William Heap, Jr.

The baby died at the age of 3 months and 5 days old from cholera contracted on a ship where his father and other family members were traveling from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Nauvoo, Illinois. His mother had just died in New Orleans, and the family was traveling to Nauvoo, Illinois, to join the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Following is a story of his mother and father and their extended families.

HISTORY OF WILLIAM HEAP (1819—1892) and HISTORY OF MARY WARD HEAP SAVAGE (1829—1893)

For our Heap family, the “Mormon Trail” began at Liverpool England, where they boarded a ship sailing to New Orleans, La. Here they changed to a smaller boat to sail 500 miles northward up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, MO., where they again changed boats to sail another 200 miles in the Missouri up to Council Bluffs. These red Missouri bluffs were a rendezvous point for the Latter-Day Saints. The first settlement there was called Millers Hollow”, then “Kanesville,” then Council Bluffs, 275 miles from Iowa City, and just across the river from Florence, NE, which was called “Winter Quarters” at the time the Mormon Pioneers were gathering to go to “the tops of the Rocky Mountains.”

William Heap was born in Birch, near Manchester, Lancashere, Eng. As he was born at midnight, his birth is sometimes given as 1 Apr. 1819, and sometimes 31 Mar. 1819. He was the son of William & Hannah Cooper Heap. William Jr. was born the 3rd of 12 children—6 boys & 6 girls. As was the custom, the boys all learned a trade and William followed in his fathers’ footsteps and became a shoemaker and merchant.

By the time young William was 20, his father had acquired at least two shoe shops and his father turned the one at Pendlebury over to William. The family were then living at “Besses O’ The Barn.” William had to cross “Heap Bridge” to get to his shop on ‘Heap Street.” It was at Pendlebury that he met the Ward family. He fell in love with their oldest daughter, who was the oldest of the three Ward sisters. Her name was Hannah and they were married on St. Swithens Day on July 15, 1839. Records show that Hannah’s father George Ward signed as a witness.

About this time the Mormon Missionaries came to that part of England and in Nov. just 4 months after their marriage they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were among the first to join this new religion and both became very energetic in their new venture. In his diary William later recorded: I was most happy to learn of the Mormon Church and learn there really is a life beyond the grave where again we meet our loved ones who have died before us, and where we are allowed to raise any babies what may die young, because it has been crammed down my throat all my life that the streets of hell was paved with infant skulls----babies who had died without being baptized into the Church of England. They couldn’t have hurt me worse if they had stuck a knife in my heart.”

In June 1840 Hannah’s mother, Isabella Ward, and all the rest of her family, except the father (he was baptized by proxy after his death) were baptized.

Soon after William & Hannah had their first son whom they named Parley Whittaker Heap, they decided to come to America to gather with the saints. They sold their stock of goods and left for America in Sept. 1841. They came by way of New Orleans, then the 500 miles up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, MO. There they remained for a period of about two years, as William, Hannah and the baby were all very ill with chills & fever. They suffered many months without fully recovering, so finally his father persuaded them to return to England.

By the time William & family arrived home in England, his father had already bought another shop at Radcliff Bridge. He gave William his choice of it or the old one at Pendelbury, he chose the one at Radcliffe Bridge and soon set to work to build up a good business. They became members of the Radcliffe Branch of the LDS Church and were able to convert and baptize many new members. After a few years he again grew anxious to join with the Saints in America. His Mother-in-law and her family decided to join them. So again, they sold out and once again prepared to take the long journey to America, even though Hannah was now expecting her third child. Their 2nd child, Joseph had been born while they were yet in England after the return journey.

Second Journey to America

At Liverpool, the Heap & Ward families boarded the ship “Masconomo” in Jan. 1849. The first trip had been made on the ship “Tyrain.”

Hannah gave birth to her third son, William Jr. just as the ship was leaving the Harbor. They had a very rough voyage and there was lots of sickness on the ship. Hannah became very ill and did not recover as she should. When they reached New Orleans she was so ill they decided to remain there until she was well. She became steadily worse until she passed away on 18 Apr. 1849. She was laid to rest in the old Catholic cemetery in the seventh grave from the top.

William was grateful to have his mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law there to help care for his three little sons. As there was nothing more they could do for her, they joined a group of saints who were going to Nauvoo on a steamboat. They left on the 2nd of May, but there was cholera on the boat. The baby became ill and died in just two days. Little baby William was buried in the banks of the Mississippi on May 4, 1849, three months and five days old.

