BIOGRAPHY: Andrew McCombs converted to Mormonism in Pennsylvania in 1850, along with his future wives and mother-in-law. He emigrated from Pennsylvania to Utah in 1853, driving a team across the Great Plains for Mormon apostle Charles C. Rich, who was in California at the time. In Utah, he worked on one of Charles C. Rich's farms for two years, and later worked for his future step-father-in-law, Ira Ames, in Ames's tannery. He was a polygamist, married to two sisters, Lucy Lucetta Brown and Amelia Luvilla Brown. He met the Brown sisters in Pennsylvania, before he emigrated. He and the Brown sisters converted to the Mormon church at about the same time, but he emigrated before they did.
In 1858, when federal troops under the direction of Colonel Johnston, threatened to invade Salt Lake City, Brigham Young ordered that the residents of Salt Lake City leave their homes, and prepare them to be torched, if the army invaded the city. Seventy-five thousand men, women and children moved south on Young's orders. Andrew McCombs stayed behind to keep the tannery running and torch the houses if the army invaded. Fortunately, the army marched through without incident and then camped 40 miles away, and the people were able to return to their homes.
In about 1862, Andrew and his family moved to Cache County, Utah. In 1864 he was one of the original founders of Clarkston, Cache County, Utah. In 1870, he moved to Trenton, Cache County, Utah, to what was known then as the "Big Range." In about 1888, he was employed as a stone mason by Isaac Pullum to construct a rock home for Mr. Pullum. The home has been listed on the Utah State Registry of Historical Sites.
Andrew died in Wyoming. I have not learned whether he was living there at the time of his death. He was buried in Smithfield.
I do not know the origin of the accompanying picture of Andrew, but it was given to me by my grandmother. If anyone can provide any further information about it, please send me an e-mail.
Information in this biography is taken from the following sources: "History of Andrew McCombs and his Two Wives, Lucy and Amelia Brown, and a Brief Look at Some of our Kin," by Jay L. Hepworth, published by Ricks College Press, August, 1967; and from Other information about Lucy comes from "Beneath the Casing Rock--The George Smith Rust Family," by Ethel R. Jensen, 1981, Provo, Utah: Steven's Genealogical Center. The information about the Isaac Pullum house, along with a picture of the house, are from the book, "The Gentile Comes to Cache Valley," by J.M. Simmonds.
DEATH: Uinta County, Wyoming, is now Lincoln County.
BIOGRAPHY: Lucy Lucetta Brown converted to Mormonism in 1850 in Pennsylvania, where she lived with her widowed mother and siblings. She emigrated to Utah in 1855 in the wagon company of Milo Andrus, along with her sister, Amelia, who was 8 years younger than Lucy. Amelia drove a mule team for Andrus and cooked and washed clothes for him. In Utah, Lucy worked as a school teacher. A few months after her arrival in Salt Lake City, she married Andrew McCombs, who had emigrated to Utah in 1853. Twenty-three days after Lucy's first son, Andrew Carlos, was born, Andrew married Amelia as a plural wife. Andrew, Lucy, Amelia and Carlos moved from Salt Lake City to Weber Valley, then later, to Cache Valley.
Lucy died shortly after the birth of her last child, Peter. Her sister, Amelia, had lost a child a couple of months before Lucy died. Amelia nursed Peter and raised him and Lucy's children along with her own.
Information in this biography is taken from "History of Andrew McCombs and his Two Wives, Lucy and Amelia Brown, and a Brief Look at Some of our Kin," by Jay L. Hepworth, published by Ricks College Press, August, 1967. The author credits a sketch of Catherine Slauson Brown written by Mary Rust Peterson for the information. Other information about Lucy comes from "Beneath the Casing Rock--The George Smith Rust Family," by Ethel R. Jensen, 1981, Provo, Utah: Steven's Genealogical Center.
[The LDS Ancestral File states that Lucy was rebaptized on 29 SEP 1856. Rebaptisms were common at that time and were seen as a recommitment to the faith. Today rebaptisms are performed only for those who have been excommunicated. That was not the case in Lucy's day.]
BIOGRAPHY: Following his conversion to the Mormon Church, John Astle, along with his father Francis Astle, and his mother, Felicia Raynor Astle, sailed for America. They left Liverpool, England on May 11, 1860 on the ship William Tapscott, with 731 passengers. The Tapscott landed in New York. The Astles lived and worked in Philadelphia for two years, then went to Utah in the Joseph Horne Wagon Train, arriving 13 September 1862. He fathered 9 children by his first wife in 17 years of marriage, then took a plural (polygamous) wife, Melvina Ann Banks and fathered another 10 or 11 children with her. He died in Wyoming in 1919 at age 73. His youngest child was about 11 years old when he died.
BIOGRAPHY: Isabella Jane Bradshaw was 9 years old when she crossed the Great Plains with her mother in the ill-fated Martin Handcart company. Her mother, (who had been widowed twice), two siblings and two half-siblings went to Utah together. The entire family, the youngest of whom was six years old, arrived safely in Utah. For more information about the Martin Handcart company, see the biographical information on Isabella's mother, Elizabeth Simpson (Haigh) Bradshaw.
Isabella was the mother of 9 children, borne in the first 17 years of her marriage. Shortly after her last child was born, her husband took a plural wife and fathered 10 or 11 more children.