The family tradition about Edward Francis Mailon Guest from Jean's journal:

My great-grandfather, Edward Francis Mailon Guest wrote:
O Zion, the only land I prize
Majestically your mountains stand
Beneath those sunny skies.

[This] is just part of a poem he wrote and Grandpa Guest memorized it and would recite it to us.

Edward Francis Mailon Guest appears to have been christened in the Cobh (Queenstown) Catholic Cathedral, Cork, Ireland on 25 May 1828, son of Francis Guess and Johanna Mullane. Other family records give his birth as 24 May 1830, and 5 May 1830. William James Guest's records show his birth in Northumberland England, which is where he was living when he was first baptized, and the branch record at the time of his baptism give his birth place as #13 Havant Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. His father was believed to have been a sailor, so the family may have lived for a time in Portsmouth before moving to Northumberland. Family records give his parents names as Francis Guest and Johanna Mailon, phonetically close enough to the names in the church register for this christening entry to most likely be his christening record.

The church records also show a sister Johanna christened 25 September 1825, older than Edward, and a younger sister, Ellen, christened 20 February 1831. There was no christening found for his brother John or another possible sister named Mary, who is listed in the Ancestral File.

His father apparently died when he was a young man. He went to sea, perhaps as a cabin boy or other seaman's apprentice, to relieve his mother of supporting him. There are copies of Merchant Seaman's Records [Kew PRO BT 116] which show an Edmund or Edward Guest, born at Queenstown. His age is given on the 1853-57 Voyages list is 18, so this is either not the right Edward Guest, or this was the age at which he enlisted. (Edward would have been 24 in 1852.) The voyages for 1853 and 1854 show him sailing twice on the Sarah Huntly (?) to Sunderland, and another voyage in between these two which is very faint on the copy and cannot be deciphered. So the name and the links to Queenstown and Sunderland fit, but the age does not match!

After his apprenticeship or time of service was completed he went home, but found his family gone. A friend told him his mother and brother, John, had died; one sister married and moved to America; and the other sister moved to Wales. We have not been able to trace any of these family members.

Edward was first baptized "opposite the New Docks Ltd." on 23 April 1848, in the Sunderland Branch. He was baptized and confirmed by W. Knox. He would have been 20 years old at this time, if the christening entry is in fact his. Later Sunderland Branch Records show that he was "cut off" or excommunicated from the church on 22 Jan 1853, though no reason is given in the records for this action. A year later he was baptized again "in the River Where [Wear]" on 23 Feb 1854 by John Hare and confirmed by James Robson. An additional entry then shows his emigration to America on 26 Feb 1854.

After coming to Utah he settled in the Millcreek portion of Salt Lake County. He lived with the Miller family and met and married Jane Walton, daughter of Thomas Walton and Jane Colley. She was the ninth and last child of this marriage. She and Edward had twelve children. Jane died the day the last baby was born, 26 April 1882, and the baby died four months later, leaving Edward with nine children to raise, as two other children had died as infants. There is no indication that he ever remarried. The oldest daughter, Mary Ellen, must surely have been a great help to her father. The oldest son, Edward Francis Guest, had married just the year before, and it may be that he and his wife, Rebecca Butterworth, may have helped with the younger children as well, though there is no history written of this.

He is said to have been griefstricken with the loss of his wife and this last baby and the responsibility of the surviving children. It seems he had a nervous breakdown before he died fourteen years later on 4 August 1896. His son, Edward F. Guest, is said to have cried when recounting his father's condition.

Edward F. M. Guest was supposedly the first constable/deputy-sheriff of Salt Lake. He was away from home quite a bit and when the Indians would come to their home on South West Temple Street, his wife, Jane, would run outside and yell, "Smallpox, smallpox!" and the Indians, who were hungry would ride away. They were very frightened of that disease, because in those days, it was so deadly.

Edward F. M. Guest was one of those recruited in Utah in 1862 by Captain Lot Smith during the Civil War to help protect the mail and telegraph lines. [A Bryson direct-line ancestor, Alley Stephen Rose, was also in this company.] Indian raiders had "destroyed all the mail stations between Ft. Bridger, Wyoming and the North Platte. They frequently attacked and robbed the mail coaches and ruthlessly murdered white people. The situation became very alarming, for the line of communication was cut of from Omaha, Nebraska, to San Francisco, California" (Margaret M. Fisher, Utah and the Civil War, Deseret Book, 1929, Preface). The commission to recruit men came from President Abraham Lincoln through Adjutant-General L. Thomas to Brigham Young and then to Lot Smith. Adjutant-General Thomas' telegram dated 28 April 1862 had the following request:

You are requested to muster into the service of the United States a company of Utah volunteer cavalry, to arm and equip them immediately and send them East for the protection of the mail and telegraph lines extending from North Platte river below Independence Rock on the old Mormon pioneer trail to Fort Bridger (Fisher, p. 21).

