William Johnson Burton

Life Sketch of William Johnson Burton

William Johnson Burton was born 7 October 1878 in Bountiful, Davis County Utah, the son of George Burton and Mary Ann Johnson. He was the fifth child in a family of six, four boys and two girls. he was the second oldest living son. He was a tall man, six feet two inches with black curly hair and blue eyes.

William's parents were emigrants from England having come to America for the Gospel of jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the year 1868. One son, James Thomas, passed away in England before they migrated to America.        

Little Pigeon Mountain

In 1944 George Burton was found dead at his sheep camp. He was 68 years old. He had been herding sheep on the winter range. He and his camp buddy were east of what is now the Salt Flats. They were working their way north to Idaho for the summer. They were camped at Little Pigeon Mountain in March of that year. The camp buddy saw George's horse come back to camp with the reins hanging down. George was nowhere to be seen. He had gone to check on the sheep and never returned. The camp buddy went to search for him and found him not far from where the camp was. His pants were worn as if he'd tried to crawl back to camp. They were reported to be a new pair of overalls. His neck had bruises from being kicked by the horse. His death was reported at this railway station by the camp buddy. Lucin, Utah

Left: Railway cutoff. The train used to run much farther north but this cutoff was made which shortened the distance across the western Utah desert. Lucin Station. Right: George Burton

What remains of the Lucin station as of 2015

Looking out from the trees at Lucin. It is an oasis in the western Utah desert. There are no homes remaining there as of 2015.

Lucin, Utah. There was a small town here in the early part of the 20th century. It died away but was revived when the children of that town grew up and came back in the 1990s to retire there. It is deserted as of 2015.

Little Pigeon Mountain, Utah West Desert

Little Pigeon Mountain from the east side

The view of the west desert. We imagined George returning here every year to run his sheep.

Little Pigeon Mountain

The Sun Tunnels near Little Pigeon Mountain.

William and Caleb Burton

Trip to Weston, Preston and Cleveland Idaho with Devere McKay 2015

Devere McKay, Lori Bagley and Kathy Castleton all descendents of George and Mary Elizabeth Ransom Burton traveled to the sites of our ancestor's homes and graves. Here is a picture story of our journey.

A painting of the log cabin of Mary Elizabeth Ransom and George Burton. Robert Sweeten painted this for Willis Burton. He is from Holbrook, Idaho.( Retired Dentist, now deceased). He knew my brother George& said he took big steps . We went on many horseback rides together. He named his horse Double Ugly. 

photo of the cabin

James and Agnes Ransom

Virginia Burton

Willis Burton

Dad's brothers, Caleb & William also went to Idaho after the death of their father. William lived in Downey, Idaho. Caleb & Dad married Ransom sisters. Wills Burton.

Thatcher, Idaho School

Thatcher, Idaho School

Doors of Thatcher Idaho school

School cupboards

Back wall of school

Thatcher Idaho school

Bear River

Scene of Bear River from The Cleveland Cemetery

Hyrum, Edward and Mary Ransom

Sarah

Annie Ransom

James Rowley Ransom

Agnes E A Ransom

Cleveland Cemetery

Lois and Rulon  Burton

Annie Smith and Rulon Ransom

Mary and Nathan Smith

William R. Burton

Orella Burton

Delma Burton

Mary Elizabeth Ransom and George Burton 

Rulon Burton's home where his mother and sister lived

Bear River

Homestead on the divide

Rock foundation of the barn on the divide

machinery on the divide

Stove from stucco home of George and Mary E R Burton on the divide

Piece of pipe that brought water from the spring to the stucco home of Mary E R and George Burton on the divide. Held by Devere McKay. The rubble is what remains of the stucco home on the divide.

Road leading to the homestead.  A one room school house was here.

We gave up trying to keep the road open. Sleighs drawn by horse was our transportation. Mother would heat rocks in the oven & wrap them in a quilt to help us not get too cold. We went to Thatcher High School in s sleigh. When mother's last baby was due, she, Lincoln & I went to Preston in a sleigh & stayed with Uncle  Caleb & Aunt Agnes Burton. The baby, Delma, only lived about a week. Later, on the way from our home on the Divide to the Cleveland Cemetery, the sleigh tipped over rolling the casket (with Delma in it)  into the snow. I was about 4 years old. Willis Buton.

Elizabeth Rowley Ransom grave

Agnes Elizabeth Austin Ransom

Agnes Elizabeth Austin Ransom

Agnes Elizabeth Austin Ransom

Sketch from the life of Agnes Elizabeth Austin Ransom

Daughter of Agnes McIntier and William Austin, born 17 Gebruary 1861 at Logan, Cache, Utah. Died 24 December 1938 at Preston, Franklin, Idaho, age 77 years old.

Added to this blog by Kathryn Burton Castleton her great, great granddaughter

When I was three years of age, my parents were called to settle Bear Lake Valley. We went to Bloomington, Bear Lake Valley in the spring of 1864. There were only a few families there at that time. The Indians were quite numerous in that valley during the spring and summer months. My father was a good friend of the Indians and also one of the minutemen whose duty it was to guard the women and children from Indian raids. He was in charge of the fast offerings of the church which consisted mostly of food for the use of the poor. The bishop sent the Indians to (our) house whenever they wanted food. They gathered so thickly in and around the house that we children had to sit in one corner. There was not much room to pass in and out of the house.

On one occasion, when the Indians were there, mother noticed that old Chief Pocatello went out, so she followed him and just as she came near, he was in the act of picking Janet up from the ground. Mother called to him and he walked away. His plans were thwarted. The Indians would come from miles to shake hands with father before they left the valley in the fall.