Elizabeth Brockbank Bushnell (1869 - 1934): Our Family History

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1869 - 1934 (65 years)

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Name Elizabeth Brockbank Bushnell

Birth 11 Apr 1869 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Gender Female

Initiatory (LDS) 21 Nov 1894 MANTI

Census 1900 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Image																Transcript
Ln	Hhold	Given	Surname	Relation	Gender	Race	BirthDate	Age	Status	Years Married	Children Born/Living	BirthPlace	BirthPlace of Father	BirthPlace of Mother	Immigration Year	Occupation
45	1745	Elizabeth B	Bushnell	Head	Female	White	Nov	61	Widowed	0		England	England	England	1852
46	1745	William H	Bennett	Son in Law	Male	White	Oct	30	Married	0		Utah	Virginia	England
47	1745	Elizabeth	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	Apr	31	Married	0		Utah	England	England
48	1745	Sterling J	Bennett	Grand Son	Male	White	Aug	3	Single	0		Utah	Utah	Utah
49	1745	Howard	Bennett	Grand Son	Male	White	Jul	1	Single	0		Utah	Utah	Utah

ED: 0107 Sheet: 12B Microfilm: 1241683 Transcript ID is dbid=7602&iid=004115258_00743

Census 1920 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Ln	Hhold	Given	Surname	Relation	Gender	Race	BirthDate	Age	Status	BirthPlace	BirthPlace of Father	BirthPlace of Mother	Immigration Year
Image														Transcript
22	37	William	Bennett	Head	Male	White	abt 1870	50	Married	Utah	England	England
23	37	Elizabeth	Bennett	Wife	Female	White	abt 1870	50	Married	Utah	England	England
24	37	Sterling	Bennett	Son	Male	White	abt 1898	22	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
25	37	Howard	Bennett	Son	Male	White	abt 1899	21	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
26	37	Geneva	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	abt 1902	18	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
27	37	Arvilla	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	abt 1904	16	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
28	37	Leona	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	abt 1906	14	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
29	37	Vaun	Bennett	Son	Male	White	abt 1912	8	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
30	37	Edna	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	abt 1914	6	Single	Utah	Utah	Utah
31	37	Eizabeth	Bushnell	Mother-in-law	Female	White	abt 1839	81	Widowed	England	England	England	1852

Roll: T625_186 Transcript ID is dbid=6061&iid=4391982_00632

Census 1930 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Ln	Hhold	Given	Surname	Relation	Gender	Race	BirthDate	Age	BirthPlace	BirthPlace of Father	BirthPlace of Mother
Image												Transcript
3	1727	William H	Bennett	Head	Male	White	abt 1870	60	Utah	England	England
4	1727	Elizebeth B	Bennett	Wife	Female	White	abt 1869	61	Utah	England	England
5	1727	Vaughn M	Bennett	Son	Male	White	abt 1911	19	Utah	Utah	Utah
6	1727	Edna	Bennett	Daughter	Female	White	abt 1914	16	Utah	Utah	Utah

Transcript ID is dbid=6224&iid=4547395_00770

FamilySearch ID KWCX-SL3

Death 26 Jun 1934 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Burial 28 Jun 1934 Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

Headstones Submit Headstone Photo

Person ID i4840 mytree

Last Modified 25 Feb 2024

Father	John H Bushnell, b. 19 Apr 1823, Headington, Oxfordshire, England d. 29 Jul 1882, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 59 years)
Mother	Elizabeth Brockbank, b. 8 Nov 1838, Liverpool, Lancashire, England d. 16 Sep 1926, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 87 years)
Marriage	15 Aug 1854	Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States
Family ID	F3239	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family William Hyrum Bennett, b. 27 Oct 1869, Payson, Utah, Utah, United States d. 24 Apr 1947, Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 77 years)

Marriage 21 Nov 1894 Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States

Children

	1. Noble William Bennett, b. 27 Aug 1895, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 10 Sep 1895, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 0 years)
+	2. Sterling John Bennett, b. 1 Aug 1896, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 17 Dec 1978, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 82 years)
+	3. Howard Joshua Bennett, b. 24 Jul 1898, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 13 Apr 1977, Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 78 years)
+	4. Geneva Bennett, b. 16 Aug 1901, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 17 Apr 1984, Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 82 years)
+	5. Arvilla Bennett, b. 20 Oct 1903, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 29 Dec 1979, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 76 years)
+	6. Leona Bennett, b. 11 Oct 1905, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 25 Aug 1997, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States (Age 91 years)
+	7. Vaun Mainwaring Bennett, b. 29 Mar 1911, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 5 Apr 2004, Delta, Millard, Utah, United States (Age 93 years)
+	8. Edna Bennett, b. 27 Aug 1913, Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States d. 26 Oct 1995, Midvale, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 82 years)

