Soup Town JJ: The Jonathan Heaton Family Reunion

Best Friends in high school.
"The Orderville Twins"

Now we're old ladies,
(still blurry)
and find ourselves at the same reunion:
The Jonathan Heaton Reunion.
Her husband descended from the first wife, Amy,
and I am a granddaughter of the second wife, Lucy.

Southern Utah News Front Page: July 23, 2015

Honoring a pioneer - Jonathan Heaton - ''Plow a straight furrow''

A new monument honoring Jonathan Heaton was set last week and will be dedicated at the Heaton Family Reunion on July 23 in Moccasin.

Editor’s note-the following history was provided by Carolyn Grygla. There will be a huge family reunion this weekend to honor the pioneer heritage, and to celebrate the family and descendants of the early settlers of this area!

They were children of Mormon pioneers – both team and wagon, and handcart, who literally gave up all they had to “Come to Zion.” Their children we are honoring were all born in Utah Territory – Jonathan was born in Payson, Utah on September 17, 1857, Amy Hoyt was born on May 6, 1860 in Nephi, and Lucy Elizabeth Carroll was born on March 18, 1862 in the Heber Valley. Their parents had been sent by Brigham Young to settle these new areas for the expanding state he called “Deseret.” Their children carried on the traits of faith, hard work, self-lessness, and devotion to community and family. They were the pioneers of southern Utah and northern Arizona!

Jonathan and Amy’s lives intertwined when their parents were called by the church to settle the “Muddy Mission” – now Logandale, Nevada. Leaving their established farms in Payson and Nephi, they set out to build new homes and a new community. At age 11, Jonathan was given charge of moving the company’s cattle herd along behind the wagons. It is the first indication of Jonathan’s gift for leadership that would be demonstrated all of his life. The Muddy was a terribly hard, hot place to live, with alkaline soil that had to be leached out to plant crops. After two back-breaking years, orchards were beginning to take hold, and the wheat was looking promising.

It was now established that they were within Nevada’s territorial borders, and the Nevada government promptly demanded back taxes in silver or gold. Utah taxes had been paid, and there were no funds to pay Nevada.

Brigham Young counseled them to go where they pleased, but suggested they take a look at Long Valley in southern Utah. Many went back to their previous homes, but the Heatons and the Hoyts and many others came to Mt. Carmel. They were asked to establish a “United Order,” where they would live and work for the good of all, each bringing their own skills and talents. They moved a few miles north and built the town of Orderville, for this purpose.

At age 17, Jonathan was given responsibility over the sawmill north of Orderville, and other men older than he. One quote from the Order records said “There was a saying among his friends and fellow workers that Jonathan Heaton could get more willing labor out of men than anyone in the community. The secret of this they claimed was that his motto was always, ‘Come…instead of Go’.”

He married Amy Hoyt, and then two years later Lucy Elizabeth Carroll, whose father came to join the United Order from Heber City. At age 21, Jonathan took his young and growing family to Washington, where the United Order purchased property to grow cotton and peaches for the Order. Again, he demonstrated remarkable success in making a hard plan work when he was able to establish irrigation ditches from the Virgin that made it a whole year without being washed out by floods. At the end of four years, they sold the cotton farm and moved back to Orderville.

Jonathan was then given charge of the Order’s sheep herds, then numbering about 6000. Again, he demonstrated capability and leadership, increasing the herds to around 15,000 over the next six years. The herd was divided into six, with other men given charge of each herd. His daughter Hannah said, “Father would not allow an animal to be abused or neglected.”

When the Order disbanded. Jonathan took one of the sheep herds, some Orderville property, and the Moccasin ranch as his portion.

His growing family now made it impossible to live together, and so in 1901, Lucy and her 11 children moved to Moccasin. Her big family of boys took care of the farming and cattle there, and it flourished. Moccasin became known for its peaches, watermelon and molasses. Her home there became known as The Big House, now a historical landmark.

A hallmark of Lucy’s Moccasin days was the numerous visitors she hosted and fed for at least a night. The list includes numerous governors of Arizona and Utah, and other political leaders, LDS Church Presidents and leaders, travelers from southern Arizona coming up the Honeymoon Trail to be married in the St. George Temple, cowboys, Indians, and numerous friends and family members. She was seldom without company, and her fears of isolation on the Arizona Strip evaporated! These people were offered hospitality without price, and evidently pay came in high esteem for Lucy by these people.

Among her more famous visitors were Zane Grey and artist Loran Covington, who stayed at The Big House numerous times, with the Heaton boys acting as guides to different locations of interest. Covington gave Jonathan and Lucy two paintings as thanks for their hospitality and help.

