Luther Clinton Burnham

Luther Clinton Burnham was born Nov 28, 1835 in Waitsfield, Vermont to James Lewis Jr. and Mary Ann Huntley Burnham. Luther is a veteran of the Civil War. Luther is a founder of Fruitland, New Mexico.

Early Life

The Burnham family lived in Waitsfield, Vermont for only a little while after the birth of Luther. They moved to Bureau County, Illinois in 1843. Soon after, the family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1844. In 1845, Luther's father died when he was only 9 years old. Because of the economic hardship during this time, and the difficult tasks that were placed on Luther's mother, Luther had to start caring for his family in any capacity he could.

"I was left with no protector but God, who has never yet forsaken me. Neither will he, as long as I seek to do his will.... I struggled with all the strength of my soul to support my mother and her three little girls for I was afraid that she would die and I would not have her to help with those little girls."1

The Burnham family were able to leave for Salt Lake City in 1852, and arrived on Oct 8th, and settled in Bountiful, Utah.

Life in California

The Burnham family moved to Richmond in 1861 after Luther's brothers Wallace and George had acquired land. However, Luther moved to California to mine gold for the Church with his uncle Andrew Burnham. The Church was very unsuccsesful, and Luther says that,

"More money was lost than was made in the gold field, but that one could make good wages. I worked in the mines in California until 1860 when I became a volunteer to defend the flag of my country."1

Soldier of the Civil War

At the age of 26, Luther became a volunteer of the 2nd Regiment of the California Cavalry as a Saddler.2 Under Colonel Edward P. Connor, the men were assinged to Utah to guard President Brigham Young and the overland mail. After arriving to Brigham Youngs home, the soldiers went east to the foothills, and established Fort Douglas.

Most of the time, the men of Utah simply "herded" Native Americans and/or Latter-day Saints. Because of this dislike of their time, Colonel Connor and others in the infantry wanted to lure Brigham Young in a trap. However, after hearing what that men were planning on doing, Luther left the camp to see his mother in Bountiful, Utah, then going to the home of Brigham Young and telling him the plot against him. Luther did not go back to the Regiment, and fled to Richmond to live with this brothers.

Life in Cache Valley

While in Richmond, Luther was re-baptized into the Church by Bishop Mariner W. Merrill in 1862. Soon after, Luther moved from Richmond to Hyde Park, Utah. While there, Luther was called as an assistant to the Hyde Park Ward Sunday School, then as the President of the Ward Teachers.

Fruitland, New Mexico

In the October 1875 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Luther was called by President Brigham Young to serve as a missionary to the Native Americans in northern New Mexico and Arizona. In March of 1881, Luther was asked to preside over San Juan County, New Mexico, and in 1881, Luther was called to be the Bishop of a small group of Latter-day Saints that they later named Fruitland. The branch was later renamed the Burnham Ward, in honor of Luther.3  

Family

Luther married Matilde Barnett on Nov 19, 1863 in Hyde Park, Utah. He began the practice of polygamy on May 17, 1875 when he married Mary Lucinda Stewart and Clara Hyde on Dec 6, 1883. Luther fathered 21 children with 12 living to adulthood.

Epilogue