Family ID F3207 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 21 Apr 2024

Event Map

	Birth - 11 Apr 1869 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States
	Initiatory (LDS) - 21 Nov 1894 - MANTI
	Marriage - 21 Nov 1894 - Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
	Census - 1900 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States
	Census - 1920 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States
	Census - 1930 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States
	Death - 26 Jun 1934 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States
	Burial - 28 Jun 1934 - Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

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Photos
Elizabeth Bushnell

Headstones
Bennett, William H b1869 - Bushnell, Elizabeth B b1869

Notes

Marriage: Copy of Marriage Certificate in the possession of Steven Whipp l e.

LIVE_LDS_BAPTISM: Copy of baptism record in the possession of Steven Whi p ple.

ELIZABETH BROCKBANK BUSHNELL Her Life Story from the Bushnell Clario n , excerpts from her Autobiography recorded by her granddaughter, Edit h L oretta Bushnell Taft (ELBT), and, Section V, of History & Genealogy o f Is aac

Elizabeth Brockbank Bushnell was born 8 NOVEMBER 1839 in Liverpool, Lanc a shire, England to Isaac and Elizabeth Mainwaring Brockbank. She was t h e second child in a family of seven children; four boys and three girl s . At the time of her birth, her parents belonged to the Wesleyan Meth od ist Church. She remembers that she and her older brother, Isaac, wen t t o church every Sunday with their Father. Their Father taught a clas s i n the church.
One day when Elizabeth was just a little girl, she was walking a littl e w ay with her brother, Isaac, to school. She had on new shoes and wa s ver y proud of them. On her way back home, an old beggar lady gave he r som e candy and asked Elizabeth to let her take the shoes to try on he r littl e girl. She took the shoes and Elizabeth never saw the lady or t he shoe s again.
Elizabeth had a birthmark of a fish with scales, on the back of her rig h t hand. Elizabeth’s mother loved fish and a man would come to their do o r selling them. While Elizabeth’s mother was pregnant with Elizabeth , th e man came selling fish and this particular day the mother didn’t bu y any . The man showed his displeasure by slapping Mother Brockbank o n the ba ck of her hand with one of his fish. Elizabeth said this was ho w she go t her birthmark and also her love for fish. She protected the b irthmar k from the eyes of others by always placing her left hand over th e birthm ark.
Elizabeth’s mother was very devoted to her children. Always teaching th e m right from wrong and helping them to choose the right. She was ver y in dustrious. Elizabeth was a good daughter to her mother. The Brockb ank f amily moved from their home on Crosby Street to No. 30 Adlington St reet i n 1844 so they could help care for Mother Mainwaring, who had bee n ill si nce having cholera during the epidemic of 1835. Her daughter Ma ry, a ple asant and agreeable young lady had been caring for their mother , but sh e was worn out and needed help. From this experience of helpin g to car e for her Grandmother, Elizabeth was schooled early in life in t he art o f nursing and caring for the ill. This art she came by naturall y and sha red it freely. All her life, also the greatest gift of all, “h erself’, s he gave.
Elizabeth’s father was employed in a brewery where he learned to manufac t ure ale and beer (of which he was fond). Later he was employed by th e Ba th Water Works company. He was in charge of large cisterns of wate r an d the pipes that carried it to the streets. He also supplied the ve ssel s with fresh water in the Queens Docks, going among ships from all p art s of the world. He lived on the property of this company on Crosby S tree t. Later, having a desire to go into business for himself, he bough t mea t from the meat Market of Old Swan, a village four miles from Liver pool , and sold both wholesale and retail in Liverpool. Between his call ing a mong the Methodists and his different places of employment, he wa s well k nown and greatly respected.
Early in the year 1843, Parley P. Pratt, a Latter-day Saint missionary , w as holding a meeting and explaining the gospel in the Royal Amphithe ater . Elizabeth’s father attended and was convinced of its truthfulness . H e tried to get his wife to investigate it with him but she would hav e not hing to do with it. The Elders and Saints came to their home tryin g to p ersuade her to change her mind, but to no avail. Isaac renounce d the Met hodist faith and in a few weeks was baptized a member of the Ch urch of Je sus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “The Mormons”. This caused m uch content ion in the home. Elizabeth’s mother objected to her father t aking the ch ildren to the Mormon Sunday School. Mother Mainwaring joine d her daughte r in these objections.
