The Small Plates of Tom: Miracle of the Empty Flour Barrel

James and Margaret Houston arrived in Utah Territory September 1848, a few months after the infamous “cricket war” and when the “miracle of the gulls” happened. During that time, pioneers were threatened with starvation because of severe crop destruction from drought, frost and crickets. Fortunately, James and Margaret arrived with ample provisions and were blessed to make it through the trying times of 1848. However, little did they know that events similar to those of 1848 would come back in later years with a vengeance -- but worse.

James and Margaret Houston
1817-1864 and 1825-1912

A severe drought during 1855 occurred throughout Utah Territory, and it apparently forced massive numbers of grasshoppers into the valleys. The grasshoppers' arrival was quite an intimidating sight:

"The Deseret News reported one massive appearance in which 'the grasshoppers filled the sky for three miles deep, or as far as they could be seen without the aid of Telescopes, and somewhat resembling a snow storm.' These locusts were known to fly overhead several hours a day for a period of two or three weeks. When they landed they could be even more troublesome."

The noise from the grasshopper swarms was also noteworthy:

"To a person standing in one of these swarms as they pass over and around you, the air becomes sensibly darkened, and the sound produced by their wings resembles that of the passage of a train of cars on a railroad when standing two or three hundred yards from the track."

When the grasshoppers arrived, they fed on practically anything -- grass, wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, etc. Orchards and vineyards were also targets, and the grasshoppers would even eat the bark of trees. Grasshoppers would stay for weeks, even through bad weather.

Heber C. Kimball, a leader in the church and community, wrote describing the extent of the devastation in 1855:

"[...] The grasshoppers have cut down the grain, and there is not fifty acres now standing of any kind of grain in Salt Lake Valley, and what is now standing, they are cutting it down as fast as possible.

In Utah county the fields are pretty much desolate; in Juab Valley not a green spear of grain is to be seen, nor in Sanpete, nor in Fillmore.

In Little Salt Lake they are still sowing, also at Cedar City, that county being so much later the grain is not yet up, but the grasshoppers are there, ready to sweep down the grain as soon as it comes up.

In the north as far as Boxelder the scenery is the same.... and to look at things at this present time, there is not the least prospect of raising one bushel of grain in the valleys this present season.... I must say there is more green stuff in the gardens in G. S. L. City than there is in all the rest of the counties; still there is a great many of the gardens in the city entirely ruined.

Brother Wm. C. Staines told me this morning that he had 500,000 young apple trees come up and they are all cut down to the ground, and many gardens where the peach trees were full of peaches, every leaf and peach are gone."

It has been estimated that 70 percent of the cereals, vegetables, and fruits were destroyed, making 1855 stand out as a year of crippling losses. Research also shows the peak period of grasshopper invasions and devastation was 1855, being the worst year of the entire century. All this put Utah pioneers at risk of starvation and many suffered.

On top of the grasshoppers and the earlier drought, the winter of 1855-1856 was very severe. Animals such as cattle, horses, and sheep froze to death or died of starvation because of the scarcity of provisions. In various parts of Utah, snow was even measured to a depth of eight feet.

To further complicate things, an influx of 5,000 "Mormon" immigrants (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) arrived in Utah Territory during 1855 to settle. This was a very large number given Utah's resident population was reported as being 11,380 in 1850. Furthermore, gold hunters en route to California passed through the valleys of Utah in relation to the California Gold Rush. A large number of these gold hunters were also destitute of food and had scant supplies.

The people in Utah Territory were encouraged to exercise faith amidst these challenges. The Deseret News remarked on May 23, 1855 that 'through faith and obedience they can prevail in the grasshopper war, at least as well as they did in the cricket war of 1848.'

The grasshoppers were finally gone by the time James and Margaret planted corn and potatoes on June 10, 1855 on their farmland in Salt Lake City. They were told by others that their crops would not mature. However, the crops did come up, albeit small in size, and they had something to harvest. James and Margaret were among the very few who had anything for the winter.

James and Margaret also had a very young family at this time. On December 1, 1855, Margaret Jr. was born. By the end of 1855, the names and ages (years) of their other children were as follows: Thomas (2), Joseph (4), James Jr. (5), John (7), and Elizabeth (9).

In spite of the great challenges James and Margaret and other Utah pioneers faced, James and Margaret were generous with their harvest and shared with others:

"The corn was small and only nibbins, but James threw the corn into the loft. Winter came, and Margaret shared with others and still there was more corn. She kept dividing and it was wonderful how it lasted. She made corn cakes also, and divided them with others."

How is it that something like small "nibbins" of corn could sustain a large family through such hard times? How could this humble harvest also be divided among others who were in such great need and distress?

After the trial of faith, came the blessings.

Gladys Banks, a granddaughter of James and Margaret, recorded details of a miraculous event in the form of a skit. It is entitled "The Empty Flour Barrel" and based on a true incident in James and Margaret Houston's life.

The Empty Flour Barrel

Scene 1

(Margaret is seen standing at the flour barrel* with a pan in her hand bending over the flour barrel in the act of dipping flour out. Her husband comes in at this time. She is dressed in the pioneer style and as she bends low in the barrel to get the flour her stockings are seen below her skirt.)

(Enter James)

James: Well, well, Margaret. I saw your stockings when you stooped to get flour from the barrel.

