Edward Kingsford

Autobiography

I was born October 25, 1826 at St. Margarets, Kent, England. My father's name was John Kingsford, mother's name, Elizabeth Files.

While working for John Chittenden, the foreman, my brother William told me of a people in Dover called Latter-day Saints. These people believed in the gifts and blessings of the gospel.

John Chittenden, the foreman, requested me to do some work which I considered not my duty. I objected, received my wages and left the place.

Miss Chittendon was sister to the foreman, and as I left she left also. He did not like me to keep company with his sister.

From there I went to Dover. Miss Chittendon and I both went and heard the Latter-Day-Saints. W.H. Kelsey preached first, and was succeeded by Thomas Caffal; these men preached to my satisfaction. I believed they had the gospel. This was in the early part of the year 1849, I and Jane Chittenden were baptized by Thomas Caffal; he confirmed both of us. I was keeping company with this young woman, and on the ninth day of April 1849 we were married in Hoffam Church.

From my grandmother Files estate, I had L 22. All of my brothers and sisters had the same sum of this money. I kept it in a savings bank, and drew it out as I thought I needed it.

I went to work of the Refuge Harbor, making a pier at 18 shillings a week; sometimes I made nine days a week and this brought me 27 shillings. I was a member of Dover branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thomas Caffal was president. I rented a house in Dover where we lived together happily.

I was ordained a deacon at Dover by Thomas Barton and I think it was in the year 1850. I lived in Dover till I emigrated in the year 1853. A young man named George Cooley living at Dover had considerable money and I agreed to go with him to America to drive his team and I was to pay him in the valley after my arrival. We sailed on the ship Camillus, Captain Day was master, Curtis E Bolton, President and Wm. Clayton, counselor. Our ship sailed in 1853 for New Orleans; we had almost 700 passengers of the Latter-day Saints. We were in Liverpool three weeks for the ship to be fitted up. After seven weeks on the sea we arrived in New Orleans, stayed there some three days, then went to St. Louis by steamboat, from there to Keokuk by steamboat. The teams and wagons were purchased by I.C. Haight and Brother Shurtliff. Our company consisted of 35 wagons, or thereabouts with families to each wagon. John Brown was captain of our company. We traveled through Iowa to Council Bluffs, crossed the Missouri River at Florence, old "Winter Quarters", from this point we commenced our journey across the plains, crossed the Elk Horn River, and The Loup fork. Appleton Harman's company near us. This was for protection against the Indians. When we camped at Wood River, Harman's company on the west side, our company on the east side. The river rose high and we made a new bridge across this stream. Soon after crossing Wood River, our wagon tongue broke; this delayed us. At night where we camped some Pawnee came and in the morning a large band came, and demanded flour and other things. These Indians had been fighting with the Sioux; they were hungry and said they must have something to eat. We corralled our wagons, gave them flour, sugar, and other things, and about 10 o'clock we started on our journey. We were short of provisions. We lost several head of cattle on the journey. We traveled over the Black Hills road west of Fort Laramie. Near Green River on the 16th of September my wife had a son named Thomas Ephraim; She had been sick all the way over the plains. Between fort Bridger and Green River, we were met by friends from the valley bringing us flour and horses; at Bridger we got more supplies and about a week after October Conference we arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, October 17, 1853.

We camped on the public square in the 16th ward. We dwelt in a tent about three weeks and while there the people brought us things to eat. One day when I was hunting work I came back and found the baby dead in my wife's arms. The baby was buried in Salt Lake Cemetery. I dug the grave; got the coffin made on the public works, then I carried the corpse under my arm, with no soul with me to the grave; there I buried my child being filled with sorrow, my wife sick in the tent at the time.

From there I removed to the Big Cottonwood in Salt Lake County, and lived in a log cabin belonging to a Sister Patten. A Brother Perkins took us there. Work was very scarce. I got a few potatoes, a little flour, etc. We were helped by the people to live. I did anything I could find to do. I thrashed a stack of wheat for John Benbow, this was a blessing. Brother Middleton was helping me.

