SAMUEL SHELTON HOWARD

 

 

Born:               16 June 1856 at Aston, Warwickshire, England

Father:             Joseph Howard           Mother:   Ann Shelton

Baptized:         9 September 1877 by George O. Noble

            Confirmed:  9 September 1877 by Thomas Court

Married:          Sarah Ann Taylor 27 December 1877, by Daniel H. Wells, in

             the Edowment House, Salt Lake City Utah.  Of this marriage

            are the following, all births at Woods Cross, Utah:

 

            Samuel Cyrus Howard – Born:   28 September 1878;  Died:  12 April 1941

            Lydia Ann Howard Schulthies – Born:   4 October 1880;   Died:    6 April 1969

            William Henry Howard – Born:   2 December 1882;   Died:  31 March 1945

            Royal Franklin Howard – Born:  15 February 1885;   Died: 15 March 1885

            Arthur Lee Howard – Born:  1 May 1886;   Died:  17 May 1978

            David Edward Howard – Born:  27 October 1889;   Died:  16 December 1957

            Amasa Ray Howard – Born:  7 September 1891;   Died:  25 July 1971

 

Samuel Shelton Howard was born 16 June 1856 at Aston, Warwickshire , England, son of Joseph and Ann Shelton Howard.

 

On June 3, 1864, Samuel, together with his parents, five sisters and three brothers, left England for America, sailing on the ship Hudson, taking one month and sixteen days on the water to complete the voyage.  Two brothers, Thomas and William, had preceded them.  The lengthy trip caused much sickness which resulted in physical weakness, making them ill prepared for the strenuous journey across the plains.  At New York City, they changed boats sailing southward around Florida way and up the Mississippi River, passing New Orleans and landing at a small city named St. Joseph.  From here they traveled to the last outpost, called Wyoming, Nebraska.  After preparations had been completed, on 2 August 1864 the westward journey across the Great Plains was commenced with ox team.  Although their passage was prepaid and ordinarily assured riding, so many passengers had so much luggage, walking became necessary.  The company included one hundred and seventy teams.

 

The boat Hudson, in which they crossed the Atlantic, was a small steamer which was generally used for transporting cattle and was thoroughly saturated with the odor of manure and other related conditions which resulted in physical ills, but the thought of Zion buoyed them up spiritually and made them strong.

 

James and Joseph Jr. were hired out to drive teams in a freight outfit, thus helping out the family’s financial condition.  The mother, Ann, tried to outfit them with underwear and hose and other necessities, but felt they were really too young and inexperienced to leave her, causing her sorrow and worry.  

 

The journey commenced.  They hadn’t gone far when the father, Joseph, developed cramps and was unable to walk.  Nearby was a pool of infested water and he crawled over to it and drank freely.  Much concern was felt over the possible effects of it.  However, to the surprise of all, he grew immediately better and in gratitude they continued.  Just a little later, the two girls, Tamar and Matilda, developed serious cases of Mountain Fever.  The fever became violent and Tamar, aged three, died and was hastily buried.  A short time later, after crossing a river, Matilda (while it at first seemed was recuperating) weakened and joined her sister in death after two weeks.  She was six years old and, again, burial was necessary.  The grief of Mother Ann was beyond description.  She could not be consoled and the family was sorely tried.  Samuel was too young to understand very much.  His mother just seemed to give up and was in no condition mentally or physically to battle for life.  She was just simply tired.  Growing weaker and weaker, permission was asked for her to ride.  The family was informed that the teamster would rather lose twenty old women than one oxen.  After struggling on, she became so weakened that she was unable to proceed further.  After much threatening by father Joseph, she was placed in the wagon bed and very soon after joined her two daughters who had preceded her.  The Company could only be detained long enough for a shallow grave to be dug.  She was washed, hair combed, and wrapped in a sheet by daughter, Emma, and hurriedly made ready for burial.  Emma, only twelve years old, was truly young for such an ordeal.  During her entire life she was always grateful that she was there to be of assistance to her mother.  The journey had not long continued when they heard the howling wolves and they sadly knew what was happening in that dear grave they had just left.  Again, the journey proceeded each day bringing its multitude of problems and trials and one day nearer their goal:  Salt Lake City, which occurred 26 October 1864 at Pioneer Park.  The remnant of this Howard family was met by the two sons, Thomas and William, who cared for the needs of their dear ones.  News had come to them of the death of their mother.  Needless to say, they were overjoyed at meeting their father, but terribly saddened by knowing their mother and two sisters had died on the way. 

