[zip] [scratching] [thump] [zip] Man 1: I think that a unique thing with, with who I am is that I’ve experienced a lot of things in life.

Not being born and raised in Utah, I’m not what you would call your quintessential Utah Mormon.

Um, I laugh all the time and joke, um, as, as my wife and I live in Utah County.

Um, I always say that [gasps] [feigned choking] [strangled] the air is different here.

You know, I always say, like, I was never gonna live in Utah County, I was never gonna live in Utah because oh my gosh Utah’s f-- full of a bunch of crazy Mormons.

Lise: James Walker is a practicing Mormon who lives in Orem, Utah, where he runs his family’s bridal company based on Mormon ideals of modesty.

[zip] Most people living in Utah are of the Mormon or LDS faith where Mormon pioneers traveled across the United States and were among the original settlers of the Utah area.

In the past, James has not been interested in his Mormon roots.

However, since the economic recession affected his business, James has been re-thinking his life and priorities.

In trying to better put family first, James wants to learn more about his Mormon pioneer heritage on his father’s side of the family.

In particular, James wants to find out the truth behind a family legend of an East Indian princess who converted to the LDS faith in the mid-1800’s and left her home of metropolitan India to gather with the Mormons in the extremely rural Beaver, Utah.

- Someone asked me and said, you know, what would be like the coolest?

And I thought to myself, you know, if she, like, left like millions and billions of dollars and it’s like she’s looking for a long-lost heir, you.

You know, I mean, that would be the coolest.

♪♪ On my mom’s side, uh, you know, it’s kind of the quintessential story, you know, where, uh, they join the Church, and they came across the plains, and they came to Zion.

I think why this story’s so fascinating because it’s so different.

And I think finding out about, uh, an Indian princess and finding out whether that’s real or not, uh, you know, whether that’s half-truths or whatever the case may be, is it’s, it’s an adventure in self-discovery.

It’s an adventure in finding out about my family.

Lise: Sometimes as we delve into our family history and separate the fact from fiction, we can, in the process, begin to decipher the truth from fiction in our own lives, and maybe even discover deeper truths about ourselves.

From the studios of BYU Television in Provo, Utah, this is The Generations Project.

♪♪ Hi everybody, I’m Lise Simms.

And each week on our program we bring you the story of someone who, for one reason or another, wants to connect with an ancestor or an entire generation of their family tree, and we help them do just that.

This is an ongoing project dedicated to helping people connect across generations, and today that person is James Walker.

James, you have that dream lore, an Indian princess, an inheritance.

I want that.

[laughs] - It’s a magical story.

- [gasps] Isn’t it?

James: I’ve heard about it since I was a little boy and have always wanted to find out more information about it and get to know whether it’s true or not or just find out more information about it.

It’s been fascinating.

- I bet it has been.

Oh well I know it’s been fascinating.

It’s been fascinating for me to go through it with you.

You didn’t begin in the bridal business-- That’s a family business-- but you actually had a very, very successful real estate, uh, life prior.

- Right, certainly.

Yeah, we were, as a company, designing and building subdivisions and, and projects and tracts of homes, um-- Lise: Living very well and successfully because of that.

- Yeah, just working hard and playing hard and having a lot of fun.

- Real estate was-- [clicking with mouth] top of the line.

James: And, and it, it’s-- - And it crashed.

- Sure, it was a-- it’s been a, uh, it was a, a bumpy ride up and a bumpy ride down, you know, but a ride nonetheless.

Lise: [laughs] Good attitude.

James, what a good attitude.

So to me that makes this all the more interesting.

You had never really searched this out before.

This is your dad’s side of the family.

Why hadn’t you done any digging do you think?

James: [sighs] You know, honestly it was just being, uh, you know, on the ride of life.

Working hard, being a father and a husband and just on that journey, and-- Lise: Sure, didn’t seem important at the time.

- Just not taking the time.

And as my parents-- s-specifically, my father’s been getting older, and I developed a very close relationship with him, um, it’s just been wonderful to find out more.

Lise: Well, y-- how-- what did you know about your dad’s side of the family prior to this journey?

James: Um, my father’s an only child.

And so not a lot of family, not a lot of stories.

He, his, his childhood was, was difficult.

Um, his mom died when he was 13 years old, and so, you know, the stories really were about his loss of his mom.

Lise: Aww.

- And so that’s-- Lise: And the consequences of that I’m sure were devastating.

James: Yeah, it was, it was, it was difficult.

And so that was really, you know, any time I’d think about my father or where he’s from, it was about his loss and the sadness.

And so, you know, that’s what we would talk about.

It would be talking about his-- He, he had written letters to his mom when she was in the hospital that were returned to him unopened, you know, and he still has those letters.

And so that’s, uh...

I, I think as I’ve grown closer to my dad, this is why I’ve wanted to find out more about this.

Just to find out-- Lise: This is his, like, little golden nugget.

- And it, and it’s really specifically, on this story, it’s about his mother’s side.

- Mm-hm.

- And we know far more about his father’s side of the family, but I really don’t know anything about his mom, about my sweet grandma.

And so that was-- I think that was probably the, the motivation, is to find out really more about my sweet dad and, and where I’m from.

Um, so that’s been the desire.

Lise: And that actually transpires a bit.

In the beginning of your journey, you don’t know how you’re related to this Indian princess.

She’s just sort of mythological in the family.

Did you believe it?

Did you believe it?

James: [sighs] Well, if you know my family, uh-- Lise: Which I do not really.

- Yeah.

It would, you know-- You know there’s always that grain of truth to things, but we are-- Lise: I think we’re related, James.

James: Yeah, you know, we, we have that ability to spin a good story.

Lise: Yes, good.

- And so, I was confident that there was something there.

Lise: Yeah.