1854- In the Spring I went and worked on the Little Cottonwood canyon road, and I kept the toll gate. I also dug a mill race, this work was for Dr. Jester Clinton. He paid me as he agreed $1.50 per day, one half cash and the other half flour. I worked for Jester Clinton till hay time; then I went back to Big Cottonwood and cut hay for brother Huffaker. I could not get much to eat there. I heard of work at Bountiful and I walked there, 20 miles, found a place to live, walked back the next day, 20 miles. I paid a shawl to George Hale for removing us to Bountiful in Davis County. Here I became acquainted with Brother William Waterson. I worked for him in the harvest field; he paid me two bushels of wheat a day and my board. Brother Waterson let me have 80 pounds of flour, some butter, milk, etc. I thought we were on the road to prosperity. Sister Waterson was very kind to us. After harvest I went to work for John Pack the rest of the fall. I stacked 180 bushels of wheat, helped him thrash, then I helped anybody that would employ me. I got one bushel of wheat a day and board while thrashing. I hauled some wood on shares. This fall and the winter I lived in a house belonging to Dona Walton. Two other families lived in the same house; each had a room (each family).

1855- On the 12th of March my wife Jane had a son named Edward. I went and lived on L.M. Grant's farm and I worked for him. I obtained a yoke of steers for fitching. Brother Grant promised me a house to live in free and a cow to milk also, by looking after the other cows, but when we settled up he charged me $3.00 a month for house rent and $1.50 for the use of the cow for two weeks. I felt quite grieved when we settled up with Brother Grant, he listened to a boy, and accused me of being idle and he would not pay me up.

This fall I went and lived in the house of Brother George Hancock. I traded off the steers this fall for a yoke of cattle. Grasshoppers came and destroyed much of the crops; they came by millions, darkened the sun and destroyed much of everything growing.

1856- Early this spring I moved to Payson in Utah County. Brother George Thompson of Bountiful lent me a wagon to go to Payson, free. I lived in one of Brother T.C.B. Howells log cabins, rented land of him. He furnished seed, and I a team and myself. We lived in Payson Fort and we had a quarter of an acre for a garden. Breadstuff was scarce. Sister Howell gave me half a cup of beans to plant. I made four rows a rod long, and when they began to bear we had some every day for two weeks. She was very kind to us during the hard times, giving us of their scanty fare. I raised enough to bread us this year. I was quite weak this season from want of food. I got one half bushel of barley for which I was to pay a bushel of wheat after harvest, then I worked a day for a bushel of wheat. After harvest we had plenty to eat.

I received a patriarchal blessing under the hand of John Young, a Patriarch. He said I had been in poverty as low as the Lord wanted me to be. From this time on I should be prospered. I should have houses and lands, wives and children, until I was satisfied, and I should live on the earth when Jesus Christ would come and I should be changed in the twinkling of an eye.

One night I had a dream that Brother Grant told the Bishop, Charles Hancock, to be good to me and that he had wronged me, and he was going to make it right. A few days after I learned that Brother Grant was dead. He was second counselor to President Brigham Young. I felt reconciled in my heart from this time toward Brother J. M. Grant.

This fall I got a heifer calf; I gave a ton of hay for it; this was my first start for a cow. I got this of Brother David Fairbanks.

I paid tithing, and was a full believer in this doctrine. George Cooley, the man who paid my emigration to the valley, went to the Bishop and told him I would not pay him; I had been paying him one half of what I have earned. After some talk before the Bishop and Council, a decision was arrived at. After this Brother Cooley came to me and asked me to give him my cattle, and he would give me twenty bushels of wheat and a piece of pork and that would cancel the debt; to this I agreed. He got the cattle, the debt was paid of $120 and I was free from this obligation.

1857- One of the first things I did this spring was to trade the yearling heifer to Oswell Simons for a three year old heifer, to pay him the difference in price in work anytime he wanted me by giving me a days notice. This year I was prospered. I had a home, city lot, eight acres of farming land and five acres of meadow land. I obtained this land by putting up a mud wall for a defense against Indians, and other work that I did for Nathaniel Haws. James Buchanan, Pres. of the United States, sent troops to Utah to keep the Mormons in subjection and depose the Governor Brigham Young.

1858- I was still at Payson. This year was called "the Move". The United States had sent some troops from the States for Utah, infantry, cavalry, and artillery; these soldiers were under the command of A. S. Johnstone. Governor Brigham Young had called on the Militia of Utah to keep any armed body of men from coming into Utah. Hundreds of men from Utah had gone to oppose the U. S. soldiers. Col. T.L. Kane came on as an agent from James Buchanan, President of the United States, he went to Fort Bridger and Governor A. Cumming came into Salt Lake City with him. However the people north of Utah County moved south. As the people came south I let several have a piece of land for their gardens. I sold my house this year for $150. I bought a yoke of oxen and a wagon. I made a wickeup, and we lived in that until I made a dug-out and we lived in that this year. Raised a good crop this year. My wife, Jane, had a daughter on the 5th of February. We then lived in a dug-out. We named this girl Mary Jane.

