Pioneer Howell Hopkin Mifflin 1838 -1902

Howell Hopkin Mifflin was born 27 Dec 1838 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The son of Henry James Mifflin 1815 - 1870 and Elizabeth Mc Minn 1813 - 1850.

Before the family moved to Iowa, they all lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had a sister Sybella, that passed away in 1838 who was only 1 years old when she passed away in Philadelphia.

Some where in 1840 they moved to Iowa. Things became serious for the Mormons on the river area in Iowa. Because of persecution the people began to migrate west to Utah.

Some time in about 1848 Howell's  father Henry left. There are conflicting stories about the reason why. But he was absent in 1850.

It was said Henry was an attorney and went to petition Governor Boggs about the persecution of the people in Iowa.
Another story suggested Henry was not happy with being a member of the Mormon church.
We found that Henry remarried and had three sons by Elizabeth Herr born 25 August 1825 .

His date death is not know. Some think it is the same person who died in May 1878 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is yet to be proved. Hospital records say two different ages. One is ten years younger, as the reason why the death date is in question.

Howell and family
Howell and his mother, Elizabeth and his 2 brothers crossed the frozen river from Pottawatomie, Iowa, to Kanesville, Iowa, same county. They were fleeing the persecution.

                    Elizabeth McMinn Mifflin

Howell was age 11 in 1850 when his mother passed away 22 December 1850 along with his younger brother William age 2. William died shortly after both at Kanesville, Pottawattamie, Iowa.

His brother James was about a year younger than him, but I can not find where he was in 1850, he was not listed in the 1850 census. James is listed as married Elizabeth Sturgus Wright and he died in Nov 1895.

His brother Edward was 5 years old and went with their Mother's Mother - Mary Dull McMinn to Utah early in 1850 before Elizabeth died.

Edward Hunter Company ( June to Oct 1850)

261 individuals and 67 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Kanesville, Iowa (present day Council Bluffs). This company was organized at 12-mile creek near the Missouri River. It was the first Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company.

https://history.lds.org/overlandtravel/companies/164/edward-hunter-company-1850#description

Mifflin, Edward McMinn 4 1 November 1845 8 April 1906

McMinn, Mary Dull 64 15 February 1786 12 July 1873

"In early 1850, Church leaders advised emigrants that pioneer companies would travel on a new route on the south side of the Platte River. By taking this new route they avoided some river crossings on the north side which had proved dangerous because of high water in the previous year. They also expected to receive additional military protection on a new army supply road. This was a factor in their decision because they wanted to avoid conflict with the Plains Indians, who had been agitated during the 1849 California gold rush. The 200-mile long army road connected "Old Fort Kearny," located 50 miles below Kanesville on the Missouri River, to "New Fort Kearny" following the south side of the Platte River to the west."

"The fifth company to depart from Kanesville was led by Edward Hunter. They were the first company to use donations gathered under the Perpetual Emigration Fund (PEF) to travel to Utah. Created in 1849, the PEF was a revolving loan fund established to help needy Saints emigrate. Bishop Hunter used $5,000 of the PEF donations received that winter to outfit the company. They traveled 18 miles south on the east bank of the Missouri River to the Bethlehem Ferry (across the river from present-day Plattsmouth, Nebraska), where they were delayed for two weeks while looking for reasonably priced oxen. While waiting here, they watched the remainder of the Mormon companies cross the river and start west."

"Near the end of June they began crossing the river. By July 1, they had all crossed. They went a few miles from the ferry to 12-Mile Creek where they washed, cooked, and prepared the company for a real start. On 5 July they left their camp and followed the Plattsmouth-Fort Kearny trail south. They were at the rear of all the emigrant companies en route for Utah. There were 261 people and 67 wagons (some sources place the number of wagons at 42) in the company."

"After crossing Weeping Water Creek on June 18 they followed a new trail west where they connected with the northward-arching new military road, which became known as the Ox-Bow Trail. After leaving Salt Creek they turned west on a cutoff trail near present-day Swedesburg, Nebraska. All of the companies except Andrus used this cutoff, which passed near present-day David City and Bellwood, Nebraska. This cutoff trail, which bypassed the Cottonwood/Wahoo Creek drainage, saved them 12 miles. On this shortcut route, they arrived at the Platte at a point about 20 miles west of the regular route taken earlier by Andrus."

