Joseph and Charlotte McCarrell Midway Fort Residents

The publication “How Beautiful Upon the Mountains” lists the residents of the Midway Fort.
Both Jesse McCarrell and his brother, Joseph, appear on the list as occupying cabins on the east
side of the fortification; Joseph, however, is not shown on the accompanying map. He is listed
right after his brother.

Joseph McCarrell KW6Z-N4G the son of Jesse McCarrell sr. and Charlotte Cynthia Oser were
married on October 19, 1856, in Provo, Utah. They moved to the Midway area with much of
their extended family in 1859. They were among the very first residents of the then Provo
Valley (later named Heber Valley).

Joseph was born May 13,1835, in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois, the last born of his parents.
His father, Jesse, was born January 8,1793, according to information found in the Nauvoo
Endowment Register 1845-1846 to Thomas and Olive McCarl. The last name has been found
spelled differently in other records. Creative spelling was common at this juncture depending
upon the whims of the recorder. Olive’s last name is not on this record and is still subject to
disagreement. Attempts have been made to add more information to these individuals, but any
new sources are simply inadequate to identify them as the named person. Jesse was born in
North Carolina, according to a Seventies Quorum Membership Directory 1835-1846.
Jesse McCarrell married Mary Robinson, a widow, maiden name, Locke, on March 25,1821, in
Monroe, Ouachita, Louisiana. Mary’s parents were Jonathan Locke and Cynthia Hughes, and
she was born in 1798. No month, day, or place of birth is recorded. This was Mary’s third
marriage. She first married George Garnhart on February 3, 1814, in Feliciana, Louisiana. She
was just sixteen years old and George was thirty-three. George died before November 11, 1815,
in Feliciana, West Florida, New Spain.” The marriage date was likely in New Spain as well.
Florida was ceded to the U. S. by Spain in 1821, because of an 1819 Treaty. The transfer of
sovereignty took place after the treaty was ratified.

Sometime between 1815 and 1819, she married George Robinson and a daughter, Ann Eliza,
who was born on August 15, 1819, in Monroe, Ouachita, Louisiana. The marriage had dissolved
for unknown reasons prior to her marriage to Jesse. Two children were born to Jesse and Mary
in Louisiana prior to them moving to Springfield, Illinois in the early 1830’s.

While living here Mary and Jesse were baptized as members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in February 1833. They moved to Missouri to be near the main body
of the Church. Mary’s daughter, Ann Eliza Robinson, married Caleb Clark Robinson on October
29,1837, in Far west, Caldwell County, Missouri. They lived near Haun’s Mill where church
members were massacred on October 30, 1838. They heard the gun shots and afterward
attended to the wounded. They were driven out of Missouri by Governor Lilburn Boggs’
extermination order in the middle of winter. They struggled to get to Illinois but felt it was a
blessing to finally settle in Nauvoo with the refugee Saints.

They prospered in Nauvoo and were able to receive their Endowment in the temple on
February 2, 1946. However, by this time persecutions had become intolerable. Their beloved
prophet had been murdered, and they felt forced to leave for Iowa.

The family, less Jesse Huges McCarrell, the oldest son who had married in Iowa, left for Utah
with the large Warren Foote Company in 1850, and arrived in Salt Lake City in late September
of that year. Later that year Jesse died and was buried in Provo, Utah. His exact date of death is
debatable due to conflicting documents. Mary lived in Provo in the Second Ward and died in
Provo, Utah on May 6, 1857. Mary’s son Joseph married Charlotte Oser in 1856 prior to her
death.

An article compiled by Debra Fotheringham, a 2nd great granddaughter of Charlotte Orser
McCarrell, contains much biographical information. I quote: “Charlotte Cynthia Orser was born
on July 12, 1837, in Ypsilanti, Calhoun County, Michigan. Her parents were David Henry Orser
and Martha Allen. David was born in Pittstown, Rensselaer, New York, and Martha was born in
Pompey, Onondaga, New York. This marriage of David and Martha was the 2nd marriage for
David. He was married to a first wife named Mary Ann Stitts. He had five children with his first
wife. She died in 1832. David and Martha were married on January 28, 1832, in Washtenaw.
David brought five children into his second marriage to Martha. Martha had been married
previously to Hawley Decker Smith. Martha had two children by her first marriage. After their
own marriage, David and Martha had a child almost every year (1832, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837)
with Charlotte Cynthia being the last child born to them in 1837 in Calhoun County, Michigan.
The older siblings of Charlotte were born in Ypsilanti, Washentaw, Michigan.” Records show a
daughter, Lucy, born in Calhoun, Michigan in 1840 who died in Illinois, and was buried in
Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1843.

They moved to Hancock County, Illinois, and records there show several land transactions in the
early 1840s. David died in 1843, and Martha sold properties and moved to Nauvoo, Hancock,
Illinois. At some point either David and Martha or perhaps just Martha had become attracted to
the Mormon faith. She was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints and did baptisms for the dead for some of her deceased ancestors in 1844. On February
6, 1846, she received her Endowment at the Nauvoo Temple and yet there is no early record for
her or David’s baptisms which certainly must have taken place in 1843.