1859- Built a log house this year. I farmed this year as usual. I sold some hay and straw at Camp Floyd; this brought in a little money.

1860- I sold my little property for and old wagon, a yoke of cattle, some flour, a plow, and some leather. I left Payson in March with my family, and some twenty families; some stayed in Ogden, some in Logan, the rest of us came to Franklin, vix. T.C.D. Howell and sons. T.M. Bennett, D. Keel, A.H. Head, W. Patten, J. Doney and myself with our families. Franklin was settled this spring with some fifty families; we arrived there in the month of May.

We obtained some land, plowed, and put in some crop. Brother John Doney and I generally worked together. When I came to Franklin I had two yoke of cattle, one cow and calf, and some chickens. Provisions were not very abundant; we were short of clothing and bedding. I had a wife and two children.

Thomas Smart was president of the church at Franklin, Sr. R. Parkinson and Jas. Sanderson counselors. President Brigham Young and company came to Franklin in the month of June, and Preston Thomas was appointed Bishop. I, with others, were working on a water ditch from High Creek to the south field when President Young came to Franklin. We lived in our wagon thru the summer. Another ditch was made from Oxkiller and South Canyons called Sanderson's ditch, as Brother Sanderson was the contractor. Still another ditch was made from High Creek called the upper ditch. All the people owning land under this ditch were required to work on it. It was finished in July. The Indians were troublesome this year, and for mutual protection we moved our wagons pretty close together. To show the state of Indian affairs, I will just mention that John Reid, Thomas Slater, Jas. Cowan, and others were going on a visit to Slatersville, when passing through Smithfield some Indians had escaped and fired at this little company, killed John Reid and wounded James Cowan. This was on the 23rd of July. On the 24th of July we had a funeral instead of a celebration. Brother Reid was a good man. I helped to dig brother Reid's grave.

Our cows and animals had to be herded. Brother Samuel Handy was the herdsman. Our hay was cut on the cooperative plan. After the best of the hay was cut, we gleaned what hay we could and prepared for winter. I built a log cabin, a corral and harvested my grain. Our houses were built in rows and we lived pretty close together in the form of a square. I lived on the east side of the fort. We stood guard every night during the summer and fall. On the 13th of December, I had a son born named John, in Franklin. My wife, Jane, had a very hard time before this boy was born.

1861- This year Brother John Doney and I worked together a great deal. Thru the winter I worked a great deal on a water ditch on the west side of Cub River called the Thomas Ditch. Many a day I worked faithfully on this ditch.

Brother Doney and I rented land of A. Stalker which we put into grain. Busy this season on farming, getting wood and a variety of different kinds of work, I was never idle.

During harvest time, I had the privilege of going to Salt Lake City with my wife and getting my endowments. Brother Doney and Jas. Parkins went along also with their wives. I owned an old wagon. I borrowed a wheel of Mark Nelson before I started but this gave out on the way. I wove sticks in it and got to Willard with it; here I left it and got another one to go to Salt Lake City. We traveled nearly all night and day, and when near the Hot Springs my wife was taken sick; she said she was struck with death. We bathed her with hot spring water and did what we could for her. We got our endowments the next day. I was ordained an Elder in the Endowment House, my wife was sealed to me. We traveled as rapidly as we could going back to Franklin as our grain was in the fields, in the shock. Wilford Woodruff sealed me and Jane, my wife. When we arrived at Logan, my wife said she had lived as long as she wanted to, and requested me to bury her as decently as I could, to have her washed with soap and laid peacefully away. She died a week from the day she made the request of me. October 26 I had been to Logan grist mill, and stayed away one night and when I returned she was making pancakes. She said she could not make any more. Sisters Howell and Doney sat up that night with her. She died next morning. She said before her death I would have seven women sealed to me, and would get another good woman that would be a mother to my children. We had three children then.

I could not go to the funeral, as I had to stay at home with the baby nine months old. She was taken to the graveyard and buried; no ceremony was said at her funeral as I am aware of. I was lonesome and desolate and filled with grief.