 

The family moved to the William S. Muir farm at West Bountiful, Utah where they resided about seven years.  Samuel had many happy days here as he grew into his teens and cherishes many colorful memories of Robert Ure and his family who were so kind, allowing the Howard children to play games in their home.

 

The next move was to the Upper Flat or bench east of Bountiful, Utah known now as Mueller Park.  In 1866 Joseph Howard’s father married Caroline Richards Woodal.  She was born in 1829 and died 3 March 1912.  She proved to be a good mother to his children and a wonderful helpmate to him.  He later filed on part of the stream known as North Canyon Creek and took his water along the mountain side in a ditch to irrigate lands that he homesteaded on the bench.  Besides this water, the family developed a spring and made a wonderful homelike place.  Samuel remembers some striking things about it.  The bowery walk that went from the house to the spring was paved with rocks and overcovered by grape vines with here and there a bench fashioned from the timber that grew profusely about their place.  The violet beds made purple by early blossom and fragrant which seem to still be a part of Samuel after all these years.  All fruits, grains, and vegetables were grown by this industrious family and helped in self-sustaining. 

 

Samuel herded cows six summers on Jordon bottoms most of the time barefooted and in the winter went to school some little time.  He farmed with his father and brothers as he grew in size and years, plowing with ox team, never getting more school days.  When seventeen years old, he and his brother, John, started to work his father’s ground on shares.  This was continued for about four years.  Samuel then felt it advisable to branch out for himself so joining again with brother John, left their father’s home and acquired property on the lower road known for a long time as Howard’s Street and began farming and building.

 

In December 1876, Samuel met Sarah Ann Taylor of Payson, Utah.  Then 27 December 1877, he brought her from Payson to Salt Lake in a wagon with a team of horses taking two good full days to make the trip, and they were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House.  Before his marriage, he had built a two-room home.  This they lived until sometime later they built on to it the present building on Howard Street.  He purchased a few cows and decided to go into the dairy business.  Sarah Ann had a vegetable garden from which she peddled from door to door on the 20th Ward bench in Salt Lake City, taking her baby along in a heavy wagon drawn by a team of horses.  During the winter months, she taught school in her home, the parents of the children paying so much a month.  Samuel’s brother, John, made some benches for the children to sit on.  Thus, Samuel and Sarah Ann pulled together and paid off the immigration bill for Joseph Howard and his family, receiving the land he farmed on Howard Street in return from his father.  The decision of going into the dairy business was made after working for a Mr. Cooper driving a retail dairy wagon in Salt Lake City for about a year.  He recalls mortgaging the home for funds to buy his cows which with the help of his good wife was paid off the following year.  In 1882, he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land and purchased two hundred and forty acres more.  A rather interesting thing connected with this land occurred in 1890 when a great land boom came.  People rushed in from the east, north and south trying to buy up all available land.  Counsel from the General Authorities was not to sell, that is to what was termed “outsiders”.  He asked the advice of his Bishop, William Brown, regarding a proposal of selling some of his land.  Bishop Brown stated that the land was not so valuable and to sell it.  He suggested the tithing on the sale would be worth more to the Church than the land and he predicted that Samuel would be able to get it back again if he desired to.  The purchase price was $30,000, the down payment being $9,500.  The boom was of short duration; people lost interest and the following payments were never made.  The land returned to his original owner and the prediction of Bishop William Brown was really fulfilled.  The day Samuel received the payment of $9,500, he journeyed to the Presiding Bishop’s office and paid $950 which he said belonged to the Lord.  This completed the transaction. 

