pensionpapersofwilliamwarnermajorjr.

William W Major, Jr. was born in Leicestershire, England 29 May 1836. He moved to London with his parents, William Warner Major, Sr. and Sarah Coles Major when he was very young. Childhood memories included playing with his little brother, Henry Coles Major, who was born in 1837. In London he witnessed the baptism of his parents, aunts and uncles into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was six. That same year, 1842, his little brother died of measles. Church membership required great sacrifices. Later, his father went on a mission to Newbury and was involved in leadership activities, including the President of the Marlebone Branch.

At age eight on February 11, 1844, William Jr. sailed to America on the Swanton. In New Orleans he watched his father baptize the First Mate of the ship, Lewis Gaultor. With his family, William traveled up the muddy Mississippi River to Nauvoo, arriving there sometime between April and August 1844.

Nauvoo

Young William’s two years in Nauvoo were a time of prosperity. It included watching his father, an artist, paint portraits of many of the leaders of the Church. Some of these portraits were painted to be displayed in the Nauvoo temple for the short time it was open for members to receive ordinances. Another exciting event was the birth of another brother named Joseph Smith Major, because he was born in Joseph Smith’s office.

Winter Quarters

At age ten William Jr. left with his family and moved to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, arriving October 22, 1846. William Sr. was often busy with the Church presidency and leaders because of his position on the Municipal High Council of Winter Quarters. Young William missed his father when he went to St. Louis on a mission for the Church.

William heard his father preach many times with the Church leaders. Likely William was sitting in the Log Tabernacle in Miller Hollow watching his father preach with Brigham Young during the April 6th conference 1848.

Trek West

When Brigham Young’s 1848 company left Winter Quarters, William Warner Major, Jr. was twelve and by pioneer standards, man enough to help his mother with their two wagons. William Sr. was chosen as part of the presidency that led this great company west, so William, Jr. was assigned extra duties for his family. Less than 25 miles from Winter Quarters, three-year-old Joseph Smith Major wandered off and scared everyone. He and a four-year-old friend were found 2-3 miles away. They were picked up by others heading to the Great Salt Lake Valley and returned safely to their families (Jacob Peart’s Journal, May 23, 1848). It’s certain that a frightened William Jr. helped search for his little brother. During the trek William Jr. herded the oxen when they were pasturing. At one point, he let a "spotted ox and bald ox" straggle away from the herd, much to the upset of Thomas Bullock, their owner (Journal entry of Thomas Bullock, June 19, 1848, Church Collection).

Perhaps William Jr. was there on Saturday, July 8 when "some mean, sacrilegious fellow had cut down the Body of the Indian Child, cutting the ropes into fragments—scattering the robes & Skins & stealing the trinkets that were attached to it— bro. Major & Tom Johnson gathered the pieces, & again fastened it in the Tree... (Thomas Bullock Journal). A few days later, his father’s "horse got loose from the wagon and started off on full gallop, scaring the teams in five or six wagons, which broke away in a furious gallop; but we have occasion to praise the Lord that no lives were lost; nor was a single wagon upset, but a short time all was safely gathered into line again. On returning with the old horse, Major's dog started Goddard's team on a gallop for the second time. Directly afterwards Major's other wagon met with an accident, as the tongue bolt came out and the cattle were unloosed. Altogether this morning may be put down as the 'first day of the races' without any serious accident" (Thomas Bullock’s Journal, July 11, 1848).

On July 26, William may have been in charge of the oxen again when three went missing. One of the ox was found two miles away. At that time the company’s oxen were sick, some were dying and the Major family’s oxen nearly "gave out" (Thomas Bullock’s Journal).

On Sunday, August 6. "brother Major’s child fell out of the Wagon – the fore wheel ran over its fore leg, but praise the Lord, its leg was not broken... (Thomas Bullock’s Journal). This was probably Joseph Smith Major, since he was young and was probably riding, however, it could have been William Warner Major, Jr., since he may have been driving the wagon. There were other, more calm times, when William Sr. climbed to the top of hills or rises for a better view and sketched the surrounding scenery (Thomas Bullock’s Journal, August 10, 21, 23).

