Hannah Jane Shaw Burridge
Part 8 - 1857 Johnson's Army, Back to Rush Valley

Part 1 - 1827 - 1846 The early years

Part 2 - 1847 Courtin's a pleasure

Part 3 - 1847 The Marriage

Part 4 - 1847 - 1852 Military wife and Conversion

Part 5 - 1853 - 1855 The Malta mission

Part 6 - 1855 Journey to Zion

Part 7 - 1856 Tooele

Part 8 - 1857 Johnson's Army, Back to Rush Valley

Part 9 - 1858 - 1865 Indians, St. Johns and Mother Norrie

Part 10- 1867 - 1868 George's Mission, Grasshoppers and Hard Times

Part 11 - George's Return, Firewater and Hannah's Dedication

Part 12 - The End of a Life

 

Now was a time full of fear and worry for the people of Utah. Word had been brought that the United States was sending an army out to Utah to crush a rebellion.

This, of course, was not the case. But this harassed people were determined never again to be driven from their homes and mobbed. So this army was kept out of the valley of Utah until the first days of April. The winter of 1857 and '58 found George with his battalion on guard in Echo Canyon and Hannah once again was left alone with her little family.

When his time was finished at guarding he returned to Tooele and finished building an adobe house 2 x 20 it. When the family moved into this home they were indeed comfortable, warm and happy.

Just one year after little Annie Jane's death another sweet little daughter came to gladden the Burridge home and bring solace and love to Hannah. Pauline was born the 26 of February 1858 while they were still living in their new adobe home.


When Pauline was just six weeks old a request came from Brigham Young that all Saints pack all they could and move south. What they could not take was to be burned with their homes if it was proved that the military was not to be trusted. Where they were going or how long they would be gone no one knew.

Once again the wagons were packed with food, clothing, furniture and cherished belongings. How sad then to leave their comfortable home not knowing where they were going or if they would ever be back. But they were resigned. It was the will of the Lord.

They started out toward the south Hannah with her tiny infant in her arms.

They went as far as Lehi where they stayed until Johnston's Army entered On July the 7th they started back but they did not return to Tooele and their nice adobe home. Instead they settled in Rush Valley again. This time Hannah set up house- keeping in a dugout on the banks of a creek in Clover.

The Indians were becoming very troublesome and dangerous in Rush Valley.

It being the edge of the desert leading to Skull Valley they rode into the small towns demanding food, beef, and anything they wanted. The people realizing it would be impossible to fight them, followed Brigham Young's counsel to feed them, The settlers tried to satisfy their red brethren, often leaving their own families in need of the very food they were giving away.

One day when George was in the fields Hannah was alone in the dugout. She paused a moment to look out of the door and there she stood frozen. Two Indians with wild painted faces were coming up the creek, headed for her dug-out. She was filled with fear. She had no food of any kind so could not share with them and she knew they would demand some. For years the Indians had been in the slave trade and there had been rumors lately that if food and clothing were refused they would take the children of the settlers.

Hannah prayed for guidance. Near the fireplace stood her huge old brass kettle that was used to boil clothes in.

Quickly she went to the kettle and turned it upside- down. Taking Charlotte by the hand she told her to creep under the kettle and sit very still. Quickly she must hurry. She must not cry or make a sound until the big Indians had left Then her Mama would come and let her out.

Fear filled little Charlotte as she immediately obeyed her mother. When the kettle was placed securely on the floor Hannah took up the baby and settled herself on a chair beside the kettle.

The Indians broke their dog trot and strode into the room, boldly demanding food. Hannah sitting stiffly on the chair told them she had no food, none for herself or for them. Then she asked them please to go but they were angry and wouldn't leave.

They began searching the room while Hannah helplessly watched them.

In the meantime Charlotte, hiding under the big kettle, was frightened and too hot. She couldn't see or hear anything and needed fresh air. So she began to squirm around and creep a little bit. The kettle began to move across the floor.

When the Indians saw the kettle moving with no one near it, they had their turn of being filled with fear and they ran from the dug-out as fast as they could. Later they told others that home had an evil spirit in it.

 

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