ordained a Seventy by Samuel Mullner. later, he was called on a mission to Great Britain. He had two families at this time, and he served for two years, from 1877 to 1879. It was quite a coincidence that one of his missionary corrpanions turned out to be his half-brother Alma Smith, who had been so miraculously healed. I heard father say th~t Alma could proselyte all day without a limp. He was made a nember of the presidency of the 67th Quorum of Seventies along with Karl G. Maeser and Isaiah Coombs for all of Utah County when the Seventies were under one presidency. He served in this position from 1880 to 1884. In 1883 he was made superintendent of the Arrerican Fork Sunday School, and served in this capacity for about eighteen years. For his third wife, he married my rrother, Harriet Annas Harrington. They were married in the EndCMirent House on Noverrber 6, 1884. She was the da';lghter of Leonard E. Harrington and Harriet F. Noon. 'Ihey had eight children born to them, three boys and five girls. 'Ihey also rrade their h~ in Arrerican Fork, Utah. He was ordained a high priest in 1887 by Abraham o. Snoot. Warren B. Smith - page 3 Just three years after his marriage to my rrother, father was called on his second mission. This tine he was sent to the Southern States, and served from 1887 to 1889. My father believed in plural marriage. I heard him say one time in a prayer circle neeti ng that he went into polygamy because it was a principle of the Church at that time, and for no other reason. 'lbere were only two percent of the nen in the Church who were called to live this law. The governnent of the United States issued a law called the F.drronds-'fucker Act on March 3, 1887. This statute was up held by the Suprene Court of the Onited States by which it prohibited plural marriage, and efforts to prosecute such offense were redoublErl with such success that on the 26th day of September, 1890, Wilford Woodruff, who was the president of our Church, issued what is known as the Manifesto of 1890, forbidding further plural marriages. At this tirre father had three wives. 'Ille officers of the land were looking for those nen who were living in polygamy, and there were quite a number here in Utah. For a tine sorre went into hiding, or were on the underground as it was called. However, they were found and tried before the courts of law and were found guilty. Sare were financially well off enough to pay a fine and were released. others who were not so lucky had to pay their debt by serving six rronths in the Utah Penitentiary. Father was one of these. This was a real sad and trying time for the wives and children, as well as the nen. Later, he was granted amnesty by the President of the United States. He then returned to his normal life, performing his duties to his families and Church, as well as to the conm.mity. His wife, Harriet, (my rrother) was very ill for a long period of tine. She passed away on March 14, 1901, at the age of 41 years, leaving a family of six small children; the baby, Sarah M2lissa, being only five rronths old. Father was fifty-seven years old at this tine. 'Ihis was a very sad tine for all of us and a great responsibility for father, but we were all kept together and never separated. My grandrrother and Aunt Ida Harrington cane and stayed with us for quite sorre tine. My half-sister, May, was with us for a year. Aunt M2lissa .lt>tt ~uld come to help out and cook for us. had other hired help as time went on. FRa,i THE DIARY OF WARREN BARNES SMITH: "On Saturday eve July 13, 1901, by request, I net with Apostles George Teasdale and Reed Snoot; also the Stake Presidency of Alpine Stake in the High Council Chanbers. 'Ihe Apostles stated tone that I had been selected as Bishop of the 4th Ward of Arrerican Fork City. "At a neeting of the general priesthood on Sunday rrorning, July 14th, I and three others with our counselors were unanirrously sustained as Bishops in the four wards of Arrerican Fork City. In the afternoon of Sunday, . July 14th the general public present again sustained them. "After the neeting we retirErl to the residence of Stake President Stephen L. Chii;::rran's where four Bishops and eight Counselors were ordained and set apart for their work. I, Warren Barnes Smith, on Sunday, July 14th was ordained a Bishop under the hands of and by Apostle Feed Snoot assisted by Apostle George Teasdale and the Alpine Stake Presidency. My counselors are Martin Hansen and Sarrruel Greenwood. |