His wife still maintained her adhesion to the Methodist Church and did a l l in her power to thwart her husband and seemed filled with hatred fo r an y person who claimed to belong to the Mormon church. She did everyt hin g in her power to get revenge upon her husband. This caused feeling s bet ween them, which were never eradicated. She at one time was so ang ry a t him for going to council meeting on a week night that she gathere d ever y book, paper, etc. on MORMONISM and burned them. The effect wa s bittern ess in the home, so much so that father commenced the system o f floggin g her and there never seemed to exist any more comfort or happi ness in th e household afterward. (ELBT)
Isaac Jr. and Elizabeth were baptized into the Latter-day Saint Church a g ainst their mother’s wishes. Tension continued to grow in the home ov e r religion. One day their mother called the children to her and aske d th em to promise that they would not go with their father who was plann ing t o emigrate to America, but they had already promised their father t hat th ey would go and they were looking forward to a great adventure - t he pros pects of crossing the ocean and seeing a big new country. Salt L ake Cit y was only a name to them, but they knew the Saints were gatherin g ther e and they wished to go.
Mother Elizabeth finally consented to go, but she let it be known it w a s solely on account of the children. There were four of them, Isaac Jr . , Elizabeth, Joshua, and Agnes, who was a nursing baby. There had bee n t hree others: Daniel, Susan and John, who had died in infancy. Two we re b uried in Stanhope Street Methodist Chapel Yard. The other one at th e Nec ropolis in Liverpool. One can see how hard it would be to leave bu ried c hildren, mother, sister, family, friends, church and much that wa s precio us to her. It is recorded that she said, “If she was not satisf ied on ge tting to the end of her journey in Salt Lake City, she would re turn”.
They set sail from Liverpool, from the Victoria Dock on the 11th of Febr u ary, 1852, on a merchant ship fitted up for emigrants called the “Elle n M arie”, carrying between five and six hundred passengers. Whitmore wa s th e Captain’s name. It was a rough voyage taking eight weeks and thre e day s before they arrived at New Orleans. From there, they transferre d t o a river steamer which took them up the Mississippi River to St Loui s . Here they had a delay for two days. They caught the St Ange to Kans a s City, another three day trip. On their way up the river, they stopp e d for a short time at Atchison to see some of the survivors from the st ea mer Saluda which had a steam boiler explosion while at the Levee. The r e were a number of Saints on this vessel who were among the sufferer s . Elisabeth said it was a sickening sight and one she could never for ge t - people scalded, deformed and some without arms, legs, or eyes. I t wa s hard to witness.
This was the first company to travel over the sea under the auspices o f t he perpetual Emigration Fund company. The arrangement was that on th ei r arrival they were to be cared for and sheltered. The wagons were be in g made in St Louis [Kansas City], they were not ready. Captain O. A . Smo ot made them as comfortable as circumstances would permit. They pi tche d their tents three-fourths of a mile from the river bank on an elev ation .
The people in the city were very unfriendly, boasting that they had driv e n the Saints across the river once and they could do it again. Indigna ti on meetings were called but they were frightened away because choler a ha d broken out in camp. These people had been living on a poor diet , mostl y hard tack, half rations, no vegetables, and the most common kin ds of fo od. They found roots that they had been acquainted with in th e old count ry. However, when they came to use these roots for food, th e cholera bro ke out. There were twenty deaths in a few days. Rude boxe s of any kin d were made and the dead laid away without much ceremony.
Isaac rented a small house about half a mile from camp. It was while he r e that word reached the camp of the principle of Plural Marriage as a c ar dinal principle of the Church. Elizabeth’s mother, and a Mrs. Thomas , wh o had three daughters of marriageable age, were thrown into constern ation . Mrs Thomas said, “I’d rather see my daughters die than go to th e valle y and become wives of Polygamists”. In just a few days, two of t he girl s were dead and the third lay very ill when the Brockbanks starte d West.
As soon as the wagons and cattle were ready, they loaded up their wago n s and started out to where the company was stopped, some seven miles di st ant. On the way, they got stuck in the mud at a small stream just wes t o f Westport. They remained at this stream all night. In hitching u p thei r team on the first campground, the wheel oxen swung around and tw isted t he tongue of the wagon so it broke, but by splicing and wrappin g with rop e and rawhide it held together until they got through to the v alley.
