Question: What area in Utah did William Hiram Carpenter help settled after serving in the Mormon Battalion in 1846?
Answer: William Hiram Carpenter was born in Glenville, Schenectady, New York on 22 July 1820, the oldest son of Hiram Carpenter and Jane Elizabeth Schermerhorn. William met the Prophet Joseph Smith in New York and became interested in what he was teaching. William became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized by Anson Sheffield.
His father turned against him and was bitter because he had joined. His mother and siblings refused to join and tried to persuade him to change his mind. William decided it was best for him to leave home and go to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the Saints were gathering. He arrived there in February 1846, just at the time the Saints were leaving Nauvoo. William went with them to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Here at Council Bluffs, at the age of almost 26, William volunteered to be in the Mormon Battalion. He enlisted on 16 July 1846 as a member of Company C, Captain James Brown Company. William Carpenter went with the Company to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was then sent back to Pueblo, Colorado, with the Battalion Sick Detachment. They spent the winter in Pueblo, and then in the spring headed to the Salt Lake Valley. They entered the Valley about five days after Brigham Young’s Vanguard Company had arrived on July 24, 1847. Here the men were formally disbanded and did not have to go on to California. William helped plant crops and build the fort, and then he left in the fall to go back to Iowa.
He married Cynthia Triphosa Weatherbee in Pottawattamie, Iowa on 28 November 1849. His oldest son Joseph Weatherbee Carpenter was born on 17 March 1852 in Gallands Grove, Pottawattamie, Iowa. In June 1852, William sold his property at a great sacrifice and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in the David Wood Company, when his son Joseph was but three months old. They arrived in the Valley the end of September 1852, and settled here for a time. A daughter was born to them in March 1854, but his wife, Cynthia, and the baby both died.
William then married Marmora Sheffield on 13 February 1855 in Salt Lake. They moved to Provo, Utah, where William and Marmora had four children together. They then moved to Payson, Utah, where another child was born. About 1863, William was asked by Brigham Young to move to St. George, Utah, to help settle that area. Here William and Marmora had the rest of their children. Out of their thirteen children, only three lived to adulthood. In 1878 William entered into polygamy and married Maria Aeschllimann, with whom he had two children, with only the daughter, Mary, surviving.
William raised broom corn and made brooms, as well as did farming. He built a nice home in St. George for his family. William helped build the St. George Temple and was able to attend the dedication. About 1881, William sold out in St. George and moved to Bloomington, about five miles from St. George. He was one of the first settlers. Here William helped build the first canal and built the first broom factory. He also raised sugar cane, cotton, peaches, grapes, pomegranates, nuts and many other things.
William Carpenter died 8 May 1894 at St. George, and is buried in the St. George City Cemetery.
Marmora died 31 October 1896, and is buried in the St. George City Cemetery. Maria died 30 January 1916 and is also buried there
Source: Excerpts from “Life History of William Hiram Carpenter,’ FamilySearch.org; FindAGrave.com
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