https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/3813392?cid=mem_copy
ELWOOD DEWITT MCGEE
I began my schooling at the age of 6. I well remember my teacher, Wallis Smith. In those days we had to learn the ABC's. This teacher would take us on his lap and have me say them after him. I continued my schooling under different teachers until I was 12 years old.
In September of 1890, the family moved to the Cherokee Nation---Now Oklahoma. The reason for this move was because we had Indian blood, so we went there to establish our rights----to get what rightfully belonged to us. When the Cherokee tribe was moved by the Government from the Indian territory, the McGee's as well as many others did not go with the tribe. After arriving there we rented some land and engaged in farming. Later we helped ourselves to some good land and built us a house. In the meantime we had proven our Indian blood, then for 7 years we were in a law suit, but during all of this time, we continued to improve our farm and raised cattle, hoping the law suit would win and become thoroughly established. During this time we continued our schooling, such as it was, for only 3 months out of the year.
Many of the people were very antagonistic towards us, calling us intruders, taking possession of things that did not belong to us. This would often be thrown up to us in school, which we boys did not like. It would sometimes have to be settled with a fight, which of course did not help matters any.
The McGee's were finally defeated in the courts, so we had to give up our home. If it had not been for a good few friends, we would of lost everything. They bought our cattle and hogs.
About this time some Mormon Elders came into our district and taught us the true gospel in which we accepted. This of course did not make it any better for us as far as the people were concerned. In their eyes we were not only intruders, but we were horrible Mormons.
This calls to mind a circumstance that happened while I was working on a thrashing machine. A few other men and myself were sitting under the wagons which were loaded with wheat bundles. We were waiting our turn at the thrashers. One man made a slurring remark about me joining the Mormon Church. Of course my Irish blood just boiled, but before I said anything, one of the friends jumped up and said: " I don't give a **** if Elwood did join the Mormon Church, he is still my friend and I am a friend to him." Nothing more was said, so I didn't have to say anything or give him a licking either. At that time I did not know anything about turning the other cheek. This was in the Summer of 1899.
During this time we were busy making plans for our move Westward and settle somewhere among the Latter-Day-Saints. Just where, we were not fully decided. We had 2 places in view: Old Mexico or Fruitland, New Mexico. After disposing of our personal property as best we could, we bid farewell to the Indian territory. This was in September.
In this company besides us were: my uncle William McGee, his wife and son, Thomas and his wife; also Mr. Hildebran and family, who was the father-in-law of Thomas McGee. The company consisted of 4 wagons, 1 buggy and 1 hack. We were the only ones belonging to the Mormon Church.
We all agreed before leaving, that we would not travel on Sunday, so every Saturday at noon we would make camp until Monday morning, then continue on our way toward the setting sun. We all enjoyed our travels very much, as we were seeing new things every day. Our family and the Hildebrans were made up with a lot of young people, which made it very pleasant for us youngsters. My father was 41 years old, but we thought he was quite old.
We all had good health during the entire journey. No tragedies of any kind, nor ill feelings among any of the company. One of the Mormon Elders that labored in the Indian territory and that had stayed in our home had also confirmed me a member of the Church lived in Manassa, Colorado. He made a special request for us to visit with his family---which we agreed to do. We found them to be a very nice family and they treated us very kindly.
I will state again that we would make camp on Saturday at noon, but this time we told the rest of the company that we would drive into Manassa, Colorado. It was farther than we thought, so we did not get there until Sunday. They were having Stake Conference. Apostle Heber J. Grant was there. This is the first Apostle I have ever seen. We attended the 2:00 P.M. session. During his discourse, Brother Grant talked about some of his business dealings. He said that someone had asked him how he was getting along with his obligations, as he was very heavily in debt. He told this party that he was getting his debts where he could handle them all right, as he now only owed 80 thousand dollars. I thought that was a terrible debt to owe up to this time. We had never been in debt at all.
Sunday night we stayed with the Boise family. We did not know when we left our camp Saturday at noon that we would not all travel together again. When we left Manassa, Colorado, we took the wrong road. Instead of going to Antonito, Colorado, we went further South.
When we got to the Continental Divide it was Sunday. Fearing that we would get into a snow storm, we again broke the rule. Before crossing the Divide we got a good supply of feed for our teams but didn't get very much food for ourselves thinking of course we had plenty to carry us to the next place.
Again we got on the wrong road and finally ran out of food entirely. I will here state, we had long given up going to old Mexico and had decided to go to Fruitland, New Mexico instead. It being almost sundown we made camp. You can imagine how we felt in a canyon and no road.
On looking across the canyon we saw a group of men and horses so Ulysses and I got on our saddle horses and started over where these men were. As we got closer to them we could see that they were Indians with painted faces. The leader of the gang came alone to where we were as close to us as there was a big wash between us. He could talk good English. He said that they were on the war path with the Mexican people as they were intruding on their land and as they saw us they were coming over. We told him that we were moving through the country and was lost as we had some way missed the right road. He told us if we were to cross the country to the North of us we would get on the right road.