Margaret: (Coming forward with a small amount of flour in the pan.). Yes, James, we will be needing some more. This is all we have and still you keep sending our friends in to get some flour or some bread. Only yesterday, I baked three loaves and Brother Black came last night and said you said he could get a loaf as his wife was sick and couldn't bake. Early this morning while you were milking, Sy Perkin's little Pete came and asked for a loaf, he said they had all gone to bed without supper because they did not have any bread. I gave them the second loaf. James, you sure beat the world in giving stuff away.

James: Margaret, do you know that Brother Brigham [Young] told us last night at our Priesthood [church] meeting that if we [who] had food would divide with those that did not have, we would never miss what we gave away? I promise you that as long as we divide our flour with our friends there will always be some in the barrel.

Margaret: James, how impractical you are. When the flour is gone, it's gone. I scraped all there was in the barrel.

James: We shall see my dear. But never let us turn a hungry child from our door.

Scene 2

(Same as Scene 1)

(Margaret making hot cakes and has some piled on a plate)

Margaret: Well, this is the last of the flour. Whatever will we do when it is gone?

(Enter Libbie)

Libbie: Oh, Mother, I am so hungry. May I have a hot cake?

Margaret: Yes, you may have one, but not any more, because Father and John have not had dinner yet.

Libbie: (She takes a cake in her hand and shakes her head as if in deep thought). Oh, maybe I'm not very hungry for I had breakfast this morning but Maggie Jones didn't. May I give this to her if I don't have any?

Margaret: Well, of all things, there it goes again. Yes, of course, Libbie child. (Pats her on the head). Take one to your friend and you have two if you want them. (Libbie takes a cake and starts eating it and joyously runs out with one for her friend).

(Enter John and Billie)

John: Mother, we sure are hungry. Got anything to eat?

Billie: Hmmmmmmm. Them cakes sure do smell good. My Ma can't make any. She hasn't had flour for a long time. My Pa is sick in bed.

Margaret: Yes, of course, John, boys are always hungry. (Shakes her head and looks at both boys as she gives them the cakes). Billie, you say your Pa is sick! Well, you had better take some cakes over to him and your Ma. (She wraps cakes that are left on plate in a clean cloth and gives them to Billie). Run quick, now, and take them to your Ma, Billie.

Billie: Thanks Sister Houston. I know this will make my Pa better.

Margaret: (At her wits end). Well, whatever will I do for bread for James? (She looks at empty plate). Oh, me, Oh, my.

(Enter James)

James: Well, my dear, is supper ready?

Margaret: Yes, when you milk the cow because that is all there is.

James: Where is the bread?

Margaret: You gave it all away and I used the last flour for hot cakes and ours and the neighbor's children ate them.

James: Have you looked in the barrel since you got the last flour?

Margaret: James, how stupid you are!

(Margaret goes to the barrel and scoops out some flour)

Margaret: James, your faith is a wonderful blessing. We will have supper after all. (She rushes to his side with the coveted flour. They both look glorified).

(Enter Mary Brown)

Mary: Oh, Brother Houston, I wonder if I could borrow some flour. Jack has been working for Brother Knight and he promised to let us have some flour, but we haven't got it yet. We are right out now, but we will pay you back as soon as we can get it. They say you are the only ones in the ward [neighborhood] with flour.

James: Well, Sister Brown, you may get it if I have it. Get the flour, Margaret.

Margaret: James, you saw me scrape the barrel.

James: Margaret, there is flour in that barrel. Get it!

(She goes to the barrel and scoops out some flour which she gives to Sister Brown).

Margaret: The Lord has surely blessed us.

James: We shall never want as long as we divide with our neighbors.

The fact that James and Margaret would share under such difficult and trying circumstances is a miracle in itself, to have such character and charity. The other miracle, of course, is that the family did not go without after they shared with others the little they had. Through faith, and obedience to the counsel given by church leaders, miracles were wrought. The empty flour barrel kept on giving and provided life-sustaining nourishment!

Adapted by Thomas S. Hartley, 3rd great grandson, January 2017

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Skit Characters:

James Houston -- Father

Margaret Houston -- Mother

John -- a small boy (son)

Libbie -- a young girl (daughter)

Mary Brown -- a neighbor

Billie -- a small boy

Mary -- a friend

Time -- In Salt Lake in early pioneer time

Scene: A pioneer home with a large flour barrel, in corner stove, rude table and chairs. Yet it has an air of hominess about it.

* The flour mentioned in the skit may be referring to either corn flour or wheat flour. It is my opinion the family records point more strongly to the flour being corn flour.

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Story adapted and information obtained from the following sources:

James Houston and Margaret Crawford Descendants and Ancestors. Pages 179, 246, 250-251, 283-285, 410-411

https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2198333

https://familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=580106&disp=Ancestors+and+descendants+of+James+and+M

"Pestiferous Ironclads: The Grasshopper Problem in Pioneer Utah":

https://historytogo.utah.gov/grasshoppers/

U.S. Census Bureau: Utah Resident Population

https://www.census.gov/dmd/www/resapport/states/utah.pdf

"Time Line: U.S. Migration, Mormon Emigration, and the Handcart Experiment"

https://history.lds.org/timeline/us-migration-mormon-emigration-and-the-handcart-experiment?lang=eng

"Miracles of the Gulls":