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Utah Pioneer Dies At Ogden
Death Ends Long Service in L.D.S. Church for Elnathan Eldredge
Ogden—Elnathan Eldredge, 89, well-known Utah pioneer, who for many years had charge of immigrants crossing the plains to Utah, died Tuesday night at 12 o’clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E.C. Stratford, 1183 Twenty-eighth street.
He was born September 12, 1841, in Dennis, Mass., the son of Elnathan and Ruth Barker Eldredge. He is a direct descendant of William Brewster of the Mayflower. He came with his parents across the plains in 1847, arriving in Salt Lake valley September 26, and was appointed by the Latter-day Saints church to be in charge of immigration across the plains in 1861.
Mr. Eldredge was called on a mission to Europe in 1863 and labored for a time in the Manchester conference. In 1864 he was appointed president of the Preston conference an din 1866,at the end of his mission, he was appointed to take charge of the companies of Latter-day Saints converts as they arrived in America. He guided 5000 people to Utah.
In 1869 he was named, with several other young men, to colonize the Bear Lake valley. While there, from 1869 to 1874, he had a government contract to carry mail from ST. Charles, Idaho, to Evanston, Wyo. In 1878 he helped colonize St. John, Ariz. He served a mission in Indiana in 1879.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Mary Eldredge, and two brothers, Joshua Eldredge and Joseph U. Eldredge Sr., of Salt Lake City, and seven daughters and four sons, Mrs. W.E. Wread, Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. E.C. Stratford, Ogden; Mrs. W.S. Wieler, Mrs. John Johnson, E. Roscoe Eldredge, Mrs. Ernest S. Holmes, Lawrence Eldredge, Seymour Eldredge, all of Salt Lake City; Mrs. H.W. Burton, Los Angeles; Harold O. Eldredge, Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. Maurice Griffin, Los Angeles; 34 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Seventeenth ward in Ogden, under the direction of Larkin & Sons. Interment will be made in Salt Lake City.
[Salt Lake Tribune, Apr. 23, 1931]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Funeral Set for Pioneer
Ogden—Funeral services for Elnathan Eldredge, 89, well-known Utah pioneer, who died Wednesday will be held Sunday, April 25, at 1 p.m. in the Seventeenth ward chapel, with Bishop Charles H. Halverson in charge. Interment will be in the Salt Lake City cemetery.
Mr. Eldredge is survived, besides his widow and two brothers, by four sons and seven daughters: Mrs. W.E. Wread, Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. E.C. Stratford, Ogden; Mrs. W.S. Wieler, Mrs. John Johnson, E. Roscoe Eldredge, Mrs. Ernest S. Holmes, Lawrence Eldredge, Seymour Eldredge, all of Salt Lake City; Mrs. H.W. Burton, Los Angeles; Harold O. Eldredge, Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. Maurice Griffin, Los Angeles; 34 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
[Deseret News, Apr. 24, 1931]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Missionary Items
Columbia City, Whiteley County, Ind.
Dec. 31, 1879
Editors Deseret News:
We arrived in this city on the afternoon of the 25th of October, last. Since that date we have held 22 public meetings, five of which were held in this place, and the balance in the County township adjacent, all of which were fairly attended. We found the public mind here, as elsewhere, misinformed in relation to us as a people, socially, religiously, and politically. We feel that we have been successful to some considerable extent in correcting the public mind, and otherwise allaying prejudice. We cannot say that we feel encouraged as yet, in the hope of soon adding to our Church by baptism as this is a new field of labor. We have made a few friends, and many are friendly towards us. None but missionaries know the difficulties attending the introduction of the Gospel in new localities.
We have found in these parts two new born denominations, (that is, new to us), known as “Dunkards” and “Holiness.” The former believe in baptism face foremost, three times; the candidate for membership kneels in the water with the priest who after calling him or her by name, immerses him or her, first in the name of the Father, second in the name of the Son, and third in the name of the Holy Ghost. We understand the reason why this sect baptize in this manner is, we should go into the door and Kingdom of God face first.
The Holiness denomination believe in sanctification and justification in sanctification, that they are beyond sin, consequently cannot sin, that their religious works are indeed holy and that they are holy, and that they are without sin. This sect also believe in anointing with oil and laying on of hands for the healing of the sick of the Church, also in speaking in an unknown tongue; they say the sick have been healed in many instances, but the gift of interpretation of tongues has not as yet been made manifest.
So the ordinances of God’s Church are being imitated, and we expect it will be so nearly imitated, that many will be deceived and led astray “through the cunning and craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Mankind seem to be ready to credit and receive the opinion and creeds of men, but slow to obey the gospel of life and salvation, however simply it may be explained, and however much it may be sustained by that Book they so much believe in.
The weather so far, has been very much against us, consequently our favorite mode of traveling from place to place has been materially interrupted, otherwise we would have held more public meetings.
Yours fraternally,
E. Eldredge
L.G. Hardy
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dec. 31, 1879, 10-11]
[Deseret News, 28:802]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]
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Beloved Woman’s Death
Mrs. Lona Pratt Eldredge, Daughter and Wife of Pioneer
Lona Pratt Eldredge, wife of Elnathan Eldredge, died Monday, October 27, at 11:30 a.m., after a lingering illness. She was the daughter of Parley P. Pratt and Agatha Walker Pratt, and was born in Salt Lake City, April 15, 1850. She was a leading spirit in the first organization of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement association, an active worker in the Relief society during her residence in Ogden, and a member of the stake Primary board of Liberty stake. Contributing much to the different organizations in which she labored by her beautiful writings, she was beloved by all who were ever associated with her.
She is survived by her husband and eight children: Parley P. Eldredge, Ogden; Mrs. W.E. Wread, Portland, Or.; Mrs. E.C. Stratford, Pocatello, Ida.; Mrs. W. Scott Weller, Salt Lake; Mrs. J.M. Johnson, Denver; E. Roscoe Eldredge, Mrs. Harold W. Burton, and H.C. Eldredge of Salt Lake.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 1:30 p.m., in the Fourth ward meetinghouse, Seventh South and West Temple. The remains may be viewed Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 12 at 777 First Avenue.
[Deseret News, Oct. 28, 1913]