The next day I went and saw Sister Helga Poulsen whose husband had died this year; she was left with two children, a boy and a girl. I asked her to come and keep house for me. At this time, she had two cows, two oxen, four sheep and some chickens, and a wagon. I would look after her things. She said she would answer me next day. Sister Poulsen inquired of the neighbors about my character, and the next day I moved her things to my house and she kept house for me. She had not been to my house but a few days before I asked Sister Poulsen to be my wife. She told me she would not be married before Christmas to anybody. On Christmas eve I asked her if she would be my wife; she said "I guess so." The next day Bishop Preston Thomas came and married us. Alexander Stalker came with Brother Thomas and as soon as we were married Brother Stalker kissed her. This was quite a joke. We were much pleased with each other. She was good to my children, and I was good to her children.

This year Brother George Lee hauled my grain. The snow was on the shocks before it was stacked, a wet fall.

1862- The winter was very wet- it rained nearly every day- our houses were mostly covered with willows, rushes, and dirt, and they were not waterproof. Nearly all the grain raised in Franklin was not thrashed until March. The stocks of grain were wet and the people had musty grain and musty flour until harvest. About two weeks after I was married Alexander Stalker dreamed he was near Alfred Alder's blacksmith shop, he saw Brother Poulson who told him Brother Kingsford had five acres of land, and he had five acres of land. He, Brother Kingsford, controls both of them. He said he had a garden lot with two apple trees, these needed training and trimming. (I think he meant his two children. He also saw Brother Porrit whose wife lived in Franklin. After telling this, they vanished out of sight.)

I raised some grain, and a good garden this year. My wife, Helga, had a son born on the 15th of November, named George Albert. I had bought an Indian pony and Brother Doney had another, and we had a team of horses between us.

1863- Winter very cold, getting wood and attending to the stock. A great many Indians were camped on Bear River, on Battle Creek; they used to come to Franklin every few days, begging and trading. A difficulty occurred on Bear River between some Indians and some men from the northern mines, now in Montana; one white man was killed. Some of this company went to Salt Lake City under the command of Col. P. E. Conner. Major McGarry had charge of the cavalry. The infantry came one afternoon in January; the cavalry that night. The cavalry stayed but a short time; they hastened to Bear River. Indians were at Franklin just before the troops arrived. An Indian was at my house and wanted to trade me a saddle for a bushel of wheat, he said "If soldiers get killed, you have saddle and pay me wheat, if I get killed, you have saddle and wheat too."

The battle was fierce, quite a number of soldiers were killed at the first fire, many soldiers were wounded. Many Indians were killed and some of their chiefs; two of them named Bear Hunter and Lehi Sagivitch, escaped wounded. The next day the soldiers came to Franklin, the living and the dead, the dead were in wagons. I was in the canyon when the soldiers arrived in Franklin. My wife had been getting supper for some of the soldiers, she only had a bake kettle, and a kettle to boil in. They gave her 50 cents a meal and she made 20 dollars in feeding soldiers before and after the battle. I got a ten dollar bill that was squeezed up and thrown down by a soldier as something useless. I picked it up and found it. This made me $30. I thought we were rich for money had been very scarce. I went to Salt Lake City with an ox team and wagon. James Oliverson, one of my neighbors, went with me to the city to spend my money in the winter! I spent my money for clothing for the family which was a great help. Salt Lake City was 110 miles from Franklin. In coming back snow was a foot deep from Ogden to Willow Creek or Willard. Snow was deep in the mountains between Brigham City and Cache Valley, and we were all night in the mountains. In Dry Lake Valley, without feed for a cattle, we had to sit up all night with but little fire. In the morning two teams came from Cache Valley and they had broken the road. This we thought was a blessing. We started for Cache Valley. The roads were soon drifted up, our team was tired out, and I went on foot to Wellsville to get help. I obtained a yoke of oxen, and when I ascended the hill near the mouth of the canyon James Oliverson was coming with the team and wagon. When I was gone he found a few carrots and a beet that I was bringing along for seed. These he gave to the cattle and gave them new life. We got home next day, a distance of 30 miles. We felt we were rich, I had bought so many clothing. Brother John Doney and I rented 10 acres of land of Wm. G. Head this year, put in some land of our own. Busy working canyon road on Maple Canyon and working water ditches, and doing any kind of labor that came along. This spring Lorenzo H. Hatch came to Franklin and was appointed Bishop under the hand of E. T. Benson and Peter Maughan. Our fort was remodeled in the shape of a T; some houses were built on the new survey but the most lived in their old places. I obtained some land of Brother Thomas and I was busy this year. Some of my grain was lodged thru rains, and some of it was frosted. I plowed some land this spring for Brother Preston Thomas for land I received from him.