Captain A. O. Smoot and 1st Assistant Captain Chris Layton were in char g e of this company of 52 wagons. It was organized with groups of ten wa go ns with a captain over each ten. On the first of July, 1852, they sta rte d on their journey of 1300 miles. They traveled about a hundred mil e s a week. In the latter part of July, the company passed Fort. Larami e a nd were fifty miles to the west. It was about noon. Due to the heav y lo ads placed on the wagons, the women often walked. They came to a st eep h ill, those who had been riding in the wagons got out. Mother Brock bank d id the same, and giving the baby, Agnes, to Elizabeth to tend, sh e went d own the hill to where there was a quantity of wild currant bushe s. Whene ver it was possible currants and berries were gathered to suppl ement th e diet and stretch the food supply. The main company would go o n and one s gathering the fruit would catch up at meal time.
(Some of the following was taken from the life sketch of Isaac Brockba n k Sr and experiences told by Isaac Brockbank Jr.)
There was a stream of water by these currant bushes. Isaac asked his mo t her for a drink. She went to the wagon and got a shiny tin cup and ga v e him a drink of water from the stream. He was the last of the famil y o r any of the company to see her. “We didn’t miss her until we stoppe d a t noon for lunch. As soon as we found that she was not in the train , Isa ac Jr. took a mule and rode back to the place where we had last see n her , hunting and calling to her, but to no avail.” The next morning I saac S r and Brother Chris Layton took a light buggy and back-tracked a s far a s Fort Laramie. They found her footsteps around a spring and als o ther e were Indian pony tracks at the side of the stream and on the roa d leadi ng to Fort Laramie. The only trace they found of anyone seeing h er was t wo men from a sheep camp who told of seeing a woman who ran fro m the roa d when she saw them. She seemed to be very upset so they did n ot follo w her. It was decided that the company should move on as the au thoritie s at Fort Laramie had said they would forward any information . We arrive d in Salt Lake City on 4 September, 1852, being six months a nd three week s from Liverpool.
The strange disappearance of my mother left me a real responsibilit y . I was only 13 years old at the time and I had to take care of my lit tl e sister Agnes who was just a nursing baby. (Autobiography, recorded b y E LBT)
“We now began to realize what it was to be bereft of a mother, havin g a b aby in our care and she up to this time living on the caresses an d nouris hment of a kind and indulgent mother. For no matter what her tr eatment w as from my father, she was at all times willing to bear anythin g for th e sake of her children and I cannot think, even at this time, th at she wi llfully went away from us. My own idea is that she may have be en quite d espondent and tired and after getting out of the wagon, she ma y have lai n down in the bushes and fallen asleep and on awakening foun d herself lef t behind and not knowing which way to do, she wandered arou nd. Her brai n would no doubt be affected by fear and despair and she wo uld be oblivio us to anything about her condition and most likely perishe d before gettin g human aid.” It took some time to get the baby pacified , being unweaned . She cried night and day and the extra care devolved u pon Elizabeth. O f course we had the sympathy of the whole camp, but n o one could pacify t he baby like Elizabeth. Consequently, she was prett y well tied and coul d do little but care for the baby.”
However, we got along tolerably well until Isaac Sr took sick and ha d a s erious time. He was confined to his bed on the wagon and became s o reduc ed in flesh that many of the folks said that he could not possibl y live . He had been getting worse for several days when one night he se emed t o be suffering very much and he thought he would have to die. Sev eral o f the brethren got around him in the wagon and administered unto h im an d through their faith and prayers in his behalf, he immediately too k a ch ange for the better and very soon was able to be up again.
Being without the kindness and care of a wife, Isaac was on the lookou t f or a companion. He knew of a sister named Sarah Brown who had been o n th e ship with us. As she was traveling in another company he made i t a poi nt to hunt her up. After some deliberation, they decided to cas t their l ots together. Their wedding was celebrated at the home of Thom as Hall ab out the second of October. They lived with the Hall Family fo r about a m onth. The Hall Family belonged to the 19th Ward.
