History of Ira Draper and his son Amburs Draper by Stella Draper Lewis

FAMILY HISTORY OF IRA DRAPER AND HIS SON, AMBURS EVIT DRAPER

By Stella Draper Lewis

My father, Amburs Evit Draper was the son and only child of Ira Draper and Mary Patience Van Leuven Draper. Little is known of their history prior to their coming to Utah, except that Ira was born in Lobury, Upper Township, Canada, 2 June 1828. His wife was born 27 Feb. 1832 at Lobrough, Canada.

On their way to Utah they stopped at Lyndon, Atchison County, Missouri where their son Amburs Evit was born, 25 Nov 1850. They came to Utah the next year. Ira's parents, Thomas Draper and Mary Mosier Draper settled at Springville, Utah County, Utah, where they both lived and died, and were buried at the Springville cemetery.

Ira and his wife Mary continued their journey with their baby, and with Mary's parents, along with others to San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California.
There Ira run a sawmill for two years. Not feeling satisfied, he wished to return to Utah, but Mary's parents were not in favor of her coming. He therefor decided to take the baby now three years old, and went back to Utah. He believed his wife Mary would follow later, but her parents were so opposed, they married her to another man and she never saw her first husband, Ira and her son Amburs again in this life. Although she had other children, both sons and daughters by her second marriage, she was not happy. Ira too was heart-broken and he never tried to find another wife. His whole desire was to teach his son the true gospel.

Ira, with his parents then moved to a ranch in Hobble Creek Cany90n, which is still known as the old Draper ranch.

When he was 37 years old and his son, Amburs, now 14 y'ears old, they answered the call of Brigham Young, for volunteers to go back to the States for emigrants. This was in the Spring of 1865. Amburs, with other boys of his age went as herd boys, but took their turn driving, herding, and night guarding. They had many encounters with herds of wild buffalo stampeding their oxen, etc. They walked most all the way, both going and coming, and told of riding down the Platte River on a very large tree on which the branches were larger around than their bodies. And as the tree turned over very slowly they climbed through the dry branches to keep on the top. On one occasion, all the boys were going to take a bath and swim while the oxen were feeding at noon. Amburs jumped in and hit a large fish, which threw him several feet. He also killed the first buffalo the company had to eat.

On their return trip two little boys were lifted up on one of the heavy government built wagons to ride. One of the boys fell off, and both wagon wheels ran over him from his right hip to his left shoulder. He was pronounce dead, but was instantly healed when the Elders administered to him. He walked every step of the way on to Salt Lake Valley. His name was Antone Anderson. His parents settled in Aurora, Utah soon after Aurora was settled.

In the Spring of 1866 both Ira and son Amburs stood guard in the Indian War from 10 of May to 28th of October, serving in Capt. F. W. Whitmons Company. The Utah Military Infantry's assignment was up Hobble Creek Canyon as post of duty. One night as Amburs was on duty, his district being over a very rough route, the far end being Hobble Creek, which was running high from the spring thaw. He went to sleep while walking and stepped off the trail, caught his foot in a brush and threw him on his stomach with his head and shoulders on the bank of the creek. His gun landed on the bank of the creek which he had difficulty finding in the dark, but he was so awake from the scare that he did not feel sleepy again all night. He had a narrow escape during the summer, after the creek water became low. He had been relieved of duty to go to town to eat and get some sleep when he came face to face with Chief Toby and his band of Indians. Chief Toby had been to the Draper ranch many times before the war and was friendly to the family. The Indian warriors chatted to the chief and Amburs knew they were trying to persuade Toby to let them kill him. Chief Toby told Amburs to go back, and not run, which he did, as he walked back up the road cold chills ran up his back, for he expected to be filled with arrows. As he waded the creek, he heard their war whoop and knew the chief had turned the warriors loose. He jumped back into the creek and ran upstream, and out into the thick brush where he worked his way home through the dense brush and thickets. After peace was restored with the Indians, chief Toby again came to the Draper ranch and told them he knew Amburs would get away if he gave him a chance. He said he did not want his braves to kill Amburs because of his friendship for the family.

Amburs Evit Draper married Sarah Ellen Harward 11 May 1874 in the Endowment house in Salt Lake City, by Daniel H. Wells. She was born 11 June 1856 at Cedar City, Iron County, Utah while her parents were there in answer to a call from Brigham Young.

When their second child was one year old, Amburs and his wife, Sarah Ellen, with their children moved to Sevier County at the Willow Bend, now Aurora. This was in the Spring of 1879.

Ira Draper helped settle Levan, Utah until after the hard winter of 1884 when he lost all their cattle but one cow. He then followed his son to Aurora. Together they run the first grain binder and the first thrashing machine in the Willow Bend district.