1864- This spring we moved onto our city lot. Lots were surveyed of 1Ơ acres each; streets six rods wide and the blocks were ten acres each with eight lots on a block. I lived near Spring Creek and had John Doney as a near neighbor, my farming land was near the house which made it quite convenient. I was very busy; so were my neighbors. I plowed some land for Pres. B. Young and a large company came to Franklin this spring on their way to Bear Lake Valley. I went also. Roads were good until we came to the mountain which was steep and on its summit there was snow and mud. We went through the following settlements: Liberty, Paris, Bloomington, St. Charles, and Fish Haven. A Conference was held at Paris. C. C. Rich resides at Paris and presides over the valley. It was in the month of May we visited Bear Lake Valley. On our return President B. Young and company held meeting at Franklin.

A water ditch was surveyed from Cub River to Franklin. Jesse W. Fox surveyed from Cub River to the canyon, and J. H. Martinean from the canyon to the town, as water had been scarce the year before. Pretty nearly all the men of Franklin were engaged on this ditch. C. J. Songberg, W. Woodward and I worked together. This ditch was completed about four feet deep on the bottom and brought considerable water to town. Good crops were raised in Franklin this year. A great band of Shoshones came to Franklin under the direction of Chief Washakie. They could be seen from Franklin to High Creek, a distance of four miles. These Indians appeared well dressed, had good horses and were well clothed. The tribe camped on Maple Creek bottom. Some Indians got some whiskey; one of them it so affected he tried to run over a woman, Mary Ann Alder. The Indian was on horseback. I was working on a thrashing machine, helping Brother S. Handy. As soon as the Indian commenced his deviltry a man shot the Indian with a revolver. I had a pitchfork, Brother Doney a rake and we tried to defend the woman. As soon as the Indian was shot the whites had to leave the bottom. The Indians were exasperated, and took hold of one man, Brother Handy, and pounded him over the head. Robert Hull was taken prisoner. An express was sent to Richmond and from Richmond to other settlements in Cache Valley. Through the night horseman were coming to Franklin from various settlements; some 30 miles away. The people were much excited and the next day Brother P. Maughan and others were in Franklin; the whites and Indians held a council. Washakie complained that the whites had sold his Indians whiskey which was the cause of all the trouble. Brother R. Parkinson, and N.W. Parker were required to give the Indians a yoke of cattle each of them; this made peace. The Indians restored all the property they could to the whites, and went away in peace.

The Latter-day saints have been in the habit of sending teams to the states to bring on the emigrants of the Latter-day saints from the Missouri River. I put one ox and Brother Doney another; this we did for two years. Others from Franklin sent teams and sometimes three or four teams, with three or four yoke of oxen; and mule or horse teams with two span to each team. Prosperous times, traders from the north came to Franklin and bought up our produce to our advantage and theirs. Wheat was $5 a bushel, good flour $12 per hundred pounds, butter 50 cents per pound, and eggs 50 cents per dozen this fall. I sold a cow for $40 and sent the money back to the states by Wm. Hyde of Hyde Park for a stove.

1865- On the 26th of January I had a son by my wife, Helga, named William Richard. After putting my crop in I started to Salt Lake City with Annie Petersen and was married to her the 2nd of June by George Q. Cannon officiating. Water was high this year, Weber Bridge was washed away, and I had to cross the river near the mountains, Ogden Bridge was also gone. Attended to the farm as usual. About this time we started the stone meeting house of Franklin and I with my brethren spent considerable of my time in building the house. I was working on the walls as a mason.

This fall Brother W. Freitt went to Oxford to get his sheep; coming back, trying to cross Bear River on the ice, his wagon broke through. He drove his sheep up the river crossing over himself (forded) walked a distance then sat down and was frozen to death. I, with others, hunted for Brother Freitt but did not find him. On Christmas Day, some of the brethren went to Bear River and brought Freitt's sheep to Franklin, the cattle followed. Weather very cold. I visited my brother, William Richard Kingsford, at Ogden 70 miles from Franklin this fall.

1866- Busy improving my place and working as usual in the canyon and other places. On the 3rd of March my wife, Annie, had a daughter named Sarah Ann.

Brother Freitt's body was found in March; he had been covered with snow all winter. He had been frozen. Put crops this spring, and raised grain as usual. My child, Sarah Ann died on the 4th of September.

On the 23rd of December my wife, Helga, gave birth to a son, James.

1867- My labors were as usual; attending the farm, looking over the stock, and doing any duty that came along. On the 14th of November my wife, Annie, had a daughter born named Elizabeth. Raised a pretty fair crop.

