Westons Go West 15 The Party (The End)

To celebrate ten years of living in Utah, Simon, Mary and their sons, Eban and Joseph, and young Walker, and their daughters Alice, and Annie, were sitting uncomfortably in their living room in their large house waiting for their party guests. They had  invited as many of those who they met on the trip over from England as they could contact.

The doorbell rang. “ I'll see to it,” said Simon

“I wonder who will be first,” said Mary.

“Are we early?” says James Clark with his wife Salera .

The men shake hands. “No, just on time. Please do come in,” said Simon.

“What a lovely house,” said Salera as she looked around. The room, furnished in plain but brightly coloured items,  looked very homely.

“Thank you,” said Mary. “It is so lovely to see you again. You would think living in the same town we would see each other often, but I don’t think we have met for years. How are you?”

“Well thank you. And you?”

“We are well too, Thank you. Please sit down.” They both sit in straight chairs near each other.

The door bell goes again, and Simon goes again to open it.

“Hello, Simon,” says Claude Flowers. “How are you? So nice of you to invite us around.”

“Welcome Claude and you too, Mary. Lovely to see you. Do come in,” and the new arrivals come into the room.

Mary says, “You remember the Clarks, don’t you? No? Well, it's James and Salera, and these are Claude and Mary.”

“How do you do?” They shake hands with the others who stand again. “I must say I don’t really remember you from the boat or the introductory meeting. What a meeting that was! Do you remember? I wondered if we would all turn tail and go back home again.”

They all sit again, and there is an uncomfortable moment of silence.

“I can’t help noticing that so far nobody has said thee or thou to me,” said Claude. “Does that mean what I think it does? Are you still involved with the Latter Day Saints?”

“Well, it's complicated,” said Simon. “Some of us are, and some aren’t, and it's a difficult subject. But it's easier to talk like everyone else, and nowadays, there are more non Mormons than there are Mormons in the town. Anyway, can I get anyone a drink?”

“What do you have?” asked James.

“Well, we do have beer,” said Simon, “if that's what you are thinking, and also tea and coffee. From that point of view we have fallen away from the church teachings completely.”

“Tea for me please,” said Salera.

Mary Flowers said,” I think I would prefer coffee, if you could make that.”

Mary Weston replied, “Yes certainly. I'll put the kettle on.”

“If you have a beer, I would like that,” said Claude. “After all we need to support our local industries and we have a brewery in town.”

James laughed. “You can bet it isn’t run by Mormons. But, that would do nicely for me too.”

“Oh, I've heard of wineries that the Mormons run. They aren't supposed to drink it, but they don't mind making money out of those who do,” said Mary.

She goes out and comes back with a tray carrying two cups and two glasses of beer.

“Well, our children have stayed here to be introduced and now they must go about their various tasks - which for some includes homework. Our eldest son, Israel, whom some of you met on the boat, has gone to Arizona as a missionary. Young Simon Eber, whom we now call Heber, works with my wife Mary in our grocer shop, which is at the front of the house, as you might have noticed. It started originally as a haberdashery, but with Eber preferring to opt out of the shoe making business, we have expanded the store. Our son Joseph, here, works as a car repairer, so if you have needs in that line, I can completely recommend him. Our daughter, Alice, who was our baby on the trip over is still in school, hoping to be a teacher. And these two are our Americans - Annie who is eight and little Walker who is six, and soon to be going to school, but the children go to the Episopal Church one rather than the Mormon one. Right, off you go children, and let us adults talk on our own.”

The children smile shyly and leave the room quietly.

“I do know that you still have a shoe shop,” said James, “as I've walked by it on occasion. On Gruen Street, isn't it? Can’t say I've ever been inside. Has being here worked well for you professionally?”

“Oh, yes.” said Simon. “Work is doing well and we have prospered. As you see, we now own this large house and shop, and have sufficient space to have as many of our children here as wish to stay with us, even though several of them are old enough to be off on their own. And what about you James? What are you doing these days?”

“Well, I was pushed into the building industry, and a good thing it was for me too, I am now chief engineer. Our office is between Franklin and Wall,” said James.

“Do you have any children, Salera? And what about you Mary?” asked Mary Weston.

Just then the doorbell went again, and Simon again got up to answer it.

“Welcome.”

James Greenwall asked tentaively, “Is this the right house? We weren't sure as it appeared at first to be a grocer.”

“Please do come in, and sit down. It's James Greenwall, isn't it?” The men shake hands. “There are plenty of chairs now I have sent our brood off to their own rooms. And this is Harriet, is it? And I remember that you had a baby on the trip, was it Elizabeth? How is she these days? And what can I get you to drink?”

“Tea would be fine for both of us, thank you, said Harriet. “Elizabeth is fine. And as you can see, I am expecting another shortly. Hello, Mary. Hello, Salera.”

They sit, and Simon goes off to get them drinks.

“So you three have stayed in touch then?” asked Mary Weston.

“We see each other at various functions,” said Harriet. “How nice of you to have us here. Have you invited all 12 of us who were at that meeting?”

Simon returns with the drinks and hands them around.

“Yes, but we have had an apology from Sarah Welch, who was Sarah Carr. She got married shortly after we arrived. You remember her. And also from the Burdetts - he was the tailor, if you recall. I think they have left the area, or are in the process of doing so anyway.”

