All You Immigrants - Part II - The Great Confluence

In GAP's earlier post about Lorenzo Stutz we promised to write more about him. Today is that day. While the previous post was composed of excerpts from online sources -- of which there were a surprising number, given that Lorenzo passed away in 1910 -- today we have an extended excerpt from Grandma's book All You Immigrants. Published in March 1998, All You Immigrants is an extensive history of the people who came together and gave rise to Grandma and Grandpa's family and the related families. It is a very worthy read, regardless of who you are, family or otherwise.

This excerpt is from Part II - The Great Confluence, pages 69-79. Some of the facts and events parallel those from the newspaper excerpts in the previous post about Lorenzo Stutz, and it is interesting to see where they overlap and differ. I note for the record that Grandma has given me permission to publish these writings online; any deviations from her text are my errors.
Lorenzo Stutz and Katharina Leuteneggar.

Islisberg is a small village located in the German-speaking portion of Switzerland. It is a farming community made up of family-owned farms and peopled by the vigorous Swiss people. It is peaceful, scenic and ethnic. It was in this picturesque setting that Lorenzo (Lorenz) Stutz was born on September 7, 1838 to Leodegardi Loenz Stutz and Maria Verena Stutz Stutz. He was the fifth child in a family of eight siblings: Jacob Leonz, Elizabeth, Ida, Leodegardi, Lorenz Nikolaus, Jacob, and Agnus. The family was Catholic as were most families in the community. There had been intermarrying within the surrounding towns for many generations and it was common for a "Stutz" to marry a "Stutz" for they did not all claim mutual ancestry.

As a youth, Lorenz learned the trades of baker and confectioner as well as farming, fruit culture and beekeeping. When he was 22 years old, he converted to the Mormon faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized by Elder Jacob Nassar on February 19, 1861. No details are known of his conversion but there is no evidence that he was ostracized by his family or community. Indeed, throughout his life letters of affection and concern were exchanged.

The following spring Lorenz made his way to LeHarve, France, where he joined a company of converts who were emigrating to Salt Lake City to join the "Saints." He set sail for America aboard the "Windermere." He never returned to his native land. During the voyage he met a widow, Elizabeth Galley Huegly, who later became his wife.

Lorenzo crossed the western plains of America with a wagon-train of Saints. He served as the company cattle drover. During the long trek he froze his toes and had to have some of them sawed off to prevent gangrene. Lorenzo testified that during this ordeal his life was saved by the ministering of angels.

Lorenzo arrived in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1861 or in the spring of 1862. He renewed his friendship with Elizabeth Galley Huegly who had arrived in the valley ahead of him and was living with her 14 year old son, Joseph who had emigrated a year earlier and had established a home for his mother and obtained a job on a ranch. Lorenzo and Joseph developed a friendship which lasted throughout their lives, Lorenzo later named a son for his friend.

Lorenzo and Elizabeth were married in the Salt Lake City Temple August 8, 1863 by Wilford Woodruff. Lorenzo was approaching this twenty-second birthday and Elizabeth was nearing her forty-ninth birthday. Although Elizabeth was beyond child-bearing age, her position as the first wife in a polygamous society gave her a status of authority. She presided over Lorenzo's home for twenty-four years through a succession of three additional wives.

The practice of polygamy, known as "The Principle" within the Church, was a sacred law in Mormondom. It had been introduced in 1832 by the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. Lorenzo and Elizabeth were devout Mormons and took their responsibilities seriously.

Five years after their marriage Lorenzo, with the blessings of Elizabeth and the approval of the Church Authorities, married Mary Muller, a twenty-two year old girl from Switzerland. They married in the Salt Lake Endowment House December 28, 1869. It was over four years before their first and only child was born. Lorenzo Herman Stutz was born March 2, 1873. A year later his mother, Mary Muller Stutz, died leaving her infant son to be raised by Elizabeth.

Eighteen months after the death of Mary, Lorenzo married his third wife, Margaritha Stoller, also from Switzerland. This marriage was sanctioned by both Elizabeth and the Church leaders and was performed in the Endowment House. Two and one-half years later Margaritha gave birth to a son, Hyrum, who lived only 19 days. Margaritha followed her son in death two years later and was buried beside Hyrum.

