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HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM PULSIPHER
Material Furnished by his Daughters - Eunice Cropper and Edna Taylor
 

William Pulsipher was the ninth child of a family of eleven children. He was born January 22, 1838, in Kirtland, Ohio. His father, Zerah Pulsipher, was born June 24, 1789, in Rockingham, Windham County, Vermont, son of John and Elizabeth Stowell Pulsipher. His mother, Mary Brown Pulsipher, was born March 2, 1799, in Kent, Litchfield County, Connecticut, the daughter of John Brown and Sarah Fairchild Brown.

William was much loved and wanted by his family. But as a child, he grew up in the troubled times the Mormon people were living. The histories of his parents and older sisters and brothers recorded in this book, give in detail the hardships the family endured. The move from Kirtland to Missouri and then to Illinois, where on the 27th of June, 1844, the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum, were shot and killed at Carthage jail by a band of about 200 painted ruffians from Missouri and Illinois.

The enemies of the Mormons expected that with the death of their leader, the church could be dissolved and the people scattered. They didn’t realize, however, that this was God’s Church and the time had come for it to be upon the earth and it couldn’t be destroyed by wicked men. The “mantle” of Joseph fell on Brigham Young and the church grew. The persecutions became unbearable and these innocent people were driven from their homes again. The only thing left for them to do was to move still farther westward into the vast unknown, inhabited only by the roving red men and a few white trappers.

William was ten years old when this long journey across the plains started, so it made a lasting impression on him. He helped with the camp chores, and helped look after the stock. It might be interesting to acquaint the readers with a few of the facts concerning the trek.

Zerah Pulsipher, William’s father, was a born leader and his ability was acknowledged to the extent that he was made Captain of the first division of 100 wagons. The first division consisted of 1229 souls, 397 wagons, 699 cows, 74 horses, 19 mules, 1279 oxen, 184 loose cattle, 411 sheep, 141 pigs, 605 chickens, 37 cats, 82 dogs, 3 goats, 10 geese, 2 hives of bees, 8 doves and 1 crow. This division left the Elk Horn River June 1, and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, September 20, 1848. (Quote from the book “Journal History” at the Church Library in S.L.C.)

The Pulsipher family, by their united efforts, soon built themselves a comfortable home in this new land. William was very industrious and did his share to develop the land that crops could be grown. He took advantage of every opportunity for education and development in church activities.

It is recorded in the history of his brother-in-law, Thomas S. Terry, that when he was called on a mission in 1856, that he engaged William Pulsipher, who was then 18 years old, to look after his farm and his families at Union Fort Cottonwood, while he was away. Family stories have it that during the fall of l856, William was called with others to go back over the mountains to assist and take supplies to some of the struggling Saints who were making their laborious way to the Salt Lake Valley. Before he got back homes the weather turned very cold and snow fell. Due to exposure in such weather, William became very ill and was sick for a long time and it seemed as if his time had come to leave this frail existence, but through the goodness of the Lord and the tender treatment of his family, he recovered.

It so happened that the Pulsipher family lived on the same block as the family of John M. and Mary Parker Chidester. An important member of this family was Esther, who was born May 18, l846 in Montrose, Iowa. William was attracted to this lovely young lady and had paid her special attention for two or three years. However, he hadn’t approached the subject of marriage. When he was called to go South to the Dixie Cotton Missions he felt that he needed a companion to go with him and help him make a home in this new land.

Esther was very young and did not care to leave her mother, thereby refused him. He pulled her onto his lap and said he would hold her until she said “yes”. He finally told her he would not go into polygamy if she would consent. He also promised her that her mother and family could soon come down there. They were both in love with each other and the parents approved of the match, so they were married by John Madison Chidester (her father) in the endowment house in Salt Lake City on the 27th of October 1861. He was 23 and she was but 15 years old.

