Happy Birthday Sophia Ann Bush Stradling

We are starting a new year of Family History Friday.  Last year we loved learning about the conversion stories of all of our ancestors.  This year we are going to learn more about their life stories.  I decided to do it by birthdate. I want their names and faces and stories to be familiar to you. We will start off with Sophia Ann Bush Stradling - Born January 26, 1839.  The story of her parents joining the church is found here.  Sophia was born in Newport Monmouth Wales, the second of eight children. You can see how you are related to her in the fan below - her parents are in orange.

Sophia was 12 when she joined the church and 16 when she emigrated to America to be with the saints.  Her just older brother William had gone ahead to prepare things for the family, he was only 18 years old.  The Bush family that boarded the ship Siddon on February 27, 1855 in Liverpool, England consisted of her father (age 45) her mother (age 39) herself (16) and brothers Henry (10), James (6) and Joseph (2 - Do you think he was named after Joseph Smith???)   They landed in Philadelphia  April 21, 1855, sailed from Pittsburgh to St. Louis and then joined the Richard Ballantyne Company to make the overland trip.  Family Search has a new feature that links the Company information on the personal sites of all that were in the company and has all the available journals from the company members.  Our family didn't keep a journal, but it was fun reading about what they must have been involved in being a member of this company.  This must have been a hard journey for the Bushes as their sweet Joseph died on the plains, but the story I want to share is from the company master's journal - Richard Ballantyne - of how they celebrated July 24th on the trail by the Platte River.

Tuesday half past Seven A.M. the Saints Met for morning prayer, the Choir Sang Come all yea Sons of Zion an[d] let us praise the Lord, Prayer being offered up by Elder Wm. Glover, President Ballantyne then addressed the Saints for a short time < informing them> that he felt happy in seeing the good spirit and feeling that was manifested throughout the Camp, this day is a day of rejoicing in the Vallies [valleys] of the Mountains, and we desire that this Camp Should rejoice and be glad, we shall therefore go out a short distance this morning and Encamp for to day, and in the afternoon hold a Festival and meet in the Dance together, an[d] if the Brethren brings in a Buffalo we will roast him and enjoy ourselves, there was then given three hearty Cheers for the 24 July, Followed by three times three for President Brigham Young[.]

At Eight OClock A.M. the Camp moved out in splendid order with Flags of all Sorts and Sizes, affixed to small and fastened to the end of their Waggons, while the ladies were Busily employed in gathering pra[i]rie Flowers to adorn the Oxen Heads, and make Wreaths for the Brethren, by the time we reached Camping Ground which was Eleven A.M. nearly all the Oxen were adorn[ed] with flowers, our Waggons being drawn into Carrell and the Cattle Watered and put into good feed, extra provisions were then served out for our evenings enjoyment which Caused the Ladies to be busily Employed in making confectionary Cooking Rice puddings[,] Apple tarts[,] Tea[,] Coffee &c &c[.]  

Some of the Brethren were taken [taking] boxes from the Waggons to form a table up the center of the Carrell [corral] of some sixty or seventy yards covered over with white table cloths, During the time this were going on President Ballantyne Entered the Carrell accompanied by Elder Wm Pitt of the Nauvoo Band with his Violin, also Elder Willm. Glover who was appointed Marshal for the day[.] Elder Elias Gardner Captain of the First ten and Elder G[eorge]. M[ay]er Captain of the Third ten with four young ladies Dressed for the occasion who entered Heart[i]ly into the dance, at this part of the stage the Camp had the appearance of a city of Milliners and Drapers, for by the by the Ladies had rummaged there [their] Boxes from top to bottom in order to get there Caps[,] Dresses &c to see who would be the smartest at the Ball,

(Don't you think Sophia at age 16 might have been pretty excited about the dance???)

There were a few speakers and the Marshal of the Day Said "Brethren and Sisters we will have no more speaking for the present but says he "you old men can take your old women and enjoy yourselves in the Dance[.]" All who were inclined joined heartly in the dance to the sweet Vibrations of Bro Pitts Violin accompanied by Bro. Henry Cleggs[,] Dulcimer. During the Evening Bro Glover entertained the Company with a song and Dr. G[eorge] Bell with a Comic anecdote. the Dancing were Kept up until a Late hour[.] the Company was then dismissed by prayer
Thus ended the 24 on the plains which will not soon be forgotten by those who were blessed in participating in the same.  Ballantyne, Richard, Diaries and reminiscences, 1852-1896, box 1, fd. 3, vol. 6.