Pioneer Day is quickly approaching; I just love an excuse to shoot off fireworks!
Even though in Utah we’ll all be enjoying a day off work filled with exciting parades and flashy fireworks, there is a deeper meaning behind our celebration. It’s a time for us to remember our heritage.
Our Mormon pioneer ancestors taught great lessons of courage, faith, devotion, commitment and sacrifice through their example. All we have to do is open a journal from yesteryear.
I did that the other day. My extended family is amazing with keeping journals and telling stories. My mother’s brother, Mike, is probably one of the best family historians — but I’m not biased. For the past I-don’t-know-how-many years, he’s been compiling our family history.
As I was thumbing through its pages, I came across an amazing story of the familial bonds of love. Doing a little research and fact checking, I was amazed to find a number of similar accounts online of the same story.
In 1846, Meltiar Hatch (my fourth-great grandfather) was recruited into the Mormon Battalion. Since the loss of his parents, Meltiar felt compelled to look out for his younger brother, and convinced the company to enlist Orin as well.
During their enlistment, the company would marched daily, often for many miles, toward California. The arduous and consistent marching, along with the difficult tasks they were required to do, would often leave the soldiers very weak by day’s end.
Orin, who was only 16 at the time, became very ill during the trek. The weary traveling weakened his body and he contracted a fever, which left him unfit to continue the march. Tending to his needs would only stifle the company’s pace.
Seeing the strain the young boy inflicted on the whole company, the commanding officer ordered that Orin be left behind.
Just as the company was leaving, Meltiar promised his brother that he would return.
That evening, and after a lengthy trip, Meltiar and a close friend retraced the soldiers’ march with the hope of finding young Orin where they had left him. With their help, Orin made it back to camp later that night.
The next day, the commanding officer was shocked to see Orin — still infirm. Again, the officer ordered that Orin be left by the wayside. But, Meltiar’s determination to protect his brother was unwavering, and returned to assist his brother again the following evening.
These events repeated for a few days before the officer, seeing Meltiar’s commitment to his brother, offered his horse until Orin was well enough to march with the company.
Our ancestors may be gone, but their legacies live on forever within us. Enjoy your Pioneer Day.
Blogger’s Note: A more complete account of this story was originally published in the July 1994 Friend magazine.