The Minor Family of Somerset

atter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia
Volume 2
Biographies
Bingham, AdamAranthon
Bingham, Sanford (senior), Patriarch in the Weber Stake of Zion
, was born May 3, 1821, in Concord, Essex county, Vermont, the s
on of Erastus Bingham and Lucinda Gates. He and his parents join
ed the Church in 1833, beingamong the first converts to "Mormon
ism" in Vermont, and in 1836 they moved West and spent the summe
r near Kirtland, Ohio. That fall they went on to Caldwell county
, Missouri, where they remained until the governor of Missouri i
ssued his proclamation of extermination against the "Mormons," i
n 1838, when they moved to Hancock county, Illinois. When the ex
odus from Nauvoo occurred inthe spring of 1846, the family foll
owed the main body of the Church into Iowa and spent the winte
r on the Missouri river, 150 miles above Winter Quarters. In th
e spring of 1847 they went back to Winter Quarters and made prep
arations for the long trip across the plains. They were among th
e hundred commanded by Daniel Spencer, the father of the subjec
t of this sketch being captainof ten wagons which arrived in Gr
eat Salt Lake Valley Sept. 19, 1847. BrotherBingham was reare
d up to the age of fifteen years in Vermont and New Hampshire. H
e was twelve and a half years of age when he became a member o
f the "Mormon" Church, and as such endured his share of the pers
ecutions to which theSaints were subjected during the early lif
e of the Church. When he crossed the plains with his parents h
e was twenty-six years of age, and made the tripon horseback, d
riving loose cattle. He was married by Apostle Parley P. Prattw
hen a little above Grand Island, on July 18, 1847, to Miss Marth
a Ann Lewis. After remaining a short time in Salt Lake City he c
ame to Ogden in 1850 at the time his father did, and there Broth
er Bingham lived until 1862, when he settled in Riverdale. He se
rved in the early Days in Weber county, Utah, asconstable and j
ustice of the peace, and in 1856 was appointed by the countycou
rt as assessor and collector of Weber county, in which office h
e continued up to 1873. For four years he was school trustee an
d connected with all public enterprises. Brother Bingham has bee
n twice married. His first wife, Martha Ann Lewis, died Nov. 18
, 1898, leaving eleven children. His second wife was Agnes Fife
, who bore him thirteen children. Brother Bingham has been mos
t active in all Church work, holding almost every office withi
n the gift of the Church, in all of which he has rendered faithf
ul service. He was ordaineda High Priest and High Councilor i
n 1861 and made president of the Riverdaledistrict of the Webe
r Ward. In 1877, when the Wards were organized, he was ordaine
d a Bishop and set apart to preside over the Riverdale Ward, an
d heldthat office till Jan. 20, 1902, when he was released owin
g to his age and infirmities, and ordained a Patriarch in the We
ber Stake. He acted as presidentand Bishop in Riverdale over th
irty-three years.