Hyrum James Dennis

HYRUM JAMES DENNIS Hyrum James Dennis, born Dec. 27, 1843 at Lloyd's Mill, Hancock County, Illinois, was the son of Philip and Mary Hayes Dennis. His father worked at Lloyd's Mill. When Hyrum was nine months old, his father died. Just two weeks later his mother died at Nauvoo, leaving him, an orphan. Mary Dennis died the week ending 16 Sept. 1844 at the age of 32. Mary had worked for Mr. and Mrs. William E. Horner before her marriage and when Mary knew she was going to die, she asked the Horners if they would take her baby with them to Utah and not let him die. In 1848, when Hyrum was five years old, he came to Utah with the Horner family. When he was 15 years old, they settled in Springville, Utah. His foster father ran the Houtz Grist Mill, and taught Hyrum the trade. From Springville they moved to Provo and ran the mill for five years. They were friends of the Hoover family and were identified with them in the milling trade. Hyrum always went by the name of Horner, not knowing the difference. He soon met a sweet 17 year old orphan girl who had a 12 year old brother to care for. Her name was Claudia Jones, daughter of Captain Dan Jones and Jane Melling. When Hyrum told the Horners that he was going to be married, Mrs. Horner thought it best that he be told concerning his real identity. It came as quite a shock to him, as he had known nothing of it before. Hyrum and Claudia were married in 1866 in Provo, Utah but for many years they went by the name of Horner. People called them Claudy and Hy Horner. Their first two children were born in Provo: Mary Jane, born 27 June 1867, and William Albert, born 4 April 1869. In 1869 families were colonizing the Wasatch Valley. William E. Horner and family decided to settle there. Hyrum and Claudia and their two babies went with them. They settled in Midway where the two of them ran a grist mill. In 1871 the Horners moved to Heber, and ran the Hatch Mill until the Bonner Brothers took it over. During the Indian uprising, Hyrum went with others as a guard at Promontory Point working when the Golden Spike was driven. He often told of the celebration that was held there at that time. In 1855 Hyrum took up a farm two miles south of Midway. He also ran the mill a year or two longer. Then they went to Helper, Carbon County to put up ice for the railroad. Here they remained during the depression of President Cleveland's time. The Dennis family lived in a tent by the side of the road with very few worldly goods, but may people stopped by for a kind word and a bite to eat. Later they went back to the farm. During the time they lived in Midway, six more children were born to them, five boys and a girl: Hyrum James born 5 March 1871, Midway, Wasatch, Utah Daniel Joseph born 13 April 1873, Midway Wasatch, Utah Philip born 15 September 1875 American Fork Canyon, Wasatch, Utah Robert Ernest born 26 March 1879 American Fork Canyon, Wasatch, Utah Edward Ray born 10 July American Fork Canyon, Wasatch, Utah Claudia Merling born 3 December 1885 American Fork Canyon, Wasatch, Utah Many was the time that Hyrum would give away the last bit of flour to someone in need. Then Claudia would have to borrow from a neighbor until some more flour could be made. In 1898 Hyrum sold the farm and bought a home at 55 East 600 North in Provo. Claudia had been sick for some time; hence, the move was made to Provo to enable her to have the badly needed doctor's care. Her death occurred 9 Dec 1903 at Provo. Hyrum stayed in Provo until 1905 when he and his son, Dan, took up land in Myton, Duchesne County. His daughter Mary Jane, and son-in-law, Lorenzo H. Ewell, had taken up land at Mt. Home, Utah 14 miles north of Duchesne. They lived with Hyrum the first winter before going to Mt. Home. After a few years of pioneering there, Hyrum went back to Provo, where he lived with his daughter, Merling Dennis Clyde, until she moved to Beaver. Then he lived with his son, William, who had lost his wife and was left with four boys. In the fall of 1917, Hyrum had a stroke and was bedfast for some time. His daughter, Mary, came to take care of him until he died Sept. 22, 1917. He was buried beside his wife in the Provo City Cemetery. HISTORY OF HYRUM JAMES DENNIS by Merling Dennis Clyde Hyrum James Dennis was born 27 December 1843 at Lloyd's Mill, Hancock County, Illinois. His father's name was Phillip