Pioneer Heritage Research

I have been researching for one of my 4-great grandparents who immigrated in 1854 to Utah and came across this website and thought I would share in hopes it might help someone in their research. The Utah Education Network, in partnership with the Utah State Board of Education, has a unique website focusing on Pioneers coming to Utah in the 1800s and some Modern Pioneers. 

The website is titled Heritage Gateways and has searchable stories and journal entries regarding specific pioneers from 1847 to 1868. Daily journals are also readable for a few people. If you have Pioneer Heritage, you might want to check out this site. Everything on it is free to read and has excellent insight into what it was like to be a Pioneer. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything on my ancestor on this site, so my quest continues. If you want to see if you have any of your Pioneer Ancestors or wish to learn more about the Pioneer experiences, click Heritage Gateways.

United Kingdom Mormon Pioneers

As we all know, history is a very important part of a family history. Where were our ancestors born? Where did they live? Where did they marry? What was their lifestyles?

The British Mormon Historical Society has developed a website titled Mormon History - Dedicated to the British Latter-Day Saint History. This site is dedicated to providing historical information regarding the growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the United Kingdom. The information provided on this site includes historical accounts of some of the newly converted members, missionaries, and mission presidencies.

The website has several pages including information regarding Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and England. A few countries that are also included on this site and not readily apparent, are listed under the side tab(link) titled LDSEP Archive. The LDSEP Archive is an older version of this site titled the LDS European Project. I have used the LDSEP site prior to it's incorporation with the British Mormon Historical Society website. The countries included on the LDSEP Archive are Denmark, Sweden, England, Wales, Ireland, and Switzerland. Like the current Mormon history website, LDSEP has information regarding missionaries, members, and mission presidencies.

Both the LDSEP and Mormon History site contain biographies of various missionaries, members and mission presidencies. I you have LDS immigrant ancestors from the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, and Denmark, this site would be a great place to learn about the history of the church in the ancestral areas. If you would like to search the Mormon History - Dedicated to the British Latter-Day Saint History site click Mormon History in the UK. To research in the LDSEP site, click LDS European Project. If this link does not work properly you can also go to the site by clicking the LDSEP link (located on the lower left hand tool bar)on the home page of the Mormon History - Dedicated to the British Latter-Day Saint History site.

Have fun searching!

Mormon Battalion Records and Images

Have you ever wondered what your ancestor looked like? Or wondered if your Mormon Pioneer Ancestor was apart of the Mormon Battalion that served the United States during the Mexican war. The number of men that served in the Mormon Battalion numbered at 500. Some of the officers of the Mormon Battalion chose to take their families, their belongings and wagons with them at no expense to the United States and was acceptable to the US Army at the time. The number of families that went along with the Mormon Battalion numbered at 15 - 16 and also included 50 - 55 children. Some of the women served as laundresses for the unit and received a privates pay. The Mormon Battalion made the longest march in military history covering 2,000 miles beginning at Council Bluffs Iowa and ending in San Diego California.

This website has the complete transcribed company rosters including the officers, privates, and guides. One of the guides that might spark you interest is Jean Baptiste Charbonneau (the son of Sacajawea and Toussaint Charbonneau). The women are listed with the companies and also includes the names of the children. The databases include pictures which are searchable under the Gallery Link. Some of the men that served in the battalion also have a short biography on this site. If you have ancestors that participated in the Mormon Battalion or think that you might have an ancestor who was in the Battalion, this site is worth checking out. Click here to be redirected to the Mormon Battalion website. Have fun in your quest.