On the sixth of October, we rolled out of Salt Lake City as President Yo u ng had advised us to go South. We had two yoke of oxen, two cows, havi n g paid one yoke oxen for tithing. Bishop Hunter, who received them, co ul d hardly believe that they had been driven across the plains. They we r e almost beef fat and ever afterward he would refer to those cattle wi t h complementary words. We traveled South and found excellent feed fo r ou r stock. Isaac Sr. had purposed to go to Spanish Fork as he had goo d rep orts of that place. We traveled slowly, taking four days for the j ourney . We stopped at Palmyra Fort, which had just been surveyed. Find ing a s uitable piece of ground, we took off the box of the wagon and pu t up a sm all tent. We then dug a cellar for shelter for the winter. I t was not l ong before we had brush, cane and dirt on for a roof and in t hat cellar w e took our abode.
Joshua and Isaac slept in the wagon box until the weather became too sev e re. The next summer, the Indians became hostile and the people move d t o Spanish Fork and another fort was built at Main and 3rd South. W e ha d two rooms in the southeast corner of the fort. We lived in one ro om wh ile the other was used for Sunday School and religious meetings . A wel l was dug in the center of the fort to supply water. The two he avy gate s at the south often admitted friendly Indians or Saints who cam e in an d out when occasion required. After the Indians became more frie ndly, ma ny families left the fort and built small homes of their own. I saac buil t a two room adobe house on the northwest corner of Center Stre et and Mai n. Joshua remembered hauling the dirt to make adobes from Spr ingville wi th an ox team. It took all day from daylight until dark to ha ul one load . The Presidency of the Church had advised the people to hav e the wate r of the Spanish Fork Creek conveyed to the bench by means o f a large dit ch, to be made about 1 ½ miles long. In 1855 water ditche s were dug an d opened in the town and through the streets. Their cows m anaged to liv e among the willows along the lake and wintered fairly well .
Elizabeth had always been taught to rely on her Heavenly Father. It w a s her way of life to kneel by her bed and say her prayers. One day Eli za beth’s father sent her to fetch the cow home from the willow patch. J us t as she was on her way home she saw a big Indian coming after her. W he n she ran he ran too, so she ran into a patch of brush and falling o n he r knees she prayed, “Please God, blind the Indian’s eyes so he won’ t se e me.” She repeated this many times silently while he was beating a roun d in the brush with a big stick trying to find her. At one time h e cam e so near she could have reached out and touched his bare leg. H e finall y gave up and went away. When her fear subsided, she crawled ou t off th e brush and began running toward home. She met her father who h ad becom e alarmed at her long absence and was on his way to find her. S he knew H eavenly Father had surely answered her prayer.
Winter came along early and before it ended they were pressed to trade s o me of their clothing for food. They were able to get some potatoes an d t hen they shot jack rabbits.
Elizabeth’s shoes gave out so she made her some moccasins from blue deni m s. She now was able to work away from home for food, clothing and ver y l ittle money. She worked some for a Mrs. Mofford.
Elizabeth felt her step mother imposed on her and it was hard to see som e one else discipline her brothers and sister, whom she had cared for an d l oved so dearly.
When she was fifteen, and the family was still living in Palmyra, she we n t to live with a family named Pollock. They were quite well fixed beca us e they had been in the valley for some time. Mr Pollock used this t o per suade her to marry him and go with his older wife to southern Utah , wher e he had been called. She started south with them, but before the y reach ed Fillmore she repented of her rash act in marrying an older ma n and lea ving home while so young. There she found a friend, Mrs. Barro ws, whom s he had known and worked for in Salt Lake City. She refused t o go on an d Mrs Barrows stood by her. Later Mr Pollock came back for he r and Mrs B arrows hid her in a barrel covering her with soiled clothes . He didn’t f ind her, so went south again without her. Later, two of M r Pollock’s son s came to visit her and called her Aunt Elizabeth. She t old them she hop ed they were better than their father was. They told he r he was a very g ood man. She replied “He was an old sooner”. Which se emed to be the wor st swear word she knew. President Brigham Young cam e through Fillmore . She told him her story and asked for his help. H e wrote an annulment , signed it and gave it to her. Then his secretar y put his hand on her s and asked her to marry him. Of course, she ver y politely refused him.
