The Tin Man

I'm related to the Tin Man.

Not that Tin Man.  This one.

When he and his first wife, Mary Ann Hale, came to Salt Lake City from England, they moved into this house.

If you are thinking that house is small, you are right.  You can see just how small next time you visit Temple Square.  It's the little log cabin that is between the Salt Lake Family History Center

and the Church Museum of Art and History.

The same museum that has Soren's wife's ironing board on display.




Did I mention they had four children when they moved into this house?  Oh, and that their fifth was born while living there?  Think about a family of seven living there next time you see that little log cabin.

Christopher then married his second wife, my third great grandmother, Eliza Adelaide Dolbel.

Eventually he and his wives moved to St. George, Utah where he was the only tinsmith in the community.

He recycled everyone's tin and made candle molds, milk pans, lanterns and other household items.  You have these laying around your house don't you?

According to the book, The Immortal Pioneers, everyone's home in St. George had something that Christopher Riding had made.

But he also made something else.

See the dome?  That's made of tin by my Tin Man.  Recognize it?

It's the St. George Temple.  

You can go there and admire my third great grandfather's handiwork.

Well, the replica anyway.

This post features:

Christopher Lister Riding

My Third Great Grandfather

me --> Ruth Rasmussen Buchanan --> Alice Houston Rasmussen --> Eliza Adelaide Asay Houston -->  Christiana Dolbel Riding --> Christopher Lister Riding