1868- My labors were as usual on the farm as at other years and attended to my other duties public or private. I attended the October conference at Salt Lake City; my wife, Helga, accompanied me on this trip we went in a wagon a distance of 110 miles. This fall after digging potatoes, while doing something to the drag, it fell down on my foot, one drag tooth went through my foot and a piece of the boot before the tooth. My foot was sore for a good while. This fall my son, Edward, and I went to work on the Central Pacific railroad for L. H. Hatch at Dove Creek. I worked one month and Edward some three weeks longer.

1869- My duties were similar this year to other years. My wife, Annie, had a daughter born on the 3rd of July named Anna Maria. I traded 150 bushel of wheat for a horse and wagon to George Sant of Cliffton. I had a mule team before this, and now I had a horse team besides. I raised a good crop of grain this season. This fall I decided to make a trip to San Pete Valley, a distance of about 250 miles from Franklin. My wife, Helga, had an aunt living there at Mount Pleasant; I visited Ephraim also. I was treated with great kindness by Canute Petersen, and others with whom I became acquainted. This visit was in the month of September. On my way back I stayed two days at Lehi, and while there I dug potatoes for a friend with whom I was staying. I attended the October Conference which continued three days. I had my likeness and Helga's also taken while at Salt Lake City. Brother Isaac Hunter with whom I stayed in the City of Salt Lake, treated me with the greatest of kindness; and before I left he gave me a load of peaches to take home for my family. Both going and returning I was treated with the greatest of kindness by friends with whom I stayed overnight, as it took several days to make the trip. I attended a meeting of the High Priests in Franklin and I was ordained a High Priest under the hands of Lorenzo H. Hatch, Jefferson Hunt, and John Boice, L. H. Hatch was mouth; this was on the 22nd of December. I was called to take the oversight of the High Priests in Franklin at this meeting.

1870- Busy on the farm as usual this year. In the month of April, about the 9th, my wife, Helga, had a son named Joseph Henry.

About October Conference I started to Salt Lake City. I took my wife, Helga, on the way and left her at Willow Creek. Annie's sister Kari had come from Norway to Salt Lake City. I went and fetched her to Franklin; she could not speak English when I saw her, and on the way, I made up my mind I would have her for my wife if I could get her. After staying a few weeks at Franklin, I took Kari to the city and was married on the 18th of December by Daniel H. Wells, officiating. Thomas G. Lowe and Joseph Scarborough were married at the same time; these young men were both from Franklin. Kari Petersen, the daughter of Peter Evensen and Anne Jorgensen was born on the 17th of November 1836 at Borsaskogn, Trondheim, Norway. She was the third child of a family of seven children, two boys and five girls. All of these children grew to maturity. She was brought up to hard work, principally farm Labor; her mother taught her to read and she learned to write a little. She went to school a short time in the winter. For this work she had her board and part of her clothing. She performed hard labor as long as she stayed in Norway. Her father died when she was 18 years of age. She heard the gospel in the fall of 1857 by Christian Poulsen, Lars Petersen, and Frederick Laingborg. She firmly believed the gospel as preached by these Elders, and on the 10th of May, 1858 she was baptized by Fred Laingborg and confirmed by the same person. Sometimes she went out to service and received $12 a year in Norwegian money. She had a hard time to save money. Her sister, Annie, emigrated in 1864 and Kari gave her nearly everything she possessed in money and clothing. Sometimes in the summer Kari would walk nearly 100 English miles to obtain work, and in about 6 or 8 weeks she would earn kind of work, haymaking. She kept a few sheep and was brought up to shear sheep, card wheel, spin and weave. She used to cut grain and do a variety of hard labor. She walked 21 miles to Trondheim. On the 2nd of June, 1870 she bid farewell to Trondheim and sailed on a steamer for Christiana where she stayed nine days. From there she sailed to Gottenburg in Sweden; from there to Copenhagen, from there to Hull in England, then to Liverpool, and sailed on a steamship to New York, from there took the cars to Salt Lake City and stayed there about two months when she came to Franklin.

Took a Mr. Fancher from Salt Lake City and his wife; we had all the load we wanted on our return through the mountains. This fall I made three trips to Malad City with oats for Franklin Co-op Store with two teams; one of the boys drove one of the teams to Malad. This brought us considerable store pay. This year I hauled rock, built a cellar and laid the foundation for a new house.

1871- On the 31st of January my wife, Annie, Had a daughter named Martha. This spring I commenced to fence a pasture east of Franklin of about twenty-five acres which was of great benefit to me. I have kept sheep for several years, and my boys have herded them. Attended the farm as usual this year. Commenced to build a log house this fall in the pasture.

