Richard Sessions was born 28 April 1799 in Logan Co., Kentucky. His parents had recently moved from North Carolina. His father had purchased a large holding of land along Panther Creek. His childhood was on the farm, so he probably grew up knowing about farming and the wilderness land of Kentucky. He was definitely an outdoor man and someone who must have loved to hunt, because he volunteered many times to serve in military battles.
The Haws family was next door so he knew their family well. His father decided to move to White County, Illinois. The Haws also moved there. We don’t know when the moved, but do know Richard and Lucretia Haws were married the 14th of April 1821 in White County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Jacob Haws and Hannah Neil.
Richard enlisted in the 30th regiment, 1st brigade, Illinois mounted volunteers in the Illinois Black Hawk Indian war. He received honorable discharge papers in the handwriting of his captain, James N. Clark, signed 10 September 1832. From a researcher in Wayne Co., Ill, “Richard Sessions was the only person who was bitten by these poisonous reptiles (rattlesnakes) and he was barely saved by means of a ‘mad stone’ obtained from Dr. Garrison, who lived northeast of Fairfield.” When he was released he had six children: John, Sarah, Richard, William Bradford, Daniel Alexander and Mary. The other six children were born between 1831 and 1846: Louise Marion, Eliza Jane, Melisse, Emeline, Elizabeth and Hannah. Four of the children died young, Sarah Ann, Richard, Mary and Eliza Jane.
He was baptized in Wayne Co., Ill. on 1 Aug 1843. They moved to Nauvoo in 1843. He was ordained a member of the 70’s quorum #28 in Nauvoo. The following was found on the church records in Nauvoo: William B. Sessions born January 23, 1827, White Co., Illinois, baptized 25 June 1845 by David Lewis; father, Richard; mother, Lucretia Haws; record # 1C Seventies Pg. 195 28 Quorum.
Richard was anxious the temple be completed and did what he could to
help. Another Nauvoo record Extract 2 reads, “Nauvoo baptisms for
the dead: Sessions, Daniel Alexander born 11 January 1829, where
born, Wayne, Illinois, when baptized 1846. Father, Richard, mother,
Lucretia Haws. Richard’s son, William Bradford was also ordained to the
28 Quorum in Nauvoo. They were forced to leave Nauvoo early in 1846.
They went as far as Mt. Pisgah, planted corn, sweet and white potatoes
for those who would follow after them. Richard even bought a field
with corn on it. Besides his own family, his mother and two spinster
sisters went with them. They lived in tents and a wagon box set off
on logs. Richard put them close to the river, thinking it would be
more convenient to them.
The call came from Brigham Young for 500 men to answer the call of the U.S. Government to make a battalion to fight the war with Mexico. This was an extreme hardship on these pioneers. It meant leaving families with little manpower to continue west. It was difficult because the Mormons had not received much assistance from the United States in dealing with persecution.
Captain James Allen of the U.S. Army needed 4 or 5 companies of infantry to participate in the Ware with Mexico which began in May of 1846. This was a severe test of national loyalty. In a very short time the volunteers were gathered from Council Bluff, and Mt. Pisgah in Iowa and Winter Quarters, Nebraska.
The mission was two fold: To reinforce the army the “Army of the West” which departed Santa Fe in September 1846 under the command of General Stephen Kearney, and 2 to build a wagon road from Santa Fe to California. A supply route was considered vital for future military operations.
Richard and his sons, John and William and John's wife, Emeline, who John had just married a week previously, enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, left immediately for Council Bluff where they were sworn in on 16 July 1846. It is believed this family is the only family that had four volunteers. All the men were privates in Company A. Daniel Alexander was left with the family to be in charge.
The men departed Council Bluff 20, July 1846, singing the tune of “The Girl I left Behind Me.” The first leg of the journey was 200 miles to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. It took them 10 days. They had no shelter as they left everything they could for their families. It was extremely hot, swarms of mosquitoes, both day and night, miles of mud and violent rainstorms greeted the 500 volunteers and 84 women and children. Twenty women were official laundresses, at the rate of $7.00 per month.
