Morbid Romantic

Book Review & Personal Blog

Sheri over at A Novel Menagerie (one of my favorite book blogs) is a tour stop for the book The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. I had mentioned earlier to Sheri in one of her posts that my family was and is still for the most part, Mormon. She later on approached me to give a bit of my own family’s history, which was a great honor and allowed me the rare excuse to open up the family tombs and look at pictures and bios. It had been a while. I could have written page after page, but I gave just a few stories to Sheri. So, check out her blog tour post and review, as well as my piece about my family.

It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of a family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how a young woman became a plural wife.

Soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death.

And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love and faith.

My family has a very deep and rich history in the Mormon Church. They are early members of the Church and Pioneers of Utah with Brigham Young. In addition, they are pioneers of a more intimate nature, entrepreneurs and settlers of the west. My family has owned hotels, saloons, general stores, etc, etc.

Both were born in 1801 and met in Ohio and slowly moved West with the Latter Day Saints, following the calling of Brigham Young. It is said that James and Mary were members 30 and 31 of the church. James was ordained an Elder in the church in 1836, and was selected to be a Bishop by Young in 1846. Mormons were heavily persecuted then, driven off their land and killed. It is quote to be said, “It is no worse to kill a Mormon than it is to kill a wild animal.” Seeking a better place to settle, James and his family moved to Salt Lake City in 1851 and then finally to Fillmore, Utah in 1852. Fillmore, Utah is still a major ‘hub’ of my portion of the Huntsman family. My grandparents own a home there and many of my relatives are and continue to be buried in the Fillmore Cemetery. James, though Mormon, never took a second wife. Though, as you can read for yourself in Sheri’s post, he was approached about it. Mary would have none of it, though.

Gabriel Huntsman is the son of James and Mary, born 1830 and married to Eunice Holbrook. He was just six years old when his family moved out West. He went on Missions as any good Mormon did, and always came back to Fillmore. On one of his trips, be brought back kerosene lamps, which were the first to be used in Fillmore, Utah. His most notable contribution to my family’s history is the Huntsman Hotel, built in 1872 by Hans Hanson.

The building had 24 rooms and housed some very important historical figures, even Young himself. The hotel unfortunately no longer stands, but a reproduction of the hotel can be found at Heritage Village in Salt Lake City. Though much of it is new, a few items such as the doors were donated by my grandparents.

Gabriel was also ‘unable’ to take a second wife. For that tidbit and story, read Sheri’s post.

Gabriel Riley Huntsman is the son of Gabriel and Eunice, born 1856 and married to Hannah Hanson (daughter of Hans Hanson). Gabriel Riley was an intelligent man and attended B.Y. Academy for dentistry. His bit of experience in dentist work, and his ownership of a pair of tooth pulling forceps, earned him the nickname “Doc.” Initially, he was in the business of Cattle, but eventually operated a mercantile business and bought a butcher shop. Hannah was an excellent bookkeeper and Gabriel Riley loved to brag around town and to his own children that she was the smartest woman in Fillmore. A lumber yard was later purchased and moved close to the Huntsman Hotel. Finally, in 1899, Gabriel and Hannah built a two story department store, which was the largest south of Provo. The building still stands.

When Gabriel passed away, Gabriel Riley and Hannah purchased the Huntsman Hotel, adding it to their list of growing investments.

George Huntsman, the sun of Gabriel Riley and Hannah, was born in 1901 and married Chlora “Toots” Lewis. They are the parents of my grandfather and my great grandparents. George purchased his father’s mercantile business and served in the military during WWII, becoming a Colonel. George was also a school teacher, so I guess we now know that my families history of school teaching starts with him… or even starts earlier with Hannah.

I would LOVE to read The 19th Wife myself, and have added it to my Paperbackswap list. Hopefully I can read it soon! If you’d like to win a copy, you can enter at A Novel Menagerie, where Sheri is giving away a copy. The contest ends June 19th.

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