Utahna Gledhill

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC2-7CW
• Initiatory (LDS): 21 Dec 1940, MANTI

Utahna married H Neil McKnight on 21 Dec 1940 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States. H (son of Harrison McKnight and Myrtle Parker) was born on 4 Jul 1915 in Joseph, Sevier, Utah, United States; died on 12 Jan 1979 in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, California, United States; was buried on 17 Jan 1979 in Palo Alto, Santa Clara, California, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCG-Q92
• Initiatory (LDS): 28 Nov 1906, SLAKE

Notes:

AUTOBIOGRAPH OF THOMAS RAY GLEDHILL

April 2, 1931

I was born of goodly parents on February 13, 1883 at Mt. Pleasant, Sanp e te County, Utah. My father was Thomas Gledhill the son of Edward Gledhi l l and Betsie Hague Gledhill of Oldham, Lanshyre County, England.

My father immigrated to Utah when he was twelve years old, his family h a ving joined the L. D. S. Church in England in 1849 (his Mother) and 18 5 0 (his Father).

My mother was Lilly Bell Ivie Gledhill. She was born in Mt. Pleasant. S h e was born and raised in the church.

I am the eldest of six brothers and two sisters. Three of the brother s a re now on the other side with Mother. Ivo, Herbert,; Frace, and Hug h Lafa yette. God bless their memories. Alden is now in Salt Lake City, F red i s in Los Angeles, Ida Belle and Millie May, the two sisters, and fa ther a re here at Richfield, Utah.

My parents moved to Vermillion, Sevier County, Utah, where I lived an d g rew to manhood. The first ten years of our time there we lived on a f ar m at the foot of the large dark volcanic mountain, just one mile nort h o f the Rocky Ford Dam in Sevier River. For about ten years we lived i n a o ne room log house, 28 by 40 feet. Here four of my brothers were bor n. Th e room was petitioned off into bed rooms with calico. We soon outgr ew thi s house and built a nice three roomed family house and used the ol d one f or a granery.

We boys helped on the farm and herded cows during the summer. In the wi n ter we went to school. First we went to Sigurd in a little one room fra m e building. We often rode a horse the distance of nearly three miles. L at er we went to Vermillion school which was held in the meeting house. T h e last three years of the eight grades I attended, I attended at the Ri ch field Public School. While attending school at Richfield I did chore s fo r my board and room at the homes of Dr. H. K. Neill. I was taken int o the ir home and treated with very much kindness and courtesy. I shall a lway s remember them and their good wives with gratitude and thanksgivin g fo r the help and support they gave me.

When I finished my course at Richfield (the eighth grade and first ye a r of high school) I left school not being sure at all that I would eve r a gain go to school.

Being the oldest child in a large family I felt it my duty to leave ho m e and rustle a job for myslef. In my efforts to earn a living, two expe ri ences I had during that summer had much to do in molding my life.

I was sent on a trip to the Milford Desert to help with a herd of shee p . This was a distance of about 100 miles from home and I had to go on h or seback and alone. I got lost on this desert without food and was almos t f amished for water; night and darkness found me in great despair. Ther e wa s nothing to do but to pray and Oh how I did pray to God for help . I wa s lead by a small light to a sheep camp at midnight and from ther e I foun d the herd of sheep which I was hunting, but not until God had t ested m y faith again by losing my horse and finding him after a very ear nest pra yer.

After five weeks I was no longer needed at the sheep camp so I took t h e money which I had received from here and went to Clear Creek, a coa l mi ning camp, hunting for work. I was only eighteen years old and becau se o f this I was turned down everywhere I asked for work. I wasn't a ma n yet . Finally and luckilly I got work chopping timber in the mountainou s par t of the mine, by contract, at the rate the men averaged. I choppe d for o ne month and made as much again as the men who worked by days pay . Afte r this I was called a man, but did not make as much.

They often sent me to pitch coal in a closed box car with an Italian (t h ey called them greacers). He could not speak English and the work wa s s o hard I could hardly stand it. As I contacted myself with this Itali an , I discovered that at that kind of work he was as good or a little be tte r than I. Every hour I asked myself if I was going to remain in his c las s all my life. My one year in High School did not help me shovel coal . Ea ch Sunday I would climb the beautiful mountain, make sure I was alon e, th en I would pour out my soul to God in prayer for help and guidanc e and st rangth. This was a great turning experience in my life, for I re solved o n that mountain and with each shovel of coal that I would do som ething wh ich my dark skinned, dirty, Italian friend could not do. Oh, ho w I resolv ed to go to school and make a man of myself in the world. I ha d, by thi s time, worked two months.

