Whenever the young folks wanted a party it was, "Let's have it at the McCarrey's farm." The home-made carpet would be rolled back and the fiddler would tickle their ears and their feet would fly to the tune of old-time dances. Grandmother was a beautiful step dancer, and would be persuaded to perform. She was fairy-light and agile, executing the dances perfectly.

     Grandma had a fervent testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel. One of her characteristics was in obeying the counsel given by the authorities to the very letter. When the Word of Wisdom was given as a command, she was a user of tea and coffee. She had lost her first baby boy at nine months of age. Her second baby was very sick. One night in a dream the Lord came to her and said, "How can you expect to pray to me to restore your child to health if you will not obey my commandments." She thought this meant her using tea and coffee. She stopped drinking both, her child got well, and she never touched a drop of either again in her life. She was also much opposed to tobacco and strong drink, and never flinched in fighting them all her life.

     She was a strong tithe payer. She never cashed a check or received any kind of money but what she first paid her full tithing before she used the rest for herself. She was generous with her means, and delighted in helping missionaries and the poor.

     She was an active Church worker all her life. For 27 years, she was a Relief Society teacher. Her last years, while she lived in Logan, were spent in Temple work which she dearly loved.

     Grandmother Hannah Melissa Hoopes was born in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, 30 April 1845; third child of Warner Hoopes and Priscilla Gifford.

     Melissa's father, Warner Hoopes, son of Jonathan Hoopes and Rebecca Watts Hoopes, was born in York County, Pennsylvania October 29, 1817. He died at Weston, Idaho February 13, 1891. His ancestors were of Puritan stock, of the Quaker religion. His grandfather, Elisha Hoopes, was engaged as a provision hauler in the Revolutionary War.

     Warner was the third child in a family of twelve children. Not being very strong as a young man, he was taught the shoemaker trade. While he was still a boy, his parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were with the Mormons in their wanderings and shared with the Saints the mobbings, drivings, and persecution incident to the membership in the Church during its infancy.

     For the first ten years of his life as a Mormon Elder, Warner spent most of his time in missionary work. He worked in the surrounding states, and while the Saints were fleeing through Missouri before the mobs in the winter of 1838, leaving bloody footprints on the frozen ground, he alleviated the suffering very much by sitting near the campfire far into the night making shoes for those who had been driven from their homes before they could collect the necessary wearing apparel.

     Joseph Smith Sr., father of the Prophet Joseph, and the first patriarch of the Church gave Warner Hoopes a blessing. One of the promises given was that the Lord would chastise him whenever necessary. Warner always considered this a great blessing, and one which was literally fulfilled. Whenever he became the least bit slack in his religious duties, the Lord chastened him.

     In 1840, Warner Hoopes married Priscilla Gifford, daughter of Levi Gifford and Deborah Wing Gifford. Priscilla was born in Tiago County, Pennsylvania on March 3, 1818, and died at Weston, Idaho August 2, 1876. She, too, was a descendant of Puritan ancestors. She was a woman of remarkable faith and energy.

     To Warner and Priscilla Hoopes were born nine children, six girls and three boys. Only four lived until maturity, the others died while children. Three died during the wanderings and persecutions of the Saints, and two were buried at Richmond, Utah. Of those who reached maturity, Rebecca married Matthew Fifield and lived and died at Weston, Idaho; Melissa married William McCarrey and lived at Richmond, Utah; Adelaide married Charles Allen of Cove, who moved to Arizona where Adelaide died; Daniel Lewis Hoopes, who lived for a time at Weston, moved to Logan. He died April 20, 1925.

     After the marriage of Warner Hoopes, he continued to travel with the Saints. They lived at Nauvoo, where his first three children were born, including my grandmother, Melissa. They were fleeing through Lee County with the Mormons during the that terrible period of suffering and starvation; and witnessed the miraculous appearance of the quails into camp, so tame that they could readily be caught with the hands, or be shaken from the bushes where they would lie until picked up.

     Warner Hoopes knew the Prophet Joseph Smith very well. Both he and his wife, Priscilla were at the meeting when Brigham Young was transfigured as the Prophet Joseph.

     Alpheus Gifford, brother of Melissa's father, Levi Gifford baptized Heber C. Kimball on the 15th day of April 1832. [1] William Gifford, brother of Levi was a member of the Momon Battalion.

     Hanna Melissa Hoopes was baptized in 1857 at St. Joseph by George A. Lincoln. She attended school for some time in Clay County, Missouri.

