History on page 7 & 8
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History of Ephraim Knowlton Hanks
Life in Utah Fifty Years Ago
Compiled from the files of the Deseret News of 1896.
Copied by Teton H. Jackman from a clipping in Jane Capeners scrap-book.
Our Gallery Of Utah Pioneers
This picturesque, adventurous and stalwart character, a pioneer every sense of the word, came to Utah in 1847, after having marched across the continent from the Missouri River to the pacific Coast, with the Mormon Battalion in 1846. He was a native of Ohio, born in 1826. At the age of 16 he enlisted as a sailor before the mast on the U.S. Man 0 War, visiting many foreign countries during his three years service.
He accepted Mormonism in 1845 at Nauvoo, worked on the Temple, came west, with the exodus of the people, volunteered for the Mexican War and, after honorable muster out at San Diego rejoined his relatives and fellow religionists in these valleys. Later he carried the mails across the plains under government contract, spent much time on the frontiers. Helped bring in belated emigrants, performing perilous military and scouting duty, served to escort, participated in every Indian campaign. Engaged in trading, lumbering, manufacturing, and was an all-around forceful and valuable member of the community.
He was a man wholly unacquainted with fear, yet gentle as a woman. His influence among the Indian was unique and beneficial. He built homes and made extensive improvements successively in Mill Creek, Mountain Dell, Provo Valley, Parleys Park; where he is said to have found the first silver quarts on the ground whence Park City treasures have been extracted.
He later moved to Grass Valley and finally in a pretty little nook on a tributary of the Freemont River where he died in 1896. He possessed great faith and was held in high esteem for his unweilding integrity and his courage in maintaining his convictions, so devoted to those whom he reconned as his friends that he would cheerfully have gone to his death any time in their defense.
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The following was written by Solomon F. Kimball:
"Perhaps no subordinate military man, connected with the Mormon Church, played a more important part in the so-called Echo Canyon War during the winter of 1857-58 than did Elder Ephraim K. Hanks. So daring was he in some of his exploits, that the bravest men in his company were not anxious to follow him on his reconnoitering expeditions. One dark night he crawled so near to the army officers' tents that the cook unwittingly threw scraps from the general's table over him. Nothing went on around the officers headquarters that he was not familiar with; consequently, he kept General Wells posted on every important movement made by Johnston’s Army. He captured many of Uncle Sam’s teams, so as to prevent the troops from moving toward the valley, until President Brigham Young had time to make the authorities at Washington acquainted with the true conditions of things.
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David D. Rust, age 85 in Provo, Utah told the following to Teton H. Jackman, the 22 July, 1953.
The things I knew about your grandfather, Ephraim Hanks are very precious.
My family lived in Burrville the same time as the Hankses did. Sid and I played together. I remember the Indians coming and giving Hanks jerkie (dried meat). My father George S. Rust and Ephraim were very good friends. When I was eight years old, I had quinsy so bad I nearly choked to death. My throat was badly swollen. Father asked Ephraim to come and administer to me. He had a special gift of healing. He blessed me and in an hour my quinsy broke and I was healed. The Hanks family moved to Floral Ranch and we moved to Caineville.
Ephraim’s face was made with a smile with red cheeks. He was afraid of nothing and nobody. He was the kind of man that Brigham Young had to have. One night at a meeting in Caineville Ward we had an outside visitor as the speaker. Ephraim was called on to open with prayer. He said, "O Lord, we have come here to learn something. Bless us to that end, Amen." It impressed me so much, it was the prayer of my life, delivered by a Mormon Battalion veteran. I was used to long prayers.
I heard Hanks tell this. I think it was when he was with the Mormon Battalion. He was sitting near the tent door, the presiding officer asked Eph to open with prayer. Eph had a hunch that something was wrong, so he nudged the fellow next to him to pray. Eph went out of the tent and found an enemy listening to them. He brought him in and said, "We must watch as well as pray.
Later in years I took tourists down thru Wayne Co. A Mr. Dodge Freeman from Chicago went over to the cemetery in Caineville with me. As we came to Ephraim’s grave, I said, "There is one of the most outstanding men of his time, in this humble cemetery. I think as much of him as I do my own father." I had Dodge take my picture standing in front of Thisbe and Ephraim’s grave. I prize that picture.
(Mr. and Mrs. Rust live at 40 South 300 East, Provo, Utah. 28 Nov. 1959.)
Ephraim Hanks history will be found interwoven among the records of his wives and children, in this book. As a scout for Brigham Young, he was unsurpassed and his Saintly Title was that of Patriarch for our Father in Heaven.