Sometime after Margaritha's death, Lorenzo and Elizabeth were attending a German religious service in the Assembly Hall in Salt Lake city when they noticed a young girl nearby crying. They approached her to comfort her and learning she had recently arrived in the city from Switzerland and was feeling homesick, they invited her to their home and offered her employment. This beautiful, 21 year old girl was Katharine Leuteneggar. She was to become Lorenzo's fourth wife and the mother of the large posterity he so much desired.

Katharina Leuteneggar was born April 11, 1859 in the city of Sirnach, Switzerland. She was the fifth child in a family of six children. Her father was a well-to-do merchant in the city. His name was Johannes Leuteneggar. Her mother was Anna Wurst.

When Katharina was nineteen years old she met the Mormon missionaries and was converted to the Mormon Church. She was baptized against the wishes of her family and as a result was turned out of her father's house. She was the only member of the family to join the church. Katharina emigrated to America the following year. She never returned to Switzerland nor did she communicate with her family. In her later years she hired a professional genealogist to research her ancestral lines so she could do the Temple work for them.

Katharina made her way to Salt Lake City by train. On the way she contracted what was known as Mountain Fever and came very near dying. She arrived in Salt Lake City in the spring of 1880 physically ill and homesick. It was soon after her arrival that she met Lorenzo and Elizabeth and obtained employment in their home.

During the summer she consented to become Lorenzo's fourth wife. Again Elizabeth approved of the marriage as did the Church leaders. They were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House November 18, 1880. Many years later her youngest daughter, Frieda Beck Winslow, quoted her mother as saying she cried all the way to the Endowment House because she really did not want to marry Lorenzo. Lorenzo Stutz was a good man. He was kind to her and would be a good provider but he was twice her age and already had one living wife and a seven year old son.

Lorenzo provided a separate house for Katharina adjacent to the house where he and Elizabeth and Lorenzo Herman had lived together. It was in this house that Katharina gave birth to Joseph Reuben Stutz August 25, 1881.

Lorenzo supported his family on his 40 acre farm where he raised fruit and vegetables and kept a few farm animals and some beehives. To supplement his income he made wedding cakes and catered banquets. His wedding cakes were locally famous. Some fifty years after his death we (Howard and I) met some elderly women on a train who told us about his beautiful cakes -- especially the one he made for the daughter of Joseph Huegly, his step-son.

The birth of Joseph Reuben was followed at two-year intervals by Orson, 1883; Mary Magdalene; 1884; and John, 1886. John was only nine days old when the problems of polygamy caught up with them.

On November 6, 1886 Lorenzo was arrested by the Federal Marshal for "cohabitation." He was fined $100 and confined to the Federal Prison in Salt Lake for one year. At this time he was 48 years old. It appears that his family did not suffer from lack of food or housing as was the case in many of the polygamy families. Lorenzo Herman was thirteen years old and seems to have been an exceptionally responsible young man.

Lorenzo's prison diary reflects the deep commitment he had for the Gospel and the love he had for his family. He frequently expressed his feelings in bits of poetry. It also hints at a few domestic trials which confronted his wives. Lorenzo Herman visited his father every week bring him fresh clothing. Other family members also visited him at various times. Lorenzo served as cook in the prison.

The stress of this period undoubtedly contributed to the death of Elizabeth who died March 3, 1887 at the age of seventy-three. Lorenzo was allowed to attend her funeral under guard. Lorenzo deeply mourned the death of Elizabeth. They had been married for 24 years. Her son Joseph and Lorenzo's son, Lorenzo Herman also suffered at her passing. The death of Elizabeth allowed the prison sentence to be shortened to six months because Lorenzo was no longer a polygamist. The last three months of his sentence were especially difficult because his health was bad and he suffered from depression. He was released to his family May 31, 1887.

To make their marriage legal under Federal law, it was necessary for Lorenzo and Katharina to obtain a second marriage license. They were remarried December 20, 1887. The battle between the "Feds and the Co-habs" continued for many years and, even today, there are off-shoots of the Mormon Church who continue to live and defend "The Principle."

