Some Christmastime Memories

So I've been making slow progress in uploading, tagging, and captioning Grandma and Ken Raleigh Sr.'s photos to FamilySearch (so they're preserved for our posterity) but progress it is! I've done about 330 photos and have about 100 photos left! I'll share the complete album soon, but you can check out the ones of Ken Raleigh Sr. on his FamilySearch page as well as Debby and Kathy's. Below are some Christmastime memories I found from those collections as well as a few from my own scrapbook.

L to R: Kenny, Mike, Debby, Kathy

Christmas 1959, Springbrook Way looking towards the front door. This is what it looked like before the basement was built ;)

December 1967: (L to R) Back: Mike, Steve, Kenny Debby, and front: Kathy holding Jeff, Chris

Chris and Jeff showing off their Christmas loot, 1974

Steve in the backyard showing off the snow

Steph and Jansyn at the family Christmas party, 1987

Steph giving Santa her Christmas wishes with Justin, Brian, and Lauren in the background, 1988. Ha, don't you just love Brian in the background?

Steph opening her present at the family Christmas party. Don't you love how little kids have to be right there to see what the other kids got? L to R in the background: Jen, Tyler, Kallin, Amanda, and Reid (correct me if I'm wrong).

Super bad quality photocopied print I have, but I love this family Christmas pic of you guys! Nick's confident pose and Tyler's cute little mullet :)

Merry Christmas Raleigh/Furse family!!

The Hatch family during World War II

Every once in a while I get on a World War II kick. I just finished the novel, "The Nightingale" which is about two sisters in France during World War II. It reminded me that I had written a paper in college about my own grandparents' experiences during World War II. Here's the excerpts about Grandma Barbara Hatch Furse and her family. See the original version with footnotes here:

December 7, 1941 started out as a calm Sunday morning. Within hours, the United States would never be the same again. While many Latter-day Saints were in their Sunday meetings, the United States' naval base in Oahu, Hawaii was being bombed by Japan. As a result of this surprise attack, 2,403 Americans were dead and the United States was now fully a part of World War II. Across the Pacific Ocean in the little town of Farmington, Utah, a ten-year old girl named Barbara Hatch had just gotten home from church. Her family turned on the radio to hear the shocking news that America was under attack.

As the war set in, supplies became more scarce and so rationing coupons were implemented to control the types and quantities of food available. Metal was in demand, and as an elementary school student my grandma Barbara remembers collecting scrap metal and having competitions at school to see who got the most. My grandma also remembers rationing gas and sugar and receiving rationing coupons...She also remembers a German POW hollering at her as their truck drove by one day. He yelled, "I'm gonna bring you something tomorrow!" and the next day he threw her a little trophy.

Barbara's mother Edith Hatch many times in her life foresaw events relating to her family. In 1942, Barbara's older brother Spencer was preparing to join the Navy Air Corps and head overseas to fly in the Pacific Theater. His mother was concerned about him and told him, "Spencer, if you do (go over there), you'll find yourself floating in the Pacific Ocean." On January 2, 1945, Spencer was attempting to take off from the aircraft carrier when his plane developed engine trouble. He made a water landing about 100 yards in front of the carrier and before he knew it the whole plane was submerged. The area of the ocean he was in was highly dangerous - seven miles deep, the carrier was bearing down on him and sharks were in the area, but thankfully he was rescued and suffered no major injuries. Yet through that experience he directly fulfilled his mother's prophecy. 

Barbara also recalls the emotional toll the war took on her brother Spencer. He came home on leave one winter and she could sense that he was sad to head back out again. As he walked away from their house, this torn, twenty year-old young man grabbed a fistful of snow and threw a defiant snowball. 

"In 1945 Spencer saw aerial combat in the Pacific at the Philippine Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He shot down three enemy planes...[and his own plane] was seriously shot up from ground fire but he was able to get his plane back to the aircraft carrier for a safe landing...He was recommended for the Silver Star, was awarded the distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals 'for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in action against the enemy.'" source

One of the most poignant moments for Barbara was not long after Pearl Harbor. At ten years-old she came home from school one day rather upset. Her mother sensed something was wrong and in response to her mother's questioning Barbara broke into tears. "They're gonna bomb us and kill us all!" she cried. As a good mother does, Edith took her daughter and reassured her, telling her that as long as we keep the commandments our country will be blessed, protected, and will prosper (2 Nephi 1:9, 20, 31).

