Family History - United Brethren

Photo of Benbow Pond

I have been collecting personal histories of some of my ancestors. Two of the ancestors I have been researching are John Perry, and his wife Grace Ann Williams.

In the Spring of 1840, they lived in Herefordshire, England, and were members of a sect called the United Brethren. They had separated themselves from the Wesleyan Methodists, and had been praying for more truth and light regarding the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Wilford Woodruff, who was a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles was serving a mission in England at the time. He felt directed by the Spirit to go to this region and to preach the Gospel, where he came to the farm of John Benbow, and made the acquaintance of the United Brethren. Three days later, John Perry was Baptized in the pond on the Benbow farm. By the following August, more than 600 people had joined the Church who were members of the United Brethren. Of all their members, there was only one who did not eventually join the church.

I have posted histories of John Perry and Grace Ann Williams on my Family History Blog. I also have posted excerpts from Wilford Woodruff's journal regarding his experiences with the United Brethren.

Chester Carpenter

My Uncle Chester recently passed away. I didn't know him well. He lived in Indiana and we lived in Utah for all my life. I wish I could have known him more. I think we would have had a lot in common. I think the only time we met was at my grandma's (his mother's) funeral.

My dad remembers Chester finding a shady place to sit under a willow tree on a warm summer afternoon. There he would curl up with a writing tablet, where he would write prose and poetry, including lyrics to songs.

He enlisted in the Army just before Pearl Harbor. He was about to be drafted, but decided he would have more control over his assignments if he enlisted. Eventually he worked his way into the army medical corps, and became an officer where he attained the rank of Major. His assignments included tending to the wounded from D-day, Battle of the Bulge, and other historic battles of World War II. He was injured while in England from the German Blitzkrieg, which resulted in visual impairment for the rest of his life.

After the war he would pursue his education, thanks to the GI bill, and eventually became a college professor. He taught at Florida State University, and later at Indiana State University, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He remained at Indiana State until his retirement.

He was buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, at St. Louis, Missouri -- with full military honors. It is my wish to honor him, and his service to our country. Even though I didn't know him well, I want to remember him well.

I have typed a copy of his personal history on my family history blog. You can read more about his life story here.