Matthew
Mansfield
(As told
by Thomas M. Rees, November 21, 1948)
This afternoon I went to George
Walton's to have a talk with his father, George, who is
now nearly 89 years old. He knew my grandfather Mathew Mansfield for a number of years as
they both lived in Mill Creek Ward. Grandfather settled here, built his home, a fairly large
adobe house of large adobes about 12" x 6" x 3" or 4". The walls were 18" thick. The
house faced 7th East west side, nearly 400' back from the street, built on the headwaters of
a large spring which was used for culinary purposes until a very few years before we
moved to Salt Lake County in 1891 (spring). The old folks, grandfather and his wife,
found it quite a task to carry their water up the hill from the spring which was 15 feet or
more lower than the ground where the house was built so they had Bro. Walton drive a well
up front of the house about half way to the street. Then they ran a small pipe down to the
house, not into the house though.
now nearly 89 years old. He knew my grandfather Mathew Mansfield for a number of years as
they both lived in Mill Creek Ward. Grandfather settled here, built his home, a fairly large
adobe house of large adobes about 12" x 6" x 3" or 4". The walls were 18" thick. The
house faced 7th East west side, nearly 400' back from the street, built on the headwaters of
a large spring which was used for culinary purposes until a very few years before we
moved to Salt Lake County in 1891 (spring). The old folks, grandfather and his wife,
found it quite a task to carry their water up the hill from the spring which was 15 feet or
more lower than the ground where the house was built so they had Bro. Walton drive a well
up front of the house about half way to the street. Then they ran a small pipe down to the
house, not into the house though.
Bro. Walton told me grandfather was
rather a short man, in his later years bent over,
and he had prostate trouble. He was a member of the Nauvoo Legion inNauvoo , Illinois
. His wife, Isabella, was very well acquainted with the Smith family. She witnessed the
scene when the mob tore Joseph away from his family, and Hyrum. Hyrum was holding
his son, Joseph Fielding Smith, on his lap. The mob grabbed the boy and threw him
away with such force it hurt him severely, refusing to let Hyrum even kiss his wife good-bye,
etc., and dragged him away to Carthage. Sister Mansfield always talked about those things
and would give way to tears and sobs as she did. Being very close to the Smiths it affected
her greatly. She was a very fine woman.
and he had prostate trouble. He was a member of the Nauvoo Legion in
. His wife, Isabella, was very well acquainted with the Smith family. She witnessed the
scene when the mob tore Joseph away from his family, and Hyrum. Hyrum was holding
his son, Joseph Fielding Smith, on his lap. The mob grabbed the boy and threw him
away with such force it hurt him severely, refusing to let Hyrum even kiss his wife good-bye,
etc., and dragged him away to Carthage. Sister Mansfield always talked about those things
and would give way to tears and sobs as she did. Being very close to the Smiths it affected
her greatly. She was a very fine woman.
Grandfather built his house probably
as early as 1850. The sandstone in the
foundation was probaby hauled fromEmigration Canyon
but was picked up loose as the stones were rounded and weatherworn. I have a picture
still of the old house. It was plastered on the outside when I saw it, but in earlier years it
was bare adobies. There were three rooms along the front with a hall between the north
room and the one next south. The two south rooms had a wide opening between so they
were much like the more modern large rooms, semi-divided into two. Before there was
any meetinghouse in all their section, it was the largest room. They could dance two sets
in it, and many is the time they came on a surprise party bringing the music along with
them. The furniture was moved out, and they danced until the wee hours of the morning.
foundation was probaby hauled from
but was picked up loose as the stones were rounded and weatherworn. I have a picture
still of the old house. It was plastered on the outside when I saw it, but in earlier years it
was bare adobies. There were three rooms along the front with a hall between the north
room and the one next south. The two south rooms had a wide opening between so they
were much like the more modern large rooms, semi-divided into two. Before there was
any meetinghouse in all their section, it was the largest room. They could dance two sets
in it, and many is the time they came on a surprise party bringing the music along with
them. The furniture was moved out, and they danced until the wee hours of the morning.
