Our family name was Peregrin and remained till between 1849 and 1852 when our family took the name of Perkins.
Thomas Peregrin, my paternal grandfather, I saw when I was a small child at about two and a half years old, and he died in February 1823 in the parish of Laughor Glamorganshire, Wales.
Mary Anthony, my grandmother, (Thomas Peregrin's wife) died in the year 1833. I was acquainted with my grandmother. My grandparents bore a good character. My grandfather was a religious man, an Independent and a deacon of two churches, one in Slandle, the other in Crossinn, near Sketty. These churches were in Glamorganshire and were seven miles apart.
Their children, as far as I remember, were John Peregrin, Hopkins Peregrin, Mary Peregrin, Ann Peregrin and Katherine Peregrine. My grandfather, Thomas Peregrin had a brother named Oliver Peregrin; he had a son named Thomas Peregrin and he had a son also named Thomas Peregrin. Grandfather's brother was an Independent.
My father, Thomas Peregrin, was born in the year 1780 in Glamorganshire, Wales and had a natural son, William Peregrin, who was born in the year 1805; his mother's name was Ann Evans. My father married my mother, Ann Mathews, who was four years younger than my father and was therefore born in 1784. Their children were Ann Peregrin born in 1808, Thomas Peregrin born in 1811, Margaret born in 1814, Mary Peregrin 1st born in 1817, Joseph Thomas Peregrin born Sunday September 24, 1820, Mary Peregrin 2nd born in 1823, Ruth Peregrin born in 1826, Elizabeth Peregrin born in 1829 and Katherine (Kitty) born in 1833.
We were all born in Loughor Glamorganshire, Wales. All of us children spoke the Welsh language which was our mother tongue. Father could speak but little English, Mother could speak pretty well in English.
My maternal Grandmother kept a public house called the "Trap". She lived there about seventy years and buried her husband when my mother was about seven years old. I have heard my mother speak of a brother she had. This Grandmother was robbed when she was eighty-eight years old of 14,000 pounds. She had a will made for me to have 7000 pounds and my sister, Margaret to have 7000 pounds. She died soon after the robbery.
I went to work in the coal mines when I was eight years old at Loughor. I had six pence a day. I dragged coal in a little cart when I was eleven years old and I had one shilling and two pence a day till I was 19 years old -- then I was selected to drive a horse on the outside of the mine at an engine pump to draw the water out of the mine. My wages were put at one shilling and six pence a day. I was very small till after I was nineteen when I grew six inches taller in six months.
I worked at this job for one year, Sundays and work days. Then I felt I was a man. Then I left that place and went and drove a horse underground at Swansea at 3 shillings a day. I worked at this place till I was 22 years of age.
One Thursday about 3: P.M., the gas in the mine took fire. My car was off from the rails, nine men came to help to get it on and while we were trying to get it on the rails, the gas took fire. We were then about five miles underground. I was strick senseless. I expect my foot caught in the car or someething else and I was unconscious. By pulling, I had my knee out of joint and my ankle also, my foot was turned around; my toes at the back of my foot. When I came to myself I was on my Father's back. I was about 300 yards of the surface when I became conscious. Five of the ten men were killed at the car. A little boy was driven by the gas against the car wheel, his head was split from ear to ear and his father killed at his side. I was taken home about five o'clock. The Doctor came Thursday and he ordered me to have new milk given to me. He thought I was burned inside. That tasted very nasty to me. I was burned much. The flesh came off the calves of my legs. After I was placed in bed, I became unconscious again and was that way until Friday about 7:P.M.
My father went to the doctor and asked him what he thought about me. He said if I lived until 7:P.M., he thought I did so against his judgement. About 4 Saturday morning, I called my mother and I said, "I believe my entails are running out!!" I was burned on my side and there was a large water blister. This broke and run under me and I thought this was my entrails. About 8 in the morning, the doctor came to see me and most of this time I was unconscious. I thought I was in the company of Queen Victoria. In time, I got well. One year passed before I was able to work.
I left home and went to Dowlais, 32 miles from Swansea. I moved there in August 1844. My brother, William, had been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in the year 1843. My Father and Mother were baptized in 1845, -after listening to the preaching of Hopkins Mathews, Able Evans and others. In 1846 I was converted to the faith of the Latter-Day-Saints. I was a drunkard before I came into the church and I did not like the idea of my parents being members of this church. I was in the company of a man who was a fighter and he became a member of the church. His name was John Evans. I went one morning to a prayer meeting, on Sunday at 7 oclock and I heard him praying for me. This melted me. I went to breakfast with him, then to morning meeting and at 2 oclock P.M. that day I was baptized by Elder David Evans. This was April 27, 1846. I was confirmed the same day by Elder David John. I was working in the iron mines at Dowlais at this time.
