Beautiful Mount Olympus (Peak #19)

Maybe it's because Mount Olympus is home of the gods and is intertwined with Greek Mythology. Or maybe it's because I remember all those commercials from when I was a kid for Mount Olympus Water (a bottled water company in Salt Lake). Or maybe it's because Mount Olympus and it's regal rocky peaks catch the eye from anywhere in the valley.

Whatever the reason, hiking to the top of Mount Olympus has been on my radar for some time. It is not the tallest summit in the Salt Lake portion of the Wasatch Range, but it is certainly one of the most prominent. It is also one of the most sought after.

I had a morning appointment in Salt Lake so I didn't get to the trailhead until just before noon. My timing was perfect because a mid-October snowstorm was set to hit the mountains the following day. One last day of autumn.

Near the trailhead looking back toward the valley.

Beautiful fall colors. 

View of Bonneville Shoreline Trail and Old Mill Golf Course.

Interesting rock layers visible on the trail to Mount Olympus.

Beautiful vistas began immediately into my hike. A slightly elevated location put me high enough to see extensively across the valley. The skyline of downtown Salt Lake protruded above the treetops.

The trail to Mount Olympus continually moved up and up and up. No rest for the weary. Occasionally I passed a hardy trail runner. This path provides excellent exercise and has been dubbed “the eternal Stair Master.”

As I increased in elevation, the color of the scrub oak changed from green to shades of red to bright red to fallen on the ground. The fall colors juxtaposed with the ridges of limestone on the steep mountain slopes created a breathtaking scene.

Trail to Mount Olympus.

Fall foliage juxtaposed with rock. 

I am by no means a geologist, nor do I understand a scintilla of what a geologist understands. Having said that, observation has made me curious about the geologic past of Mount Olympus. There are several strata of rock that run the entire slope of the mountain, protruding at a diagonal angle. The most notable of these are the two peaks of Mount Olympus. Together they create two summits and what one could describe as a giant slide between the two. The southern summit is the one led to by the trail.

The nature of the trail is such that it climbs on the edge of a steep slope or within a ravine in a manner that the summit of Olympus is never clearly visible until one is nearly at the top. Although this fact is very unfortunate, on the other hand, the hiker is very lucky to have splendid views of the valley and adjacent mountain slopes for much of his journey. If he has studied his map the hiker will recognize Twin Peaks and Lone Peak in the distance.

As I have noted, the entire hike is steep. It starts as an average uphill slope, but as distance moves forward, the pitch becomes even more challenging. Especially as I got to the two and a half mile mark, I stopped about every other minute to catch a breather and rest my thighs.

First view of Mount Olympus.

Rugged terrain south and east of the trail.

At the three-mile mark the long, tedious uphill trail levels out. Here the viewpoint opens up and the south summit of Mount Olympus is clearly in sight. The trail comes to a ridge where on the right side is a very deep mountain canyon, and beyond that are layers of mountain, each ridge behind the next one.

It was here that I sized up the next stage of my hike. This would be a stage-3 climb to the summit. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I hoped that it wasn't too difficult or dangerous (since I'm scared of heights). I was told that there was no one “true” way to the top and that each hiker would likely find a slightly different route.

Class 3 climb to the summit.

I also hoped that by this point there would be several other hikers up here that I could follow. That was very far from reality. There was no one else up here. I passed someone coming down, but other than that, I was up here by myself.

Although there was no distinct trail beyond this point, there were places on the rock where obviously more people had traveled. It wasn't too hard to look ahead and guess where to go. Much of it I simply walked, but there were also parts where I used my hands, feet and knees to ascend a sloping rock face. I picked my way to the top using educated guesses.

From summit looking south towards Broads Fork Twin Peaks and Lone Peak.

From summit looking east.

From summit looking north toward North Peak of Mount Olympus and SLC in distance.

From summit looking west into Salt Lake Valley.

The views on top were outstanding! Not only did I have a grand view of the valley and the aforementioned peaks, but also of the north and northeast sides of the peak, both of which dropped precipitously. The north side particularly caught my attention as it was the “slide” I mentioned earlier. The north summit sat within view, its south face very sheer, with a chasm between the two.