The same year Lucy moved to Moccasin for good, Amy was established at the Wild Rose Ranch in Upper Kanab. Jonathan purchased the ranch from the family of Daniel Seegmiller, who was shot and killed by a Roundy man over a water dispute. The Wild Rose provided the family with potatoes, mutton, beef and grain. Between Moccasin and the Wild Rose Ranch, the Heaton family was virtually self-sufficient.

The Heaton family grew large, and stayed close. At the same time of the Moccasin/Wild Rose separation, Jonathan organized his 15 sons into a company called Heaton and Sons. Following the pattern of the United Order, they labored for the good of the family, building each other’s houses, taking various responsibilities and generally helping each other out. It was a remarkably successful venture, with their biggest purchase being a cattle herd of 4400 from A.D. Findlay, which included the Pipe Springs Fort and water. The Heaton boys became cowboys – and participated in the large cattle drives and branding that were part of the cattle business on the Arizona Strip.

Jonathan was a man of great integrity – which is well documented by his family. One quote is from his son Herald who wrote: Pa said, “Son, plow a straight furrow, cut a straight swath, rake a straight windrow ‘til you’re done, and that’s how you’ll be known all your life.”

This phrase became the title and theme of the Jonathan Heaton Documentary that has been written, produced, filmed and acted by his descendants. Those who participated have had a remarkable experience together with cousins they may never have met before – and a new bond and vision of their family has been created. Malcolm Judd, of Judd Productions in St. George, has filmed this project. He is a great-great grandson of Jonathan and Amy.

The documentary will premier on Saturday in Kanab on the last day of the reunion – and will be made available to the public the following week at the Crescent Moon Theater. Clive Romney, Executive Director of the Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts, has written and produced the theme song for the documentary, which will be included in his Kane County Collection of songs and stories.

A book portraying the biographies of Jonathan, Amy, Lucy and their children is being released in conjunction with the reunion – “Remembering our Heritage.”

A monument to them has been designed and ordered by Dennis and Lurana Mosdell, and installed by family members in Moccasin. It will be dedicated on July 23 in Moccasin by great-grandson Kirk Heaton of Kanab. Besides Dennis Mosdell – Don Johnson, Glen Grygla, Ken Burch, Ron Johnson and Ken Heaton also worked on the cement foundation and slab the monument sets on, as well as the chainlink fence. Jonathan and Grayson Bott of Nu-Art Memorial of Salt Lake City made the memorial and set it last week.

Jonathan Heaton now has over 14,000 descendants, including about 25 living grandchildren, now in their 80s and 90s who will be honored at the reunion. The reunion schedule is as follows:

July 23– Moccasin

9 a.m.-12 noon (AZ time) – Special tours at Pipe Spring National Monument given by Heaton family members who were former tour guides at the Fort – with an emphasis on the days that Heaton and Sons owned the Fort during the big cattle days on the Arizona Strip. (A special thanks to Park Superintendent John Hiscock for this amazing opportunity).

1 p.m. (AZ time) – Registration at Moccasin – followed by many events reminiscent of Jonathan’s time in Moccasin – lots of fun for every age, entertainment, visiting, demonstrations and more. The day will include the dedication of the monument to Jonathan, Amy and Lucy Heaton. A celebration at Moccasin wouldn’t be complete without watermelon and pit BBQ – watermelon all day, and Pit BBQ for dinner at 6 pm (AZ time)

July 24 – Orderville and Alton

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Orderville Cemetery Walk – Visit the graves of the Heaton ancestors, and hear their stories

1 p.m. – Alton Day of the Reunion – Wagon rides to the old Wild Rose Ranch – demonstrations, storytelling, games, visiting, and a smoked pulled-pork and Dutch oven dinner, dancing “Alton Style.” Fun for the whole family!

July 25 – Kanab

9 a.m. – Registration and family chorus and band practice for the documentary song performance of “Plow a Straight Furrow.”

10 a.m. – Family meeting – First performance of the documentary song, and the documentary – which will be shown consecutively at the Crescent Moon Theater for family members. Family history and family fun, storytelling and pioneer games and crafts for the kids.

Before going to Moccasin we stopped in the Kolob Rehab Center in Cedar City to visit our sister, Shirley,who had planned to attend the reunion before she fell and broke her femur bone. Carol, Jeanette, Verla, and Shirley. July 22, 2015

Moccasin scenes.

Eddy and DeRay catching a ride to the Old School Museum and Big House. I jumped on too.