The knocker goes once more.

“Hello, Thomas,” said Simon, letting him in. “It is very nice to see you here. How are you? Please have a seat.”

Thomas sits down.

“Very well, thank you Mr. Weston.”

“Oh, do call me Simon, please. Can I get you a drink?”

“Thanks. Do you have a beer? Perhaps I shouldn’t ask that.”

“Yes, of course we have beer. I'll get you one.”

Simon again leaves the room, returning a few minutes later with the beer.

“I suppose the thing that interests me most about all of you, is if you have quit being active in the church, why did you leave?” asks Salera. “And what sort of time did you have when you told them you were leaving?”

“Well, for us,” said Mary Weston, “it was because of the pressures on our daughter, Alice. She’s only 15 now, but at the age of 12 she was expected to agree to marry a man she didn’t love and didn’t want to marry. We would not agree to make her do that. I left the church permanently and Simon at first took a major step back, and now we have little contact with them. How about you?”

“I was not satisfied with the financial arrangements that we were required to make,” said James. “I paid back my debts, as I was supposed to, but they kept hounding me for money and more money to sponsor other people. I worked hard for my money and I felt it should be mine to do what I liked with it.”

“I do know the Burdettes were given a very hard time by their neighbors when they decided to leave,” said Thomas. “That's why they're moving - to get away from Mormons completely.”

“We were told we had to go in front of the disciples to explain our reasons. James went, and they really gave him a bad time. But in the end, we could not be kept in against our wishes,” said Salena.

Mary Flowers felt the need to explain their point of view. “We do not regret our experiences. We love living here, and we would never have got here except with the pushing and backing of the church. I do feel bad sometimes, but also, we both felt that they were doing our thinking for us. It felt as if they had taken away all our control of our own lives. What about you Simon? Can you still make a living without the backing of the church?”

“They did more for me than they probably did for any of you. They believed in me enough to set me up in my shoe shop with several apprentices. You know, Thomas, as you were one in those days, although that didn’t last long.” They both laugh. “But now I have my own premises. I'm very busy, and can't complain. But I must say I miss the fellowship that we had when we were in the Church.”

“I was pleased when the US was able to put some teeth into their anti-polygamy legislation,” said Claude. “I understand that lots are in prison (pictured above) most of the big wigs are now in hiding, including our old friend from the trip across, President James Blake.”

“I know it's gossip,” said Salena, “but as long as you take it that way, I will tell you what I heard. President Blake married again. James' fourth wife was Jane's niece, Matilda Young Thompson, 32 years younger than him. They were married just before polygamy was outlawed. But he still has to take every possible precaution to avoid arrest. When at home he sleeps in a specially prepared place - a secret room in the attic that has an opening outside. But you couldn't tell it was a door unless you knew. He does secretarial work up there on church records. He stays in the hidden room when Deputies are around and going through the house to search for him.

“If there are strangers in town, or if word comes by telegraph that the U.S. Deputies are coming south, he doesn't go out. Often times, en route from his home to the temple he sends his children ahead as scouts to warn him of danger. One time James left his home and met one of the marshals at the gate. Without losing his composure James bade the marshal good-day. The marshal asked if this was James G. Blake's home. James said that it was. Then the marshal asked, 'Is he inside?' James said, 'No he isn't.' The marshal went on inside to inquire while James fled to the temple thanking God that he had not only escaped, but did not have to perjure himself.”

“I understand that the ones who have been caught and tried get several year’s prison as their punishment, if they are found guilty,” said Mary Weston. “But strangely enough, it is the multiple wives who support the system as much as anyone. You would have thought that they would be humiliated by it, but I heard one principal wife who declared that she was so happy that she could leave her children in the care of her co-wives, as she went off and became a doctor. But still, I am very pleased that they have been forced to abandon the system.”

Claude said, “I think what worries me more is the way they pressure people to bend to their will. This is supposed to be a free country where we can vote for whom we like, and we can state our beliefs without fear of reprisal. And now that women are legally allowed to vote too, you would think this was a sign of progress, but it was only meant to increase the Mormon point of view. You can be sure that Mormon women are not allowed to vote freely. Utah is far from free in that regard. I can only thank the influx of influential non-Mormons who came here with the railways, and helped change the system, and now the Mormons are going to have to change, or they will disappear.”

Mary Flowers added, “I sometimes wonder how we were all so committed in the first place. We didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves in for when we signed up. And the positive Christian-like aspects of the religion were visible from the start, and right through our journey, and even now - except for this business of towing the line.”

“Those who believe it strongly, do honestly believe every word of it,” said Thomas. “You cannot fault them on dedication to a cause.”

“But who was it who said, "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it," asked Simon.

“I think it was William Pitt, the Elder,” said James, “over a century ago, but I might be wrong.”

“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I think it was the excess of power from the very beginning with Joseph Smith that meant that the system will eventually only survive if it is seriously altered in form.” added Simon.

Salera said, “Well, I think we must be off, as I have left the children with a friend, and we promised we would not be late. But thank you for having us around. It has been an enjoyable evening - and a fitting way to celebrate our ten years of living in Utah.”

“Thank you all for coming. We must keep in touch. Who knows where we will all be, or what we will be doing ten years from now,” said Mary as she and Simon showed their visitors out the door.