Elnathan came from a long line of Mayflower descendants. His grandfather married Dorothy Freeman, whose father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and sixth generation Elder William Brewster of Mayflower fame.
The name Elnathan was an old Bible name (2 Kings 24-8) where it speaks of "Elnathan of Jerusalem". This name was given to the eldest son of the Eldredge family for four generations. The Eldredges were seafaring men. Dennis was a seaport about 50 miles down Cape Cod. It had a good Harbor and flourished in shipping and fishing. Being raised so near the ocean, it was natural that Elnathan should follow the pursuit of his forbearers. He owned his own sailing vessels and freighted to England and Spain.
On his very last voyage his finest ship was wrecked in a terrible storm and all the crew were lost. Elnathan was a tall and powerful man and was not willing to give up. He battled the waves with all human power. Suddenly a huge rafter dashed his way. He had strength enough to cling and ride it for 36 hours and was rescued by a passing ship. This terrible experience seemed to undermine his health; he never attempted to dare the sea again.
When he was 24 years old he married Cynthia Wixon (Wixom). Nov. 30, 1843, who died in childbirth in 1835. In 1836 he married Mary Ann Marchant, who also died, in 1837 at age 23. In 1837 Elnathan met Ruth Baker Underwood, born March. 8,.1810, a young widow with one little girl, Adelaide. Ruth was teaching school in Dennis. Their lots in life were very similar, both being bereft of their mate, and both craving companionship and love. They were married Sept. 29, 1839 and made their home in Dennis.
On Sept. 12, 1841 a son was born, whom they named Elnathan. In 1843 another son was born whom they named after Ruth’s first husband, Joseph Underwood. In 1845 another son was born whom they named Frederick Baker. About this time Mormon Missionaries came preaching and teaching in Dennis, Mass. Ruth was a teacher and also a student of the Bible. ...She invited the Elders to come and meet her husband and teach him. He also was ...able to understand and accept the new message.
To their surprise many of their friends and relatives were hostile and denounced them for what they termed "their foolish connections." All this deriding had no influence upon their decisions; they were both baptized members of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints."
They received news that the Saints were being driven from Nauvoo, Ill., and were going out West to the Rocky Mountains. Therefore, they decided to hurry and join them. They sold all of their wealthy possessions, eager to get as much cash as possible so as to outfit themselves for the long journey.
The Underwood family obtained a court order making Marshal Underwood her guardian and prevented Ruth from taking her 12 year old daughter, Adelaide Underwood, out of the State of Mass. Ruth had a brother who was planning to go with the company of Saints, who had chartered the ship Brooklyn. He assured Ruth that he would bring little Adelaide. Fate was against these plans. The ship left with Samuel Brannen in charge and reached California before the people reached Utah. Ruth never saw her child again in this world.
Elnathan and Ruth Eldredge with their three little boys left Dennis for Boston in the Spring of 1847. Elijah Baker, Ruth's brother, and his wife Sabray who had also joined the church, traveled with them. They boarded the Boston and Albany R.R. at the old "South Station" in Boston. This railroad crossed the state of Mass., through the lovely forests of pine and hemlock, over the grassy rolling hills, passing hundreds of crystal lakes and waterfalls; this land was uninhabited by white man, serene and glorious in its primeval beauty. How their hearts must have ached with loneliness for their native state with its fertile land and abundance of water when they faced the desert and the wilderness. But these two stalwart souls never turned back, this new religion was their very life, their hope, their all, they would carry on for the salvation of their posterity.
Albany was the railroad terminal. Elnathan bought passage on the canal boat (“Seneca Chief") The Erie Canal was completed in 1825 and served for many years as the great artery for passenger and as well as freight traffic between the northeastern sections of the United States and the newly settled states, of what was the West.
Light packet boats drawn by frequent relays of horses, driven at a trot, made the trip from Albany to Buffalo in three and a half days, a distance of 352 miles. These days were very trying. The deck was crowded, the bunks below cramped unclean. One night a storm arose and swept everything before it. Everyone tried to crowd in the hull. On the morrow they found that Elja Baker had been lost. Aunt Sabray had to continue with her relatives.
