James Godfrey

JAMES GODFREY

James Godfrey was the last addition to his parents' family.  He was the baby of their 7 children coming into this world on Jan 5, 1840.  At the time, his family lived in North Petherton, Somersetshire, England.  

His father, Charles Godfrey, Sr., passed away when he was only 3 years old (1843).  His mother raised him to manhood.  Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints came to England and his mother, Caroline Trott Godfrey, his brother, Charles Godfrey, Jr., and himself were converted.   James was baptized a member on March 2, 1864, in Bristol, England.  

He and his mother immediately made plans to leave England to join the main body of saints in Utah.  Charles left before they did.  James and Caroline embarked on their journey on June 3, 1864, on the ship Hudson, and finished their journey in the Warren S. Snow wagon company arriving in Salt Lake City on October 27, 1864.  His brother, Charles, and his wife, Sophia Clifton, met them and helped them get established.

Unfortunately his brother passed away three years later leaving his wife with four young children all under the age of 5. The baby was born only 6 days before he died.  James could see the need his brother's family was in and decided to marry Sophia a year later (1869).  To their union seven children were born.  They made their home in South Cottonwood (Salt Lake), Utah.

Sophia took ill and passed away in 1878.  James had a large family to care for.  He met another English native and fell in love with her.  James and Fannie Alice Jones were married on December 23, 1880.  She raised all of his children and added 11 more of her own.  

Not even one year after their marriage, he was called to serve a mission to the Northwestern States.  He left in 1881 and returned in 1882 due to ill health.  While on his mission, he and his companions rented a hall in Montecello, Minnesota, to hold their meetings.  While they were teaching, a mob attacked them, threw a lasso on James, and dragged him a large distance.  Fortunately, the rope broke, and he was unhurt.  As a souvenir, he brought home the nine foot long piece of rope.

James served as a Young Men's President in South Cottonwood, served in the Black Hawk War, served in the 72nd and 73rd Quorums of the Seventies and then as a Patriarch.  He passed away on November 4, 1928, in Murray (South Cottonwood). 

Richard Carlisle

RICHARD CARLISLE

Orphaned at a young age, Richard Carlisle was taken in by a well-to-do lady who raised him as her own son.  He was an avid learner and student of the Bible.  He became dissatisfied with the Church of England  and explored other religions in attempt to find the truth.  The Quakers wanted him to join them and even entrusted him with their money.  One day he told his friends that he would not join another church until God set up His Kingdom here on earth.  They asked him if he thought it would be in his day.  He replied, "I think it will."

Richard's son, Joseph, had a dream.  In this dream, he saw a message come across the sea and the place where it would land.  He told his father about it and then went to see what the message was.  There he found a Mormon missionary preaching the gospel. Upon returning home, he told his family.  They all went to see for themselves and within one year, the entire family was baptized. 

The majority of their family was able to cross the ocean to America at the same time, which was quite a feat.   Their daughter, Mary, saved every penny for two years to make this possible.  They set sail on the ship Ellen in 1851.  On board were five of their children and Richard and Jenny.  

When they reached St. Louis, Jenny caught cholera and died on June 24th. Because of this, they stayed a year in St. Louis.  The following year, Thomas, his oldest son, joined them from England. Most of them crossed the plains in 1852, although not all together. Richard and two of his sons came in the H.B.H. Jolley Company.  It was the 7th company that season.

He reached the Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1852 and eventually settled in Alpine, Utah.

-Taken from History of Richard Carlisle written from information from Annie V. Thompson, Martha Healey Strong, and Dawna Daw Carlisle.

Notes: Richard Carlisle was born on April 30, 1798, in Riseholme, Lincolnshire, England, to Thomas and Elizabeth Taylor Carlisle. He died on April 10, 1879, in Alpine, Utah.

Isaac Daw

Isaac Daw

Born: December 21st, 1826 

Trull, Somerset, England

Died: January 12, 1913

Buried in the Cedar Fort, Utah, Cemetery

Isaac Daw became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Thursday, November 9th, 1848.  He married Jane Davswell Balls. They had 2 children. Together they made plans to join the main group of saints in Utah.  

"They set sail for America on the ship Samuel Curling on April 22, 1855."  When they reached America, they joined the saints at Mormon Grove.  They spent 3 months preparing for their overland journey. While there, black cholera struck the settlement.  Jane took ill with cholera.  She passed away on June 7th.  It is said that she and her baby were buried in the same grave in Hutchison (Atchison also known as Mormon Grove), Kansas Territory.    

