Recollections of Cornelius Traveller : written from memory by Cornelius Traveller in 1897

Taken from an item on the family tree of J KEYES on the Ancestry website.

I, Cornelius Traveller was born on September 29, 1820 at No. 43 Park Street, Regents Park, London, England. My father's name was Thomas Traveller. My mother's name was Jane Moore Traveller. I had three brothers live to maturity. My mother had six or seven sons and one daughter born, which are all dead but myself. While home I learned the printing business. At 10 years of age, I left home and went to live with one James Dork (? Dark), at the Lords Cricket Ground. I was Pavilion Boy. It was quite a fashionable place for the Nobility, and I became quite a favorite with the Gentlemen of the Club, and they made me many presents for my attentions to their wants and desires.

In 1832 I went and lived with a butcher named William Hughes, who kept shop in William Street, Lisson Grove. There I learned the butcher business, and my family had moved to 32 William Street directly opposite this shop, after which I went and lived with a grocer named Henry Edwardes at the corner of Williams Street and Great James Street, Lisson Grove. Here I became more skilled in the business. In 1833 I left and went to school for a short period and learned all I could but was not satisfied. I felt that I must be doing something, so I left and went and lived with one John Beason, butcher in Williams Street, near my home. Here I became quite an expert as Salesman although a boy, and stayed quite a while. In 1835 I was apprenticed to William Walker, Chair and Cabinet Maker in Westmoreland Street, for the Term of seven years. I was successful in becoming proficient in my business and was highly esteemed by my employer for my integrity. In 1839 my employer had among his workmen a Yorkshire man who took a great liking to me and eventually persuaded me to run away from my apprenticeship and travel with him. We made every arrangement and I got my tools and clothes packed up and one night started off and took the steamer next morning and went to Dublin (Ireland). Here we stopped four or five days until our money got exhausted and could not get any work, so I sold my tools and we went across the Channel by steamer to Liverpool. I tried to get work but found a Trade Strike on. We then joined the Trade Society, got our care and one penny per mile for traveling expenses to the next town. So we went from town to town, through Lancashire and Yorkshire until we came to Huddersfield, which was my companion's birthplace and he did not want to go any further so he left me to travel by myself. I had walked so much that my feet were sore, my shoes worn out, and my true position presented itself before me and I was determined to return home as soon as could get the means to do so. Therefore, I worked my way to Hull in Yorkshire and took the Steamboat for London, arrived at 8:30 p.m. and had 9 miles to walk. I was tired and weak as I had had nothing to eat for 36 hours.

During my absence my father and mother searched everywhere for me without success. When I arrived home, my parents were very glad to see me. As my mother had almost been heartbroken on the occasion, I sent my master a letter stating I had returned and was willing to go to my work and make recompense for my transgression, which I did. In 1840 I married Miss Ann Eliza Atkins. At this time I had one and one-half years for the same master after which his trade was slack, so I left and joined the Trade Society in London, and was very successful in gaining employment and worked in some of the first class establishments in the World. In 1849 there was a great panic in our trade as also trades in general. Bread was very dear, and after being out of work for a long time I went into partnership with John Tyler, my wife's sister's husband. We worked almost night and day in the Fancy Cabinet line so as to get some ahead to be able to start in the Florist business, and after working one year we went to Acton, nine miles from London, rented a nice house and some land for three years. We put up two large Green Houses for this purpose and also kept four men at work at the Cabinet business. During this time my wife had been very sick of consumption and she died August 5, 1853, at Acton, Middlesex, England. She left me with three children, two now living. She was buried at St. John's House Burial Ground, London, after which I dissolved partnership and went back to London, and rented a nice house and book shop in Marion Square, Hackney Road and started on my own responsibility in the Fancy Cabinet Business. I was again successful in my business. I employed three men and had plenty of work.

In October 1853, my brother Robert came to me and preached the Doctrine of the Latter-Day Saints, and in the evening I went with him to the meeting in High Holborn, and heard the Principles of the Gospel preached by the Servants of God, and I have never since that time had the least doubt in my mind as the authenticity of the same, and on December 11, 1853, I was baptized at Islington Baths by Elder William Elliss of Holborn Branch at Hacking. I was ordained a Priest, afterwards an Elder, and was President of the Sunday School, acting teacher, clerk of the branch, and had a district to tract every Sunday. On December 25, 1854, I was married to Miss Frances Hobbs of the Haggerston Branch and in September 1855 we sailed form Liverpool for America. We landed in New York, stayed two days and then went to Philadelphia. I got work at Allen Brothers large furniture establishment. After being there two years I was made foreman and had charge of the establishment until May, 1860, when I left to migrate to Salt Lake City. We left Philadelphia on May 7, stayed in Florence until June when we started on the plains in John Smith's Company.