Barbara around ten years old

Barbara with Clark Adams, Dale Tingey and Buck Adams in 1947

Spencer shaking hands with Dwight D. Eisenhower. White-haired LDS Church President David O. McKay is off to the general's right.

Spencer Fearnley Hatch

Witnesses to the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies

Did you know our ancestors witnessed the death and suffering of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies first-hand? I didn't until recently. I have grown up hearing of the unimaginable sacrifices of these pioneers - they were composed of mostly converts from Scandinavia and the British Isles who were taken across the plains very late in the season. That, combined with an unseasonably early snowfall led to great suffering and death.

Tragic Incline by David Linn

Prairie Angels by Leon Parson

Ever Onward by Joseph Brickey

Hallowed Ground by Ron Richmond

In 1856, 23 year-old William Woodward (Barbara Hatch --> Spencer Hatch --> Marinda Woodward --> William Woodward) was traveling home from a mission to England and because of the timing, he ended up traveling home with the James G. Willie Company.  He helped build handcarts, was appointed as leader of a group of hundred and served as clerk for the company from October 1 until arrival in Salt Lake Valley, writing for a time in the official journal for the journey. William Woodward spoke and preached at evening gatherings and dealt first-hand with leading and watching over the sick, dying, dealing with the dead and all the stresses of that journey. They arrived in Salt Lake City on Sunday, November 9, 1856. William recorded in his journal “we were dirty & lousy, body lice by the hundreds were on our people.” (source)

Elizabeth Ann Player (Kenneth James Raleigh Sr. --> Harold James Raleigh --> Hyrum Blandchard Raleigh --> Elizabeth Ann Player) at age 17 immigrated from Wales (a convert of Dan Jones’ mission) along with her sister Emily. They came with the John A Hunt Company which traveled most of the way with wagons, not handcarts. The Hunt Company started behind the Martin Handcart company and stayed in close proximity most of the journey, arriving Dec. 10, 1856. This company may have been one of the latest arriving companies of pioneers to the valley during the period of Mormon migration. No one died in this company, but suffered the extreme cold, frostbite, hunger, other hardships. Another girl her same age writes of her experience here, giving us a glimpse of what it may have been like for Elizabeth. Imagine camping in freezing temperatures for two months and going through Emigration Canyon in December, through drifts of snow so deep you repeatedly fall. As these freezing and starving saints were arriving, Brigham Young asked local church leaders and members to take those in who had no place to go. Elizabeth and sister Emily were taken in by Bishop A.H. Raleigh and Elizabeth married Raleigh in 1857.

I like to imagine what lasting impact that unforgettable journey had on these ancestors of mine. I wish (and look forward to) asking them more about their experiences some day.

The Larson Mystery, part 2

Over the last five months I've been digging into the John Larson mystery. I've procrastinated posting about it, hoping to have the the mystery completely solved and the loose ends tied up, but as things usually turn out, it became more complicated than that. I also found plenty of sadness in their lives and have been waiting to find more redemptive experiences so I could display the story in a hopeful way - one that comes full circle. Well, life is complicated, messy, and often we can't see the happy ending yet, so why should I wait to tell their story? As I continue to research I will continue to share, but in the meantime I might as well jump in and write about it now, and I think we may together through our own lives and experiences find redemption in the long-term story of the Larson/Raleigh family.

As I left off with the last John Larson post, we have some Mormon Swedish roots. But were those Mormon Swedes who immigrated to Utah polygamists too? I was trying to figure it out. I am related to John Larson through my father, whose father is: Ken Raleigh Sr --> Leona May Larson --> Oscar Nephi Larson --> John Larson. So, John is my great-great-great grandfather. Who was he? Why did his great-grandson Ken Raleigh live such a troubled life? Why did his granddaughter Leona May struggle so much too? (More on her in a later post). What are the names of my ancestors going back further into Sweden? I feel like moving backwards in history would help me answer some questions.

Rather than confuse you with the complex research process I went through, let me tell you a story:

There was a man and woman named Johan Larsson and Carolina Molander who had a daughter named Martha Carolina. They lived in southeastern Sweden in the mid 1800s.