The following is a copy of their marriage certificate found in the Family Bible:
 

CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
This is to certify that -
William Pulsipher of Salt Lake in the territory of Utah and
Esther Chidester of Salt Lake in the territory of Utah
were by me united together in
Holy Matrimony
on the 27th day of October in the year of our Lord
One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-one
In presence of
Levi Hancock and Mary Chidester
by John Madison Chidester

Not much is known concerning their experiences on their trip south, but records show that their first child, William Zera, was born in Washington, March 4, l863.

William and Esther were not permitted to remain in this fast growing section of the country, but were called by Apostle Erastus Snow to go out in the wilds to Shoal Creek, to establish a home and help look after the Church cattle. Here a quotation is taken from a news paper article concerning Shoal Creek, written by a relative, Lamond Huntsman, Enterprise in 1947, called “Blazers in the Deserts“.

“Chief Moroni claimed the upper meadows for his home. He camped near a spring, called Moroni Springs after him. He gladly welcomed Father Zerah Pulsipher and his son William who joined him in the summer of 1864.” He goes on to tell how Chief Moroni and his little band had great confidence in their white friends and would ask them to look after their squaws and papooses and protect them from marauding Indians of other tribes.

As more people came into this locality to make homes, they moved from the creek up on to the bench where there was more room for a town. They called their little village Hebron.

William worked hard to provide a comfortable home for their fast growing family, and moved out of the covered wagon that had been their home for so long. This home was of logs, consisting of one big room, with a foundation laid for another room. This dwelling was used to hold Church Sunday School, and all entertainments in until after 1869.

Their children were born as follows: Besides Willis, who was born at Washington, there were Mary Esther, born November 20, 1864, at Shoal Creeks; then John Madison, April 22, 1867; Eunice, 1869; Charles Henry, February 27, 1871 - died 1876; these were all born at Hebron. In the fall of 1873 they moved to Clover Valley, Nevada, where Augustus C. was born October 21, 1873 and died August 2, 1876.

Excitement was running high about this time because of the doings of a notorious outlaw, Ben Tasker and his gang. They would drive off horses and cattle belonging to the settlers and if a man happened to get in the way of their purpose they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him down in cold blood.

Eunice tells an interesting experience her father, William, had with this outlaw. “Ben Tasker sent word to father he was going to kill him on sight and father did not know what Ben Tasker looked like. So, one day father had been riding to tend his cattle and horses all day. He changed horses the third time - he was awful tired. If he had ridden home he would not have arrived until very late. Being close to Deep Springs and Ben Tasker’s ranch, he decided to get acquainted. He rode to the door, threw the bridle over the hitching post and knocked on the door. A man father knew answered the door. When he saw father, he just trembled and said ‘Why William. What on earth are you doing here? Are you acquainted with Ben Tasker?’ Father said, ‘That is my business here.’ So he led father into a long room where 35 men were sitting on either side. He went to the farther end and said, ’Mr. Ben Tasker, allow me to make you acquainted with Mr. William Pulsipher.’ Father took hold of his hand and said, ‘Mr. Ben Tasker, I understand you are going to kill me on sight.’ Ben said, ‘No’, he was his best friend. He ordered a good supper and fixed a good bed, and the man father knew slept with him. Father was so tired that as he struck the bed he was asleep. He had a nightmare, gave an unmerciful yell, and awoke everyone in the house. The yell awoke father too, and he raised up and excused himself to his companion. He said he was so tired he could not help it, laid right back and went to sleep again. But Ben Tasker thought there was a posse outside that had come to destroy them all and thought father was giving them the signal to come. The man father was sleeping with said that when Ben Tasker went to wash for supper that night he took his belt and scabbard off and laid them on top of the cupboard and left them there and it was the first time he had ever been known to do it. He was so nervous that father gave him his gun and scabbard and told him he was not in the habit of carrying them except when he was out on the range. Next morning, Ben gave him a good breakfast.”

(Another story about William's contact with Ben Tasker was published in the Feb/Mar 2000 issue of the St. George Magazine was written by Bart Anderson. This particular incident must have taken place after the event reported above, as Ben and William know who each other are.)

