Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 4, paragraph 5

When father left for his mission on November 8, 1894, just before Christmas, Uncle Edward Follett came from Pima and took us to stay awhile with mother’s folks. We started out with two big three year old colts and two work horses of ours in addition to Uncle’s team. When we neared Florence, one of the colts gave out and we had to sell her to a rancher for $4.00 and three bales of hay. Soon one of the mares in the team gave out. We tied her to the back of the wagon. She got so tired that she fell and broke her neck. This made mother feel very bad to lose these two animals. The rest of the trip was made safely. A few days after we arrived at Uncle Ed’s, our colt was found dead. This left us with only two horses.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 4, paragraph 4

In the early days in Mesa, we had to make our own amusements so we were close together in our work and play. Usually I had assignments of work to do and after it was finished I could play. My friends would come for me to go swimming or to play games but I could not go until my work was finished so the boys would help me and then we could all go to our play sooner.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 4, paragraph 3

Father kept some cows for milking and at eight years of age, I learned to milk so that when he was away from home I took over and did the milking. I soon had to drive the cows to pasture in the morning and bring them home at night and learned to ride a horse to do it. I also learned to work in the garden and orchard keeping the weeds out and irrigating them. At ten years of age, when father left for a mission to the Southern States, I had to look after all the work on the place. I milked the cows, hauled the milk to the dairy in a little wagon, and then took the cows to pasture before going to school. The training received in my early life has helped me in a good many ways since.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 4, paragraph 2

On the way up there, while climbing up Reno Pass, I fell on a flat leaf prickly pear and broke a thorn off in my little finger. It stayed there for several years before it finally worked out. We camped at a water-hole one night. During the night bears came down to drink but they didn’t bother us. The next morning when we left camp, my cousin, Earl Greenwell, left his cap behind. After we had gone several miles, it was found missing and George Horne, a boy with the group, volunteered to ride back and get it. He got the hat but before he overtook the company, they had passed a fork in the road. When he got there he did not know which way we had gone and became frightened. He rode a ways up one road and when he did not find us, he rode back to the fork and up another road and still did not find us. In the meantime the folks became alarmed when he did not come so some of the men rode back to find him. When they found him, he was unharmed but very happy to be back with the others. The next morning we continued our journey and all reached home safely.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, Page 4, paragraph 1

In the summer of 1891 we went to Pinetop for Conference which was attended by a group from Mesa and presided over by Apostles George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 3

[Page 3 is filled with photos. The first photo on Page 3 is a small close-up of “FATHER: George Franklin Ellsworth, Sr.” The next is “MOTHER: Sarah Mariah Follett.” The final photo is “My Sister Hilda May and Myself”. It must have been taken in about 1890.]

[Again, I would rather scan the originals than scan these images made in 1982. If any in the family can scan the originals, we will put them here.]

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 2, paragraph 6

When I was seven years of age, I started school in the private school taught by Sister Celia A. Smith in her home. The next two years I attended the church school taught by Joseph Broadbent and Julius B. Nelson.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 2, paragraph 5

On February 2, 1893 I was baptized by Bishop William Passey in the Mesa Canal just east of Mesa Country Club Drive. Bishop Passey’s daughter Aseneth, was baptized the same day by her father. It was then discovered that she was only seven years of age. I was confirmed by either Charles L. Allen or Charles I. Robson, I am not sure which.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 2, paragraph 4

My parents led us in our church activities in Primary, Sunday School, Religion Class and MIA and Sacrament Meetings as well as Priesthood Meetings. They said “Come on, let’s go” instead of saying “Go on”, so we learned to love our work in the Church very early in life.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 2, paragraph 3

It was a happy childhood that we children spent in our new home for it was filled with love and peace between our parents and us. Many are the happy memories which have lingered with me hallowed by some sorrows. For it was there that my brothers’ [sic] Earl and Clarence were born. Earl was born on the 6th of April 1890 and died on the 28th of March 1892 being the first child buried in the new Mesa Cemetery. Clarence was born on the 1st of June 1893 and died on the 26th of May 1895 as a result of mumps being buried next to his brother Earl in Mesa Cemetery. Both of them were beautiful boys and as President Collin R. Hakes told mother, “They were too pure and beautiful to remain here, and were called home for a greater work over there.”

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 2, paragraph 2

During the winters of 1889 and 1890, my father was called as a missionary school teacher to teach the first Indian School, (so far as I can find out) in Arizona. I went with him sometimes and became acquainted with the Indians and the friendships made there have gone with me through life. It was a beautiful thing to see the love which existed between those Indians and my father.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, Page 2, Paragraph 1

In 1889 father and his brother-in-law, Hans Hansen, built the first brick home in Mesa on the northeast corner of Block 4, facing MacDonald Street. We moved into the house Christmas Eve, 1889. It was a gloomy day for Christmas as we had no money to make Christmas merry. David Cluff was visiting us at the time and he put me through a lot of “Monkeyshines” which drove the gloom away. He then gave Sister and I [sic] a dime apiece with a hole in it so we strung them around our necks. He was a wonderful man and we loved him very much.