Sudden sorrow struck this grieving family again. Hannah’s youngest brother, George Jr., was playing in the woods with other children one evening. The next morning he was ill with cholera; by evening he too was dead. He was about 13 yrs. Old. They buried him that night May 11, 1849, in the riverbank at Pratt’s Bend, the third one of the family to be laid to rest in less than a month. The next morning they arrived at St. Louis, MO, where they had planned to stay for a while and work to prepare themselves for going West. Here they met many old friends and learned that there was so much cholera and other sickness in St. Louis that they hurried to transfer their luggage to a boat going on to Council Bluffs instead of Nauvoo. On the second day while on the boat getting ready to go, William met his brother Thomas. They were very happy to see each other and Thomas went on to Council Bluffs with them, but he was broke and so homesick for his wife and baby, who were still in England that he returned to England.

William, now desperately in need of a wife to care for his two sons, married his deceased wife’s two sisters, Mary and Barbara Ward about 18 May 1849 at St. Louis, MO.

It was near Christmas when they reached “Kanesville: now Council Bluffs, IA. William obtained some land and began preparing to plant a crop. They had spent almost all their money and here they found they had to purchase oxen, wagons and food for at least six months, and all at very high prices (for those times). They all went out to work to help get money to purchase the needed items. Everything had doubled in price to what had been quoted earlier, as the gold rush hit and people were willing to pay a great deal for supplies to get to the gold fields. They spent a little over two years in Kanesville where William bought some property and through hard work they planted crops to prepare for their journey West with the Saints. They all went out to work to help get money to purchase the needed items.

They wrote back to their folks in England that the lands were abounding with wild animals; elk, deer, turkey, rabbit, partridge, wild hen, and plenty of wolves. The waters were full of beautiful fish.

Mary gave birth to her first child, George, as recorded by his father in his diary: “Mary delivered a boy at a quarter to three in the morning of 14 March 1850 in Kanesville.” He was a small, wirey child, but apparently healthy. Then, in November 1850 Barbara gave birth to her first son, James.

By May, 1852 the family had earned enough by buy the needed food supplies, 2 wagons, 4 oxen, six good milk cows, a good full year’s supply of provisions, and seed to plant when they reached their destination, which they only knew as the “valley of the mountains.” For nearly six months they plodded over a lonely and rugged country inhabited only by Indians, wolves, buffalo, and other wild beasts.

When Spring came, Williams Mother-in-Law and her son Edward joined with a group of people they knew going to the Salt Lake Valley, so they went to Salt Lake in the Vincent Shurtliff Company. William and his family also joined a company going to Utah. For six long months they plodded over the rugged country, inhabited until just recently only with Indians, wolves, buffalo, coyote and other wild animals. They saw for the first time the American Indian in their native dress and tepees. They found lonely graves along the trail, many had been dug up by wolves. There were long stretches where there were no trees or wood of any kind to burn for cooking. The two wives joined the other women as they plodded along with their children, picking up buffalo chips and putting them in their aprons. They used these for firewood to cook their meals. When they reached the mountains, it was a little easier because scrub oak and brush could be found and used as fuel.

The Heap family and company arrived in Salt Lake Valley on October 1852, a few days before the October Conference. This they found a great joy to attend, for there they found many of their old acquaintances from England.

On October 16 William took both his wives to the Endowment House and had them sealed to him, along with his first wife, Hannah. After resting in Salt Lake for about three weeks, the authorities called William and his families to go on South with other Saints to settle the Iron Mission, at Parowan, with the hope that some day they would have a great manufacturing center in that area, as they had found signs of Iron there. They encountered quite a bit of snow on the way as it was winter in Utah Territory. It was nearly Christmas when they reached Parowan, over 300 miles away.

William traded some of his stock for a little land with three houses on it. There was a nice clear spring of water seeping out of the hill to the South, which, when cleared out made a good-sized stream. It was at Parowan where they saw irrigation for the first time. This was a real thrill for the family. William broke up some of the land he had traded for and planted a garden as soon as Spring came. He did a little farming in the Summer and made shoes in Winter. He was able to get a few sheep and his wives washed and spun the wool into yarn and wove it into course cloth and knit it into socks and stockings. This was something both wives knew how to do, for no girl in England was allowed to grow up without learning the art of knitting. From their cows they were able to make their own cheese and butter. From the straw they gleaned in the fields they made hats for the children and themselves, and soon produced nearly all they needed.

