William Park 1805-1890

 William Park William + Jane Duncan

Source:  Conquerors of the West, p 1915-1917

Born 26 Oct 1805, Cambusland, Lanark, Scotland
Parents:  James and Marion Allen Park
Died: 11 Mar 1890, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah
Arrived in Valley: 5 Oct 1847, John Taylor Co.

Married:  Jane Duncan, 1828 Cambusland, Lanark, Scotland
Married:  Janet Findlay, 7 Apr 1850, Salt Lake City, Utah
Married:  Mary Gordon, 11 Jun 1854, Salt Lake City, Utah

William, with his parents and their family, left Scotland in 1820 for Canada.  The government had agreed to locate the families of a group called the Lemahagos, who had left Scotland.  They were each given a grant of 100 acres for each member of the family plus ten pounds sterling as a cash bonus.

Upon their arrival on the Dalhousie frontier, they built homes and worked to store food for the coming cold weather.  The ground was so poor that some of the people moved to other areas or to the United States.  The Parks moved to the western part of Ontario.

While there, a Mormon missionary told them of the gospel and the Parks accepted and were baptized along with many others.  It wasn't long until the entire branch of 25 people decided to move to Nauvoo.  They started out in 1845, went through the Nauvoo Temple and then on to Winter Quarters where they spent the winter of 1846-1847.  They left for the Valley in the spring of 1847.

Upon their arrival in the Valley, William planted grain on the land where the penitentury was later built.  In 1849, he moved his family to the area known as Mill Creek.  He and his sons worked a large farm.  It wasn't long until they had a warm house built from adobe bricks.

William was a violinist and played for the dances on the way west and also after they reached and settled in the valley.  Education was important to him and he encouraged his children to get an education.  The first school house in Millcreek was built on his property.  He was devoted to the church, but never held an important position.

Children of Jane Duncan:
Agnes Thompson b 16 Dec 1828, Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada.
James Duncan, b 26 Jul 1830, Dahousie, Ontario, Canada.
John Duncan, b 18 Jun 1832 Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada.
Marian Ellen, b 5 May 1834, Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada.
Jane Duncan, b 16 Feb 1836, Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada.
William Duncan, b 25 Nov 1837, Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada.
Hugh Duncan, b 24 FEb 1840, Warwick, Ontario, Canada.
Mary Duncan, b 30 Mar 1843, Warwick, Ontario, Canada.
Andrew Duncan, b 24 Mar 1845, Warwick, Ontario, Canada.
Joseph Duncan, b 18 Aug 1848, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Martha Hannah, b 22 Sept 1850, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.

Children of Janet Findlay:
David Findlay, b 12 Mar 1851, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Janet McDonald, b 3 Oct 1852, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Duncan Findlay, b 4 Nov 1854, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Allen Thomas, b 26 Sep 1857, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Cattherine Findlay, b 26 Aug 1860, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.

Children of Mary Gordon:
Elizabeth, b29 Mar 1855, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Margaret Ellen, b 20 Aug 1859, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Charles Sutton, b 12 Feb 1861, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Annie, b 29 Dec 1862, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Rachel, b 14 Oct 1864, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Alexander, b 29 Jan 1866, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Hannah, b 4 Aug 1867, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.
Annie, b 24 Dec 1868, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah.