58. About my father's father, William Gustavus Miles
I mentioned on Sunday Dec. 9th, 2013, in blog # 29 that I would write about my grandfather, William Gustavus Miles, who was 11 years old when his family moved down to be pioneers in 1862, in St. George. (They were called 1 year after the original settlers came -- as a support group. His wife Paralee's family were in the 1861 group who first came, -- when she was 4 years old.)
I'll include some of his history here from his history written by his daughter Sarah, my father Pratt's sister:
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF WILLIAM GUSTAVUS MILES WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER, SARAH MILES WALLACE.
William Gustavis Miles was born at Salt Lake City, Utah, the first child of Samuel Miles Jr. And Hannah Colborn Miles. He was born of goodly parents, his grandparents on both sides being faithful Latter-day Saints until the day of their death, as was his parents. His father Samuel, was only seven years of age at the time the family joined the Church and when ten years of age Samuel had read the Book of Mormon through. His parents and grandparents were real Pioneers and suffered many afflictions as most of the L.D.S. did in the early history of the Church. They joined the Church in 1836, and lived in Kirtland and Nauvoo in the early days.
Grandfather Miles (Samuel) told of how the mobs used to surround the houses of our people and burn them, and drive the Saints from their homes. Grandfather Miles was not only a deeply religious man of great faith, but was an educator, and taught school for many years. (He was one of the first school teachers in St. George). He also held many responsible positions in the Church and taught his children the Gospel in every detail. In his diary he says at the end of each year, “We paid a full tithing this year.” William G. Miles was reared in a worthy family, and truly did follow in the footsteps of his parents, holding many responsible positions in the Church and was a Patriarch at the time of his death. He was ordained a Patriarch of the St. George Stake 14 September, 1919, by Hyrum G. Smith. He was a Patriarch until he died, on May 6, 1927, almost eight years.
He was born September 13, 1851, and when only eleven years of age, he moved with his parents from Salt lake City to St. George as the family had been called by Brigham Young to help settle Dixie. He used to tell of the experiences of the trip. He walked and drove a cow most of the way.
His childhood days were days of sacrifice and toil in helping to settle a new country, but these experiences strengthened his testimony. As a child, (Sarah writing) I was greatly impressed as to his great faith, his kindness, and his ability to control his temper. Never do I remember of him giving away to profanity, but he was quiet and firm in his convictions. He was always patient with his family.
He was married to Paralee Amanda Church in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City, May 25, 1874. He was twenty-three years old, and his new bride, Paralee, was sixteen, almost seventeen. They made a 3 week wagon trip from St. George to be married in the Endowment House, sealed for eternity. Of this union eleven children were born, two girls and nine boys. Two boys, Richard and Haden, died in childhood. Two sons died in adulthood, William and Thomas from silicosis, from working in mines locally. Father was a well educated man for his day.
He was a great reader and taught his children to read good books. I remember the evenings when we gathered as a family unit and read from the Standard Works of the Church, then followed the singing of hymns. Father was talented as a bass singer and sang many times in public in quartets and was a member of the choir for twenty-five years. At one time he had the part of "Dead Eye Dick" in HMS Pinafore, the operetta. He always encouraged his children to sing in the choir. I remember he and Uncle Haden Church, (his wife Paralee's father) used to practice in our home. He used a tuning hook. He would strike it and bring it to his ear to get the pitch.
He spent considerable time in guarding Indian Raids, and also served under Captain James Andrus in fighting Indians at Pipe Springs, south of St. George. He received a badge of honor for this service, but never did receive any pension. He was a stone cutter and mason by trade. He assisted in the building of the St. George Temple and Tabernacle, and the original Dixie College building, He also helped carve stones in the Manti Temple, and carved many headstones in the cemetery in the center of St. George. Many were carved of the local sandstone, and the writing since has washed away!
He and George Brooks used to work together as Masons and were dear friends as were their wives and families. (The two couples rode together to Salt Lake to be married.) Father was a manufacturer of the Diamond Valley Grind Stone. He used to take trips to the stone quarry about 30 miles north of St. George and cut the large slabs of white stone from the quarry. He hauled it to St. George and made the grindstone from it which was used to sharpen tools etc. He had a small mill on the Santa Clara Creek where he used to mill the stone.
His died on May 6, 1927 of a lingering lung trouble which was caused by the dust of the stone he had cut for many years.
This is a photo of my Aunt Sarah (on the left) who wrote this history, and her mother, Paralee. I was named after my paternal grandmother, Paralee, who was called "Pal". She passed away around 5 years before I was born and my first child, son Wayne Miles Eckman was born on her 99th birthday.
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As a child, (by Sarah, his daughter) I appreciated my father, but as I grew older, I honored him more than ever. As an adult and with the experience I have, I more fully see the excellent character of my father. To me, he was an ideal Latter-day Saint. I never heard him swear. He was so patient in everything, so kind to all his children, truly to me he was as Paul said Charity is, quote, “Charity suffereth long and is kind, charity envieth not, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemingly, rejoiceth not in evil, but rejoiceth in righteousness etc.,” such was the life of my father. I can only hope to repay him by trying to heed his advice and council in righteousness, that I can do by following his example. I am happy to know I can repay him a little by making an effort to complete a nice record of his ancestry and help in the baptisms and endowment work of his people. (Aunt Sarah was the family genealogist, and compiled a lot of records.)
He and his father were faithful in doing much for their people in the Temple, but did not have the access to the records we now have. He was a Patriarch in the L.D.S. church at the time of his death and had been very active in genealogical work.