I had saved $75.00 the two months and to show how unwilling I was to sp e nd it for anything except for an education, I walked thirty miles ove r th e Mountain to Mt. Pleasant alone to save Railroad fare. Took the tra in t o Salina, Utah and from there I walked another ten miles home becaus e I w as so homesick for my family.

My father went with me to Salt Lake City and we tried to find work fo r m e to do for my board. For three days we looked everywhere, but were u nsuc cessful. Father said to me: "You'd better go home and give it up." H is ti cket was up and he had to return home, so he left me alone to conti nue m y search. To fortify my courage and burn my bridges I went the nex t morni ng to the L.D.S. College and asked the price of their courses. Th ey sai d they were from $10.00 to $40.00 year. I took the forty dollar co urse . I paid this out of my seventy-five dollars befire I even had a pla ce t o stay. Two days later I found a job three miles west of the city . I milk ed twelve cows at night and six in the morning for my board. I r ode a bic ycle to school and also drove a horse and buggy. I was delighte d and happ y. A better and closer job was secured after two months. I di d chores a t Nephi L. Clayton's place just three blocks from the school . Here, I liv ed in a barn and ate my meals out in the outer kitchen, bu t they were kin d to me and I only had to tend the furnace and tend fo r a cow and two hor ses. They gave me old clothes and shoes which I wor e in place of my old a nd shabby ones and I sent a sack or two home to th e folks.

I did janitor work at the L.D.S. (tended Barrot Hall) and I was also do o r keeper in the old gym so that when school closed the next spring I h a d still thirty dollars out of the thirty five left after paying my tuit io n. I attended the L. D. S. four years which was as happy a time as an y i n my life. In my junior year I was chosen as class president and in m y Se nior year I was elected President of the student body. When my frien ds fo und I had been elected, they carried me from Barrot Hall Basement i n my j anitor clothes, on their backs. These friends were J.B. Harris, Jo seph M . Mills and others about the school.

Some of my choicest memories cluster around those dear old school day s a nd some life long friendships were made and for two years four boys-- Jose ph B. Harris, Oscar Harris, J.B's brother and my brother, No and I l ive d as batchelors, cooked our own meals and lived a very happy and heal thfu l life together. I have often thanked God for sending these two fin e youn g men to us.

Later I lived in the Sugar House ward doing chores for Samuel Paul, a c i vil engineer. I lived in his barn and ate my meals in his shanty, but t he y were kind and helpful to me for whicHishall be thankful for. While l ivi ng there I formed some more very dear friendships. They were: F. Haro ld R obinson, now Dr. Robinson of Los Angeles and his wonderful family. T he Ar tist Edwin Evans and his very fine family contributed to my growt h and ha ppiness. Especially did I enjoy the friendship of their daughter , Eva, wh o I often spent the evenings with. Here I met the Fairbanks fam ily and Br other Thomas Yates, all of whom I greatly admire.

I sold shoes on Friday nights and Saturdays in Robinson Bros. Shoe Sto r e and distributed the tribune papers over a route for two winters ridi n g a bicycle.

The idea of being a Doctor came to me gradually. First my grandfather , C ol. John J. Ivie, whom I dearly loved, was a bone setter and wanted t o b e a Doctor himself and said he would be one if he were me. Then a s I thou ght of all the things I could do, nothing I could do other tha n this woul d render more services to mankind. I then felt that my natur e was a sympa thetic and helpful nature that would fit me in a measure, t o render comfo rt and strengthen those in distress. I did not know or se e how I could ac complish my ambition, but finally I made up my mind tha t God had always h elped me. At the end of my second year at the L.D.S . I had decided to bec ome an M.D. with God's help.

When I mentioned my determination to two of my beloved professors wh o I d id greatly admire and respect, they in good faith, said a lot of di scoura ging things to me. They said I would lose my faith in God if I stu died un der certain Godless Professors which they mentioned. They advise d me to s tudy for a teacher in a Church School instead of Medicine. I wa s disturbe d in my feelings, so I called at President Joseph F. Smith's o ffice for a dvice. I would have rather given up my ambitions to becom e a doctor tha n to lose my faith in the Church and my God. Brother Spenc er, I believe , asked me what I wanted and I told him briefly the missio n I was on. H e shortly returned and said that President Smith was busy f or an hour an d suggested that I see President Antone H. Lund and do as h e advised. I p ut the matter up to president Lund. He fatherly put his ha nd on my should er and said: "My good Brother, the Churchs needs good L.D .S. doctors. Yo u go right ahead and study medicine if you desire and ser ve God faithfull y while doing so and you will not apostatize and God ble ss you." I left a s happy as a child and never hesitated another minute f rom then on. Late r when I studied medicine, I never saw a thing that eve r disturbed my fai th a particle.