The Indians called William “Pats-a-roots,” because he made shoes for the White man. The Parowan census of May 1854 lists the HEAP-WARD families as: William Heap 35; Barbara Heap 26; Mary Heap 24; Parley W. 9; Joseph 7; George Heap 4; James 3; Anna l; Mary Ellen 10 Mo. Also, his Mother-in-Law, Isabella and her son Edward Ward.

In a quote from Parowan Ward records, it states that a letter from President Brigham Young to George A. Smith, leader of Parowan stated that, “William Heap, William Barton, Erastus Curtus, and three other men and their families have left for the West.” The letter is dated Sept. 1854.

At that time the Church send people in all directions to build up the area and the Church. It was a long way by wagon, but a good time to travel the hot desert lands between Utah & CA. It was Christmas time when they arrived at Cajon Pass. Joy filled their hearts to overflowing as they looked over the beautiful green land and sparkling streams. William bought a cabin and twelve acres of land in San Bernardino County for $144, which he paid for in installments. From their cows they were able to do well. The two wives were kept busy selling butter, and the eggs from their one hundred chickens. All were hard workers, and William’s shoemaking business went well. He also hauled lumber from the San Bernardino Mountains into Los Angeles.

In eighteen months William had acquired valuable property in the best part of San Bernardino. Known as Uncle Billy Heap, he was well liked and became a man of prominence and influence. Things were going very well for them and they had begun to prosper, but gold was discovered, so many people of all faiths were pouring into the gold fields. Suddenly word came from the Church in

SLC that Johnston’s Army was on its way to Utah to destroy the Mormons. Brigham Young send word for the Saints to gather in Salt Lake for protection and strength, so he send freighters to the outlying districts to assist those wishing to join with the body of the Church. It was a difficult decision for the Saints in San Bernardino to make. They had traveled thousands of miles in most difficult situations for the sake of the religion they had joined and loved, but gradually they could see it slipping away.

When the word came, William did not want to give up his holdings. No amount of persuasion could get him to leave what he had worked for and accumulated in those two and one-half years. Neither did Barbara. They had planted their roots too deep in the golden hills of California to want to leave it behind. William & Barbara did stay in San Bernardino where they raised their family—and are buried in the old 7th St. cemetery there. However, Mary feared that things were getting too bad, and thought her children would fall away from the faith if they did not join with the Saints back in Utah. She was expecting again but chose to return with the freighter the church had send out to help families back to the shelter of the Church. She knew that at Parowan she had her mother to help care for her, also her brother Edward, and his wife and family were there. HISTORY OF MARY WARD HEAP SAVAGE – 1829—1893

(Continuation of the above William Heap History)

David L. Savage was one of the freighters send to California by the Church to help people return to Utah if they wished to come. Mary Ward Heap, (Second wife of William Heap), her son George age 7, and Mary Ellen who had her 4th birthday on the journey returned with Mr. Savage. It must have been a very long hot journey crossing the Calif. & Nevada deserts in June & July, but finally they reached Parowan, weary, heavy in body and in heart, but at least they made the trip before the expected baby arrived. Three weeks after they arrived in Parowan, Mary delivered twin boys, 20 Aug. 1857. It was a hard time for Mary but she had chosen this way. She had traveled half way around the world for the sake of the Gospel and she intended to do her best to rear her children in the LDS faith. Mary felt that her religion was more precious than gold.

Shortly after Mary got settled in the old home at Parowan, a group of Missourians stopped there and in Cedar, bragging that they were in the group that killed old Joe Smith. They made a big stir going through the towns—killing chickens, sheep, dogs, and anything else they could. They camped at Mountain Meadows. A messenger was send from St. George to Brigham Young to see what action should be taken, but the massacre happened before the rider reached Salt Lake. This messenger had stopped at the Heaps, who ran the exchange station, to change horses and get something to eat. On his return trip he told the family that Brigham Young said that the party was not to be molested, no matter what, but to let them go on as soon as possible. Brigham Young claimed that what happened at Mountain Meadows was the blackest cloud that ever hung over the Mormon Church.

In 1859 Mary Ward married David Savage, the freighter with whom she had returned to Parowan. There was not much a young mother with four children could do to make a living. The new husband already had two wives, Theodora Finch and Mary Ann White. David and Mary were married st her mother’s home in Parowan. Shortly thereafter David went to his wife Mary Ann in Sever Springs where he told her of his marriage at Parowan. In the letter following we read how the new husband and previous wife accept the new bride:

Sever Springs Feb. 17, 1859

Dear Mary; (Two of David’s wives names were Mary)

I drop a few lines to let you no that we are all well. I was happy to find Mary glad of what took place with us at your place. She was glad that we married and thinks we would get along first rate. She is like you; she thinks it would be better for each one to have a room to them selves. She would be glad to have you close by for company. She thinks so many children in one house would not be agreeable, so we will all agree on this. My mind is unsettled. If I had time I would move you up hear but circumstances forbids at presend. I have bin at home to nights and expect to start for City tomorrow. I wish you would tell Edward that I would like to have him go with me to California and drive one team, if he can tell him to rite as soon as he can. May God bless you all, good by <sic>, I remain your effictionate <sic> husband.

