Orin Hatch and Elizabeth Melissa Perry (couple 2)

[Dad's paternal grandfather's maternal Grandparents]
[V.O. Jackson > Amelia Hatch > Hatch/Perry]

The following is from a life sketch about Orin Hatch, followed by a dramatization of his experience in the Mormon Battalion as recorded in the Friend magazine.  Tomorrow I'll share the story of how his father, Ira Stearns Hatch first met the prophet Joseph Smith.

 

It was not a mansion, not even a house such as people of ordinary circumstances would build today, but it was a happy home, the dwelling place of people who were highly favored by our Heavenly Father. The inmates of this home were not people of wealth as the world of today judges wealth, but were wealthy in rich traits of character, for they were stalwart pioneers of a wilderness.

　　This home was located in the extreme western part of New York, in the part inhabitated by the Cattaraugus Indians. It was a densely timbered land, sparsely settled, where every acre tilled meant months of hard labor. People of sterling quality and strong determination were required to undertake conquering of such a country, and such was the character of the people in whom we are interested. Evidently this family were ambitious as they not only provided themselves with a comfortable home, but became quite prosperous.

　　On May 9th, 1830, a third child came to enrich the lies of this home. It was a son, whom the parents Ira Stearns and Wealtha Bradford Hatch gave the name Orin. Not much is recorded concerning his early life, but we can surmise that his time was fully occupied with the tasks usual to such a pioneer life. The mother who had been especially interested in the Indians, read the Book of Mormon, and was the first member of the family to be baptized. That ordinance being preformed in 1832. The father soon followed her example, although his people seriously objected to his affiliating with this unpopular faith.

The Church was barely six months old when Oliver Cowdery was called by revelation to go to the Lamanites and preach the gospel (see D&C 28:8). Subsequently Peter Whitmer, Jr., Ziba Peterson, and Parley P. Pratt were called to assist him (see D&C 30:5; 32:1–3).  Read more interesting descriptions HERE, and some artwork HERE.

　　At a very early date this family had the privilege of hearing the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, taught buy two humble representatives of the newly organized church, and recognizing it as the gospel of the Master, readily accepted it. Also while living here, Orin, then in his fourteenth year was baptized in crooked creek May 1844. A testimony of the gospel having come to him as he stood watching that ordinance being administered by the Elders.

　　After visiting the Prophet Joseph Smith at Kirtland, where the father received a marvelous manifestation of the Prophet's divine mission, the family was not long in deciding to cast their lots with the Saints and in 1840 moved to Hancock County, Illinois locating twenty five miles from the new town of Nauvoo. Their home was at Eton Farm on Jobs Creek, at which place, the mother was stricken with a fever that was prevalent among the Saints and died 3rd of Nov. 1841, leaving the father with the responsibility of caring for seven children.

　　During the March of the Mormon Battalion, Orin and his brother Meltiah were inseparable companions. While on the march Orin became seriously ill with scurvy and was obliged to step out of the ranks, and walk supported by two companions. Twice he was left by the side of the trail to die while the Battalion marched on and twice his brother Meltiah secretly took an officers horse at night and went back and took Orin into camp. Later he was strapped upon the back of an officers horse where he rode all day and was removed when camp was made at night.

From the CaliforniaPioneer website, a great read!

　　For a short time the family spent their time with the other saints in building a new home in what they hoped would be a permanent location, but were sadly disappointed, for emissaries of Satan were obeying his commands and the Saints were obliged to seek a new refuge.

