Edna Parkinson Packer

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-X72
• Initiatory (LDS): 10 Sep 1913, LOGAN

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCR-3HQ
• Initiatory (LDS): 1 Jan 1885, LOGAN

Ossian married Annie Smart Parkinson on 1 Jan 1885 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Annie (daughter of Samuel Rose Parkinson and Charlotte Elizabeth Smart) was born on 15 Oct 1867 in Franklin, Franklin, Idaho, United States; died on 22 Oct 1959 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried on 26 Oct 1959 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCR-3HW
• Initiatory (LDS): 1 Jan 1885, LOGAN

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC8-PWD
• Initiatory (LDS): 16 Nov 1855, EHOUS

Notes:

Samuel Rose Parkinson was a native of England, world traveler in his you t h, convert to the Church and one of the founders of Franklin, Idaho.

Samuel R. Parkinson was born at Borrowford, Lancashire, England, on Apr i l 12, 1831, the son of Willliam and Charlotte Rose Parkinson. When th e bo y was seven months old, his father died. The widowed mother moved t o Stoc kport, where she found employment as a school teacher. At Stockpor t in 18 35 she met and married Edmund Berry, a coal merchant. Times wer e hard i n England during these years, and in 1839 Edmund Berry decided t o take th e family and move to Australia. They sailed from Liverpool in A pril, an d five months later arrived at Sidney. Young Samuel Parkinson wa s now eig ht years of age.

Edmund Berry found business conditions unfavorable in Australia and aft e r residing there three years decided to move to New Zealand. The famil y l eft Sidney in October, 1842, and arrived at Auckland six weeks later . Edm und Berry was restless; he did not like the looks of Auckland and d ecide d to continue on the same ship to Chile. The family arrived at Valp arais o in January, 1843.

Samuel R. Parkinson was now approaching his twelfth birthday and was ab l e to obtain employment on his own. He found work as a gardener. He als o a ttended school and quickly learned the Spanish language.

After three years in Chile, during which time he accumulated several tho u sand dollars, Edmund Berry decided to leave that country and return t o En gland. The family sailed down the West Coast of South America, round ed Ca pe Horne and reached England early in 1846. Young Samuel Parkinson , now f ifteen years of age had journeyed around the world.

There was one more move for the Berry family to make and that was to t h e United States. In 1848, two years after their arrival in England, th i s journey was undertaken. They sailed from Liverpool to New Orleans an d t hence by steamboat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where the y arri ved in October. They rented a house from a Latter-day Sainte famil y name d Clement.

There was a large branch of the Church in the St. Louis at this time a n d Samuel R. Parkinson, now seventeen years of age, began to attend th e me etings. In December, 1848, he was baptized. He also met a young lad y in t he branch, a convert from England named Arabella Chandler. They we re marr ied on January 1, 1852.

As soon as they were married, Samuel and Arabella began to plan on uniti n g with the Saints in Utah. By 1854, he had accumulated $700 in money , a w agon, and a yoke of oxen. Samuel was twenty-two years of age, a sub stanti al, hard-working young man. They began the journey to the West wit h abou t sixty wagons known as the "St. Louis Company" and arrived in Sal t Lak e City on the 23rd of September.

Anxious to get permanently located as soon as possible, Samuel went t o K aysville a few weeks after his arrival in the Valley, purchased a pie ce o f land, built a log house, and settled down to the life of a farmer . Fro m the beginning he maintained himself and his family, three childre n havi ng been born to them.

In 1857 he was requested by President Young to take his team and wagon a n d accompany a group of men back over the plains to Devil's Gate, and br in g in the goods of the handcart immigrants, which had been left there d uri ng the disaster of the previous year.

A few months later he was called to go to Echo Canyon and assist in defe n se of the Saints against the approaching Johnston's Army. Early in 185 8 h e was requested to go to the Salmon River country and assist the sett ler s at Fort Lemhi in returning to Utah. Later in 1858, he took his fami ly a nd moved south with the Saints, who vacated their homes prior to th e entr ance of Johnston's Army into Salt Lake Valley. After a peaceable s ettleme nt of affairs had been made with the army, Samuel Parkinson broug ht his f amily back to his farm in Kaysville.