David Savage

(On the reverse side of the page is the following letter welcoming Great Grandmother Mary into the Savage household as the 3rd wife.)

Sister Mary, I sit down to write a few lines to you, not to find fault with you it is all right and it was as well as if I had been there, and as far as I am concerned you are welcome into my family. I have the best of feelings to words you and have ever since I knew you. I agree with you that we had better live a little separate as we both have so many children and we could not be much help to each other, but I would like to have you live near me for company, I hope that we may all live in peace together and believe we shall. Acept <sic> my best respects and believe me your affectionate Sister.

Mary A. Savage

Mary and David moved to Holden, Utah, where their first daughter, Isabella Savage, was born in 1859. They had some good property and a good garden, with a nice spring for water, but David soon traded that off for a cow. They then moved to Cedar Fort. Here David Edward was born in 1862. Times were hard. The children earned their own money to buy the first shoes they remember having by gathering sunflowers, drying them, and then burning them for the ashes, which they sold to Johnston’s Army at Camp Floyd. The ashes were used to wash their clothes.

Mary was on the move again; this time it was to Paris, Idaho, at the upper end of Bear Lake. While there, another son was born, William Albert. David then went to Arizona on a freighting trip. While he was gone, food ran out and Mary didn’t have food for her children. She send one of her children to a neighbor with her best dress to see if they would trade it for a little flour. They had many hardships, and sometimes all they had to eat were weed greens and rawhide soup.

Mary’s boys herded a small herd of cattle, and running over the rocks in bare feet often cut their feet. William Heap (her former husband) offered help, but Mary would never think of it as she considered it a handout.

The family was living in Hyrum, Cache Valley, Utah, in December 1868, where Parley Franklin was born. At one time all three of David’s wives lived in the same town, but the oldest wife kept the ax and all the tools. She always scolded Mary’s children when they came for the ax to cut wood and said their mother got the best of everything. This was not true; they divided things up as evenly as possible. George and David, Jr., did the milking for all the families. One day when they took the milk to her, she scolded them, saying that they always took the most. George was usually very mild mannered and had a calm disposition, but this time he was sick and tired of all these complaints, and he said, “Here, take it all,” and he threw the whole pail of milk on her.

They went fishing in an old leaky boat. One had to bail to keep from sinking while the other fished. The crickets were so thick that the wind blew them into the lake, then the fish wouldn’t bite. They would gather the crickets and take them home so their mother could cook them and feed them to the pigs. The children were allowed only one pair of shoes a year. They would go to town to have their feet fitted for shoes. All of them were barefoot by the time they could have new shoes. They would run along in the snow until their feet were numb with cold, climb a fence to try to get the chill out, and then run to the show shop.

One time David wanted George to go to the mountains with him for a load of wood. George was about sixteen or seventeen and thought he was old enough to get the wood without his stepfather’s help, but David wouldn’t let George drive the team. An argument followed and David told him, “You do as I say or leave home.” George left and the children cried, for they were a close family, even though they sometimes disagreed with their stepfather. Later on, when Charles and his stepfather also had a disagreement, he also left. Although they were half brothers and sisters—four being Heap and five Savage—they loved each other and all had the same mother.

The family finally moved back to Holden. The boys drove the cows and the livestock while the girls had to carry the chickens on their laps because they had no crates for them. There the last of Mary’s nine children was born on August 1, 1872. They named her Barbara Alice. The last move they made was to Kingston, Piute County, Utah.

Mary’s health was failing. The moves, the poor diet, the worry of raising nine children practically alone began taking their toll. Besides traveling halfway around the world for the gospel of Jesus Christ, she had traveled many difficult and weary miles back and forth from place to place. Through it all she had remained true to her faith and loved it and enjoyed it to the last. She taught her children well, and they all remained in the Church. Her last sickness came at Kingston. Mary passed away October 17, 1893, and was laid to rest in a beautiful quiet field east of town. She was only fifty-three years and ten months old.

Mary Ward Heap Savage was a true pioneer, a special lady, faithful and true to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the end of her days.