Roots

Out of the depths of our roots,
From the courage of those who have gone before us,
In the richness of our shared traditions
And by the Love abundantly given and received,
We have become strong. (Audry Brown Livingston)



Everyone is an heir.
We all inherit things from people who have gone before us.
An inheritance may be land or money or property.
It may include traits, characteristices, talents, rights, culture, traditions and blessings.

You may or may not be a direct descendant of pioneers,
but we all are blessed by the heritage they left us.

Our ancestors generously gave us a legacy of faith, courage, determination, hard work, committment and sacrifice.
That is our heritage.

We stand on the shoulders of giants.
We stand on higher ground, our vision is greater,
our lives are better because of them.

In their journals, they say --
"We did it for our children, and our children's children,
in the hopes that our freedom and our faith
will mean as much to them as it did to us."

That is why we remember pioneers: not because it's history,
but because it's our legacy.

It is for us to pass on to our children, and our children's children.




Bramwell relatives who helped build the Nauvoo temple:
George Spilsbury, husband of Fannie Smith
Phinehas Richards, brother of Willard and cousin of Brigham Young
Samuel Whitney Richards, son of Phinehas

Relatives killed at Haun’s Mill:
George Richards (son of Phinehas) when he was 15 years old.

Relatives who were in the Mormon Battalion:
Joseph Richards (son of Phinehas) died of exposure at age 17.

Relatives who came over on the Mayflower:
George Soule

Relatives who knew Joseph Smith:
George Spilsbury was a bodyguard for the Prophet Joseph Smith. He and Fannie received their partriarchal blessings from Hyrum Smith. He saw the martyred bodies of Joseph and Hyrum, then saw Brigham Young receive the mantle of the prophet, and was sealed by Brigham Young at the Endowment House in SLC.

He wrote in his journal:
“The question may be asked by some of my grandchildren: ‘Did you feel disappointed when you saw Joseph Smith for the first time?’ I will tell you. All my troubles & privations of leaving my father & mother, brothers & sisters, & my native land seemed nothing compared with the joy I experienced when I first heard and saw him, the Prophet Joseph Smith, preach. I felt greatly blessed of the Lord in having such a glorious privilege."