Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

George Gillette Hales

Male 1844 - 1907  (62 years)


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  • Name George Gillette Hales 
    Born 19 Mar 1844  Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 31 Jan 1907  Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 7 Feb 1907  Spanish Fork City Cemetery, Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I159  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father Charles Henry Hales,   b. 17 Jun 1817, Rainham, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Jul 1889, Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years) 
    Mother Julia Ann Lockwood,   b. 10 Aug 1824, Canandaigua, Ontario, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Feb 1903, Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 31 Oct 1839  Quincy, Adams, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F127  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Tryphena Bradford,   b. 13 Sep 1845, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Apr 1873, Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 27 years) 
    Married 15 Oct 1864  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F152  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Maria or Mariah Henrietta Gay,   b. 12 Dec 1842, Hubbardston, Worchester, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Jul 1910, Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Married 5 May 1873  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F153  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Mary Ann Mellor,   b. 17 Jul 1864, Saint Margaret, Leicestershire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Jan 1935, Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years) 
    Married 11 Nov 1885  Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F154  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 4 Fanny Glenn,   b. 12 Jan 1862, Horbling, Lincolnshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Oct 1892, Fountain Green, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 30 years) 
    Married 4 Sep 1889  Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F155  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Censuses:
      1850 US: Dist. 14, Decatur, Iowa, p. 326b, dwellings 39-42, 30 Oct 1850; note there are only about 16 pages of census for this area versus 188 for Pottawattamie County; also note that the families of George, Charles, Henry, Stephen Hales and their mother Mary Ann Thompson were all neighbors - Mary Ann's husband had died in 1846 and she remarried to William Thompson; she dies herself in about 6 months:
      Dwelling 39:
      William Thompson, 46, farmer, Scotland.
      Mary A., 51, Eng.
      Daniel 17, farmer, Canada.
      David 19, farmer, Scotland.
      William, 15, Canada.
      Maria, 12, MO.
      Orville, 9, Ill.
      Dwelling 40:
      George Hales, 28, printer, Eng.
      Sarah A., 27, NY.
      Mary A., 6.
      Harriett, 4, Iowa.
      Dwelling 41:
      Charles Hales, 33, bricklayer, Eng.
      Julia A., 26, NY.
      Eliza A., 9, IL.
      Julia A., 8, IL.
      George G., 6, IL.
      Mary J. 4, IL.
      Charles H., 2, IL.
      Henry H. Hales, 21, farmer, Eng.
      Eliza A., 20, PA.
      Dwelling 42:
      Stephen Hales, 30, stonecutter, Eng.
      Eveline, 20, VT.
      Stephen, 1, IA.

      1860 US: Spanish Fork City, Utah, Utah, p. 229, 23 Aug 1860, family 1629:
      Charles H. Hale, 48 farmer, $300, $800, Eng.
      Julia A., 35, NY.
      Frances, 23, Eng.
      George G., 17, laborer, IL.
      Mary J., 13, IA.
      Charles H., 11, IA.
      Joseph L., 9, IA.
      John T., 7, UT.
      Stephen F., 5, UT.
      William, 2, UT.
      Maria J., 7/12, UT.
      Lucy E., 3, UT.
      Mary, 4/12, UT.

      1870 US: Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, p. 4 of 37, 1 Aug 1870, house 31, family 28:
      George G. Hales, farmer, $250, $225, IL.
      Tryphena, 24, IL.
      George, 5, UT.
      Julia A., 3, UT.
      Hiel B., 2/12, UT.

      1880 US: Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, NA film T9-1338, p. 189D:
      G. G. Hales, sawyer, 36, UT OH Wales.
      Maria H., wife, 37, US Eng US.
      Lewis H., son, 15, MA MA MA.
      George, son, 14, UT US IL.
      Julia Ann, dau, 12, UT US IL.
      Bradford, son, 10, UT US IL.
      Charles, son, 7, UT US IL.
      Moses G., son, 5, UT US IL.
      Wm. E., son, 4, UT US IL.
      Triphinia, dau., 2, UT US IL.
      Lawrence, son, 3m, UT US IL.

      1900 US: Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, p. 29 of 39, 16 Jun 1900, house 228, family 241:
      Gillet G. Hales, Mar 1844, 56, md. 27 years, IL Eng OH, farmer.
      Maria, wife, Dec 1842, 57, md. 27 years, 6 total children all living, MA MA MA.
      Gillet Jr., son, Aug 1874, 25, s, UT IL MA.
      Lawrence, son, Mar 1880, 20, s, UT IL MA.
      David, son, May 1882, 18, UT IL MA.
      Alice, dau., Nov 1884, 15, UT IL MA.
      Lily, dau., Dec 1886, 13, UT IL MA.
      May (Mary?), dau., June 1891, 8, UT IL MA.