- But, uh, stories grow around the campfire as it were.

And so I was, you know, thinking oh, you know, she’s a princess.

You know, she had servants or whatever the case may be.

It’s like, oh well, there may be something there, but I’m confident that it’s just, you know, my dad bein’ my dad.

Lise: Tellin’ tales.

- So-- Lise: I love that.

I think our fathers are related.

Well, at this point in time, you’re gonna find out a little more information about that, so I think we should watch.

James: Absolutely.

Lise: Let’s do it.

♪♪ James is starting his journey at his father’s house to see what clues he might have about the legend of the Indian princess.

James has heard the story from his father since he was a little boy.

James' Father: Well, when the Mormon missionaries went over to In-- to India, the first time they were over there, somehow-- James: When w-- Uh, I don’t mean to interrupt.

When would this have been?

- About eighteen th-- in the early 1850s.

James: Wow.

Okay.

- So, when they were there, they somehow made contact with her, and I believe we’ve been told all along that she was an Indian princess.

James: ‘Kay.

- From the royal family somehow.

James: ‘Kay.

- And, uh, she joined the church, boarded a ship, and onboard ship, she freed her... - Slaves.

- Slaves.

- Wow.

- The ship went to England and picked up my grandfather.

- Great, great-- how many greats?

How-- So, she’s my grandmother?

So I didn’t even know that she was my grandmother.

I thought she was just-- - We told you when you were born.

- Um, 'kay.

- Uh, my mother took care of her.

So she would be my great-grandmother.

- And who did you hear all this stuff from.

Tell me, how d-- how have you heard these stories?

‘Cause I’ve only heard the stories from you.

James' father: [exhales] Maybe I made ‘em up.

- Entirely possible.

Both: [laughing] - All of this stuff that I know...

I would like it to stay that way.

- Oh, so for you, tell me, what would you-- - I-- if I wrote my history, that’s how I would write it and leave it for you.

- If we find out that it’s-- she’s really a, a, uh, from Beaver and not a princess and not from India, [laughing] you’ll still write in your church history that she’s an Indian princess.

Both: [laughing] - What do you have right here, dad?

What’s this stuff?

- Well, that’s just some stuff that I was digging up the other day.

I hadn’t seen it for years.

James: So, this is from the, um, funeral.

So, the sacred memory of Charles L. Booth.

So, who’s this?

- I dunno.

- Born at Sagur East India.

James' Father: All that I know is that they somehow from someplace in some trunk somewhere.

Put that down.

Let me show you this.

- ‘Cause I don’t n-- Okay.

‘Cause now I’m getting more confused than ever.

- Here are some letters.

“Dear Brother Charles.” Charles!

- ‘Kay.

- 1877.

James: Oh wow.

- From Calcutta.

I don’t know what they said.

I’ve read ‘em some time a long time ago, but they were talking about-- There was a lot of family stuff that went on.

She was supposed to-- my-- this-- whoever she was, my g-- my great grandmother, I guess, was supposed to have received some inheritance.

There was some money, and they were d-- James: Woohoo!

- No, no, no, no.

James: Room full of gooold!

- [chuckles] No, no, no, no, no.

James: All of these correspondences are all power of attorney and trying to get money.

It’s like a treasure hunt.

James' father: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we found a big bank account in, in, uh India, in Calcutta?

We could go there and get the money?

[papers rustling] James: Oh my gosh.

James' Father: Let’s see, what’s that?

James: So, dad who is this?

Do you know?

James' Father: I have no idea.

James: So, we don’t know who this is.

James' Father: Mm-mm.

James: I th-- It’s, it’s someone obviously of Indian-- James' Father: Does she look royal?

- Looks pretty royal.

And looks very much ethnic.

Like, she’s from... of Indian descent, dad.

Lise: James now has three pieces of evidence that there was in fact someone from India in his family line.

He knows the name Charles Booth and his wife, Louisa Booth, from the family letters.

He knows that there was some kind of family inheritance, and he has a copy of a photograph of a woman who could possibly be the Indian princess.

♪♪ - I was really pleasantly surprised.

There was more information than I thought.

Having that picture was awesome.

Having the letters was awesome.

I never knew that they existed.

That we had any letters from anyone.

I’m confused now of what Booth is who, and how does all that-- who’s Charles, um-- Who are all the kids?

So I’m just more filled with questions than anything else.

My head’s kinda just spinning, it’s great.

I think it’s awesome.

Lise: James’ father explained that the Indian princess immigrated by boat from India to the British Isles and then on to the United States.

James’ Indian ancestor would have been joined in England by many European Mormon converts.

In the 1850s, thousands of LDS converts were immigrating to the United States from the British Isles each year.

Immigrants would spend months on a ship sailing to New York, take the railway to its most western location in Iowa, and then walk the remaining 1,300 miles west while pulling wooden handcarts filled with supplies.

♪♪ With the few clues James has learned from his father, he’s going to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum in Salt Lake City.

The museum has a large collection of personal histories that were written by early Utah pioneers.

♪♪ James is meeting with pioneer historian, Kathy Tingy, in hopes that she might help him find some histories about his Booth ancestors.

James has two jumping off points: the name Booth and India.

- So let’s pull that one up and look-- Oh lookie!

- India.

Kathy: India.

James: Oh my gosh.

Kathy: Okay, Hannah Booth.

James: Hannah.

Kathy: India.

James: That’s a, that’s a new name.

- That, that’s, that’s a good one.

- Okay.

- Should we try that?

- Let’s do it.

- Okay!

- That would be awesome.

- I want you to see what I found.

- Oh wow.

- I found two books I think will be really helpful for you.

And I’m so excited because this one has a picture.

You said you’d heard about Charles-- - Right.

- Charles Booth.

Well, look.

Right down here.

Charles Booth and his-- There he is.