     When the people were at Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1846, preparatory to moving toward the Rocky Mountains, Pres. Brigham Young advised all who had not enough provisions to last them at least one year to go back into Missouri and get the means to come as soon as possible. He also advised them while doing this not to say anything to those they were with about religion. Warner Hoopes and his family moved back to Buchannan County, seven miles up the Missouri River from St. Joseph. Here, he became engaged in burning charcoal and became quite prosperous. Contrary to the counsel of President Young, the Saints in that region began holding meetings which brought them into prominence and soon aroused the anger from the non-Mormons in the community.

     About that time, a Brother McGraw stopped at the Hoopes' place overnight. He was on his way to a mission in England. During that evening, he told the family that he felt impressed that they should go directly to Florence, Nebraska, and to prepare to emigrate to Utah. He repeated this advice in the morning, and after he had gone some distance, he came back and advised Warner Hoopes to leave his family to dispose of what property could be sold, and for him to go immediately and for the family to follow as soon as possible. Hoopes did not heed this counsel as he stated that he did not know of an enemy he had in the country; that he wanted to wait until the charcoal that he had was ready for market.

     About two weeks after this, a non-Mormon family was burned in their house. The burning occurred at night. The parents and five children all perished in the flames. Some enemy accused the Mormons of this, and four, including Warner Hoopes were arrested. The court declared them innocent.

     Soon after this, and enemy collected a number of tar barrels and set fire to them and then gave the fire alarm in St. Joseph. This accomplished its purpose. It collected a large crowd of men. He then proceeded to read what he called the confession of a Mormon. This confession was that the Mormons has set fire to the before mentioned with the purpose of killing the inhabitants. A mob was soon collected ready for mischief and crime. A neighbor heard the threats of the mob and warned the Mormons.

     The day preceeding the incident just related, the sheriff of Buchannan County had called upon Warner Hoopes and offered him protection as he feared some mischief was brewing; Hoopes said he thought it was not necessary, as he knew of no enemies he had.

     After the neighbor's warning, he felt a little uncomfortable and decided not to stay in the house that night. It was arranged with Mrs. Hoopes that if a friend or the sheriff should come to the house during the evening or night, she should come out and call him; but if any danger was about, she should blow the horn.

     All went well until long into the night when Mrs. Hoopes was awakened by voices outside stationing men to guard the windows and doors, and ordering that if Hoopes attempted to escape to "shoot him down like a dog."

     She arose praying and the answer to her prayer came in a voice which left her without a doubt of what to do. "Blow!" She gave the horn one strong blast.

     The leader of the mob demanded that the door be opened. When he entered, he asked for Hoopes. She told him he had gone.

     "Give me that horn!" he demanded. Taking the horn, he blew and blew again until Mrs. Hoopes said, "The louder you blow, the farther he'll go."

     As soon as she said these words, she wondered at herself for saying them. She never could understand just what it was that made her say them. She told the leader that if he had come in like a gentleman, she would have called her husband in, but now, it was impossible.

     All night long, the mob looked for him and Brother Lincoln. Next morning, he started for St. Joseph, hiding from the mob by slipping behind trees. Finally, he saw the sheriff who was a friend and always continued to be so, even during the long days of imprisonment. For Hoopes' protection, the sheriff put him in prison, and kept him for ten months and a day.

     When Warner was in prison, young Dan Lewis went with his mother to visit him. He was so startled at seeing his father through the bars, he fainted.

     While Warner was in jail, his wife cared for her four children as best as she could. The mobs came ever so many times threatening to kill her and burn her home. She told them that her husband was in jail and she would not go without him. They came one time and gave her three days to leave the state, but she still said she would not, nor could not go without her husband. There were some tree stumps where the mob came and rested. The children placed thorns in these stumps so the mobs could not sit down.

     At the end of ten months and one day, they gave him a trial and proved his innocence in this way:

     About the time of the trial, Roe Thomas, who had been away from home came back. Hearing from his mother of the arrest of Hoopes and Lincoln, he recalled events which resulted in the release of the two men.

     One night before the burning of the home, Roe Thomas and John Keen ran away from home. While Keen was going home for his clothes, Thomas lay down near Mrs. Luellen's house and fell asleep. When he awoke, he heard the large clock in Luellen's strike twelve. This was the exact time that Mrs. Luellen said she had seen Hoopes, who was short, and Lincoln, who was extra tall, pass. This had been the testimony on which Hoopes and Lincoln were held. When Mrs. Luellen heard what the boys said, she recalled her testimony, knowing that she had been mistaken.

