Anson Perry Winsor

Biographical Summary:

Anson Perry Winsor was a Utah pioneer of 1852 in the James McGaw Company, lived a life of outstanding usefulness in the building of this great intermountain territory. He and his wife Emmeline Zenetta Brower are said to have settled at Provo, Utah. His brother Alonzo was also a Utah pioneer and married Margaret Brower, Emmeline's sister.

In 1868, Bishop Winsor, with forty heavily armed men, was sent by President Young to build a fort, improve the spring and care for the ten to fifteen thousand head of tithing cattle in Antelope Valley, Arizona. This difficult task was accomplished late in 1870. Two sandstone buildings, each two stories high, rose from the barren deset facing each other across a courtyard closed at both ends by mammoth wooden gates banded with wrought iron. The north build enclosed Pipe Spring that daily poured out more than 65,000 gallons of pure, cold water. The building was referred to as "Winsor Castle." The fort was not only a military outpost and a ranch that provided livestock for slaughter at places as far distrant as Salt Lake City, it was a federal supply point for prospectors, missionaries, explorers and for the pioneer settlers in the Kanab and Parunuweap valleys. Here the topographers of the Powell and Wheeler surveys in 1871-72 obtained most of ther beef, mutton, butter, cheese, grain, vegetables and some of their saddlehorses and camp equipment. In 1871, the telegraph wire from Salt Lake City to Toquerville was expanded through Virgin Citty to Pipe Spring.

Bishop Winsor and his family made their home at Pipe Spring until 1875. During this time they were milking one hundred cows and making about sixty pounds of cheese per day. These products, as well as beef cattle, were transported ninety-six miles to St George twice each week to feed the workers who were constructing the St George Temple.

• This information was taken from Church fo the Latterday Saints records: An Enduring Legacy; Volume Nine, Pioneer Stories

Biographical Summary #2:

(son of Abraham Winsor, born at Providence, Rhode Island, and Sophia Bigelow, born in Connecticut; the former of Jamestown, New York). He was born August 19, 1818, Ellicottville, New York. Came to Utah September 20, 1862, James McGaugh company.

Married: Emeline Z. Brower (daughter of John Brower and Deligh Smith), who was born March 21, 1824, and came to Utah with husband.

Their children:

1. Walter J. born November 30, 1844, married Sarah Potter June 28, 1866;
2. Ida R. born May 9, 1847, died May 21, 1850;
3. Margaret E. born May 9, 1852, died May 11, 1873;
4. Anson P. Jr. born October 9, 1854, married Sarah L. Terry March 9, 1877;
5. Samuel A. born January 20, 1857, married Ella Westover March 9, 1877;
6. Emeline Z. born January 7, 1859, married Eleazar Asay September 15, 1879;
7. Phoebe D. born November 11, 1861, died May 29, 1873;
8. Lucy T. born September 7, 1868, married David Hatch February 9, 1892.

Family home Prove, Utah.

Married: Mary Nelson in 1855, Provo, Utah (daughter of Peter Nelson), who was born in Denmark.

Their children:

1. Joseph F. born February 18, 1864, married Effie Hunt December 22, 1897;
2. Andrew N. born February 15, 1866, married Agnes McFarland;
3. Mary J. born June 5, 1868, married Theodora Asay July 4, 1883.

Settled at Provo, 1852. Wagon master of Young’s Express Company, 1857. In charge of company on march to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, May 1, 1857, where he sent the first word of the formation of Johnston’s army to President Young. Was placed in charge of 300 men to guard against the invaders. Moved to “Dixie” 1861; ordained bishop of Grafton ward, 1863. Colonel of 3d regiment militia under General Erastus Snow, 1864. Was in charge of church cattle at Pipe Springs. Called to St. George to assist in preparation of temple for ordinance work, and is still engaged as an ordinance worker therein. Took active part in Indian wars, helping to build a fort for the protection of the settlers.

