Franklin Parish Denham GG Grandpa through Melvin Denham

Franklin Parish Denham: Click here for Family Search
Birth: 2 February 1860 Celina, Clay, Tennessee, United States
Baptism: 1852
Death: 8 September 1932 Shumway, Navajo, Arizona, United States
Burial: Click here for Findagrave

Conversion Story:
They, Franklin Parish Denham and wife Dicia Ann Wood Denham were converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while they were living in Boles, Monroe County, Kentucky; by Elder Skelton of Salt Lake City, Utah and Elder Hendricks of Cash Valley, Utah and Heber Perkins and Willard Hatch of Taylor, Arizona. All were baptized in Kentucky. They were going to go to Cash Valley with Elder Hendricks, but sister Denham (Dicia) was pregnant so they had to wait until Emma was born. So they came later to Arizona when Emma was two (2) months old. Aunt Carrie Wood also came to Arizona with her Aunt; the sister of James Wood's mother. Aunt Carrie Wood Perkins came out to Arizona intending to be Heber Perkin's second wife , but after she got to Arizona she married his batchlor brother, Littleton L. Perkins in place of Heber.

Lydia Ann Jackson GGG grandma Through Melvin Denham

Lydia Ann Jackson: Click here for Family Search
Birth: 15 August 1840 Washington, Tennessee, United States
Baptism: 1887
Death: 8 November 1918 Shumway, Navajo, Arizona, United States
Burial: Click here for Findagrave

Conversion Story:
One day, Jim Wood (Lydia's Son) came home with the report that he had seen two men very peculiarly dressed-- high hats and long tailed coats. He said he heard they were Mormon elders. A few hours later the Wood family saw the men approaching their home. When Mrs. Wood, now Mrs. Rhoton, saw them, she began to cry. The elders were taken into the home and had a home there from that time on. Carrie was the first to join the new church. Then the others followed, all except Jim. Jim could never accept the account of Joseph Smith's visions. 
The Woods-Rhoton family were members of the Campbellite Church when the Mormon missionaries first began calling at their home. But the moment they began to investigate Mormonism they felt the cold shoulder of their neighbors. When they went to their church and sat down, the other people would get up and seat themselves elsewhere. Finally after they joined the Mormon Church, this coolness on the part of their neighbors became so unbearable that they decided to migrate west. They moved to Arizona. 

Peter Isaacson GGG Grandpa through Melvin Denham

Peter Isaacson: Click here for Familysearch
Born:May 30, 1828, at Sønderhå, Thisted County, in Denmar
Baptized:1854
Died:9 June 1920 Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah
Burial:Click here for findagrave



Conversion:
Peter Isaacson was born May 30, 1828, at Sønderhå, Thisted County, in Denmark. His parents were Isaac Oleson Hjortsvang and Anna Margethe Pedersen. He was twelve years old when his father died. The young boy worked for eight years as an apprentice to learn the trade of a carpenter and worked in this capacity until he left his native land. Peter complied with compulsory service in the Danish military, and served two years fighting in the war between Denmark and Germany. His brother later served in the military and lost his life in the second war the Danish had with Germany in 1863. The LDS missionaries contacted Peter and he was impressed with them. He accepted their message, even though they spoke no Danish and he spoke no English He was converted by the language of the Spirit. He was baptized by Peter Paulsen in 1854. He served a short time as a missionary to the Danish people. His desire to come to America was great. As a carpenter, he saved eight hundred dollars to pay for his ticket. He visited his mother to tell her he was planning to go to America. His angry step-father ordered Peter from the house because he had joined the Mormon Church. This forced estrangement from his dear mother was difficult. With the courage of his convictions he turned to walk the long journey back to his lodging, very cold, discouraged and unhappy. As he was walking along in the cold he looked up and there was a man dressed in brown clothes walking along beside him. For a while there was silence then the man spoke and said, “Peter, I want to tell you that you are doing the right thing by going to America. You will never regret it. You will be greatly blessed for the things you are doing for yourself, and your children and your children’s children. Don’t worry about your mother. Later you’ll have a chance to help her. Remember to always be as you have been in your life and your blessings will be great.” Peter talked to the man about his plans to go to America and a few other things. They walked along for a little ways and Peter looked up to speak again and the man was gone. It was level country and he looked in every direction but never saw him again. He believed this man was a Heavenly Visitor. Peter had been very close to his younger sister Maria. She had been taught the gospel with him and she believed, as he did, but she was young and did not have the courage to join and accompany her brother on his journey to America. The eight hundred dollars Peter had saved was much more than the cost of a ticket, so he used the extra money saved for his sister’s passage to help other immigrants.

Thomas Peterson and Mother GGG Grandpa and GGGG Grandma through Melvin Denham

Thomas Peter Peterson: Click here for Familysearch
Born:31 October 1833 Smidstrup, Sejlstrup, Hjørring, Denmark
Baptized: October 29, 1853
Died: 29 May 1873 Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States
Burial: Click here for findagrave

Conversion Story:

George Burkett Jr and Sarah Jane Smith GGGG Grandparents through George Sheppard

George Burkett Jr : Click here for Family Search
Birth: 18 October 1788 Bedford, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States
Baptism: April 6, 1831
Death: 15 March 1871 Eden, Weber, Utah Territory, United States
Burial: Click here for Findagrave

Sarah Jane Smith: Click here for Family Search
Birth: 5 January 1787 Taneytown, Carroll, Maryland, United States
Baptism: April 6, 1830
Death: 1846 Augusta, Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Burial: Click here for findagrave

Conversion:
Their story is pretty cool and I have documented about George Burkett Jr as one of my first blog posts.

George joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1831. Sarah and their three oldest children joined in July 1831. The Church was organized April 6, 1830, in New York, but persecution forced the members to move east to Kirtland, Ohio in the spring of 1831. At that time, the Burkett’s were living in Winchester, Indiana where George owned a shoe store.

Maria Kristensdatter (Tygeson) GGG Grandma through Melvin Denham

Maria Kristensdatter: Click here for Family Search
Birth: 7 August 1830 Graverhuse, Solbjerg, Hellum, Ålborg, Denmark
Baptism: 4 Feb., 1856
Death: 25 May 1903 Santaquin, UT
Burial: Click here for Findagrave

Conversion:
Marie Tyggeson was born on 7 Aug. 1830, Denmark. As Grandmother read the scriptures, she could not reconcile the teachings of the Bible with the teachings of their church, the Lutheran Church. She could see that her church did not contain the gospel in its fullness, beauty and power and strength as it was taught by Christ and his apostles. She began to visit what few churches were found than in Denmark. But none of them satisfied her. She still continued to search and pray for the truth to be made known to her. After much searching and prayer, she dreamed that some men came from the west to Denmark. And it was shown to her; these men would give to her the truth of the gospel as taught by Christ. She continued visiting other churches but was not satisfied. They did not have the gospel in its fullness. At length she heard that the so called Mormons were in Denmark preaching a strange doctrine. All manner of reports were sent out concerning these strange and peculiar people. They were generally held to be vicious. Many thought they were enemies from infernal regions seeking to draw people from the truth. They were thought to be wicked and dangerous. She thought surely such wicked people couldn’t have the truth. So she avoided them as she had been told the exercised an undue influence over all who came in contact with them. This however did not satisfy her and she thought of her dream. That men from the west would come and bring the truth to her. But she fought it off. Finally two of these Mormon elders came into the community and friends had told her they would hold a meeting in a neighbor’s house. She debated with herself for some time, whether to take any chance with such people and be deceived. But as she pondered over it she thought, well she was hunting for the truth. Why shouldn’t she hear their message as none of the others gave her satisfaction? She did not want to give in but something urged her on. She was not able to resist. But instead of going openly, she went in a round about way so people wouldn’t know where she was going. Soon she reached the home where the meeting was being held. They were singing songs. She stopped and listened and as she stood there her whole being was thrilled and these words came to her: “There is the truth”. For a moment she felt like fleeing away, for how could she, a girl accept these teachings from men that were held to be ignorant and dangerous and degenerate in every way. Finally she got courage enough to go in and when she walked in one of the Elders spoke loud enough so all could hear and said, “That girl will join the church.” In a very short time, she did join. she was baptized 4 Feb. 1856. Never from then on did she ever doubt the truthfulness of the gospel as preached by the Elders. Every time she related her conversion her countenance would beam and her soul was thrilled and never a doubt entered her mind but that Mormonism was true and she knew it. She was the only one of her family that accepted the truth as taught by the Mormons. Grandmother said her people weren’t as bitter as some but wept bitterly over her as she was determined to leave them and the good home in which she was reared. It was a good Christian home, filled with loving parents and brothers and sisters, who dearly loved her. To go to far off America and to Utah, that much reviled and misrepresented place. But her faith was strong and in her mind there was a new found joy and happiness, beyond all earthly expression. She had some very dark hours of trial, but her testimony carried her on without any doubt and out of tears came a heavenly smile and a fervent testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She came across the plains by ox team in 1859. She walked and carried a baby for a sick friend. It was here she became acquainted with her husband, Thomas Peter Peterson, as they were in the same company coming across the plains. They were married soon after reaching Salt Lake City. They later received their endowments in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City in 1867. After living in Salt Lake City a short time they moved to Ephraim, Utah. Grandfather was a very good carpenter and built them a small home. Grandmother gleaned wheat to have ground and made into flour. She went to Brigham Young’s wife and asked for a little flour until they could get theirs ground. She said she would scrape the bin and when they went to bin , to their surprise , they found some one had emptied into the bin more than a sack of flour. So Grandmother got enough flour to last until they got their wheat ground. After living in Salt Lake a short time Grandfather had saved enough money to pay back the money he had borrowed for his transportation. So he walked from Salt Lake to Ephraim to pay his debt and while there he thought it would be a good place to get a farm and he could get some carpenter work. So they moved to Ephraim. Maria Tyggeson Born: 7 Aug. 1830, Solberg Sogn, Denmark Baptized: 4 Feb., 1856 by W. Peterson Confirmed: 4 Feb. 1856 by P. P. Poulson Endowed: 1867, Salt Lake Endowment House Died: 25 May 1903, Santaquin, Utah.

Orvel Morgan Allen GGGG and GGG (Crazy right?) grandfather and Jane Wilson GGGG Grandmother through George Sheppard

Orvel Morgan Allen: Click here for Family Search
Birth:9 June 1805 St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis, Missouri Territory, United States
Baptism: 1838
Death:12 November 1893 Pima, Graham, Arizona Territory, United States
Burial: Click here for Find a Grave





Jane Wilson: Click here for Family Search
Birth:2 March 1810 Lincolnton, Lincoln, North Carolina, United States
Baptism: 1838
Death:14 April 1896 Eagar, Apache, Arizona Territory, United States
Burial: Click here for Find a Grave

Conversion:
At the age of twenty, he married Jane Wilson, age 15, 23 Feb. 18:c5.
Jane was born 2 March 1810, North Carolina. They had four daughters when they accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and were baptized in
1838 in Missouri, for which grandpa was disinherited by his father.