Right up there.

And this is from, um, history of Beaver.

- Yeah, that’s where my family’s from.

Kathy: So I’m thinking that’s the right one.

- Right.

That is cool.

Kathy: Here’s one of Kate Carter’s books, where I found one on Hannah Peters Booth.

Right there.

And I think you’ll find this really interesting as well.

‘Kay?

- Awesome, thank you so much.

Kathy: Good job.

- That’s great.

♪♪ "Hannah Peters Booth.

“When the gospel was introduced into India, "my son, Charles, "who was a civil engineer in the army, "met the elders at the sea and was converted.

"He brought to me the gospel, which I embraced with joy.

"And from that time, "was eager to leave possessions, "friends, children, and country "to unite with this people.

♪♪ "I was born in Chunar, India.

"My father was a native of Portugal, "and my mother was from Manila.

"My husband was an officer in the English Army in India, "as were also my father and grandfather.

"We lived in affluent circumstances, keeping nine servants, a carriage, etc.” ♪♪ So, her father was from Portugal, and her mother was from Manila, or the Philippines.

So she wasn’t an Indian princess at all.

She wasn’t-- She was born in India, but she was born in occupied India, and she was part of the military presence that was there in India.

Because her husband and her father were all in the English Army in India.

So... Lise: James now knows he has Booth ancestors who lived in India, but were not of Indian heritage.

James already knew about his ancestor, Charles Booth.

He’s now learned that Charles’ father, John William Booth, was an officer for the British Military, and Charles’ mother, Hannah Peters Booth, who was half Portuguese half Filipina and living in British-ruled India.

It appears that the Indian princess James is looking for may actually have been a Eurasian aristocrat living in India under colonial rule.

James: A daughter of a mixed race family.

I think about in my own life that my wife is Hispanic.

So it started long before, before me.

That someone was willing to follow their heart, and it didn’t matter.

Didn’t matter nationality, race, where they’re from.

they fell in love.

Lise: A multicultural family such as this was highly uncommon.

However, in the early 1800s, not entirely unheard of due to the cultural mixing brought on by the Seven Years war.

The first real World War I.

Initially waged between Great Britain and France, the war eventually grew to include almost every major entity in Europe, as well as their respective colonies including Portugal, a British ally; and Spain, a French Ally.

The British allied soldiers stationed in India were sent to attack Spain’s colonial stronghold, the Philippines, and were able to capture the capital, Manila, without a major struggle.

This could explain James’ unconventional ancestry.

It appears that Hannah Booth’s father, a native of Portugal and officer in the allied British army, met his wife, a Filipina woman, during the British occupation of the Philippines.

After the war, they raised their family in colonial India where Hannah Peters Booth was born and later converted to Mormonism in 1853 with her son, Charles, and his wife, Louisa.

James: “My sister, a widow, and my son, Charles, "and his wife, daughter of Lieutenant Kent, "a son of Sir Robert Kent of England "and their infant daughter came with me.

"Reaching San Francisco, "we proceeded to San Bernadino, arriving there in 1855.” So, I’d heard the story of my great-grandmother having slaves on a boat and coming over from, from India.

I think my dad said that it was through England, but he was way off.

They actually came the other way.

Lise: James was told by his father that the Indian princess travelled by ship following the more typical Mormon migration route west across the Atlantic Ocean from India, to Britain, to the United States.

In fact, James’ relatives immigrated east, over the Pacific Ocean from India to San Francisco, and then ultimately to Beaver, Utah.

In the late 1850s, Beaver was a new Mormon settlement.

Settlers chose Beaver because the climate was temperate, and the soil was fertile.

At the time, Beaver was seen as a place of possibility, perfect for growing crops and raising cattle.

However, once the Booths arrived, Hannah, Charles, and Louisa would finally face some of the realities of the choice they had made to immigrate.

- “We bought a stove "and tried to make the first fire.

"I made the fire "in the first place that opened: The oven.

"And we greatly perplexed "by the smoking and not drawing.

"And our bread was so badly made "and our cooking so wretchedly done, "that we often ate fruit and milk rather than food we had just prepared.” So, I’d heard that story about someone from Beaver making a fire in a stove, and it looks like that it was actually Hannah Peters Booth.

I think it’s far more fascinating.

I’m just so much more intrigued now.

I mean, it was, it was one thing to think, oh, it was an Indian princess, and now to think that it’s all culturally rich and culturally diverse and historical significance being that we’re from all of these different countries and, you know, uh, I think stories of affluence and servants and everything are fascinating.

Lise: Now James knows that instead of one Indian princess ancestor, he has several ancestors who converted to Mormonism in India and immigrated to Utah.

Hannah Booth came with her son, Charles Booth.

Charles’ infant daughter and his wife, Louisa, also came with them.

From Hannah’s personal history James read at the museum, he’s also learned that Louisa’s father was a man named Robert Kent.

♪♪ James is now heading to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, which is the largest genealogy library in the world and home to millions of microfilm genealogical records.

♪♪ James is meeting with Philip Dunn, a professional genealogist who specializes in the British Isles and its colonies.

James has learned that a copy of Robert Kent’s final will is kept at the library, and he hopes to see if he can find out any more information about Louisa Booth through her father’s will.

- --a lot of information.

What we have, uh, found here is a will, uh, taken from the, uh, Asian Indian Bengal Establishment.

Let me read just a little bit here some of the peculiarities here that I think we oughta draw out of this document that are very unique and important to your particular ancestor, Robert Kent.

After naming the children, she says “the mother is a native, by name, Jehanee.

"And three more children "are at the military orphanage school.

"He was giving much of, uh, what he had, uh, was over-- "he was turning it over to the mother of my natural daughters."

