Franklin Hobbs Traveller

Franklin Hobbs Traveller was born Dec 6, 1859 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Cornelius and Frances Elizabeth Hobbs Traveller. Franklin is a Pioneer of Richmond.

History

Franklin was born while the Traveller family were on their way to Utah. They traveled to Florence, Nebraska Territory, joined the John Smith Company on June 22, 1860 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 1. The Travellers lived in the Salt Lake Valley until 1864 when they moved to Richmond.

"I was six years old when I started School in a little log house with one room and a dirt roof. The school house at that time was located (just east of the Maggie Merrill home where the Charles Burbank home is located) at 149 East First North in Richmond. There was no coal in those days, so we had to keep warm with a wood fire. My first teacher was John Robinson and then Mart Stewart. I attended night school for a little while and John Gibbs was my teacher. The subjects we took were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. Some of my schoolmates were: Mathew Bell, Walt Lewis, Jim Stewart, Maroni Bair, Charlie Pew, and Martin Pond. I went to school, on and off, for about seven years. I worked for my father on the farm..."

Franklin married Mary Ann Webb on March 15, 1883 in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

"We first lived in my father's adobe house. That summer we went to the canyon and camped. Mary cooked for sixteen men part of the time while we were there. Father and Chris Traveller owned two mills. I got the lumber out for my first home. When built, it was a two room house...

"When Frank W. was a baby, the snow was so deep we couldn't get into the canyon even to get fire wood. I had to cut green willows from the creeks and river bottoms. It being green, we had to dry it in the oven before it would burn. I used to hold Frank over the fire to keep him warm. We lost our first baby and did not want to lose him."

After Mary's death in 1928, Franklin continued to work and serve as a church leader. Horace Raymond Pond relates the following:

"Frank was a respected member of the High Priests Quorum of the Benson Stake. Ten years ago, I was honored to be the leader of the High Priests Quorum of the Benson Stake, and for a long time the Quorum had its meeting in various chapels of the Stake in alphabetical order. On November 13, 1944, it was our turn to provide a part of the program for the meeting, in which case it is customary to have a member of the local group give a message or bear a testimony. The year 1944 was Uncle Frank's 85th birthday. Two weeks ahead of the meeting, I ask him to accept the appointment. Uncle Frank Said: "Oh I can't do it, the meeting would be a failure." I asked to think it over and I'd see him at the end of the week. Before the week was half gone, I met him on the corner in town. His face was tense and it was also determined as he said: “Ray I'll give the talk and do the best I can, but I become frightened as I think about it”. The day came and he was in his place. The ward auditorium downstairs was filled with quorum members. Uncle Frank spoke ten minutes. His message was very impressive and inspirational. He spoke under the influence of the spirit. The power of the Holy Ghost was in the room. Gray-headed men were in tears. Bishop Andersen and George Webb was wiping their eyes. In his speech, he related how thankful he was for the health and ability to get around for the preservation of his life, for the love of his family and home, for his sons and daughters, for his relatives, friends and neighbors and for his parents."

Epilogue