Page Title

Stuart/Stewart Dickson was born in the York, Ontario, Canada. Mary Jane was born in Brooklyn, Sesquahana Co., PA.

The Dickson and Champlin families moved to and joined the Church at Kirtland. Both families moved to Missouri with the intention of helping to build up Zion, and so took part in the suffering and persecutions that came upon the Saints in that State. The families lived near each other in both MO and IL.

Both Mary Jane, at age 8, and Stuart, at age 11, were in the area when the famous Haun's Mill Massacre occurred in 1838. On that day most of the men were gathered near the blacksmith shop, and the women and children were in their respective camps. When the mob came whooping in the men dashed for the shop and the women gathered their children and ran for the woods. They remained hidden until the shooting stopped and the Mobacrats had rode away. They found seventeen dead bodies.

While the attack was occurring, Stuart and his father were still on their farm a few miles away. A neighbor took Stuart with him and they headed towards Haun's to get their grinding done. When they came to a fork in the road--one fork led to Haun's and the other to another mill about the same distance--a small bird flew in the faces of the team so persistently that the team stopped. When he started the team again, the bird stopped them. This happened several times until they finally headed towards the other mill. The bird flew down the road keeping a short distance in front of them until they had got well on their way, and then it flew off singing. The neighbor and Stuart discussed this situation while they went to the mill and got their grain ground.

Upon their return they learned about the terrible slaughter that had taken place at Haun's, at about the time they would have arrived there had the bird not stopped them.

Both the Dickson and Champlin families settled near the eastern edge of the City of Nauvoo, Illinois, where Prophet Joseph had a farm. Both Stuart and Mary Jane saw him frequently; in her teens, Mary Jane often helped Joseph and Emma at home.

During the exodus from Illinois in 1846, the two families became separated, and it wasn't until the Spring of 1850 that they came together again at Kanesville, Iowa (now Council Bluffs) where Stuart and Mary Jane were married that August. In 1852 they made the trek to Utah, settling in Lehi, Utah Co., Utah. In 1853 they moved to Salt Lake City, to Centerville, to Brigham City and then to Richville, Morgan Co., UT.

Stuart was a shoemaker, harness and saddle maker. He played the violin and played for dances and other parties. He participated in a military operation under Capt. Lot Smith, which harassed and annoyed Johnston's Army, driving off stock and destroying supply trains.

Stuart and Mary Jane had 8 children: William Stuart, Mary Sophronia, Sarah Maria, Adelade Avilda, Albert Henry, Samantha Jane, Lucy Helen and Joanna Susanna. All but William Stuart married and raised children. Stuart died in 1911 at Chesterfield, Idaho. Mary Jane died at Chesterfield in 1906.

Excerpted from "A Sketch of the Life of Stuart Dickson and Mary Jane Champlin", by their grandson, Osmond Call, July 1955.