The Watrous Family in Big Cottonwood Canyon 1906
2010
The biographies of Everest Elliott Watrous and his son Everest Raymond Watrous were written by Thomas Watrous. Both tell the tale of this family and their efforts over many years to find the magical mine. Henry Reynolds Watrous is on the left. He was a prominent attorney in the Utah Territories but his heart was in the mountains. His biographical sketch is included in The Story of Henry Reynolds Watrous and Edith Glendora Pancake which was compiled in 2006. The man leaning against the porch is Everest Elliott Watrous, Henry’s son. Our direct ancestors are Henry, Everest and his son Everest Raymond, who is likely the baby on one of the laps. The boy is perhaps Everest’s oldest son Mervin, but that is not certain. We believe that the women in the back is Sarah Rebecca Watrous Gittings who is Henry’s sister. We assume that one of the women with a child is Everest’s wife Mary Maria Jenkins Watrous but we aren’t certain. This photograph was likely taken about 1906 in the area of what is today The Spruces in Big Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.