"They then followed the south bank of the Platte River a hundred miles west past Grand Island, where they joined with the Oregon Trail coming north from Missouri. At this juncture they continued 15 more miles to New Fort Kearny, which they reached on July 24. The army reserved grazing rights and companies weren't permitted to camp within a mile of the fort. So they camped there for two days while they lightened the wagons. They then continued up the south side of the river until they reached the Upper Crossing of the South Platte (located about three miles west of present-day Brule, Nebraska). They crossed and from here they followed a long dry ridge for twenty miles to Ash Hollow on the south bank of the North Platte. They arrived there on 9 August. They continued on and reached Fort Laramie on 25 August. They traveled through the Black Hills, crossed the Platte for the last time, and reached Independence Rock and Devil's Gate on September 8. Throughout the journey there had been two "divisions of Fifty" in the Hunter company-one headed by Lewis Wight and the other by Edwin D. Woolley. Often the two divisions were separated by as much as South Pass, and the leading Fifty (Woolley's) overtook Wilford Woodruff's company two days later. Woolley's Fifty reached Fort Bridger on September 25 and arrived in Salt Lake on October 2."

"Wight's Fifty with Captain Hunter were days behind them and didn't get to Salt Lake until October 13-14, having a difficult time traveling through snow that was hub deep. Four people died in Hunter's company-only one a victim of cholera. The company also transported almost 5,000 pounds of freight destined for Brigham Young and Newel K. Whitney. In keeping with the PEF plan, the Hunter company sold its livestock upon reaching the valley and the money realized from the sale was put back in the fund to be used the following year."

Howell goes West to Salt Lake

In 1851 Howell was alone at age 12, made his way west with a job driving the lame stock forward as he walked. He was with one of the wagon trains going to Salt Lake City Utah. 

Mifflin, Howell Hopkins

Birth Date: 27 Dec. 1838 Death Date: 15 Oct. 1902

• Company Unknown (1851), Age 12

https://history.lds.org/overlandtravel/companies/352/company-unknown


In 1855 Howell worked as a wagon driver in Salt Lake City. Charles Burtis Robbins, a wealthy businessman. employed a lot of people in the Salt Lake valley.
He met his future wife, Celia Morgan, who also was working at Mr Robbins who was a distant cousin to Celia. It is not clear what her job was, but I imagine as a female back in the mid-1800's she was probably a seamstress or clerk. Mr Robbins was a distant relative.

Howell and his brother Edward and Grandmother Mary were then living with Joseph P Risley and his Aunt Hannah McMinn Adams Risley in 1860 in Salt Lake City.
Howell's job was stage driver for the Wells Fargo company.

Somewhere between 1860 and 1861 he worked as a rider for the Pony Express delivering the mail.
According to the Wikipedia web page the Pony Express was in operation between April 3, 1860, to October 1861. The American civil war was the reason that the Pony Express shut down. The Transcontinental telegraph became the most reliable means that took over this service. The last few months they only ran from Sacramento to Salt Lake City.
I will see if I can find more about his jobs with the Pony Express and Wells Fargo from my Mom's Family History papers.

Pony Express Map

Credit for Map of route 

Route for the Pony Express April 3, 1860, to October 1861.

Wells Fargo Origins and the Pony Express

Two jobs that my Great Grandfather did in 1850's and 1860's in Utah and surrounding states.

Howell and Celia got married on the 19th of March 1864.

Celia Morgan Mifflin and Howell H Mifflin

They lived in Salt Lake City for a year or two and then moved to Idaho to live at Willow Springs near Malad. They ran a ranch near Malad, Idaho.

In 1880 Howell is age 42, his wife Celia is age 39. The children are: Mary, 15, John, 13, Howell, 12, Hannah, 10, Margaret, 8, Ada, 6, Gladys 4, Edward, 2 and William, 1. More about their children below.

