Recently while surfing through some family history I learned that the final resting place of the ancestors I learned about when I was younger was located above Magna, Ut. in what was then known as Pleasant Green. We recently made a small detour on our drive home to California from visiting family to see this cemetery for ourselves. It is quite literally in the middle of nowhere and somewhat lonely on that hill, but just as I had imagined it.
Pictured above is myself and the boys at the grave site of Sarah Farr LeCheminant my great-great-great- grandmother who left her home in St. Peter Port, Guernsey in 1854 as a widow with 5 children to travel across the Atlantic, up the Mississippi River, and then across the plains to "the gathering place of the saints" in Salt Lake City.
I love this picture with LeCheminant engraved in the headstone and the reflection of Trey picking at something in the ground. A little eerie? Maybe...but the sort of shot that can only be captured by accident.
The biggest, most sun worn piece of stone in the LeCheminant family plot, but the name can still by made out if you look closely.
So...Sarah Farr begat Osmond Nicholas who begat Wilford Davis who begat Blaine Hill who begat Gary B. who begat Jeffrey B. LeCheminant
The small yet "eloquent" family burial plot on the hill above Magna, Ut. While it is a small cemetery there are quite a few people buried here. We got out of the car, I put Kaden on my shoulders, and Julie took Trey as we went in opposite directions convinced it wouldn't take long to find the plot. It of course took much longer than anticipated. Sometime in to our searching as we grew a little frustrated because we needed to get back on the road and with Kaden still on my shoulders I offered up a prayer to find it. Not 20 seconds later did Julie scream out that she had found it. We probably walked right by the plot 3 times and didn't even realize it. Not a monumental occasion, but a refreshing reminder that prayers are heard and answered, even in times of minor frustration. It was a great experience for me to stand at the headstones of my pioneer forbears who I have read and learned about. It all came full circle for me, as I'm sure it has for many of you with your own ancestors, that the struggles and sacrifices made by these individuals was worth it. I am very literally given my opportunities because a 35 year old single mother of 5 decided to leave her channel island home and emigrate to Zion. I love it. I love that I have pioneer heritage and I will no longer take for granted their sacrifices. There is an Amos Lee song with lyrics that read "coming from a long line of pain, my family suffered greatly for my gain." That is true for me, and I'm thankful for the spiritual moment I was able to have with my own family on a warm August morning. I hope someday to take my boys back there after they have heard the stories and are familiar with their heritage so that they too can appreciate what I felt this day on a lonely hill.
7 comments:
That is a really cool story. And really cool that you went and found the site.
I love the "begat" line. It's so neat to connect with your ancestors that way.
And I love the first picture on the next post :)
Hi Jewels! Hey, I love your family picture at the start of your blog. You guys have a cute family.
Great job going off the beaten path. I loved the sleeping photo too!
Hello Fellow LeCheminants, I am Victor H-LeCheminant waaaay up here in Yukon Canada. I am a computer security nerd for the City of Whitehorse and was just Googling my kids to see what kind of trouble they have been up to and I ran accross your blog. I was begat by Larry and Colleen LeCheminant about a million years (or 43 years) ago. I was born in Lake Junction Wyoming (with the bears in Yellowstone) and grew to ripe old age of 7 in Saint Anthony Idaho, before my parents moved to Canada. I am remairried with 4 kids (Daved 20, Naomi 18, Jacob 17 and Sara Farr LeCheminant 14 going on 30 something :-), I guess I spelled her name wrong on her birth certificate but she will just have to live with it!) We are about as far north as you can get on the continent and you are pretty far south if you are in California at least we share the same time zone. Please feel free to email me at victor@whitehorse.ca you can also email me at victor.lecheminant@whitehorse.ca but I don't have to tell you that with a last name like ours we do what we can to shorten it, when I remarried it was a big deal to my wife that I add her name to mine if she was adding my name to hers and not being too much of a stickler for convention I agreed and we are now Victor and Jutta Hopkins-LeCheminant. Anyway the northern arm of the LeCheminants is strong and happy. I would love to visit the site where Sarah rests someday. Thanks for taking the time to make your blog.
Hugs from waaay up north!
VIC
=+=
Hello!! I was just googling my grandparents' names.... and lo and behold, I come across this, and find my uncle Victor is the last person to comment on your story!!
My name is Amy Hrebien, I am the third child of Laurel Dea LeCheminant (now Hrebien), who is the oldest child of Larry and Colleen LeCheminant.
I hope to be able to get to know some more of my extended family, as I know the LeCheminant clan is an extensive one!!
Merry Christmas to all of you, and I look forward to checking out this blog!!
Amy D. Hrebien.
hi. Im friends with your son kaden. i go to school with him. My name is ian. I was wondering if he could come to my birthday. It is on june 9th but my party is june 8th. Im sitting next to him at this moment lol. I was wondering if you don't have any plans we could hang out at my birthday party. And I play video games with him but at my party I can confirm that we will be on are trampoline most of the time so we can get some time appreciating natures qualities. (Im just trying to get him at my party) Lol.
hi mom it is kaden now and let me go to this random kids house so we can stuff are faces with cakeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee plz. btw he is my best freind.
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