Sara Curtis Wimmer History

By Great Grandson Oather R. Roper

Sarah Curtis was born 16 June, 1840, at Washington, Tippecanoe, Indiana, the seventh child of Benjamin Gardner Curtis and Maria Dunn. Benjamin Gardner Curtis was born 6 December 1802 in Stephentown, Rennselaer, New York and Maria Dunn was born 20 March, 1808 in Franklin, Brown County, Ohio.

Benjamin Gardner Curtis and Maria Dunn Curtis joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April of 1833, and received their endowments in the Salt Lake Endowment House on December 6, 1862. In her later years Sarah related that her mother’s family, the Dunn’s were very much against the Curtis family joining the church and even more against them moving to Nauvoo to join the Saints. Sarah’s father made arrangements with a brother-in-law to give him a milk cow if he would take the family by wagon part way to Nauvoo. The morning they were to leave they discovered the cow had been poisoned and was dead. The family was determined to go to Nauvoo, so each family member took a bundle of personal belongings on their back and they began to walk. The brother-in-law seeing their intent softened his heart and took them the distance he had previously agreed.

How long the family lived in Nauvoo is not known, but their eighth child was born in Nauvoo on 14 October 1843, and a ninth child was born in March of 1846, so they were in the city prior to the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and we know they left with the other Saints when they were driven from their homes by the mobs.

I, Oather Roper, as a lad of about 9 or 10 years of age had a very special experience which I have always remembered and which was a strong testimony to me in my youth. Great Grandmother Sarah Wimmer related to several of us that she was present in Nauvoo when the members of the church gathered about two months after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. At that time there was dissention as to whom should assume the leadership of the Church. Sarah testified that she stood within a distance of about fifteen feet of the wagon where where Brigham Young stood before that large group of Saints. At that time the mantle of the Prophet fell upon Brigham and he had the very appearance of Joseph and his voice sounded like the Prophet.

The mobs became anxious to drive the Mormons out of Nauvoo. The Curtis family was among the early groups who crossed the Mississippi River to Montrose, Iowa taking as many of their belongings with them as they could.

Gardner Curtis was a devout, loyal man and was willing to do anything the leaders of the church required of him. It was reported that he and several other men made several trips across the river taking guns and ammunition for future use if they should be needed.

Sarah related that the family moved across the mississippi river with the main body of families leaving their Nauvoo homes during the cold winter of 1846. It was uncomfortable living in their wagons and makeshift tents. She told of nine babies being born in their camp, during the cold sub-zero weather with very little protection.

As spring came the camp was in need of meat to supplement to their meager diet. One morning a large flock of quail, estimated to be several thousand in number, flew into their camp. The birds seem to be exhausted as if they had flown for hours. They were so tired that they did not fly and the saints could pick them up from the ground or trees where they had landed. They were cautioned by their leaders to only kill as many birds as they could use, not to be wasteful and kill more than they would eat before the meat spoiled, because the quail had been sent to them by God.

In recent years someone posed a question to the Ensign Question and Answer section “Was the quail story a fable or did it actually happen?” Several people responded with accounts from Mormon diaries to attest the truth of the story.

After the stronger and better prepared Saints had crossed the river the church leaders realized that about 600 older people and unfortunate families who had no means of transportation were still in Nauvoo, and were being harrassed by the mobs. They had driven some of the older people to the river and thrown some into the cold water, almost killing them.

Brigham Young called and appointed several men to return to Nauvoo to attempt to sell property and personal belongings which had been left in Nauvoo in an effort to get money to buy wagons and oxen for those still left in the city. Gardner Curtis was one of the men selected to help with this effort, and responded immediately to the call even though his wife was resentful and felt he should have remained with his family so they could begin their trek west with the early groups.

