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My Pioneer Ancestors
Matson line
Stone line
Reschke line
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You might wonder why so many people work on their genealogy. Do you know it is the third most popular hobby in the world today? In Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, people flock from all over the world to do research at the Family History Library owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormon Church). There they can select from over 2 ½ million films, and thousands of microfiche or books to search for their ancestors. And there is no charge except a small fee for copying pages or film images.
Image: Pioneer Trek - Click on picture to enlarge
I would like to explain why I work on my genealogy, or family history, as we “Mormons” call it. Many of my ancestors were pioneers who lived during the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mormons then, and still do, refer to themselves as Saints.* The Mormons were driven out of Nauvoo, Illinois, by anti-Mormons who were afraid they would take over their territory, geographically, spiritually and politically. But first in 1844, they murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. And then….
In 1846 the Saints left Nauvoo, Illinois, to find peace and religious freedom in the Rocky Mountains. Though winter had not yet passed, fears of mob attacks and rumors of government intervention compelled President Brigham Young to get the Saints on their way. He directed the first group of pioneer families to leave Nauvoo on 4 February 1846, a very cold day. They drove their heavy wagons and their livestock down Parley Street to a landing where they were ferried across the river to Iowa. Chunks of ice floating in the river crunched against the sides of the barges that carried the wagons across the Mississippi. A few weeks later, temperatures dropped even further and wagons could cross the river more easily over a bridge of ice. [It was very unusual for the ice to harden this much.]
Walking across the plains was not easy for those who could not ride in wagons. Some had no shoes, some had shoes but the soles were thin. Many died on the way and were buried in shallow graves. But on they walked into the wilderness, their journey marked by faith in every footstep. Eventually, they arrived at Salt Lake Valley where they found peace. There they opened up a new frontier and made the desert blossom like a rose.
My ancestors were among those pioneers. I am proud to be a descendant of the Matsons and the Stones, pioneers who helped to settle Utah. And I am fortunate to have been successful in finding many ancestors of my husband. Although they were not Mormon pioneers, they were early pioneers in Europe. This is the Reschke line.
* The word “saint” means all those who by baptism have entered into the Christian covenant. (See Acts 9: 13, 32, 41; Rom. 1: 7; Cor. I: 2)
Image: Covered wagon train to the west -
I wish to extend my gratitude to Marcus Klutzny for creating this website. He has spent countless hours trying to make it perfect for me, my family and my friends. But my greatest and most heartfelt thanks to him is for the part he played in finding so many ancestors of my husband. For this I will eternally be grateful.