Son of James Laird and Mary Rainey

Married Valeria Ann Flint, 15 Jan 1872, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, James G. Willie Company (1856); Age at departure: 4

History - Edward Laird, son of James Laird and Mary Rainey(Rennie), was born February 12, 1852, at Anet Lodge, Irvine Parish, Scotland. He was a child of four years when his parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and started to Utah with their three children: Joseph, age seven, Edward, age four, and Elisabeth, 14 months. They sailed on the ship “Thornton,” leaving England May 3, 1856, and landing in New York June 14, 1856. That year Church funds for assisting the thousands of Latter-day Saint converts from Europe desiring to immigrate to Utah, were low; so handcarts were pressed into service because they were less expensive than wagons.

The Laird family came west with the Captain James G. Willie’s handcart company. The Company started with 500 persons, including more than the usual number of aged. There were three cows, a wagon, and three yokes of oxen for every one-hundred traveler; a tent for every twenty; and a handcart for every five. The handcarts were made in Iowa City and consisted of two wheels with a framework covered with boards for a bottom. The framework extended in front to form a crossbar, which was grasped by the one who pulled the cart. On this cart they carried all their belongings and food. Seventeen pounds of food were allowed for each person. In the month of August, they crossed the Missouri River, rushing to reach their destination before late autumn. The journey from Iowa City to the Missouri River was pleasurable in every way; the roads were very good; game was plentiful; and the grass was high for the cattle.

On the plains they had many experiences. The Indians drove off the beef cattle. When about 300 miles west of Florence, the Saints barely escaped being trampled underfoot by a herd of frightened buffalo. The roads at this point became somewhat rough. Much rawhide had to be used on the rickety carts to keep them from falling apart. Early frosty nights made it cold, but they pushed on until they reached Fort Laramie. Here they obtained buffalo robes and more provisions. On they traveled; rations became low.

On October 12 it was decided that only 10 ounces of food are allowed each person. On October 19 the last of the flour was doled out. On this day, a heavy snow fell, leaving 18 inches on the ground. The company pushed on, but was compelled to make camp on the Sweetwater River in Wyoming. Word had been sent to Governor Brigham Young of their desolate condition, and help was rushed for the stranded people. When help arrived, they had nothing to eat for 48 hours and many had died. At Rock Creek, Wyoming, fourteen had died and were buried in a common grave. Edward’s father, James Laird, helped to dig this grave. His mother, Mary, had given her portion of wheat to her husband that morning so he would have the strength to do his part.

The Company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, November 9, 1856. Although Edward was only a lad of four, he walked most of the way across the plains and suffered extremely from cold and hardships before the Company reached the valley.

Edward’s early life was spent in Spanish Fork and Heber City. When silver was discovered in Park City, the family moved to Mountain Dell, Parley’s Canyon. Here they built a home and provided overnight lodgings for freighters traveling between Salt Lake City and Park City. As a child, Edward was rather sickly, but by determination, he overcame this, and not only gained a strong body, but a strong mind. He was always ambitious and thrifty, and when a very young man, he freighted ore between Park City and Salt Lake City for a number of years.

While doing this he met Valeria Ann Flint, who was living at the home of Bishop Leonard W. Hardy in Mountain Dell. They fell in love and were married in the Endowment House, January 15, 1872. They built a two-room house on the side of a hill about a fourth of a mile down the canyon from the James Laird home. Father homesteaded the land on the south bench. The old farm is now part of the George Washington Park, a recreation Center. He continued to haul ore, bought a few sheep and cattle, cleared his land and farmed.

They had ten children: Edward, Valeria, Mary, James, Joseph, Harriet, Elizabeth Almina (died six weeks), Rhoda, Fidella, and Royal Martin (died at four years). As the family increased, they built a larger house - three large rooms downstairs, a kitchen the full length of the house, a parlor, and a bedroom, two large rooms upstairs, known as the girls’ room and the boys’ room. A porch ran across the front of the house, with trees planted close to the porch, and lawn extending down to the canyon stream - a very delightful place in summer, but rather cold in winter.

Mountain Dell by that time was a growing community, with about sixteen families living there. A ward was organized with William Hardy, Bishop: William Taylor, First Councilor, and Edward Laird, Second Councilor. A ward house and a school building were built near the junction of the Parley’s Creek and Dell Creek (at present all under water, Mountain Dell Reservoir). The school building was a two-story structure. Classes were held upstairs, and a big recreation hall downstairs offered space for all community social activities. It was a very progressive and active community, all families participating.

One of Edward's hired men named Joseph Nebbles, called to see some of the Laird family a few years ago and told them that Edward had a mining claim in Park City and sold it for $1500. With this money he bought sheep, and that was the beginning of his sheep business. His sheep business continued to grow. The surrounding hills furnished good summer grazing and the desert out west of Grantsville, the winter. As the herds increased, the sheep were taken into Wyoming for summer. He was a hard worker himself and expected a day’s worth of work from his sons and hired men. Being of Scotch parentage, he was naturally thrifty.

He was away from home with the sheep for several weeks at a time, and how thrilled we were when he returned to stay a few weeks. He was loving and kind to his children. Edward and Valeria would drive to Salt Lake City for supplies regularly. They bought cloth - calico and gingham - by the bolt; shoes by the dozen; cases of canned fruit and vegetables; flour, 100 pounds at a time; sides of bacon; sugar by 100 lbs.; honey by the ten pound cans, and raisins and molasses. He was a good provider, generous and kind to his hired help.

The sheep business had grown considerably and it was necessary to have more grazing land, so father and his three sons went to Idaho and purchased land at Dubois, Camas Meadows and Henry’s Lake. He continued with the business until a few years before his death, when he divided it among his sons.