Those who were left in Nauvoo were told by the mobs if they were caught outside of Nauvoo they would be severely punished. After some time the men who had been sent back to dispose of property had made considerable progress, but were still looking for ways to raise money. One day in the first part of August these men were approached by a man who had purchased some of the Mormon farms east of Nauvoo. He told them he would pay them well if they would help him harvest his grain fields. The Mormons explained to the man they feared for their lives if they left the city, but he told them he was a prominent citizen of the area and he would assure them they would not be harmed. After considerable discussion the men finally decided to work for the man and, worked for several hours that afternoon. The next morning between 9:00 and 10:00 o’clock the field in which they were working was surrounded by a mob. The Mormon men were taken captive, placed in a wagon and driven some distance toward Nauvoo. When they stopped the men were ordered to take their clothing off to the waist. The men were then taken, two at a time, into the nearby woods and beaten on their bare back with green hickory limbs until the skin was broken and blood ran down their backs. Returning them to the wagon they took two more until all of the men had been severly beaten. They were then turned loose and threatened they would be killed if were ever caught outside of Nauvoo again. The men then had to walk the remaining distance to Nauvoo in the hot August sun. It was reported that for the rest of his life Gardner Curtis carried large scars on his back as a result of the mob beating.

It was not long after this event until all the people in Nauvoo who wanted to go west with the Saints were taken across the river and placed in different Mormon companies so the burden would be placed more evenly on all companies.

Though Sarah was only six or seven when the family left Nauvoo, still everyone was given an assignment. Sarah was given the responsibility of watching over a small child, about two years of age. The wagons were all loaded with the family belongings and their food supplies so everyone except the very sick were required to walk. The little child would soon grow tired and Sarah carried the child much of the way across the plains. It was also the responsibility for everyone in the company to watch for buffalo chips along way because that was their chief fuel for building fires.

Sarah often mention one experience which caused her much sorrow. At one time they had gone a long distance without finding fresh water. Finally the scouts reported they were approaching a spring of fresh cold water. The children began to hurry toward the water, but they were cautioned to drink only a little at a time, or would become ill. However, one rather heavy little girl, a dear friend of Sarah’s commented that she had been denied so many choices and privileges while traveling with the wagon train that she was going to drink all the water she wanted. When they reached the water she drank until her thirst was satisfied. it wasn’t long until she complained of stomach cramps and within two hours she was dead. They buried her near the spring.

We do not have a date when the company of pioneers which the Curtis family were with arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. We do know that the Curtis settled in Springville. Wheather that was by choice or because Brigham Young sent them there we do not know. Reports indicate that Gardner Curtis was a loved and respected leader and husband. He lived the remainder of his years in Springville, passing away September 9, 1867. His wife lived 31/2 years after his death. She passed away April 20, 1871. Both were buried in the old Springville Cemetery. Their headstone markers are still legible.Sarah grew up in Springville, attended school and later taught school. During this period of time polygamy was practiced in the church and young women were taught that it was not appropriate to refuse a proposal of marriage. Therefore, when, at age 16, William Miller approached Sarah and asked her to become his seventh wife she felt she could not refuse. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Endowment House. William Miller was a short, puggy built man and was a Bishop in Springville and also a Stake President. Brigham Young often stayed at the Miller home as he traveled through the area. This was before the Word of Wisdom became part of the church doctrine and Brigham Young enjoyed a good cup of coffee. He always requested that Sarah make his coffee because she had a knack of making it with a fine flavor, the best he had tasted he said.

Though William Miller had been married for years to some of his wives, none of the seven had any children. This troubled Sarah because she wanted very much to have a family. One day she talked to one of her brothers and persuaded him to take her into Salt Lake City. They started out in his buggy and as they neared the point of the mountain north of Lehi he finally asked her what she was going to Salt Lake for. She told him to see Brigham Young. “Why” he asked. When she explained that she wanted to talk to the Prophet about getting a divorce from William Miller her brother turned the horse around and started back home, very cross with her. She hastily explained her reason to him and he finally agreed to take her on into Salt Lake. She was granted an interview with Brigham Young and to her surprise he told her he would grant her a divorce because he had often wondered why all those wives stayed with Brother Miller when obviously there was a problem since none of them had children.

No doubt her decision to leave the Miller household caused considerable stir because it was reported that Mr.Miller said even if a divorce was granted he would still have her in the etenities because they had been sealed in the Endowment House.

In recent years some of the decendants of Sarah Wimmer have been concerned that the first sealing had not been cancelled and perhaps they were all sealed to William Miller rather than William Wimrner. Inquiries were made and the
following letter was received:

Dear Sister Stringharm:

Your request to determine the sealing status of Sarah Curtis has been reviewed by Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Quorum of the Twelve. On August 1, 1966, I was instructed to inform you that based on the record material which you submitted, it will have to be recognized that Sarah Curtis was sealed for time and all eternity to William Miller on February 17, 1858. She was also sealed for time and all eternity to William Wimmer on July 7, 1866. We therefore need to assume that a sealing cancellation was granted by President Brigham Young. The information given in your letter from family tradition would support this concept.