      2. In the execution of father's last will and testament, this individual shown as living at Spanish Fork, Utah on 22 Jun 1889.

      3. The book "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude" by Daughters of Utah Pioneers for Mariah Henrietta Gay Mendenhall Hales mentions the children born to her and George as follows:
      Gillett Moses, 10 Aug 1874
      William Elmer, 4 Dec 1875
      Tryphena Louisa, 9 Dec 1877
      Lawrence Gay, 10 Mar 1880
      Davis E., 10 May 1882
      Alice Lucretia, 20 Nov 1884
      Also mentioned is that Mariah was often left alone with the children while George worked in Spanish Fork Canyon at a sawmill. George was sent to England as a missionary for two and one half years. When he returned, he brought a young widow convert, Fanny Glen, and her small daughter Lillian. George later married Fanny who died following the birth of their first Child, a little girl name Mae.

      4. Polygamous court case papers of the U.S. District Courts for the Territory of Utah 1870-1896; National Archives, FHL film 1,616,338 and 1,616,340. The microfilm series starts with this background paper: "The system of territorial government established by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a model for later legislation of the same kind, including the act establishing the territorial government of Utah, passed Sep. 9, 1850 (9 Stat. 455). But the balance between federally appointed territorial governors and judges on the one hand and territorial legislatures on the other, which worked well enough for the rest of the U.S. territories, did not work in Utah. There the Mormon community had already established its own 'State of Deseret' in 1849, and the federal attempt to graft its own authority onto the existing structure was a failure. The teritorial government in Utah retained the character of its Mormon predecessor for some two decades, its members looking to Brigham Young for leadership. Federal appointees had to work within the existing polity because there was very little, short of a full-scale war, that Congress or the Executive in Washingon could do to protect and support them. After the Union victory in the Civil War and the coming of the transcontinental railroad to Salt Lake City, federal authority began to assert itself, nowhere more emphatically than in the courts. Crusading federal Judge James B. McKean, appointed in 1870, attacked the 'probate' courts for usurping judicial powers properly belonging to the federal courts in the territory. These local probate courts had been recognized along with the federal courts by the 1850 establishment law, and the territorial legislature had, by an act passed on Feb. 4, 1852, given them the same powers as the federal courts, reducing the latter to judging the few cases that locals were willing to take before them. McKean managed to change this situation somewhat, succeeding in convening grand juries to investigate persons suspected of plural marriage and obtaining hundreds of indictments and convictions for adultery and bigamy. Some of these cases reached the Supreme Court, which promptly threw them out on grounds that the federal judge in Utah had no authority to try such cases. Congress took the hint and also its first real step toward righting the balance of authority in Utah in 1874 by passing the Poland Laws (18 Stat. 255), which officially returned the probate courts to their original status as administrators of wills and estates. In addition, the offices of territorial marshal and attorney general, which had overlapped similar federal offices, were abolished. On Mar. 22, 1882, Congress took an even more decisive step: the Edmund-Tucker Act (22 Stat. 30) made polygamy a crime punishable by fine or imprisonment. It also disqualified persons who believed in or practiced polygamy from holding public office or participating in jury duty. The passage of this act sent many prominent Mormons into hiding and intimidated the rest of the community. Beween 1888 and 1893 more than 1,000 verdicts in cases of unlawful cohabitation were secured. Undoubtedly federal court acions played a significant role in the church's decision in 1890 to end its approval of plural marriage. This action signaled the beginning of the accommodation of the church to the national system. After five unsuccessful attempts by the territorial government, Utah was finally granted statehood on Jan. 4, 1896 (28 Stat. 111)."
      Files for case No. 1703 (and cases 433 and 472), 1st District Court, Utah Territory, for Geo. G. Hales include the following documents:
      a. Case 1703: Indictment for Polygamy, May 19, 1888. Grand jury witnesses: Maria H. Hales, Charles S. Hales, Gillet Hales, Mary Ann Mellor, John F. Mellor, Jane Bradford. Partial text: "The Grand Jurors of the United States of America, within and for the district aforesaid, at the term and in the Territory aforesaid, being duly empanelled, sworn and charged, on their oaths do find and present that George G. Hales late of said district, heretofore, to-wit: on or about the fifth day of May in the year of our Lord 1873, and at the County of Utah in the Territory aforesaid did marry and take to wife one Maria H. Hales and did then and there have her as his lawful wife. That afterwards to wit on the 11th day of Nov. A.D. 1885 at this County of Cache in the Territory aforesaid wed within the jurisdiction of this Court, and whilst his lawful wife the said Maria H. Hales was still alive he the said George G. Hales did unlawfully marry and take to wife one Mary Ann Mellor thereby committing the offence of Polygamy against the form of the statute of the said United States, in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the same."