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On the 28 Nov., 1959, Mrs. Edna Snow Nielson of Springville, Utah came to see Teton H. Jackman. Mrs. Snow is eighty years old. She brought a history of Harriet Decker that was written by Harriet Decker to her grand daughter, Maide C. Hatch. The copy had been handed down to Madie Lawerence Nielson, a daughter in law of Edna S. Nielson. Mrs. Nielson knew the Hanks family as she had taught school in Caineville and especially remembered this incident.
"Years ago, when brother Ephraim K. Hanks lived on his ranch near Caineville, Utah A neighbor came one Sunday morning to have Alvarus go out as a home missionary. Alva said, "I can't go as our hay needs attention this very morning."
His father heard the conversation and said, "You go son". "In a hundred years from now we won't know any thing about this hay but if you fail to take this message of hope to the people we will know that in a million years from now.
Mrs. Edna Snow Nielsen-28 Nov. 1959.
Copied from Retta Hanks Aschman's bible-607 Evylyn, Berkley Calif. April 19, 1938, by Ray E. Hanks: A testimony spoken by Grigham Young regarding Ephraim K. Hanks.
"I heard Brigham Young say, that if Ephraim K. Hanks never did another good turn in his life, after helping the hand carts out of the snow, taking oil and - consecrating it and anointing them and blessing them, He has done enough, if he will never turn against the people nor leave the church, to gain an exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Calvin W. Moore.
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In the Historical Record Vol. 9 Pioneers of 1847 we find the following article under date of Dec., 11, 1856:
Contractor Magraw failing to carry the mails through, Feramorze Little and Eph. K. Hanks left Great Salt Lake City with the mail for the East.
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Vol. 12, Heart Throbs gives this account:
Ephraim K. Hanks, Charles F. Decker and Ferarnorz Little contracted to carry the mail from Salt Lake City to Laramie Wyoming once a month for two years and eleven months at $8,000.00 The only settlement between was Ft. Bridger, 110 miles east of Salt Lake City.
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Arthur tells a few things about his father:
"Father called me Spart . He never punished me, I know times when he should have. We had peas just about ready to eat. I was herding the cows. I went to sleep and the cows got in the peas. Father said, "What are we going to do now? I said, "We will have to grow some more".
Father was called as a missionary among the Indians of Wayne county. I remember one old, fat squaw he had converted. She wanted to be baptized. We filled a big vat full of water and built a fire under it to warm it up a bit. The old Indian was so fat that the water overflowed. Father had quite a time getting her out. Father sent me to get the mail. It was three miles from the ranch to the Capitol Gorge road where our mail box was. He enjoyed his paper which was the Deseret News. Clara had a little white donkey. Father was sitting reading the paper in his chair on the lawn. Mother called Clara, She tied the donkey to father's chair. The wind blew, the paper fluttered and frightened the donkey. He pulled the chair out from under Father and down the hill went chair, donkey and father. We patched the chair up but it never was really any good any more.
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Lillie and the hops. Written by Arthur E. Hanks, 28 Nov., 1959
Mother sent Lillie down in the lane of tall trees to pick the wild hops that were nearly to the tops of the trees. Father came along on his little jack donkey, and as it trotted around the corner Lillie's foot slipped and she fell. The donkey did a flop into reverse; father's shovel went one way and he went the other. The donkey snorted like he had seen a bear, or a mountain lion springing from the tree. He never stopped running until he was on top of the hill. Lillie, as tho she had seen a comic show, began laughing. Father said, "Quiltine, what in thunder are you doing up in that tree?" "Mother sent me down to pick the Hops" was her reply. "Well I think you've caused enough excitement all ready for this day, get down and take what hops you have." Father got up from the dusty road, walking with his hands on his hips went slowly up the terraced hill to the house. Mother came out and, seeing father, asked, Aren’t you feeling well? He said, "Mother, I feel just like its going to rain". Mother looked up and saw the blue sky and said, "0 that terrible attack or rheumatism, Come in and I'll make you a cup of tea".
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Sidney Alvarus Hanks, son of Thisbe and Ephraim and Walter's son, Ephraim Knowlton Hanks, have compiled the book "Scouting for the Mormons", _the life story of grandfather Ephraim Knowlton Hanks. It is a choice story.
Ephraim was the father of 26 children. Three of his children by Thisbe Read, are still living. 1 December, 1959. They are: Arthur Eugene Hanks of Provo Utah, Lillie Ploeger and Clara Bodinhamer both of Burley, Idaho.
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Arthur gives the following: My father died from gangrene in his right leg it started in the calf of the leg and the poisonous condition developed. Alva went for a Doctor, Father didn't want him to go. Father seemed to have a premonition of his own death. He said that there was just no use of going for the doctor. He was only bed fast for three days. At one time his hip was thrown out of the socket, that was before I was born, that bothered him at times. We took him to Caineville for burial. He died the 9 of June, 1896 about 9:00 A.M, at Floral Ranch, Wayne Co. Utah
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