Upon their expulsion from Illinois in 1846, the family took up residence at Bonary Lake near St. Joseph, Missouri where Orin, the 16 years and 2 months old, enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, being the youngest member of that famous organization. In 1853 he accompanied the group in charge of Orson Pratt and helped establish Fort Supply at Smith's Fork of the Green River in Wyoming. In 1856 the call came for him to join the company that was to establish settlements in Carson Valley, Nevada. This group returned to Salt Lake Valley at the time of the invasion of Johnston's Army. He later answered calls to assist the Saints at Fort Hall, Idaho, and in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.
　　Being deprived of the help of two sons, they decided to remain in that locality until a later date, so rented a farm and made their home there till the summer of 1849. At which time they emigrated to Utah. Upon arrival at their destination he was one of five men chosen to go into the timber and select a pole upon which was flown the first American flag over that part of the country. (Lower California)

　　Upon his discharge from the service in the Battalion he remained in California and was employed at Sutter's Mill when gold was discovered there. Panning gold and securing an amount which he brot back to Utah with him. His wife's wedding ring being made from one of the nuggets. Upon returning to Utah in 1852, he established his home in Bountiful, but his pioneering days were not yet ended as he was called to go to various parts of the intermountain region to establish settlements.

He married Elizabeth Melissa Perry, daughter of John and Grace Ann Williams Perry on Nov. 14, 1855. In 1856 he married Maria Thompson who accompanied him on his trip to Carson Valley. Orin Hatch was a Sunday School teacher, a Ward teacher, a Seventies President and a Patriarch, to which office he was ordained on June 19, 1899 by Apostle George Teasdale. All of these were sacred obligations to him and he faithfully performed them all. He never aspired to worldly honors nor prominent positions but was content to live an honorable life devoted to good deeds. There was no man in the community more willing to respond to the calls of neighbors in time of trials sickness or death, and every project of the community received his moral and financial support. His first wife was the mother of 13 children, 7 boys and 6 girls, and his second wife bore nine of all whom manifested a spirit of love and respect for each other due to the wise counsel and kindly consideration of the splendid parents.

　　Farming, dairying, and stock-raising were followed as a means of gaining a livelihood for his large families. His first venture outside of the home farms was to establish a milk and cheese dairy at Silver Creek Summit. Sheep raising was also an added source of revenue and very early he and his older sons were owners of large bands of sheep. They were joined by neighbors and herded on the hills adjacent to the Bountiful settlement. At an early date a sheep company was formed by Orin Hatch and Sons and John Moss Sr. and Sons and called the Moss and Hatch Sheep Company. This company later became the nucleus of the Deseret Land and Livestock company organized in 1889.

(This was retyped on May 26th, 2013 by John Olsen. A few corrections were made in spelling and punctuation, as seemed proper. None of the content was changed from the original document this was taken from.)

　　He died at the family home in Woods Cross, Davis County, Utah, Saturday, September 8, 1906 at 2:20 P.M. Surrounded by most of his large family now grown. His was the first break in the family of two wives and nineteen children. Also surviving are one hundred eleven grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.

The testimony he received at the time of his baptism when 14 years of age never wavered in all his trials and hardships of frontier life. He was fortified by his trust in God and reliance upon His help and power.

“Brothers,”

By: Sheila Kindred, Friend, Jul 1994, p35

(Based on an oral history passed down in the Hatch family)

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light (1 Jn. 2:10).

“Soldier!”

Meltiar Hatch leaped to his feet and saluted the man on horseback. The Mormon Battalion had been on the march since dawn. Meltiar had taken advantage of a break to bring his sixteen-year-old brother, Orin, to rest in the shade of a tree. He hadn’t heard the officer’s horse until it was right next to him.

Lieutenant Smith returned Meltiar’s salute. “At ease, soldier.” He looked down at Orin, who lay unmoving, his eyes closed. “Your companion looks to be very ill.”

“Yes, sir,” Meltiar said sadly. “He contracted the fever at Fort Leavenworth, but I know that in time—”

Meltiar’s protests were ignored as Lieutenant Smith turned and gave the order to assemble. As the drums sounded, men began to scramble to collect their provisions and line up. Meltiar sat down heavily and put his head in his hands.

“Time? Time?” Lieutenant Smith loudly interrupted. “This troop has no time. The untimely death of our former commanding officer has set us back two weeks. We cannot defer to the sick and the weary. Leave him.” “Meltiar,” Orin’s voice was barely audible. “Forgive me. I joined up only because I wanted to finally be useful, like you were in Nauvoo. I never imagined it would end like this.”