Oh, yes, free watermelon all day long all three days.
(Amy Lyn would NOT be impressed.)

Cold Tunnel Spring cave where they kept their milk, cheese, and butter. Each family was assigned a shelf to store their food on. Sometimes they even ate their favorite supper of bread and milk at the picnic table inside the tunnel.

Dutch oven dinner in Moccasin.

Moccasin in July? We were afraid we would die. Instead, all day long, there was a cool breeze. Welcoming benches in shade all up and down the street.

Moccasin is a magical place. Mama taught us that.

Taffy Pull at Moccasin

In every town, they played old-fashioned games and told stories. Some of the games they played were: Run Sheepie run, Dare Bare, a baseball game called Liners, Anti I Over, Fox and Geese, Steal the Flag, marbles, Jump rope, and lots more.

Old School Museum

Effie and Jolene in room where their grandmother was born.

Leonard Heaton and his models of homes, church, school, and barn.

Grandma Heaton had the only family in the church who completely staffed a branch of the Church.

Her children and grandchildren were the only students in the school too. She liked to look out her side window and watch her posterity at play during recess.

Each of the 11 children's families paid $100 to have this water tank restored for the reunion at a total cost of $1,100. A source of fresh water, a place to swim and a baptismal font. DeLoy writes: "I've decided that the most important monument done for the Reunion was the Moccasin water tank. It's what I remember best from visits to Moccasin as we grew up."

Grandpa Heaton was injured while grading a road by Alton on this grader and died several days later in Cedar City.

Mama and Jennie swam in this reservoir many times.

When we visited with Jennie at her home in Moccasin in 1993, she told us:

Your mother was born first;

She could run faster;

She could swim further;

She could stay under water longer;

She could dive deeper;

She was married first;

She had one more child;

And one more husband.

Jennie didn't mention this, but Mama also died first. Mama died at age 73. Jennie was in her 90th year in 1993. Jennie was Mama's niece and best friend.

Bill Schmutz, He and his family own the Big House now. He restored all the rock work on the outside.

The Big House where Mama was born and grew up.

Jeanette, Verla, and Carol in room where Mama was born.

Other side of room.

COUSINS

Olive. She did all the name tags. She got her foot caught in the binder as a child.

Dennis Mosdell who engineered the monument. He and his wife Larana curated the museum. He is a mortician by trade.

Anna Laura

Verda told us that when Georgia Lou died, the Schmutz family forced Anna Laura to sign over her share of the house to them.

One of the first people we ran into at Moccasin was Anna Laura. "We heard that you don't own the house anymore. How do you feel about that?"

"I can't talk about it."

"We are sorry. I'll bet it's hard to come to Moccasin."

"This is the first time I've been back. I don't know if I'm going to make it."

When her sister, Georgia Lou, died, she was in a wheelchair because she was in the middle of chemo treatments for breast cancer. Now she looks strong; her hair is coming back.

"Daddy would want me to forgive and forget."

"Good for you. You will make your daddy proud."

We asked her to write a note to Shirley and took her picture.

Valiant cousin.

Carolyn Heaton Grygla, who with her committee, masterminded this amazing and comprehensive reunion.

Darol Heaton, husband of Georgia. Great grandson.

Peggy Esplin, wife of Mack.
We made a book for Shirley and asked cousins to write a get-well note to her.

Israel Mack Esplin. He was hoping to see Lynn and DeLoy.
Since "we" can't talk politics with our Southern Utah Cousins,
we decided to talk about horses.
"How long as it been since you were on a horse?"
"I can't remember. How long has it been since you were on a horse?" I countered.
"Two days," Mack answers.
He's 81-years-old.
He spends a lot of time out with the cattle.

A bed made of local logs auctioned off for around $800.
They also auctioned off a quilt with the 11 children's photos, the painting of Moccasin hills, and the star quilt above.

Nora Heaton, mother of Carolyn Grygla.
I believe she was the oldest person there at age 92.
Her husband died when he was 36 years old.

Horse drawn wagon rides.

Landell and Berniece
Landell lived with us one year when he went to school in Orderville.
His sister, Lucy, was my age.

Because Daddy and Mama were both the youngest in their large polygamist families, most of our first cousins were much older than we were. I had one girl cousin close to my age – Lucy Heaton from Moccasin, Uncle Chris’ daughter. She would come to Orderville to stay with me and I would go out to Moccasin and stay with her.

Since Georgia Troy and I were best friends and neither went anywhere without the other, Georgia would go to Moccasin with me. When Lucy rebelled against her righteous parents wishes and decided to get married at age 16, Georgia and I went out to Moccasin to the wedding. That’s the last time I saw Lucy. She moved off to California and I heard she had a rather sad life. She died young.