The night before their departure, Milo Andrus was asked to lead this group to the valley.  He had not been planning to leave Mormon Grove.  He was the one who had procurred their teams and provisions.  He accepted the call and was determined to get this company to the valley.

The company began their journey at Mormon Grove quite late in the year (later than the Willie Company a year later).  They departed on August 3rd. Two days later, they were 30 miles west of their beginning point.  In a letter written by the captain of their company to Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 22nd, he said that they were pushing forward as quickly as possible due to their late departure.  The previous day they traveled 25 miles and were planning to push as far forward as possible because he expected to hit inclement weather when they reached the Rocky Mountains.

They had troubles with the Indians.  Indian attacks were very common during the beginning of their trip.  More than one person died.

By the time the company reached Fort Bridger, they were moving slowly.  Their teams were worn down due to lack of feed and the loss of several of their animals.On September 9th, 1855, they reached the Salt Lake Valley during a terrible snowstorm.

 

Isaac and his son, Walter, stayed with Bishop Gardner in West Jordan.  A few short months passed, and Walter died.  Isaac was alone.  He had left his native land; lost his wife and baby; lost his only son; and was in a strange land. 

And yet, life went on.  His testimony of the eternal nature of the human soul, the plan of salvation, and the hope of resurrection and reunion with his loved ones helped him to move on- to put one foot in front of the other and take another step each and every day.  

Written by: Dari Peterson Thacker, May 11, 2014.  3rd great-granddaughter. 

Sources for this: 1)"History of Isaac Daw" written by his grandson, Albert William Daw.

2) https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?companyId=52

3) Photo found on familysearch.org.

  

Hannah Knight

HANNAH KNIGHT

John and Hannah Yendell Knight welcomed not only their third child, but also their third daughter on the 27th October, 1830, in Wellington, Somerset, England.  They were not well-to do.  In fact, they were yeomen (tenant farmers).

As a young adult, Hannah worked for a family as governess/nanny.  Her dear friend, Sarah Williams, also worked for this family as a housekeeper and cook.  Their lives became inseparably connected throughout the remainder of their lives.

The two of them joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and felt the desire to join the main body of saints in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah.  Through their associations with this new found religion, they became well acquainted with two men- John Waters and Isaac Daw. Hannah and John fell in love despite a large age difference and were engaged to be wed when they reached Salt Lake.

Isaac and his wife, Jane Balls, left for America in 1855. The others left in 1856, Sarah being the first.  John and Hannah left on May 4, 1856, on the ship Thornton.  After crossing the ocean, they joined up with the Willie Handcart Company and the Hunt Wagon Company.  Hannah didn't have enough money for to pay for the Hunt Wagon Company. John was insistent that Hannah ride in the wagon company and he walk.  So, although they left at the same time, they were separated.

"Rocky Ridge was where many members of the Willie Company met their Maker.  Facing a hillside so steep, windswept, and seemingly never ending, the haggard emigrants tugged at their carts-most numb to the cold, many near death.  That any of them made it up the ridge speaks of divine intervention and their strength of spirit" (Sweetwater Rescue: The Willie & Martin Handcart Story, pg.91). Rocky Ridge was the highest point on the trail 7,300 ft. "Men would dig graves for their brethren, and before night, die themselves" (pg. 88).

John was one of those.  On the morning of October 25th, thirteen of their company were buried in a large hole.  He helped dig the burial plot, but passed away before the company set out for the day's journey.

The really tragic part of this story is that Hannah had no idea.  The Hunt Wagon Company was behind the Martin Handcart Company until about the time they reached Martin's Cove.  Here most wagons were abandoned.  When she arrived in Salt Lake City on November 30th, she discovered that John had not made it.  She also discovered that Isaac's wife, Jane, had passed away and both of his young children. 

Isaac, Sarah and Hannah became close once again- drawing on the support of each other. Many tears were shed.  Isaac and Sarah were married that winter.  On June 28th, 1857, the following year, Isaac stood proxy for John.  Hannah was sealed to him.  Afterwards, she married Isaac for time only. 

Written by Dari Peterson Thacker May 4, 2014 (3rd Great Granddaughter).