At Buffalo they purchased tickets on a small steam vessel and passed through Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio; then to Columbus and on to Dayton, transferring to the Miami Canal to get to Cincinnati. At Cincinnati they transferred to the Grand Canal which passed around the falls on the Ohio River into the Mississippi down this river to St. Louis. There they were able to buy all the supplies necessary for the long trek across the plains.
They found many Saints at St. Louis preparing to go on to Winter Quarters. It was now June, 1847 and they were getting very anxious to join the main body of Saints at Winter Quarters. A very large company was organized under the command of Parley P. Pratt.
The first company had left April 7, 1847. The Eldredge family with 1,553 other people was organized in groups of 100 wagons. This was divided in companies of fifty and tens, each it’s own captain. They left winter Quarters July 4, 1847. Abram O. Smoot was captain of 100 of which the Eldredge's were a part. Elnathan had bought two strong new wagons, four head of oxen, two cows and previsions such as sugar, rice, corn meal, flour, beans etc., bolts of woolen cloth, cotton, calico, and factory shoes of many sizes, for growing boys as they knew they be thousands of miles from markets.
Those supplies proved to be of great comfort and worth when they reached the valley of Utah, as many of the Saints were not so well supplied and Elnathan was glad to aid those in distress with whatever they needed. When conditions grew worse Elnathan gave all his supplies to Brigham Young saying, "Divide these as they are needed, we will share and share alike.”
The way to the Rockies was long and wearying. The oxen could only travel very slowly.. They have very small ankles for their huge weight. If they are urged too much they lie down in their yokes and refuse to move. They averaged about 16 miles a day, so it took two and one-half months to complete the trip. Elnathan had never owned a wagon or oxen and it was quite an experience for him to be accustomed to handling the outfit. He used ship terms, calling the wagon 'she', the front of the wagon the 'bow' and the back the 'stern', much to the amusement of his fellow travelers. He would walk along the left side of the wagon and pop his long whip calling 'gee' meaning 'turn right' and 'gee-haw' meaning turn left.
Ruth rode and cared for her three little boys, the two older boys were allowed to walk beside their father for short distances, they needed the exercise to keep strong and well. Scouts were sent ahead of the company to watch for game and were always on the lookout for Indians. They soon learned to interpret the Indian signals and avoid trouble. The men had to take their turn guarding the camp, during the long summer night. They had to watch lest wolves, bears, coyotes, as well as Indians sneak in and disturb the cattle and cause a stampede. This was dreaded by the Pioneers as the cattle became so frenzied that they would dash about breaking wagons and often killing people and many cattle became lost over the prairie. The route was well planned; the company taking the north side of the Platte where few emigrants had traveled; there was plenty of good pasture and wild fowl. They had to ford the streams. A scout would find the shallowest place and would plunge in on his horse to test the depth. After much calling and urging the oxen would follow, dragging the reeling wagons and their contents into the stream. Often the water would flow over the wagon box, wetting the bedding and clothing. This was extra work for the weary travelers, everything had to be dried and repacked, which delayed the early morning start.
At the very doorway of Great Salt Lake Valley these pioneers discovered a cave where they stopped to rest and to inscribe their names. It is now known as Cache, Cave. It is off the present highway in Echo Canyon. Hundreds of names are carved in the walls and ceiling. This cave is Utah's most noted landmark. Recorded on the walls inside and outside are the first ‘Mormon pioneer names registered in Utah', In the cave are names of many early travelers through the west, recorded years before the first Mormons passed that way. Many names are barely definable. This cave was doubtless a well known land mark among early trappers and adventurers, where a person could find protection from storms and wild beasts. (Saturday July 18 1931 Deseret news) Here the original pioneers of 1847 made their first overnight camp in which is now the State of Utah. They were able to go into the cave thirty feet. The opening is about eight feet high and fourteen feet wide. The first company known as the Brigham Young Company camped at the cave on the 12th of July 1847 and waited a day for Brigham; who was detained on account of sickness. The second company under Parley P. Pratt camped at Cache Cave.
The next day was a perilous' one for this little family. It must have been about the first of September 1847. The road through Echo Canyon was almost impassible. They even feared they were going the wrong way, for how could a way be so treacherous when the Donner Party 'had entered in 1846 and the Brigham Young company had passed two months previous.