Church leaders and Church members realized that statehood and the return of church property and citizen's civil rights would not be realized until polygamy was negated. Polygamy was, to the Mormons, a holy order. It had been preached from the pulpit and defended in courts. Church leaders held tenaciously to its precepts. Since it had been ordained by a prophet, only a prophet could deny the practice. In 1890 Wilford Woodruff, the President of the Mormon Church and himself a polygamist, received a revelation suspending plural marriages. This revelation is known as the Manifesto. It is stated that there would be no more polygamist marriages performed and anyone living The Principle would be excommunicated. Relationships with the Federal government and throughout the world improved rapidly and statehood was granted to Utah in 1896. It certainly was not the end of the problems generated by the practice, but it made the Mormons acceptable in the eyes of the world and allowed political and economic growth.

Lorenzo did not take any more wives after the death of Elizabeth, but he did have another friend by the name of Eliza Gally Wholen sealed to him after her death. She is buried along side Lorenzo and Elizabeth in the Elysium Burial Garden in Salt Lake City.

Katharina bore two more children by Lorenzo; Martha in February 1889 and Lorena May in 1894. Both John, who was born a few days before Lorenzo went to prison, and Martha died as toddlers. Joseph Reuben never completed recovered from the deaths of his little brother and sister. He said Little Martha used to run to meet him when he returned from work and he would pick her up and carry her on his shoulders. He named one of his daughters after his little sister. Joseph Reuben said his mother was a beautiful woman and a good mother and the children never doubted that she loved them very much. Lorenzo was a good man who provided well for his family and taught them high moral standards and work ethic. Lorenzo and Katharina were both avid Temple workers attending the Temple regularly and doing ordinance work for the dead.

In 1887, two years after the birth of Lorena May, a young return missionary by the name of John Beck came to work for Lorenzo. During his employment he was attracted to Katharina and she to him. Sometime during the latter part of 1897 Katharina divorced Lorenzo to marry John Beck.

Katharina took Lorena May and moved to Idaho with her new husband. A year later their daughter, Frieda, was born. The Becks moved back to Salt Lake where they both worked and ran a hotel. During those years she remained close to her children Joseph Reuben, Orson, Mary Magdalene and their half brother Lorenzo Herman. Lorena May and Frieda were unusually close sisters and remained so throughout their lives.

In 1908 John and Katharina separated. John being several years younger than Katharina desired a younger wife who could give him a large posterity. Later they were divorced. Katharina remained in Salt Lake City and reared her two daughters. when they grew up she continued to be an important part of their lives. In her old age she lived with Frieda and her husband Fred Winslow who loved her dearly. Lorena May died at age 45. Neither Frieda or Lorena May had children. Katharina died 26 June, 1940 at age 81. She is buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery alongside Ralph and Frieda.

Lorenzo died 18 March 1910 at age 71. His property was inherited by his daughters Lorena May and Mary Magdalene. Lorenzo Herman was named guardian of Lorena and administrator of the estate. Lorenzo's sons received portions of his personal property.

Although Lorenzo and Katharina both did extensive Temple work for the dead, their own marriage vows were dissolved and never reestablished. Frieda Beck Winslow said that her mother made Lorena May and Frieda promise they would never have her sealed to either Lorenzo or John Beck and this promise has been honored. Lorenzo reported having had a dream wherein he and Katharina had passed beyond the veil. He could see Katharina and desired to be with her but realized there was no possible way to cross the wide, deep moat that separated them. He interpreted this dream to mean they would never be reunited in the eternities.

References

Lorenzo Stutz 1838 - 1910. Clifford Stutz.
When Grandpa Went to Jail. Clifford Stutz.
Katharina Leuteneggar 1859 - 1940. Clifford Stutz.
Exiles for the Principle; LDS Polygamy in Canada. Jessie L. Embry.
Word of Mouth and Traditions. Frieda Beck Winslow.

UPDATE

Dave in the comments points out a typo, which I fixed. Thanks, Dave!

Andrew writes in the comments:

I found the mention of Stutzes marrying each other interesting. When I was in Islisberg in October 2008, I took pictures of the graves in the churchyard, and there were several Stutz-Stutz, Stutz-other name, and other name-Stutz buried there. Unfortunately, all the graves are new ones, with the oldest dating back to only 1985.

Thanks, Andrew!