I worked in the iron mines till the spring of 1847. Then I moved Cwinback. At this place I worked in the coal mines.
I was ordained a Teacher in 1848. I acted in this capacity until the fall of 1851 when I was ordained an Elder under the hands of James Ellis and placed to preside over the Cwinback Branch the same night this branch was in Merthyr conference. Soon after this I was called to be a home missionary and visited the following places, Merthyr Tidfil, Dowlais, Rumney, Brecon, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Aberdare, and Irwin.
In the spring of 1852 I was calculating to get married and one Monday morning the gas caught fire and 19 Elders were killed in the mine. It was thought the total of the killed was 72 souls.
I was not in the mine at the time of the explosion. I was off at the time selling tracts and I continued to preach and sell tracts till the mine was in condition to work again.
Before this accident happened, I was working in another mine and this night I was sleeping with Elder John Taylor, one of the Twelve Apostles, and I had a dream. I was groaning and Brother Taylor waked me up and I told him my dream. I dreamed the coal works were on fire and Brother Taylor told me not to go to work that day.
About 5 oclock, my Father called on me to go to work. I answered Father but did not get up. He kept calling on me till past 7 oclock. He opened the door and he saw me running from our coal pit. My father called on me and said something was the matter at our coal works. I jumped up and dressed as soon as I could and I ran with my Father to the top of the coal works and there we found the gas had exploded. In about 10 minutes after we got there, there was a young man got up out of the pit. He was burned all over, clothes burned off of him. We took him home in sheets, he died that evening. There was an elder named John Pugh there; he was burned and died a few days later. Eight were killed at this explosion. I should have been there too but John Taylor told me not to go that morning. Two persons were burned and recovered and came to the valleys.
On December 25th, 1852, I married Margaret Martin who was born December 21st 1833 near Dowlais Glamorganshire. Her parents were Thomas Martin and Gwenllian Williams. After I was married, I moved back to Dowlais in January 1853.
March 12th my father was taken with a paralytic stroke. This was in 1854. He could not talk nor eat nor swallow for 12 days and then he died and was buried in Aberdare in the old church cemetery.
I worked at Dowlais till I was released to come to the valley in the year 1855. My Father-in-law gave me 33 pounds to emigrate me and family to Salt Lake Valley. He gave me other money besides this to help us to Liverpool. My first child, named Thomas Martin Perkins was born June 9, 1854 at Dowlais Glamorganshire, Wales.
When we arrived in Liverpool -- went by coach to Abergavenny and then by train. We stayed at a house for a week and saled on the ship Chimborago for Philadelphia. Edward Stevenson, president of the Latter-Day-Saints on board this ship, numbering about 700 souls.
We came in sight of land in three weeks--came near the mouth of the river. Our ship was tacked down for about two weeks. The pilot was aboard all this time. Finally, our captain engaged a steam tug and in three hours we were in Philadelphia. We were out of drinking water before we arrived there. My wife was sick the whole of the voyage. We stayed in Philadelphia two days and two nights, then took the train to Pittsburg -- then steam boat down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Atchison. Started to Mormon Grove seven miles, where we camped. This was the starting point for the plains. Edward Stevenson, our president across the sea, on the railroad and on the rivers to Atchison, was kind and brotherly all the way. Arrived at the camp in May. We stayed at the camp till the last day of July when we rolled out for the plains. Charles A Harper -- Captain of our company. We had heard of cholera on the plains and E. Stevenson had been sent to lead the company to the valley that was ahead of us. A woman died in our company two days before we started from Mormon Grove. She left a baby, Thomas Jeremy. It's father came to my wife and begged her to take the baby. She did so. He (the father) gave her 150 pounds to buy extra provisions and clothing for the baby. We traveled till we came to the Big Blue River. Arrived there just before sundown and camped. Captain Harper went on his horse the next morning and tried the ford of the
river. He came back and informed us we had to lift the wagon beds 10 inches to keep them out of the water. Captain Harper went into the river and drove his own yoke of oxen and wagon. The water took them and wagons downstream. He jumped on the offside and I plunged into the river and swam and turned them upstream and they arrived safe on the other side. Where we went into the river, the banks were steep. We had to rough-lock both hind wheels and then men had to hold onto ropes to keep the wagons from going too fast into the river. I led twelve wagons across the river with the Captain's cattle. He called me out of the river and said that I had stayed in the water long enough.
The 13th wagon coming down the hill into the river tipped over into the river with 22 sacks of flour and the freight of the passengers. This affair was soon straightened up. Just as this wagon was got out of the river, the water rose 4 feet. Our train consisted of 32 wagons.
