CATHERINE JONES BENNETT

Transcription

1 DIRECTIONS TO THE MONUMENT On I-80, take Exit 24 (Leroy), turn right. Go south on dirt road towards Piedmont. The road follows Muddy Creek. 2.8 miles from the freeway you will see a stand of cottonwood trees, which is Muddy Creek Camp. The D.U.P monument is a little farther on your right. Across the creek from Muddy Creek Camp is the location of the Pony Express Station. Power lines cross the creek and a fence runs parallel to the creek.the monument is 58 feet north of the telephone pole and 40 feet east of the fence. NUMBERS TO CALL FOR PERMISSION TO ACCESS GUILD RANCH PROPERTY Earl & Jody Guild (307) Wendy Peterson (307) Kelly Guild (307) CATHERINE JONES BENNETT

2 September 26 came very quickly. It seemed so far away on that cold day in May.I couldn t believe how everything came together so well.the plaque was ready.the fence was in.the money came. Mabel was worried back then what kind of weather we would have at the end of September in Wyoming.I said that no matter what,it had to be on that day, the anniversary of her death.the week before I was the one who was worried about the weather.and the weathermen on TV didn t give me much hope.mabel said not to worry,just to pray.the forecast was for bad weather, but it ended up being a nice day.we didn t know how many people would show up. I made 100 programs and brought 100 name tags. Those ran out very quickly.i couldn t believe all the cars that just kept coming.a lot of people had a lot of faith in someone (me) whom they had never met.we figure that nearly 250 people showed up. We had representatives from Utah, California, Idaho,Texas,Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and even Wyoming.The dedication was a great experience, and a tribute to Catherine Jones Bennett and her sacrifice. Mabel said that everyone who has called or written her since has mentioned that they sensed a special feeling.one person told her It was so much more than I ever expected. I had Geoffrey Arnold help choose a good Welsh song for us to sing. Guide Us Oh Thou Great Jehovah. is a favorite Welsh anthem (even sung at Princess Diana s funeral) and was also included in the first Mormon hymnal in 1835.The tune name in Welsh is Cwm (valley) Rhondda (river). CHAPTER 10 The Dedication September 26, 1998 The marker adorned with flowers from loving descendants. A PIONEER JOURNEY FROM THE DEE TO THE MUDDY 89

3 We had a written greeting sent from Wales which we were going to read at the occasion, but with the help of Carolyn Johnson, Brett Wilcox, and AT &T cellular, we were able to connect the Muddy and the Dee in actual time and hear Geoffrey s greetings from himself.we put the cell phone up to the microphone and everyone could hear.it really brought the circle together. It also makes us realize what wonders of technology now exist. That our voices not only connected between the USA and Wales,but that they bounced between a satellite or two in outer space in the process. Wendy Guild Peterson, whose family owns the property, spoke to us about the history of the area and answered questions about Muddy Creek and about Catherine Jones Bennett. She concluded by reading a letter in verse from a pioneer ancestor to us in our day. It was very moving. She did not acknowledge it at the time, but after a little probing by people who were interested in the poem, she admitted that she had written it herself. Many people wanted copies and she gave us permission to print it in this book. Mary June Hemphill called me early in the summer and said that if we were going to do this dedication, that we had to have Craig Stephenson sing. She called him and he graciously accepted.he hadn t sung much since the death of his own mother and we are thankful he chose to sing for us. He sang Yes! My Native Land I Love Thee, another song which was included in the first Mormon hymnal, and was sung by Mormon emigrants on board ships as they departed Liverpool.The song addresses the mixed emotions one has at leaving friends, family, and homeland to go to a new strange land.craig sang it as though he had written it. 90 CATHERINE JONES BENNETT

4 We had a visit from Catherine Jones Bennett through the personage of Mabel Bennett Williams.She was a little reluctant to dress up like Catherine and portray her,but after a little elbow bending I convinced her that no hired could bring what Mabel could to the occasion. Her words and presence really helped to personalize the occasion. Craig sang part of the hymn Come,Come,Ye Saints, written by a pioneer for pioneers, and then had us all join in.when we sang the words And should we die before our journey s through, Happy day! All is well. Craig motioned to Catherine s marker. It was a very touching moment because those words applied so much to the occasion we were commemorating.it was also very reassuring to continue with the words We then are free from toil and sorrow too. with the just we shall dwell. I don t think any of us will forget blessing that moment with the words All is well,all is well. Reed Bennett gave a dedicatory prayer for the marker that was both to-the-point and poignant.afterwards Mabel buried a jar with the names of all those who were in attendance at the event and who had contributed for the erection of the marker. Afterwards,it was very fun to meet and mingle with so many new people who all shared a common bond. Several people went to Piedmont ghost town and took a tour from Wendy Peterson, others went on to Fort Bridger. A very few of us spent the night at Muddy Creek and enjoyed the stars at night and we had a chance to sort of take in all that has happened this year and in past years at Muddy Creek. A PIONEER JOURNEY FROM THE DEE TO THE MUDDY 91

5 A panoramic view taken during the dedication. Wendy Peterson is in the center giving her presentation. 92 CATHERINE JONES BENNETT

6 A PIONEER JOURNEY FROM THE DEE TO THE MUDDY 93