SARAH ANN BRYSON SESSIONS. Daughter Patty S Mann and SARAH ANN (SADIE) 19 SEPTEMBER 1940

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1 SARAH ANN BRYSON SESSIONS By Daughter Patty S Mann and SARAH ANN (SADIE) 19 SEPTEMBER 1940 Sarah Ann Bryson Sessions, my Mother was of a good stature in here carriage, steel grey eyes, flecked with brown, set in a face fair to look reveling strength of character and a good disposition. The years did not change her except to cut more deeply in her countenance the shining determination of a wonderful life and character. She was a real Scottish Lassie. No rouge or lip stick were needed, or other cosmetics to bring out her beauty and charm. Early to bed and to rise contributed to her health. Plenty of work both for your family the in the community kept worry away. She would say to us girls, "girls an hour in the morning is worth two in the afternoon for work and if your corners are clean the center of the house will be." You sang at your work and by doing that you kept unkind words at a distance. When night came we children were in our own beds--not at some neighbors or friends, it was one of her principles. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, 21 May 1850, the fifth child of Samuel and Sarah Ann Conray Bryson. Her parents began to plan what must gigantic undertaking in those days with their young family to immigrate to America, the new land of promise to many who like Samuel had accepted of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sarah Ann was almost five years old when they sailed Sunday 22 March 1855 on the sailing ship "Samuel Curling." There were 431 Saints (converts) to Mormonism abroad the ship under the organized direction of Elder Israel Barlow. After many weeks on the water, they arrived in New York, continuing their journey from there by rail and steamboat as far as Atchins Kansas. They joined other saints and prepared for the long trip across the Western plains to the Salt Lake Valley. They were assigned to the Milo Andrews Company known as "The third Perpetual Immigration Fund Company. This Company traveled by wagon. After long tedious weeks of travel they were met at Fort Bridger by a relief company sent from Salt Lake city to assist them, also to give provisions and other help for their immediate needs. This company arrived in Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1855.

2 2 The immigration from Scotland to the valley of the Great Salt Lake had taken seven months and two days. They rejoiced to join the in the Rocky Mountain and were assigned to go north to "Sessions Settlement". They were warmly and happily greeted by the grandmother, Sarah Ann Margaret Cowan Bryson who had arrived in the valley in Grandmother Bryson had an adobe house built and ready for her beloved son Samuel and his family. A family friend from Ireland, John Telford befriended the family and did as much for their welfare as a friend could do. It was in Sessions Settlement that our Mother Sarah Ann Bryson grew to womanhood. Because of the lack of facilities available and now responsibilities to help with the needs of the family (she being the eldest living daughter of eleven children) her formal schooling was meager. She learned the art of weaving from her father and that of home making her industrious Mother. It was required of her to assist her father in his trade. I have heard her say "My Father taught me to weave jeans cloth from which man's pants are made. I learned to spin flax into linen and yarn. Also to weave carpets which have been a source of income through my life. I learned to gather bark from trees and shrubs to make dyes. She helped the neighborhood in time of sickness work for families who had no money. She would often go home with a pint of molasses for a days work of scrubbing rough floors with sand. There was little soap in those days of pioneering and she learned to make soap from wood ashes. It was good soap too. Her words continue to come to us as she said, "In my childhood the Gospel of Jesus Christ was foremost in our home, it was our very life. We were taught it's principles, to honor the Priesthood, and to love God and his son Jesus Christ. We were taught to be humble before the Lord in constant prayer. This has been my source of strength and joy. It has helped me to keep in touch with my heavenly Father under all adversity and afflictions were lightened by his blessings given In answer to my prayers through all the years of my life. We were among the Saints who had to move South when Johnston's Army came to Utah. We scattered straw through our homes before leaving them, ready to be burned by us rather than occupied and confiscated by the army. They did not molest them however and after a short time we returned to our homes and resumed life in the regular routine. Because of the 2

3 3 persecutions and afflictions we were ever alert to protect ourselves and our homes from our enemies. What about your romance Mother? we often asked her. Well Mother said, Life was very serious in those days. We had little time for frivolous things life was enjoyed in a very different way than it is today." Then she would smile and tell us of how she met Father. I was living with aunt phoebe and uncle David at the time helping them. Perrigrine, your father, would come to visit us once in awhile. He showed me some attentions and latter aunt Phoebe would say, "You had better look out, that man has his eye on you." I would smile as I had always admired him. Well, what Aunt Phoebe said was true because one evening Perrigrine and his wife, Aunt Lucina came to my father s home and ask for my hand in marriage. He was a man of sterling worth. It is true he had several wives, but he was ambitious, a good provider, and lived the principal of plural marriage honestly. I was happy to say yes. We were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake 29 Sept "When we were first married your Father took me to the big adobe house to live with four other wives and their children. We were happy, always understood each other and our relationship grew and we loved each other with a bond of love and devotion that lasted through the years. The large home we lived in not only served the needs of the family, but also had spare rooms which were made available to travelers and immigrants. This building also housed the Post Office and came to be known as Sessions Tavern. A hospitable home always ready to share with others our hard earned supplies. Good food--plain, wholesome, healthy and always plenty of it. Our cellar and pantry were always well stocked with all kinds of fruit, vegetables, honey, molasses, pickles, preserves, relishes, chow chow, mustard pickles and plenty of bread, all so good. My mouth waters now just thinking about it. When sickness came and sorrow bowed us in grief, we were able to carry on. We helped the immigrants who were usually very poor. We were active in all the organizations of the Church. I was a member of the Retrenchment Society. In 1880 I was set apart as a teacher in the Relief Society and held other offices in that organization. The Lord has blessed me with many privileges. I was blessed and set apart to help the sisters in their suffering in giving birth to their babies. I have seen many receive blessings from the Lord through their labor of love in calling on his holy name in their be- 3