      b. Case 1703: Subpoena, County of Weber, Dec. 1, 1891: US Marshal subpoenas the Grand Jury witnesses to the Ogden City courthouse on Dec. 11, 1891. Partial text: "I hereby certify that on the first day of Dec. 1891 in Spanish Fork, Utah Co., I personally served the written subpoenas on Maria H. Hales, Gillet Hales, and Jane Bradford by reading to each of them the written contents and on the 8th day of Dec., 1891, I duly served the written subpoena on Charles H. Hales at Mammoth Hollow, Juab County by reading to him the written contents. And I further certify that John F. Mellor is dead and Mary Ann Mellor is in Mexico and not within the jurisdiction of this Court."
      c. Case 1703: Affidavit Order Requiring Witness to Give Reconizance with Surety, May 19, 1888, request for Arrest Warrant for Mary Ann Mellor who is key witness against George G. Hales for polygamy, "said witness being a plural wife or pretended wife of said Hales."
      d. Case 1703: Warrant for Arrest, May 19, 1888, Ogden City, Mary Ann Mellor, bail of $1000.
      e. Case 1703: Warrant for Arrest, June 13, 1888, Ogden City, Mary Ann Mellor, bail of $1000. Mary Ann arrested in Spanish Fork and in Marshall's custody in Provo City 13 Jun 1888.
      f. Case 1703: Warrant for Arrest, May 19, 1888, Ogden City, George G. Hales for polygamy, bail of $3000. George arrested in Spanish Fork and in Marshall's custody 10 Aug 1888.
      g. Case 1703: Bond, $3,000 for Geo. Hales. Signed by John T. Hales and William P. Hales on Aug. 10, 1889.
      h. Case 433: Indictment for Unlawful Cohabitation, Feb 27, 1888. Grand jury witnesses: Mariah H. Hales, Mary Ann Miller, Julia Ann Betts, Stephen Hales, Gillett Hales, John F. Miller. Partial text: "The Grand Jurors of the United States of America, within and for the district aforesaid, at the term and in the Territory aforesaid, being duly empanelled, sworn and charged, on their oaths do find and present that George G. Hales late of said district, heretofore, to-wit: on the eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord 1885, in the said district, Territory aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction fo this court, and divers days thereafter, and continuously between the day last aforesaid and the 23rd day of February in the year of our Lord 1888 then and there, did unlawfully claim, live and cohabit with more than one woman as his wives, to-wit: with Mariah H. Hales and Mary Ann Miller against the form of the statute of the said United States, in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the same."
      i. Case 472: Indictment for Unlawful Cohabitation, Feb 27, 1888. Grand jury witnesses: Mariah H. Hales, Mary Ann Miller, Julia Ann Betts, Stephen Hales, Gillett Hales, John F. Miller. Partial text: "The Grand Jurors of the United States of America, within and for the district aforesaid, at the term and in the Territory aforesaid, being duly empanelled, sworn and charged, on their oaths do find and present that George G. Hales late of said district, heretofore, to-wit: on the fifth day of May in the year of our Lord 1872, in the said district, Territory aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction fo this court, then and there did marry and take for his lawful wife one Mariah H. Gay, whose name is to the Grand Jurors otherwise unknown; that afterwards to wit on the 10th day of Nov. A.D. 1885 in said district and Territory and whilst the said Mariah H. Hales was still alive, he the said George G. Hales, feloniously married and took to wife one Mary Ann Miller, whose name is the the Grand Jurors otherwise unknown, thereby committing the crime of Polygamy against the form of the statute of the said United States, in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the same."
      j. Case 472: Subpoena, County of Utah, Jan. 4, 1888: US Marshal served subpoenas in Spanish Fork to the Grand Jury witnesses to appear in the Provo City courthouse on Feb. 23, 1888.
      k. Case 472: Affidavit For Warrant, April 11, 1888, request for Arrest Warrant for Mary Ann Mellor who is key witness against George G. Hales for unlawful cohabitation, bail set at $300.
      l. Case 472: Bond, $2,000 for Geo. Hales. Signed by James A. Bean and John W. Turner on March 12, 1888.
      m. Case 472: Subpoena, County of Utah, Sep. 24, 1890: US Marshal served subpoenas in Spanish Fork to the Grand Jury witnesses to appear in the Provo City courthouse on Oct. 2, 1890.
      n. Case 472: Case dismissed: "In the First District Court, Southern Division sitting in Provo. The United States of America vs. George G. Hales. No. 472 - Indictment for Polygamy. It appearing satisfactorily to the District Attorney that the evidence to convict in this cause cannot be procured, and that the ends of justice do not require a further prosecution, by leave of the Court the smae is hereby dismissed. Dated Feb. 17, 1892. United States Attorney."