My mother was born in thie old home
in 1857, and her sister, Aunt Mary about two
years later. Probably before Uncle Matthew was born, Grandfather had been called to
Dixie to help
settle the St. George country.
years later. Probably before Uncle Matthew was born, Grandfather had been called to
Grandfather didn't sell his place as
some did. He rented it and made one or
two
trips back and forth from Dixie each year, bringing such Dixie produce as they might have
and taking back such farm produce as they had or needed and perhaps such other "store
goods" as they could, or could afford. It took a long time to make the trip by team and
covered wagon.
trips back and forth from Dixie each year, bringing such Dixie produce as they might have
and taking back such farm produce as they had or needed and perhaps such other "store
goods" as they could, or could afford. It took a long time to make the trip by team and
covered wagon.
He stayed in Dixie quite a
number of years and came back to the old home when
he was getting old. He went to St. George before the U. S. Government surveyed the land,
so he had only a "squatter's right" as did all others who took up their farms and homesteads
under the old Big Field Survey and others made before 1870 thereabouts when the
Government survey was made. The land all had to be homesteaded to get a title from
the U. S. Government. Grandfather's land lay in 4 different quarter sections. He had 90
acres or more. The N. E. part was in the homestead taken up by Lorenzo Stutz. The
south east part was in the homestead of ___ Boulton. I haven't looked up the others. These
various people secured the homestead titles then deeded to Grandfather those portions
of his land in their respective homesteads. Their words were their bonds. They were honest
men, and I am afraid we couldn't trust too many now-a-days to do the square deal and
neighborly act as they did it. So while Grandfather was away on this mission called by
Pres. Brigham Young, his neighbors looked after his interests and performed this service
honestly. Renters, however, don't often level the land and build it up, so some of it was
still much unimproved when he died. There were some alkali knolls that had never been
leveled or watered. The one my house and John's house are built on was one of
these. We leveled it down low enough to get water on it by use of the tongue scraper
and hauling by wagon (dump boards). It took much of the soil off leaving very thin soil
and this alkali land, so it is we have had to build it up over many years, but the alkali is
not all out yet by any means. We scraped and hauled this top soil eastward into a low
swale which I now use for a garden. I have had to build up this soil over many years,
but it still isn's very good, and there are many things it will not raise well or abundantly. I
have a good garden, but it is spotted as a leopard, and I have to know what to plant in
each part of it. In this way my garden usually all looks good.
he was getting old. He went to St. George before the U. S. Government surveyed the land,
so he had only a "squatter's right" as did all others who took up their farms and homesteads
under the old Big Field Survey and others made before 1870 thereabouts when the
Government survey was made. The land all had to be homesteaded to get a title from
the U. S. Government. Grandfather's land lay in 4 different quarter sections. He had 90
acres or more. The N. E. part was in the homestead taken up by Lorenzo Stutz. The
south east part was in the homestead of ___ Boulton. I haven't looked up the others. These
various people secured the homestead titles then deeded to Grandfather those portions
of his land in their respective homesteads. Their words were their bonds. They were honest
men, and I am afraid we couldn't trust too many now-a-days to do the square deal and
neighborly act as they did it. So while Grandfather was away on this mission called by
Pres. Brigham Young, his neighbors looked after his interests and performed this service
honestly. Renters, however, don't often level the land and build it up, so some of it was
still much unimproved when he died. There were some alkali knolls that had never been
leveled or watered. The one my house and John's house are built on was one of
these. We leveled it down low enough to get water on it by use of the tongue scraper
and hauling by wagon (dump boards). It took much of the soil off leaving very thin soil
and this alkali land, so it is we have had to build it up over many years, but the alkali is
not all out yet by any means. We scraped and hauled this top soil eastward into a low
swale which I now use for a garden. I have had to build up this soil over many years,
but it still isn's very good, and there are many things it will not raise well or abundantly. I
have a good garden, but it is spotted as a leopard, and I have to know what to plant in
each part of it. In this way my garden usually all looks good.
Coming back to the house again as I
didn't finish describing it. The windows
were
small of small glass panes. The front part was a story and a half high. There were bedrooms
upstairs. I don't distinctly remember the stairs whether they were stairs or a ladder. At
the back of the house two rooms had been built on. They had fallen into disuse when we
came, but we used one for a cellar part of the time. They say Mother was born in the north
room.
small of small glass panes. The front part was a story and a half high. There were bedrooms
upstairs. I don't distinctly remember the stairs whether they were stairs or a ladder. At
the back of the house two rooms had been built on. They had fallen into disuse when we
came, but we used one for a cellar part of the time. They say Mother was born in the north
room.