     A horse had been stolen and when Mr. Luellen went away for the night, he told his wife to keep an eye on the horses. If she heard the dog bark, she was to look out. She therefore saw the two boys, Keen and Thomas when they went by and thought it to be Hoopes and Lincoln coming from a Mormon meeting.

     1855 or 1856 was the time when Hoopes was in the St. Joseph prison for ten months and one day. During this time, all the property and money he had collected was spent to feed and clothe the family, and for lawyer's fees.

     He was set free, and the sheriff took him and placed him on a boat and sent him up the river to Omaha. Here he found work of burning coke, trying to earn and save enough to bring his family there. Mrs. Hoopes had a cow which she sold for enough money to pay her fare up to Omaha. She and her family came as a surprise to her husband.

     Melissa used to say the reason her father got destitute in Missouri was because he did not obey counsel when told to come to Utah. He stopped to finish burning his coal, and by remaining got put in jail and lost what money he did have. She had full confidence in the authorities, and tried to always obey their counsel.

     The last cow was sold for steamboat fare to Florence, Nebraska. Here Warner joined the family and his brother, Hyrum, from whom he got means for coming across the plains.

     Hyrum Hoopes had been in Utah once, and had trouble with his bishop, and had taken his family back to Missouri. Here he had nothing but trouble and sickness, so he decided to return to Utah. He had the teams and wagons and equipment so that he was able to give Warner Hoopes the job of helping him out. Warner and his son, Dan Lewis should have driven the teams, but they were too ill. Priscilla Hoopes, who had a young baby, drove a team, and the children helped drive the cattle.

     Warner Hoopes and Dan Lewis were both sick with fever and did not get much better until they reached the Black Hills. Dan Lewis had his knee swollen with rheumatism so that he had to use crutches. Rebecca worked as a hired girl for Hyrum Hoopes. She drove his cattle for him and rode horseback.

     At the time of Johnston's Army, Hyrum drove team for the army. His wagon was burned by Lot Smith -- the wagon and all it contained, except the personal belongings of the drivers.

     Melissa was then 14 years of age. She rode a pony and drove young stock for Mr. Bovier to help pay her way across the plains.

     Bro. Bovier promised Mrs. Hoopes milk for the children if they would catch and tie up a suckling calf at night. Her sister, Adelaide, who was a little girl, succeeded in getting the rope on the calf's neck, but it being nearly a year old was too much for her, and pulled her through the slough. She complained that Melissa had not come to help her when she called.

     They arrived in Utah on August 2, 1859 in Harlow Redfield's Company.

     Melissa's parents lived in Bountiful, Utah in the winter of 1859. Melissa went as a hired girl to Grantsville, Utah, and worked for Mrs. Rachel Bovier that winter. She worked for Mrs. Bovier all winter for three yards of linsey. Mrs. Bovier had a silk waist with a colored factory lining which she gave to Melissa. Melissa took the lining to make a waist to go with the skirt which she had made from the linsey.

     In the Spring of 1860, she and her parents came to Richmond where Melissa resided until the last three years of her life, when she lived with her daughter, May, in Logan, Utah.

     Grandma Hanna Melissa Hoopes was married to William McCarrey on July 24, 1864 in the Gilbert Bright home in Richmond, Cache County, Utah.

     The following December, she and her husband, in the company of her sister, Adelaide Hoopes, who had married Charles Allen, drove a mule team to Salt Lake City, and received their endowments on December 27, 1864. They lived in the Gilbert Bright home, and then where the J. L. McCarrey residence now stands; then moved to their homestead south of Richmond.

     Grandpa William McCarrey had come from the Isle of Man. He was born February 12, 1832 at Peel, Kirk German, Isle of Man to James McCarrey and Catherine Craine. They had four children: Elizabeth (Betsy), Jane, John, and William, my grandpa.

     The McCarrey family coming from the Isle of Man settled in Washington County in Illinois. William left the family and became a freighter for those traveling west; and he never returned to Illinois. He was a freighter for the McAllister Company and crossed the plains with them in 1853.

     Following is a copy of a letter he sent home to his mother. A. J. Mendenhall has the original. (See On the Plains)

     We gather from this information he was a religious and devout young man. To leave home, family and friends at this time, when the world was so large and uncertain in travel; it would be hard to make his decision to go west, knowing he might never see his parents or his native land again.

     William was impressed by the Mormons, and decided this religion was for him. He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by McAllister on July 24, 1853. He was ordained a Seventy in 1861.