Death Certificate of Sarah Follett Ellsworth

Here's a snapshot of Great Grandma Sarah's death certificate. She was in her 75th year. Cause of death was cardiac decomposition (weak heart) and senility (old age). Her death was reported by Mrs. Charles Standage. Wasn't that Papa Frank's sister, Aunt Alta? The certificate was thorough, showing that she was born March 18, 1866 in Provo, Utah and that her father was William A. Follett, born in Portage County, Ohio, and her mother was Nancy Maria Faucett, born in Nauvoo, Illinois. Her street address at the time of death was 24 N. Mesa Blvd.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 8

My father and Uncle William [Follett] traded a team and wagon for all of Block 4 (between First and Second Street and Robson and MacDonald) [in] Mesa and proceeded to plant it to crops, orchards, and vineyards for themselves and their mother.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 7

While playing in the yard, I fell on a broken bottle and cut my right arm very badly, leaving a long scar.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 6

The family were received into the Mesa Ward, January 31, 1886. My father ran a vineyard for Dan Bagley on West 4th Avenue. We lived the next year on the Bagley farm. It was there that my sister, Hilda May was born on July 31, 1886.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 5

They left Smithville November 16, 1885 for Mesa accompanied by mother’s brother, William Follett and his family. They arrived in Mesa, Arizona November 26, 1885. They stayed a few days at the home of William Passey, a relative of fathers’ [sic]. Then father rented a two room adobe house from C. I. Robson (the Fannie MacDonald home) for $2.00 per month. There we spent our first winter in Mesa.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 4

My father visited Mesa, Arizona in August 1885 and liked it so well that he moved with his wife and baby to Mesa. They went by Smithville, (now Pima) in Graham County, Arizona where they visited mother’s family. While there, I was seized with convulsions and was administered to by patriarch McBride and healed at once. I never had any more attacks.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 3

I was blessed by my grandfather Edmund Lovell Ellsworth on December 27, 1884 at Showlow, Arizona. My first year was a rough one for me as I was sick a lot of the time.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 2

My parents came from Utah; Father in 1880 and my Mother in 1877. Father was the son of Edmund Lovell Ellsworth and Mary Ann Bates Ellsworth, his third wife. He was born December 26, 1857 in Provo, Utah. Mother was the daughter of William A. Follett and Nancy Maria Fausett Follett. She was born March 19, 1866 in Provo, Utah. Their parents were called to settle Arizona by President Brigham Young. They were pioneers of Arizona colonization.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Frank's Autobiography, page 1, paragraph 1

[Page 1, as in the book]

[Spelling and punctuation have been preserved as in the original. This will reveal Grandpa’s spellings as well as Aunt Ruth’s writing and Aunt Martha’s typing. (smile)]

I, GEORGE FRANKLIN ELLSWORTH, JR., son of George Franklin Ellsworth and Sarah Mariah Follett, was born in Showlow, Arizona then Apache County on December 24, 1884 at 4:40 P.M. At the time of my birth, the snow was drifted completely over the house and my father had to dig a pathway out from the door.

Aunt Ruth's Book, Table of Contents, part 1

[Page III]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

[We have decided not to reproduce Aunt Ruth’s Table of Contents here. There are a couple of reasons. The first is that it doesn’t lend itself to much comment. The second is that it was merely a list of the members of the branches as they existed in 1982, and we will be using that list and adding to it. The Table of Contents, modified to match the present, will be given at the start of each new branch and family.]

Aunt Ruth's Book, her introduction

[Page II]

Introduction by the Compiler

This book was compiled to honor the memory of a very loving and dedicated man, both to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and to his family.

George Franklin Ellsworth, Jr., before his death, wrote the story of his life. His wife, Annie Dean, wrote a brief summary of her life until her meeting and subsequent marriage. Ruth wrote about the life of Caroline Sarah Janes partly taken from Caroline’s fathers’ [sic] life story and partly from personal knowledge. Included also in this book is a brief story about each member of the family and wherever possible, a picture of them.

It has taken over two years to collect and compile this information. Since requesting and receiving many of the stories and pictures in 1980, some new little ones have arrived. We do not always have a picture of them but we have added their names.

We realize, in retrospect, that everyone might have added or deleted some parts of their family story but these were the thoughts at this time. Heartfelt thanks are extended to those who so graciously contributed to this book.

We hope you will all enjoy “Getting to Know” the family members better.

