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ERASTUS BINGHAM
Writer of this history is unknown
This history from the DAUGHTERS OF UTAH PIONEERS
The Bingham name appears prominently in
English history from the Norman conquest of 1066 to the present day. Our
first American ancestor came from England to America in 1649.
Thomas Bingham, number one in the Bingham
family history, emigrated to America with his mother and settled in Connecticut,
where he was known as a leader and a devout man.
His tombstone in the old churchyard in
Connecticut bears this inscription: "Here lies the body of that Holy man
of God, Deacon Thomas Bingham." He was a man eminent for his piety, love,
and charity. He died in the 88th year of his life, leaving a large
posterity; and we find the Binghams firmly entrenched in America, the land of
promise.
Research reveals the church played a
prominent part in their lives, and among them were many church dignitaries and
missionaries. From this stock descended Erastus Bingham.
He was born March the 12th, 1798, in Concord,
Essex County, Vermont, a son of Elisha Warner Bingham and Sally or Sarah
Perry.
Erastus Bingham's father died when Erastus
was four years old; and as soon as he was old enough, he worked on the farm to
help the family income. He continued in the farming occupation throughout
his life. On the 21st of March, 1820, he married Lucinda Gates at St.
Johnsbury, Vermont. Lucinda Gates was the daughter of Thomas Gates and
Patty Plumley. She was born the 19th of September 1797 or 1799 at
Ackworth, New Hampshire, and died January 3, or 27th, at Ogden, Utah.
Erastus Bingham owned a farm at Concord,
Vermont, at the time of his marriage to Lucinda Gates. Four of his
children were born there, Mary, born April 1, 1820; Sanford, May 3, 1821;
Erastus Jr., September 30, 1822, and Thomas July 19, 1824. About 1825 they
moved to Littleton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, where two of his daughters
were born, Lucinda, born April 15, 1826, and Louisia Maria, born June 23,
1828. He moved back to his old farm in Concord, Vermont, where two of his
sons were born, Willard, born February 19, 1830, and Edwin, born May 5,
1832.
Erastus Bingham had now reached the age of 34
years and had never affiliated with any religious denomination. He never
indulged in intoxicating liquor, was industrious and cautious in his financial
affairs, and was honest and exemplary. He first heard the Gospel preached
in the spring of 1833, when Elder John E. Boyington came to that vicinity
expounding the newly revealed principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. He was very much impressed, read the Book of Mormon
soon after, and received a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the
record. He and his wife and daughter, Mary, and two sons, Erastus, Jr.,
and Thomas, were baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints on November 11, 1833, at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, by Elder
Evans.
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His son Sanford was baptized and comfirmed the following week on November 18, 1833 at the same place by Elder Evans.
In the fall of 1835, the first quorum of the Twelve
Apostles of the Church were traveling as missionaries through the New England
states and holding conferences. They all stayed one night at the Erastus
Bingham home and held a council meeting at his home in Vermont. Erastus
was reminded of this event, by Brigham Young, while they were living in
Nauvoo. He told Erastus that the council meeting held at his home in
Vermont was the only one held at which they (the twelve) were all together after
the organization of the Quorum.
It was in the spring of 1836 that Edward Partridge and
William W. Phelps went on an exploring expedition hoping to find potential sites
for Mormon settlements in Northern Missouri. They found the region
commonly referred to as Far West, most of which was prairie covered by tall
grass with timber only along the streams and rivers. By August, it had
been designated, as a settlement even though, at that time, only forested land
was considered good for settlements. It was in this area that Jacob Gates
met the Bingham family and no doubt helped them to find a place to
settle.
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In the spring of 1836, Erastus sold his farm
at Concord, Vermont, and prepared to go west to the then gathering place of the
Saints. They started the 8th of June, accompanied by Willard Snow, Joel
Harvey, and families and others.
They arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, about the 6th
day of July, 1836. While at Kirtland, they had the privilege of hearing
the Prophet Joseph Smith preach in the Kirtland temple and enjoyed that heavenly
and ennobling influence which was constantly with the Prophet while
speaking.
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Source: I, June Jorgensen, combined information, taken from a Variety of histories... sent to me along with other copies of histories from the DAUGHTERS OF UTAH PIONEERS, from my niece Kimberly Gibbons, Feb. 2004.
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ERASTUS BINGHAM history, Writer of this history is unknown,
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FAITH TO FOLLOW THE LORD compiled by Joyce B. Maw
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