Benjamin Franklin & Polly Richardson Stewart

Benjamin Franklin and Polly Richardson Stewart

By Eunice Polly Stewart Harris

            Benjamin Franklin Stewart was born in Jackson Township, Monroe County, Ohio, October 22, 1817, the ninth child in a family of twelve, of Philander Barrett and Sarah Scott Stewart. Polly Richardson Stewart, daughter of Shadrack and Elizabeth Garrett Richardson was also born in a family of twelve children on April 27, 1818, just six months after Franklin. It is always an interesting and happy life to be reared in a large family, especially on the frontiers where every one in the family is supposed to individually choose the responsibility and do his part in the great drama of overcoming the wilderness and bringing its wildness into subjection. Franklin and Polly were both inured in this sort of life. As Franklin was only six years old when death called his father away from his large family, he had but a faint recollection of him. Shortly after his father’s death his widowed mother lost most of her property. His journal says, “he was sent to school quite young and although he was not the foremost in his class he always kept near the head.”

            In 1828, when he was eleven years old his mother sold his farm and other property in Ohio and turned her face toward Illinois to seek a new home for her family. She and her two brothers, united in building a flat boat, which, owing to the cheapness of construction was a common mode of conveyance for river traffic at that time. The three families numbering twenty persons, most children near Franklin’s own age, floated 1000 miles down the Ohio River stopping off at Cincinnati and all the principal cities for sight seeing. What a thrilling and pleasant journey for a boy of Franklin’s age, with no work or responsibility and nothing to do but be idle and enjoy himself. At Shawnee, Illinois they left the boat and traveled overland a distance of two hundred miles to Beard’s Town, Illinois, on the Illinois River. As there were twenty persons in the company and they had but one wagon and one yoke of oxen, it necessitated most of them walking. This would not be much of a hardship for a boy, as traveling would necessarily be slow, but it would be rather a sort of sport. They reached their destination June 10, 1828, after having been one month enroute.

            Franklin was eight years younger than Abraham Lincoln, and he arrived in Illinois three years earlier. Their coming must have been under much the same circumstances. They settled on the Sangamion River in neighboring counties and must have passed through similar experiences in trying in their poverty to subdue the wilderness. Franklin, like Lincoln, had a thirst for education, even while young. Again quoting from Franklin’s journal, “About two years after their arrival in Illinois when he was thirteen years old. A school was established in the neighborhood. He had forgotten about all he learned in Ohio but he started to educate himself by going to school a day or two at a time and sometimes in the winter he could continue for a month.”

            School at that time in Illinois was very primitive. There were Franklin, the boy, and Lincoln, the man, both with their ambitions and high ideals and both desirous for self improvement, living in neighboring counties, both struggling with that difficult problem – the combination of poverty and ambition. Battling with circumstances of this kind often develops traits of character and brings out the best there is in a person and helps to develop powers and possibilities that can be brought out in no other way.

            While Franklin’s ambition was calling him to improve every opportunity for self improvement, he was laboring to subdue the wilderness in this new country, and helping to support his widowed mother and the younger children, he was growing and changing from boyhood to young manhood. Responsibility, work, and hardships seem to hasten maturity.

            In 1833, five years after the Stewarts located in Beardstown, when Franklin was sixteen, Shadrach and Elizabeth Garrett Richardson arrived there from Cumberland County, Kentucky,  with their family of twelve children—seven sons and five daughters. The children were named Soloman, Delila, Comfort, Montillion, Shadrach, Thomas, Polly, Lorenzo Dow, George, John, Zannastacia, and Elizabeth. The ages of the Stewart and Richardson children ranged about the same. They were companions and grew and developed together. Polly Richardson was considered the handsomest girl in the neighborhood.

            Four years later, in 1837, these two families were united by the marriage of Franklin and Polly. A month after the marriage the bridal pair, accompanied by Sarah Scott Stewart and her unmarried children migrated to Iowa and settled on Fox River, Van Buren County, Iowa, about fifty miles from the place where Nauvoo, the headquarters of the Morman Church was founded two years later. Here the gospel found them and Polly and Sarah yielded obedience of its teachings in 1842. Polly believed the gospel. She was very ill with lung fever. There were two Morman elders visiting in the home. She asked to be administered to and was instantly healed and got up and cooked their dinner. As the elders were leaving the neighborhood she insisted on them cutting the ice and baptizing her which they did. Some who knew of the circumstances said if it did not kill her, they would become Mormons but they did not. Miracles do not convert.

            Franklin was interested in politics and held some political office and deferred his baptism until February 26, 1844. They did not gather with the saints in Nauvoo but joined them in their exodus at Winterquarters when they were driven from Nauvoo. During the ten years they lived in Iowa they had six children born to them. Almeda, Polina, Alvina, Benjamin F., Jr., and Orson. Polina and Alvina died in infancy and one was not named. Soon after they arrived in Winter Quarters Franklin was ordained a seventy and he was chosen one of the 144 men to go with Brigham Young to find a place of refuge for the exiled saints. He was one of the seven men left out of the Pioneer company at the Platte River in the midst of dangers, in an Indian country, to ferry over the families of saints who followed that year. Here he was met by Polly, his heroic wife, who came with the first company who followed the pioneers. She had driven her ox team and cared for her three children, the baby Orson being delicate and having to be carried on a pillow. They traveled from there, arriving in Salt Lake, Sept. 27, 1847, and settled in Mill Creek, where Sarah was born three years later. Orson died soon after they arrived in Utah. Franklin built a saw mill in Mill Creek. In November, 1849, he went with other men to explore the southern part of Utah. On this trip they necessarily encountered many dangers, as well as hardships, and privations.

            In March, 1851, they moved to Payson. Sept. 6 of the same year, he married Elizabeth Davis as a plural wife. Ten children came from this marriage as follows; Brigham, George Albert, who both died in infancy, Franklin Henry, Philander Joseph, Rachel Madia, Andrew Jackson, James W., Sadia, Samuel, who died in infancy, and John Oscar, seven of whom grew to maturity. He also married Rachel Davis, and one child, a daughter named Lucinda, came from this marriage.

            In April 21, 1851, Lovina, a daughter was born to Franklin and Polly.

            Franklin built a saw mill in Payson Canyon. While operating this mill all of his family lived there in a cabin near the mill.

            July 17, 1853, a rainy day, some Indians called at the cabin and wanted to trade for some guns they saw hanging on the wall. Franklin told them he did not want to trade them off. They then wanted to see them. Franklin told them it was raining and he was afraid it would spoil them. He did not want them to know the guns were almost worthless. The Indians went away apparently satisfied. The possession of the guns probably saved their lives.

            The next morning at day break they heard shots, and upon investigation, found  it to be the Indians firing from the mountain side. They knew their danger and that their only safety lay in keeping quiet and keeping out of sight until help came. They all met at the mill where a consultation was held. One of the men volunteered to make the hazardous journey to Payson for help. Those who remained crept cautiously and silently through the brush up the creek, where they could better conceal themselves. Help came and they were rescued. That night Alexander Keel was killed by an Indian while standing guard at Payson. This was the beginning of the Walker Indian War. A monument has since been erected to the memory of Alexander Keel in one of the parks in Payson.

            He was engaged in different enterprises in developing and building up the county while his family was increasing and maturing. July 25, 1854, Luther was born, in 1856, L.N. Dorado, and in 1860 Eunice Polly.

            Wherever they lived Franklin was recognized as a leader religiously, politically, and in all civic work. He helped make roads, build canals, and reservoirs, a nail factory, and other enterprises for the building up of the county. In all of these enterprises he was sustained and encouraged by his wife. While he was engaged in helping to subdue the wilderness of the country and build up the community where he lived, Polly was doing her part quietly and uncomplainingly in the home, by taking care of the family and the home, carding, spinning, dying for dresses, and jeans for the men’s and boy’s suits during the day, and fashioning them into clothing by the light of a tallow candle at night. Industry, frugality, and economy seemed to be the slogan in every pioneer home. In 1862, Franklin was set apart as counselor to Bishop J.B. Fairbanks in the bishopric and that same year he was elected mayor of Payson, and he served two terms of two years each. Wherever he lived, like all other pioneers, he tried to beautify his surroundings by planting trees, shrubs, etc.

            He, with his brother, A.J. Stewart, in 1862, laid the foundation of a town three miles north of Payson which was named Benjamin in his honor; thus fulfilling a prophecy concerning him in a patriarchal blessing. In this town he later located with his family and in 1871 a branch of the Payson Ward was organized, and he was appointed to preside over it, which position he occupied at the time of his death.

            During the Walker and Black Hawk Indian wars (1865-1868) the pioneers all over Utah were in constant peril and they had many narrow escapes and many were massacred. A.J. Stewart, Mr. Hickman, and Franklin united in building a fort on A.J. Stewart’s farm about three miles from Payson during the Black  Hawk Indian War and moved their families there. Not more women than necessary were allowed to stay there, but owing to Polly being quite an expert horsewoman she stayed and helped in every way possible. During the Indian trouble, she was as brave and intrepid in meeting real danger as she was uncomplaining and herious in facing the hardships, trials, and privations of a pioneer country. You could not help feeling the strength of her courage and bravery. In my childhood I felt absolutely safe and that no harm could come to me when she was near. Franklin was ever watchful, vigilant, and untiring in guarding the conduct of his large family and never neglected an opportunity of instilling the principles of right and justice in them and of leading their minds to high ideals. When he thought any of them was in danger of doing indiscreet things he would walk long distances, when necessary, to warn them of their danger. He was gentle and kind and indulgent husband and father, and in his large family, he was just and generous to a fault. He tried to instill faith and a love for spiritual things, as well as an ambition to seek after intellectual advancement in the higher ideals in life. His cheerfulness and optimism were contagious. His great hope, courage, and cheerfulness were as a ray of sunshine to all who came under his influence. There was never a cloud so dark but what it had a silver lining to him. In his disposition he was wonderfully tender and sympathetic.

            He was always ambitious for an education, but never had much of an opportunity to study under a teacher, but through his great desire for knowledge by reading and self effort, he was a well informed man.

            He had quite a talent for writing and he used to contribute articles to different periodicals.

            During their whole life the successes and pleasures of Franklin and Polly were intermingled with sorrows, trials, disappointments and hardships, but they accepted them all uncomplainingly.

            His active and useful life was brought to an untimely end by his being struck by lightening at Willow Spring Ranch near Benjamin, June 22, 1885. The funeral services were conducted under a fine grove of trees that he had set out himself. He proceeded Polly to the great beyond eight years. During the later years of Polly’s life she made her home with her daughter, Sarah Koontz. She passed away in April, 1893, and was buried beside her husband in the Benjamin Cemetary.  

Copied August 12, 1954 by JJ

From copy made by Helen Harris Jenson