The summit consisted of large boulders and no one place that was particularly smooth. The way the boulders were stacked I was extra careful not to drop anything small because it could have easily slipped inside a crack and be lost forever.

Summit of Mount Olympus.

Close up of North Mount Olympus and downtown Salt Lake and Utah Capitol Building.

The climb to the top (3.3 miles) took me 3 hours and 12 minutes. Although it was steep and grueling, there was no bushwhacking to contend with. For the 20 minutes I spent on the summit, I didn't see another soul.

The hike down took on a slightly different, but enjoyable nature of its own. The light now inched toward the western horizon, which cast a varied look of the mountain. Some of the leaves near the trail lost their luster, while those on the distant slopes seemed to deepen in vibrancy. Thunder clouds now hovered over the valley and beams of light in some places crept out of the clouds and glistened.

Lone Peak, Bighorn Peak and maybe Pheifferhorn (to my inexperienced eye).

I passed a weary lady on her way up with her two hunting dogs, one of which wore a Garmin tracker. I talked to another lady, this one with a British accent, who was also on her way up, but worried of the increasingly ominous storm clouds. Although I didn't say anything, my biggest worry for her was darkness that would surely come before she reached the summit.

A younger man, probably in college, passed me coming down the trail. I noticed the backpack full of rope and a climber's helmet. I asked him where he'd been and he told me of the “West Slab,” which I believe is the far side of Olympus where the more adventurous climbers ascend the steep rock to the top.

Downtown Salt Lake City.

By the time I returned to my car I had been away six and a half hours. It was a very satisfying hike. Views along the trail and at the summit were excellent. All in all, I would say it was one of the better hikes I've done this summer. ♠

Mount Olympus

Distance from car (one way): 3.3 miles

Elevation gain: 4,202 feet

Final elevation: 9,018 feet

Salt Lake City Cemetery (Part 2)

The Salt Lake City Cemetery is by far the most historic graveyard in Utah. Anyone familiar with the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will recognize numerous Apostles, Prophets, and other prominent figures. Additionally, there are hundreds of lay pioneers buried alongside their ecclesiastical leaders. Catholics and Jews also have their own sections near the Mormons. 

The cemetery covers over 150 acres and has 9 ½ miles of roads. It is one of the largest city-operated cemeteries in the United States. It lies in the Avenues of Salt Lake City, up in the foothills. The first burial was of a child, Mary Wallace, in 1849. 

The last time I visited the Salt Lake City Cemetery was in search of my own ancestor, John Workman. As far as I knew, he was my only relative buried here. But once I got home, I quickly learned I was wrong—I had four more. Now it was my turn to find the graves of Samuel and Phoebe Merrill, and John and Mary Snider. 

And there was more to explore. Last time I had barely scratched the surface of what there was to see. Jenna and I set out in early November after a doctor's appointment at the Huntsman Cancer Center. As fate would have it, we were hit with an early winter snowstorm, covering headstones and fall leaves in a blanket of wet powder. 

Samuel and Phoebe Merrill.

Grave marker for the Merrill family.

It didn't take long to find the graves of my fifth-great-grandparents, Samuel and Phoebe Merrill. A large stone monument marks the plots of several family members. Phoebe died in 1862 and Samuel sixteen years later. A son-in-law, Thomas Williams, constructed the memorial. He included two of his own children that died in 1850 and 1853, as well as a brother. 

Samuel and Phoebe were of hardy pioneer stock, having joined the church in its infancy in 1838. They were baptized by another ancestor of mine, Joel Hills Johnson. They lived in Nauvoo, Illinois and were acquainted with the prophet, Joseph Smith, with whom Samuel traded horses. After the prophet's martyr, they migrated westward with the Saints, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Samuel was in his late sixties at the time. Of Phoebe it was said she “had a reputation for discovering sick or discouraged people and nursing them back to good health. Her talent made her a great asset to the Church in its early years." 

Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Gravestone of Temperance Bond Mack.

One of the many headstones that caught my attention was that of Temperance Mack Bond, who had died in 1850 at the age of 79. There was something that stood out to me, but I didn't know what it was. After returning home I did some research and leaned that she was the sister-in-law of Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the prophet, Joseph. 

As far as I can tell, Temperance was the only sibling in the Mack family to make the trip west with Brigham Young and the Saints. She didn't convert to the church until in her seventies. According to her own words: “I had full confidence in Lucy Mack Smith when she told me that her son had a vision and talked to God.” 

Temperance traveled to Utah with her daughter Almira and husband, Benjamin Covey. Temperance would pass away just two years after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, never again seeing her other children. Through her daughter, Almira, there would be many faithful members of the church brought into this world. One of her direct descendants is Stephen Covey, a famous author, businessman and motivational speaker. 

Family plot for the Hunter family.

Further up on the slopes of the cemetery, I found another memorial that caught my attention. The name “Hunter” was etched along a vertical slab of stone and it sat inside of a family plot with other markers covered in snow. Hunter is a common name in Utah, and I wondered if by chance this man was the patriarch of them all. I stepped closer to the stone to catch the full name. It was Edward Hunter, who died in 1883. 

As with most buried in this cemetery, I knew this man had numerous untold stories and descendants as the sands of the sea. A succinct biography of Edward Hunter from the website, Find a Grave, reads: “Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Baptized by Orson Hyde, he sold all his land and possessions, moved to Nauvoo, and gave all to the Prophet Joseph. He also served for some time as one of Joseph's many bodyguards. At the time of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, he helped hide the bodies for fear of desecration by enemies of the Church. At the death of his dear friend Bishop Newel K. Whitney, Bishop Hunter was ordained Presiding Bishop by President Brigham Young and Apostle Heber C. Kimball. He then selected these two men as his counselors in the Bishopric. He also helped lay the cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple.” 

Headstone of Caleb Baldwin.

I had an experience several years ago with an older gentleman on my mail route. His name was Ben Baldwin and when I asked him about his roots, he began to speak fondly of his great-grandfather, Caleb Baldwin. As he spoke, a tear came to his eye. It wasn't a tear of sadness, but of love. He spoke of his great-grandfather being a valiant and faithful man. Then he added that Caleb spent four months in Liberty Jail with Joseph Smith in 1838. During that time Joseph used him as a scribe to pen several letters to the Saints. 

As I roamed the Salt Lake Cemetery that day, I came across Caleb Baldwin's grave. A smile came to my face and I thought of Ben and the admiration he had for his grandfather. 

I also recognized the name of Caleb Haight. He died in 1851, shortly after he arrived in the valley. He was the father of Hector Haight, one of the original settlers of Farmington, Utah, as well as Isaac Haight, one of the primary culprits in the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Grave of Caleb Haight.

Reynolds Cahoon.

The name “Reynolds Cahoon” rang familiar to me, and I knew that I had read it in the Doctrine and Covenants, a sacred book of scripture for members of the Mormon faith. In D&C 61:35 it reads: “And let them journey together, or two by two, as seemeth them good, only let my servant Reynolds Cahoon, and my servant Samuel H. Smith, with whom I am well pleased, be not separated until they return to their homes, and this for a wise purpose.” 

There's another interesting story about Reynolds Cahoon. In 1834 while living in Kirtland, Ohio, Reynolds' wife bore him a son. One day, as Joseph Smith was passing by, Reynolds called him and asked if he would bless and name his baby. The Prophet then did so and gave the name “Mahonri Moriancumer” to the child. When the blessing was over, he turned to Reynolds and told him that the name he gave his son was that of the Brother of Jared. Up until this time, the name of the Brother of Jared had been revealed to no one in the church. 

James E. Talmage.

Headstone of Apostle James E. Talmage.