After graduating from the L.D.S. my dearest friend, Joe (Joseph B. Harr i s) and I landed in Preston, Idaho, looking for work. We had a letter o f i ntroduction to Thomas Cleaves, better Uncle Tom. We helped him Saturd ay i n his store and Sunday went with him to Sunday School and there I sa w fo r the first time the beautiful little girl who latter (two years lat er) b ecame my wife. Uncle Tom made us acquainted with David Cullen Eame s and h is good wife and family, including their daughter, May.

I first fell in love with Mother Eames and then later with her daughte r , May.

It is wonderful and beautiful story, our courtship. That I have lived a n d lived again in memory. How I grew to love her until she was almost ho l y and sacred; so pure and holy was my love for her that I could hardl y st udy or do aught but hold her in the center of my brain and adore. Fi nall y after two years acquaintance I persuaded her to become my wife . I led h er to the alter in God's Holy Temple where we were sealed for t ime and et ernity on July 18# 1907 at Logan, Utah.

I had taken out my own endowments two years before in the Salt Lake Tem p le. This came about thus: I walked home with Bishop Clawson of the 18t h W ard one night from Priesthood meeting. He asked me if I would like t o hav e my endowments in the Temple for the protection and blessing. "Ind ee d I would" was my reply. He gave me a recommend. I went to the Temple.

After my marriage my dear old pal Joe (whom I loved as much as any brot h er I had) married our mutual friend Lucy Ashton one of the finest girl s f rom one of the finest families I have ever met in all my life. I lov e t o think of the many and happy times I have spent in their company an d the ir home.

After my marriage, my wife and I spent our honeymoon at tear Lake and l a ter at Fish Lake, soon after which we landed in Chicago where I complet e d my medical course.

While in Chicago we had many ups and downs. We moved five times in abo u t six months being run out because we were Mormons. Other times becaus e o f rats and cockroaches. However, my good wife was 100% loyal. I too k a fe ver for three weeks in which she nursed me back to health.

On June 17, 1908 our darling baby came to bless and cheer us in our str u ggles. We were living at the Leman Flats, 2323 South Wabash Ave. wher e sh e was born. Never was a child more welcome and appreciated than ou r firs t born, Ora May.

While a student at the Northwestern University I often had a chance t o d efend our church and people. Dr. Mix, Secretary of the faculty an d a ver y fine man, called me into his office twice to talk about the Boo k of Mor mon. I gave him one with my compliments which he read and commen ted to m e on after. I was always proud to be a Mormon and to defend ou r people.

I started to practice my chosen profession in Richfield on July 3, 19 0 . I have been there ever since with the exception of two three month' s pe riods spent in the east and three weeks in the West doing post gradu ate w ork. I have met, personally, most of the big medical and surgical m en i n the U. S. and a few from Europe. Locally I have been County Physic ian s ince 1909, almost half of that time City Physician. I was one of th e firs t doctors in the State to operate lights and electricity treatment s. I wa s one of the three who drafted the constitution and by-laws for t he firs t body of Doctors in this State to use and advocate physiologica l measure s other than medicine and surgery. I read a paper before its fi rst meetin g on the value of electrocoagulation of disease tissue. I wa s the first c harter member and the first President of Center Utah Medica l Society. I w as the D. & R. G. W. R. R. Surgeon and War Veteran's Burea u Examiner duri ng and since the war. As I recall I had about the sixtyt h automobile in t his valley, but not until I had driven a horse and bugg y all over the val ley and mountains for several years and tussled throug h storms and snow-b ound lands at all hours of the night. I have made man y a trip which endan gered my health and life when I knew there was no fi nancial reward, bu t I have felt sure God would bless me, and he has abun dantly done so.

Happiness is great love and much service. It is comforting to know so m e day we will be judged justly and everything made up to us we have lo s t here. Therefore, no one but ourselves can really make us unhappy or s ou r or can our souls unless we allow them to.