Many settlers flocked to Cache Valley in the spring and summer of 1859 , a nd the fame of the valley spread abroad. Early in the spring of 186 0 a gr oup of men in Kaysville decided to investigate the new location fo r farmi ng possibilities and homesites. Among these men were Samuel R. Pa rkinson , Alfred Alder, Peter Pool, E. C. Van Orden, William and John Com ish, She m Purnell, George Alder, W. H. Rogers, James Oliver, and Arnol d Goodliffe .

This group reached Wellsville about the time snow melted off the groun d i n the spring. They inquired at each town as they traveled northward t o le arn if there were available land for settlement. At each place the y wer e informed that all the land had been "taken up." They continued o n to Cu b River and, finding that no one had located in that vicinity, th ey decid ed to stop and build a town. Samuel R. Parkinson thus became on e of the o riginal settlers of Franklin, Idaho.

A few days after the group stopped on Cub River, Peter Maughan, "Presidi n g Bishop" of Cache Valley, called at their camp and appointed Thomas S . S mart, Samuel R. Parkinson, and James Sanderson to divide the land an d tak e charge of the temporal and spiritual affairs of the colony, unti l a bis hop could be appointed.

From the beginning Indians were troublesome to the settlers at Frankli n . A large band gathered on the Bear River in the late fall of 1862, abo u t twelve miles north of Franklin. This group had committed many depreda ti ons and Colonel Patrick Connor, in command at Fort Douglas, decided t o ta ke his troops and "chastise" them. A battle was fought on January 29 , 186 3, in which several soldiers and approximately three hundred Indian s wer e killed. Samuel R. Parkinson was one of those who took his sleig h and we nt to the battlefield and brought in the wounded soldiers to th e Mormon c olony. He also transported a group of them to Fort Douglas i n Salt Lake C ity.

In the summer of 1863 Samuel R. Parkinson and Thomas S. Smart built th e f irst saw mill at Franklin, which was also the first in southeastern I daho .

Two residents of Franklin, Andrew Morrison and William Howell, were gett i ng out logs in a canyon east of town in May, 1863, when they were attac ke d by Indians. Morrison was seriously wounded by two arrows shot deepl y i n his body. Howell escaped and ran to town for help. A posse rescue d Andr ew Morrison, and Samuel R. Parkinson went for a doctor. He hitche d his fa st mules to the front wheels of his wagon and started for Salt L ake City ; he was back in forty-eight hours with Dr. Anderson, whose skil lful wor k assisted in saving the life of Andrew Morrison. Samuel R. Park inson alw ays gave his assistance freely to anyone in distress .

In 1868, when the Franklin Cooperative Store was organized, Samuel R. Pa r kinson became a stockholder and the manager. Later he helped to organi z e the North Star Woolen Mills, which he also successfully managed for m an y years. He kept several teams on the road freighting to the Montana m ine s. He was the owner of a good farm and a large band of sheep. He wa s dili gent and prosperous in his business.

A thorough and devoted Latter-day Saint, Samuel R. Parkinson served thir t y years as a member of the Franklin Ward bishopric. He also spent consi de rable time in his later years doing temple work, which was near to hi s he art. His greatest success, it might be said, was in the rearing o f a larg e and splendid family. Three of his sons and one grandson becam e presiden ts of stakes; other sons and grandsons served as bishops; al l of his son s and daughters were devoted to the Church.

Samuel R. Parkinson died in Preston, Idaho, on May 23, 1919, a few wee k s past his eighty-eighth birthday. In a written statement he had prepar e d to be read at his funeral is the following paragraph:

"It is my solemn testimony that Joseph Smith was divinely commissione d t o bring forth the Everlasting Gospel, the only true plan of salvation , in augurated and planned by God himself, with all its wonderful gifts a nd bl essings, for the benefit and final exaltation of the human family.. . Thro ugh its power and authority this Gospel is being preached to the i nhabita nts of the earth, and I bear solemn witness that no power on eart h will e ver be permitted to disturb or stop its progress."