In 1880, The Utah Territorial Governor in an address to the territorial legislature reported that the "territory is infested by bands of cattle thieves who commit depredations upon the ranges and dispose their plunder in mining towns of southern Utah."

During the 1880s, ranchers in the Kanab region united to form the Southern Utah Stock Protective Association to protect their holdings from the "raids of cattle thieves." A parallel group formed in 1874 in Washington County but had little success in contending with the rustlers.

Washington County ranchers believe that much of the rustling was conducted by a group of renegades living at Desert Springs in Iron County, a stage stopover between Silver Reef and Pioche, Nevada. The leaders of the group, Ben Tasker, Idaho Bill, and Black Jack Ketchum were elusive criminals who had been arrested several times, but were always released for lack of evidence.

Frequently, the large corral next to Tasker's place was found filled with cattle carrying the brands of pioneers in Washington County. When quiestioned, Tasker always pleasantly assured any stockmen or law officers that if they could prove ownership of any animal he had, he would return it with regret that it had been found in his corrals.

It was during one of these checks by an Enterprise rancher and lawman, William Pulsipher, that a legend was born - the "fastest gun in southern Utah."

The outlaws had a large herd of cattle coralled, justwaiting for the right chance to ship the stolen livestock to Silver Reef. Pulsipher dicided to see if his brand was on any of the herd. Unafraid, Pulsipher rode up to the corral where Tasker and his men were relaxing.

Pulsipher asked if any of his brands were within the wood fencing, and without getting any answer, hitched his six-shooter in place, and climbed over the fence.

He had no more than hit the ground when a big steer made a dart at him. Without even slacking his pace or taking time to aim, his six-shooter was out of the holster and he shot the steer, which fell at his feet.

In this manner he dropped five big steers in such rapid succession that the outlaws, afterwards, said they weren't able to see the gun leave the holster until it had been fired and returned to its place.

Each shot took a deadly toll. It so happened that they all were his own steers, and he dicided he would be just as far ahead to kill them in that manner as to let them be taken and sold in Silver Reef. Besides, the outlaws could see that he was not afraid of either the cattle or the rustlers. Later, the outlaws told other people that they would rather not have Old Bill Pulsipher on their trail, for he was sure to have brought them in hanging over their saddles.

On another occasion William and Esther were all ready to go to Panaca on a visit and to get currants and gooseberries to put up, when William noticed a man coming on a horse. It was a messenger with a telegram from Sheriff Jim Pearson of Pioche, Nevada, deputizing him to try and stop the Tasker bunch who were making their way toward Dixie with a band of stolen horses. He told Esther they were going to Dixie to see her mother instead of Panaca. When Will got to the other side of Diamond Valley, he saw the dust of the men with the horses. Eunice tells it this way:

“Father jumped out of the buggy and told mother to drive and he would take one of the saddle horses that was on the side and let mother go into St. George alone while he went and took them alone. Father couldn’t get her to drive. She jumped out of the buggy and said, ‘I’ll not drive a step - it would mean you would just go to your death to try to get those horses away from those thieves without help.’  This made father angry and he jumped back into the buggy and he drove until they got past the forks of the road, where one road went to Middleton and the other went to St. George. The dust was out of sights so mother said, ‘Now if you want to take both of the saddle horses and go into St. George and get help, I will drive the team.’ So father did that - got help and went to Middleton and caught the men and took them into St. George and locked them up until the next day when Jim Pearson came after them. Father told them that he would like to guard them until they got to Pioche, but one of them swore at him and said, ‘Bill Pulsipher, I have been to your house three times to kill you, and if I ever get loose again, I will surely kill you.’ He also said, ‘This is the second time you have arrested me, but it will be the last.’ After they got started, Jim Pearson rode a saddle horse to guard and told father to go on to Chadburn Ranch and other dinner, so father and mother went and had dinner waiting for them when Jim Pearson and Mort Moore came and said some masked men raised up in the rocks at the Black Ridge, ordered the men out of the carriage and never unlocked the chains from their hands or feet, but just shot them and left them laying there at the side of the road.”

