Memoirs of John R. Young, Utah Pioneer, 1847Young, John R.
History
Memoirs of John R. Young, Utah Pioneer, 1847
Young, John R.
Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Utah -- Biography; Young, John R., 1837-
My next meeting with the men who looked so kindly after the "cohabs"
was at Thurber. My son Ferra had purchased a strong, nervous, though
vicious horse, and we believed that, given a little start, there was
nothing in our burg that could overtake him. I had again been for a
load of salt, returning with a four-horse team, and had reached Thurber
when my son William R. overtook me.
"Father," said he, "you had better ride Selim a little while, and be
quick about it."
I had just mounted when Bishop Coleman and my brother Franklin W. met
us. They turned across the canal and drove rapidly toward the river,
the marshals being in sight and driving furiously toward us. I loitered
near my team in hopes to draw the "deps" after me; but they could see
Coleman's rig, and wheeled across the canal in pursuit of him.
I jumped my horse across the canal; and galloping around a block, came
into the road just ahead of the officers. They called on me to stop;
but I could not do it, as some dogs ran out from a house I was passing,
and so frightened my horse that he broke into a dead run. I jerked
back violently and broke one rein, virtually turning the vicious brute
loose. He seemed to go crazy. A man by the name of Keel was working
on a vacant rocky lot near by. The horse bolting in that direction,
pitched at the man, who struck him over the head with a crowbar. This
seemed to daze the animal for a minute, then he commenced bucking;
and for a short time he made it mighty interesting for me, and the
people who were looking on. Finally, he threw up his head and broke for
home, and I was quite willing to let him go. The marshals turned and
followed, whereby the other "cohabs" got away again. I took a skurry
through the hills, and late in the evening brought up at my brother's,
in Teasdale, where I found Willie R. Later still, Bishop Coleman and
Franklin W. arrived safe and sound.
Brother C. L. Christensen was living on a ranch about half way between
Wild Cat and the Valley. One day the marshals caught him. "Now," said
they, "you are a poor man, and we don't want to make it hard on you. We
will let you go now if you will promise to come when we want you. You
can thus be at home in peace with your family until you are wanted in
court." So he promised. "Now," they said, "we are going home, and we
will write you about ten days before we come for you; so you will have
time to be prepared."
As soon as they were gone. Brother Christensen kindly came over and
told me of the bargain, adding, "Now you can stay at home and not
worry; for when I get the letter, I will send you word." I was pleased;
for staying at home in peace in those troublesome times was pleasant.
It was getting cold on the mountain, so I moved down to my winter ranch
on Pleasant Creek. One night I woke up, and a low voice said to me,
"The marshals will not write to Christensen, and you had better get
away from here."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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