SAMUEL WITTWER
Samuel Wittwer, the only child of Christian Wittwer and Magdalena Pfister, was born or the 10th day of March, 1847 at Shangau, Canton Bern, Switzerland. His early childhood was spent in this beautiful narrow valley located in the majestic Alp mountains. Some fruit trees were grown there, and also hemp to make cloth, but it was mostly pasture land, and fields of hay and grain for feed for their dairy cabulas. From this valley came the big round cheese as large as big wagon wheels, weighing 600 pounds. So we can imagine that Samuel’s childhood was spent in helping with chores, herding cows, and helping make cheese. He had the fun, played the games, and explored the hillsides the same as other Swiss lads. We can imagine, too, that there was harmony and love in the home, ….love for each other ana for their Father in Heaven, and great was the joy in their hearts when the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came into their valley and to their home telling of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, With the acceptance of the Gospel and their baptism, there came also, the desire to be with the main body of the Latter-day Saints that had made the historic trek to Utah, They sold their property and taking with them the necessities and a few treasured belongings, they joined a group of Swiss converts who were sailing to America.
From two records I have seen there is a conflict In the date that he came to America. From one record it states that Christian Wittwer, Samuel’s father, went to America in 1860. In another it says that Samel was eleven years old when they left Switzerland, making it the year of 1858.
The ship docked at the harbor in New York City, and with John Stucki and: family and others of the Swiss Company they borrded the train to go to Florence. Nebraska. Samuel’s father, a lover of music played his accordian and harmonica to pass away the time and for the enjoyment of all as they traveled along. On their arrival at Florence, Nebraska they bought an ox team and wagon and traveled across the plains with the Swiss Company. They weren’t spared the hardships in crossing the plains, for sometimes their supplies were very low and they would cook raw hide and make soup from it. No matter what the day brought, whether problems or troubles, or a very successful day, they always held their family prayer to thank the Lord for his blessings upon them and to ask for encouragement and help and guidance and protection, When they arrived in Utah, they traveled about sicty miles further south of Salt Lake City and settled in the pleasant community of Payson, Utah, where they stayed until October 1861.
In 1861, in the October General Conference at Salt lake City, President Brigham Young called the Swiss Company of three hundred and nine saints to settle southern Utah. Samuel and his parents went with others to settle Santa Clara. They arrived there the 24th of November 1861. They got two lots in the middle of the block across the street west of the public square. There they built a two room rock house which was to be Samuel’s hone until he married. The young folk as well as the older gathered to this happy hone to enjoy the music. On holidays. Samuel could remember his father going through town playing and singing.
Samuel’s father was a strong man and worked hard on the farms. His mother was a very good seamstress and a wonderful cook. They taught him the beauty and a love of the good earth. The Gospel was very important in the lives of his parents and this love was instilled into Samuel’s heart and the desire to serve in any way he could.
The land in Santa Clara had to be leveled and cultivated. They had to make roads and canals to bring the water to the fields. Samuel was especially Interested in making the best use of the water for the soil. Ho made the head-gates to turn the water into the various fields.
In 1864, Brigham Young called for teams to go to the Missouri River to help bring the converts to Utah. This trip required men to be gone for six months and there were to be 28 outfits. Each town, was to furnish teams, wagon, and necessary supplies. Samuel Wittwer was chosen as the teamater from Santa Clara. To cross the Missouri River they made a raft with poles that were held together by chains. From what I read, I gather that Samuel made four trips to the Missouri River to help bring the emigrants to Utah. He was very tender and had much compassion for his fellowmen, as is shown in the incident that happened on the first trip when he was bringing Samuel Judd’s family to Utah. Their eight year old boy became very sick and Samuel helped to care for him and to entertain him during his sickness and convalesance. Judd’s family really appreciated his consideration for then.
In these early days in Southern Utah the Saints had to help in keeping pence with the Indians. Samuel had a horse bridled and saddled, always ready to go when it was necessary. Torts had been built in Santa Clara, Kanab, and Pipe Springs to protect the Saints from the Indians, Samuel, who was a mason, carpenter and plaster, besides a farmer, was sent in company with some other men to Kanab by team to make shinneys for the fort there. On their way they were caught in a bad storm and broke a wagon wheel. They went to the mountains and gound cedar posts to take the place of the broken wheel, till they got it fixed at Pipe Springs.
On November 22, 1669 Samuel married Mary Anna Gubler, daughter of John Gubler and Mary Ursula Muller, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. To this union were born ten children, six sons and four daughters. They were, in order Samuel Wittwer Jrl, Mary, Harmon, Joseph, Rosella, John, George, Josephine, Alice, and Julius.
Samuel built his own home, the first two-story house in Santa Clara, The lower floor was one large and one small room. The upstairs had two good sized bedrooms. He also built a cellar. Later on ho had a rock living room and a kitchen added on. He had good tools and ability, so he was able to make some of his furniture.
In 1874 when Brigham Young was in St. George, he told then of the United Order. The people in Santa Clara organized into the United Order. Crops were raised and shared in common. The men shared their work. At this time Christian Wittwer, Samuel’s father, was in Bloominton, but his mother was appointed to take charge of the women who were to do the cooking. They all ate at the same table. They had an enjoyable, friendly spirit, but soon difficulties arose out of selfishness and jealousies and the Order was broken up, Christian and Samuel lost considerable means when the order was broken up but their faith did not waver.
The authorities of the Church had advised the Saints to consider the law of Plural Marriage which had been revealed to Joseph Smith. Samuel and his wife Mary Anna Gubler, prayed to the lord whether he should take another wife, and they felt that it was right that ho should do so.