Sources: Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, page 1256

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The following information was found on Family Search.org, and it states that it was taken from page 1256 of Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah (Genealogies and Biographies) at the Los Angeles Library. It is regarding the life of Anson Perry Winsor.

Anson P. Winsor, son of Abraham Winsor, born in Providence, Rhode Island, and Sophia Bigelow, born in Connecticut, the farmer of Jamestown, New York, was born 19 August 1818 in Ellicotville, New York, and came to Utah 20 September 1852 with the James McGaugh Company. He was the Bishop of Grafton Ward 1863.

Anson was converted to Mormonism and baptized 15 May 1842, and gathered with the church at Nauvoo, Illinois, where he became intimately acquainted with the prophet Joseph Smith and acted as one of his body guards. March 20, 1842, he married Emeline Zenetta Brower, daughter of John Brower and Delight Smith, who was born 2 March 1824. This marriage was blessed with nine children: Walter J., Ida R., Margaret E., Anson P. Jr., Samuel A., Emeline G., Phoebe P. And Lucy D.

Walter was born 30 Nov 1844, married Sarah Potter on 28 Jun 1866; Ida born 9 May 1847, died 21 May 1850; Margaret born 9 May 1852, died 11 May 1873; Anson born 9 Oct 1847, married Sarah Alydia Terry on 9 Mar 1877; Samuel born 20 Jan 1857, married Ella Westover on 9 Mar 1877; Emeline born 7 Jan 1859, married Eleazar Asay on 15 Sep 1879; Phoebe born 11 Nov 1861, died 29 May 1873; Lucy born 7 Sep 1868, married David Hatch on 19 Feb 1892.

The family migrated to Utah in 1852 and soon afterwards located in Provo where, in 1855, he married Mary Neilsen, daughter of Peter Neilsen, who was born in Denmark. The children by this marriage were: Joseph F., born 18 Feb 1864, married Effie Hunt, 22 Dec 1897; Andrew N., born 16 Feb 1866, married Agnes McFarland; Mary J., born 5 Jun 1868, married Theodora Asay, 4 Jul 1883.

In Prove, Bro. Winsor served as City Councilman and in 1857, was appointed wagon mater of Pres. Brigham Young’s Express Company. He was sent to the states in charge of a company and arrived in Fort Leavenworth (Kansas) 1 May 1857. From that place he wrote a letter to Pres. Young, notifying him that Johnson’s army had started for Utah. This letter was sent with Abraham O. Smoot, who delivered the same to Pres. Young 24 Jul 1857 at the memorable celebration in Big Cottonwood Canyon. He was placed in charge of 300 men to guard against the invaders in Echo Canyon, October 1857, and assist in making fortifications.

He was called on a Colonization Mission to Southern Utah and settled at Grafton on the Rio Virgin River, where in 1868, he was appointed to preside as Bishop. In the spring of 1869, he was appointed to build a fort as a protection against the Indians at Pipe Springs and to collect tithing cattle and to take charge of them, under Erastus Snow. He was with the parties who went out to secure the bodies of Dr. James M. Whitmore and Robert McIntyre, who had been killed by Indians. He participated in several battles with the Indians. In 1877, he was called to St. George to labor as Ordinance worker in the Temple and there remained active in this work as long as his physical strength would permit him to do so.

He assisted in preparing the temple for ordinance work and took an active part in the Indian wars. He helped to build forts for the protection of settlers. He was one of the first ordinance workers in the St. George Temple and performed baptisms for the dead for more than 10,000 people. For a number of years he acted as first counselor to Bishop Charles A. Terry of the St. George Third Ward. In 1880 (Jan. 29) he married Martha N. Knight. He was active until within two days of his death and retained his faculties until the last. He was able to read without glasses and right up to the day of his death his mental faculties were so well preserved that he could converse freely upon all phases of the great World War. He died 17 Jun 1917 at the age of 98 years 10 months.

SOURCE: Family Search.org

GEDCOM Note

1861 St.George setteler