This would tend to signify that they were not only really his daughters, but that they were born, uh, in a sense maybe either out of wedlock or otherwise it suggested that, uh, they were never married.

James: Hm.

- Okay?

- Interesting.

- Uh, that may be a little bit of a surprise, but there’s always that sort of situation in every family I guess.

- Why, why would they not have been married?

- Okay, great question.

Um, her being an Indian, uh, if he had married her, and the fact that perhaps maybe she was not of, uh, the same faith, uh, or even a Protestant at this time especially in the early-mid 1800s, uh, would, uh-- actually precluded him from being able to receive his pension that he was certainly entitled to as an officer in the military establishment there.

The fact that he’s a Major actually created entitlement to many opportunities for his children.

- Okay.

Philip: Okay?

- But he secured it-- Philip: Regardless of whether they were natives or not.

James: He secured it this way.

- He was very, very careful.

James: He was careful to not have it be just a chance or to-- - He was meticulous, yeah.

- Someone else’s, um, generosity or kindness.

They were his natural-born children, and he wanted to make sure that they were taken care of.

So, Louisa is born, um, to-- of a British father.

Philip: Mm-hm.

- And of a native-- Philip: Native.

- Indian mother.

So perhaps... Philip: But educated.

- This is Louisa.

Philip: That may very well be.

James: I started this day on thinking that I was, you know, related to an Indian princess, and now it’s come that, you know, I have Portuguese andestry-- ancestry, Manilan ancestry, English, um, and actually Indian.

Now we’ve finally come-- This is the first thread that is actually ma-- you know, part of the story of, of what the, the story started.

Philip: What I would, uh, caution you about as far as her herself being a princess, I’m not sure that she was at this point in time.

That’s something that, that bears investigation.

But there is definitely, uh, where there’s usually smoke, there’s usually fire.

And so I wouldn’t doubt that there is something to, you know, her being quote unquote a princess or somebody who was of some nobility.

So, what a, what a great heritage you have there.

- That’s amazing.

♪♪ Lise: James now knows about the multicultural heritage of his Booth ancestors.

However, he’s still unsure about how exactly he’s related to the Booths.

James is now going to visit his father’s cousin, Glenna Osborne.

Glenna has collected some family history and can hopefully fill in the gaps in James’ family tree.

Glenna: Well, very good.

- So I have a picture that I don’t know who the picture is, and I have a, uh, uh death announcement of a Charles L. Booth born in Sagur, East India, and died in all places Beaver, Utah, where my dad’s from.

- Okay.

Her name is Louisa Kent.

But I have one.

♪♪ James: [gasps] Yeah, you can see so much more detail in this picture versus the photo copy.

In the photo copy, her features are not as, as refined and soft.

They’re heaver.

The-- you know, it’s just beautiful.

Glenna: Quite a lady.

James: Mm.

So, so this is Louisa, who was married to Charles.

And from what I read yesterday, they had a daughter.

- A daughter.

They had Ellen Hannah Booth.

They brought her from San Francisco with them.

- And her middle name, Hannah, was after her grandmother.

- Yes.

They came, and later they-- sh-- he mar-- she married David Alexander Morgan.

Lise: James now knows he is a direct descendant of the Booth family.

Charles and Louisa Booth are James’ great-great-great grandparents.

Glenna: They were hard workers.

They farmed, they milked cows.

James: ‘Kay.

- She milked right alongside of him.

They grew their own food, they grew their own hay.

All I ever remember my dad saying was “All we did was work.” There was no play.

James: Oh my heck, sounds like my life.

Glenna: [chuckles] Lise: James finally knows that the photo of the Indian woman is actually Louisa Kent Booth.

Louisa has embodied all of the stories about the Indian princess that have been passed down through James’ family.

James, it’s really getting good.

James: [chuckles] - Because Glenna had so much information.

There you’re holding what looks to be an original photograph.

James: Yeah, it was an amazing picture.

All of the detail of her gown and her dress just-- Uh, it was funny, in the photocopy, I was like, oh it’s g-- she just kinda look, uh, just not as beautiful.

But in that picture-- Lise: You see the multicultural blend, don’t you?

James: Oh, she’s beautiful.

All the refined features.

I was just, like, oh she’s beautiful!

- And you learn her name.

- Yeah.

- Louisa Kent.

James: Yeah, uh, just amazing.

- So suddenly, does this story get more exciting for you?

What were you feeling right at that moment?

James: [sighs] I just-- Intrigue.

I think more than anything else.

Uh, you know, starting with, with the whole-- the, the tale of a princess, and then you’re just on this hunt just gathering more information, and it’s just unfolding.

And I think first and foremost finding out that it was real!

Lise: That it’s legit!

James: Yeah!

that my dad wasn’t just nuts.

That was, that was-- Lise: He wasn’t just telling tales.

- Yeah, that was great.

And so finding out that it’s real, and that it really exists, and there’s people and stories and histories.

It was just fascinating.

Lise: Well, it made me so relieved that it was really connected because I loved when your dad said “This is the history I would write for myself.

I don’t want this to change.” So I’m thinking, if this changes, I don’t wanna break your dad’s heart!

He would’ve written it as he’s-- - It wouldn’t have mattered.

It was-- The stories were the stories, so.

Lise: So, you discovered this... beautifully rich and diverse multicultural background, and you embrace it.

James: Yeah.

Well, I think that it’s, it’s part of who I am.

And it’s so neat to, to realize that that’s okay.

Lise: Well you, you said it’s a part of who you are now because you’re married-- James: Yeah, absolutely.

- to a woman who is-- James: My wife is, uh-- her mother is from Mexico and so Hispanic, and it’s just, uh-- I, I feel blessed enough to be into a, a, a Latin family.

I, I tell everybody that, that I’m grateful for my, my Latin heritage, my Latin family.