The snow began to drop at a faster pace and our shoes were now becoming saturated in cold wetness as we meandered through the memorials. There, in a large stone of marble, now becoming difficult to read because of large white flakes, sat the headstone for James E. Talmage. The inscription reads: “1862 – 1933; EDUCATOR, SCIENTIST, APOSTLE; 'Within the gospel of Jesus Christ there is room and place for every truth thus far learned by man, or yet to be made known.' - J.E.T.” 

In the church, Talmage is known for authoring the influential book, Jesus the Christ. During the year of 1914 he was given a room in the Salt Lake Temple where he studied and wrote the book. It took him seven months to complete the writing and he wrote it all in longhand, using a pencil. 

Archibald Gardner, patriarch of a large family.

The headstone of Archibald Gardner caught my attention. It is well known that in the early days of the LDS Church that some members practiced plural marriage. It wasn't uncommon for a man to have two or three wives. But Archibald Gardner, judging from his headstone, had eleven! Six are buried next to him in Salt Lake while the others are buried elsewhere. 

He was born in Scotland in 1814, and died in Salt Lake in 1902. The bottom of the marker quotes a portion of his Patriarchal Blessing: “A posterity shall keep thy name in remembrance forever.” 

View of Salt Lake City Cemetery, looking north.

Burial plot of Hosea Stout.

One common theme I saw as I roamed the lawns of the cemetery was the sheer amount of pioneers who were with the Saints in the early days of the church. Another such person was Hosea Stout. He is an important person in the history of the church because of his diligent effort in keeping a daily journal. He was an eyewitness to many early events. 

Having joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just a few years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, Hosea Stout was a fiercely faithful member of the church. He had many personal assignments which gave him close contact with high-up leaders. He was one of many body guards to Joseph Smith. In 1851 he served a mission to Hong Kong, in which he dedicated the land of China to missionary work. 

Orrin Porter Rockwell.

Perhaps the most infamous burial in the cemetery is that of Orrin Porter Rockwell, also known as “The Destroying Angel.” Rockwell, who was also one of the earliest members of the church, never learned to read or write, yet he was one of the most loyal defenders of Joseph Smith. There are many stories and legends of him protecting the prophet from those who would do him harm.

He was large and powerful with long flowing hair. On Christmas of 1843, he was given a blessing by Joseph Smith that if he never cut his hair then “no bullet nor blade can harm thee.” This colorful figure in Mormon history has been the subject of numerous books and movies. It took us a while to find his grave, but it ended up being not too far from my grandparents, Samuel and Phoebe Merrill.

Porter Rockwell, one of the most notorious people buried in the cemetery.

Occasionally a headstone will literally tell a story. Such is the case of Joseph Standing, a missionary for the church who was murdered in 1879. A five-foot monument reads: “Martyred for the testimony of Jesus Christ, while with Elder Rudger Clawson, through whose heroism the body was afterward rescued, July 21st 1879, Varnell Station, Whitfield County, Georgia, by an armed mob of twelve men . . . His murderers were indicted and two of them tried, the first on a charge of murder and the other for riot. Through bigotry and prejudice, both were acquitted. Evidence of guilt was not lacking, but the assassins boasted, 'There is no law in Georgia for the Mormons.'” 

Telling headstone of Joseph Standing.

Further up on the hill, next to a narrow cemetery road, stands a very tall obelisk commemorating John Taylor and his family. He became the third President of the Church in 1880. 

A notable story of John Taylor came in 1844 at Carthage Jail. A mob of some 200 men with painted faces broke into the second floor of the jail where Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Willard Richards and John Taylor were being held. Amidst a storm of gunfire, the Prophet and his brother were killed. Taylor received several bullets in his arms and legs, but there was one potentially fatal ball that struck and was stopped by the watch in his breast pocket. Although seriously wounded, John Taylor would live another forty three years to the old age of 78. 

Distant view of John Taylor's grave and family plot.

Close-up of John Taylor's headstone.

John Snider.

If you recall, I had one last grave I had to locate: that of my fifth-great-grandparents, John and Mary Snider. Being a flat stone and probably covered in snow, it was a little more difficult to find. We knew it was in section five. With a little perseverance, we finally stumbled across it. 

