Laura and Adelbert's Third Child?

According to the 1910 U.S. census, Adelbert K. Baker and Laura A. Baker had 3 children but only 2 were living at that time. We know that they were married for 10 years by 1910 according to the census. Finding the third child could be fun project because doing so would allow us to seal their whole family together.

William Walton Burton

This week's post is about William Walton Burton, I have two things of interest that I've found available on the Internet. One is a brief sketch of his missionary efforts, he coming to America, and he briefly touches on other things (from saintswithouthalos.com). The other is a little more detailed account of his voyage from Liverpool to America (from "History of Elizabeth McGhie Boam"). I've taken off the side notes from the saintswithouthalos website so it looks better and is more readable. This is from the websites:

Baptized in Bradford, England by Elijah F. Sheets on June 9, 1845.

In April 1851 he was ordained an elder and appointed to travel in the Bradford conference:

For nearly a year I could see but little success attending my labors. In the meantime, a young man had been sent to labor with me, but he became discouraged, went home and left me alone again. Some of those who had been friendly, became prejudiced against me, through slanderous stories circulated by ministers, and almost every door that had been opened was now closed.

While in this condition, I took shelter, one cold wet day (and I had the tooth ache at the time), [350] under a tree, and offered a most earnest prayer, that the Lord would open my way before me, help me to live acceptably before him, and crown my efforts with success. The Lord answered my prayer, for it was not long before I had many friends and all the places opened to preach in that I could attend to.

About this time ministers of six denominations in Knaresborough sent for one John Theobold, a lecturer and author of slanderous works against us, to come and help them put down "Mormonism." On his arrival, he gave five lectures and issued a challenge to meet any of the leaders of our Church in discussion.

The president of the Bradford conference reported our condition to the presidency of the British mission, and asked counsel as to what would be best for us to do; word came to the effect that in our case it would be best to accept the challenge for discussion and that I was the one to meet Mr. Theobold. As other and more experienced Elders were within reach, I had not expected this; however, I resolved to obey, trust in the Lord and do my best.

This was in 1852, and during the week that the discussion was pending the revelation on plural marriage was first published in the "Millennial Star."

Five nights' discussion was held. The Lord was with us. Our friends increased every day, and soon after the debate was over, we had a branch at Knaresborough of thirty-eight members and another branch at Skelton, about eight miles from there, of eight members.

One night, while trying to find my way through some fields, to a place where I expected to lodge, I lost my way, and having no overcoat I walked to keep warm. I was quite absorbed in thought, thinking how much the Elders were trying to do for the world and how little their efforts were appreciated. Suddenly I stopped, without knowing why. Having a cane in my hand, I instinctively put it before me and found no bottom. I then remembered that somewhere in the fields there was a deep stone quarry. I turned around, felt my way with my cane, and a few rods away found a road. I knew where I was and that this was the stone quarry.

John Cummings, of Skelton, was my friend from the first time we met. He invited me to make my home with him, when in that neighborhood, and he also opened his house for me to hold meetings in. Notwithstanding all this, his wife was bitterly opposed to me and our people.

Mr. Cummings and I were sitting up late one evening conversing on the principles of the gospel, after holding meetings there for some months, when Mrs. Cummings said: "I had a strange dream last night. I thought that I was walking along a road and that Mr. Burton was there. He ran after me, and caught me."

I answered, "The interpretation of that dream is that I shall soon baptize you." Her response was: "No, never, you will never baptize me, for I shall never join your Church." She seemed so positive that I felt that perhaps I had said too much.

About two weeks afterwards I had an appointment to hold meeting at Langthorpe, two or three miles away. It was rumored that a Baptist minster had said that he would be there and expose "Mormonism." Mrs. Cummings was induced to walk that distance to hear us exposed. The minister was not there, but that night Mrs. Cummings was convinced of the truth. I was invited to go home with them. Mrs. Cummings scarcely said a word all the way home.

When we entered the house, it was nearly midnight. She sat down and seemed to be very thoughtful. Her husband turned to her and said, "Hannah, why don't you take your things off?" She responded "John, are you ready to be baptized tonight." He answered, "No, not quite ready tonight."

But she said that she could not sleep, if not baptized that night; and, turning to me, she said, "Mr. Burton, will you baptize me tonight?" I answered, "Yes, if your husband will go with us." He assented, and though it was midnight, and the winds were whistling through the trees, we started off down to the river, about two miles away, and I baptized her, fulfilling the interpretation to her dream to the very letter.

Feb. 22, 1854, I sailed on the ship "Windermere" from Liverpool for New Orleans. We were eight weeks and five days on the way, and we encountered heavy storms. On the 18th of March we were in the same latitude that we were in on the 8th. The weather was very rough, and the captain of the vessel came to Elder Daniel Garns, who presided over the [351] Saints, and said, "Mr. Garns, I have done all I can for the vessel, and I am afraid that it cannot stand this sea. We are in great danger. I don't know, whether there is a God or not. Your people say there is, and if there is a God and He will hear you, you had better talk to Him."