The following incident was sent in by Laura A. Pulsipher, second wife of William’s son, Johnnie:

“Johnnie has told me so many times of the incidents of the killing of these men up by Diamond Valley and showed me the place many times where it all took place. Where they had the horses secluded and how Gus Hardey and his helper stayed way back while Grandfather Pulsipher took the two men. He shot the third man but he got away by running between the horses. He traced him by the blood to the River and assumed he drowned, but many years after, this man returned to St. George staying for only a day or so. Johnnie did not get to see him as he was at Enterprise.”

“Whenever cattle or horses were stolen, Father Pulsipher was always sent after them as he always got the culprit without injury. He was known far and wide for his undaunted bravery, for his quick and unfailing shots. He was never known to aim at just any object.”

There was a time in those early days when the Indians were very unfriendly. One morning Will looked out and noticed eight Indians painted and adorned with their feathery head gears indicating they were on the war path. Esther was very frightened. As they came up, one of them brustled up to Will, seemingly to make trouble. Although rather a small man, Will didn’t intend to be bluffed by them, so he grabbed the intruder by the shoulders and jammed him down on a rock. He got up and came back for more, but again Will pushed him down. Another came at him and he was treated the same way. They soon gave up and acknowledged that William was a “Heap strong man.” They shook hands and called him the “Big Spirit” from then on.

On another occasion when they were living in the wagon before they got the house built, Esther stayed at camp one day, because she didn’t feel wells instead of riding out on the range with her husband as she often did. Along about 10:00 o’clock in the morning she heard an Indian outside her wagon. With fear and trembling she pulled the bed clothes securely over her for protection. As he did not leave she at last gained courage enough to climb out of the wagon and went clear around the camp fire and sat down. This Indian just smiled and began talking to her, telling her the names of things and made her understand by motioning. He made a habit of coming back every day and teaching her the Indian language and customs.

The Indians took to going out on the range and killing a beef, and taking what they wanted and leaving the rest to waste. Will told them the Big Spirit did not like to see things wasted, and they must come and ask for meat instead of wasting it that way. Once they went and killed another one and ate so much of it that it made them sick. They thought the Big Spirit was in them and they must sweat it out, so the other Indians put them in their tents and made a fire to sweat it out. When they were all sweaty they took them out and dipped three of them in a creek. Ed Hamblin happened along and saved two, but the three they dipped were killed instantly. They never bothered any more cattle on the range. They said Nigger Abb was the main leader and when they wanted beef they came and asked for it.

William used to trade the Indians horses for pine-nuts and buckskin, so the family always had one or two sacks full of pine-nuts and could have them to eat anytime they wanted.

One time William and Jacob Hamblin were out riding and just at the mouth of a big canyon they saw five Indians on the warpath. William had a gun called a needle gun. He could touch a lever or a spring and three long spears would come out, and he worked it so fast that it scared the Indians. They wanted to see the gun, but William told them he would show them and he told Jacob, “I’ll get this one and this one and that one with the gun and that one with my daggers but you must get that one.” That was the first gun of this type in that country, and it was quite a novelty to watch Will throw those long needles back and forth as he worked the lever. When we would not let them take the gun, they got scared and never bothered anymore.

Esther was the proud owner of the first sewing machine in that part of the country. She could sew anything on it. She made pants for her husband out of buckskin. It seemed there was no “wear-out” to those buckskin breeches, though they weren’t so good when they got wet or dirty, but Esther was glad to replace them with new ones.

This machine was a “Hows”. It took nice stitches and never ripped, so she was in much demand to make clothes for other people, even men’s suits. She was an exceptionally fast worker. Thus accomplishing more than most. Her earnings gradually amounted to about $300.00 A $2.50 gold piece was quite a novelty in those days, but they were in circulation, when ever Esther would see one she would trade silver to the owner for it. These she put in a special long box.