The Major family arrived safely in the Great Salt Lake Valley at the end of September 1848.

Salt Lake

The Salt Lake period was the longest time William stayed in one place during his youthful years. It lasted ten years, from 1848 to about 1858. William Sr. continued to be busily engaged in Church service and art work in the early Salt Lake years. Then in 1853 William Sr. returned to London on a mission, where he died on October 2, 1854. The family heard the bad news in December of that year. William became the man of the Major household at age 18.

Perhaps more difficult than his father’s death was seeing his mother remarry a man 17 years younger than herself. Joseph Tickle Ellis was only seven years older than William Jr. Family tradition says that Brigham Young told Sarah Coles Major to marry Ellis. The same day Ellis married William’s mother, he scurried off to the land office and illegally placed the Major property in his own name (Salt Lake County Land Records). Thomas Bullock signed the record stating that William Warner Major, dead eleven months, sold Ellis the property.

Yet William Warner Major, Jr. was faithful to the Church his family had given so much for. On February 11, 1858 he received his endowments in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

Spring City 

By 1860 Joseph Ellis, Sarah Coles Major Ellis, William Warner Major, Jr. and Joseph Smith Major, moved to Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah (Lever, History of Sanpete and Emery Counties Utah, 493-494). In 1859 they moved to Spring Town. According to census records, Sarah lived with Ellis. William Warner Major, aged 23, acquired property of his own on the southwest corner of the city and lived with his little brother, age 15, (1860 Census, Spring Town, Utah).

In 1861, Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The Civil War began. Had the Major family stayed in Illinois, William likely would have fought for the North. However, these events little worried the people in the Utah Territory. In February 1862, William married Annie Marie Sena Christensen a convert from Denmark. Two years later, February 11, 1864, a daughter was born to them; they named her Sarah Celestia Major after William’s mother.

Annie Marie Sena Christensen Major Ellis

This picture was found in the records of Henry Vincen Major.  He recorded on the back "William Warner Major Jr.?"  Since the child is a girl it would either be Sarah Celestia from William's first wife, or Ellen Lavinda from Major's second marriage. 

Blackhawk War

Problems with the Native Americans erupted during the winter of 1864-65. A small group of Indians who were camping near Gunnison became sick with smallpox and several died. They blamed this tragedy on the Mormon settlers and Chief Blackhawk gathered his warriors to attack. By that time a fort had been erected around Spring City. William and Joseph Smith Major joined the militia. William was a Calvary Sergeant in Captain John Lehi Ivy's Company from July 20 to Aug 4 in 1865. He also served as a Sergeant in Captain Isaac M. Behannan’s Company, Utah Militia Infantry from April 1, 1866 to November 1, 1866 and as a Second Lieutenant in Captain M. Behannan’s Company from May 1, 1867 to Nov. 1 1867. Once the winter brought heavy snows the Indians couldn’t cross the mountains, so William’s service was terminated during the winters of 1865, 1866 and 1867.

Divorce

William’s marriage dissolved. Family tradition says that his step-father, Joseph Ellis, spread discontent to William’s wife. Possibly the trouble was that William refused to practice polygamy. A divorce ensued in 1873 after eleven years of marriage. Ellis married Annie Marie Sena Christensen that same year and together they had a large family. William’s son, Henry Vincen Major remembers his mother saying that he gave all of his earthly possessions to his first wife, including a fine home and all the property that surrounded. This home was probably made out of logs, as most of the early Spring City homes were.

Divorce decree of Cenia Christensen and William Warner Major, Jr.  Notice that Ellis testified at the court hearing.

 Contributed by Michael Larsen, gg grandson of Joseph Ellis

Ellen Meek Major

On March 10, 1875 William married again to Ellen Meek. Sometime after his second marriage, William decided to build another home. The result was the first two-story rock home in Spring City. It was made out of Oolite stone and for many years it was referred to as "The Major Mansion."  

 William W. Major, Jr., Ellen Meek Major in front of their home in Spring City, Sanpete, Utah ca.1884.

Family history passed down through Bernard D. Major, Great Grandson of James Meek, says that this headstone marks the burial place of a young Indian girl that James Meek and Mary Ann Wright Meek adopted.