Ruth Ellsworth Blunck.

Aunt Ruth's Book, title page

[Page I]

GEORGE FRANKLIN ELLSWORTH, JR.: His Descendants to 1982
Compiled by Ruth Ellsworth Blunck
Edited by Martha Ellsworth Randall

Aunt Ruth's Book, intro, part 4

For starters, I offer here the complete text of the early, autobiographical parts of Ruth Ellsworth Blunck’s book, George Franklin Ellsworth, Jr.: His Descendants to 1982. It is sorted by tags and labels so that you can, without much trouble, read it in order from the beginning. I have decided not to scan the photos in it because the quality wouldn’t be nearly as good as images we can get by scanning the same photos on modern scanners and inserting them electronically. I appeal to Ruth’s descendants who may have inherited the photos shown in that book as well as to other branches that might have material to add. Together we can make sure that the photos are shared by all and preserved.

Each paragraph will have room for comments. I have chosen to hide the comments to enhance continuity of the text. You can see the comments by clicking on the link.

When I can, I will insert hyperlinks in Ruth’s text to lead to pages devoted to the modern branches and to existing blogs and other information online.

Aunt Ruth's Book, intro, part 3

Web Author’s Note: I use the term “we” when talking about authorship. That term means “You and I”. I’ll want and welcome the help of all who want to preserve the integrity of the family tree.

Aunt Ruth's Book, intro, part 2

Now another generation has come. And most of an earlier generation has passed away. The grandchildren have raised their children and are now gaining grandchildren and, in a few cases, great grandchildren of their own. With this latest generation has come a change in communications and technology that allow us to publish electronically and communicate instantaneously. Many branches of the family have websites and blogs of their own. We’ll provide links to those. Some, due to the prying efforts of evil people, are password protected and limited to invited readers only. We understand that, and we will do our best to protect the living and honor the dead.

Aunt Ruth's Book, intro, part 1

In 1982, a generation after "Our Ellsworth Ancestors" was printed, our dear Aunt Ruth Ellsworth Blunck, Frank’s oldest daughter, published "George Franklin Ellsworth, Jr.: His Descendants to 1982." (Aunt Martha played a large part in getting it ready for publishing.) This 157-page softcover book did a thorough job of showing a snapshot of the descendants while Frank and Annie’s grandchildren were raising families. The family has grown so much since it was printed that most family households don’t have a copy.

Our Ellsworth Ancestors, part 3 and last

Note: That book also linked Edmund Ellsworth to German Ellsworth. There was no link. The book, though compiled with the best of intentions, was wrong. Two separate Ellsworth families, from very different origins though both in New York, joined the Mormon Church very early in its history (before 1840). They have both raised large posterities. While we may want to be closely related to the Ellsworths that came from Brother German Ellsworth, we aren’t. Because for years we thought we were, and because we share a name and a faith, we treat them as kin. But they still won’t show up on this blog.

Our Ellsworth Ancestors, part 2

As mentioned in part 1, research since 1956 has revealed another ancestry (the real ancestry)that many of us are still not familiar enough with, so strong was the impact of "Our Ellsworth Ancestors". These pages will have space devoted to making us more familiar with our actual ancestry. We will publish new information only if it doesn’t appear elsewhere within easy (electronic) reach. Otherwise, we’ll just provide links and summaries of reputable sources elsewhere online.

Our Ellsworth Ancestors, part 1

Published in 1956, "Our Ellsworth Ancestors" was a landmark book that attempted to lay out the entire posterity and known ancestry of Edmund Lovell Ellsworth, the much-esteemed pioneer ancestor of many of the Mormon Ellsworths of the American Southwest and grandfather of our George Franklin, Jr. That book did a great job on the life of Edmund and the branches of his posterity, but it has two great weaknesses when seen from today: A) it gave the wrong ancestry, tracing the family erroneously to the Ellsworths of Windsor, Connecticut and ultimately to Somerset, England when later research proved that we are, in fact, descended instead from the Aylesworths of Massachusetts and earlier from Cornwall, England; and B) it was published more than 50 years ago. At that time the children of George Franklin Ellsworth, Jr. (hereafter just “Frank”, as he was known by his family and peers) and Annie Dean (“Annie”) were still having children.

The ever-expanding posterity

Family trees grow in two directions until everyone—if all goes well—has both roots and branches. The Ellsworths have roots in Mesa, Arizona and branches that extend around the world. Here we will explore both.

Welcome to Ellsworthland: Mission Statement.

This blog exists to serve the posterity of George Franklin Ellsworth, Jr. ("Frank" and Papa) and his wives Caroline Sarah Janes ("Carrie") and Annie Dean ("Annie" and Mama) by providing information to help the family know each other and know the good people they came from.