We reached Salt Lake City September 1, 1860. We experienced many trials while crossing the plains, I and my wife. My wife had a child five months old (Frank) nursing at the breast whom she carried all the way, at the time picked up Buffalo chips with which to make fire when we camped, and altogether we had a hard time of it, but we bore it with fortitude and contentment and by doing so we gained an experience never to be forgotten. We lived in Salt Lake City until the fall of 1864. The first six months I worked for H. Dinwoodey, after which I started in business for myself in the furniture line. At this time the soldiers came in for Camp Douglas, and we were, that is most of the men, called out on several occasions with our guns to protect the Servants of God. I was also a member of the artillery, and was periodically at the tithing office, Blacksmith's shop, Squire Well's barn. I was also at the Moriss Fight with the Artillery, saw all the trouble from beginning to end. In the fall of 1864 I moved to Richmond, Cache Valley, Utah, where I have lived ever since. The result of my last marriage was seven living children born, five of which are still living, three girls, two boys, and I am happy to say all in the Faith, and also more grateful to know one, R.C.T., has been thought worthy to fill a mission to England and my desire and prayer is that he may fill an honorable mission and that I may live to see him return and give him a Father's blessing.

For all, Amen Cornelius Traveller, 77 years of age September 29, 1897

ADDITIONAL, written by Mabel H. Pond (granddaughter)

This history was written 66 years ago. Grandfather gives us a rich detail of his life up to the time he moved to Richmond in 1864; nearly one hundred years ago. But what about the years form 1864 to 1897? Why didn't he go on and tell all of the story? This is a question that perhaps will never be answered and a story that will never be told. I have tried to gather a few facts from members of the family who knew Grandfather and Grandmother. It is hard to write about one without the other.

As we remember them they lived in a home, part of which still stands, on the corner lot one block east of the bank, just west of the home now owned by C.D. Stoddard. They owned the entire corner lot, much of which was planted into orchard. As I think of it now and go back to see it through my childhood eyes, it was the most fabulous orchard in all the world, with its yellow-golden, sweet apples, the red strawberry, and the summer pearmaine, at least those are the names I remember the different varieties by and there were many more, they were treasures we don't find in our modern world. In the midst of the orchard, Grandfather had his carpenter shop. I remember the numbers of tools of every kind and description that lined the walls. Also the pieces of furniture that took shape under his deft fingers. He was a man short in stature but never short in character, humility, faithfulness, and good will toward his fellow men. He was an artisan in many things. Besides making furniture, he made many caskets, one for an Indian baby -- he made free of charge and during the long trek across the plains he made sixteen coffins, for those precious bodies that must be left along the way.

He had many other accomplishments. He was Post Master for seven years appointed under the President Ruthreford B. Hayes' administration in 1880. During his days as Post Master, the Post Office was directly across the street on the corner to the south. Both sides of the street were lined with big trees and the Post Office, as I remember it, was quite a secluded little building, really part of a dwelling house. He was also sexton of the cemetery for several years. He is now buried in the corner No. 1 lot in the cemetery. As a sexton, he merited this very choice lot and the hydrant that was located near it was his own private property at the time. He was the first Sunday School Superintendent. He organized and built up the Sunday School organization. Emily Anderson has a sacrament plate, a rare precious antique. The plate itself is good china with a floral design. It has a handle, a twisted half circle that clamps onto the tray. Grandfather presented it as a gift to the Sunday School. He was generous in his nature. At one time, at a Christmas party, he furnished the candy and nuts for all the Primary Children. Speaking of candy, one of my most impressive memories of Grandfather was every time I went there he always went to a coat hanging behind the kitchen door and in the pocket found a piece of hard tack candy to give to me. I thought there was a never ending supply of candy in that pocket and I have every reason to believe that all the grandchildren received the same treatment. One of the Grandchildren described him as short, medium build, hazel eyes, rather long curly hair, white, with white whiskers and beard, and he usually walked with his hands clasped behind him. Is that the English part of him? And he was English, always honoring and respecting his Native land. He was converted by Mormon missionaries in 1854. He knew the Shepherd's voice, as soon as he heard it, and his faith never wavered. He had a sound ringing testimony to the very end. He loved and was true to his faith in word and deed. He was honest, trustworthy, sincere, dependable, a good friend and neighbor to everyone. Those of us who are related in any way are proud and grateful always to call him "Grandfather."

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