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George Henry Willden
George Henry Willden
Born: 19 April 1865 at Cedar City, Iron, Utah Territory, USA
Parents: Charles Turner Willden and Emma Smith
Married: Mary Florence Bell on 3 Jul 1889 at Mancos, Colorado, USA
Died: 11 November 1938 at Delta, Millard, Utah, USA
At age 17, George Henry Willden accompanied his parents, siblings and four other families to San Juan, as members of the second wave of pioneers called by President John Taylor. The Willdens were early settlers in Iron County, having lived in Cedar City since 1852. They witnessed the rise and decline of the Iron Mission, the Black Hawk War, and personal tragedy when Charles Willden's brother participated in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Following the massacre many in the extended family moved to Beaver County, establishing what became Cove Fort. Charles and Emma remained in Cedar City where George Henry was born.
It is assumed that George Henry received a rudimentary education in frontier Cedar City, and that he did his share to supplant his father's meager income. Other boys herded cattle and sheep, and it is presumed that George Henry did the same. His maternal uncle, Joseph Sanford Smith, was called to the San Juan Mission and left with the first company in 1879. George Henry's company was led by 1879 veteran pioneer to San Juan, Hyrum Perkins, but did not follow the trail to Hole in the Rock, rather, they took the new route over Halls' Crossing, before joining the older road near where that trail came down from Grey Mesa. They had had to build much of the road to that point, but now they had an existing road to follow. They arrived in Bluff in November 1882.
However, the land deemed suitable to farming was already claimed, and the Willdens followed the example of Uncle Joseph Sanford Smith and continued on to Mancos, Colorado. By 1886, Charles had begun a 160 acre homestead at Webber (Mancos) to which he received the patent 11 December 1891.
George Henry married Mary Florence Bell at Mancos, and their family resided in Mancos and surrounding communities (as far away as Redrock, New Mexico).
His obituary: "George Henry Willden died on Friday afternoon quite suddenly from over exertion. He was walking
from one of his children's homes to another's facing the storm and died soon after his arrival. He
was seventy three years of age. For a number of years, Mr. Willden farmed on the North Tract and
raised his family there, his wife having died when the children were young. At one time he lived
in Old Mexico as one of the colonists of the LDS church. Several years ago, he spent a year in
Nevada and for the past few years he has made his home in Delta with his daughter Mrs. Heber
Wilkins. He is survived by the following sons and daughters, Dell, Earl and Al, Mrs. Eva Wilkins
and Mrs. Emma Hamblin of Delta, Mrs. Florence Morrison and Mrs. Kate Duall of Salt Lake City.
He has 47 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren surviving him. He has two brothers, John and
Myron at Paradox, Colo. and a sister Mrs. Phebe Steele, Mrs. Nellie Hadden and Mrs. Reva Zufelt
living in Pedmes, Colo. Funeral services were held in the Delta First Ward hall on Saturday afternoon
under the direction of E.D. Knight. Interment was in the Delta cemetery."
Sources:
1 The life story of Joseph William Willden and Emma
Amelia Barker and their Ancestors and syblings.
2 Obituary at Find a Grave
Right-click [Mac Control-click] to open full-size image:
George Henry Willden