(above: household record of the family)

in 1856, their daughter Martha dies at one and a half years old. Around the time of this tragic event, it appears her parents have joined the Mormons.

(A note from the family's state church record dated June 12, 1857. Still trying to completely translate this, but it says something at the very end to the effect of "...to be Mormons" and another column notes they moved to a city called Norrköping in 1857.) 

Joining the Mormon church wasn't an easy thing to do in Sweden at that time. You could be publicly shamed by your former church and even thrown in jail by the government. To strengthen the idea they joined the Mormons, I found a record of a Johan and Caroline Larsen who sailed to Utah with a company of Saints in 1858 whose ages match the Swedish couple above. I want to assume all these Swedish records are of our Larsons, but there are some date discrepancies with the records of our Larsons once they got to Utah. As I'm learning, real genealogists cannot do too much assuming. I'm pretty confident the proof will eventually come as I keep chipping away at it, and then we can more confidently add to our Swedish line further back into Sweden.

Where our story confidently continues is in Utah. Between 1861-1863, John married two sisters who hailed from Sweden as well - Anna Helena and Caroline Ramstrom, who is our ancestor. I finally figured this out from a divorce record I got a hold of last April through the Utah State Archives. Whether John was married to all three women was my mystery - and it has been solved! John was a polygamist but it wasn't pretty. After the marriages, the two Ramstrom sisters lived in a home in the village of Brighton while his first wife lived at 200 N, between 200 and 300 W in Salt Lake City. At least ten children were born to John during those first 20 years in Utah - three surviving from first wife Caroline O., and seven from third wife Caroline R. First wife Caroline O. and family actually lived in the 19th ward during the time that Alonzo Hazleton Raleigh was bishop (1856-1877). Alonzo is also our ancestor! A lot more about him will be coming because I am so interested in digging more into his story. Our Larson and Raleigh lines seem to first collide during the twenty years the Larsons lived in the 19th ward, but in 1924, Alonzo Raleigh's grandson Harold James Raleigh married John and Caroline Ramstrom's granddaughter Leona May Larson (Ken Raleigh Sr.'s parents). There is more significance to the Raleigh/Larson connection than I think we realize. In the spring/summer of 1876, as Alonzo H Raleigh was dealing with the divorce of his wife Caroline Lucy Curtis, two of John Larson's wives were divorcing him.

(July 22, 1876 Salt Lake Tribune, p. 4)

The divorce record between John and first wife Caroline O. (referred to in the article above) goes into a little more detail about her physical abuse and even threats to her life by John. Polygamy was often difficult to live for those early members of the church, but the abuse in this case was not the norm based on records and the history I've read. It is tragic and inexcusable. First wife Caroline O. struggled emotionally and mentally the rest of her life, ending up at the Provo Asylum (now called Utah State Hospital). Her hospital records state that she experienced sudden physical attacks on others and hallucinations that her children were being ill-treated. The record attributes her mental state to family troubles and that it began in 1876 - which is the year she divorced John.

Such a sad story - but what happened to the other wives and his children? I have bits and pieces of information which I hope to share. I just feel grateful to have had the life I've had, coming from the abusive generations which preceded me. Every person has the power, most effectively through Christ, to overcome abuse and trauma to break negative family patterns. Our family lives have gotten dramatically better, thanks in large part to the religious observance and teachings of our grandmother, Barbara Hatch Furse, to her children.

Missionary Map

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints many serve a mission which entails spending 18-24 months of your life proselyting and serving others full-time. Missionary work began as soon as the church was organized and continues as a pillar of the church's purpose today. Many of my ancestors and relatives have served missions and I wanted to display that visually on a map. I've mounted it on my son's wall so he can look to the men and women in our family who have served before him as an example of faith. I included immediate relatives of my child (aunts/uncles) and then grandfathers/grandmothers, and earlier ancestors beyond that as well.

You can make your own too! I bought the map on Amazon, then I found the ancestors' pictures through my family tree in FamilySearch. The hardest part for the earlier ancestors however, was finding out where they served.  I was able to figure it out by scrolling through their life histories which can often be found on FamilySearch. However, a really awesome new tool is now available which would have made my search so much quicker: Early Mormon Missionary Database 1830-1930. Enter in your ancestor's name, mission, or keyword to come up with details about their baptism, priesthood office, and missions they served in during what years.