In 1875 William was called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands, now known as the Hawaiian Islands. He did not know what to do because he had loaned all his money out on interest. It was the wrong time of the year to sell his cattle and he was indeed blue and discouraged, until his good wife brought forth her little secret box filled with the gold pieces and asked him if there was enough. Imagine his surprise and joy to have his prayers answered in such a way so that he could take advantage of this great opportunity that had come to him.

It was rather hard to bid adieu to his loving companion, who was expecting a child and the five children. He knew much of the responsibility would fall on Willie, who was then 12 years old.

It was early in April of 1875 when William left Hebron -- destination the Sandwich Islands. While on the boats a terrible storm arose on the Pacific. Four of the passengers were on the deck, drinking and playing cards and as the two missionaries passed, one of the men said he could whip any d--- Mormon on the boat. William took off his coats rolled up his sleeves and said he’d take the men on one at a time. But they were fearful and said no more about it. As the waves dashed high and rocked the boat, the four men became alarmed and went to the captain for help. He soothed their fears by telling them two Mormon missionaries were with them and they’d land safely.

William was seasick crossing the ocean; then when he got to Honolulu he did not get any better and could not eat their food, so they just put a little Kanaca man to take care of him. Finally, when he began to get a little better he saw a coconut on a tree and asked this Kanaca if he could have it if he would shoot it and the Kanaca told him “yes”. So, William shot it and after that he lived on coconuts and drank the milk and improved. When Brigham Young found that Elder Pulsipher was on a mission sick, he sent him his honorable release and said he could fill a mission home by donating to others, so he got home the night his little daughter, Minnie was born, December 17 1875. He was gone eight months.

After that two more children were added to the family - Sarah Edna, born February 12, 1878, in St. George; and Anna Luella, born August 27, at Shoal Creek.

William and Esther had three homes - one in St. George, one in Hebron and one in Clover Valley, Nevada, - (where they had) a dairy, where they made butter and cheese in the summer. There were two big rock cellars - one had a spring in it to keep it cool for the butter and milk - the other just to keep cheese in until it cured for market. The floor of the kitchen was the roof of the cheese cellar. You came out of the kitchen into a big shed where the cheese factory stood  - another door led to the shed. Then there was a front door to lead out to the main road on the south and across the road was a big hay barn where the hired men slept.

William once had a claim on the biggest gold mine in Pioche, Nevada, but sold it to a company. It was called the “Raven and Ely mine” but they never did pay for the claim. He also had a ranch at Beaver Dam where those Indians ate too much meat. He also had another place about 15 miles this side (?) of St. George.

He was a very religious man and devoted much time and money to the Church. His excellent health came from strict observance of the Word of Wisdom. Though they raised grapes in abundance and always had grape juice in their cellar, he would not drink except as fresh juice; he did not partake of wine. His church affiliations were always uppermost to him and living on the frontier as they did, his home was always open to meetings or Church affairs. Nothing was more important to him than his faith in the principles and ordinances of the gospel.

He and Esther frequently traveled to Salt Lake City for the semi-annual conference, spending a week there visiting etc. They were regular attenders at Stake conference in St. George also, jolting along in their light wagon or buggy. Esther used to make the expression that “Dixie had the worst roads in the United States”; nevertheless they were grateful that they were able to attend.

He was a financier of great ability in his day. His stocks and bonds were plentiful, making him one of the leaders in that part of the state. He was a staunch advocator of education. A few years before he died he told his wife if anything should happen to him, she was not to give the children money, but give them an education for no one could rob them of that as they could of the material things.

He was caught out on the range in a snowstorm, (which was) quite unusual in Southern Utah. He contacted a severe cold which settled on his lungs, causing a fatal case of pneumonia. He passed away March 12, 1880, at the age of 42. He was buried in Hebron on the 15th of March by the side of his three children who had passed away in early childhood.

 

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