HISTORY OF ALBEY LYMAN SHERMAN

Grandfather lived in Nauvoo at the time when great persecutions were taking place, when the mob was after the Prophet Joseph Smith and other leaders of the Church. He witnessed the sorrow and mourning among the Saints when their beloved Prophet, Joseph Smith and Patriarch, Hyrum Smith were shot and killed by the mob. Grandfather was about fourteen years old at the time.

The persecution became so great that the Saints were threatened with their lives if they did not leave Nauvoo and the state of Illinois. So in the middle of the winter they left their homes, farms and everything they had except what few things they could take with them in their wagons and crossed the Mississippi River on the ice and made camp on the other side which was in the state of Iowa. Church History reports that on the first night of their encampment nine babies were born in the extreme cold weather, the people were without proper clothing and necessary shelter. Many of the wagons were without covers, which would not shed rain. The roads were almost impassable because of constant storms. Many died of sickness and exposure. Such were the sufferings of the Saints. My grandfather, Albey Lyman Sherman, his mother, brothers and sisters were traveling with the group.

They arrived in Council Bluffs, Iowa the 11 July 1849. Here they went through many hardships and much sorrow. Here two sisters and one brother died; Alvira, 20; Mary E., 19; and Seth, 15; all in the year of 1850. (Ref. MS844, S.L. Library; also the headstone of Mary E. still stands in the Council Bluffs Cemetery). Another brother, Daniel died somewhere along the way. The mother Delcena arrived in Utah with only two of her six children in an unidentified company.

In 1854 Albey Lyman Sherman, his mother Delcena and his youngest sister, Susan Julia, started across the plains on the last lap of their journey. He was married the 10 June 1854 to Mary Elvira Swan at the North Platt River. She was born 15 December 1835 in Scotland and was the daughter of George Swan and Elizabeth Warrender. It had been reported that there had been a birth and a death on the trip and it was suggested that they also have a marriage, so they were married on the plains. That same year, shortly after they arrived in the valley, mother, Delcena died the 21 October 1854 in Salt Lake City. She had developed very poor health while crossing the plains but had struggled on until she reached Zion. Her passing was one of grandfather's greatest sorrows.

The 28th of August 1857 they went to the Endowment House in Salt Lake and had their work completed.

In the spring of 1855 he and his wife moved to Payson, Utah where their first child was born on April 29, 1855, much to their sorrow it died the following day. From there they moved to Santaquin, Utah where their next two children, Mary Elvira and Albey William were born. In 1860 they moved to Fountain Green, Sanpete County, Utah, pioneering all along the way, they were some of the first settlers there. The rest of their children were born there.

Grandfather took an active part in the Black Hawk War, which was going on at that time. The war lasted several years and forts had to be built for the people's protection. Chief Black Hawk's Indians would raid the settlements; steal the cattle, horses and innocent people. The men would attempt to recover the livestock stolen by pursuing the Indians and many men were killed by Indian ambush.

In 1866 grandfather was gone about six months when President Brigham Young called for volunteers to go to Missouri to assist ‘poor' immigrants in crossing the plains.

Grandfather had many talents. He was considered to be a good butcher. He made and sold good soda crackers. He, in his earlier years, would accompany swimming parties to serve as a lifesaver in case of trouble. He acted as an interpreter many time as he could understand and speak the Indian language. Grandmother could also. Grandfather was considered a very good teamster and had very fine, well trained horses. He was a good L.D.S. man, had a good disposition and was good provider.

At a call from the church authorities in the spring of 1879 he helped settle Huntington. Some family accompanied him. He took up and worked 160 acres of land North of town. He brought the rest of his family in October 1880. The first winter they lived in a dugout on the Huntington River. The following summer they built a large log room later they built another room about the same size and connected them together with a lumber-room, which they used for a kitchen.

In 1897 they built a home on Main Street in the Huntington town site where he spend the remainder of his life. He died September 18, 1911 at age 78.

Grandfather spent his life pioneering; making roads, building bridges and canals. He was a great and noble man and leaves a large posterity to honor his name. He crossed the plains in 1866 with the Captain Abner Lowery Company. Part of a collection of Huntington DUP and is in achieve department of BYU Harold B. Lee Library.

His wife Mary Elvira died 15 November 1914 at Huntington, Emery, Utah. 13 of their 14 children lived and died in Huntington between 1880 and September 1962. The first death was in 1902.