It’s, uh, a different meaning of family being that I have a really small family on my side.

Having a, a big family on my wife’s side is, is a joy and a blessing to have cousins, and nieces, and nephews, and brothers, and sisters, and-- Lise: Be embraced by the tribe, right?

- Yeah, it’s wonderful.

Lise: Well, and you bring to her now, come to find out, English--which you expected.

James: Right.

- Portuguese, Filipino, and Indian.

James: Yeah.

- You’re the perfect mutt.

James: It’s-- you know, I’m grate-- Lise: Aren’t we all?

- Absolutely.

I’m grateful.

It’s amazing.

Lise: And... your personal connection now I would think would be greater.

I mean, now there is some sense of this... nobility, the prestige, the-- I don’t know what.

I mean, did you suddenly feel... different?

- You know, I think some of the things I was surprised about that we’ve learned is learning about their history, that, uh, uh, her two sons were, uh, a medical doctor and a surgeon, a civil engineer.

Um, that she practiced, um, being a midwife.

And so having this history of that they were not, um-- as I had grown up thinking of Beaver-- just farming folk.

You know, that you ran cattle, and that’s all you did.

But to understand that, that my family from, from India were educated.

Lise: That must’ve meant a lot to your dad.

James: It meant a-- the world to my dad, yeah.

Being that really in his family, he was the first person in his family that he had thought to really go on and get a doctorate and really become educated.

Um, and now we-- I tease him.

I say, well dad, you know, maybe it skipped a couple of generations, but you’re back on track with where you were-- - Where you were supposed to be.

James: You haven’t accomplished great things, you just kinda got the family back on track.

Good job.

So, I tease him, but, yeah.

Lisa: I’m sure he loves that kinda teasing.

James: It’s fun.

- You had the opportunity to see a lot of photos.

Um, there was a Booth in a book, um, and then of course Louisa Kent, you put a name to her.

Did you see any, uh, similarities in features?

- Um, you know, I thought they were stunningly good looking, and so, you know, there were perhaps a few connections there.

No, I thought they were beautiful!

And so if I could be honored enough to be considered part of that family and a family resemblance, I’d be grateful.

Lise: Oh, I see it.

You had the great opportunity to, um, go through some of these things at the, um, historical-- pioneer historian with Kathy.

James: Right.

- Wasn’t that interesting?

Was she helpful to you?

- Oh, she was a sweetheart.

She was just kind and helpful, and what an amazing place.

Just-- Lise: I know!

The wealth of information.

- I had never been there.

And to go there and, you know, see artifacts and just, uh, such rich history.

And to realize, um, all of the pioneers that had come, and all of the things there were from all of the pioneers and from, uh, leaders of, of the Mormon church.

And it was just fascinating.

Lise: Has it compelled you to do any further research on your own in terms of the nobility and, you know, what the real connections were?

James: Yeah, uh, I mean, it has-- It’s awakened a fire that I never would’ve thought would have, have, have been in me as far as trying to find out who I am, where I’m from, what I’m about, my family history, everything else.

Um, it’s, it’s amazing.

It really is.

Lise: I thought one of the interesting aspects of this-- Phil Dunn, um, was explaining the race relations at the time.

James: Right.

- The, the idea that this wasn’t common, and yet it wasn’t uncommon, was fascinating to me.

New information in our history that the Seven Years war, and I suppose any war, brings-- smashes cultures together.

James: Right.

Well, and he was just-- I mean, I mean obviously he’s an expert.

That’s what he does, but w-- Lise: And h-- and he was particularly excited about your story.

James: Yeah.

- Tell me about that.

Why?

James: He, he took w-what I thought was an, an inordinate amount of time.

I mean, really was kind and generous with his time.

And what an amazing resource to, to share all of his expertise and knowledge.

He speaks about this period of time in history like I talk about yesterday, you know?

He just-- it’s just amazing recall and factual information.

I was, like, oh my gosh, you-- he was just a treasure trove of information.

Um, but he, he, you know, for, for someone like that to say that this is a fascinating story, and it’s rare, and its-- Lise: And it’s unique.

- You know, he invited me to come back and he said, Come back, and we’ll spend some time.

And he just kinda got that fire in his eye of just excitement.

And so, it just got me excited.

You know, if someone like that-- that this is the eat, breathe, sleep, drink, this type of information-- thought that my little story was interesting-- Lise: Compelling.

Compelling.

James: Yeah, I said, maybe I got something.

You know, ‘cause he just seemed to just spark and come alive with all of the stories and-- come back and spend time and, you know, I’ll give you more time and a personal tour.

And, and it was wonderful.

So, what a kind man.

- Well, everyone along the way.

So, to realize that this information is available and at your fingertips is spectacular.

So, this is changing you.

James: Well, and, and a brush with nobility, you know.

That’s not necessarily a, a bad thing, so it was kinda-- it was when he pulled the records, he said, Oh, we’re pulling from the, the section of nobles and royalty, and I was like, oh, well.

That was, that was really neat.

Lise: Well, so I have to call you sir, now?

- You know, James will do.

Lise: [laughs] Sir James is fine.

James: Sir James is fine.

Lise: [laughing] I love it.

Do you feel like it’s changing you?

At this point in the journey, you’ve come in thinking it’s a myth.

You know, this is a tall tale that’s probably, uh, you know, changed over the years.

And now you’re getting... bang.

Right in front of you.

Proof.

James: Yeah, at this point, I think more than anything else i-in the story, it was, um, just fascinated.

And it sparked an intellectual-- Well, it sparked that, that intellectual side.

Um, not, not necessarily pulling at the heart strings yet, but it’s certainly pulling at the, the-- my thoughts and my mind, and just what a fascinating story, and so I became very inquisitive in just wanting to search and find out more-- - I can see that.