1872- I finished the log house on the pasture. Then I moved Annie and Kari into it. The house had two rooms. Kari had a son born on the 4th of April whom we call Peter. I had just finished putting the grain the day Peter was born. The next fast day the boy was blessed by Lorenzo H. Hatch, the Bishop of Franklin. Raised a good crop this year. My Helga had a son born on the 21st of August about 4 a.m. and she died about 11 a.m. The child was blessed the next day at the funeral service and was named Benjamin. This was on the 22nd of August. I had a funeral and a child blessed the same day. I moved Annie and Kari from the pasture to the town lot. Annie had a boy born on the 10th of November whom we named David. This was an open fall.

1873- A tolerable open winter. Got my crop in this spring in good time. In the month of May on the 2nd day I took Tyresha Ann Vail to Salt Lake City and married her. I was busy building a house in town. Tyresha Ann Vail only stayed one week with us after we came from the City. I thought it was a blessing when she left. Continued to work on the house thru the summer; raised a good crop this year. November 27th my wife, Kari, had a son whom we called Robert. Annie lived in the pasture through the summer.

1874- In the month of January, Tyresha Ann had a boy born and named William Jacob. The Utah Northern Railroad was made to Franklin in the month of May. I had worked considerable on this railroad. On the 16th of May Annie had a girl born dead. My son Edward married Sarah Smith. L.C. Mecham, Justice of the peace, performed the ceremony. A general conference was held in May in Salt Lake City. A train went to Salt Lake City to take conference passengers for one rate.

1875- Put in a crop as usual this Spring. I Went to Salt Lake City and married Annie Kyesstine Nielsen, E. H. Wells performing the ceremony. My son Edward, and his wife went to Salt Lake with us and were sealed. On the 30th of April my wife, Annie, had a girl born named Alice. Working on the farm as usual. I moved Annie into the south field, in Utah. Before I moved Annie, I moved the house in the pasture to the south field, and commenced a home there. I built a house in the south field for John Doney. He gave me a horse for this labor. On the 26th of October my wife Kari, had a girl named Clara. In October my wife Annie and I went to Conference in Salt Lake City, by rail; fare for the round trip was $4.50. My daughter Mary Jane was married this fall to Henry C. Fisher.

1876- I took up some land in Utah this year and pulled down part of my house in Franklin and removed it to Utah. My family were kept busy moving the house and putting it up. All the buildings I put up this year were between R.N. Comish's and John Bigg's. Part of my family were in Franklin and part in the south field in Utah. I went to the October Conference in Salt Lake City with my wife, Annie.

1877- Early this spring I moved the rest of the house from Franklin to Utah and built it at the base of the mountain. I also moved the other buildings from where they were to the foot of the mountains near the boundary line between Utah and Idaho, in Utah. I broke ten acres of land in Franklin, Idaho. I was busy fencing and building all the season. Two of my boys at home were young men, John and my stepson, Christian. The other boys were growing and were becoming useful. I did not raise much crop this year. I felt discouraged. I thought I had traded off a good place for a poor one. I was short of water. I still belonged to Franklin Ward. I did not know how to utilize the springs. Grasshoppers destroyed all of my grain in Idaho, and much of my neighbor's grain. My wheat in Utah was shrunken. I had only 80 bushels.

1878- I traded my land in Idaho at Franklin, 26 acres to W.L.Webster for land in the South field but in Idaho, but near my place in Utah, 16 acres. I put in 16 acres of wheat I got of Brother Webster and 10 acres on the bench and broke 3 or 4 acres more. I raised a good crop this year, besides fencing some of the land I got of W.L .Webster. I was busy all the year. On the 25th of March my wife, Kari, gave birth to a girl named Harriett Evenia. I started to make reservoirs and saved the water from the springs. This was of great benefit to me. Building fences this season. Kari and I went to the October Conference at Salt Lake City.

1879- Busy farming this year as usual. I made a ditch from South Canyon to my land; my prospects were brightened. We put up a school house in our district and we became a part of Richmond Ward. I took up more land and did more fencing this season and raised a good crop.

1880- Farming as usual this spring; on the 18th of May Kari had a son born called Ephraim. I obtained some lumber and built an addition to my house. The waters for irrigation was still increasing and I was prospered temporarily. I am greatly blessed this year and I felt encouraged. My stepson Christian Poulson Married Margaret Lowe.