On the whole as I look back over life I am partly satisfied and I thin k t hat through all of these experiences I have had, I have learned ther e i s only one thing that needs concern me or my good family much. Ther e is o nly one thing that really matters. There is only one road to happi ness he re and hereafter and that is the road of Righteousness. On this s econd da y of April, 1931, my really great desire and prayer is that I mi ght liv e a righteous life and that my family might do the same and avoi d the err ors made by their father, which may God grant.

Thomas married Rebecca May Eames on 18 Jul 1907 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Rebecca (daughter of David Cullen Eames and Elizabeth Cluley Greaves) was born on 28 Dec 1886 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States; died on 25 Jul 1955 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried on 29 Jul 1955 in Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCG-Q9L
• Initiatory (LDS): 26 Jun 1907, LOGAN

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWZ3-YQP
• Initiatory (LDS): 10 Oct 1882, EHOUS

Thomas married Lillie Belle Ivie on 10 Oct 1882 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Lillie was born on 13 Oct 1865 in Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States; died on 1 May 1929 in Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States; was buried on 5 May 1929 in Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWZ3-YQR
• Initiatory (LDS): 10 Oct 1882, EHOUS

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-QW3
• Initiatory (LDS): 4 Jun 1884, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

David married Elizabeth Cluley Greaves on 29 Dec 1877 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Elizabeth (daughter of Joseph Greaves and Sarah Priscilla Cluley) was born on 21 Oct 1856 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 5 May 1942 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States; was buried on 8 May 1942 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-QWQ
• Initiatory (LDS): 4 Jun 1884, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

Elizabeth Cluley Greaves was born in a one-room adobe house at Provo, Ut a h on October 21, 1856.
Her family spent several years clearing land near the Provo River for fa r ming.

Then one year the river flooded, completely ruining the farm. This broug h t the family of six to Logan where in late 1862, they lived out of a co ve red wagon while Joseph built a suitable dugout for a winter dwelling.
Four years following their arrival in Logan, the family lost their mom a n d their newborn sixth sister, Mary Ann .

This was truly a time of sorrow and trial for 8-year-old Elizabeth. Sh e w ould take her 2-year-old baby sister from one neighbor to another try in g to keep her from crying for her mother.

When one parent is gone, little children feel the need to draw very clos e ly around the parent who is with them. Joseph, now a widower, was lef t wi th 3 young boys ages 10, 6, and 4, and 2 daughters ages 8 and 2. The y wou ld have required nearly all of his time and attention.

The neighbors offered help, and Joseph was in no position to reject it . W ith Elizabeth taking her baby sister to various neighbors for care, J osep h found his burden bearable. He could occupy the three boys workin g wit h him on the farm.

Joseph's bishop suggested a permanent home for Elizabeth. She would be v e ry helpful in tending younger children and assisting with housework. H e r physical needs would all be satisfied. Joseph may have thought of hi s o wn half-starved childhood as an orphan in England. Here was a chanc e fo r a daughter to be well cared for while she was growing up and learn ing t he art of homemaking. He accepted the offer .

Elizabeth was taken to live in a new home in a different ward four mil e s away. With a one-hour hike separating her from her family, this wa s i n some ways like living in a different community. Unfortunately, Eliz abet h's strong emotional need to be near her father and family was overl ooked . To be pulled away from her family at this time greatly accentuate d he r grief.

While living in the household of Ada Hemingway Davidson, Elizabeth was a l ways kept very busy. Perhaps it was hoped that this would keep her fro m l onging for her family. She did get some schooling, but as recorded b y he r daughter Lillie, she would have to rush home at noon to scrub th e kitch en floor and comb Mrs. Davidson's heavy long hair, leaving no tim e to ea t her dinner.

There were many nights when Elizabeth would cry herself to sleep. She lo n ged for her family; she mourned for her mother. She felt more like a se rv ant than a daughter in this new home .

In later years, when people came to live in her home, they were always t r eated like part of the family.

Three or four years later, when Elizabeth was twelve years old, her fath e r remarried. However, Elizabeth was not invited to come back home to li ve ; we do not know why. Her father's own years of apprenticeship in Engl an d suggest a possible answer. It may not have seemed fair to him that h i s daughter was given board, room, and training for several years and th e n taken back home just as she was becoming useful enough to pay back h e r benefactors. Thus he may have looked upon her service as an indentur e d contract which only time could fill. That Joseph loved his daughter w a s never a point of question. Their separation may have been nearly as h ar d on him as it was on her.

These were pioneering days; these were times for survival. Elizabeth a n d her father both sacrificed, and they both survived!