As we left the petting coral and road grader that Grandpa Heaton was on when he sustained internal injuries that cost him his life, we stopped to ask this young family who they belonged to. “I’m Lucy’s granddaughter,” she said. She says she lives in Cedar City now but because her husband is in the service, she has lived all over. “I have a baby buried in Moccasin,” she told us, “between these two kids” and she pointed two of her smaller children. And then she told us the story.

She said she knew the baby wouldn’t be long with them because when she was nursing her smallest child she saw a child in the doorway. “Can I come and live with you?” “Well, yes, but where’s the family you are supposed to live with?” “I want to live with you but I can’t stay long.”

While she was pregnant, she planned the funeral – not the services, but she knew she wanted Mosdell’s Mortuary to take care of the baby and she wanted to bury her in Moccasin. Even so, she didn’t know it would be so hard to let her go.

At six months, she died of infant death syndrome. A perfect child.

She says she doesn’t tell that story to many people.

My friend and cousin Lucy’s granddaughter.
Poignant.

Derryll brother of Landell, Lucy & others.

He is the little boy in the picture of us hauling hay in Orderville.

Daddy, Jerry, Carol Lee

Jeanette, DeLoy, Derryll

abt 1945

Johnny Esplin and Shirley Brinkerhoff

Diane Esplin, Johnny and wife.

I used to go to Hurricane and stay with Diane. She came to Orderville to stay with me. It was the 4th of July and my cousin, LaRue Bolander, and I had matching dresses. Mama had Shirley make one for Diane too. I was jealous. I thought she was interfering with our traditions.

LaRue
in the very dress.

DeLoy wrote: I remember when Diane came to Orderville once as an early teen-ager. Mack and I thought she was cute. She sang I know that My Redeemer Liveth in a youth fireside.

Paul was my classmate one year when he came to Orderville to live with his sister, Beth.

Don Palmer is holding the framed picture of our Grandparents they presented to each grandchild who was present.

I told him about Shirley and asked him to at least sign his name. The bus was waiting to take them to the movie.

He wrote: "Thanks for the comb." He said Shirley gave him the first birthday present he ever a had - a comb. He said I was the first girl to get lipstick on his shirt.

Gene Heaton, son of Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Sterling, and his son Brad.
Gene said his older sister, Ione, was physically well
but mentally struggling.
No more Maggie Moon insults, Shirley!

Jim Crook, grandson of Aunt Zidie.

Jeanette, Verla, Carol in front of home in Orderville where we grew up.
Grandpa Esplin built it in 1901.

Our double-first-cousin VeRene and her two daughters Teresa and Patti
VeRene gave the opening prayer at the Monument Dedicatory Ceremony in Moccasin. Beautiful.
VeRene says sitting up straight is her mantra -
for which she wants to be remembered.
She said when her older siblings, Larry and Nan, started
to stoop, she was more determined to stand up straight.
She is the Aunt Jane of our generation.

Verla, Jeanette, Ed, Carol with VeRene at Nan's in Orderville. July 24.

In Orderville, they did the Cemetery Walk where our parents, grandparents, and all of our great grandparents except one are buried. I was going to boycott the reunion because they were holding it in Moccasin, Alton, and Kanab but when they included the Cemetery Walk, I conceded. Orderville is virtually the birthplace of our tribe.

Don't you love Alton?

Royce Young's family now own the Jonathan Heaton home in Alton.

Jonathan and Amy's son Ira built this home before Alton was a town. It was called Oak Flat - and was the only home when Jonathan and his sons decided to build a town around it and call it Alton. Ira traded his parents this home in town for the Wild Rose Ranch so his younger brothers and sisters could go to school. Many of the ranchers that lived far apart in this area moved into Alton so their children could go to school and Church.

Wagon ride to Wild Rose house.

Remains Wild Rose House.

In Alton, they made sour dough biscuits, cheese and butter.

Kanab Day.

A grandson holding his photo. Verla's old flame, Karl Heaton and his son Ken made the frames from wood from the Wild Rose house.
Twenty-two grandchildren came to the reunion.
Verla is only 68 so they were not all in their 80's and 90's.
As a matter of record,
Jerry, Carol, Verla and I are all under 80 in our family alone. Our double-first-cousin Johnny Esplin, Aunt Lucy's youngest, is also under 80.
I think there were around 1,500 attendees in all.
Being a grandchild was special indeed.
Grandpa Heaton had 150 grandchildren.
We have seven, but who's counting?