 

On 20 May 1880, Samuel was given a blessing by Patriarch Charles Hyde, in which he was promised that before long he should be called to proclaim the Gospel to the nations of the earth as wars and rumors would set the whole world in commotion.  He, however, would not be harmed, not even a hair of his head disturbed.  In September 1902, being then a Seventy of the 74th Quorum, he was called to fill a mission to Great Britain.  Another Patriarch, John W. Hess, blessed him with the comfort that the power of healing would be his to a great degree.  He should be able to heal physical ills and also wounded hearts and be a peacemaker wherever he went.  He landed in England early in October, 1902, and his son Samuel who had just been released from his mission to England from the Birmingham Conference waited to greet his father or otherwise they would have crossed the ocean passing each other midway.  Samuel was assigned to labor in Kidderminster, Birmingham Conference, where his son Samuel had spent most of his mission, having considerable success.  Before his son, Samuel, left for America, Samuel Sr. presided over the Kidderminster Branch.  He, however, had no companion assigned him.  The following February Samuel’s second son, William, was called on a mission and was assigned to Great Britain and to the Birmingham Conference.  Samuel thought it a wonderful thing as he had no companion asked for William.  He was told that the new missionary would make greater progress laboring with a stranger than with his father.  After being alone for seven months, Elder Henry Hone, being transferred from the Nottingham to Birmingham Conference, was assigned companion to Samuel.  His second companion was William Porter.  In the summer of 1904, he was moved from Kidderminster to Old Hill still in the Birmingham Conference with Elder Avern Poulton as companion.  Many changes came to him, one of which was presiding over three branches:  Kidderminster, Dudley, and Lye with another companion, Elder William Yard.  He was released to return to his home 12 October 1904, making many friends, but performed only four baptisms.  The names of these were:  Thomas Hartland, Alice B. Kerby, Ida F. and Lillian H. Silk. 

 

On his return home, he filled a home mission which took him all through the Davis Stake, which terminated in one year, his companion being Edwin Cracroft. 

 

On 17 October 1906, his third son, Arthur left for a mission to England and labored in the Birmingham Conference with Dudley and Northampton being the cities worked in and returning in February 1909.  With him were his mother and brother David, who had gone to England for a visit and genealogy gathering the August before.  On February 10, 1910, his two youngest sons, David and Amasa, left for missions to Great Britain and were also assigned to labor in the Birmingham Conference.  The following November 23rd, Sarah, the wife of Samuel, was called to perform a mission and the call was for England.  She was assigned the Birmingham Conference where her two sons were laboring.  This made a clean sweep of the entire missionary work of the family of Samuel Howard all being performed in the Birmingham Conference, British Mission.  Sarah, David, and Amasa all returned home on the 3rd of April 1912.  Samuel always felt he was greatly blessed of the Lord to be able to financially take care of all this missionary work:  his, four sons, and his wife’s. 

 

Samuel was connected with the dairy business for over forty years, but in the spring of 1919 retired and gave the business over to his two youngest sons, David and Amasa.  He, with his wife and several prominent people of South Bountiful, began a sheep business which grew and prospered and was a great help to finance his family in various activities.  He also began with three partners a brick business, but not being so successful sold out his investment. 

 

Before his marriage, Samuel was ordained an Elder and later presided over it as President with William Varley and Israel Barlow as counselors.  Later advanced to a Seventy and on March 19, 1910 was ordained a High Priest by Ezra Richards in Farmington, Utah.  He also was very active in Sunday School work having been assistant and later Superintendent.  He was set apart by Williard Young, 4 June 1927 to work with the Temple and Genealogy Committee in the Salt Lake Stake, later as Chairman of the same.  He began active work in the Salt Lake Temple in January 1926 having moved from South Bountiful Ward to the 24th Ward in the Salt Lake Stake, as a result of the same 14,534 men were endowed and all sealings for that number.  5500 more baptisms were performed by him assisted by his sister Emma and his wife Harriet, and son Ralph. 

