History of Franklin Henry Stewart
by Daughter Ruby Stewart Donnelly
Franklin Henry Stewart was the youngest son of Benjamin Franklin Stewart and Elizabeth Davis born on December 25, 1854 in Payson, Utah. His family was one of the first settlers in this newly laid out town. Like all pioneer families they all learned at an early age to work and shoulder responsibility.
During the early part of his life, they lived up Payson Canyon where his father operated a saw mill. It was while they lived up the canyon that they had several harrowing experiences with the Indians, who were not friendly with the white settlers. On one occasion Chief Walker and about five hundred of his braves were camped a short distance from the mill where Father's family was afraid to go to bed for fear they would attack at any time. In the morning the Indians rode away stopping only to fire a few shots at the house as they rode by, all of which the family was grateful for.
On account of these Indian raids his father moved the family into Payson where they could be protected at such times. They could also attend school and church without having to walk so far.
His father held important positions in civic as well as in the church, being active in both. In February 1862, his father was elected Mayor of Payson, a position he held for two terms. As a result of his father's activity, it gave the children an opportunity to meet many important people which helped in many ways in growing up.
Father attended school in Payson until 1871 when he moved to Benjamin, a newly laid out community three miles north of Payson. This town was named after his father who was a close associate of President Brigham Young.
They were among the first settlers in Benjamin so there was plenty of work for everyone. There was a home to build, the land to get ready for planting, besides many other things that go into a new place.
Father did not want to quit school, so until his father built the first school in Benjamin, he walked to Payson when there was not available a horse to ride.
Their first house was a two story adobe building which they built on their farm. Six years after moving into this place his father was killed by lightning, this was in 1885. The running of the farm was left to the sons. One by one the sons married and moved into homes of their own. This, or course, left the running of the farm to Father. This may account in part why he married later in life than most young boys.
In 1885 he met a young girl who was living with her folks on his Uncle Andrew Jackson's ranch. Her father, John Gull, had moved from Meadow to run the ranch. It was while she was here that he met Harriet, whom he became engaged to, though it was decided the marriage would not take place until Harriet became eighteen.
In the meantime her father decided to move back to Meadow where he had a home. Of course, this separated the young folks, but even though she was one hundred miles away, which was quite a distance in those days, this did not break up the romance. On April 17, 1886 Harriet turned eighteen and in May, Father hitched up his team and wagon and drove to Meadow to marry her. From there they, in company with her cousin Mary E. Labrum, drove to St. George where they were married in the Temple on May 26, 1886. Father was thirty and Mother was eighteen but the difference in their ages did not make any difference for Mother had been raised in a large family and knew what it was to manage a home. They drove back to Meadow where they stayed a few days and then drove on to Benjamin to make their home. On arriving in Benjamin a big party and wedding reception was held for them.
His mother was alone so Father and his bride moved in with his mother, where they stayed for three months. Then they moved into their own home which was only a short distance from his mother's. It was while they lived in this house that their twins were born, a boy and a girl. They were named John Henry and Clara. The twins were born August 17, 1887.
In April 1888 they moved in with his mother again where they stayed while their new home was being built. They moved into their new home in December. This home was just across the street from his mother's. Eleven more children were born to them while they were in this home making the number in the family now thirteen children.
Father continued to run his mother's farm in addition to going into the sheep business with his brother Luther. But this venture did not work out very well. There was a severe drought and as Father had used all his capital to buy the sheep, he had no money to buy feed with which to tide them over for the winter. He had to sell his interest to his brother. With the money he went into the dry goods business with another brother. Again bad luck was in store for him. There was an amusement hall on the top floor of the store building and one Saturday night after a dance the building took fire and burned to the ground with almost a total loss of its contents. It was presumed that the fire was started by a discarded cigarette.
So discouraged he went back to full time farming. In addition to running his mother's farm he rented additional land and raised sugar beets. This is where his large family came in handy for there was always plenty of help when he needed it.
In 1891 when their fourth child was a year old, their wheat and beet crop was a failure due to a bad drought. This was not enough. Father signed a note with a friend and when it fell due the man could not pay, so Father mortgaged his next year's crop to pay the note.