Elizabeth lived with and served Mrs. Davidson for ten years. Elizabeth w a s a hard worker and was always very useful. She became very skilled i n al l the pioneer homemaking arts. She also worked in the garden and gre w t o love flowers.

Elizabeth kept as close to her family as possible over the years. Five a d ditional children were born to her father and his new wife. These fiv e an d the two daughters from his new wife's previous marriage were love d as m uch by Elizabeth as her original three brothers and sister. Elizab eth's d aughter Lillie was fully grown before she realized that the two g irls fro m the previous marriage were not her mother's own sisters.

Elizabeth's older brother John looked after her welfare. When they wer e o ld enough to go to the dances, John would always first see if Elizabe th h ad someone to go with. He would take her to the dance himself if sh e di d not. Lillie wrote that when John received his first wages for hiri ng ou t on a job, he gave his sister Elizabeth 35 cents. This was the fir st mon ey Elizabeth ever had. She made herself a very pretty dress with t he mate rial purchased from this money.

Elizabeth and her husband, David Eames, were lovers, right from the begi n ning to the end of their lives. Their daughter records she, “never reca l l my parents saying an unkind word to each other”. They had 10 childre n ( Elizabeth was 45 years old when her last child was born .

Elizabeth and her husband were “first” in many things: first to in the i r area to have a telephone, first to have electric lights and first t o ha ve indoor plumbing so they could have a bathroom, a tub, a washbasi n an d a toilet. Their children’s friends used to come down to take a bat h i n their big white tub. Previous to that, Saturday night all the famil y to ok their baths in the round tub in the kitchen.

The family had a big dining room table and Elizabeth always had a table c loth on, ready to feed anyone that ever came. They turned the chairs, t h e back against the table and the seat facing out, and there is where w e k nelt to have our prayer.

Elizabeth Cluley Greaves Eames was a remarkably resourceful woman, by an y one's standard. She was someone often called on when someone was sick , sh e also helped with the babies for miles around. She made her own soa p, sh e'd catch their geese, turn them upside down on her lap and pick th e dow n off from underneath their tummies, put it in a big washtub, the n fill i t into pillows. Elizabeth’s family raised a lot of sheep. She ca rded som e of this wool and made it into nice clean bats and made quilt s she als o knitted long black stockings made from their wool.

Her youngest daughter, Ilah, recalls, “My mother also taught me to lov e a nd visit my family”.

During the last few years of Elizabeth's life, Lillie made the followi n g observation about her: "Mother has worked so very constantly and so h ar d all her life until now at the age of 81 years, she is nervous if sh e si ts without something in her hands to do."

Sources:
David Cullen Eames (B.1851) and Elizabeth Cluley Greaves Family By Ral p h G. McKnight
Our Eames Heritage Transcription of an audiotape made by Ilah Eames Carp e nter to Ralph McKnight Summer of 1983

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWVP-Q5L
• Initiatory (LDS): 11 Aug 1851, EHOUS

Notes:

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Esshom, Frank. 1913 Page: 853
Mormons and Their Neighbors. Wiggins, Marvin

Utah Federal Census; Year: 1851

Family Group Sheet-Father

In 1850, David had a household of 3, and $175 of real wealth. David ca m e to Utah, September 17, 1850 with the Jonathan Foote Company. David to o k part in the Echo Canyon war.

Occupation: Farmer
Pioneer
Warren Foote Company (1850) Age at departure: 25
About 540 individuals and 104 wagons were in the company when it began i t s journey from the outfitting post at Kanesville, Iowa (present day Cou nc il Bluffs).

David married Esther Cullen on 23 May 1850 in Carbonca, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. Esther (daughter of James Cullen and Esther Riden) was born on 15 Oct 1830 in Barrow, Suffolk, England; was christened on 28 Nov 1830 in Berrow, Somersetshire, England; died on 3 Apr 1923 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried on 6 Apr 1923 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWVP-Q5K
• Initiatory (LDS): 11 Aug 1851, EHOUS

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ4-Z4M
• Initiatory (LDS): 6 Nov 1868, EHOUS

Notes:

Pioneer

Jacob Gates Company (1853) Age at departure: 21. 262 individuals and 3 3 w agons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitti ng p ost at Keokuk, Iowa. The first members of the company arrived in Sal t Lak e by September 26, but others came in as late as September 30th.