“Well, none of us imagined we’d ever be led by Lieutenant Smith, either. Few of the Gentile leaders have been unkind; he’s just the worst of the lot. Let’s not forget the promises given by Brigham Young and the Twelve,” Meltiar said with conviction. “If we conduct ourselves properly on this march, our lives will be spared.” He put his pack and canteen in Orin’s hands. “Here are some extra food and water to keep you for a while. I must go now, but I’ll be back, I promise.” He got to his feet.

“I never meant to be a burden.” “Brothers can never be burdens.” Later that night Meltiar awoke with a start. He wondered why he was alone in the woods in the middle of the night. Then he remembered that he was on an urgent mission, that someone’s life depended on him. His first thought was that he was still a messenger in the Nauvoo Legion. Meltiar shook his head to clear his jumbled thoughts. He spoke aloud to himself. “The Prophet Joseph is dead. I couldn’t have prevented his assassination. However, I should’ve gotten help when my horse went lame, instead of trying to walk to Carthage. Then I might’ve delivered the last message from his loved ones before he died.” He shook his head sadly. “But I was young and full of pride, just as Orin is now.”

Meltiar had prayed fervently for help when he’d set out. He knew he had an impossible task. Even if he had not been exhausted from lack of sleep, it would take him most of the night just to reach Orin on foot. Although Orin was much improved and could probably walk, he couldn’t travel very fast in his weakened condition. Meltiar knew that if he didn’t reach the battalion before it pulled out at dawn, it would leave them both behind. But he also knew that he could never leave Orin.

At the thought of his brother, Meltiar stumbled to his feet. That’s whose life depended on him now! Weary as he was, he had to keep walking. The two previous nights, Meltiar had another soldier help him bring Orin back to camp on horseback. Each morning, when Lieutenant Smith discovered what had happened, he angrily ordered that Orin be left behind again. Last night Commander Smith had informed Meltiar that if he wanted to keep up his “foolhardy venture,” he could no longer disturb the sleep of other men or beasts. That was why he was now alone and on foot. And he knew that he must be only about a third of the way back to where he’d left his brother. Several times on these night trips, Meltiar had had the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. Now he was certain he saw movement by a large rock up ahead. He stopped walking and slowly reached for his pistol. But the pistol was gone! He must’ve dropped it back where he’d fallen asleep. He started to reach for his knife but froze when an Indian stepped out of the shadows. In the light of the moon something glinted in the Indian’s hand. It was Meltiar’s pistol! As Meltiar stood wondering what to do, he heard the sound of a horse approaching. Could someone from the battalion be following me? he wondered. Or could it be another Indian? The Indian appeared not to have heard the sound, but stood unmoving, the gun down at his side.

When the horse came into the clearing, Meltiar’s heart sank when he saw that it was an Indian pony with two riders. Meltiar closed his eyes and prayed for help.

“Meltiar?” a familiar voice said. Startled, Meltiar opened his eyes to see that one of the riders had dismounted and was approaching him cautiously. “Meltiar?” the voice repeated, “Is that you?” “Orin?” The two brothers rushed together in a brief, fierce hug, then turned to face the waiting Indians. The Indians had both mounted the pony, leaving the brothers’ guns and packs on the ground. One Indian slowly raised his hand in a salute. “Brothers,” he said before they turned and rode off into the shadows. “That’s what he said when he came and got me,” Orin said. “I thought he meant that something had happened to you, so I went with him, even though I was scared. How did they know we were brothers?” “They’ve been watching us these past few nights,” Meltiar said with sudden realization. “And maybe they could see how much we cared for each other. They could also see how much we needed their aid, so they helped us! Or—” he smiled at Orin—“maybe he meant that we are all brothers.” “I’m grateful for their help,” Orin said softly, “but sometimes it isn’t easy to accept help from others.” 

“I know what you mean.” Meltiar leaned on Orin. “But if you are as strong as you look, now it’s time for you to be useful. I need your help to walk back to camp. I hate to be a burden, but I am very tired!” “I am much stronger now, Meltiar. Don’t worry,” Orin told him with a smile. “Brothers can never be burdens.”

[illustrations] Illustrated by Dick Brown