-- From "Stalwarts of Mormonism," 1954, by Preston Nibley

Samuel married Charlotte Elizabeth Smart on 8 Dec 1866 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Charlotte (daughter of Thomas Sharratt Smart and Ann Hayter) was born on 6 Nov 1849 in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States; was christened on 10 Nov 1862; died on 14 Jun 1929 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried on 16 Jun 1929 in Franklin, Franklin, Idaho, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC8-PWX
• Initiatory (LDS): 8 Dec 1866, EHOUS

Notes:

Charlotte Elizabeth Smart was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 6t h o f November, 1849, the daughter of Thomas Sharrott Smart, who was bor n Sep tember 14, 1823, at Staffordshire, England, and Ann Hayter, born Se ptembe r 22, 1822, at Hampshire, England.

Mother's mother was married early in life to Henry Fleet, by whom she h a d three children, Mary Ann, Alice and Louise. All three were born in En gl and. We have no further data on Henry Fleet after marriage. He led a n unw orthy life which caused much privation, sorrow and poverty. The cou ple we re consequently separated and she soon after married Thomas Smart , former ly of Stonall, Staffordshire, England. Both families were of th e honorabl e, industrious class; his being farmers and her's commercial , and there w ere a goodly number of children in both families. Both belo nged to the Ch urch of England and were respectable, loyal, English citiz ens.

Soon after the marriage, they came to the United States, settling firs t a t St. Louis, Missouri, on a farm, and here the subject of this sketc h beg ins. It was in St. Louis, after keen investigation, that they joine d th e church, and soon thereafter, about 1852, they moved to Salt Lake C ity , Utah. After remaining but a brief time, they were directed to settl e i n a new town, American Fork; from there they went to Provo in order f or M r. Smart to take charge of a newly founded tannery. This business wa s mad e profitable by Mr. Smart who found it in a very run-down condition .

A short while later Peter Maughan, presiding bishop of Cache Valley, w a s getting together a number of families to go and assist in settling wh a t became Franklin, Idaho. The family moved to Franklin in the spring o f 1 860. This became the permanent family home until their deaths. Charlo tt e lived most of her young days in Franklin, though she well remembere d th eir homes in American Fork and Provo.

Home Life before Marriage

Mother was the eldest daughter of the latter marriage and she was give n r esponsibilities of trust at a very early age. She was ambitious and v er y dependable, never wanting to shirk her work or hand it over to an ol de r sister, but she took great pride in doing well all the work which wa s e xpected of her.

Her mother was a very neat and orderly woman and placed certain responsi b ilities upon her children, teaching them at an early age to do things r ig ht and to carry their tasks with honor and to do them uncomplainingly . Th e older girls helped some with the outside work on the farm. Mothe r did t he family sewing and a great deal of the weaving of the cloth o f which th eir clothes were made, as well as blankets, etc. She was to ma rry Samue l Rose Parkinson, but at her father's advice, she waited an ent ire year a fter the original marriage date, preparing herself for the cou ntless duti es of marriage and polygamy. She told Mr. Parkinson that sh e would not co urt him during the year for she knew it would be too har d on his other wi fe. They agreed if at any time during the year either o f them changed the ir minds, they would meet to let each other know.

Intellectual Inclinations

Mother had very little schooling, studying only reading, writing and ari t hmetic and spelling. She was of an intellectual nature and became quit e c onversant in many subjects, although she had only a few short winter s o f actual schooling. The main amusement of the time was dancing and sh e be came a very smooth dancer, keeping perfect time and rhythm. She too k extr eme pride in this art and was classed as one of the leading dancer s of th e locality.

Mother was married to Samuel Rose Parkinson December 8, 1866. It was a p o lygamous marriage, she being the second wife. Mother was always all thr ou gh her married life extremely thoughtful of the other wives, thus disp lay ing a character which she always possessed-one of self sacrifice, nev er t hinking of herself first-a woman unselfish of her own interests, cha ritab le to all and was ever thinking of the welfare of others, ready a t any ca ll to assist in sickness or sorrow, leaving her own family of sm all child ren any time of night or day, never afraid of contagious diseas es, intere sted in everyone's trouble, and loved by all. Her sons-in-la w were ever l oud in their praises of her. Her door was open to everybody . She was a ve ry devoted wife, and never tired of waiting upon the want s of the family . She had a very intelligent way of counseling with her c hildren to do ri ght and live lives preparing them to be leaders among me n.