James: And so became-- There became a, a insatiable, you know, desire to learn more.

Lise: Insatiable desire.

That’s a gift in itself.

At this point, you don’t know, um... Well, you actually at this point were going further into maybe looking into deeper connections and their journey.

We’ve seen that they went east-- James: Right.

- And not west.

- Yeah, which I, I-- You know, you hear about all of the stories of, of the pioneer treks as coming from, from Europe.

And so that was very atypical.

And I thought that that was fascinating.

Yeah, and, and-- Lise: And to land in Beaver.

James: Of all places.

- Well, um, you’re still in the dark as to the inheritance.

We wanna find those answers because why not.

James: We know there’s money.

And, you know, I think money’s intriguing.

Uh... Lise: Who doesn’t?

- Just, just fascination of it, you know.

For good or bad, it was interesting to find out, and you hear that just like-- I, I-- Lise: Let’s find out.

- Yeah, absolutely.

Lise: Let’s find out.

James: Okay.

- Okay.

♪♪ James has one lingering question: What happened to the Booth inheritance that was referenced in Louisa’s father’s will?

To find out, James is going to visit a distant cousin, Lenna Jacobson, who is the great-granddaughter of Hannah Booth.

Lenna is 91 years old and has been researching Booth genealogy for over 75 years.

James hopes that Lenna will have the answers he’s looking for.

♪♪ James: So, we understand that there was a great fortune.

What happened to it.

Do we know?

- Goin’ through this is just... letter after letter after page after page of, um, uh, back and forth from India to the l-- from the lawyers to Charles and Louisa.

It mentioned, uh, in one place, um, 16,000 rupees.

And, uh-- James: Well, that sounds like a lot.

- That sounds like a lot.

And still, I don’t believe they got a dime.

- Oh my word.

So the, the fortune that they gave up, the country that they gave up ultimately to come here to be united with the Saints, they ultimately, doesn’t look like any-- anybody got any.

- Oh, I don’t think so.

- Wow.

Hm.

♪♪ Lise: So, ultimately, Charles and Louisa Booth were denied their inheritance in Indian property after moving to Beaver.

Over the years, Lenna has collected hundreds of Booth family documents, and has learned many stories about Charles, Louisa, and Hannah Booth.

♪♪ - Um, they bought a house, bought the stove, and-- - The story that she put the stove-- she put the fire in the wrong spot!

I’ve, I’ve heard that story-- - Put the wood in the st-- - my whole life.

- [laughing] That’s the cutest story ever.

- It is my favorite one.

- And when I goof up and, and, and spoil something that I’m cooking, I blame it to my Hannah.

[laughing] - [laughing] That’s awesome.

Lise: Lenna has spent her life researching the Booth family and collecting records and stories about their extended family.

She has also made contact with some of James’ Booth cousins who remained behind when Charles and Louisa left for Utah, and who still live in India today.

- Here’s Cyril.

He’s a first-- James: And where, where is, where is-- is Cyril still living in India?

Lenna: Yes.

James: And so this is all of our family that still lives... - In India.

- In India.

And they’re all Booths.

- They’re Booths.

James: Oh my gosh.

Lenna: So here, here’s some more of their descendants.

James: Gosh.

That is amazing!

You know, if, if you told me, uh, a week ago that I woulda even thought any of this was possible or that it, it even existed, that I had all of this family and people in India and Beaver and all over the world, I woulda told you you were crazy.

But it is important, and I’m grateful for all that you’ve done.

So, it’s absolutely amazing.

Thank you so much.

Lenna: Well, you’re most welcome.

♪♪ James: To think that I have family in India right now.

Um, you know, I didn’t think I had a family in Utah, let alone that I’ve got family all over the world.

♪♪ I’m excited to see where this goes and what, what the next step is.

♪♪ Lise: The Booths never received their inheritance.

They essentially signed over their property and inheritance when they immigrated and gave up their wealth and status in India to come to Beaver, Utah to gather with the Mormons.

So, what did the Booths get in return for giving up their family fortune?

To find out, James is going to the Utah Historical Society to speak with historian, Alan Barnett, to see what they can find out from the Beaver agricultural census.

- Well, this is the federal agricultural census for Utah from the year 1880.

James: What are, what are these numbers that are along here?

This information?

Alan: Well here it’s talking about, um, the acres of land.

So, it’s telling you how big of a farm your ancestor had.

James: So if we go Charles Booth, he had a 90 acre-- Alan: Yeah.

James: Okay.

Alan: 90 Acres here.

James: And you look at other numbers that are 8, 5, 6, 12, and then his being 90.

Alan: Yeah.

So in this case... James: Hm.

In relationship to-- - In relationship to these other ones, you know, he’s a, he’s a big operation.

Then here, it’s listing some of the different, the different crops and-- um, that he’s producing, along with wool.

So he has sheep and he’s producing wool.

His main focus was dairy.

You see that he’s also diversified.

James: Wow.

We were under the impression that it was just a dairy farm, um, but it looks like they had a lot more going on than just, just cows.

- Exactly.

- Fascinating.

Lise: From the agricultural census, James learned that Charles and Louisa had 90 acres of land in Beaver that they used for farming and raising animals.

The Booths produced milk, butter, and cheese from their dairy.

Additionally, they were involved in beef and pork production and were also producers of wool.

♪♪ After having pieced together several stories about his Booth ancestors, James is finally driving to Southern Utah, to Beaver, to see for himself what life for the Booths would’ve entailed.

♪♪ ♪♪ James is headed to the Burton Family Sheep Farm to experience for himself what it would’ve been like for his ancestors to herd sheep while living in Beaver, Utah.

- [groans] Oh, they look so nasty!

Ugh!

[bleating] Ugh!

I am in a bug-infested, sheep-infested field.

Um, not wanting to appear wussy... hate bugs.