Father loved good horses. His work horses were always the best. He also had several spirited riding horses. Two that I well remember, Jenney and Mat, were both very good pacers and trotters. The boys liked nothing better than to take them out, unbeknown to Father, and enter them in races. This would upset him very much when he found out for Mother used them on the buggy and he was afraid they would run away with her.
As I said, Father's main cash income was from his sugar beets that he raised. The sugar beet company that handled the beets for the farmers paid for the beets in a lump sum in the fall when the crop was in. One year in 1904, they paid all in gold, so when he came in he called us all together and showed us. There was five hundred dollars in gold pieces. He then said I want all of you to hold this gold in your hands, for there may never be a time in your lives again when you will have an opportunity to hold so much gold, which we all did. I can still see the gold pieces spilling out on the floor for my hands were not large enough to hold them.
People in those days had to make their own entertainment. It was up to them to plan whatever they wanted. If there was a committee needed to make those plans, Father was always called upon, whether it was a dance, a picnic, a parade, a stage show, or a sleigh riding party. He enjoyed it, especially the dances. They kept up this active life until Mother said they had too many babies to take along so they would have to stay home. But Father never lost his love for dancing even in later life.
In 1907 Father was advised by his doctor to move to a drier climate due to his son, Jesse, who had rheumatism and a bad heart. Benjamin was close to Utah Lake and the climate was on the damp side. About this time there was some Government land thrown open for homesteading in Millard County in the Delta area. So with his oldest son John, he drove down to look it over. But he decided in his opinion there was too much alkali in the ground and at some future date there would have to be a drainage system put in if the land was to be productive, so he decided against it. But while they were so close to Mother's folks, the would go over and see them, for they lived in Meadow. While visiting there, Grandfather persuaded him to buy a farm that was for sale.
I remember as a child what a thrill it was to take the long trip to Meadow to visit my Grandmother. We always went every few years, Father taking time out of his busy life to make the trip down, which we made in a covered wagon. It would take three days to make the trip but it was so much fun. Now when Father came back with the news that we were going to move down there we were all very happy about it.
There was a lot of hustle and bustle now to get ready to move, the farm and home had to be sold, Grandmother's estate to be settled and divided up. After lots of work, everything was ready, furniture loaded on a large flat wagon along with machinery and other household goods. A large covered wagon was filled with children and food that Mother had carefully prepared and packed for the trip. At the time of this move there were twelve children. One infant boy had passed on. Two more children were born after we moved to Meadow making a total in the family of fifteen children, nine girls and six boys.
With such a large family Father found it rather hard to make a living on a small farm. He missed his beet farming especially the beet check that he had every fall to meet expenses.
In 1910 the son that he had made the move for passed away. He was seventeen. This was a great blow to Mother and Father, but with such a large family there was no time to look back, life had to go on.
In 1911, after careful consideration he took up a homestead of a hundred and sixty acres a mile north of town. He then sold the home in town and the small farm and moved to the ranch. By this time his oldest son and daughter were married and in homes of their own. This left him with three sons to help out on the ranch, but they were good workers so things ran rather smooth.
In 1912 he was elected to the school board. He was always interested in school improvements and was always willing to help out where ever he was needed.
Father never lost his love for dancing. There never was an old folks dance that he was not there to have fun.
By 1915 Father's health began to fail. He was not able any more to do the heavy work, but his boys were dependable so he did the supervising and they did the work. He had a sick spell in July 1917 which he never fully recovered. One of Father's main worries was that he might get sick and be a burden on Mother, but this was not to be. He took to his bed September 25 and one week later he passed away on September 30, 1917.
We all missed him but I guess we never knew just how much Mother did. The head of the house was gone and with six children under 18, Mother had no time to look back. Time heals all things and she had plenty to do to keep her mind busy.
Father was 63 when he passed away and he should have had a number of good years left, but when our time comes to go, whether we are old or young, or whether our work is done, we answer the call. Father lived a good life while here, so I am sure he earned his reward over there.