The dictionary defines a pioneer as “a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area.”(1)
I am the product of immigrant pioneers who left their birth country and often their parents behind to come to America and travel West. In Utah we celebrate the 24th of July as the day the Utah Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley and with Brigham Young’s declaration of “This is the place”, started the settlement of the state we now call Utah.
Everytime we move to a new home we complain about how difficult the move is and how we never want to move again. We have all the modern conveniences of moving trucks, hand trucks, boxes, google earth, etc. Have you ever thought about switching countries with only the clothes on you back and money in your pocket?
This must have been terrifying and exhilarating all at once. I am sure the boat ride gave them plenty of time to think and maybe even regret their decision, but the persevered.
My Great Great Grandfather and Grandmother Christensen were both from Denmark. They both converted to Mormonism in Denmark and travelled separately from Denmark through New York to a train that brought them to Utah where they met and married. Great Great Grandfather immigrated in 1870 and Great Great Grandmother immigrated in 1881. They were farmers.
My Great Grandma Gecan immigrated from Austria Hungary with her family in 1905 at the age of 2 years old. They settled in Iowa, farming and mining. She worked the slag pit where she met my Great Grandfather. He immigrated in 1911 leaving his family behind in Croatia. He came to Iowa as a hard rock coal miner. He met his wife, married in Iowa and later moved to Red Lodge, Montana. In Montana he continued to mine until the mine went bust then moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming to mine Borax.
My Great Grandfather Southwick immigrated with his parents in 1849 at the age of 1 year old. They entered the US through New Orleans. His family joined the Mormon pioneers in Missouri where his father passed away, that same year. His mother remarried and the family made the arduous journey to Utah. He was 5 years old. In Utah, he became a pioneer farmer being one of the first settlers and farmers in the Ogden Valley, His first wife passed away and he married my Great Great Grandmother. He met her in Utah. Her family immigrated prior to the Revolutionary War and some of her ancestors go back to the first pilgrims.
The Campbell side immigrated to the American colonies sometime after 1670 from Scotland. They first settled in New Jersey with eventually my family line crossing as part of the Mormon migration from the United States to Mexican territory establishing Deseret which eventually became Utah.
My Great Grandfather Nestor immigrated sometime after 1837 from Limerick Ireland. His wife’s family immigrated from Sweden and Denmark to met in the United States and make their way West. We have a lot less information on this side of the family. The information is not complete due to family ties being cut because of conversion to Mormonism and the joining of the Saints in Utah around 1863.They were Farmers eventually moving north into Idaho.
My heritage is full of courageous people that stuck to there own path and forged a life in frontiers.
I am proud to have pioneer heritage. To know that my ancestors not only strived for a better life for themselves, but also for the future generations. They came from various parts of Europe all seeking the same thing. They wanted a chance to use their strength and resourcefulness to make a better life. I am who I am because of my ancestor. I do not forget all the parts of me which like America make a true melting pot. As I look farther into my geneology I see more and more stories and heritage.
I am the product of new immigrants from between WWI and WWII all the way to the first pilgrims. To me Pioneer Day to celebrate my ancestors and the sacrifices they made for me and my family.
A pioneer does not need to be a part of the Mormon migrate or even someone coming to the United States. Pioneers happen all over the world. Not all my family were Mormons. The Gecan’s were Catholic and stayed Catholic.
Remember your pioneering ancestors, most people have some. These people gave you the opportunities you have today where ever you live. However where you go from their is your choice. My choice is to live my life as a tribute to all the sacrifices which has given me this great opportunity to be Born and live in the United States of America and to build upon what was given for future generation.
What is your choice? How do you honor your heritage? Who are your pioneers?
(2)
1.https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pioneer?s=t 2.Picture from Library of Congress files https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3c13102/
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