Mary Boden comes to America

I had been wondering when Mary Boden came across from England and the plains and in about 4 minute I had found out. This is what happend... I went to a lesson taught at BYU library which they teach every 2nd and 4th Sunday. The class I went to was called "Mormon Ancestors: Across the Sea, Across the Plain". They gave us a web site that lets you search the companies that crossed the plains. I knew she was single when she came across, so I knew to search for her under 'Mary Boden' rather than 'Mary Guymon.' I just did a quick search in the box provided and I looked at the results. It was pretty easy to tell that the 'Mary Boden' that came up was the one I was looking for, and just like that I had knew information. 


I learned that she was a member of the William B. Hodgetts Company that came across in 1856. I was able to see the people she was registered with. Also they have a history of the Hodgett Company. This was a very important find in my research because of the incredible journey Mary took without any of her family with her. 


Here is a link to Mary Boden's information. 
http://classic.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneerdetails/1,15791,4018-1-20556,00.html

The Incredible Index

By doing things the hard way and wasting so much time, you quickly hold on to tips that make life easier. One of the simplest and best is getting used to looking for an index first. For example researching for James Guymon's military information, specifically his pension record, and found it pretty easily on FamilySearch.org. Stopping there, I would have found what I was looking for, however, going one step farther with this simple tip I can get more. Since I was already in the military records for Utah, all I did was go to the index and look for other Guymons. Right there in the index was his brother Noah Guymon. From finding him there I found where he was living at his death, his birth and death date, and his military information. All this was found by simply not simply focusing on my one guy but stepping back and seeing what else can be found where I already am.

For fun I will post the transcript of the information found on James Guymon's pension record. 

Name:          James Guymon

Date of Death:         22 Sep 1912

Place of Death:         

Date of Birth:         27 Dec 1816

Place of Birth:         

Cemetery:         City

Place of Burial:         Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah

Military Unit:         Commd Cavalry Capt Thos J Holbrook

Branch of Service:         Ut Terr Mil

War:         Blackhawk War

Date of Enlistment: 1 April 1866

Date of Discharge: 1 Nov 1866


National Archives and Records Administration. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. T288, 544 rolls. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Accessed 12/10/10.

Lets start at the very beginning

James Guymon became a Mormon pioneer and moved from his Tennessee home to San Pete, Utah. He became a polygamist and his fourth wife was Mary Boden. She was a convert from England and came to Utah without any other member of her family. A brief sketch of her life was written by Charlotta Guymon Bigler. This compiled history is the perfect place to start family history. I can now proceed to verify the information presented. 

The brief sketch  is entitled "Mary Boden Guymon, Pioneer Wife" and it contains this, 

"Mary Boden Buymon was born 9 September 1834 in Parisk, Warvest, England. She was the daughter of James and Sarah Reese Boden. She came to Utah in 1856. She was baptized 14 June 1859. She left her home and parents in England to come here for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints.
She live in Salt Lake City, one year when she met and married James Guymon, in 1857. She was his fourth wife. She went with him to Parowon, Iron County, Utah. To this couple were born eight children...
She die in Fountain Green, Utah, 25 September 1926, at the age of 92, and was buried in the Fountain Green Cemetery. I know she will reap the rich reward in Heaven, for the wonderful work that she did on Earth. May the memory of her live forever with us."

Written by Charlotta Guymon Bigler, 1847