I have thought many times since how easy we could have been killed, if Ulysses and I had not gone over to them - that might have happened. The next morning we started across the country and traveled until noon. We found no road so we decided to backtrack and get back to where we had camped the night before. You can imagine how we felt. The Indians had told us the truth about the road, but we were just afraid to go on any farther, without any road to travel on. So here we were, having gained nothing. Our teams were very tired as we had traveled all day over very soft ground - making our own road. We were here in a narrow canyon with no road to lead us on.
We were nearly out of our food supply so we had to ration ourselves. The younger children seemed to understand our situation, so they too would eat very little. We had no idea where and when we would be able to get any more supplies for ourselves and also our teams. However, our teams were not in as bad a situation as we were. We went to bed feeling very discouraged and lonely.
Up to this time we had not formed the habit of family prayer. Just new in the church, we had a lot to learn. Although I don't doubt but what the most of us would offer up a secret prayer now and then. I think that most people do during their lives and thank the Lord for their blessings.
At this time if anyone needed help we sure did. That night as I lay in my bed before going to sleep, I prayed very earnestly that it might be opened up for us to know how and where to go. That night I had a dream (or vision), you may call it what you will. In that dream I saw a light wagon go down the canyon. It was so real that I got up just as soon as it began to get daylight and walked out to the place where I saw the wagon, or hack as they were called, and I saw the tracks this vehicle had made. It was just as plain as could be as though it had just been made. I told the folks after they got up what I had seen and for proof I showed them the tracks.
So after breakfast (that is what it was after a fashion - not much - but it tasted mighty good), we started on our way, following the tracks. We had to cross some deep gullies and would have to take our pick and shovel and fill the gullies up so we could cross them. The tracks of the dream-wagon was there and had crossed without fill these washes up.
On we went and finally came to a road or at least we could call it a road that had not been traveled very much. To our great joy we came up to a Mexican sheep camp. After telling him of our troubles and of being almost out of food, he gave us what he could spare - which we were thankful for. He told us to keep on going down this canyon, that it would take us to the Large Canyon. It would take us to the San Juan Basin.
So on we went feeling much relieved but we still had to keep on our rations as it was a long way to go before reaching the river - and water was another problem. One day as we stopped for noon, we dug a hole in the wash and got some water so Mother made us some biscuits from the flour the Mexican had given us. The water was everything but clear but my those biscuits were good.
We finally got to the river so Ulysses and I got on saddle horses and crossed the San Juan river and went over to a store. We told the family that had the store our situation - that we were hungry and had been going on rations for several days. That we had run out of money, we had no change - only a government check. They let us have what we wanted and needed. Just before leaving, this man's wife said "I have a lot of cookies I would like to give you if you won't be insulted." I said, "Do you think you could insult a hungry person by giving them something good to eat such as cookies?"
When we got back to camp we began to prepare a real supper. We peeled a lot of potatoes, and I mean a lot, and put them on to boil. Mother made a lot of good biscuits. After everything was done, we began dishing out the potatoes, meat, and biscuits for a real good supper.
To our surprise we could not eat the potatoes. Somehow in getting everything ready for a real good meal the bar of soap that Mother had been using got mixed in with the potatoes. The potatoes were clean but not edible. We had to prepare another supply of spuds (as they call them in the West). We always called them Irish potatoes. We finally got a real supper and how we did enjoy it. We went to bed with our appetites really satisfied.
The next morning we crossed the San Juan river and went back to the store and pawned a gun (22 caliber) as they could not cash our check for more supplies. We then headed down the river for Fruitland, New Mexico. We arrived there on Saturday, November 18, 1899. We thought of all places - this was it. We did not feel like saying as Brigham Young "This is the place - STOP!" We felt like saying, "Drive on", and if our teams had been in shape we would have done just that. We had been on the road for 62 days (with two very hard weeks). Our team was all in, so here we were and would have to make the best of it whether we liked it or not.
We went down to the San Juan river and made camp. One of our horses died during the night. Sunday morning some of us went to Sunday School. Not knowing anyone, we were strangers in a strange place.
We found a small house which we moved into for the Winter. I went to work for Bishop Ashcroft for $15.00 a month. I worked for him all winter and part of the summer. After I quit working for Bishop Ashcroft I worked for a man by the name of Stephens for a while. I bought me a cow from him as pay for my work and from that one I soon had several head of cattle.
We later purchased a farm of 160 acres for $4000,00. That was a lot of money in those days. 80 acres of the land was in alfalfa-hay. As there were 6 boys in the family, we didn't have to hire any help. We would put up 200 tons of hay each year. The price of hay at this time was $5.00 per ton or $10.00 hauled and delivered to Farmington, New Mexico. We also had a lot of fruit, which we would haul to Durango, Colorado and other places to market. Fruit was also very cheap as well as everything else we had to sell. By being conservative, we managed to meet our payments on the farm and meet our obligations. The people in the valley were all poor in those days, just existing, and making the best of everything.
This was in the wagon and buggy days. Mostly wagon. A lot of people wanted us to haul their produce to Gallup, New Mexico. It took from 8 to 12 days for the trip, and sometimes we hardly made enough to pay expenses.