     He came to Richmond, Cache County, Utah in the spring of 1860, and homesteaded land there two miles south of town and toward Cub River. He also had land in Weston Creek in Idaho.

     During 1861 - 1862, he was a militia man in Johnston's army trouble. On September 14, 1864, he began military service in Captain Henry Standish's company serving 42 days. He was honorably discharged October 25, 1864.

     He was a hard worker; always provided a home and work for all. He believed in education and read a great deal. He was considered a man of good judgement. He was a successful farmer; he always payed for what he got and never signed a note. He was always saving with his money. He was a good tithe payer, kept the Word of Wisdom, had family prayer night and morning. He was a staunch Republican, always interested in politics and always voted. In fact, he voted in November of 1904, and died the 25th of November 1904.

     To Melissa and William were born eight children: William Warner, Catherine Priscilla, Rebecca Jane, James Lewis, Hannah Elizabeth Adelaide, John, Olive Ann, and Melissa May.

     Melissa and William believed in education. She made butter and sold it and eggs to help money-wise. Their first daughter, Catherine Priscilla was taught sewing and became a skilled seamstress.

     The next daughter, Rebecca Jane had lost her hearing because of having scarlet fever when six months old. When there was finally a school in Ogden for the deaf and dumb, she was sent there. She learned to read, write, do arithmatic, etc. Her speech was rather hard to understand unless you were with her long enough to get used to it. She tended Aunt Ollie's children, and they could easily understand her. What a tragedy to go through life without hearing a human voice, music, or the sound of a bird. She loved to crochet and do embroidery.

     Their son, James Lewis McCarrey became prominent in business, civic and church affairs. He was bishop of Richmond South Ward for 11 years. He was Superintendent of Cache County Schools and achieved the first consolidation of schools. He held stock in Richmond Co-op, and helped in Black and White Days. He owned a big farm and dairy herd. He was greatly respected in the community and state. He graduated from B. Y. C.* in 1896.

     Then there was my mother, Hannah Elizabeth Adelaide McCarrey Doty. Since she had three names and John only had one, she agreed to let him have one of hers. He chose the first name, Hannah; and for years signed his name "John H. McCarrey."

     A whole book could be written about my mother, a most remarkable, brilliant woman of great character, talent and ability. She graduated from BYC in 1895. She was the only one in Richmond who could play the organ for years. She developed a family orchestra known as the Doty Orchestra, in which all five of her children played, with her playing the piano.

     She was in demand as an elocutionist. She was a teacher par excellance; 26 years a primary president, a poet, a Logan Journal Correspondent, Richmond City Treasurer, play writer and producer, and worker in Extension of USU **. She was many things, but most of all a wonderful Mother.

     Melissa and William's sixth child, John grew up to be a tall, humble, good worker of fine character. He fulfilled two missions, one to Western States, and one to Arizona.

     Olive Ann, the next child, was a teacher, and a mother of eight children.

     May became a remarkable woman of great intelligence, great wit, and courage enough to drive a Dodge Roadster to New York in 1926 to get her Master's Degree at Columbia University. She graduated from BYC in 1903.

     Many wonderful things could be told about each of the children of Hannah Melissa Hoopes and the man she married -- William McCarrey. "By your fruits, ye shall be known."

     Grandma died January 12, 1923 at Logan, Cache County, Utah, where she had lived the last years of her life with her daughter May. She had a stroke which paralyzed her right side and deprived her of her speech.

     During the summer when school was not in session, I was required to take my turn staying at Aunt May's and helping to care for Grandma. I was so nervous; I should not have been as I was sixteen. I will never forget those pleading brown eyes and wide smile as she tried to utter the impossible speech, or tried with her good hand to indicate what she wanted. She was very patient and long suffering. I am sure she went to great reward.

     Her husband, William McCarrey, afflicted with Palsy had died from pneumonia November 25, 1904; leaving her a widow for 19 years.

     Each Memorial Day for as long as I can remember, we have gone to her grave in the Richmond Cemetery, and I have thought as I placed the flowers, of this lovely, noble, and sweet Grandmother, whose name is revered among the Utah Pioneers.

____________

[1] A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Vol. 1, pg. 288: 'After his (Kimball's) return from Columbia (PA. Mormon Branch), he was baptized by Alpheus Gifford on the 15th day of April 1832.

* BYC is the Brigham Young College - once having a branch in Logan, Utah.

** USU is the Utah State University located in Logan, Utah

Continued