Dennis and his mother's name Mary Hayes. Phillip was a blacksmith at Lloyd's Mill. When Hyrum was nine months old, his father died, and two weeks later his mother, at Nauvoo, Illinois, leaving their first and only child an orphan. (The only obtainable record is Ref. 18 September 1844, Nauvoo Neighbor Newspaper. "Died Mary Dennis, week ending September 16, 1844 age 32 years.") As Hyrum would have been nine months at that time, we consider that to be Mary Hayes Dennis. She had worked before marriage for Captain William Horner and Nancy his wife. When Mary knew she could not live, she gave her young babe to the Horners, telling them to bring him to Utah with them and "not let him die." At five years of age, Hyrum came to Utah with his foster-parents (He was never adopted). When he was 15 (1858) they moved to Springville, Utah where Horner ran the Houtz Grist Mill and taught Hyrum the trade. From there they moved to Provo, where they ran a mill for five years. They were great friends of the John Hoover family and were identified with them in the milling trade

HYRUM WAS BLESSED BY HYRUM SMITH. ON BAPTISM THERE ARE TWO DATES: 3 Oct 1852 Also known by last name of Horner because they raised him after his parents died. BIOGRAPHY OF HYRUM JAMES DENNIS (Written by Merling Dennis Clyde, his daughter, of Camp Fort, Utah Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Provo, Utah) Hyrum James Dennis was born December 27, 1843 at Lloyd's Mill, Hancock County, Illinois. His father's name was Phillip Dennis and his mother's name was Mary Hayes. Phillip was a blacksmith at Lloyd's Mill. When Hyrum was nine months old, His father died, and two weeks later his mother, at Nauvoo, Illinois, leaving Hyrum, their first and only child, an orphan. (The only obtainable record is Ref., 18 September 1844, aged Neighbor Newspaper. "Died, Mary Dennis, week ending September 16, 1844, age 32 years.) As Hyrum would have been nine months at that time, we consider that to be Mary Hayes Dennis. She worked before marriage for Captain William Horner and Nancy his wife. When Mary knew she would not live, she gave her young babe to the Horners, telling them to bring him to Utah with them, and "Not let him die." At five years of age, Hyrum came to Utah with his foster parents. (He was never adopted). When he was 15 (1858) they moved to Springville, Utah where Horner ran the Houtz Grist Mill and taught Hyrum the trade. From there they moved to Provo where they ran a mill for five years. They were great friends of the John Hoover family and were identified with them in the milling trade. In 1866, Hyrum met and married Claudia Jones, daughter of Captain Dan and Jane Melling Jones. Bishop William Miller married them. Claudia was seventeen, an orphan with a brother Dan five years younger. Their first child, Mary Jane, was born June 27, 1867 at Provo, Utah. The second child, William Albert, was born April 4, 1869. Hyrum was working with his father Horner in the grist mill and standing guard around the old Fork Provo, but the Indians become so troublesome they had to move into the Bowery with five other families, leaving the mill. At this time families were colonizing Wasatch Valley. This place attracted William E. Horner and in 1869 he moved his family there. Hyrum and Claudia with their two babies went with them. They located at the lover settlement of Midway, where the two of them ran a grist mill. On account of the Indians the two settlements, North and South were put together and called Midway, where it now stand today. In July, 1871, Horner moved to Heber where he ran the Hatch Mill. Hyrum continued on in Midway, running the James Ross Grist Mill for years until Bonner Brothers took it over. Six more children were born to Hyrum and Claudia, as follows: Hyrum James, 1871; Daniel Joseph, 1873; Phillip, 1875; Robert Ernest, 1879; Edward Ray, 1882; Claudia Merling, 1885. During the Indian uprising, Hyrum went with others to Echo Canyon as a guard, and was at Promontory Point working when the Golden Spike was driven. When he went to be married to Claudia, Mrs. Horner told him of his real parents, that they, the Horner's were only his foster ones, which was a great shock. But it was better to be married under his own name of Hyrum James Dennis. But it was not so easy to establish it; people who speak of them even today lovingly call them Hy and