The Pond Family

Stillman grew up on his parent's farm for his early life in Hubbardston, where he received an education and learned the trade of harness-making, which he would use to make his living. On Dec 22, 1825, Stillman married Elmira Elizabeth Whittemore in Hubbardston.

In 1841, while in New Salem, Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints paid a visit to the Pond home to preach of the newfound church. The gospel that the Missionaries taught was what the family was looking for, and the family was baptized Dec 28, 1841. In July of 1843, Stillman sold all his land and began preparations to move to Nauvoo, Illinois.

In the summer of 1847, the remaining Pond family joined the Abraham O. Smoot/George B. Wallace Company to travel the full length of the Great Plains to live in the Rocky Mountains. The company entered the Salt Lake Valley in early fall of 1847, one of the first companies to do so.

Sometime in 1859-1860, Stillman was called by President Brigham Young to move to Cache Valley to help settle the area. They began their journey in April of 1860.