We stayed several days by this stream, our company on both sides of the river. A brother in the church, a Frenchman, started to swim the river. Hw was a good swimmer. He tried to swim straight across the stream with his clothes on. He sunk in the water. Ropes were got and I plunged in the water after him. I had a rope in one hand and I grabbed him with the other and brought him out. After much trouble his life was saved. We stayed at this camp eight days. On the ninth day General Harney with the United States troops came up and told Captain if we would not use the farry, he would. We were fording to save ferriage. We drove to the ferry, crossed our cattle and wagons and camped that night all together. The baby died that night and was buried the next morning.
Captain Harper paid a wagon for part of our company being ferried over the Big Blue River. General Harney crossed his command after us and then went ahead of us. Traveled on the plains until we came to Ash Hollow. We had one yoke of oxen on each wagon, one yoke of oxen to hold back with a chain behind each wagon. The hill was steep we went down. The Welsh part of our company was alright. The balance of our company was composed of French and English. A wheel was broken belonging to the English part of our company. It was dark when we arrived at the Platte River. Six men on guard at a time tonight.
An expressman came to our camp early this morning, from General Harney's command, and it was desired we would travel as early as possible as a fight was expected by the soldiers and the Indians on the Platte. The soldiers guarded us three days. Three of the soldiers went with us to the Valley. From the Platte to the Sweetwater river we got along alright. At the Sweetwater, two young men went back to buy some nails for shoeing cattle. Returning, the young men took a wrong road. We had taken a "cut-off". They got ahead of us and learned we were behind. They waited for us. We got along alright to Fort Bridger. Elder Steevnson met us there and traveled with us to the Valley where we arrived Octobeer 31st.
Ater we reached the city, John Davis, Printer, came to our camp and took me and family to his house. While eating dinner, my sister Ruth came into the house. She arrived in the valley a year before.
Next morning started with sister Ruth and Sister Davis to Bountiful. Next day walked to Ogden and the next day to North Ogden, which we reached in November. I had about 4 or 5 days work before winter set in. About the last of November I was taken down with rhuematism. Bishop T. Dunn administered to me every day. He asked me if I wished anyone to administer to me. I told him I wished to have two men for this purpose and he gave a mission to two men. These came for about two weeks. The Bishop came in the house one morning. I asked him what I should do, I was getting worse and worse all the time. He asked me if I had faith. I told him the pain was killing my faith. This was on Wednesday morning. He told me to have faith for two days and to pray every little ease I would have. I did not eat or drink till Thrusday night. This night, with help I went to meeting. There was a Welsh brother sitting by my side and I asked him who was addressing the meeting? He said, "Uncle John Young; Pres. B. Young's brother. I felt, myself, if he would administer to me I would be alright. After the meeting was over, I called on the Bishop and Bro. John Young and Crandell Dunn to come and administer to me. Bro,Young called on Br. Crandell Dunn to be the mouth and before they had their hands off my head, I was well. I don't expect I'll forget that night in time or in eternity.
Crops were short in 1855 and my family were supported by donations until harvest in 1856. The Bishop had two acres of barley and this was for the poor. Nineteen families had this. They cut it and threshed it and had it ground.
1857
During the winter I felt greatly in need of a cow and I went and prayed by a bush. I made a covenant with my heavenly Father right there that I would not eat or drink till he would open the way for me to have a cow. That next morning about 6 oclock, the Bishop knocked on the door, I was in bed, I jumped up and let him in. He asked me if I had a shawl I would like to sell for a hiefer. I asked my wife what she would say in the matter. She said, "I leave that to you." I went and got a double shawl and showed it to the Bishop. He told me he would let me have the hiefer and two dollars worth of butter for one half of the shawl. Thie hiefer was coming two years old and would have a calf in that season. Then he asked me if I had a nice handkerchief I would sell. I told him I had a black silk handkerchief I bought for my Father's funeral. Said he, "I'll let you have a steer calf a year old in the spring for it." At that time the snow was over three feet deep. I told the Bishop I did not know what to do with them. He told me to let them stay at his hay stack till the grass grows. I watered them three times a day till the spring of the year.
During the harvest of 1856, my wife went gleaning every day and she was on the way for the twins. I thrashed at night what she gleaned days and we had it ground. My wife had a pair of twins on the 22nd of September 1856, named Margaret and Joseph Mathew Martin.
This year of 1857 was called the "move". All the people north of Salt Lake County were going to move south of that county. I was taken to Salt Lake City. Stayed there about three weeks. Left my steer and heifer at Farmington. After I stayed about four days in the city I went and hunted for my heifer and calf, found them and took them to Salt Lake City and put them in a herd over Jordan. Went next day to town and met Bro. Stevenson on the street. I asked him if would buy my yearling. He asked me where it was. I told him it would be at my house that evening. He came, saw it, gave me shoes for myself and family and gave me a sack of flour besides.