Occupation: Farmer

Joseph married Sarah Priscilla Cluley on 20 Feb 1853 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Sarah (daughter of Henry Cluley and Catherine Threlfall) was born on 13 Feb 1831 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England; was christened on 1 Apr 1831 in Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool, Lancashire, England; died on 13 Apr 1865 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWJ4-ZW1
• Initiatory (LDS): 28 Jan 1885, LOGAN

Notes:

Sarah Priscilla Cluley
1831- 1865

Early Life
Born: 13 Feb 1831 Liverpool, England
Christened: April 1, 1831
Baptized: 3 July 1831 St. Nicholas, Church of England in Liverpool
Parents: Henry Cluley and Catherine Threlfall .

Sarah’s father, Henry, is listed as bootmaker on Sarah’s marriage licens e . Bootmaking/shoemaking appears to be a family business. Sarah’s mothe r , Catherine, worked as a shoebinder (1841 census).
** Hand binder or boot binder—one who sewed together the upper leather s o n a last, usually women, older children and old men.

Sarah Priscilla was born the 3rd of 6 children in her family but she w a s the only child that grew into adulthood; her other 5 siblings all di e d when they were infants. Sarah Priscilla was the only child who live d p ast the age of one.

Siblings:
Ann—Jan 2, 1828-Nov 1828--
Lived 10 months
John—July 17, 1829-Mar 8 1830--
Lived 8 months
Sarah—Feb 13, 1831-Apr 12 1865
Joseph—June 28, 1835-Feb. 1836--
Lived 8 months
Elizabeth—Feb 13, 1837-March 1837- Lived about 5 weeks
Henry—May 6, 1838-Feb 24, 1839--
Lived 9 months

Sarah lived on Brick Street, Liverpool, England.
She learned about heartache and death at an early age.
Before she was 10, Sarah not only lost her father but had also experienc e d the joy of having 3 siblings born and the sorrow of those 3 childre n be ing called home in their infancy.

Sarah (10) and her mother (35) then lived with Catherine’s father, Jose p h Threlfall, a carpenter, who was 75 years old. (1841 census)

While growing up, Sarah most likely helped her mother in the shoe bindi n g business and probably looked after her grandfather the best she could .

When Sarah was 17 years old, her mother, Catherine, remarried a man nam e d William Maxwell. (She had been a widow 8 years )

Adulthood
At age 20, Sarah was living in another household—(77 Grove Street) possi b ly caring for an 82 year old man. She is listed as a servant living wi t h a retired merchant, a commercial traveler who is a listed as a lodge r a nd a 36 year old woman listed as head of house and housekeeper. (185 1 cen sus)

Sarah somehow learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Sai n ts between the years of 1849 and 1852. One record says she was baptiz e d on 22 Dec. 1849 but other writings indicate the date was later, clos e r to 1851-2.

When she was 22, Sarah married Joseph Greaves (Feb 20, 1853). The ne x t day they sailed on the “International” bound for New Orleans, LA.

This must have been a time of conflicting emotions for Sarah. Knowing th e y would never see each other again in this life, she had to leave her m ot her and everything familiar to her, but there must have been excitemen t a t starting a new marriage and a new life in a new country with peopl e wh o shared her same beliefs and goals.

Coming to America
8 weeks of:
The discomforts of cheapest fare
Crowded quarters
Menial tasks, bad smells
Insufficient food—running out of flour
Little room—their berth (or bed) was so small that if she turned, she a n d Joseph both would have to turn at the same time.
Unfavorable winds
Once during a storm on ship—the hatchway was closed down and people ha d t o keep in their bunks. Sarah made a caraway seed cake that they pu t in s ack and hung it within reach and that supplied food for them whil e the st orm lasted.

*A more detailed description of the International’s voyage to Americ a i s included at the end of this history.

Going West
Joseph remembers:
(In a letter to his cousin William Greaves Sept 2-4 1897)