----by Pal -- My aunt Sarah, and also my grandfather "Gus". as he was known, shared the deep interest I have in finding family names for Temple work, and compiling their histories. I look forward to someday meeting him, and his wife, my Grandfather and Grandmother Miles, who both died before I was born. Please refer to blog # 29 to read more about my "Grandma Pal."
I'll include some of his history here from his history written by his daughter Sarah, my father Pratt's sister:
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF WILLIAM GUSTAVUS MILES WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER, SARAH MILES WALLACE.
William Gustavis Miles was born at Salt Lake City, Utah, the first child of Samuel Miles Jr. And Hannah Colborn Miles. He was born of goodly parents, his grandparents on both sides being faithful Latter-day Saints until the day of their death, as was his parents. His father Samuel, was only seven years of age at the time the family joined the Church and when ten years of age Samuel had read the Book of Mormon through. His parents and grandparents were real Pioneers and suffered many afflictions as most of the L.D.S. did in the early history of the Church. They joined the Church in 1836, and lived in Kirtland and Nauvoo in the early days.
Grandfather Miles (Samuel) told of how the mobs used to surround the houses of our people and burn them, and drive the Saints from their homes. Grandfather Miles was not only a deeply religious man of great faith, but was an educator, and taught school for many years. (He was one of the first school teachers in St. George). He also held many responsible positions in the Church and taught his children the Gospel in every detail. In his diary he says at the end of each year, “We paid a full tithing this year.” William G. Miles was reared in a worthy family, and truly did follow in the footsteps of his parents, holding many responsible positions in the Church and was a Patriarch at the time of his death. He was ordained a Patriarch of the St. George Stake 14 September, 1919, by Hyrum G. Smith. He was a Patriarch until he died, on May 6, 1927, almost eight years.
He was born September 13, 1851, and when only eleven years of age, he moved with his parents from Salt lake City to St. George as the family had been called by Brigham Young to help settle Dixie. He used to tell of the experiences of the trip. He walked and drove a cow most of the way.
His childhood days were days of sacrifice and toil in helping to settle a new country, but these experiences strengthened his testimony. As a child, (Sarah writing) I was greatly impressed as to his great faith, his kindness, and his ability to control his temper. Never do I remember of him giving away to profanity, but he was quiet and firm in his convictions. He was always patient with his family.
He was married to Paralee Amanda Church in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City, May 25, 1874. He was twenty-three years old, and his new bride, Paralee, was sixteen, almost seventeen. They made a 3 week wagon trip from St. George to be married in the Endowment House, sealed for eternity. Of this union eleven children were born, two girls and nine boys. Two boys, Richard and Haden, died in childhood. Two sons died in adulthood, William and Thomas from silicosis, from working in mines locally. Father was a well educated man for his day.
He was a great reader and taught his children to read good books. I remember the evenings when we gathered as a family unit and read from the Standard Works of the Church, then followed the singing of hymns. Father was talented as a bass singer and sang many times in public in quartets and was a member of the choir for twenty-five years. At one time he had the part of "Dead Eye Dick" in HMS Pinafore, the operetta. He always encouraged his children to sing in the choir. I remember he and Uncle Haden Church, (his wife Paralee's father) used to practice in our home. He used a tuning hook. He would strike it and bring it to his ear to get the pitch.
He spent considerable time in guarding Indian Raids, and also served under Captain James Andrus in fighting Indians at Pipe Springs, south of St. George. He received a badge of honor for this service, but never did receive any pension. He was a stone cutter and mason by trade. He assisted in the building of the St. George Temple and Tabernacle, and the original Dixie College building, He also helped carve stones in the Manti Temple, and carved many headstones in the cemetery in the center of St. George. Many were carved of the local sandstone, and the writing since has washed away!
He and George Brooks used to work together as Masons and were dear friends as were their wives and families. (The two couples rode together to Salt Lake to be married.) Father was a manufacturer of the Diamond Valley Grind Stone. He used to take trips to the stone quarry about 30 miles north of St. George and cut the large slabs of white stone from the quarry. He hauled it to St. George and made the grindstone from it which was used to sharpen tools etc. He had a small mill on the Santa Clara Creek where he used to mill the stone.
His died on May 6, 1927 of a lingering lung trouble which was caused by the dust of the stone he had cut for many years.
----------------
As a child, (by Sarah, his daughter) I appreciated my father, but as I grew older, I honored him more than ever. As an adult and with the experience I have, I more fully see the excellent character of my father. To me, he was an ideal Latter-day Saint. I never heard him swear. He was so patient in everything, so kind to all his children, truly to me he was as Paul said Charity is, quote, “Charity suffereth long and is kind, charity envieth not, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemingly, rejoiceth not in evil, but rejoiceth in righteousness etc.,” such was the life of my father. I can only hope to repay him by trying to heed his advice and council in righteousness, that I can do by following his example. I am happy to know I can repay him a little by making an effort to complete a nice record of his ancestry and help in the baptisms and endowment work of his people. (Aunt Sarah was the family genealogist, and compiled a lot of records.)
He and his father were faithful in doing much for their people in the Temple, but did not have the access to the records we now have. He was a Patriarch in the L.D.S. church at the time of his death and had been very active in genealogical work.
----by Pal -- My aunt Sarah, and also my grandfather "Gus". as he was known, shared the deep interest I have in finding family names for Temple work, and compiling their histories. I look forward to someday meeting him, and his wife, my Grandfather and Grandmother Miles, who both died before I was born. Please refer to blog # 29 to read more about my "Grandma Pal."
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