Hate dirt, gross, filth, nasty, fire ant... cricket, grasshopper.

Everything that is here, I hate.

This is apparently what my family... did.

[sheep bells clanging] [door beeping] [bleating] [door beeping] [sheep bleating] Oh, freakin’ big fire ant hill.

Oh, and just you c-- sh-- crickets freakin’ everywhere.

Ho-oly.

[crickets chirping] James: Beautiful day.

[dog barking] [dog barking] Lise: James wants to know exactly what shepherding would’ve entailed for his Booth ancestors.

To find out, he’s talking to sheep owner, David Burton.

David: No, herding sheep hasn’t changed in the last... well, since the, the early settlers of this area in the, you know, the intermountain region.

But it, uh, it hasn’t changed.

It’s 24/7.

James: Wow.

David: There’s no, no breaks.

You know, the herder hasn’t-- He, he lives, you know, in the sheep camp.

He’s out with ‘em early in the morning to-- they get out and move ‘em to different areas, to fresh feed every day.

And then at night, they have to bed ‘em, get ‘em together, and they bed ‘em down.

James: Mm.

How many head here would you guess?

David: There’s about 1200 here.

- Wow.

Lise: James has had enough of looking at sheep.

It’s now time for him to try to herd the sheep for himself.

[bells clanging] James: She’s gentle?

David: Yeah!

James: Okay.

David: And this you need to turn it.

You just turn it this way.

James: Okay.

David: And this, and this way.

David: And just give her a little... David: Yeah.

James: Just give her a little kick and we’re good to go?

David: Yeah.

♪♪ James: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

♪♪ I like it up here better!

Less bugs.

♪♪ ♪♪ [sheep bleating] ♪♪ James: Come on!

♪♪ That was amazing!

This horse is awesome.

And the dogs, the dogs do the work.

[insects chirping] Good job.

[kissing noises] Good job.

[kissing noises] Awesome dog.

That’s awesome.

Kinda softens my cold heart a bit about, uh, being a city boy.

I think there may be a bit of country boy in me after all.

[bells clanging] Up until sitting on this horse, I thought oh my gosh, they’re crazy.

They were nuts to give up all of that to come to barren cabins and shacks and a dairy farm and, and, they gave up everything.

Um, but from sitting from this spot, on this perch, on this horse today, it gives me a different perspective.

That’s, uh, a sense of pride.

It’s a sense of accomplishment.

A sense that they had created from nothing a life.

Uh, I find myself liking the country boy James better than the city boy James.

♪♪ [sheep bleating] ♪♪ Lise: James has now had the chance to get a taste of what life would’ve been like for the Booth family working on their farm.

However, he has one last place to go: To visit his ancestors’ graves in Beaver.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ - Yeah, it’s different than I anticipated.

♪♪ They were my age.

That’s... that’s too young.

[birds chirping] I think this, this story about this Indian princess coming to Beaver, um, it’s a story of... real life.

They were real people having real experiences, real relationships.

[birds chirping] And I think that’s the secret of learning about our family.

It helps us realize that we’re not different.

We’re not the only ones, and that they survived and persevered and made choices to get them through their life.

I’m not just a dress designer.

[birds chirping] I’m the grandson of these people.

♪♪ You know, I thought, uh, genealogy was for a bunch of old people.

Once you’ve lived your life, and you have nothing else left to do, and you’re almost dried up and worn out, then you sat in a room and did research to find out, you know, how other people ended up, ‘cause you were about to be ending up too.

You know, I’ve considered myself to be a pretty cool guy, you know?

Pretty hip and fun and with it, and, uh, I’m gonna be a genealogy guy.

♪♪ There are 20 different stories about 20 different people, and they were all distilled into one little story of the Indian princess.

♪♪ Am I disappointed that there’s not a big room full of gold somewhere?

No, it’s all right.

You know?

Indian princess or British aristocracy?

I don’t know.

They’re people.

You know, they’re my family.

[music fades] - I’m so moved by your experience at the cemetery.

I, I’d love you to tell me about what was happening for you there ‘cause it was even more profound than we saw here.

- [sighs] Um... Yeah, I, I didn’t really know what to expect going to the cemetery.

Um... Getting out of my car and, and walking those grounds, uh, with pictures in hand, um...

I was first, uh, taken aback by how young they were, and to realize that they’re my age.

Lise: Mm.

When they died?

- Yeah.

And, um...

I sat there and... was just overcome by emotion.

Perhaps it was a bit of the bugs, I dunno.

Been a long day.

Lise: [chuckles] - Um, but it was, um... Yeah, it was really moving.

Um, but it affected me in perhaps a different way than I had anticipated.

Lise: Well, let me start with that.

What did you anticipate, do you think?

James: Well, it’s easy to say, oh, going to a seminar-- a, a cemetery--excuse me-- and, and, um, you know, thinking about your ancestors and your relatives, and this journey that I’ve been on, getting to know them, getting to know the story of the Indian princess.

Um... but what I was caught up with was the relationships that I have today.

The relationship with my father.

The relationship with my children.

And, uh, it made me think about how important those relationships are.

Lise: Mm.

- As Hannah and Charles have lived full lives and raised children, and ultimately died in Beaver.

They lived a full, rich life, and they had experienced amazing experiences together.

And it made me think about the amazing experiences I’ve had with my family and the relationships that I’ve had.

And I, you know, didn’t capture it there, didn’t-- it wasn’t shown, but I, I mentioned that, um, you know, in some ways, I, I felt ashamed for sitting there.

You know, I’ve probably driven by Beaver 500 times in my life, and, uh, the last time I had been there had been over 25 years prior to that day.

And I, I thought to myself, how many relationships in my life are like Beaver?

Lise: You’re passing them by?

- That I drive by every day.