It is fascinating to learn how much the early pioneers were intertwined. As I studied the life of John and Mary Snider, I became aware that their entrance into the Mormon faith came alongside future prophet, John Taylor. 

In 1833, Taylor served as a Methodist minister in Toronto, Canada. He led a group called “Students of the Scriptures,” which sought an increased understanding of the truth. The Sniders were a part of this group. They were searching for a true church that had signs of the primitive church, namely prophets, apostles, evangelists and gifts of wisdom, faith, tongues, healings and other manifestations. 

About this time, Heber C. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, delivered a prophecy to Parley P. Pratt that there were people in upper Canada who would receive the gospel and would be baptized. Many miracles occurred as he made his way to Toronto. Here he taught many people, including those in this small group. Eventually, John Taylor and the Sniders were baptized, which would change the course of their lives. 

Wet gravestone of John and Mary Snider.

Having now found the final resting place of John and Mary Snider, I was satisfied with our sojourn in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Besides, our toes were becoming numb in the wet snow and we had a long drive home. 

It's always a humbling experience to walk among the graves of those who gave everything for a cause in which they strongly believed. Their lives were filled with acts of faith.  They were impoverished by worldly standards, but found deep joy in the gospel. This land I walked on was hallowed ground. ♠ 

 

Link: Salt Lake City Cemetery (Part 1)
 

Salt Lake City Cemetery

Oh ye mountains high, where the clear blue sky 

Arches over the vales of the free. 

Where the pure breezes blow and the clear streamlets flow, 

How I've longed to your bosom to flee! 

O Zion! Dear Zion! land of the free! 

Now my own mountain home, unto three I have come; 

All my fond hopes are centered in thee.

—Oh Ye Mountains High, by Charles W. Penrose. Included in LDS Hymnal.
 

During July of 1847 the first Mormon wagon trains began rolling down Emigration Canyon of the Wasatch Mountains into the Salt Lake Valley. They had been driven from their homes by mobs in Illinois and Missouri and sought a refuge where they could worship in peace. 

These were hardy and faithful pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religion formed just 15 years earlier by Joseph Smith, a man they revered as Prophet. The young man, Joseph, visited with angels and translated an ancient record that became known as the Book of Mormon. Thousands of converts from the eastern United States and Europe joined the young religion. 

Old church on the south side of the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Flanked by snow-capped mountains on their eastern edge, they began to build a city. They laid out streets, built small adobe or log homes, diverted water and planted crops. They also began construction of a magnificent temple. This would be a place where the Saints could gather and gain strength. This would be their Zion. 

But as sure as the sun comes up, it didn't take long before the first deaths occurred in the valley. On August 11, three-year old Milton Therlkill drowned in a pond that had been dammed along City Creek. In September, Caroline Grant died of cholera 75 miles east of Salt Lake on her trek west. Her body was brought to the valley for burial. Two weeks later Nancy O'Neil Rich, mother of Charles Rich, died of pneumonia. She is memorialized as the first white woman to die in the valley. They were buried in a field outside the new fort. 

A year later on September 27, 1848, the young daughter of George and Melisssa Wallace passed away. Instead of burying her down by the fort, her father chose to inter her body in a place more secluded on the east bench. The lot was owned by a relative, Daniel Wallace. A month later, an infant son of the Wallace's died and was buried next to his sister. Other people followed suit and soon there were several burials at this site in the foothills. 

In 1849 a committee was selected and it was decided that this site in the foothills would become the permanent city cemetery. George Wallace was appointed sexton. All burials from that time forward were to be interred in the new cemetery. With exception of a few, many of the previous burials were exhumed and relocated to the new burial ground. 

Graves of Francis Armstrong and his family.

Nowadays the Salt Lake City Cemetery is mammoth in size and is one of the largest city-owned cemeteries in the United States. It covers 150 acres and has 9 ½ miles of roads. 

To an outsider, the Salt Lake Cemetery may seem average. But to anyone who has an inkling of the history of the Mormon Church, this cemetery is dense with prominent figures. From Apostles to Prophets, to poets and architects, this cemetery is a treasure trove. 