In those days we had to make our own amusements, such as dances and plays. We would put on some home talent, which was very good, and was enjoyed by all. I had the privilege of being in a lot of those plays. The second Winter we were there, Ulysses, Henry and I went to school in Fruitland, New Mexico. We had rented a small house in Fruitland, New Mexico and stayed there during the week (going home Friday Evening and back Sunday).
Harvey Tanner was our teacher. We all liked him very much, although he didn't belong to the LDS Church. Our school was held in the ward meeting house. It was also used for all our entertainments, such as plays and dances. Apostle Brigham Young and Brother Cowdrey would come very often to our quarterly conferences as Brother Young had a wife living in Fruitland. We had some wonderful conferences in that small Church house.
In the Spring of 1902, a family by the name of Hunt moved into the valley and purchased a farm in the Jewett Valley about 6 miles from Fruitland. Brother William James and Sister Elise Schmutz Hunt, like the McGee's, had a large family. One of the girls (Celia Hunt) in the family, and I, well, I became very much interested in her welfare. We began to keep company, which resulted in marriage on October 11, 1904, in the Salt Lake Temple.
[Ross McGee married her sister Irene Hunt in 1907 in the St George Temple]
Celia was a very beautiful girl, or at least I thought so, and winning her over was not too easy a job, as I had to get rid of several suitors, who thought I was hunting out of Season. From this marriage came 10 noble children, seven boys and three girls, all living except our youngest, Lawrence. We lost him at the age of 14.
I want to pay tribute to my noble wife. She has been a wonderful wife to me and I want to say to all of my boys and girls that you have been blessed with one of God's elect to be your mother. She has been very devoted to her family. Not only to her family, but true to God and the Church, always doing good to someone, even doing good for evil. We stayed in Fruitland, New Mexico for 3 years after we were married.
In the Summer of 1907, we sold everything and went by train to LaGrande, Oregon. That being a great fruit country, I worked in the fruit (mostly apples). I would pack them in the box cars ready for shipment to many places. Later I went to work for the Sugar Company, as they had a factory there. I worked in the beet fields and never did have to work in the factory, always on the outside.
I should have said that when we left Fruitland, New Mexico, all of the McGee's left and they all came to LaGrande. My father and some of the rest, worked in the factory. After staying there for 2 years, we all went into Idaho (Nampa). There we McGee boys went into the contracting business of clearing and plowing sage brush land. We would complete the job for $7.00 per acre.
After working at that for sometime, we sold out and moved to Oakley, Idaho, and went into the movie-picture business. We stayed there for awhile, then sold out and moved to Richfield, Utah and went into the picture business there. This was not a very good paying business.
I finally sold out my interest and went to work for Mr. Stillman on a large farm. I worked for him for 2 years. Then we moved to Springdale, Utah. My father and mother, James Grover (my brother) and his wife went with us. My brother, Ross and his family had moved there a little sooner. This was in the Fall of 1916.
About a year later, my brother, Henry and family, also moved to Springdale, Utah. By that time there were quite a number of McGee's there. We boys helped to build the road into Zions National Park.
We left Springdale, Utah and went to Harrisburg, Utah and rented some land from Joseph Lee. After staying there for a little over 1 year we moved back to Kirtland, New Mexico after an absence of thirteen years. We bought a home from Elmer F. Taylor which consisted of a home and ten acres of land. We gave him $1800.00, paying $500.00 down and the balance on time, which ran on for a number of years as we had a large family to provide for.
We loved our home in New Mexico. It was here that I began my church activities. I was ordained a Deacon and set apart as president of the quorum. Later I was ordained a Teacher and labored as a Ward Teacher. Later on I was ordained to the office of Priest. I was ordained an Elder on the same day as we were married on October 11, 1904 by W. W. Writer.
In the Spring of 1905, we rented a farm from Larkin Beck. It was located at the head of what we called "lovers lane". It was here that our first child was born, Harvey Leo. The next year we rented a farm from the same man. This is now known as the AL FOUTZ ranch.
Oh yes, while we were in Nampa, Idaho, it was under the Western States Mission, at that time presided over by Melvin J. Ballard. He later became one of the council of the Twelve.
In the Spring of 1920, we were settled in Kirtland and I had many opportunities to serve in the church. I was called to preside over the young Mens Improvement Association, which position I held for 10 years. I was released from this position and called to preside over the Sunday School. I held the position for 4 years. I was then called into the Stake Sunday School as a counselor. After being released from this I was called into the High Counsel of the Young Stake. I held this position for 12 years and served under 3 stake Presidents namely Elmer F. Taylor, Roy B. Burnham, and Willard C. Stolworthy. After being released from this position I was called and set apart as President of the High Priest Quorum of the Young Stake.
After serving in this position for 4 1/2 years Celia and I were called by President Stolworthy as guides on the Mesa, Arizona Temple grounds. This was in 1952. On December 7, 1953, we were called as ordinance workers in the Temple. We were still guides on the grounds too. I was released as a guide after 8 years. Celia was released 1 year prior. I am still carrying on in the Temple and will until my release if my health will permit. I have enjoyed each of my callings to the fullest. I will be 84 on October 1, 1962. THE END
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