Early Life
Francis M. Lyman was born as the first son to Amasa M. Lyman and Louisa Maria Tanner in Good Hope, Illinois. That spring the family moved to Iowa. From there, about one year later, they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to be with the church. In 1843, they moved again to Alquina, Indiana. After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, Jr., they moved back to Nauvoo in 1844.
His father left with the first group to travel on the Mormon Exodus to the West. His family moved to Winter Quarters in June 1846 under the care of his maternal grandfather. His family set out to the Salt Lake Valley to join the Latter-day Saints in 1848. Though only 8 years old, he helped drive a yoke of cattle and the wagon. He was baptized by his father in the Elkhorn River on July 1, 1848. He arrived in the Salt Lake Valley October 19, 1848.
By 1851, when Francis was 11 years of age, his father had purchased land along with Elder Charles C. Rich in San Bernardino, California. Together, he helped drive the animals from Salt Lake to California. They settled there and he became busy with tending the animals and driving them between Utah and California across the desert. He was present at the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple in April 1853.
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