The art mesia or sage brush grew 6 to 10 feet high and the boulders were as large as the wagon box. Elnathan walked along the left side, urging the oxen, when suddenly he realized that the wagon was perilously near the edge of the steep embankment and that Ruth and the children were about to plunge over the precipices. Elnathan sprang to the other side and with super-human strength he pushed and carried the precious load to safety.
They arrived in Salt Lake Valley, September 17, 1847 and on the brow of the hill overlooking the great inland sea Elnathan, Ruth and the three little boys knelt and thanked God for their safe arrival. They followed the scouts to what was known as Pioneer Square, there Elnathan sawed four logs to hold up the wagon box. This was their first home in Utah.
The plan for division of Salt Lake City into ten acre squares and of all streets crossing at right angles with Ft. Streets and sidewalks was instituted by the Prophet Joseph Smith. He had advised that each man should have enough ground for his home and a small vegetable 'garden with a few domestic animals such as a cow, chickens, etc. and a small orchard. Large farms and ranches should be outside the city limits.
Brigham Young carried out these plans very well. A convention was called in the spring of 1848 to which all heads of families were called. The streets were named and the direction or address was given according; to its location from the ten acre lot which was set apart for the site of the Temple, and Tabernacle and other church buildings. Thus North Temple, South Temple, East Temple or the Main Street of the town, and West Temple from there on the streets were numbered. The boundaries of the ecclesiastical wards were defined and further business was explained, then the heads of families drew by lots, the location of their own property. Elnathan drew 1/8 of the block fronting on Fourth West between, North Temple and First North. Theodore McKean was on the north and George W Mousley drew the lot on the south.
Elnathan was well pleased. This land was deep black loam and free from rocks. City Creek ran down North Temple and with united work water could be brought along Fourth West. He planted an orchard and a vegetable garden and proceeded to learn how to make adobes for a permanent home. A good clay soil was located on the block where the Union Pacific railroad now stands. Elnathan was one of the first to try dry farming. He planted several acres of wheat and potatoes in what was known as West Jordan .After the field was finished he gathered hi s three sons, who by now were strong youths and they knelt in prayer. Elnathan dedicated the soil and asked God's blessings that the seeds might grow and produce food for their sustenance. These crops were plentiful and he never failed to acknowledge God' goodness to them.
Elnathan served in the city council for thirteen years and was the Water Master for Salt Lake City. He took his position seriously never giving favors to any man. To him all men were equal and had equal rights to the water. He kept guard at the City Creek Dam to see that ea.ch man got his proper turn. One day he found that the flood gate was raised and the water running on Heber C. Kimball's farm. He reprimanded the guard who said Heber had told him to do it. Elnathan spoke his mind saying, "If I am the Water Master of Salt Lake and if an angel from heaven tells me to remove the flood gate you tell him that it cannot be done, only for his turn.” He was not very popular with some people, but he was strictly honest and dependable.
He got along well with Indians because they respected him for his fair play. He found a path beaten through his corn field. He followed it carefully and came upon a group husking the corn and filling their blankets. He made them put the corn back in a big pile and he gave them what they needed and ordered them away. They never retaliated or did him harm. He was devoutly religious and tried to rear his family to love the Lord. He was appointed second counselor to Bishop Frederick Kesler on Feb 13, 1862. He served faithfully and well for nine years or until his death, when his neighbor, Theodore McKean filled the position.
The descendants of Elnathan and Ruth Baker Eldredge:
Elnathan born Sept. 12, 1841
Joseph Underwood born Oct. 10, 1843
Frederick born Nov. 17, 1845
Joshua born July 11, 1848
William N. born July 12, 1850
Cynthia born Nov. 18, 1854
He married Ann Marie Peck in polygamy on 30 Jan. 1856, who bore him six children, Loring, George Albert, Harrison, Margaret, Annie, and Edith. He died at the age of 60, Oct25, 1871. The Deseret News of Oct. 1871 stated that he died of lung trouble. The funeral was held-in the Sixteenth Ward. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Original is hand typed by Ida Eldredge Holmes-Granddaughter Transcribed into this word document by David F. Eldredge the grandson of Harold D. Eldredge the grandson of Elnathan Jr. Born Sept 12, 1841.
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