In 1900 Howell Mifflin's health was failing so he and Celia moved from Idaho to Salt Lake City, where Howell died October 15,1902.
Not many had their funerals at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, but Howell did. Howell's best friend was Seymour Bicknell Young, one of Brigham Young's nephews. Seymour B. Young read the eulogy at the funeral on the 25th of Oct 1902.

More about Celia below. Celia lived thirty two years after her husband died. Celia passed away on the September 16,1934 at the age of 92.
She was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, next to her husband.

Celia Morgan April 13th, 1840 - 16 Sep 1934

Celia Morgan Mifflin was born on April 13th, 1840 in Treforest, Glamorgan, Wales. Some have her born in 1841.
Her Father was John Morgan Morgan 22 January 1801 – 1 September 1869 and her Mother was Mary Meredith 1823 – 15 Nov 1847.

She traveled with her father and siblings to America in 1850. They arrived in St. Louis, Missouri. The family lived there a short time. They then went to Western Iowa, living on a farm near Mosquito Creek, in Pottawatomie County.
They raised corn on the farm. They then prepared to move west. In 1852, they crossed the plains with the William Morgan Company.
Celia was eleven years old at the time. They stayed briefly in Salt Lake City and then moved north to Box Elder County, Utah.
Here the family built a dugout home and a ranch on the prairie. When they first settled there, they had only Indians to their north as neighbors.
As I mentioned in the other story, these Indians hunted for the family with the family’s rifle and bullets. The would bring back the deer or wild sheep and share it with the family.

Soon they had to move to The Davis Fort in Box Elder county north of Salt Lake City, because there was a war between two Indian factions.

Celia started to work for a distant relative, Mr Robbins, and that is where she met Howell.

Children of Celia Morgan and Howell Hopkins Mifflin

Howell and Celia were parents to 10 children, They were also raising two grandsons – see story below. These three photos are the only ones I could find so far of the 10 children.

1. Mary Elizabeth Mifflin [and husband had 4 children]
1864 -1928

2. John Morgan Mifflin [ 2 wives and 12 children]
1866 -1946

3. Howell Henry Mifflin [my Great - Grandfather] [wife and 6 children and one adopted daughter]
1868 -1949

4. Hannah Amelia Millie Mifflin [and husband and 2 children]
1869 -1958

5. Margaret Ann Mifflin [and husband had 3 children]
1871 – 1930

6. Ada Muzetta Mifflin [husband and 2 children]
1873 – 1895

7. Gladys Matilda Mifflin [ unmarried]
1875 -1934

8. Edward McMinn Mifflin [wife and 5 children]
1877 -1969

9. William Phillip Mifflin [unsure if married]
1879 – 1913

10. Celia Teresa Mifflin [ husband and child [age 2] died with in a month in 1910 – looking for reason why – perhaps the flu]
1883 -1910

                   Celia Morgan Mifflin

Howell and Celia raise their grandsons

In the 1900 census it shows that Howel Mifflin age 62 and
his wife, Celia Mifflin age 59 in Cherry Creek, Malad, Oneida, Idaho.
With them are their daughter Teresa Mifflin age 19 and
Grandson Lawrence Leea age 7 and Grandson Ernest Leea age 5.
The reason that the Grandsons came to live with their Grandparents is that their mother, Ada Muzetta Mifflin Leea had passed away.
Ada was born in 1873 and died in 1895. Ernest was just an infant having been born in January of that year.
Things became even sadder for the Mifflin's when in 10 Jan 1905 Ernest passed away. By then Howell had passed away also in 1902. So Celia raised up Lawrence and he lived with his grandmother into 1920 at age 25 and Celia was 78. In 1920 shortly after the census he got married.

Celia Morgan Mifflin from 1920 to 1934

1920 after her grandson married, it is not clear where Celia lived. But in 1930 she is living with her son Howell Henry Mifflin, my great-grandfather with his second wife Alice and his youngest son William. They were living in Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah. The photo shows my Grandfather Benjamin Mifflin, My Grandmother Ethel, my Mom is the baby. The girls are my Mom’s sisters – my Aunts.