For a Family Home Evening we talked about the person in the picture and where they served as my kids took turns attaching them to the map. Something else I want to do is to revisit this map with mission stories of these ancestors which I will be able to dig out as I read more about their life stories in FamilySearch. I hope this map will be a lasting reminder to my kids of the importance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For the Raleigh/Hatch side, here are some missionaries. Click on their name for more of their photos and stories in FamilySearch and their mission name for more of their mission/church data:

Alonzo Hazeltine Raleigh

New England States Mission, 1869-70

Eric Goudason Midboen Hogan

Scandinavian Mission,1853-55

William Woodward
British Mission, 1852-56 and 1873




Jane Annie Fearnley 
(Sister of our Great-Grandma Edith Fearnley Hatch)
Northern States Mission 1912-1913
Called only 14 years after women first began serving missions

Do you find this to be true?

My mom posted this on Facebook a little while back. I feel like the prison system is full of people who need emotional healing. Traumatic childhoods affect the rest of your life. Ken Raleigh Sr.'s childhood and adolescence involved abuse. Abuse of alcohol, verbal and even physical abuse. And then the trauma of November 28, 1943. He obviously needed help - but I don't know if he had access to that kind of help or if it even existed in his earlier years. I believe we all have agency and will be held responsible for our actions, but that God will judge us perfectly and justly with every consideration and mercy. However, it makes me ache that being hurt can lead to hurting others - and children! Oh, I am so glad I believe in a God who loves the little children and will someday make up for every wrong done unto them. I know Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of love and healing and grateful for the hope we can have in his atonement as we wade through the heartache this life can bring.

Kenneth Raleigh Sr., likely between 13-16 years old.

The ancestors that cover my walls

After a long holiday hiatus, I'm back! December was crazy for me as I'm sure it was for many. The first big thing I did at the beginning of December was to present on family history to my ward. I spoke about cultivating the Spirit of Elijah in our families. The Spirit of Elijah can be defined as “a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family.” (source) I feel this manifestation of the Spirit when I realize the significance of the lives of my ancestors - their influence and faith, their goodness, human failings and redemption - how similar we are in how we love, grieve, regret, and strive for God. I also feel it as I think of how throughout human history, families mattered. How today, our families give life meaning. When you are on your deathbed, your money and titles won't be there to hold your hand - your family and human relationships are what hopefully will comfort you on this side of the veil and the other. My sister Sam painted the watercolor pictured below: "Families are the Lord's workshop on earth" - a quote from Cheryl Esplin of the general Primary presidency of the church. It helps me feel the spirit of Elijah - that families are a divine part of this earthly experience:

Some creative ways we can cultivate the Spirit of Elijah in our families include some things I've shared here already and things I am excited to still share. This blog in and of itself cultivates the spirit of Elijah. In our homes we can cultivate this spirit by displaying photos and other visual art that represent our ancestors.

Did you know our ancestor Wealtha Bradford Hatch (fourth-great grandmother) was painted and featured in the Ensign magazine recently?

I'll talk more about her conversion story and that of other ancestors in a future post, but here's the article if you haven't read it.

I cut her picture right out of the magazine and put it in a 5x7 frame in my office. I love being reminded of her faith as I try to honor and remember her.

I also was very excited to put together an ancestor gallery wall when I moved into my new home this summer. I've been collecting some favorite family photos which I've found almost entirely through Familysearch. I printed them, gathered black frames from the dollar store and now have a corner in my home filled with these people.

One side is the Bennion side, the other is my side. Here are some of the Raleigh/Hatch family photos from my side of the wall:

Barbara and Grant's wedding

Kathy and her three oldest babies: Cicely, Ty, and Jason

Barbara Hatch Furse looking lovely with a featherduster(?) :)

Little boy Grant Saunders Furse

Spencer and Edith Hatch

Photos and stories are what most effectively turn my heart towards my ancestors. I feel like I truly get to know them and feel their influence by looking into their faces. I also love the opportunities to teach my children about them by displaying their images on my walls.