Above pictures contributed by Ronald Arthur Major, Great Great Grandson of James Meek

Ellen Meek  (written by Mattie Agatha Nielson Major)

There was not time to spend in idle grief. The toilers had to keep busy to survive. Ellen did a good part to make crackers, called hardtack for the minutemen who were standing guard for the town. Ellen endured many privations in those days from fear, overwork and lack of sufficient food, as did many others when grasshoppers took most of the grain. Ellen was always kind hearted, willing to assist those in need of consolation and help. She would sit up through the nights in the homes of those who had passed away.

When she was a young woman she met and married a fine man, William Major, also born in England. The wedding was held at the home of the groom’s mother, Sarah Coles Major Ellis on 4 March 1875. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Reddick N. Allred. Of the friends who were guests at the wedding were Annikea Larsen Borresen, her son Lars Halvor Larsen and daughter Maria J. Borresen, later Mrs. Alvin Allred, still living in her 90th year. These two, Ellen and Maria, were friends devoted to each other throughout Ellen’s life.

 Ellen Meek Major about 1885

As for the skills of the Pioneer Woman they were unexcelled. She carded wool and spun it into yard, then knitted it into clothing of various kinds. She was an excellent seamstress, mostly being self taught. In many quilts she made were works of art. She kept a fine garden, cared for its planting, irrigation, weeding and harvesting, and willingly shared of her vegetables and fruits with those less fortunate. She did heavy farm work, manual labor also kept her home neat and clean, and did her family’s cooking. She raised poultry and farm animals to be self-sustaining. Her husband died in 1894. [Ellen was 44. Then her children were Horace, age 16, Ellen, age 11 and Henry, age 3].

Pension for William Warner Major's service in the Blackhawk War (written by Mattie Agatha Nielson Major)

Even though the memories of her childhood during Indian raids brought her sorrow, she enjoyed attendance at the Black Hawk encampments and reunions with early day friends and acquaintances. She greatly admired Con Rowe and his brother Allen Rowe and their wives who were sisters, Hannah Swasey and Lura Swasey Rowe and that admiration was mutual. More on the Adventures of Con Rowe  with the Indians. 

In her declining years Mother Major was thankful to receive a pension for the services during the Black Hawk War of her husband, William. She had put forth much effort to procure the Veterans Pension and she tried to assist others in procuring their pensions.

Five children were born to Mother Major including William and Byron who died as babies, Nellie who married Norman Justensen and had one son Stanley; Horace who married Bertha Fox. Horace passed away on 9 August 1931.

 Ellen and Horace Major about 1885

Henry Vincent who married Agath Nielsen of Moroni, daughter of Niels C. Nielsen and Isabel E. Warner. They are the parents of four children as follows:

Arthur who died when 18 months old on 10 July 1920.

Warner who married Lena Hurdsman. Their children are LaMar Warner, Anna Gay, Charles and Sherry Major.

Bernard who married Eva Hollingshaus. Children: Ardith Jean, Ronald Arthur, Pamela Rae, Kenneth Alois and Bruce Henry Major [Michael Bernard Major wasn’t included because he wasn’t born when this was written.]

Geneal who married William Burr. Their children are Leonard William,

Vi Etta, Kenneth Vince and Gaylene Burr.

 Top row:  Lena Hurdsman Major, Eva Hollingshaus Major, Bernard Major, Bill Burr

Bottom row: Warner Major, Mattie Agatha Nielsen Major, Henry Vincen Major, Geneal Major Burr

Mother Major passed away 9 July 1932 after a short illness in her home being cared for by her devoted son Vincent and his wife Agatha. At the bedside also were her dear friends, Maria J. Allred and Mrs. Allred’s sister Christena B. Ellertsen, who she dearly loved.

Her descendants living mostly in Salt Lake City do honor to this toilworn pioneer mother who devoted her life to bringing comfort and joy to the souls of her family and friends. May our Heavenly Father bless her soul and ours and help us to be worthy to be reunited with those who have made homes in the desert west and made the path more pleasant for us.  

 Ellen Major

Nov 8, 1852

July 9, 1932

copyright Jill C. Major