Ruth Ann Van Valkenburg Siler Pitcher

The Winter Quarters Mormon Trail Visitor Center maintains this pitcher which was brought across the plains by Ruth Ann Van Valkenburg Siler in 1856.

Ruth Ann Van Valkenburg was the daugther of Peter Van Valkenburg and Margaret Predmore.
Peter Van Valkenburg was the son of William Van Valkenburg and Anne Beebe

Cream Pitcher
Ruth Ann Van Valkenburg Siler brought "some of the finer things of life" when she crossed the plains in 1856. She and her husband traveled in an independent wagon train that accompanied the Willie Handcart Company.

Ruth Ann Van Valkenburg married Andrew Lafayette Siler.

"Andrew Lafayette Siler (surname change from Sylar to Siler) was born 4 December 1824 at Sweetwater, Roan County, Tennessee, the son of William Syler and Charlotte Foute.

Andrew was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints on 23 February 1850 by Isaac Haight, at age 26. He was confirmed the same day by Hector Haight. Because of joining the church, he had to leave his home and family.

He was ordained an Elder - 23 June 1850.

He was ordained a seventy - 13 Feb 1851 bye Jedidiah M. Grant

He came to Utah in the year of 1850 (Company Unknown)

He married Ruth Ann VanValkenburgh, 18 May 1851 at Big Cottonwood, Salt Lake City, Utah by Pardon Webb. He married Ruvinia (Ruvina) Jane Mount 14 Jan 1857at Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ruth Ann VanValkenburg was the daughter of Peter VanValkenburgh and Margarette Premore, born 14 May 1834 at Harbor Court, Erie County, Tennessee.

Because of the issue of Polygamy, Andrew and Ruvina were divorced 3 May 1866 in Kane County, Utah. They had three children. She later married Henry Mower.

Because of records being lost, Andrew and both of his wives had to be rebaptized. This was done 8 Jan 1857 and confirmed 13 Jan 1857. They were baptized by Brigham Young and confirmed by Linsay A. Mann and Orin Joifford.

Andrew served a mission for the church in the Southern States Mission, where he served in the States of Missouri, Georgia, and Tennessee. In Tennessee, he had the opportunity to serve in Roan County, where he was born.

He departed for his mission 8 May 1864, and returned home at midnight 11 December 1866. Upon returning home, he was put in charge of the supply wagons accompanying the Willie Handcart Company of Mormon Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. Disaster, in the form of storms, struck this Company as they crossed the Great Divide. One sixth of the members perished before reaching their destination.

He also served with the Mormon Battalion. (The only records that were found, listed him in the Georgia Volunteers, same war but different outfit?)

Andrew was a tall man, standing six feet six inches tall and weighed 185 p9ounds. His eyes and hair were dark brown. His health was very good until he contracted Chronic Diarrhea while serving in the Mexican War as a Georgia Volunteer.

He was a lawyer, the first to sit at the bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was also a Botanist and a School Teacher. He was very well read, very studious, and an extra good penman. Honesty, hospitality, generosity, and justice were his most outstanding ethical characteristics. He upheld the Church Authorities and moved wherever he was called to help settle new places and to act in the capacity of a school teacher.

After he moved to his ranch in Upper Kanab, Kane County, Utah, he refused to move again.

I was too hard with a large family and failing health to be moving from place to place.

He left Salt Lake Valley 10 November 1851 and arrived in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah 15 November 1851.

As indicated by the birthplaces of his children, he moved his family to the following settlements in about the years that are indicated. All are in Utah..."

This is from http://gemstate.net/friends/siler/siler.htm

More at: http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/VANVALKENBURG/2000-03/0954396862

From The Van Valkenburg Family in America Vol.II p.182:
William VV probably d. before 1830; m. Ann (Anna) Beebe, from CT. Ann b. c
1773
Children:
1) Peter b. 4/12/1812, Schagiticoke, NY; m. (1) Margaret Predmore; (2) Caroline Freeman; (3) Eliza
Ann Boggess Turpin
2) Heman of Orange, NY; b. 1817
3) Elizabeth of Orange, NY; b. 1822
Note: Heman was a boatman on Finger Lakes
SECOND GENERATION
1) Peter VV of Union, UT; b. 4/12/1812, Schagiticoke, NY; d. 2/18/1874, Union, UT;
bur. Union, UT; m. (1) Margaret Predmore, dau. of Benjamine Predmore and Hannah
Jackson, c 1832; (2) Caroline Freeman; (3) Eliza Ann Boggess Turpin, dau. of
Augustus March Boggess and Lydia Ann Stringer, 2/7/1856. Margaret b. 3/10/1810,
Frankfort or Lessex, NJ, or Fort Scott, KS; d. 7/25 or 7/28/1897, Fairview, UT. Eliza b.
8/28/1824 or 8/28/1824, Clarksburg, W. VA; d. 3/ /1891, Union, UT Notes: Peter
crossed the plains and mountains in the Mormon trek to UT; he practiced law and
farming.
Children by first wife:
11) Ruth Ann b. 10/15/1833, Starkie, NY; d. 8/11/1913; m. Andrew Lafayette Siles, 5/18/ 1851
12) Maria b. 6/23/1835, Starkie, NY; m. Norton Jacob
13) Alonzo b. 6/9/1837, Hornby, NY; m. Mary Buckley
14) Martha Jane b. 12/7/1839, Hornby, NY; m. Otis Lysander Terry
15) Charles b. 3/10/1842, Hornby, NY
16) Joseph b. 1/20/1845, Hornby, NY; m. Patience Dalley
17) Catherine b. 9/27/1848, IA
18) Josephine b. 9/14/1852, Salt Lake City, UT; d. 11/__/1936; m. Peter Nordstrom
19) Margaret b. 10/22/1855, Union Fort, UT; m. Orson Hyde Mower
Children by third wife:
1A) Mary Louisa b. 6/5/1856, Union, UT; m. Alva Amasa Tanner
1B) Lydia Alice (Ann) b. 12/25/1857, Union, UT; d. 8/24/1932; m. (1) Charles H. Davis; (2) Joseph
Vance
1C) Julia b. 6/30/1861, Union, UT; m. David Alma Proctor
1D) Peter Boggess b. 6/30/1864, Unlon, UT; m. Mary Amelia McGary Smith
1E) Melissa b. 10/8/1867, Union, UT; m. DeMorand Moroni Griffin (Griffen)