One hundred and six men were mustered in just two days to answer the call. They were sworn in on 30 April 1862 on the grounds at Temple Square and left Salt Lake City on 1 May. "The men furnished their own horses, bridles, saddles, and all equipment necessary for the service, at their own expense, something otherwise unknown in the history of the Civil War (Fisher, p. 22). "The expedition was no pleasure trip. The men encountered rough roads and rougher weather. They were called upon to endure almost unbearable hardships and bitter privations. Upon one occasion early in the march, they encountered ten feet of newly fallen snow. In many places the roads were almost impassable and had to be rebuilt. A number of bridges were washed out and had to be reconstructed. Wash-outs, floods, and storms impeded their progress and added to their distress and discomfort. But they did not complain. With cheerful hearts and brave souls they slowly but steadily marched to their destination. They reached Independence Rock from the North Platte twenty days after they left their homes" (Fisher, p. 26). The company returned to Salt Lake on 14 August 1862, serving a total of 106 days, one for each man in the original company.

Utah and the Civil War contains the diaries of a several of the men who served in the company. However, only one reference to Edward Guest was found. In the diary of Dr. Harvey C. Hullinger, who was the physician and surgeon for the company, is the following entry:

Salt Lake City, Wednesday, April 30. Removed to the southwest part of the city and camped. Here we were sworn in and organized. Ed Guest and I were appointed cooks for a mess of ten. The mess consisted of John P. Wimmer, John Neff, Edward F. M. Guest, Hiram B. North, James H. Gragun, Eph Williams, Leander Lemmon, Reuben P. Miller, Ben Neff and myself (Fisher, p. 39).

His entry dated Tuesday, 6 May states: "The morning was bright and clear. We moved down across the Weber. We went to Chalk Creek and built a bridge. I quit the job as cook the day we camped on Chalk Creek" (Fisher p. 40). This presumably left "Ed Guest" to cook for their mess of ten men, possibly on his own!

It should be noted that he left behind his wife, a 3�-year-old son, Edward Francis Guest, and a two-week-old baby, James Reuben Guest when he left on this 3-month assignment.

During his life he was noted for his exceptional memory for the poems and songs he wrote. [We are trying to locate his poems]

Jane died 26 April 1882 and Edward died 4 August 1896. Both he and his wife Jane are buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Their children:

1. Edward Francis Guest, see his own history. Even though he was the first child, he outlived all his siblings except one. His sister, Rhoda died a month before he did and his brother, Orson Joseph died almost exactly one year after Edward Francis.

2. Emma Jane Guest, born 5 April 1860 in Millcreek, died 15 May 1861.

3. James Reuben Guest, born 15 April 1862, Millcreek, died 20 April 1867.

4. Mary Ellen Guest, born 4 May 1864 in Millcreek, died 30 March 1919, Columbia Falls, Flathead, Montana. She was married first to John Boyle on 5 Feb 1889. She was married secondly to Louis Martin, but nothing is really known to our family about either of these spouses or if she had children.

5. John Thomas Guest, born 26 June 1866 in Millcreek. He married Amanda Anderson on 23 November 1893 in Millcreek by James C. Hamilton. They had only two children who both died as infants: John Lester Guest, born 6 May 1895 and died 22 November 1895; and Amanda I. Guest, born 30 November 1896 and died 15 February 1897.

John T. is listed as a farmer in the 1910 Salt Lake City Directory, living at 3470 S. 9th East.

In 1914 John and Amanda were living in the Wilford Ward, Granite Stake on 9th East between 13th and 14th South [now 33rd and 39th South]. John held the priesthood office of teacher. Amanda died 12 November 1915. Her obituary from the Deseret News of Tuesday November 16th was very short: Mrs. Amanda Guest - In the Wilford ward chapel at 1 o'clock this afternoon funeral services were held for Mrs. Amanda Guest who died Friday. Burial was in the Mill Creek cemetery.

John is listed alone in the 1920 Church Census, priesthood still a teacher. His obituary in the Monday December 10th 1923 Deseret News reads: John T. Guest - At the home of W.O. Lundburg, 365 east Ninth South street, John T. Guest, formerly of Mill Creek, died Saturday [8 December]. he was born in this city in 1866 and for a number of years was watermaster at Mill Creek where he also engaged in farming.

6. Rhoda Ann Guest, born 12 September 1868 in Millcreek. She was married first to Charles Wheaton on 5 March 1889 in Salt Lake County. They apparently had two children, Howard Wheaton born about 1892 and Lola Wheaton born about 1894. She was married to a Dr. John Fulton about 1910 and moved to Kansas. She died in Iola Kansas on 11 June 1949, just one month before her oldest brother, they being the last but one (Orson Joseph) of their siblings left. Nothing more is known of her spouses or children.

7. David Mailon Guest, born 19 October 1870 in Millcreek. He was married in the Salt Lake Temple to Marintha Altheria Hart on 28 November 1900. They were the parents of nine children, all living to adulthood except the first little girl, Gladys Marintha, who lived only three days. They were living at 2147 South 7th East, in the Forest Dale Ward, Granite Stake. He held the priesthood office of Seventy in 1920 and was a High Priest by 1930. David died 30 March 1938 in Salt Lake City. He is listed in the 1910 Salt Lake City Directory as having a dairy on West Temple south of 14th [33rd] South. His obituary was in the Deseret News of Wednesday 30 March 1938 with a picture of him in a uniform of some type. The microfilm copy was very poor.