Mother and Father were not of the poor class. Father was a very successf u l business man as well as farmer and manufacturer. He first had a stor e i n Franklin and was doing well when he was advised to make of it a co- oper ative store, which obedient to council he did, and was made manager . In t his he was very successful, and in a few years he started up a woo len fac tory. He went East and secured all the necessary machinery and st arted th e factory going, making blankets, wool, sheets, yarn, etc. Mothe r was alw ays interested in his business affairs and proved to be a compe tent advis or to him. Their domestic life was successful in general; he w as a good h usband and father; and she was a good wife and mother, bein g loved and ho nored by all her children. She was the mother of Annie, Lu cy, Joseph, Fre derick, Leona, Bertha, Eva, Hazel, Nettie, and Vivian. Th ey all married i n the temple and were well mated. Mother was always symp athizing with th e in-laws and advising each of her family to do the righ t thing by thei r husbands or wives, and in this and other acts, she gain ed the respect o f her in-laws, and most, if not all of them, respected h er as their own a nd spoke always in lauding terms of her.

About the year 1906, Mother and father joined their sons Joseph and Fred e rick and moved up on land on the bench east of Rexburg, Idaho, where th e y apparently enjoyed the quiet life in father's declining years.

At one time when mother was going from one home to the other, a heavy wi n d was blowing and it picked her up and blew her against the house, brea ki ng or rather cracking her shoulder blade. She was a long time gettin g th e use of it and it was nearly a year before she could dress hersel f or co mb her hair. This was due largely to the wrong treatment prescrib ed by th e doctor. However, when the crack was discovered, she took car e of it a s she would a broken arm, and soon she had full use of the lim b again.

Another time a week or fox tail got in her ear and one of the tiny hea d s broke off and settled into the drum, causing a trouble which she nev e r did get cleared up. She wore a piece of cotton in the ear constantl y t o absorb the drainage as well as to keep out of the cold. This was al way s a handicap to her. She was seldom sick even with a cold. She was st ron g and healthy and up to the time she received the stroke, she could p roba bly work as hard as any of her girls.

Spiritual Inclinations

During her youth she was of a religious turn of mind. She was always ve r y devout in her religion. She strictly kept the Word of Wisdom until h e r death. She was a temple worker and especially enjoyed the spirit of t h e work. She devoted about 20 years to the service and did 600 names fo r h er father's family during the time when only one name a day could b e work ed and three names a week. She assisted also with the Parkinson na me. Sh e was true and loyal to the church, as to her husband, to whom sh e was se aled the 8th of December, 1866, in the Endowment House in Salt L ake City . She had full faith in the eternal ordinance of the celestial m arriage c ovenant and in all principals of the gospel. Of course this mar riage wa s a great trial to her, but few there were who lived it so loyal ly as di d she, always considering the other wives and feeling that the y had suc h a hard battle to which hers was but secondary. She attended R elief Soci ety, but did not want any public position. She often said sh e hesitated b eing a teacher on account of giving reports. She wanted t o work, but wa s not an office seeker, preferring to do her work in a qui et way and unkn own if possible.

She believed in the benefits of tithing and was honest with the Lord. H e r heart and soul were with the teachings of the church against indecen t d ancing, etc. and against card playing. I never knew a game of cards t o b e played in our home. She was opposed to all lawless habits such as g ambl ing, drinking, breaking of the Sabbath, etc.

Personality

Mother was one of those characters who always saw the good in everyone , a nd never saw the bad side. She was a real counsellor in times of trou ble . This we can all verify as being the truth from the time we knew her . Sh e was generous in the giving of time and means to the poor and sic k and s pent much of her time doing what is now called social service wor k, carin g for those in need and sick. She often sent me or someone els e of the fa mily to do the work in the home where she was helping, then b rought thei r washing home with her. Many times I have gone with her t o a sick home , and helped in various ways, sometimes helping in laying o ut the dead a s she was often called on to do, and although her life wa s largely give n to that work, I never knew her to receive anything for i t. It was don e for charity and in the full spirit of charity.