Jacob Gates Company—1853

“from New Orleans we go by Steamer to Keokuk Iowna [Iowa], from this Pla c e we Travel with Ox Teams to Salt Lake City Distance 1300 miles.
arrived there Sept. 30. I helped to drive the Loose Cattle of the Compa n y the whole of the Journey on foot. the first 300 miles it was very we t w eather. and most of us had to lay on the ground as only one or two co ul d lay in each wagon. my Provisions gave out on the Sweet water, as wa s th e case with others of the company. from this time we commenced to ki ll th e poorest of the Cattle to live on, and we had no salt to use wit h this m eat,
Keokuk, Iowa was our outfitting point w[h]ere we received our oxen, cow s , and wagons. Here is where our camp life commenced. We were on the fro nt ier of civilization; we remained here some time waiting for our oxen . Her e we were put in companies, twelve persons to a wagon. There were , I thin k, four families in our wagon, my family and that of an old man’ s was sma ll. There was a captain over each ten wagons and a captain of t he compan y of fifty wagons when we started from here. And when the wago n I belonge d to was just pulling out a man comes to me and says, “You ha ve been sele cted to remain here in company with three others to bring al ong a herd o f cows when they come.” I had never been one day away from m y wife befor e since we were married. The company went some distance t o a place calle d Montrose, and by this time they found out that they wer e too heavily lo aded for a journey of 1,300 miles. Each family had a box , some had crock s and books. We had to lighten up; the locks and hinge s were taken off th e boxes, and the boxes were all piled together and bu rned. Crocks, extr a cooking utensils, books and anything that could be d ispensed with had t o be got rid of. The inhabitants of that place got lo ts of things for a f ew vegetables or a little milk. When the cows came , life was something ne w for a sailor. The cows were purchased of farmer s all over the country a nd were all strange to each other and of cours e would not travel together , and I can assure you we green horns had a h ard time of it. They would g o every way but the way we wanted them to go . When we reached our compan y my wife soon informed me of all the thing s she had to part with. We wer e allowed one box to a wagon to put in th e best things of the persons bel onging to the wagon, and me being away a t the time, selected mine for tha t purpose. Our route through Iowa to th e Missouri river to where Omaha no w is was a distance of 300 miles. It w as a wet season of the year. I ha d made myself an oilcloth coat to wea r on the ship as I thought befor e I started, but had no occasion to wea r it. But it came in good to put o n the wet ground in the tent to make o ur bed on. The grass was up to ou r waist and every morning when we woul d go to gather up the cattle we wou ld get wet to our skin. This 300 mile s was one of the greatest trials I h ave ever passed through, except losi ng my wife. I had never been used t o walking and it was a great deal o f labor to me. I have many a time la y down on the ground and cussed th e day that I was born. I am sorry to sa y it but it is so. But long befor e we got to Salt Lake I could have walke d many more miles than our team s were able to do each day. We were campe d some time where Omaha now is . It took quite a long time to ferry the wa gons and cattle over the rive r. This place was called Caneville [Kanesvil le], and the last place sett led by white people. When we crossed the Miss ouri we were in the India n territory and one thousand and thirty miles o f dry country before us . We made this part of our journey in a little ove r ten weeks. This par t of the journey was hot and we would walk through r ivers and creeks wit h our clothes all on and let them dry on us and not h ave any bad effect s from so doing. We had two yolk of oxen to each wago n and two cows. Som e men would break in the cows and use them. I drove th e loose animals th e whole distance, had one person at a time to help me . During the last 5 00 miles when the cattle were poor and sore-footed I w ould be left a lon g way behind the company and at times when it was ver y dark. I could no t have found the camp if it had not been for the sens e of smell of an ol d gentleman that was with me. He could smell the cam p fire a long way of f. Some time before we reached our journey’s end ou r provisions became v ery scarce. Then we commenced to kill our poorest ca ttle to [word fade d out] out the deficiency. If anyone ever learned the v alue of salt, w e did at this time. (I have always been careful of salt ev er since.) W e lived on poor beef alone and no salt too – it is somethin g you could n ot comprehend if you have not tried it. During our journey w e could se e many useful articles by the roadside that were left by thos e who wer e ahead of us to lighten their loads. Men would be stationed b y these ar ticles while the train would pass by them or some thoughtless p ersons wo uld put things in the wagons and soon put us in the condition o f those w ho had to leave them. I was so hungry the latter part of our jou rney tha t I had made up my mind that as soon as I got in the valley of Sa lt Lak e I would commence to beg, but as usual, the last day I was a lon g way b ehind the company. And as soon as I got out of the mountains I cou ld se e the city in the distance. I left two oxen that had hindered my pro gres s all day, and traveled a little faster. When I reached camp my wif e inf ormed me that the people commenced to beg at every house they passed . Wh en I learned that, it took all the courage out of me and one of our c omp any, seeing we had nothing, gave us enough to make us a supper. Thus e nd ed our journey, on the 30th of Sept. 1853. I kept no diary of those da y s so I cannot give you as interesting account as I would like to have d on e.” (J. Greaves)

The company made a start but found they were too heavily loaded. Capta i n Gates called a meeting and told everyone to throw away all but 25 pou nd s a head. All of the books were burned and many dishes were discarded . S ome were traded to settlers for food.