On November 18th, 1881 Samuel married Bertha Tobler, daughter of Jacob Tobler and Barbara Staheli in the St. George Temple, St. George, Utah. To this union, also, were born ten children, three sons and seven daughters. They were Bertha Barbara, Albert, Willamina, Rhoda, William, Lillian, Ida, Eldon, Myrtle, and Vera. Two daughters, Bertha Barbara and Ida, died in Infancy. Samuel and his two wives and children lived in the home he built there in Santa Clara until in 1887. Mary and Bertha treated each others children as if they were their own. In May 1884 when Mary had seven children and Bertha had two, Samuel was called on a mission to the North Centeral States in Michigan and Minnesota. He left May 15, 1884. While he was gone, Marry Anna and the oldest boys, Samuel Jrl, and Harmon took care of the things in the fields, and Bertha with the girls, Mary and Rosella, took care of the house and the children, Mary Anna’s brother, Harmon Gubler, helped the boys and others of the men helped them to harvest the crops so that Mary didn’t have to do so much in the field.
Samuel’s missionary companions were Brother Christensen from Richfield, Utah and Theadore Brandley. In one of the towns where they labored, the people were prejudiced against the Mormons, but they stayed and were able to accomplish what the Lord would have them do. They would do their missionary work in all kinds of weather. The winters were cold and there was much snow, sometimes it would be piled as high as the top of the doors.
One time Samuel and Brother Brandley had made an appointment to hold a meeting in a town, a distance of thirty miles. They were walking towards this town, when Samuel became very sick. He had Hemroids which were causing him so much pain he could go no further. He sat down on a log and told Elder Brandley to continue so that he could hold the meeting.
Brother Brandley felt that he shouldn’t leave. so he administered to Samuel and asked the Lord to bless him that he would be able to attend the meeting. Samuel got up and began walking. At first he was in great pain, but as he kept walking the pain gradually stopped and he was able to attend the meeting. He was never troubled with that disorder again while on his mission.
In the year 1887, after the Manifesto, Samuel and Bertha and their children Albert and Mina moved to Nevada by team and wagon, a distance of fifty miles. Mary Anna and children continued to live in the hone at Santa Clara and Samuel would travel back and forth, living with one family for awhile and then with the other.
When Samuel and Bertha and their children moved to Nevada, Joseph went with them. They camped at Spring Flat, ten miles distant from Santa Clara. Here Mina and Albert had picked some flowers which were poison. The next morning the children had turned black and blue, and looked as if they might die. Samuel administered to them and they were instantly made well. This shows how great was his faith. They crossed the Virgin River many tines and arrived at the Mesquite Flat. They lived in an old deserted adobe house which had no doors nor windows, and only a dirt floor. In the fall they moved to Bunkerville where Samuel got a lot in town, around which he built a fence. This was the first fence in town, He built a home there for Bertha and their children. He had twenty acres of land in Bunkerville. Samuel was the first to pipe the water into his home in Bunkerville, He made a cement tank in his let where it was high enough to give the pipe a good fall to the house. How good it seemed to than not to have to carry the water any longer, A few other familyes also piped the water to their homes.
Samuel loved the good earth and seemed to have a green thumb in the way the earth responded to his touch both in Bunkerville and in Santa Clara, Ho raised crops of wheat, alfalfa and corn. He raised many kinds of vegetables and had berries, currants, raspberries, and gooseberries. He had a grape vineyard, and also had grapes by his home. Ha had his own bees and beehives for the honey for his families. He raised can far their molassess, and also raised some almond and walnuts.
Samuel and others of his sons peddled the things the families didn’t need for for their use, in Delamar and Pioche. They hauled the produce in covered wagons, Samuel and his family dried their peaches and apples as all people did in that day. He was always looking for the best way to do things for himself and his family. to make it easier*and quicker for them to accomplish their tasks. So it was only natural that again he was the first to use sulphur to dry the fruit. In the year 1887 they got their first glass bottles to use in canning fruit.
Samuel was a man of many trades, besides those mentioned he also, made shoes for the younger children and the boys work shoes. He secured the leather from a tanner in St. George, who had treated the leather. He made his tacks of hard wood. Samuel’s love for his wives and children were equal. One was as great in his sight as the other. And each was important and previous to him. He had high ideals and standards for then which he expected then to live up to, and he also expected then to follow through in any thing that was asked of them whether in work or play. He gave praise where praise was due and gave encouragament where he could see that it was needed.
Samual was very much interested in giving. his children the opportunity for all the education that was possible. Many of his children attended the High School that was held in St. George. and sons pursued their education further.
Samuel loved the Gospel and always had the desire to serve the Lord in whatever way that was opened up to him whether in offices or everyday service to his fellowmen. He served as YMMIA President, as a counselor in the Sunday School Superintendcy. He was president of the 6th Quoron of Elders, and as counselor to Bishop John Hafen. During his later years he spent much of his tine doing endowment work in the St. George Temple.
His wife, Mary Anna died in Santa Clara, Washington County, Utah, on June 15, 1926 and was buried there.
Samuel died on the 5th June, 1927 in St. George, Utah. The day he died his wife, Bertha hadn’t felt good, so he helped her with the washing, and had walked up town to get some supplies to finish the bathroom. Which he did when he got back. Later in the day some of his children had stopped into visit. All seemed well when they went to sleep that night, but during the night he died very suddenly in his sleep. He was buried in Santa Clara, Washington Co., Utah.
His wife Bertha Tobler died the 26th of November, 1937 in Logandale, Clark County, Nevada, and was buried November 28, 1937 in Santa Clara, Washington County, Utah.
Though his parents were blessed with only one child. I ‘m sure that their joy and happiness was complete, that their hearts were filled to overflowing with gratitude that they were blessed with such a choice soul. I’m sure that he lived up to their desires and expectations and honored the heritage and name that they.
Source: Brent Bunker