Lise: Hm.

- 85 miles an hour, um... Lise: Without conscious thought.

- Without even thinking about it.

And so it made me have such a strong desire to get closer to my family, to spend time with them, to get to know them.

Lise: [chuckles] - Uh, I don’t have a, an immense amount of family, extended family, but, uh, the family that I do have, I sure as heck better know and better spend time with.

Lise: And in fact, you’re expanding your own family as we speak.

James: Yeah, my, my wife and I are expecting our fourth child.

Lise: Congratulations.

- And so, um, it’s... You know, this, if it’s taught me anything, is that family’s what matters.

It’s not a fortune in real estate.

Lise: Mm-hm.

- It’s not a, uh... James: fortune in India.

Lise: Buried treasure.

Lisa: Mm-hm.

James: The fortune and treasure that we have are here every day.

And my fortune and treasure is my sweet wife and my children, my parents, my brothers and sisters, my extended family.

That’s the fortune.

And, uh, this project, this generations project, um, has taught me that that’s what matters.

That who I am as a man, as a son, is defined not by the money I have or the fortunes that ancestors have, but it’s defined about the fortunes in relationships, and how current am I in those relationships.

How much do I know about my father?

You know, after I came home, my dad and I had the chance to sit and we, we sat for five hours in his kitchen, and he told me all the stories of his life.

Lise: Oh!

- He told me about when his mom died.

That her, uh, casket was in their home for three days before she was buried.

And, um... every day, um, he would go from their garden and pick forget-me-nots.

He was 13 years old.

Lise: Mm.

- And placed them in his mom’s hand.

Lise: Oh!

- To this day, my dad still grows forget-me-nots in his garden.

Um, it’s those stories that matter.

Getting to know my sweet parents, um, spending time with them, that’s what matters to me.

That’s what I’ve learned from this experience.

That’s what genealogy is to me, is I’m making genealogy-- Lise: [chuckles] - with my relationships.

Lise: Mm-hm.

- Um, and that’s been the joy of this experience for me.

- Life-changing, it feels to me.

I feel so much spirit and connectedness.

I’m so grateful that you would share your story with us, that we would get to walk these steps with you.

I know that doing it on your own is hard enough.

Doing it in front of cameras while you’re trying to run a business and raise a family is a whole other experience, and you were doing just that.

Your business was going full force, you had kids at home.

James: Yeah.

- Now to find out that you’re pregnant again.

James: Yeah.

- How hard was it to go through it in front of the cameras?

To do this journey in a busy life?

- Um, well worth it.

Lise: [laughs] Good.

That’s the best inheritance ever.

- Well worth it.

Um, it was, you know, it was a lot of time, but, um... Lise: The payoff is great.

- The, the, the... the tiny bit that I gave in energy was returned tenfold in, in knowledge and spirit and heart and warmth.

Getting to meet Lenna.

Lise: I wanna talk about Lenna.

Because you didn’t know Lenna prior to this.

James: Never met her.

- And you two look like two peas in a pod.

James: Oh, she was a hoot!

Um, she-- I talk to her, um, at least a couple times a week, every single week since.

She-- I call her Grandma Lenna.

Um, when I-- Lise: Ah, I bet she loves that.

- When I walked into her home and sat next to her, I felt as if I’d known her my whole life.

And it was nothing to do with me.

It was her generosity of spirit, her warmth, her kindness.

Um, you know, she just gave me a big hug and said, Come sit down next to me!

I just sat down and she squinched a little closer, and you know, she wanted to be right next to me.

And I just said from there on, I’ve got a grandma again.

- You really do.

James: Yeah.

And so, in some ways for my, my dad’s mom who I never knew, um, Lenna is able to fill those shoes in a different-- in a unique way for me to be able to have a grandma.

And so that’s been a, a joy.

- What a beautiful gift.

James: And she is wonderful.

- Well, I’m sure she treasures having someone come into her life who’s interested in her history, which is also your history.

I cannot let this interview end without talking about the fact that you’ve now bought a sheep farm.

No, I’m kidding.

Um-- [laughs] I have to quote you here.

“I hate dirt, filth, bugs, fire ants, crickets,” and yet you got on that horse and handled it and were a changed man afterwards.

Did it teach you something about the fortitude-- James: I have, I have to say something first.

Lise: Please do.

- The camera does not do justice to the amount of bugs that were there.

Lise: Let’s talk about that.

Crickets were jumping on you from all sides from the minute you stepped out of the car.

James: In that, you know, whatever it was, 15-20 acres where we were working the, the ground that day, um, conservatively 5 million crickets.

Lise: [laughs] - I mean, conservatively.

It was...

I-- You know, that was not for, for camera, for anything, I was freaked out.

Sick to my stomach, butterflies.

I’ve, I’ve had a fear of bugs since a childhood experience.

I, uh, I was, uh, terrified.

Terrified ever since.

So, um-- Lise: Took a lot of courage.

- You know, [stutters] I said a quick little prayer, got out of the car, and, and went over there and, um, it was awesome.

Once you got on a horse, it was a whole different perspective on things.

- Well, I love that you... it really hit you how hard they worked, how much they gave up for this, and suddenly you saw the value of it.

Is that right?

James: That’s-- I-it's-- You know, you can certainly say that, um, they made a great sacrifice.

And for that sacrifice, I’m grateful.

But I would say in, in different ways, they gained so much.

Lise: As you have now.

James: Yeah.

I think that having the opportunity to, um, see results and to be able to take raw ground and turn it into fertile soil and be able to feed your family, um, that’s a, that’s an empowering experience.

Lise: Well, take that experience and embrace it into the next generations.

James, thank you so much.

James: Oh, thank you so much.

- And thank you for watching.

Please join us next time for the next episode of The Generations Project.

♪♪