Henry E. Christiansen
Executive Assistant, the Genealogical Society

Attached to the bottom of the letter was a photo copy of the temple index card, showing that Sarah Curtis was sealed to William Wimmer 7 July 1866. Reference #25165, pt. 15, page 619, Endowment House Sealing of Couples.

Sometime after Sarah’s divorce from William Miller she met William Wimmer and they were married January 8,1865 in Salt Lake City, and were sealed in the Endowment House 7 July, 1866. In later years Sarah commented that she had a very close girl friend whom she loved and wanted William to take as a plural wife
but he refused, he was not interested in having more than one wife.

Their first child, a boy named William Willis was born December 16, 1865 in Springville. After a few years William and Sarah moved to Parowan, Utah where William’s brother had a shingle mill which they operated for a few years. Three more children were born while they lived in Parowan. Maria Elizabeth on December 18, 1868. John Gardner on August 12, 1871 and Robert Uriah on August 7, 1875. From Parowan they moved to Fairview, Utah. While they were in Fairview a daughter Sarah Isabell was born on September 12, 1878. Next the family settled in Huntington where their last two children, both boys, were born. Paris LeRoy on November 7, 1881 and Roy Edwin, January 26, 1885. Paris died on February 7, 1883 and was buried in Huntington. While living in Huntington their daughter Maria met and married William Roper, son of Henry and Charlotte Roper.

It is known that Sarah taught school some of the time while she was raising her children. At one time she told about taking one of her small children to school with her while she taught all 6 grades in the little country school house. She also played the violin and played for many of the dances in the rural areas where they lived.

Sarah received some special training to be a midwife and was set apart for this calling by Brigham Young. For many years she kept a record of each child she delivered, and had a list of over a thousand babies recorded. However, one spring when the family was away from home an unusual melting of snow caused a runoff and their dugout home was flooded, ruining many of their personal belongings, including her record of babies delivered.

For some reason the Wimmer family decided to leave the Emery County area, moving to the Uintah Basin and making a new home in Dryfork Canyon, northwest of Vernal. Their daughter Sarah Isabell died there and was buried in the Dryfork cemetery. They’ stayed in Dry Fork only a few years, then moved over the mountain to Big Horn, Wyoming. Again, they did not stay many years, but eventually returned to the Uintah Basin and settled in the Ft. Duchesne area where William obtained a government mail contract.

At that time there were soldiers stationed at Ft. Duchesne for the purpose of keeping peace among the Indians and between the Indians and white settlers on the reservation. The mail contracts were to haul mail from Fort Duchesne to Ouray, and Randlett, Whiterocks and other outlying communities. The family had many experiences with Indians during these years . The Indians would come to the Fort to get their money and food rations. On these days, when they had money there was much drinking and gambling going on and some of the Indians would become mean and threatening. When that happened the Wimmer’s learned they could call out in a loud voice, “Go get the soldiers.” That always freightened the Indians and they would leave.

During these years the Wimmer family met many people as they traveled through the area for various purposes. They often invited them to enjoy a meal with them and on occasion discussed religion with ministers who where traveling through.

The couple prospered during their years in Fort Duchesene, so when they grew older they bought a home and small farm about 3/8 of a mile east of the Mill Corner in Maeser Ward, Vernal, Utah, where they spent their remaining years. Some of their family members lived near them, including their daughter Maria and her sons and their families. They enjoyed their neighbors and participated in the social activities of the ward and community. Their home was always open to visitors and they especially enjoyed visits from their children and grand children.

One winter William fell on some ice and sustained serious internal injuries. He passed away a few weeks later. He died on March 21, 1915, and was buried in the Vernal Cemetery. He was 75 years of age.

Sarah could not take care of the farm by herself and by then most of her children had left the Vernal area. The home and farm were sold and she spent her declining years in the homes of her children, spending much of her time with her daughter Maria in Idaho. She had been living with her sons John and Robert in Monterey Park, California, where she peacefully passed away. Her body was shipped back to Vernal where services were held in the Maeser Ward Chapel and she was laid to rest beside her husband in the Vernal City Cemetery. She died 17 March, 1925 at age 85.