Mother was from a commercial class of people and inherited as well as ac q uired an aptitude in temporal matters. She was industrious and highly e co nomical, and like her husband was firmly opposed to debt. She usuall y ha d a good garden, a few cows and chickens, and helped in every way t o kee p up with the family expenses. Previous to father's death she board ed th e teachers for several years. She enjoyed their company and they th ough t a great deal of her. It was her principal to be as self supportin g as p ossible. Her business integrity and honesty were unquestionable, s he bein g here, as in other temporal matters, a harmonious companion to h er husba nd.

Mother was well built, about 5 ft. 4 inches, weighed about 130 pounds, w a s dark-complexioned. She sat and walked with a straight carriage. She w a s proud as to character, but never vain. She was strong in personalit y an d passion when aroused, but was quick to forgive and make up, and wo uld m eet the offender more than halfway every time.

Mother cared for father about 6 months before his death, his other wiv e s being dead at this time. Her very outstanding virtues were exhibite d i n his behalf each and every day, and she never tired in helping him i n ev ery possible way. She respected him to the utmost and was loyal to h im an d the priesthood he bore, showing true marks of greatness and woman hood . Indeed she sought to make his life as comfortable and happy as pos sible .

She believed in the natural governmental order of the family, with the h u sband at the head, which was appealing to her inward soul. She was a st ro ng companion to her married children, helping them not only in the dut ie s of their home and in sickness, but ever striving for peace in thei r fam ilies.

She dressed with good tasted, and always becomingly to her age. As she g r ew older she hesitated to wear anything which might appear as old-lad y co mforts. I well remember asking her about a Christmas present. I tol d he r I wanted to give her either a nice pair of wool hose or a pair o f sil k ones. She hesitated a while and then said-"I don't think I need w ool ho se." Soon I found her examining the two pair and she chose the sil k ones . She enjoyed a good hearty laugh and was ever reminding her child ren t o keep up with the times and styles. This made her a favorite amon g her g randchildren.

Father died on the 23rd of May, 1919, in Preston, Idaho. Mother passed m a ny lonely hours and days, but seldom was she found fretting or complain in g. She resumed her temple duties and lived the life of a constant Latt e r Day Saint. While working in the temple, she was seized with a strok e wh ich finally resulted in her death two years later. She died in Loga n at t he home of her daughter Annie, on the 14th of June, 1929, surround ed b y a number of her family.

She was buried in the family cemetery at Franklin, and as she had spen t t he latter part of her life in Preston, for that is where they finall y set tled and built a home-, her funeral was held at Preston. Although t he da y was an exceptionally stormy one, with the rain coming down in tor rents , the funeral was well attended, hardly standing room being availab le i n the Fourth Ward meeting house. The floral offerings were profuse a nd al l spoke of her unselfish life and the good she had done.

In her coffin, as she lay, she looked queenly-like a bride going to me e t her bridegroom.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LL36-4FP
• Initiatory (LDS): 26 Feb 1953, IFALL

William married Charlotte Rose on 19 Mar 1827 in Colne, Lancashire, England. Charlotte was born on 7 Sep 1801 in Chatham, Kent, England; was christened on 27 Sep 1801 in St. Mary the Virgin Church, Chatham, Kent, England; died on 18 Jul 1849 in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States; was buried on 18 Jul 1849 in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: L56P-V17
• Initiatory (LDS): 1 Apr 1885, LOGAN

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ8-7RL
• Initiatory (LDS): 3 Jun 1856, EHOUS

Thomas married Ann Hayter on 1 Mar 1847 in République française. Ann was born on 18 Sep 1822 in Kingston, Hampshire, England; died on 22 Jun 1876 in Franklin, Franklin, Idaho, United States; was buried on 24 Jun 1876 in Franklin, Franklin, Idaho, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ8-7R2
• Initiatory (LDS): 3 Jun 1856, EHOUS