Until now, I had only been to the cemetery once. That was twenty years ago and I longed to return. On a recent trip to the city, my wife was kind enough to let me visit again. 

The cemetery is located in “The Avenues” of Salt Lake. It's a beautiful area with many old homes and a few steep roads. My father-in-law grew up here. It is a place where people of all faiths, or no faith, can take walks and enjoy the peace. 

I parked on the side of the road and began walking randomly toward the north. The first thing that struck me was how many burials were from the 1800's. A lot! I knew that all these people were pioneers, contributing to the cause in their own special way. 

It didn't take long to find the first familiar name: Truman O. Angell. Anyone who knows just a smidgen of Church History knows that Truman O. Angell was the architect of the Salt Lake Temple, which is probably the most historical structure in Utah. Born in Rhode Island, Angell joined the church at age 23. He quickly immersed himself in the work of the church by serving a mission and helping the construction of some early church buildings. He came west with the Saints, having buried three children along the way. He arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and Brigham Young appointed him as the church architect. It is interesting that during the construction of the temple, Young sent him to Europe to study the designs of buildings over there. Consequently, the Salt Lake Temple looks more like a European cathedral than any other temple. Additionally, Angell designed several other buildings and temples for the church. 

Truman O. Angell.

To understand Mormon culture is to understand the reverence that is paid to their leaders. The highest of those leaders is the President of the Church, also known as Prophet, Seer and Revelator. There have only been 17 of them since the founding of the church in 1830. The majority are buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. 

As I walked through the stone grave markers I came across several Prophets. The first was Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the church, serving until his death in 1898. He was noted for issuing “The Manifesto,” the document which ended plural marriage in the church. 

Grave of Wilford Woodruff, fourth President of the church.

I also passed by the graves of several members of the Smith family, including Joseph F. Smith, his son Joseph Fielding Smith, and a distant cousin, George Albert Smith. All of these are related, but not directly descended from church founder Joseph Smith. 

The tomb of George Albert reads: “He understood and disseminated the teachings of Christ and was uncommonly successful in putting them into practice. He was kindly, patient, wise, tolerant, and understanding. He went about doing good.” 

Graves of Joseph Fielding Smith and family.

George Albert Smith.

With great joy I came across the grave of Thomas S. Monson, sixteenth president of the church. Of all the familiar burials I encountered this day, his was the only one I had seen or met in person. He didn't pass away until 2018. As a friend of my wife's grandmother, he came to her husband's funeral and it was there that I shook his hand. He was a very personable man. 

Graves of Thomas Spencer Monson and wife, Frances.

Although the Prophet Brigham Young was buried separately in a location downtown, one of his plural wives, Harriett Amelia Folsom Young, is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. She died 33 years after her husband and bears a large tombstone over her grave. Tributes describe her as tall, queenly, intelligent, of a fair complexion, and an accomplished pianist and vocalist. 

Another wife of a a famous pioneer was Mary Garn, the wife of Lot Smith (no relation to Joseph). I don't know much about Mary, but Lot was a leader of the Militia and fought in battles against the Indians. He was killed by a Navajo near Tuba City, Arizona in 1892. 

Harriett Amelia Folsom Young, plural wife of Brigham Young.

Buried relatively close to each other are Apostles Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow. It is interesting how the path of these two men intertwined throughout the history of the church. Orson Pratt was the first to join the church. He was ordained an elder and served a mission where he met and taught Erastus Snow. Pratt became an apostle first, being one of the original twelve ordained under the hands of Joseph Smith. He was also a writer, historian, philosopher, and mathematician. In 1847 he used his math skills to design an “odometer” that would measure the distance traveled on the trek west, via the rotation of the wagon wheel. He and Erastus Snow were the first Mormons to enter the Salt Lake Valley, arriving three days ahead of the vanguard group. In 1860 they served a mission together in the Eastern States.

Orson Pratt, one of the original twelve apostles ordained by Joseph Smith.