She was able to get work in Fillmore. While in Fillmore, she met John B u shnell, he courted her, they fell in love and were married 14 August, 1 85 4. In Fillmore, they had the first post office, and a little store . Eli zabeth kept the books and cooked for the mail carriers. Her broth er, Isa ac was one of the first mail carriers to Fillmore. He was alway s so welc ome, bringing her word of her loved ones in Spanish Fork. Thei r first fo ur children, John B. Isaac B., Edward B., & Daniel B., were b orn there a nd then they heard President Young preach a sermon about prov iding for yo ur own by having something for them to do. They wanted to g et on a far m where the boys would be employed at home.
The story is told by members of the family that in 1864 Amasa Lyman to l d John that he needed the Bushnell home in Fillmore for himself and wan te d John to go to Meadow and settle there. There was to be a trade in p rop erty of the same value between John and Amasa Lyman, Meadow propert y fo r Fillmore property; however, John never received property of like v alu e to that which he gave up.
While in Fillmore, John was clerking in their store. An Indian came i n a nd got behind the counter and was helping himself, refusing to pay an d wa s causing havoc. John asked several times for him to stay out fro m behin d the counter or leave. The Indian was rebellious and refused, J ohn too k him by the back of his collar and threw him out. Several week s later , John was outside Fillmore about a mile on his way to Meadow whe n he sa w some Indians coming toward him with war paint on their faces . He jumpe d off his wagon, quickly turned his team around and started b ack to Fillm ore. The Indians caught up and kept jabbing him in the side s with long s harp sticks and spears, until he arrived back in Fillmore . John was lai d up several days with bruises and cuts. John felt the y did it to him t o get even for him throwing the Indian out of his store . At times the In dians would go on the war path, this seemed to be on e of those times.
They moved to Meadow in 1862, one of the first families to reside ther e . They were blessed with four more children: Howard B., Joshua B., El iz abeth and Eliza Jane. All six of the sons were given Brockbank for th ei r middle names.
John tilled the earth and it began to yield a living for his family . H e hauled his wheat to Fillmore to be made into flour. There were gr ist m ills there and a molasses mill. John Made his own molasses mill wi th woo den wheels and a tank or vat and a long pole attached to the wheel s wit h a horse hitched to the end of the pole to take it round and roun d crush ing out the sorghum cane juice. This avoided taking the cane t o Fillmore , and it made for home industry. Elizabeth and her daughter s dried bushe ls of fruit of every kind which was very hard work. When t he boys went f reighting, they would sell it. This was one means of supp ort. There wer e many fruit trees surrounding their home and the fruit t hereof was freel y shared with others. Many of us can remember the big c oddling apples an d other fruits grown there.
John acquired some fine horses, and two of the boys, Edward and Isaac, b e gan hauling freight from York, the terminal of the railroad in Juab cou nt y, to Pioch, Nevada, and other mining camps. These were no pleasure t rip s. Roads were so bad they were kept busy knocking mud from between t he w agon wheel spokes. This was hard work; they had no overshoes and o nly o ne overcoat. The one riding wore the overcoat. They took turns ri ding a nd walking. Mining camps were dens of iniquity, and they were oft en thre atened by robbers. Isaac contracted pneumonia and died May 29, 1 877. H e was a lad of 19. This was a great cause of sorrow to his paren ts. Al l of their other children grew up and reared large families of th eir own.
When the Church established the United Order, John, always obedient to c o unsel, joined. His fine horses went into the Order, which did not las t f or long. The scrub horses he got back were a source of annoyance t o hi m and the boys. The family homesteaded some fine pasture land and a cquir ed some grazing property that became valuable with time.
Elizabeth’s father, Isaac Brockbank Sr., made many sacrifices for the Ch u rch. His last days were spent in Spanish Fork, the town and ward wher e h e had played such a big part in helping to found and contribute to th ei r growth. He died the 1st of April in 1878 and was buried in the Span is h Fork Cemetery.
