In Woods Cross, Daniel Wood adopts three Indian children, supposedly “orphans of the Black Hawk War” — but years before that war even occurred

Copied from a sketch found on the genealogical website FamilySearch.org.

[Woods Cross, Davis County]

In 1849 three Indian orphan children were given to Daniel to support and care for and educate. Two girls and a boy, orphaned in the Blackhawk War. They were named Lucy, about seven years, Mary Utah about nine years, and Thomas about eight years. He was a cousin to Lucy. These three Lamanite children lived with the Daniel Wood family and shared equally with the Wood children.

They were mostly supervised by Daniel’s wife Peninah, whose maternal grandmother was Nancy Fulkerson, who was full blood Lamanite of Cherokee tribe. The Lamanite children were taught in school as well as in the gospel and grew up happy healthy young people.

After eight years with the family they were duly baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Daniel the father on 16 June 1857, and Lucy wrote a tribute to Father Daniel Wood, dated January 1860, in gratitude for the loving kindness to her and her people, a copy of which is recorded in Daniel Wood record.

In the winter of 1860-1861, diphtheria broke out in the settlement and many lives were taken through the dreaded and almost unknown disease, and one was Thomas the fine sixteen year old Indian young man. He died 30 January 1860 and was buried north of the gateway in the Wood Cemetery, making the fifth grave.

Soon to follow was the lovely quiet Indian girl, Mary Utah, about seventeen years old. Mary Utah died 2 February 1860 and was buried beside Thomas.

Lucy, the bright Lamanite girl was soon to follow. Lucy died 29 July 1861 of pneumonia, and was tenderly laid to sleep beside her kin.

A collection of documents, excerpts, and photographs relevant to the so-called Weber Ute people of Northern Utah. Not a complete history — research aid only.