Family History Update
Family History Update Sept 2026
NEWSLETTER
1/7/20266 min read
Discover Your Family Legacy
Explore captivating stories and histories that connect generations and celebrate your family's unique journey.
Edward Milo Webb
Renae shared with me a book written about the life of Edward Milo Webb, the father of my Grandfather Harvey Nelson Webb. The excerpts below come from this book written by one of daughters.
The images below are helpful to get a visual concept of where he falls in our family line.
Edward Milo Webb
by Irene Adell Webb Merrell
Edward Milo Webb, an exemplary man devoted to his church and to its teachings, was a typical early church member. He was regarded by his leaders as being worthy of living the sacred principle of plural marriage, and he married three beautiful and sweet girls. Because he was wise and just and kind, and the women were willing to become members of a plural household and had a sincere desire to live the principle as the Lord intended, the family life was happy and harmonious.
There was nothing “praiseworthy or of good report” his children think that we could not say of our father, and no undesirable trait that we could truthfully ascribe to him. His human failings, which he undoubtedly must have possessed to live to the age of 74, had through long years of self-control been subjected until, to his children, at least, they were nonexistent. Well-balanced was the adjective which best described him, mentally and emotionally. He was never excessive in anything, and abhorred sloppiness of speech, dress, or thinking.
His rationality caused him to see everything in a clear, unclouded light, and he was as absolutely just and honest as it is humanly possible. He was a profound as well as straight thinker, an omnivorous reader, and while highly educated, never ceased in his search for knowledge. Physically, also, he was a hard worker, this being the only thing in which he could be said to be intemperate. He was possessed of a deep spirituality, utterly unselfish and devoted to his family and friends. In fact, he loved all humanity, was a good miser, and true to himself; “could not be false to any man”
Footnote: In the three homes of his household, all members felt free to come and go at will. The children grew up together, as one family, and were very congenial. They had lots of fun together and enjoyed each other's spontaneous wit immensely.
One of the strongest links joining his laughing, singing family in bonds of unity and love was the frequent musical evenings spent together, singing the songs that their poetical father composed and playing musical instruments. Such evenings, now, are among the dearest, sweetest memories of childhood.
Beginning
Edward Milo Webb was born of early Latter Day Saint converts whose parents were among the old stalwart race of pioneers who helped to build up Western New York and eastern Ohio. His grandparents were all honest in heart and believers in God, as is evidenced by the fact that when they heard the truth as revealed to Joseph Smith, they readily accepted it, regardless of its unpopularity and the persecutions they knew would follow. The Owens grandparents were members when the church was one year old. The Webb grandparents were members when it was four years old. These families moved to Illinois. That is where his parents met and were married. The son of Edward Milo Webb and Carolyn Amelia Owens, Edward Milo Webb Junior, called Eddie, was born. March 8th, 1847. In Linden County, Missouri. When he was five years old, his parents started across the plains, outfitted with six oxen. Two wagons, two cows. 23 sheep. Eddie walked and drove these animals all the way across the plains to Utah. This year, 1852, was one of the cholera years. Soon after the journey began, his father contracted this disease and soon died. He was buried near the Platte River. During the trip, with the company of Saints. One time we were being ferried across the river. Eddie, as a curious five-year-old, became so engrossed in watching the spectacle that he wandered too far, and his family crossed the river without him. When they discovered his absence and word came back about the lost child, he was quite concerned and sorry for the poor little boy and much surprised to discover it was himself. The mother, now left with four small children, proceeded across the plains to Salt Lake City. She spent the winter on Cottonwood Creek, where her baby Francis Edelberg was born. Later in the year, she moved her family to Payson and was living there when the Walker War broke out.
Beginning of the Walker War.
As an Indian was beating his wife, whereupon James Ivy requested him to stop. The outrage Indian drew a. Arrow and was about to let it fly when Mister Ivy wrested it from him and struck him down. Another Indian was caught in the act of drawing a gun. From this beginning, and especially after the Indian died, the hostile Redskins went perfectly wild with rage and could not be prevented from going on the warpath. That night, Walker and some of his band rode into Payson and shot Alexander Keel, who was standing guard. Father was only a few rods from Mr Keel and remembered seeing him killed and that the women and children were then crowded into one room log meetinghouse, where they were guarded by the men outside.
Footnote from author of the book. To reconstruct this sketch, I have placed together. Chronologically, some facts collected of Father's life. They were gleaned from his own. Brief life sketch from Fillmore, Ward and the county records. From records in the church office building and from the memory of his family and friends.
Early life: Move to Fillmore
It was February when the family moved to Fillmore. And the next month, the day before his 7th birthday. Father began herding sheep and calves outside the Fort, alone, for one year, except one day when he was ill and three days during a heavy snowstorm when his older brother went with him. Here in the desert began Father's love for an understanding of nature and all its aspects. He was not lonely there, for he could amuse himself with the wonders of nature. He would watch with admiration the habits of the ants, birds, and Prairie. animals. The rocks, blue skies, flowers, and soft melody of winds delighted him and his sheep. He learned to know them individually, like people. When he had companions, they were little Indian children, and from them he learned their language and songs.
Father did not attend the town school. He was taught the rudiments of learning from his adored grandmother, Owens. She was a woman of great faith and wisdom and learning. She understood and appreciated this quiet little fellow, so eager for knowledge, and her teachings influenced him for good all his life. The reader she used was the Bible. Father, before he was nine years old, had read it through and learned pages and pages of it by heart.
Father had implicit faith in prayer, and many times he would find a lost sheep in answer to his prayer. One time, then almost dying of thirst, in the desert he knelt down and asked the Lord for a drink, and he was shown where to find a spring of water. So grateful was he for this that he never took a drink afterwards, he said, without first offering up a silent prayer of thanks for it.
The spiritual element within Father was always responsive to things beautiful. He loved beauty in all its forms, even at the age of seven. The beauty of the written language is exhibited in this little poem, hope and despair, which was composed while herding his sheep.
Hope.
There dwelleth in a castle most beautiful and grand,
the sweetest little fairy that ever graced the land.
Her smile will banish sadness and lessen the pangs of pain.
And fill the air with gladness and joyous thoughts again.
Who dwelleth in her presence is full of Life and cheer
To him all sights are pleasant, all sounds doth please his ear
The skies to him are bluer, the grass to him were green,
his friends to him are truer, and none are low and mean.
The stars to him shined clearer, less dark for him the night.
And heaven to him seems nearer, his faith more pure and bright.
Then seek her winsome presence. She is of heavenly birth
and taste of all the blessings hope brings from heaven to earth.
Despair
In a dark and gruesome cavern where the bogies have their lair.
Dwells a horrid, grimy monster, frightful he beyond compare.
From his being springs an influence blasting, withering all things fair.
To his ears, all sounds are discords; hideous sights are everywhere.
Clouds of darkness hide the sunshine; noxious vapors fill the air.
In his cavern sleeps this demon, harmless he while sleeping there.
Rouse him not, or feel his vengeance, a fearful vengeance of despair.
To be Continued
Scriptures
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.
108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments.
109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.