Samuel's Letter to Hyrum
by Helen S. Madsen
BFA Genealogical Coordinator
As you are hopefully aware, Samuel Bennion was keenly interested in and committed to searching out his (and our) ancestors for temple ordinances. Samuel's son Hyrum served a mission to England from 1878 to 1880, and during that time Samuel wrote to Hyrum to enlist his help in family research. Don't worry--this was not against mission rules at that time!!
Below are some excerpts from the lengthy letter Samuel wrote to Hyrum. The original spelling and punctuation have been preserved. My source was an apparently incomplete copy of the letter found in the Special Collections Section of the BYU Library. My three dots (...) indicate that the original may have, but not necessarily, contained additional writing. My comments are in brackets. Samuel's commitment to the redemption of his deceased ancestors is quite clear. How about yours?!
"Hyrum I would like you to hunt up my mothers Sisters family Mr & Mrs Harrison When I left England in 1880 [1874] they were boath alive but have since died they had quite a large family but I failed to git thir names ..."
"Uncle Harrison Seemed to be quite favrable to our faith and he went to Several meetings with me Aunt was a very stron Methodist and a very kind woman this is the only family in Mothers Side that I now any think about ..."
"If you can find the oldest Daughter She will remember me git all thir name's and ages..."
"November 1872 my brother John Bennion took a trip to England and brought back with him all the names that he could find dead & alive of my Fathers and Mothers famielys Bennions and Roberts on the Borders of North Wales ..."
"Great Grandfather John Bennion Son of John Bennion of Hawarden Parish County of Flint Born March 1719 [incorrect] Great Grandmother Ann Griffith Bennion Born in Flint Mountains Flintshire ..."
"Our Great Grandmother on Fathers Side Mary Griffith Bennion was one of three sisters that came to Mancott from Flint Mountains ..."
"No work don for those ..."
[Samuel then proceeds to list what are apparently the names, birthdates, and death dates of all his relatives as far as he knows them: his aunts and uncles, his sister Mary'Bennion Williams' family, another Williams family of unknown relation, cousin Richard Roberts' family, and cousin Robert Roberts' family. He also gives the vital information on his grandparents and "grate" grandparents as well as he knows it.]
"My Uncle William Bennion was a baker and Flour Dealer in Pitt Street Liverpool I left home when 11 1/2 years old in the year 1830 to learn that Business his first Wife I never Seen She died Sept 23 1822 aged 40 years Name was Ellen Blackburn His 2 wife name Hughis Died at Queens Ferry they had two Children Elizabeth Huges Bennion Born Dec 28 1827 beign the only Son his Father Give him a good Education but he turned out a wild boy and a backless man ..."
"Hyrum this is some more of my fathers [illegible] that I for got to Send you This is my grandfather ..."
[Samuel next covers the vital statistics of his parents, brothers, and sisters. He then outlines families of two more distant relatives, mentioning each time "no work don for this famely".]