Thomas and Sarah Denton were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on December 29, 1841. They were active members of the church and looked forward to emigrating to Zion. Thomas was a farmer and money was tight. As a result, they were not able to emigrate until 1856.

They sailed with their now large family on May 3, 1856 from Liverpool, England. Their family at that time consisted of Thomas, and Sarah Moulton with their children Sarah Elizabeth (age 19) Mary Ann (age 15) William Denton (age 12) Joseph (age 10) James Heber (age 8) Charlotte (age 5) Sophia Elizabeth (age 2). As they traveled on the ship, on May 6, 1856 Charles Alma (age 0) was born.

They arrived in New York Harbor on June 14, 1856. They continued their westward travel by train arriving in Iowa City on June 26, 1856. After a short delay, they left Iowa City on August 19, 1856 as part of the James G. Willie Hand Cart Company. The Moulton’s were assigned one covered and one open hand cart. Thomas Moulton was assigned to be the camp butcher.

Upon reaching Winter Quarters they had to discard some of their bedding and clothing. August 19th they departed Winter Quarters. August 29th they came upon Cheyenne Indians wearing britch Cloths, and later upon the massacred Babbitt emigration party. September 4th Indians caused a cattle stampede and they lost 30 head of cattle. A herd of buffalo stampeded on both sides of their camp. September 12th food started to be rationed and more bedding and clothing were discarded. September 17th the first frost of the season was encountered. September 30th they reached Fort Laramie Wyoming only to learn that the badly needed supplies were not there. October 12, food rations were cut again and they encountered 18″ of fresh snow. They camped in the willows. October 22, help arrived from Salt Lake. Coming over Rocky Ridge they were in a blizzard and their son, James Heber (age 8) was tied with a rope to one of their hand carts to keep him from straying off. His fingers and one hand froze. A kind lady held onto his other hand, saving it from freezing. The Moulton family arrived in Salt Lake City on November 9th, 1856.

Upon arriving Dr. Richards amputated James Heber’s fingers (the small finger at the second joint, the ring finger halfway between the first and second joint, the second below the first joint, and the first finger about the center of the nail) This was all done without anesthetic and was a very painful operation. On December 5, 1856 Sarah Elizabeth (age 19) married one of the rescue men, John Bennett Hawkins an established blacksmith in Salt Lake City where they bacame a prosperous and influential family.

The Moulton family stayed in Salt Lake City for approximately three weeks then moved to Provo where Mr. Moulton worked as a farm Laborer. A man whose first name was Moroni, took the Moulton family to Provo. On the way they camped in Lehi. They met the Jonathan Clegg family, who became early pioneers in Heber City and was maker of cloggs- wooden soled shoes. In Provo the Moulton’s located in the Fourth Ward, where for four years the family of eight lived in a one-room adobe home.

Another son, Thomas Denton was born on October 29, 1858 in Provo and died ten months later. While in Provo Mary Ann married Fredrick W. Giles January 19, 1859. The Moulton’s stayed in Provo until 1860 at which time Thomas Moulton and his son William Denton looked at places in Sanpete County. In 1860 on the recommendation of their son-in-law Fred Giles, the Moulton’s moved to Heber City. Thomas, Sarah, and Joseph came to the Heber Valley to do the spring plowing. Joseph worked for James Carlyle. The rest of the family came to the valley in July about the same time as the Thomas Hicken family. As settlers were having trouble with the Indians, they took refuge in the log fort that was built in 1859-1860. The fort was located in the northwest part of town, starting on first west and second north and running north to fifth north and west to third west. The Moulton’s first house was a two-room log house. They obtained cottonwood from the river and split it to make the roof. The roof was covered first with straw and then with dirt. When the first rains came, it started to leak. They then thatched it with straw laid end-to end like shingles, each so-called shingle being 4 to 5 inches thick. Between the two rooms was a hall, which later became a room.

Thomas and Sarah were endowed in the Endowment House 27 July 1861. In 1865 they built the red sandstone home pictured above, at 190 west 200 North in Heber. The home is located just south of the where the original Log home was located in the Heber Fort.

William Denton married Mary L. Lee and Mary Ann Davis. He built two homes, one in Heber and one on the ranch near the former town of Keetley. This ranch was for many years one of the finest in the valley. For years William Moulton supplied the mines in Park City with milk, butter, meat and produce. He was the father of nine children and died at the age of 40.

Joseph was a teamster/stock raiser/farmer. With the exception of a year in Mexico he spent most of his life in Heber. He married his 1st wife Mary Elizabeth Giles and they had 7 children. Joseph married his 2nd wife Ane (Annie) Katrina Jensen and they had 6 children. Joseph married his 3rd wife Jensine Maria Jensen and they had, 8 children.

James Heber married Euphemia Ann Carroll. He was the construction foreman on the Heber Second Ward Church (now Catholic Church) and was involved in building the Heber water supply system as well as the Canals.

Charlotte M married Willard Carroll a school teacher. After living in Heber for 8 years they moved to Orderville. From there they moved to Old Mexico where most of their children were born. After her husband’s death she made Blanding, Utah her home.

Sophia Elizabeth married Addison Hicken. He and his wife were very successful ranchers in the valley. They were called on a mission to Arizona. After returning to Heber she spent many years serving in responsible positions in the Wards and Stake.

Charles Alma married Rhoda Frances Duke. They lived in Heber Valley until 1897 when they homesteaded in Teton Valley, Idaho. Two of their sons moved later to Grovont, Wyoming “Mormon Row” near Jackson Hole and built the two Moulton Barns which are reported to be the most photographed barns in America.

John Ephraim who was born in Heber on September 16, 1860 in Heber City married Isabell Tonks Thacker. They resided in Heber and he served as Heber City Mayor. He was the mayor when the Heber Power Plant was built north of Heber on Highway 40.

George Franklin Moulton was born in Heber 19 March 1863 and married Ada Leonora Cluff. They lived in Keetley, Utah and George worked in the mines until they moved to Chapin, Idaho where they Homesteaded.