Erastus Snow.

Another Apostle buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery is George Q. Cannon. The Q stands for “Quayle” and even today in Utah you will occasionally find the same middle name, usually given in honor of George Q. He was one of the first missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands and became an apostle after the murder of Parley P. Pratt. 

In addition to church leaders, there were many headstones honoring those of lay members. One such person that stood out was Moses Deming, who died in 1871. It was obvious that a newer headstone had replaced the older one. His obituary in the Deseret News stated: “He embraced the gospel in Michigan, and has been in Utah about eighteen years. He died in full faith in the gospel and leaves a large family and a numerous circle of friends to deplore his death.” 

George Q. Cannon.

Moses Deming, an ordinary pioneer buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

But of all the graves I sought the most to find in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, it was that of my great-great-great-great-grandfather, John Workman. The only other time I came to this cemetery—20 or so years ago—I came across his grave, feeling lucky to find it out of the thousands. Back then it had the original headstone, falling apart and nearly illegible. Since then they have replaced it. 

John Workman was the first in his family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They were living in Overton County Tennessee when two Mormon Elders sought to lodge in their home. Never turning away a traveler in need of food and rest, they welcomed the Elders. John found the message taught by the Elders had struck a familiar chord. 

They were baptized and eventually moved to Nauvoo to join the Saints. There they were persecuted strongly by the mob and eventually his wife, Lydia, succumbed to the persecution and died. She was buried in the Nauvoo Cemetery. 

After being driven from Nauvoo by the mob, John Workman and his family migrated west to the Salt Lake Valley where he died just three years later.  His new headstone lists all 20 of his children! 

Graves of John Workman, Mary Chidester (great-granddaughter), Abram (grandson) and Julia (granddaughter-in-law) Workman.

Salt Lake Temple icon is a popular engraving on LDS headstones.

I continued to wander the cemetery. There was too much to take in and too little time. It was interesting to note that many of the modern headstones had engravings of the Salt Lake Temple, whose designer, Truman O. Angell, was buried just a short distance away. 

Not too far beyond the graves of Mormon pioneers there is a Jewish section. Technically, I believe, it is a different cemetery, named the B'nai Israel Cemetery. There were no fences and no signs to distinguish it from the grander Salt Lake City Cemetery. Here the headstones were marked with different symbolism, usually the Star of David or menorah. Gravestones tended to be placed closer together, similar to those I had seen in pictures of Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. Writing on these markers came in English, Hebrew, and sometimes Arabic. 

It seems like the Jews make their mark just about everywhere, and Utah was no exception. The first Jewish families came to Salt Lake during the 1850's. They built buildings and contributed to the community. In 1869, Brigham Young offered them land for the purpose of constructing a cemetery. From 1917 to 1921, Simon Bamberger, a Jew, was Governor of Utah. He is buried in the B'nai Israel Cemetery. 

The B'Nai Israel Cemetery is located next to the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Headstone with various languages, including Arabic and Hebrew.

Like I stated earlier, the Salt Lake City Cemetery is huge. I could come back every day for a year and find something new each time. There are other Jewish sections, as well as a Catholic cemetery. An hour and a half was certainly not enough time to see all I wanted. 

Toward the end of my wanderings, I came across the large headstone of another familiar name: Charles W. Penrose. If you recall, at the beginning of this writing I included the first verse of his beloved hymn, Oh Ye Mountains High. Penrose was born in London and joined the church in 1850 at the age of eighteen. He was immediately called to serve a mission in England and it was there that he penned this hymn—before he even set foot in the Salt Lake Valley. He later emigrated to Utah and in 1904 was ordained an Apostle. 

As I left the cemetery, I envisioned it laid out like a giant quilt. It was a patchwork, with everyone faithful and diligent in their own little section, but when sewn together, helping to create something bigger than themselves. I was only able to identify a few of the bigger “patches.” I knew that this cemetery was full of smaller, anonymous patches who came to Zion and did their part, but would never be known but to a few of their own descendants. ♠

 

Grave of Charles W. Penrose.