A New 19th Century Timeline

Fort Union

Did you know Edwin Westover and family were one of the 24 families who lived in the Fort in Union, Utah, better known then as Cottonwood? New sources of information shows them there during the early 1850s.

We are pleased to present Part 1 of a new series of posts that offer a detailed timeline of our 19th century Westovers. This first post details up to the year 1850.

For the first time, this effort will expand to include timelines for the Snow, Smith, Riggs and other associated families through these years.

This offering is different than what we have presented before because we are attempting to tie the histories of individuals together. For example, when the Westovers traveled to Winter Quarters in 1848 they came with a small group of Latter-day Saints from their area in Ohio. We examine the lives of these individuals and explore their connections to the Westovers. The results are somewhat new and surprising.

In attending Roots Tech each year we have learned of the addition of billions of new records that have become available. These timelines are rich in new details that we did not previously have. The timeline includes images, maps, videos, and scans of vital records. They are also deeply linked to profiles on Family Search.

We feel it necessary to not only link to Family Search but to offer reasons why all need to embrace that particular resource. Some find it difficult to use. Some are confused by it. Some just want to be able to access the deeper links and resources it has to offer. We want to help with all of that.

By integrating newly found material, cross-referencing the histories of others, and connecting known history of the times and places where our ancestors lived we believe this will become a steady resource for those new to our history as well as to those who already know the story. By presenting it in a timeline we can easily add to it as even more additional information is found in the years ahead.

As noted before we are working on an Ancestral Map — a literal map of where the bodies are buried. These too will be detailed in exciting ways.

As we get deeper and deeper into the family tree we will be able to better see how the migration of the family has happened over the past five centuries. The map, which is a work in progress, can be seen below. We will set it on it’s own page as it fills out. (My thanks to my Dad for all the hours he’s putting into the map project).

All of this will lead to new videos, new articles, new links and additional resources that will aid in understanding our family’s story.

Jeff Westover
Jeff Westover

Husband, father, Latter-day Saint, 11th generation American, and web geek currently residing in Smithfield, Utah. Please visit my website at JeffWestover.com

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