My Grandmother's Father - Robert Robbins Church

Father of 13 children, 6 boys and 7 girls. His father, Haden Wells Church was baptized by the Prophet, Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, IL. His father was a member of the Mormon Battalion, spent most of his life doing missionary work and died on his last mission to Tennessee. Robert's family migrated to Salt Lake City where Robert was born, then they were called by Brigham Young to settle St. George.

Growing up in St. George with his 3 brothers and 1 sister, they helped haul rocks to fill the swamp for the building of the St. George Temple. One 4th of July, the Church brothers went to Panguitch,

Church Family in 1887

Utah for the celebration. There he met Charlotte Emily Talbot. They ran a foot race together. Robert said, "I have met the girl I am going to marry." During their courtship Robert made the trip by wagon from St. George to Panguitch to see Charlotte. They were married September 14, 1881, in the St. George Temple. They settled in Panguitch.

He owned a farm 3 miles north of Panguitch on the Sevier River where he raised most of his children. Robert used to plant his crops in the early spring. He would water them once and then he would go away to shear sheep. Charlotte would take over the farm, crops and children until he returned. He also did a lot of freighting, hauling freight for the stores. All the family knew what hard work was, but they enjoyed doing it and were happy. Later the farm was traded for a home in town and a ranch home in the Little Valley. The family was proud of their home in town and each summer they would go to Little Valley where they milked cows, made butter and raised lambs. "Those were happy days - the trips to town and back on a jolty wagon with the team, old Flax and Sox pulling the wagon." They were always glad to get back to the Little Valley ranch home after a trip to town.

Robert Robbins was a good-natured man. He loved his family and his home. He had a keen sense of humor and was always cheerful company wherever he was. Friends and foes were welcome in Robert and Charlotte's home. They were very hospitable people. They worked hard on the farm or at whatever else they did to make a good living for their family, but they always had time for fun with their children. One of his daughters said, "Father seemed to be more happy when the whole family was along. All would get into the wagon on an afternoon and go sage hen hunting or do whatever Father thought we would all enjoy. Sometimes we all got a birch willow, put on a a line, bait the hook, and go fishing together, from the biggest to the littlest. He was so good and grand to all of us."

His daughter Sarah said, "Father was far from wealthy in material, earthly things and worldly goods, and nothing he ever did made him so, but his kindness enriched all our lives and the lives of all who knew him. All in all, he ws truly a wealthy man."

He developed Bright's disease, a painful kidney disease, and died on April 30, 1915. At his funeral, Dr. R. Garn Clark said of him, "Here lies one of the kindest men I have ever known. When I was a lad and used to drive cows to and from Panguitch to Three Mile Creek, the day was never too stormy, cold, or hot, that Mr. Church would not pick me up, winding in and out of the road to follow the cows. It was always a pleasure to be with this good man and sit by his side in a spring seat. He was always so pleasant. Robert Robbins Church belonged to that group who are the salt of the earth."

His obituary was in the Deseret News on May 29, 1915 as follows: "Panguitch May 26 - Robert Robbins Church, who died in Panguitch, April 30, was born in Salt Lake City, October 29, 1859. He was the son of Haden W. and Sarah Ann Arterbury Church. With his parents he moved to Washington County in the fall of 1861. They were among the first to help locate and settle St. George. He, with the rest of the family and in common with the people here generally, suffered the many hardships incident to the early settlement of this section. With his brothers he moved to Panguitch in 1876 where he resided until his death. In 1879* he married Lottie Talbot who has borne him eight* children. His wife survives him."
(NOTE: The paper printed errors. They were married in 1881 and had thirteen children)
History taken from life sketches written by his children George N. Church and Sarah Ann Church Ipson.

Children:
Mary Emily Church (1882-1968)
Robert Robbins Church (1884-1956)
George Newman Church (1886-1972)
Charlotte Church (1889-1896)
Sarah Ann Church Ipson (1891-1972)
Isabell Church Cooper (1893-1979)
Rhoda Church (1896-1896)
Abraham Arterbury Church (1897-1897)
John Dunning Church (1898-1985)
Verda Church Kenney (1901-1932)
William Wallace Church (1903-1904)
Haden Wells Church (1905-1964)
Lydia Church (1907-1986)