| OCR Text |
Show HISTORY OF THOM.AS B!NGHAM SR. and THOWlAS BINGHAM JR. Given to his granddaughter, Margaret Dudley, by Thomas Bingham Jr. My father, Thomas Bingham Sr., fourth child of Erastus and Lucinda Gates Bingham, was born in the 19th of Xuly 1824 at Littleton, Grafton County, New Hampshire. He was a member of' a family of ten, seven boys and three girls; their names beginning with the oldest; Mary, Sanford, Erastus, Thomas, Lucinda, Louisa Maria, WU.lard, Edwin, Jacob and Brigham Reber. Jacob died when about t wo years old. All of' father's brothers and sisters joined the church. All but Lucinda came to Utah. Lucinda married a non-Mo:nnon by the name ot Lorin B. Hastings. They moved to Porttownsman, Washington. As far as knon none ot their children ever joined the church. Lorin Hastings wanted father to go to Washington with him; he offered to pay his way, also set him up in business. Father said, "No? I am going with the saints.• (They were at La Harpe, Illinois at that time.) In 1830 Father's ia-rents moved from New Hampshire to Concord, Ve:nnont. Here in 1833 they first heard the gospel and joined the Church ot ~esus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Father was baptized in 1836. While living in Far West the mob surrounded the town and would not let anyone come in or go out. At this time Grandfather (Erastus Bingham) was out of town. oh business. Returning home he met a man who had been turned back by the mob. Grandfather said, "Let me borrow your gun. I am going to my family." 'When he came to the guard, they turned and walked off, then grandfather went through unmolested. The Mormons were driven from Far West in 1837. Grandfather's family and many others were forced to leave their hard-earned homes by a cruel, revengeful mob. From the latter place he went into the state of Illinois and settled at La Harpe. There his father rented a fa:nn. Father. heiped on the farm.. He went to work in the first .grain that was ripe. At the age of 15 he was able to rake and bind, keeping up with the cradler, thus getting a cradler's wage. In 1844 when father was 20, he went down on the Mississippi river to help chop timber. Here he took the Ague and Fever. After recovering from the' fever, his body was left in a weakened condition. In the tall of 1845 the family moved to the city of Nauvoo. Father helped with the building of the Nauvoo temple~ He was present at the first meeting held in that building, Sunday, October 5, 1845. On account of a default \ |