David Malin Guest, 67, 2147 Seventh East Street, died today at 6 a.m. in a local hospital.

Born in Salt Lake City, Oct. 19, 1869, the son of Edward F. and Jane Price [sic] Guest. Surviving are his wife, Marintha Hart Guest, five sons, David Russell, Howard, Derl, Elmer and Calvin Guest: two daughters Mrs. LaVon Remington and Miss Vivian Guest, all of Salt Lake. Also two grandchildren and two brothers, Edward F. and Orson J. Guest.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 12:15 p.m. in the Lincoln Ward Chapel with Bishop Willard Richards officiating. Burial will be in the Wasatch Lawn Burial Park.

His widow lived until 8 September 1966 of causes "incident to age." She was living at 41 South 900 East at the time of her death.

There are detailed histories of their children on the Walton/Price webpage at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~waltonprice/WP_fam/Jane/davidmailon.htm

8. Orson Joseph Guest, born 27 December 1872 in Millcreek. He was baptized 6 November 1882 by Andrew Helm and confirmed the same day by John F. Snedeker. He was ordained an elder on 11 August 1902 by Joseph C. Star. He married Harriet or Hettie Scott on 21 March 1900. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on 1 March 1917. They had two children, Orson Harold Guest, born 15 January 1901 and died 7 December 1983; and Ila Goldie Guest, born 4 January 1904 and died 31 July 1963. They were living in the Moreland Ward, Blackfoot, Idaho Stake in 1914, Orson was an elder. In 1925 they were living at 205 W 33rd South in the Miller Ward, and in 1930 were at 3417 S West Temple, still in the Miller Ward. He was ordained a High Priest on 31 December 1933 by John S. Jones.

Their children Orson Harold and Ila Goldie were both still listed as single in 1935, though Ila later married Edward L. Peters. Layne remembers the son Harold as being somewhat handicapped, walking with a limp up and down West Temple and having some evident learning disabilities, although he had been ordained a deacon by 1920. He died in 1983.

Orson died 15 July 1950 in Salt Lake City of respiratoary and cardiac condition. He was buried at the Elysian Burial Gardens. Hettie lived until 27 July 1972. [See obituary.] Layne recalls that during Aunt Hettie's funeral procession, there was an accident involving one of the motorcycle policemen who were escorting the cortege, resulting in the death of the policeman.

9. George Melvin Guest, born 7 May 1875 in Millcreek. Married Annie May Taylor in the Salt Lake Temple on 8 October 1902. They had seven children, but only three lived to adulthood. In the 1914 Church Census they were living at 4246 South State Street, in the Miller Ward. George was a Seventy. He is listed in the 1910 Salt Lake City Directory as having a dairy, at 4246 South State. In an earlier undated City Directory is is listed as a formen, at the same residence address. He was the 1st Assistant in the first Miller Sunday School, a branch of the Mill Creek Ward, in 1906. His niece, Mary Jane Guest, was the Secretary.

George died at age 40 on 5 November 1915. His oldest son, Ernest Melvin, died 5 weeks later on 18 December 1915, leaving his wife with three young children, ages 2, 9, and 12 to raise. In the 1920 Church Census she is living at 3490 South State, still in the Miller Ward. She lived until 9 January 1972, having outlived all her children who had died in 1938, 1964, and 1968. Layne Bryson remembers that he used to mow her lawn when he was about 16, around 1966. She was then living at 3329 South West Temple up until her death.

10. Elizabeth Emily Guest, born 4 August 1877 in Millcreek. She was married about 1898 to Ralph Beyle or Remple. No record of this marriage has been found, and nothing else is known about him. The Ancestral File lists two husbands, Ralph Rumple and Ralph Beyle, and no children are listed for either marriage. She died 1 August 1946.

11. Charles William Guest, born 22 September 1880 in Millcreek. He was married to Florence Frankland on 19 December 1906. [Some records show her surname as Franklin, bur Frankland is correct.] They had two children; Dorothy Emily born 10 July 1908 and Charles Frankland born 12 Mar 1912.

In an undated Salt Lake City Directory he is listed as a clerk with the R M. Bell Tel Co, residing on West Temple near 14th [33rd] South. In the 1910 City Directory he is listed as an employee of R M Bell Tel. Co. residing at 12 Keywor Ct.

On Monday, 27 October 1913 Charles died in an accident. The Deseret News of 28 October had a full story about his death.

A follow-up article on Monday, 3 November said: "Funeral services for Charles W. Guest who was accidentally killed last Monday were held at the Forest Dale meeting house yesterday afternoon. Bishop James Jensen presided. The speakers were Walter Riddle, Bishop J. D. Cummings of the Willard ward, Harold Smoot and Bishop Brigham Price. Special music was rendered by the ward choir. Burial was in the city cemetery."

Florence lived until 29 August 1966, having never remarried.

12. Jane Guest, born 26 April 1882 in Millcreek and died 25 August 1882.