Myrtillo Shaw

Myrtillo and Orilla Shaw

       

            Myrtillo was the son of John and Polly Maria Fox. He was born in Victor, New York, on August 1, 1814. When he was 11, the Shaws moved to a different city in New York called Bennington. Myrtillo married Harriet Orilla Austin in 1839. She went by Orilla. Myrtillo and Orilla joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1842. In 1844, the Shaws moved to La Harp, Illinois. Orilla's father, who wasn't a member of the LDS Church, followed them for miles, imploring her to return with him.[1]
             In 1845, they moved to Nauvoo. By this time, they had three children. They built a home. Orilla was miraculously spared one day when a passing mob shot at her. The bullet narrowly missed. The following year, they were driven from the city with the rest of the Saints.  As they were leaving the city they could see their home on fire. They moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1848 at Council Bluffs, their fourth child was born. Myrtillo and Orilla had four young children as they made the trek west later that year.[1]
            The Shaws came across the plains with the Brigham Young Company of 1848.[2] They traveled under Lorenzo Snow. While the Shaws were traveling with the other saints, Myrtillo became really sick. The Shaws had to stay behind while the other pioneers traveled on. The next morning, Orilla saw a strange man standing on the tongue of the wagon. The man said, "You have a very sick husband." Orilla replied that such was true. The man then removed a box of medicine from his pocket and said, "Give him this and he will get better."[1]
             Orilla was hesitant because she didn't know the man, but he reassured her and explained to her how she was to administer the medicine. When she looked to see where the man had come from, the man was no longer there. Orilla gave Myrtillo the medicine. The following day he was well and they rejoined the company of saints. Orilla said that "she knew the man was an angel from heaven."[1]
              The Shaws lived in Salt Lake City before moving to Ogden in 1850.[1] They built their home in Farr's Fort. That year, there was an Indian uprising in Weber County. Another pioneer, Urban Stewart, thought that an Indian was stealing his corn. He shot and killed a Soshone Indian Chief. The chief was actually looking for his lost horse. Myrtillo and his brother Ambrose, along with a few others, were sent to North Ogden to warn the people of the Indians and to counsel them to come to Farr's Fort. A large group of Indians followed them, but they made it safely back to the fort. One of the men that was sent to warn the people was captured and killed. Lorrin Farr pacified the typically friendly Shoshone Indians.[1]
               Ogden became the Shaws' permanent home.
             

References

1. Jayih.com. Retrieved from http://www.jayih.com/ancestry/shaw/pages/john_shaw.aspx

2. Myrtillo Shaw. Retrieved from LDS.org.

3. Orilla Biography. Retrieved from