At Fort Leavenworth they received infantry equipment and each man was paid a uniform allowance of $42.00. Instead of buying uniforms most of the men sent most of this money back to Council Bluffs and wore their rough frontier clothing. The 2nd segment began on 12 August, commanded by a Lt. A. Smith. He wanted to get to Santa Fe as rapidly as possible and he led them hard and fast those 900 miles. The main problem was heat and a malevolent doctor who gave them calomel and arsenic for every disorder. At the crossing of the Arkansas River, Lt. Smith detached a number of women and children and sent them up the river to Pueblo, Colorado. The Battalion arrived in Santa Fe on 12 October, an average of about 15 miles a day for 61 days.
Lt. Col P. St George Cooke over the 3rd segment of the journey. He saw some were too old, some feeble, some too young. He was embarrassed by the many women. They were undisciplined, clothing scant. Mules were utterly broken down and were deteriorating every hour for lack of forage or grazing. He screened the battalion and sent all but five women, all the children and almost 150 of the weakest and sickest men to Fort Pueblo. They were to come on to California in the spring, if still needed. The Battalion left Santa Fe on 19 October, 1846, with about 350 men, 5 women, 25 wagons and 6 cannons attempting to cross 1,100 trackless miles in country where no wagon train had ever rolled. They were short on rations, would be dealing with many different Indian tribes and led by guides who had also never traversed the route. They went along the Rio Grande River to El Paso, then to Tucson. On 11 December 1846 they were repeatedly attacked by scores of wild Texas Longhorn bulls. About 20 were shot, several men injured and wagons were damaged, but a good supply of fresh meat was obtained. The Mexicans fled from Tucson including the 200 troops who were to defend it. Rather than rob, pillage and kill the Mormon Battalion marched peaceably through without firing a shot. They bought some badly needed food and some wheat for the mules and marched on, leaving friends, rather than enemies behind.
Crossing the Colorado River near Yuma was traumatic. The river was a half mile wide, deep and swift. They lost several mules trying to cross it. The last miles of the desert west of the Colorado River were the cruelest. Their shoes and clothing were more tattered and these were the coldest nights and hottest days of the journey. They marched 3 days and 2 nights with no water, except for precious sips they dug from deep wells in several places. They walked double file to help pack the sand down for the wagons, others had to help pull as the animals could not pull them. On the 16th of January, 1847, they finally staggered down the banks of Carrizo Creek and feasted on the fresh water, loaded water on a wagon and headed right back out on the desert to rescue their comrades. All were revived and brought in off the desert. Ahead there was flowing streams, grass for the animals and fresh beef for the men. On the 19th they found they were penned in by a sharp ridge. Colonel Cooke personally helped chip away the solid rock to widen the gorge. Two more days of rugged rock and sand passed before they reached their first full meal in months. The meat ratio was increased to 4 pounds of beef per man per day. On the 23rd they pushed on northwestward toward Los “Angeles to help General Kearney capture that city. On the 25th General Kearney’s messenger ordered them to proceed to San Diego.
Col. Cooke issued an official order on 30 January 1847, congratulating the Battalion and saying, “History may be searched in vain for an equal march of infantry.” That 2,000 mile march still stands as the longest infantry march by any unit of the United States Army.
The U.S. Flag had been raised over San Diego on 29 July 1846 so they basically became an army of occupation. They stayed at the old Mission San Luis Rey for a period of six weeks. Their orders were to take charge of the mission and prevent any depredations upon it. The Mormon Volunteers were held in high opinion because of their respect for the rights and feelings of the area’s inhabitants. They helped build Fort Stockton into a real fortress. They began working part time for local residents and on community development projects. Their diaries indicate they whitewashed nearly every house in town, dug 15 more wells, fired about 40,000 bricks, and much more. On 28 June, 1847, the Southern Military District Commander told the Governor of California: “All persons at San Diego are anxious that the Mormons should remain there. By their industry they have taught the inhabitants the value of having an American population among them, and if they are continued, they will be of more value in reconciling the people to the change of government than a whole host of bayonets.”
The Jan 1847 and Feb 1847 muster rolls listed Richard as being sick. Beginning in Mar 1847 he served a detached assign-ment as directed by Battalion Order No. 25 (Muster Roll). From Apr 1847 until his discharge on 16 July 1847 he was on duty at the fortification in CA (Pension File). Richard and William went to Salt Lake City. Arriving there October 16, 1847. He took up land on the present site of Fort Douglas and put in some grain in the spring of 1848. The crickets came and devoured it. He and William went back to join the family at Winter Quarters in the fall of 1848.