FamilySearch states a marriage between Phineas Richards and Martha Orser in 1847 for
Kanesville, Iowa, but I have found no record for such. Instead, there is a 1851 record for her
marriage to Emer Harris in Council Bluffs, Iowa performed by Zebedee Coltrain, a minister of
the gospel. FamilySearch had a divorce from Phineas Richards in April of 1855 in Salt Lake City
and a marriage to Emer Harris in September of 1855. Perhaps there’s a good explanation for
the discrepancy. Emer had none of his apparent three wives with him when he came to Utah in
the Cutler Company of 1852. It is unknown when Martha and her daughter, Charlotte, came to
Utah, but they did so before 1853. Martha was living with her son, Joseph and his wife
Charlotte in Provo at the time of her death on April 1, 1860. Joseph must have come to Midway
as his permanent home sometime after the 1859 date previously stated by some sources. The
births of his children in Provo and Springville suggest that he and Charlotte did not move to
Midway until about 1863 or 1864.

Again, I quote from the article by Debra Fotheringham: “In 1866 Colonel Robert T. Burton and
David J. Ross of the Utah Territorial Militia arrived in Heber with orders to enroll all available
men in the valley into infantry and cavalry companies that they might better protect
themselves from the Indian depredations. The two cavalry companies were captained by
William H. Wall and Joseph McCarroll. Families scattered throughout the valley were ordered to
“fort up” in the central settlements. Cattle were placed in common herds and guarded day and
night. The newly organized infantry stood watch around buildings and homes and in addition
patrolled the mountain ridges between the settlements and the Indian reservations. The Black
Hawk Indian War lasted about three years and ended in 1867. Joseph McCarroll, was an officer
of record in the Black Hawk Indian War and is also listed in the Utah Index of Indian War Service
Affidavits”

Joseph took an active part in building the roads and bridges within the valley.

An “How Beautiful Upon the Mountains” article, writer unknown, says this about Joseph and
Charlotte: “He and his good wife, Charlotte, were very hospitable and kind people. They made
everyone welcome in their home. He was a modest, unassuming gentleman, honest, and
industrious. He was an ardent sportsman and especially enjoyed fishing and hunting.”
Charlotte died about a month after the birth of their twin boys in 1872.

Joseph married Mary Jane Threlkeld Coleman, a widow, in 1973, and they had five more
children together. He died on November 26, 1896, in Midway, Utah.

Children of Joseph and Charlotte McCarrell

Brief Life History of Joseph Wilson
When Joseph Wilson McCarrel was born on 6 September 1859, in Provo, Utah, Utah, his father,
Joseph McCarrel, was 24 and his mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 22. He married Ludy
Arzannie Empey on 3 December 1883. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 5
daughters. He lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, for about 30 years. He died on 8 May 1908, in
Milford, Beaver, Utah, United, at the age of 48, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah,
United States.

Brief Life History of Charles Alonzo
When Charles Alonzo McCarrel was born on 10 September 1861, in Provo, Utah, Utah, his
father, Joseph McCarrel, was 26 and his mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 24. He married
Mary Jane Winn on 28 March 1884, in Richmond, Cache, Utah. They were the parents of at
least 2 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, for about 10 years and Vernal
Utah Temple, Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United in 1900. He died on 30 July 1911, in Vernal, Uintah,
Utah, at the age of 49, and was buried in Vernal, Uintah, Utah.

Brief Life History of Mary Ann
When Mary Ann McCarrel was born on 16 July 1863, in Springville, Utah, Utah, United States,
her father, Joseph McCarrel, was 28 and her mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 26. She
married William Benjamin Rolfe on 14 April 1882, in Park City, Summit, Utah, United States.
They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 2 daughters. She lived in Park City Election
Precinct, Summit, Utah, United States in 1940 and United States in 1949. She died on 9
September 1954, in Park City, Summit, Utah, United States, at the age of 91, and was buried in
Park City, Summit, Utah, United States.

Brief Life History of Martha Jane
When Martha Jane McCarrel was born on 3 September 1866, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah,
United States, her father, Joseph McCarrel, was 31 and her mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser,
was 29. She married Charles Tribole on 1 September 1884, in Wasatch, Utah, United States.
They were the parents of at least 1 son and 2 daughters. She lived in Silver City, Juab, Utah,
United States in 1900 and Star Election Precinct, Beaver, Utah, United States in 1920. She died
on 10 January 1952, in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 85, and
was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States.

Brief Life History of Jesse David
When Jesse David McCarrel was born on 21 December 1869, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, his
father, Joseph McCarrel, was 34 and his mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 32. He married
Rachel Rasmussen on 13 June 1896, in Park City, Summit, Utah. They were the parents of at
least 2 sons. He lived in Park City, Summit, Utah, for about 10 years and Salt Lake, Utah, in
1940. He died on 7 July 1955, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, at the age of 85, and was buried
in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.

Brief Life History of Alpheus
When Alpheus McCarrel was born on 15 January 1872, in Heber City, Wasatch, Utah, his father,
Joseph McCarrel, was 36 and his mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 34. He married Elizabeth
D Moulton on 17 May 1897, in Charleston, Wasatch, Utah. They were the parents of at least 5
sons. He lived in Salt Lake, Utah, in 1920 and Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, in 1930. He died on
31 January 1949, in Stockton, San Joaquin, California, United States, at the age of 77, and was
buried in Park View Cemetery, Manteca, San Joaquin, California.

Brief Life History of Albert
When Albert McCarrel was born on 16 January 1872, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, his father,
Joseph McCarrel, was 36 and his mother, Charlotte Cynthia Orser, was 34. He married Agnes
Maria Smith on 25 November 1896, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. They were the parents of
at least 1 son and 2 daughters. He died on 17 November 1918, in Park City, Summit, Utah, at
the age of 46, and was buried in Park City, Summit, Utah, United States.

Heber Valley Heritage Foundation