      BIOGRAPHY:
      1. No source given but found on the Internet by others and sent to me:
      "Gillett Hales was a son of Charles Henry Hales and Julia Ann Lockwood. He was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, on March 19, 1844. His parents left Nauvoo with the Mormon exodus westward within his first two years. At the age of eight he left on the final phase of the trek westward to Utah with his parents and five brothers and sisters. They left with a group of saints and endured many hardships and much suffering.
      He remembered his grandmother, Mary Ann Hales Thompson, when she passed away and was buried on the plains. They were in John Taylor's Company, and reached Salt Lake City in August of 1852. They lived in Salt Lake City and Cottonwood until 1858, when the family moved to Spanish Fork.
      During his early childhood the family suffered much for want of food. Many times they had only greens to eat.
      His father went to Camp Floyd to work shortly after Johnston's Army arrived in Utah. They were sent by the government because of rumors that had reached the east about the Mormons. When he came home he had considerable clothing for the children. This made them very happy as the mother had made suits and dresses from seamless sacks and canvas.
      Hales had few opportunities for an education, but attended the school taught by Silas Hillman for a short time. He learned the trade of brick mason from his father, and helped him build the Spanish Fork City Hall, Coop Store, and many homes and school houses. He and his brothers formed a lumber and planing-mill company, and furnished much material for the homes at that time.
      On October 15, 1864 he married Tryphena Bradford. She and her two brothers, Sylvester and Pleasant J. Bradford, were married the same day, so they had a real celebration.
      Hales was a Black Hawk Indian War veteran, serving in Sanpete and the Home Guard.
      Everything went well with the Hales family until April 15, 1873, when his wife, Tryphena, became suddenly ill and in a few hours died. She left four children: George, seven; Julia Ann, five; Hial B., three; and Stephen, nine months. Aunt Jane Bradford cared for the baby for some time as she had a nursing baby of her own.
      In May of 1873 he married Mariah Gay Mendenhall, a widow with three children. To this union were born six additional children: Gillett, William, Louisa Tryhpena, Alice, Laurence, and David.
      George Gillett Hales was a Counselor to Bishop George D. Snell for seventeen years.
      In 1886 he married Mary Ann Mellor. This marriage produced one son, John Gillett. This marriage ended in divorce and Mary Ann moved to Arizona.
      In 1886 he was called on a mission for the Church to England, leaving his eldest son, George, to care for his family as best he could. This was a great responsibility for a boy of 21, but he did the best he could. Perhaps this mission and separation from his family was the cause of the divorce from Mary Ann.
      In the fall of 1889 he returned home. The U.S. Marshals were still raiding the country for people in the church that were practicing plural marriage, a tenant of the gospel. Before he left England, Apostle George Teasdale, President of the European Mission, told him he would not have to spend time in the penitentiary. This was fulfilled. He was arrested, summoned into court, but was always dismissed.
      In the latter part of 1889 George Gillett married a widow, Fanny Glenn. She had a daughter, Lilly, which he adopted. Fanny made her home at Fountain Green, Sanpete County. Fanny and George Gillett Hales had a son, Robert Glenn Hales, who died in 1891 when he was 14 months old. A daughter, Rosa Mae was born in 1892. Fanny died in October of 1892 and was buried at Fountain Green.
      About 1897 a group of people from Spanish Fork moved to Big Horn, Wyoming. George Gillett and two of his sons, Steve and Lawrence, went with him. Here they took up land. As his family did not want to leave Spanish Fork, after a few years he came home, leaving Steve there as his family was with him. While there Lawrence got him a wife from Missouri by correspondence. This proved to be very successful. Later, they all returned to Spanish Fork and their Wyoming adventure was almost a failure.
      In 1903 George Gillett was made Superintendent of the State Infirmary at Provo. While there, his son Will became ill in Idaho, so he traveled there. On his return home he took a bad cold which developed into pneumonia. His lungs were weak as he had had pneumonia twice before, so he only lasted a few days.
      George Gillett Hales died January 30, 1907. His son, George, was away at the time, so the body was held until he returned. He was buried on February 7, 1907. He was a High Priest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and devoted much of his time to the Church throughout his life."

