JEREMIAH LEAVITT IV

I was born February 7, 1851 in Iowa, Potowotamy [Pottawattamie] County and came with my parents Jeremiah Leavitt [III] and Eliza Harrover Leavitt to Utah when one year old we first settled in Salt Lake Valley. Then later we moved to East Tooele. Then in 1857 were called to come to Dixie we came to the Santa Clara and in the spring of 1858 we live[d] in St. George or where it now stands we cleared some ground and put in a crop on the west side of town and got water from the North spring. Then in the fall of the same year we moved back to the Santa Clara and in 1861 moved to Gunlock and settled in what is now known as the Gunlock field at that time there was four families living there my Father's family my two uncles William Hamblin and Dudley Leavitt also Isaac Riddle while living there George A. Smith came down and staid all night with Uncle William and in [Page 123] morning before he got ready to leave he said what do you call this place and William said all the name we have for it is Santa Clara Creek. Then George A. said well Billie we will name it after you we will call it Gunlock. That was the name they gave William while crossing the plains He was ahunter for George A company and was always cleaning and getting his gun as well as others ready for business so they called him Gunlock Bill Then in 1862 on Xmas day it started to rain and kept it up for 30 days part of the time raining hard and part just a fine rain But dureing all this time the sun never came out The creek kept raiseing untill it reached from hill to hill and washed most of the land away my Fathers house was left with one carner reaching out over the bank Then we were farced to leave and moved to Clover Valley now known at Bartley, Nevada. [Page 124] We lived there for a time then on to Panaca fighting the Indians all the time standeing gard nights and herding our cattle cays without but verry little to eat or wear Then in carse of a few years we moved to Shole Creek now known as Hebron lived there for a few years Then came back to Gunlock where we have lived ever since by the time we came back the red men were getting quite friendly we could hire them to work for us. but still they were trecheous and we had to watch them to keep them from carrying of our things They did not like us to come and take the land they called theirs and kill their game and destroying the seeds and roots they had to live on I grew up from a small boy among the Indians and lurned their language so I could sit and talk with them and understand all they said The Indians always think lots of me and when ever they come where I am they always say Jeremiah I can get a favor [Page 125] from then when others cannot The old ones are all dead that were here when we came But the young ones all seam to notice me and call others attention when ever I am passing. I have always worked hard had but verry little to do with in the shape of machinery there fore it made it hard for me to do my work I have made Sargom every fall for over 53 years and for years would take a load of Sargom and go out on the Severe and traid it for flour to fee my family or we would frye our fruit and sell in the stores at St. George to get our clothes and in the winter I would hall wood to St. George and sell it for any thing I could get to live on or use Times were verry hard and I had a big family to care for Before I was married I had to take care of my Fathers family he was a sickley man and could not work so he looked to me for help I also had to care for my grandmother Sarah Studivant Leavitt as she was left alone and was deaf and old [Page 126] Grandfather Jeremiah Leavitt died August 4, 1846 in Boneyparts Iowa she came here with her family and lived alone she died in April 5, 1878 in Gunlock I had to help support her as well as my Fathers family and in those days times were hard we had but verry little to go on my Mother made soft soap out of cotton wood ashes and grease and we would take it north by the barrel full and sell for any thing we could eat or use money was something we did not have We lived mostly on corn bread the corn

ground on a coffe mill and but very little to go with it a little milk and Sargom we did not have any fruit and but verry little meat or grease I have went to bed many a time as naked as I was born while Mother washed and mended my clothes which consisted of a calico shirt and a pair of jeans trousers shoes were a rair thing I went bare footed winter and summer untill I was almost grown I can remember of going to dances bare footed and careing a squash to pay my dance ticket [Page 127] as time roled on we got a little better of there was a grist mill put up and a few small stores in the largest towns and a cloth factory in Washington we raised a little cotton and there was a few men that owned a small hurd of sheep we could traid our produce for cloth so we all were dressed alike In the year 1898 I hired John Marse and Charley Larson to make me addobie enough to build me a house and in 1899 I hired William Marshel and Mr. Deeds to put up the walls which they did and I traded for lumber and shingles enough to put the roof on that summer I halled lumber from Clover Valley Parowan Cedar and Pine Valley just when I could traid some of my produce or any thing I could to Addie Rice in St. George to get shingles enought to cover it Then in the fall I got help and we got the roof on and floor laid doorsd and windows in and we moved into it that winter that was in 1900 I managed to get it [Page 128] plastered the next fall and hired Joseph Eldrige of Pinto to paper it and at last managed to get it done and build a fense around my lot a barn and other out door buildings This I did and paid for it all with hard labor from all members of the family They were all lurned to work and earn their bread by the swett of their brow and I beleav they are all thankfull that they have done as they did for now they know what a dollar is worth we have never had any supilus could just manage to get along Have never went in debt but a verry few dollars at a time Have not felt to complain but felt that the Lord had greatly blessed us for we had no suffered all though we had went verry short of the comforts of life I have lived to a good old age and have got past work But I feel that I have enough left to keep me and my companion as long as the Lord wants us to remain here which I am thankfull to the Lord for this great blessing.