Great-Great Grandpa – Part I

Earlier this week of an evening, I found the TV on KUED and a program called The Mormons was playing. I believe I have seen bits and pieces of it before, but only recognized the images, not the narratives and interviews. The first party of the Saints was making the trek westward when I joined the broadcast. As I watched I began to step back in time to stories from my family history, and I have spent a good deal of time pondering those stories since that night.

I am blessed to have access to much information about my father’s parents, as well as a large text about my most famous relative, from my dad’s mother’s side of the family. My mom relates verbal histories of her family, but nothing is on paper, that I have seen. When I take the time to learn of them, I am amazed at the stories of my ancestors. My wife’s family history is equally as interesting.

After watching the PBS program I have been compelled to revisit my family history that is contemporary to the events described in the documentary, and therefore write about it. I think I’ll start with my father’s side of the family where the most information exists.

On the pedigree chart of my grandmother is a name that may be well known in the Northern Utah and Southern Idaho area, not just because of the number of his posterity that still live in the region. William Frederick Rigby is found among the names of my ancestors, as with many others whom I know and even more I’ve never met.

He was a pioneer, a farmer, a church and civic leader, a missionary.  He was also a polygamist, with 7 wives and 38 children.

His namesake, William F. Rigby Jr., was the father of Orpah Rigby, who married Knute Fabricius. They are my father’s parents. My dad’s father was born in Denmark. The Restored Gospel reaching Grandpa Fabricius’ family in Denmark put into place the events necessary for these two to meet and fall in love. A large volume of text that documents the life of William F. Rigby Sr. has been published, which I am using as a source as I relate his story.

William F. Rigby Sr. was born in England in 1833, to an un-wed mother. His mother did later marry, a Methodist minister, and in 1846 she died in childbirth. At 15, William left home to live in Stockport with his mother’s sister. William was baptized into the LDS Church in 1848, and he married Mary Clark in 1852. In the spring of 1853 they left England with a group of church members to immigrate to Utah.

William arrived in Salt Lake City on October 5, 1853, sent with a few others in advance of the wagons to request help for the rest of his party, their provisions had run out. Help was sent and the remainder of the group arrived in Salt Lake on October 13th.

The first winter in Salt Lake was difficult.  Doing what was necessary to provide for their needs, while living in a wagon box in the dead of a Utah winter would be a daunting task.

To Be Continued