4 4 half. The Gospel truth's and principals have been a guiding influence in rearing my family and in any service given to my sisters through out my life. I have seen wonderful things accomplished and advancements made for the progress of the church through the years. It is my constant prayer that my children and all their posterity will serve the Lord and appreciate the wonderful heritage which is their through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I, Sadie, was twelve years old when father died and there were four children younger than me. We cut and dried a great deal of fruit, there was no market for perishable fruits at that time, so we cut and spread the halves of plums, apricots, peaches etc. out in the sun to dry, which was a big job. She remembered to that her Mother tended to a large number of swarms of bees. In the spring and summer they would swarm and we would beat tin pans and make a loud noises and they would settle in a tree or somewhere to be hived. It was not always easy to stop them and sometimes she had to run through fields, chasing them and throwing water or willows into the air on them to make them stop. At the same time we had to keep a sharp eye for a mad one might sting us, which they very often did. A swollen eye or bandaged foot was not uncommon with us, but we all loved honey and the bees did many interesting habits to study and point out lessons of industry and systems their hives. To scrape the boxes and frames, wash and save the water, which you made vinegar, or sweet apple ice, was no small job. Besides the tearing of carpet rags, which was the "fill in busy work, the clipping of the sewed rags, winding of the ball, snipping the short leftovers for cushions and rugs etc. We all collected long strings of pretty buttons. We called them charms and had fun trying to guess the prettiest qtixb qouls be called the charm button. If we didn't guess right our string became shorter, so it was a matter of wits to keep them growing. Playing jacks with small pebbles and croquet furnished recreation for us as we had croquet grounds and balls. Sweet apricot pits and black walnuts were cracked for our molasses and honey candies. Pop corn and parched sweet corn furnished sweets for us too. A piece of honey candy or something of that sort was often a reward for a chore well done. We girls all took organ lessons as pianos were a rarity in those days and it took some maneuvering on Mother s part 4

5 5 that each could get her practicing done and do a share of the house work as well. We had a house keeper that lived with us for years--a woman Father had emigrated from England to help Mother and we all loved her very much. Her name was Sally Hill--as clean as a pin, and an old maid. She stayed with us until we were all grown. Our brothers fed pigs, chickens, cows, cut wood, turned grindstones, and took care of the calves, pet dogs, pigeons, rabbits, etc. which kept them from under Sally's feet and from pulling our long braids of hair. In 1905 Mother made the long journey from Utah to Byron, Wyoming to visit with Patty Orilla and husband Wilder True Hatch and their family of three children. Two of them she had never seen. When called upon to speak in church one Sunday during her visit in Byron, she said, coming to Wyoming was like going to Egypt to buy corn. It was so far from her home and the first trip she had taken since she was a child. About 1930, my husband Robert Scott and I persuaded Mother and her sister Eliza Nelson, to come for a visit with us in Rock Springs, Wyoming with a promise to take them over a part of the old pioneer trail which they had traveled as children with ox team and wagon. They were delighted to see the green hills with herds of cattle and sheep, and settlements dotted along the way. They looked at the monument placed at Farson, Wyoming, honoring those dear pioneers who passed that way in 1847, the way they themselves had come a few years later. We also visited Independence Rock, the Register of the desert, on which names were carved into hard rock of who had passed that way, including the dear name of Perrigrine Sessions. Mother was kind and seemed always to have the blessings of understanding each of her children. Her priceless advice and encouragement helped us over the years. After Mother was left alone she did her own housework until the last month of her wonderful life. Her hearing was good and she could read without glasses. She could walk briskly along, setting a pace for those of us who were years younger. Mother had a heart attack but kept consciousness to the last. She passed away 32 Dec at Sadie's house in Farmington, Utah. 5

6 6 The funeral for Mother was held in Bountiful, the day after Christmas, 26 Dec She lay in state at the home of her daughter Eliza and Henry Armstrong, previous to the funeral hour, and many friends called to pay tribute of friendship to our pioneer Mother. She was buried in the Bountiful Cemetery, Bountiful, Davis Co. Utah. 6