 

He held a life membership in the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association; also in the Latter-Day Saints Genealogy Society; also Honorary Life Membership in the Son’s of the Utah Pioneers. 

 

His Priesthood Line of Authority follows:  Peter, James, and John; Joseph Smith, the Prophet; John Taylor; Thomas Steed; Ezra F. Richards; and Samuel S. Howard. 

 

In his life, Samuel had two very serious illnesses:  one in June 1922 and the other in the late fall of 1924.  His case of hiccough was most baffling to the medical world, which he suffered more than a month, but to Samuel it was through the power of God in his Holy Priesthood that made him well.  His last testimony was that the restored Gospel was true and had given him greatest comfort throughout his life. 

 

Samuel died at 648 North 1st West Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 20 September 1940; buried Bountiful Cemetary after his funeral service in the 24th Ward chapel, Sunday afternoon, 22 September 1940. 

 

Sarah Ann preceded him in death.  His children were all present at the services which included the following:  Samuel C.; William H.; Lydia Ann Schulthies; Arthur L.; David E.; and Amasa R. Howard; a son, Royal Franklin, died in his infancy. 

 

 

SAMUEL SHELTON HOWARD

 

Samuel Shelton Howard was born June 16, 1856 in Birmingham (Aston) England, to the family of Joseph and Ann Shelton Howard.  In total there were eleven in the family.  Joseph and Ann joined the church shortly before Samuel was born.  In 1864, the entire family emigrated to the United States.  They landed in New York and journeyed from there to New Orleans by boat up the Mississippi River to St. Joseph, Missouri.  Outfitted with an ox team and wagon, they began the trek west, August 2, 1864 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 26, 1864, nearly four months later.  Samuel was eight years old.  He lost two of his sisters and his mother during the trip across the plains.  The family initially stayed at the W.S. Muir farm in West Bountiful and then Joseph homesteaded in the Upper Flat. 

 

On December 27, 1877, at the age of 21, Samuel married Sarah Ann Taylor, who was also the age of 21.  She had journeyed west from North Carolina.  They homesteaded and raised a family of five boys and one girl.  Their names were Samuel Cyrus (born 28 Sept. 1878), Lydia Ann (born 4 Oct. 1880), William Henry (born 2 Dec. 1882), Royal Franklin (born 15 Feb. 1885), Arthur Lee (born 2 May 1886), David Edward (born 27 Oct. 1889), and Amasa Ray (born 7 Sept. 1891). 

 

A large part of the family income came from garden produce and dairy products which were delivered into Salt Lake City from their home in Woods Cross.  Samuel also became involved in the sheep business and a brickyard. 

 

He returned to England about 1903-1905 as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  While there, two of his sons, Samuel and William, were also serving missions to England, although not all at the same time.  Samuel Shelton Howard’s wife Sarah Ann Taylor Howard also served a mission to England. 

 

Later in life (9 Oct. 1908), Samuel took a second wife, Harriet Dyer (born 23 Jan. 1873), and lived with her in Salt Lake City.  His first wife Sarah remained at the family home in Woods Cross.  This event was not looked on with favor by Sarah or the children and created some distance between Samuel and his family although there was still visits and communication between him and other family members.  Ralph Dyer Howard was born 22 March 1919 to Samuel Howard and Harriet Dyer. 

 

Samuel never learned to drive a car and never owned one.  He was a vigorous walker and covered the several blocks from his home in Salt Lake City to the Salt Lake Temple, where he was a Temple worker, at a fast pace even in his seventies.  He was about five foot nine or ten inches tall, of stocky build and wore a bushy moustache.  As he grew older his hair turned white and he became quite deaf.  A few years before his death he began sneezing frequently and then he was seized by hiccups, which lasted a month or more.  Confined to the bed he and others, including doctors, thought he would die.  His case was written up in medical journals.  He did recover and credited a spiritual blessing for that.  Always active in his Church, he was known for giving long prayers. 

 

Samuel died September 20, 1940 at age 84 and was buried in the Bountiful, Utah Cemetery.