Happy Pioneer Day!

Happy Pioneer Day. I love this day! I have always loved my family pioneer stories. My father was the youngest of 16 children and grew up in Spanish Fork, Utah. His grandfather and grandmother, William Bowen and Ruth Jones Bowen, met on the pioneer trail in 1856. They later married and with their extended families settled Spanish Fork. There are many great family stories all across Utah about heroic pioneer experiences.

My father passed away in 1997 during the 150 anniversary of the first pioneer trek into the Salt Lake Valley. I knew some of our family history but when I was sorting through some of his personal belongings I found several journals and interviews with my pioneer ancestors. What a treasure. I learned that my great-grandfather and great-grandmother were both stranded with the Martin Company at Martins Cove, Wyoming during an early winter storm. They suffered a great deal along with hundreds of others. The one thing I appreciated about their experience was their desire to work together to make it though their journey. Everything we have today was built on the great people of the past who sacrificed so we could have a future. Enjoy the parades, the picnics, the family, and the fun. But always remember those great pioneers who have paved the way before.