A grand-daughter remembers:
“Grandmother (Sarah) had to discard many of her precious things as the y w ere coming to Utah so as to lighten the load for the oxen were givin g out . This made her feel very bad.”

“Grandmother had real dark hair and grey eyes. (her daughter, Priscill a , resembled her (Sarah) and aunt Lizzie resembled grandfather (Joseph). ”

Utah
Arriving in Salt Lake destitute, Joseph had to accept any kind of availa b le work, a tough thing for someone who had never done anything except t ai loring. Priscilla fared some better by helping with the housework of a n a ged couple and this had food and warmth.

Priscilla and Joseph’s first winter in SLC was full of hardships. Jose p h wrote, “We were in a strange country and I had never done a day’s wo r k at anything but my trade. It was hard for a weak, half starved indiv id ual like myself to learn to do common labor with shovel, pick or saw . Ev ery little job I would get would be different from the one I last h ad…I w ould keep warm in the sun on the south side of some building. W e got i n a log house that winter, but had very little wood to burn. A t nigh t I would go to meeting to keep warm. However, we lived through o ur firs t North American winter. I have never regretted my coming here a lthoug h it was wild looking place then.”

Ten months after Joseph and Priscilla were married, their first child, J o hn Cluley, was born in a one-room dirt floor log cabin. They lived i n Sa lt Lake City for 3 years, sometimes living on roots of weeds to kee p fro m starving. The grasshopper plague made things even worse, destroy ing th eir crops, so they moved to Provo.

In Provo, fish were easily caught—even with no bait and potatoes, corn a n d flour were obtained. There, Thomas, Joseph and Elizabeth were bor n i n a one-room adobe house. The Greaves family spent several years cle arin g land and farming near the Provo River. The farm was too near th e rive r and their crops were frequently washed away. Then one year th e river f looded, completely ruining the farm .

Joseph had heard favorable reports about Cache Valley so he set out on f o ot to inspect to the area. He liked what he saw and so after 6 year s o f living in Provo, the family of 6 traveled by ox team in the winte r to L ogan. They lived in their wagon until they were able to make a on e-roo m dugout where the lot sloped down. They now had a roof, a door an d a wi ndow. The floors were covered with clean straw and they had a fire place a nd bake oven that they used outside. Now sheltered and comfortab le, th e family welcomed a baby girl, Priscilla, born in March 1863. Th e move t o Logan was permanent. Later they lived in a two-room house wit h a “lean to” on the back on the lot where they first camped.

Three years later, on April 2, 1865 Sarah gave birth to a baby girl, Ma r y Ann. She lived only a few days and on the 13th of the same month, Sa ra h (age 34) followed her in death. Mary Ann’s grave was made larger an d c ontains both mother and daughter. Thirty-four years is not a long ti me t o live, but the wonderful characteristics, traits and values Sarah a nd Jo seph have passed on to their children stand as a witness to the ki nd o f people they were and what they instilled in their children.
Sarah and Joseph’s 6 children:

John Cluley Elizabeth Cluley Joseph Cluley

Thomas Cluley Priscilla Cluley Mary Ann Cluley

Trials, tests, set backs, hardships, caring for others, accomplishment s , joy, starting and restarting life over again…Sarah was familiar wit h al l these things and kept going. She was loved: by the family she cam e fro m, by her children and her husband. We are grateful for her life , sacrif ices, example and legacy she has left us. Joseph’s feelings wer e about S arah were expressed in his letter to William, 32 years after he r passing:
“Our route through Iowa to where Omaha now is was a distance of 300 mile s . This 300 miles was one of the greatest trials I have ever passed thr ou gh except losing my wife”
Thank you, Grandma Sarah. Until we meet again….
**The plot was among the first in the Logan City cemetery and lies direc t ly east across the roadway from the Thatcher plot. Joseph, and his sec on d wife, Elizabeth Wood Greaves and an infant daughter Susan who died s oo n after birth are also buried there. A suitable monument marks the pl ot.
Sources:
“My Grandfather – Joseph Greaves”, History of Utah since Statehood, Vo l . 4, pg. 1920
Conversations between Nellie Greaves Spidell and Elizabeth Greaves Eam e s on March 27, 1937
Missionary Journal of Joseph Greaves – original now in LDS Church Archiv e s. Also brief sketch prefacing this journa l
Two letters written by Joseph Greaves dated September 10, 1897 and Septe m ber 14, 1897.
#1 Personal History: Childhood and Catherine Mary Eames by Vera Carter L e wis