Life and Times of William Jordan FLAKE 1839-1932
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1 Life and Times of William Jordan FLAKE 1839-1932 Ron Freeman, 2011 291 N. 2620 W. Hurricane, UT 84737 435-635-8011 [email protected] 2 Introduction For my 34th birthday, 15 Jan 1973, as a gift my father presented me with Osmer Flake's biography of William Jordan Flake.1 In his dedicatory to me, my father wrote: My dear son Ron: It's a pleasure to present you this record of a very small portion of your grandfather [error: great-grandfather] Flake's life and accomplishments. I was privileged to know him and the writer of this book.2 . how fortunate we would be if even such a sketchy record were available more frequently. As portrayed, he played a major role in the colonization of Utah and Arizona. May it afford you an even greater appreciation of your progenitors. xxx Your Father & Mother I was grateful for the present my father gave me on that occasion. As a young boy, I made the trek with my family to Snowflake from northern Utah annually, and I enjoyed staying in the old Freeman home and spending time with the Turley cousins. Since those days, I have read Osmer's biography of his father, and other historical accounts such as Lucy H. White Flake's journal, Roberta Flake's book on her mother, Joel Flake's autobiography, Al Levine's books on Snowflake, etc. Much of what we of the 4th, 5th, 6th generations know of William J. Flake has been gleaned from the book written by Osmer and the other by his sister, Roberta. Osmer's book, William J. Flake: Pioneer Colonizer, carries no publication date, but apparently it was printed in 1948. (I have a copy my grandmother gave to my father in 1954 so obviously it was published before that year.) Roberta's book, To the Last Frontier, was printed or perhaps reprinted in 1976.3 We shall always be indebted to them for their pioneer efforts. Without their dedication, we would have only bits and pieces--some accurate and some not so-- about the man who accomplished so much in his life, including the founding of Snowflake. However, as I have prepared brief family sketches on other Freeman and Flake ancestors, I have noted certain inconsistencies in some of the details presented in previous sketches and articles on William J. Flake. In addition, recent research and the availability of internet resources allow us to rethink the historical contexts of certain events in which William's life unfolded. In short, thanks to the internet and research by interested Flake descendants, we are in a better position to add to the early efforts of Osmer and others. 1 William J. Flake is my great-grandfather (Ron Freeman → Roy Freeman → Emma Flake Freeman →William J. Flake). I was born in 1939, seven years after William's death. The phrase, "the writer of this book" used in my father's dedicatory, refers to Osmer D. Flake, William J. Flake, Pioneer-Colonizer. 2 Osmer Flake died in 1958 at age 89--just two months shy of his 90th birthday. Roberta died in 1981, at the age of 103½. 3It appears that Osmer and Roberta used Lucy's diary/journal as the basis of their books. They didn't, however, use her actual language. At times, they, Roberta in particular, embellished and reworked the simple, sparse entries that Lucy had written. 3 My approach is a simple one. I intend to mesh and blend the narratives of Osmer and Roberta, and also include excerpts from Lucy's unpublished journal that she began in 1894, and Augusta's transcription of various sessions she had with William in 1912 in which he dictated his recollection of many of his early experiences. In addition, certain others have written historical accounts that make reference to William J. Flake. The Flake Roundup, over the years, has made available a great deal of information, much of it taken from contributions by William's children and grandchildren. Other sources are William D. Kartchner's personal journal that he kept up until his death in 1884, and the sketch that Emma Flake Freeman wrote of her mother, Prudence Jane Kartchner Flake. Emma's sketch provides insight into the Flake family from the second wife's point of view. Joel and Osmer Flake also have written their life stories that, obviously, have a bearing on William J. Flake. Another valuable resource is the journal William himself kept while prison in 1884-1885, and excerpts from it do not appear in the accounts of Osmer and Roberta. In short, although Osmer, Roberta and Lucy have made contributions of inestimable value, perhaps a bit more might be added about the life and times of our wonderful ancestor, William J. Flake. Unfortunately, my writing skills are less than desired and I lack the patience of a skilled researcher. However, I am retired and have more time than talent. Consequently, despite my limited ability, I want to make William J. Flake more accessible to other Flake descendants, and to my own children and grandchildren in particular. Ron Freeman 4 INDEX Birth and early years in Mississippi (1839-1844).................................... p. 5 Nauvoo and Winter Quarters (1844-1847).............................................. 8 On to Utah! (1847-1851)........................................................................ 15 The "Gold Mission" → California............................................................ 20 San Bernardino (1851-1858).................................................................. 24 Marriage, → Beaver UT (1858-1877)....................................................... 33 "Living the Principle", a second, plural wife........................................... 55 →Arizona ............................................................................................... 77 First settlement: (Old) Taylor (1878)............................................. 82 Founding of Snowflake (1879)..................................................... 85 Snowflake: the early years (1879-1884)...................................... 88 Off to Prison! (1884).................................................................... 117 Death of Prudence (1896)............................................................ 158 Death of Lucy (1900).................................................................... 170 William's later years (1901-1932)............................................... 172 William's Death (1932)................................................................ 187 Tributes................................................................................................. 192 William J. Flake's life in perspective....................................................... 200 Conclusion............................................................................................. 202 Works Consulted................................................................................... 203 Family group records............................................................................. 204 5 Birth and the Mississippi years As Osmer Flake indicates in his book, William Jordan Flake was born 3 July 1839. He was the first child born to James Madison Flake and Agnes Haley Love4 and he was named William after his maternal grandfather, William Love, and Jordan after his paternal grandfather, Jordan Flake. At the time of William's birth, James and Agnes had been married less than a year and were living in Anson Co., North Carolina on, we assume, the Flake plantation. The Flake plantation was located on Smith's Creek, near Lilesville The Flake family had lived in Anson County for more than a half century and by all indications were financially well established. For example, when William's grandfather, Jordan Flake, died, in addition to bequeathing nearly $2,000 in cash, he also distributed twenty-nine slaves to his several children and their spouses.5 About a year after William's birth, on 31 August 1840, a second son was born to the Flakes. He was given the name of Charles Love Flake.6 4 For more information about James M. and Agnes H. Love Flake, see James Madison Flake, privately published by the present writer. 5 Jordan Flake died in Anson Co. in 1843--about a year after James Madison left the area. In Jordan's will, he bequeathed to James two slaves and $300. 6 Some family group sheets give Charles' birth year as 1842, but that date is questioned by others such as Dave Smith. Charles is acknowledged as the second child born to the Flake union. Another brother, Thomas, was apparently born in 1842 in either Anson Co., NC, or Kemper, MS, so Charles had to have been born earlier. 6 On to Mississippi In 1842 James and Agnes decided to leave their very comfortable home and lifestyle in Anson Co. NC in order to create a new life for themselves in much more primitive conditions some 500 miles to the west, in Kemper County, Mississippi. Osmer Flake suggests the companionship of a brother and friends who went with James might have contributed to the lure of the west: When the subject of this sketch [Wm. Jordan Flake] was three years old his Father decided to take Greely's advice (not yet given) and go West. The trip was made with a pair of white mules, a mare and a horse pulling a large Prairie Schooner. They landed on the Sucarnooche, a small branch of the Tom-Big-Bee River, in Kemper County, Mississippi. Here, he made all preparations for a new start, secured the land and put up the necessary buildings for a good farm home. He was very fond of hunting. He fixed a deer lick, then built a turkey pen. He would set the trap at night and go out any morning and get his turkey, or to the lick and shoot a deer. He kept a fine pack of hounds, and when he wanted the chase, he took them. Some were