It was early in the morning; a fast was decided upon, and prayer meeting held at 10 a.m. The storm abated a little—enough, to make us feel out of danger—but continued in considerable force till the 18th. On the 14th (March) smallpox broke out. There were forty cases on board and thirteen funerals took place between Liverpool and New Orleans. On the 17th the ship caught fire under the cooking galley. Great excitement prevailed, until the fire was extinguished. On the 27th, the provisions and water supply failed and from that time till we reached New Orleans April 23, 1854, our ration was one sea biscuit a day.

We had no new cases of small pox after leaving New Orleans, but were afflicted with cholera, which proved fatal to many from that time till June 19th, when we commenced our journey over the plains from our camping ground near Kansas City.

We arrived at Salt Lake City Sept. 23, 1854. During the winter I taught school, and resided with my eldest Brother Robert. Soon after my arrival, I was ordained a Seventy and joined the 17th quorum.

March 28, 1856, I married Rachel Fielding. During 1862, 1863 and 1864 I taught school in Kaysville, Davis county, and in the latter year I moved to Ogden, where I taught school for about ten years. I also served many years as superintendent of schools for Weber county, was bookkeeper for the Ogden Branch Z. C. M. I. for five years, served as first counselor to Joseph Parry, president of the 3rd Ward, and presided over said Ward during Elder Parry's absence on a mission.

For many years, and up to 1882, I served as a member of the city council. In the latter year I resigned. I also served many years as a member of the High Council of Weber Stake and up to my leaving there for Star Valley in 1886. When the Star Valley Stake was organized Aug. 14, 1892, I was appointed first counselor to Elder Geo. Osmond, who was chosen Stake president."

This is an account of here voyage found on History of Elizabeth McGhie Boam.

"As the land disappeared in the distance, the sweet singing ceased and many began to feel ill. About 8 p.m. the first day at sea, an old gentleman named Squires died. All that night the wind howled fiercely; the sea was rough and the ship was driven off its course toward the Isle of Atan. About 11 p.m., Holly Head, which is the most dangerous point and the scene of frequent shipwrecks, was passed. On the following morning, February 23^rd, the body of Philip Squires was lowered into the sea.

On the 12^th day of March, from 7 to 8 a.m., an exceedingly fierce storm arose. The masts cracked andmany of the sails were cut in pieces. The Captain of the Windermere [sic], Captain Fairfield, expressed fears that the ship could not stand so heavy a sea. In speaking with Daniel Garn, President of the Saints on board, he said: "I’m afraid the ship cannot stand this storm, Mr. Garn. If there be a God, as your people say there is, you had better talk to Him – if He will hear you. I have done all that I can for the ship and I’m afraid that with all that can be done, she will go down."

Elder Garn went to the Elders who presided over the nine Wards on the ship and requested them to get all the Saints on board to fast and call a prayer meeting to be held in each Ward at 10 a.m., to pray that they might be delivered from danger. The waves lashed and the storm continued in all its fury – but precisely at 10 a.m., the prayer meeting commenced and such a prayer meeting few have ever seen. The ship rolled from side to side. Large boxes which were tied with ropes under the berths broke loose. Pots, pans and kettles rolled with terrible force on each side of the vessel and great confusion prevailed for sometime as they ceased their prayers to dodge the untied boxes. This terrible storm lasted about eighteen hours – then abated a little, but it was stormy from the 8^th of March until the 18^th.

…Then smallpox broke out. One of the three Brooke sisters was taken down with it. She had a light attack but her two sisters contracted it also, and both died. Three days after the outbreak of smallpox, the ship took fire under the cooking galley. The cry of "Fire" ran through the vessel and there was excitement and consternation everywhere. The sailors applied water freely; all the water buckets on board were brought into use and soon the fire was under control.

On the 8^th of April, a voice called out: "There is land!" There was a rush to the side of the ship to see land once more. This was the Isle of St. Domingo. On the 9^th, they came in sight of the Island of Cuba. On that morning about 10 a.m., a young man named Dee died of smallpox. At the time of his death, the wind had ceased howling – not a ripple upon the water. The sea appeared bright and clear – as smooth as a sea of glass. The young man’s body was sewed up in a white blanket and at the feet was placed a heavy weight of coal. A plank was placed with one end resting in the porthole on the side of the ship and the other near the main hatchway. The body lay on the plank. The mournful tolling of the bell began. Elder McGhie made a brief address and offered a short prayer, after which the body was lowered into the sea. The ship was standing perfectly still and the body could be seen sinking into the water until it appeared no larger than a person’s hand.

On the morning of April 20^th, the ship entered the mouth of the Mississippi River and arrived at New Orleans on April 23^rd. The morning after, eleven persons suffering with smallpox were sent to the Luxenburg hospital, agreeable to the orders from the health officers of that port. Elder Long and five others were selected to remain in New Orleans to attend to the sick until they were sufficiently recovered to go forward. The rest of the company continued from New Orleans on board the steamboat Grand Tower, April 27^th and arrived in St. Louis a few days later."