From Salt Lake City I moved to Provo and worked for Bishop Blackburn. Made some scrip working on Provo canyon road, $40.00. I walked to Salt Lake City, 50 miles, to try and get some clothing for my family. They would not look at my scrip. I walked next day to Provo, 50 miles.
On the 20th of August, my wife had a son which we called William Daniel. He died Sept. 5th. This month I went to Camp Floyd in Cedar Valley. I got work making adesbois (dobies) and in thirteen days I made $30.00 in gold and got back home. The first thing I bought was a bake kettle for $11.00. That winter I worked for Bishop Blackburn. We took a contract to move church grain and flour and made sometimes $6.00 per day. I worked around the tithing office till late in 1859. On the 10th of January 1860, my wife had another son, Edward Martin. The latter part of March, I started for Cache Valley with Bro. Thomas Smart. We arrived in Wellsville April 4th. Bro. Smart and others went to find a place to settle and on the 15th of April we arrived at Franklin. Several families were there when we arrived. Bro. Peter Maughan came soon after we arrived and appointed Thomas Smart President and S. R. Parkinson and James Sanderson his counselors. We moved onto the site of the present town of Franklin.
In April, the land was surveyed in ten acre lots in what was called the south field. Our names were called and we drew tickets out of a hat for choice of land. We made a corral and then commenced plowing. I was working for Bro. Smart this season.
Owen Roberts came to Franklin June 3rd and brought my wife; his sister-in-law with him. This month of June, Pres. B. Young and company came to Franklin and apponted Preston Thomas Bishop. I got a team of oxen, cows, sheep and a wagon.
In 1862 on the 19th of April my daughter, Celia Jane, was born. I was gaining property. In 1864 we moved out of a fort onto town lots. I had a good lot. On the 4th of November, I had another son born, named Lorenzo Martin. May 1st, 1867 I had a son born, Nephi Martin. My son, David Alma, was born February 11th, 1870.
August 31, 1872, I was working in American Fork Canyon and received word that my son, Joseph, was killed (shot). I started for home the 3rd of September. He and another boy named Jordan Hickman were out shooting ducks and he was shot, accidentally, I suppose. Bishop L.H. Hatch counselled the people to dig his grave and took him over to the grave yard and put him in his grave covered over with a little hay till I came home. After I arrived home, Bishop Hatch called the people and went to the grave yard and uncovered him so as I could see him. The Bishop asked me if I would like to have him up out of the grave and open the coffin. I said, "No, I could not recognize him as he would be discolored." Then he was buried and the grave dedicated. The Bishop asked me if I was satisfied to have a funeral sermon preached next Sunday. I answered "Yes".
After this, I went to work for Amos Hawkes at a sawmill. Worked there till it closed up.
1873
I worked on the gravel train in the spring. Then I went to work on the saw mill till September. Then I went and worked on the Bear River Canyon road. Then I went and worked on the U. & N. Railway grade.
In November, Margaret and me separated and on December 10th I married Harriett Preece in Salt Lake City.
1874
In the spring I went and worked on the section on the U. & N. Railway. Worked till about July, then I went to work for L.H. Hatch and B. Young, Jr. boring for coal until about October. We sunk about 78 feet.
On the 31st of October my wife, Harriett, had a son named Joseph Ephriam.
1875
In the srping of this year I went boring for coal again for L.H. Hatch and B. Young, Jr. in the south field Coveville, Utah in a hollow.
Started in soapstone and quit in the same kind of stuff 58 feet deep.
Worked till June and went up Cub River to gather hay. Afterwards, went and quarried rock for the Logan Tabernacle at Franklin in the temple quarry.
1876
Worked at the quarry this season.
1877
In the month of May, I moved my family up Cub River on my ranch. On the 26th of July my wife had another son named Hyrum James. Worked a little on the ranch.
1878
Worked on the railroad most of the year.
(Last entry)
Joseph Thomas Perkins was the first settler in Cub River Canyon. About 1881, a branch of the church was organized in Cub River and was called St. Joseph in honor of Joseph Perkins. Later, the name of this settlement was changed to Mapleton as there was another St. Joseph in Idaho.
When this branch of the church was organized into a ward in the year 1888, Edward Martin Perkins, son of Joseph and Margaret Perkins, was sustained as Bishop. Up to this time, when the branch was organized, Joseph Perkins was appointed Presiding Elder.
The first Relief Society President in the ward was Harriett Perkins, wife of Joseph Perkins.
He died in Mapleton, Idaho on June 7, 1889, and is buried in the Franklin Cemetery.