1881- Labors on the farm as usual; fencing and cropping. Boys going to the canyon. We raised a good crop this year.

1882- Cropping as usual this year. Improving the farm. My stepdaughter, Elgenea Poulson, was married to Henry Heber Allen at the April Conference at the Salt Lake City on the 10th of April. Our district extends from the Idaho line to High Creek, about 4 miles, and was organized into a Ward called Coveville with John C. Larson as Bishop and Edward Kingsford (myself) and Andrew Allen as counselors.

1883- On the 23rd of April there was a great wind storm blowing down fences and unroofing some houses.

Comments by Diantha O. Kingsford Schaub

At this point, my grandfather ceased the recording of his brief history. His son, my father Robert Kingsford, is responsible for the following bits of information concerning him.

Grandfather could not write but had a friend do the writing of his autobiography for him during the time they were both in hiding from those who persecuted the polygamists.

After the time he ceased making his record, he gradually turned the heavier part of his farm work over to his sons but continued to do garden work and most of the irrigation for several more years. My father has often mentioned that he seemed to have an unusual talent for getting water over a piece of land, stating that he could walk around a side hill with a hoe and make marks where he wanted a new ditch plowed, then have the ditch made on that line with complete success. Father protested once when asked to guide the old hand plow over such a line while grandfather led the horse saying that water would never run up there. Grandfather answered, "No, but it will run down here" and it did.

Most of Edward Kingsford's sons became farmers and entered land in northern Utah or southern Idaho when they started out in life for themselves. Most of his daughters married farmers.

Edward Kingsford was widely known as one having a remarkable gift of healing by virtue of which he was often called to help the sick.

By 1902 members of the family realized that his sight was growing dim, and gradually his activities grew more limited. In 1904 my mother took her new baby boy Kenneth, and presented him to Grandfather. Grandfather felt his head and face gently and tenderly and said "I cannot see him, but I know he is a beautiful baby," so by that time he was totally blind. Most of his time he passed sitting in an old arm chair and occasionally eating peppermint candy, and thereby hangs one of my now amusing memories of my grandfather. I thought a lot of him for he was kind and friendly with me. He would often give me a piece of his candy, hard little brown balls with white stripes. I only remember one thing I hated; that was peppermint candy, but I always thanked grandfather as sweetly as I knew how and immediately put the candy in my mouth. I loved my Grandfather and would not hurt his feelings for any price, but I always went off to play immediately. Yes and I went to the far corner of the yard and threw the candy as far as I could throw it, but I still love my grandpa for his kindness to a child and I doubt that he will like me any less when he understands.

Again, I well remember telling Grandpa how much fun I had riding a stick horse, a nice willow I broke from the base of a big tree out in the yard. He offered to get me some nice ones if I would lead him to a tree where some were growing, but he told me I would have to take his hand and lead him as he could not see. I assured him that I would take him to a tree and I led him carefully out on the porch and down the steps, warning him of the steps, then to a tree nearby where there were some very choice stick horses and with a thrill thought of how I could take one to my little brother who could just toddle around on the back terrace. Just then Grandfather's wife known to me as Grandma Stena appeared on the scene and I think she did not quite understand or trust my motives tho she only reproved me gently as she led my Grandpa back to his old arm chair. I am relating these incidents to show his kindly attitude toward his little grandchildren and to show how impressions live on in the human heart. In 1908 Clara Kingsford, next to the youngest child of Edward Kingsford married Wilford McClellen and it was my privilege to attend the wedding supper with my father. But I was deeply disappointed, for I only got one brief glimpse of Grandpa in bed and he seemed to be asleep. My father had moved with his wife and young family to a pioneer home in what was then known as Gentile Valley in Southeast Idaho, and we were only able to make the trip by team and wagon or the old white-top buggy back to Coveville , Utah to see Grandpa and other relatives about once a year. On an April morning in 1910 an Uncle rode up to our door and a few minutes later Mother told me that Grandpa was dead.

A lump swelled up in my throat and I began to cry with disappointment because I would never see him again and his old arm chair would be empty thereafter. My Mother then taught me that I should not weep, for my beloved grandpa would feel sorry if I did. She explained to me that now he could see again and would be well and happy. Later it was with a feeling of pride and pleasure that I, with other grandchildren, gathered wild flowers on the hills near his old home to make bouquets to put on his grave. Edward Kingsford departed this life 10 April, 1910 in Coveville, Utah, and a few days later was laid to rest in the family lot in the Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Oneida, Idaho.