John and his wife were told at Santa Fe they must go to Pueblo, Colorado. All but 4 or 5 women were sent there and some able bodied men went along to render assistance. John was one of them. Henry W. Sanderson mentions John in his journal. "I was given free access to a little rifle belonging to brother John Sessions. With this I managed to keep the mess supplied with meat. John Hess and his wife and John Sessions and his wife Caroline and I continued with the mess until we reached Salt Lake City and were disbanded. In Pueblo brothers Hess and Sessions took a job of building a small canal and I assisted them in spading and shoveling. It was gratifying to see the two sisters in mess partake of vittles cooked by me with apparent relish. We left Pueblo on the 24th of May and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley a few days after the first group of pioneers arrived."
In the Ward 4 Branch records Macedonia Branch in Ill. page 75 listed among members in 1847: Richard & Lucretia, Wm. B., Daniel, Louisa and Malisa Sessions. Also recorded is William B. Sessions born Jan. 23, 1827. Baptized 25 June, 1845 by David Lewis. Father, Richard; mother, Lucretia Haws. Record # 1C Seventies Pg. 105 28 Quorum. 1850 Feb. 17 Elizabeth Sessions blessed by W. R. Terry. 1850 Feb. 17, Hannah Sessions blessed by W. R. Terry. April 28th, it was moved by James Fife that the church record of the Macedonia Branch be sent to the Valley. It was moved by James Life and seconded by George Robinson that the book be sent by Richard Sessions.
Richard Sessions and his family came to UT in 1850. They made their first home in Cottonwood, then on to Provo where he served as 2nd counselor to Bishop Faucett and also Bishop William M. Wall. They were among the first to settle Provo Valley. Richard & Lucretia received their endowments 9 Aug 1852 in the Endowment House. Richard Sessions Record # 1C Seventys pg 289 52 Quorum ordained 30 May 1857 by H. D. Young. Elizabeth Sessions born 21 August 1842 in Wayne Illinois baptized 29 June 1851 in Salt Lake City by Elisha Jones confirmed 27 July 1851 Jas. Mac Minns Elisha Jones. Emaline Sessions born 20 May 1822 Bedford Tenn, died 20 Aug 1851 baptized 29 June, 1851 Salt Lake City, Utah by Elisha Jones confirmed 29 July 1851 by James Mc Minns and Elisha Jones.
In the year 1857, word reached Utah that Johnston's Army had started for Utah to put down what was described as "The Mormon Rebellion". Richard and a number of others, at the request of Pres. Brigham Young, were sent to explore all the country east of Salt Lake Valley so they would have a thorough knowledge of all the mountain passes and possible routes of travel. They accomplished their work successfully and reported their labors to President Young.
In 1859 Provo Valley was being settled. It was later named Heber City. He loved the view and the land and moved his family there. Several of the family were some of the first settlers there including his 3 sons: Daniel Alexander, John and William Bradford.
In 1866 Richard was with the Silver Greys and helped to guard Heber from the raids of the Blackhawk Indians.
Richard was a typical frontier man, a good hunter of wild game and a very useful citizen in Heber City. He was a farmer and raised stock. He was loved and respected for his many good qualities and kindness and gentle disposition. At the 4th of July celebration in 1863 in Heber Valley, he was one of the speakers at a town program. He died 23 Mar 1879 in Heber, firm in his testimony of the gospel. Lucretia died 11 Feb 1876. They were married for almost 55 years and had 12 children. They are buried side by side in the Heber City Cemetery. Many of their children are buried near them.
Brother Richard, I lay my hands upon thee and by virtue of the Priesthood I place a blessing upon your head which has descended through the Father to you by the prayers of faith which was given to your fathers by the power of the spirit.
You are a descendent from the fathers who held the priesthood. This blessing witnesses that thou are a lawful heir to an inheritance among the saints in the last days. Thou has descended through the blood of Ephraim and that same spirit that quickened the fathers will be a flame in you and that flame will kindle a flame in the house of Israel, and I seal these blessings upon you to enlighten your mind that you may see the ways of God more clearly from today forward. Amen.