When the Primary was organized in Meadow by Zina D. Young and Eliza R. S n ow, Elizabeth was chosen as a counselor to Sarah Stott. When Sister St ot t died, Elizabeth became the second Primary President. Later Elizabet h s erved as counselor in the Relief Society to Martha Bennett. Elizabet h wa s a member of the first choir in Fillmore, also a member in the firs t on e in Meadow. She had a beautiful Alto voice and harmonized beautifu lly w ith her daughter Elizabeth. They sang together often. Her favorit e song s were “Rock of Ages” and “Home Sweet Home”. Elizabeth sang whe n asked a nd was busy in the Church and community. She prepared the dea d for buria l. When the need arose she helped deliver babies, and spen t much of he r time with the sick. Elizabeth had a special gift for nurs ing and ove r a period of years “Grandmother Bushnell” was sent for whene ver anyone i n the little town had sickness or an accident. She had grea t faith and o ften went where others were afraid to go. Once she went in to the home o f Robert Edward where they were all down with diphtheria . Her daughter , Elizabeth, told how she cried and begged her mother t o come home when s he came to the fence to see how her own family was get ting along, but sh e could not leave for even the mother was down. As th e children got well , they were sent to relatives and neighbors, while sh e continued to car e for the very ill mother. When the mother died, Eliz abeth prepared he r body for burial. Men came with the coffin to the doo r, but did not wan t to come in. She told them to tie handkerchiefs ove r their mouths and c ome and lift the body into the coffin, saying, “Thi s is one thing I canno t do alone”. She fumigated her clothing burning s ulphur in the room. Sh e never refused to help people until her children , because of her age, re fused to let her go. Elizabeth will always be r emembered for her pleasan t countenance, her kind, gentle and loving ways . She always thought of o thers, giving encouragement and herself.
In 1882 the family took all the sheep in Meadow to run. They didn’t ma k e much because of the poor clip of wool and low price, but they staye d i n the sheep business.
Elisabeth washed, pulled and carded the wool that made their clothing a n d bedding. When the woolen mills opened in Provo, they had blankets , a s well as wool filled quilts, made from their own wool and Elizabeth’ s lo ng hours of hand toil.
Elizabeth and John loved their children and grandchildren and they in tu r n loved them and loved to stay with them whenever parents could be pers ua ded. At their births, Elizabeth would help out whenever she could.
Elizabeth & John owned a music box that was played over and over agai n b y grandchildren. They owned a view master and pictures of the gay ni neti es which was such a delight and used to entertain grandchildren. I t wa s such a choice experience to sleep on their feather bead. Lovina B ushne ll Bond said she loved to go to her grandparent’s home, and she sle pt the re often. On Sunday afternoons and holidays, chairs were placed o n thei r porch or the lawn under the trees where family and friends woul d come a nd visit. Often the refreshments would be lemonade, cookies, an d fruit . Love and good wishes were exchanged.
At the birth of Alice, the thirteenth child of Daniel and Susan, it wa s t hree days before Elizabeth was able to be there which was unusual. Sh e cu pped her toil worn hands around her sweet little round face and look ing i n through the screen door she said “Suze what have you got there? ” She a nswered, “She had a dish washer and someone to take care of he r in her ol d age”. Elizabeth replied, “Well, I guess the Lord is at th e helm.” Thi s was her belief and this was the way she lived, like the L ord was at th e helm.
On the 29th of July 1882 in their home in Meadow, Millard county, Utah , J ohn died. He was only 59 years old. Life cannot be measured in tim e alo ne, but in deeds. John had lived a life full of good deeds. He ha d work ed hard. His sons carried on as the Bushnell Brothers, with a loy alty th at was a credit to his name.
Several years after his passing, one of his sons was at his sheep herd , s outhwest of Meadow when for three days John was with him, warning an d giv ing courage, for he was soon to face the death of one of his sons . Thi s was described as a choice experience. The Father’s influence wa s fel t much after his passing and well it should be, he was an intereste d, wor thy patriarch of the family. He left a united happy family who we re ver y devoted to their mother. After their father’s death, the boys c arrie d on with their mother to guide them. She was always interested i n wha t they did and they tried to report to her weekly, contributing t o her in dependence. They were know as the Bushnell Brothers and were un ited by t hat great love and devotion which she instilled in everyone o f her childr en. She held them together in love and confidence that wa s inspirational . She taught them honesty, integrity, and devotion, an d they were know n for these qualities.
Elizabeth’s great faith had to be recognized, when she said “I have be e n through many heart aches and many disappointment and saw many hard ti me s, but nothing that has happened to me has ever hurt like losing my mo the r on the plains and not knowing whatever became of her, but some da y I wi ll be with her and know all about it.”
