The Saga of Hugh Moon

If you have ever driven to Utah from South East Idaho, or vice versa, you will likely have noticed that right on the border just before Idaho turns into Utah, there are two gravestones.  Growing up, looking for these gravestones was a highlight of any trip to Utah because then we got to hear the saga of Hugh Moon.  Who is Hugh?  Well, Hugh is my Great, Great, Great Grandpa.  Hugh emigrated from England to the United States in the early 1800's to join the Mormons.  He was among the first group of English saints to emigrate to America.  Hugh accomplished many amazing things through the course of his life.  One being that he was a body guard for Joseph Smith and he was also among the pioneers who trekked to Utah.  However, Hugh is best known for the hilarity of his burial situation.  Poor Hugh had spent many wonderful years in the warmth of Southern Utah and among the Saints in other areas of Utah as well.  In the last year of his life, he was called upon to move to Idaho.  Though he loved Utah, he obeyed, though I don't think he ever quite came to love Idaho as much as his beloved Zion.  His health declined rapidly and on his death bed, he requested that his body be taken back to Zion (Utah) and buried there.  After he died, he was taken right up to the border of the two states and buried next to another woman who had died years before and made a similar request.  Unfortunately, they didn't quite go far enough and now Hugh's body eternally resides in Idaho just feet short of the Utah border.

As we passed the graveside on our trip to Utah last weekend I was relating this saga to my own children.  My husband piped in that he had heard this story his whole life growing up and didn't quite believe that this man was my ancestor as he claimed that everyone knew this story.  So, on our return trip, I made him pull off the Interstate and we hiked up to the grave.  Sure enough, it was great-great-great Grandpa Hugh.  We had to call Zac's mom to find out how she knew the story of Hugh Moon and she told us that it was related to her by a co-worker.  And who knows how he knows the story.  Apparently, grandpa's misfortune is legendary.  What a legacy!

Remember this beauty that Zac made me for Christmas?

There he is right there at the very top of my tree.

It has been amazing to me that ever since Zac has hung our family tree, the names on those branches are slowly one by one becoming real people to me.  Through family histories that have been handed down to us and also the amazing LDS Family History site www.familysearch.org, we are learning so much about our ancestors.  I also find that as I am becoming older and gaining more life experiences, these life stories are becoming so much more meaningful to me as I begin to relate and understand the many complexities of the lives that have been led.  How fortunate we are to live in a day and age where the hearts of the children can turn to their father's.  I am proud to have such amazing ancestry and hope that someday my great-great-great grandchildren can look at my name on their tree and feel proud of the life that I have led.