Photos
Right-click [Mac Control-click] to open full-size image:
Benjamin and Tryphena Willden Steele family
.jpg "Tryphena Willden Steele")
Tryphena Willden Steele
Tryphena Willden
Born: 28 August 1876 at Cedar City, Iron, Utah Territory, USA
Parents: Charles Turner Willden and Emma Smith
Married: Benjamin Franklin Steele, 14 May 1895 at Jackson, San Juan, New Mexico, USA
Died: 5 November 1951 at Paradox, Montrose, Colorado, USA
Tryphena Willden was born on 28 Aug 1876 in Cedar City, Utah. Her parents were called to the San Juan Mission and made the journey from Cedar City through Halls Creek and crossed the Colorado at Halls Crossing; they arrived in Bluff in October 1882. Emma Smith Willden, was the sister of Joseph Stanford Smith, who had proceeded from Bluff to Mancos, Colorado, after his family arrived in Bluff. The Willdens likewise went on to Mancos rather than Bluff.
She married Benjamin Franklin Steele on 14 May 1895 in Jackson, San Juan, New Mexico at age 19. About 1907 the moved to Redmesa, Colorado. Their first home was a tent house consisting of a floor and boards to three foot high on the sides with canvas overhead. The soil was rich but they soon learned that there was never enough water for their crops.
They built a log house nearby where two girls were born. Because of improper care in childbirth Tryphena was left with a crippled left arm. Later Ben fired his own brick and built a nice five room home which soon burned to the ground. Later he built another brick home with a beautiful orchard.
They had eight children who are: Olive, Evangeline, Austin, Lauren, Leona, Jesse, Lucy and Mabel.
(From
Sources:
1 Pioneers of Southwest LaPlata County Colorado, ‘94, pp. 478-81.
2
The life story of Joseph William Willden and Emma Amelia Barker and their Ancestors and syblings
Right-click [Mac Control-click] to open full-size image:
Benjamin and Tryphena Willden Steele family
Tryphena Willden Steele