Claudy Horner. It was a hardship to me when I, their youngest child, used to go for mail to that little one room post office, the postmaster would squint his one bad eye, cock his head and glare at me through the tiny window with his good eye, then rum through the packet of letters and whine, "Horner and Dennis, Horner and Dennis." I'd wish my name was Smith, but Hy and Claudy were loved by the entire Valley. People would pass by the other mills to come to Father's because he made the best flour, but Mother said it was because he was so generous. He would feel sorry for them and not take out his portion of the grist. She often had to borrow a pan of flour from the neighbors to tide them over until he felt them well enough off to pay. He would give his last dime or the shirt from his back to others less fortunate. But father would retort they came to get some of Mother's perfect biscuits, and native black current preserves or fresh thing from his garden, for they would often bring their families and stay for days if the mill happened to break down. It was the same at threshing time. They took up a farm two miles sough of Midway, built a home on it, moving there in the fall of 1881. Hyrum continued to run the mill a year or two longer, than went to farming. They went o Helper, Carbon County to put up ice for the railroad. They were there when Cox's Army went through. This was during the great depression of President Cleveland's time. Hyrum and Claudia and family lived in a tent by the side of the road, with none too much worldly goods, and there were hundreds of men tramping by looking for work. But each hungry man that stopped by their door received a bit to eat and a cheering word. Going back to the Valley they stayed on the farm until 2898 when they moved to Provo so Mother could be under good Doctor's care. She died in Aird Hospital, December 9, 1903, was buried in Provo Cemetery. Hyrum continued to live at 55 East 600 North; Provo until 1905 then we went to the Uintah Basin to pioneer with his son Daniel and family. Returning to my home in Grandview Ward, he died there September 22, 1917, of a Cerebral Hemorrhage. He was buried beside his wife in the Provo City Cemetary. In 1869 families were colonizing Wasatch Valley/ William E. Horner and family decided to settle there. Hyrum and Claudia and their two babies went with them. They settled in Midway where the two of them ran a grist mill. In 1871 the Horners moved to Heber, and ran the Hatch Mill until the Bonner Brothers took it over. During the Indian uprising, Hyrum went with others as a guard at Promontory Point working when the Golden Spike was driven. He often told of the celebration that was held there at that time. In 1855 Hyrum took up a farm two miles south of Midway. He also ran the mill a year of two longer. Then they went to Helper, Carbon Co, to put up ice for the railroad. Here they remained during the depression of President Cleveland's time. The Dennis family lived in a tent by the side of the road with very few worldly goods, but many people stopped by for a kind word and a bite to eat. Later they went back to the farm. During the time that they lived in Midway, six more children were born to them-five bys and a girl. Many were the time that Hyrum would give away the last bit of flour to someone in need. They Claudia would have to borrow from a neighbor until some more flour could be made. In 1898 Hyrum sold the farm and bought a home at 55 East 600 North in Provo. Claudia had been sick for sometime; hence, the move was made to Provo to enable her to have the badly needed doctor's care. Her death occurred 9 Dec 1903 at Provo. Hyrum stayed in Provo until 1905 when he and his son, Daniel, took up land in Myton, Duchesne Co. His daughter, Mary Jane, and son-in-law Lorenzo H. Ewell, had taken up land at Mt. Home, Utah, 14 miles north of Duchesne. They lived with Hyrum the first winter before going to Mt. Home. After a few years of pioneering there, Hyrum went back to Provo, where he lived with his daughter Merling Dennis Clyde, until she moved to Beaver. Then he lived with his son, William, who had lost his wife and was left with four boys. In the fall of 1917, Hyrum had a stroke and was bedfast for some time. His daughter, Mary, came to take care of him until he died, Sep 22, 1917. He was buried beside his wife in the Provo City Cemetery.