An Ancestor From the Dust.

If you were to ask me the question: "Do you have anyone in your family that farms?" My answer would of been a unsure: "no?" Upon asking my parents the same question, I was able to receive a more productive response. My father supplied me ancestral knowledge; dating all the way back to the 1800's! I never knew I had a ancestor who farmed, or that farmed that long ago. My ancestor from the dust that farmed was, Erastus Snow.

Snow was heavily involved in the history of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spending most of his years in service of the church. In 1861 he was appointed to be head of the "Southern Utah Mormon Settlements"("Snow"). Snow began settling Southern Utah by spending a lucrative amount of his time farming. Snow raised: alfalfa, corn, cows, hogs, and many other agricultural resources.

In the book: "Erastus Snow, The Life of a Missionary and Pioneer for the Early Mormon Church", In summary Andrew Karl Larson relates a story that tells of Snows determination to be known as a hard worker. Because of Snows rigurous schedule of church duties, Snow did not have a lot of time to work on his own. Snow was later criticized for using church funds and not working himself.  Brigham Young his leader, asked Snow to work to supply for his family just as the other settlers in St.George, Utah did. Sometime later, a meeting was being held and Snow was to be present in the meeting. Young being anxious sent for some one to find Snow. The book reads: "Brigham finally sent one of the brethren to get him. He found the apostle in his working clothes loading manure at the corral. "Why aren't you at the meeting?" the brother inquired. "Brother Brigham wants you there." Erastus answered mildly enough. "You tell Brother Brigham that if he wants me, he knows where to find me.""("Larson" pg.609). Upon hearing the news of the conversation between the two, Brigham later found Erastus and asked him what he was doing. Erastus answered: "I'm doing what you said I should be doing: working to support my family.""("Larson" pg. 609).

Throughout the 1860's Snow continued to settle and cultivate Southern Utah. During this cultivation the American Civil War broke out. Even with the break out of the war, Snow was minimally effected. With Utah not being a slave state, Utah was not admitted into the war.

Snow continued to serve faithfully in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a farmer, until the day of his death. There has been many of my ancestors, whom I never thought existed that farmed; Each becoming a new hero in my eyes. As they cultivated their lives in the dirt, they  cultivated my life today. I will always be indebted to my "Ancestors From the Dust".




Work Cited:

 "Erastus Snow." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Sept. 2015. Web. 13 Sept. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erastus_Snow>. 

 Larson, Andrew. Erastus Snow: The Life of a Missionary and Pioneer for the Early Mormon Church. Vol. 1. Salt Lake City: U of Utah. 609. Print.