When Elizabeth lived alone, she milked a cow and made her own butter. S h e also kept a few chickens and kept her eggs in a drawer of her cupboar d . Her home was very pleasant to live in. She had a pretty green carp e t in one room. She was very good to the Indians and they loved to cho p w ood for her. She always paid them and when they were hungry she fe d them .
Elizabeth was always very pleasant and had many friends come to visit he r . Lizzie Stott came real often and Sister Duncan who lived in the midd l e of the block North of her. When Sister Duncan’s son got drunk, as h e o ften did, she was very afraid of him so she would bring her bed rol l on h er back and sleep on Elizabeth’s floor. The doors were never lock ed.
Son John was very thoughtful and when he went to Fillmore he would bri n g Elizabeth a little sausage or fish of some kind. In those days, the y h ad what they called Bloaters. They were fish cured, smoked and dried . S he loved them and looked forward to John’s visits. Daniel tried t o kee p her supplied with peppermints. Her other children were thoughtfu l in t heir own ways. Elizabeth made inner long pockets in her long dar k skirts . In these she had peppermint candy that she treated her grandc hildren w ith when they came to visit her especially on Sunday afternoon s and holid ays.
Elizabeth always kept a current J. Lynn catalogue on hand and near Chris t mas she would always send there for a little jewelry for Christmas pres en ts. Stick pins for the boys and breast pins for the girls. Geneva Be nne tt Black remembered her giving her a bluebird pin. She was so prou d of i t and loved it very much and she kept it for years. She gave he r a beaut iful shell box lined with stain to put her jewelry in. This wa s one of t he Christmases that Geneva lived with her.
Elizabeth got real ill one night, Geneva remembered awakening and she w a s on the floor so very ill and in such pain. Geneva waited until it w a s barely getting day light and hurried home to get her mother and fathe r . They moved her to the home of her daughter Elizabeth, or ‘Bee’ as s h e was lovingly called, and William, known as ‘Will’. This was around t h e year 1913. They and their family were always so kind and good to he r a nd she received the very best of care. She had a day bed in their ki tche n, so she could be with and see their comings and goings and be care d for .
Bee was ill for a few months during this time that Elizabeth lived wit h h er. For those months, she lived with her daughter Eliza Jane, know n lovi ng as ‘Lyde’, and her husband Alison Stott, known as ‘Al’. Her ch ildre n would have her come and visit them to spend the day and some holi days . All her children lived in Meadow. Will Bennett had a sheep in hi s yar d that would fight Elizabeth every time she went out where he was . She w as the only one he bothered. Will killed the sheep so he wouldn ’t hurt E lizabeth. He had him hung on the back porch thinking Elizabet h was saf e and darned if it didn’t fall one day when she went out on th e porch, kn ocking her down and broke her arm and hand. The Dr. didn’t d o a very goo d job of fixing it because her hand, fingers and wrist wer e always very s tiff from then on. The family felt very badly. She mad e the remark that , that sheep was determined to get her. It really look ed like it did. S he had a good sense of humor and used it often.
She fell and broke her leg before her death. She was cared for with mu c h love and devotion by those who loved her. She passed away on the 16 t h of September 1926 at the age of 88 in the home of her daughter Elizab et h Bushnell Bennett. The family prayer at the home was offered by Dani e l D. Bushnell, a grandson. Elizabeth was carried by her sons in her ca sk et from the Bennett home to the ward chapel, the distance of across th e s treet and one block to the north. The procession was led by Edward D avis , an undertaker from Fillmore, Utah, and Uncle of Susan Deardon Bush nell.
Her services were conducted by Bishop Jesse J. Bennett. Prayers were of f ered by Bishop Alonzo A. Kimball of Kanosh and James M. Stewart of Mead ow . Speakers were Neil M. Stewart of Meadow, F. A. Robinson of Fillmore , P resident John A. Beckstrand of Millard Stake and President Henry A. G ardn er of the Palmyra Stake, Spanish Fork. President Gardner read a poe m, “P eople Loved Her”. C. Orvill Stott dedicated the grave in the Meado w Ceme tery, where she was laid to rest by her beloved husband, John, an d son Is aac, After a long and useful life. Her posterity was seven of h er eigh t children, 75 grandchildren, 116 great-grandchildren and 1 great -great-g randchild. All proud they were descendants of John and Elizabet h Brockba nk Bushnell.