Pioneer Profile: Hannah Chapman, Part III

 Hannah Chapman Chester Goodworth Babcock became Hannah Raymond on November 7, 1865.  She and her husband, Charles, were happy and living in Montpelier, Idaho trying to grow crops when Hannah's son, Joseph, was fatally shot.  Nineteen year-old Joseph was drilling with the militia in Moroni, Utah, when he was accidentally shot.  Frederick died as well sometime between 1869 and 1870 (he appears on the 1870 census as living with his parents in Montpelier, but family records state that he died of pneumonia in March 1869).   Hannah was now 57 years old and she had out-lived four of her children and two of her husbands.  There is always a choice to make in adversity: get back up and be happy or stay down and be bitter.  The memories Hannah's grandchildren have of her more than suggest that she chose life.

Hannah and Charles Raymond moved to the Soda Springs, Idaho area in 1871 to homestead 160 acres in what is now the southwest section of the city beginning near the corner of the Lallatin Market, continuing south on Main Street to the present site of Fish Pond and west to include much of what is now the Lakeview addition.  In 1874 William Chester, the boy who was taken from the ship Enoch Train by his paternal grandfather and did not make the journey with his mother Hannah, finally moved to America with his family and came to live in Soda Springs.  William had not joined the Church (and it appears he never did).  Hannah finally got her son back and she could enjoy having more grandchildren living near her.  One of those grandchildren was Colin, my great grandfather (pictured as a young man at right).

Hannah served as the Relief Society President in the Soda Springs Ward from 1879 to 1894 (yikes - that's a long LONG time to be a Relief Society President).  During her time as president, the Church celebrated it's 50th birthday, which meant a big celebration.  She also headed up groups donating money to build the Logan Temple.  Dr. Ellis Kackley had Hannah help him as a nurse to the sick in the community.  Hannah was a busy little lady.  Unfortunately, her beloved husband Charles passed away on December 2, 1883.  (Her son Thomas Chester died March 19, 1886 in England and her son Richard Goodworth died May 9, 1896 in Kamas, Utah.)

I had to take a moment to marvel at the weight of so much loss.  It's amazing to think about what humans can go through and survive and, in Hannah's case, become better... refined by suffering.  Even though she had lost her eyesight, Hannah continued to live in her home in Soda Springs and take care of herself.  (She did have family nearby and neighbors who were quick to do what they could for her.)

Hannah's dearest wish was to see the finished Salt Lake Temple.  By the time the temple was completed, however, Hannah could not see anything - even with the aid of glasses.  She attended the dedication anyway and when she arrived at the temple, her eyesight was restored so that she could see everything around her distinctly.  After the dedication she went to her daughter's home in Woods Cross, Utah and she was able to read the newspaper and thread a needle.  Within hours her eyesight was gone again.

Hannah Chapman outlived most of her children.  She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints amid protests from family in England, crossed the ocean and the plains to get to Zion.  The impact of her choices and her strength has affected me, her great great great granddaughter, more than one hundred years later.  She died on February 15, 1898 in Soda Springs, Idaho.

(I condensed Hannah's history from one of her great granddaughters, Marjorie Beus Brewer's extensively researched biography of Hannah Chapman.  Mrs. Brewer is descended from Hannah and Adolphus Babcock's daughter, Hannah Alice.  It made me happysad to know that such good could come from that sad section of Hannah's life.)