      BIRTH:
      1. Obituary says Nauvoo, March 19, 1843. This evidently is an error in the years and should be 1844 considering the birth date of his older sister in mid 1842. Archival family group sheets has always used 1844.

      2. FHL film 392655 LDS "Patriarchal Blessings Index": George Gillett Hales, b. 19 Mar 1844 at Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, parents Charles Henry and Julia Ann Hales. Blessing date 7 Sep 1869 at Spanish Fork, Utah. Lineage: Ephraim. Patriarch John Smith. Vol. 44, p. 375.

      MARRIAGE:
      1. The book "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude" by Daughters of Utah Pioneers for Mariah Henrietta Gay Mendenhall Hales indicates she married George Gillett Hales, m. 5 May 1873 (he dies 21 Jan 1906 at Spanish fork, Utah, Utah. She married Louis H. Mendenhall when she was 17 and they moved to Franklin, ID. Louis passed away in 1867, leaving Mariah with three small children. Mariah and her children returned to Spanish Fork and lived with her mother, who was also a widow with seven sons. In 1873, Mariah married George G. Hales, a widower with four small children. Six additional children were born to them, making a family of thirteen children. See her notes for full citation.

      2. The book "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude" by Daughters of Utah Pioneers indicates marriage 15 Oct 1864 in Salt Lake City. They were married in the Endowment House the same day with Tryphena's two brothers. See her notes for full citation.

      3. Appears as if George and Maria Gay were married a second time civilly perhaps due to polygamous issues per Western States Marriage Records Index per http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/fhc/gbret.idc
      ID Number 205240
      George G. Hales (48)
      Residence: Spanish Fork
      Maria H. Gay (50)
      Residence: Spanish Fork
      County of Record Sanpete Co., Utah
      Place of Marriage: Manti
      Date of Marriage: 18 Jan 1893
      Volume 2; page 368.

      DEATH:
      1. FHL film 873714 "Spanish Fork, Utah Co., Utah Cemetery Records" copied by Nora W. Carter, 1944: "George Gillet Hales, b. 19 Mar 1844, Nauvoo, Ill., son of Charles Hales and Julia Ann Lockwood, (married.) d. 31 Jan 1907. bur. Spanish Fork, Utah."

      2. Mariah Henrietta Hales DUP biography indicates 21 Jan 1906 without documentation.

      3. Obituary says body had been kept one week before burial on 7 Feb 1907.

      4. Another obituary says death was 31 Jan 1907.

      BURIAL:
      1. FHL film 873714 "Spanish Fork, Utah Co., Utah Cemetery Records" copied by Nora W. Carter, 1944: "George Gillet Hales, b. 19 Mar 1844, Nauvoo, Ill., son of Charles Hales and Julia Ann Lockwood, (married.) d. 31 Jan 1907. bur. Spanish Fork, Utah."

      2. Per obituary.

      3. "Index to the Utah County Cemeteries, 1850's to 1996," compiled by Diane R. Parkinson and located at the family history center at the BYU Provo library: George Gillet Hales 19 Mar 1844 - 31 Jan 1907 Spanish Fork.

      OBITUARY:
      1. "Death of Geo. D. Hales. This morning George D. Hales, superintendent of the county infirmary died of pneumonia after a week's illness. Mr. Hales was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hales and was born in Nauvoo, March 19, 1843. He came to Utah in 1850 and has resided since then in Spanish Fork, the major portion of the time, where he has been prominent in civil and religious affairs. He has been superintendent of the infirmary for three years. A wife, 22 children, and a large number of relatives survive him. The remains will be taken to Sapnish Fork for burial." Deseret News, Thurs., 31 Jan 1907.

      2. "The remains of George S. Hales will be buried today. Services are to be held in the third ward meeting house at 1 o'clock. the body has been kept one week awaiting the arrival of his son, Bishop Hales, who was in the Deep Creek country at the tie of his father's death." Spanish Fork Press, Thurs., 7 Feb 1907.

      SOURCES_MISC:
      1. 18 Dec 2002 website .

      2. Per Ancestral File.

      3. Nauvoo LDS Land and Records Office research file (copy in my possession as of 2 Jun 2007 and also partially viewable at www.earlylds.com). Includes family group sheet from Ancestral File and Susan Black's entry in her book "Early LDS Members."