I have heard some people talk of
Grandfather as Doctor Mansfield. I don't
know
why. As I knew him he still gardened a little. I remember him using his hoe partly for a cane,
but he rented the farm. When he died there was only 30 acres more or less left. Just two
or three years earlier, he had sold 40 acres just north of the thirty acres. Still earlier he gave
his sister Aunty Ford (Miriam) twenty acres. Part of that is inNibley Park
traced all his land holdings but should, and it should be interesting. The old survey recognized
before about 1895 or 6 was in conflict with a later survey made, as I remember off hand,
between 1896 and 1900 moved 7th East about 3 1/2 feet to the west and 33rd South (then 14th South) about 12 feet to the south at 17th East and more than that on 5th East. The discrepancy
is a trapezoid wedge about 12 feet less on 7th East and 25 feet on 5th East just about 200
feet south of what is now Leland. Avenue. This difference in surveys is causing now and
will cause much difficulties in the future. The County is trying to recognize the later survey,
but it has no authority to enforce a straightening up of this matter which extends through
quite a part of the country here. There are similar troubles all over the county.
why. As I knew him he still gardened a little. I remember him using his hoe partly for a cane,
but he rented the farm. When he died there was only 30 acres more or less left. Just two
or three years earlier, he had sold 40 acres just north of the thirty acres. Still earlier he gave
his sister Aunty Ford (Miriam) twenty acres. Part of that is in
traced all his land holdings but should, and it should be interesting. The old survey recognized
before about 1895 or 6 was in conflict with a later survey made, as I remember off hand,
between 1896 and 1900 moved 7th East about 3 1/2 feet to the west and 33rd South (then 14th South) about 12 feet to the south at 17th East and more than that on 5th East. The discrepancy
is a trapezoid wedge about 12 feet less on 7th East and 25 feet on 5th East just about 200
feet south of what is now Leland. Avenue. This difference in surveys is causing now and
will cause much difficulties in the future. The County is trying to recognize the later survey,
but it has no authority to enforce a straightening up of this matter which extends through
quite a part of the country here. There are similar troubles all over the county.
Grandfather, like other men of the
time, took to himself more than one wife.
He
married my Grandmother who had lost her husband on the way over fromSweden or
Denmark Sweden , he was
from Denmark
I am not sure, but she had at least three boys - Uncles Fred, John, and Ephraim. (Peter {died),
Peter Edward {died 10 yrs). Then she had three or four by Grandfather, Mother, Aunt Mary,
and Uncle Matthew. I believe she lost one. (Sarah Ellen Josephine-10 children)
married my Grandmother who had lost her husband on the way over from
I am not sure, but she had at least three boys - Uncles Fred, John, and Ephraim. (Peter {died),
Peter Edward {died 10 yrs). Then she had three or four by Grandfather, Mother, Aunt Mary,
and Uncle Matthew. I believe she lost one. (Sarah Ellen Josephine-10 children)
Like many others of that day,
Grandfather sacrificed much for the gospel but obeyed
the calls made of him. Bro. Walton drove a group of several small wells down in the
field. They are in the piece of land John owns west of me. They were shallow wells, and
some of them were driven with a sledge hammer. The water was full of mineral, and in time
the wells clogged up and quit flowing altogether or nearly. One of them is still flowing a
nice little stream of quite good water. It is from a different level (underground) and deeper
than the others. They were driven for irrigation purposes and to water the stock. They
were never much good for irrigation, and the creeks all around the old farm are better water
than the wells, that is, they were before being poluted by so many houses now built all over
the land.
the calls made of him. Bro. Walton drove a group of several small wells down in the
field. They are in the piece of land John owns west of me. They were shallow wells, and
some of them were driven with a sledge hammer. The water was full of mineral, and in time
the wells clogged up and quit flowing altogether or nearly. One of them is still flowing a
nice little stream of quite good water. It is from a different level (underground) and deeper
than the others. They were driven for irrigation purposes and to water the stock. They
were never much good for irrigation, and the creeks all around the old farm are better water
than the wells, that is, they were before being poluted by so many houses now built all over
the land.
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