Our tables were decorated with cute little creatures and fall's seasonal candy corn. Our monthly DUP (Daughters of the Utah Pioneer) meeting started out with a prayer and saying the pledge of allegiance to the flag. We sang two pioneer songs that none of us knew, one being "The Lily of the West".
Angie told about her great great grandmother Ann Chester Ashby who was from Thorne, Yorkshire, England. A missionary by the name of Ashby converted her to the gospel and she left England and traveled to Iowa where she picked up what she called "a pushing wheel barrel" to cross the plains to Utah. I don't know about you but I would have found a horse to ride instead of pushing a wheel barrel which was actually called a hand cart.
After she settled in Utah, she again ran into Mr. Ashby and he married her. Sounds like a little romance going on, huh? They had 14 children six of whom died before maturity.
The pioneer museum piece was a leather strop - used to sharpen knives. The granddaughter of a pioneer donated their strop to the Springville Pioneer Museum. The owner of the strop had been sent on a mission to Australia and while he was there, they stoned him to death leaving a wife and several children in Utah to fend for themselves.
5 comments:
OMGosh! What stories you heard this morning. My mother had the words to that song copied down in one of her notebooks. I have never heard it sung, though.
I hope you have a great day-xo Diana
Your DUPI meetings always have the most interesting objects to show and stories.
Hi Ruth, I am amazed how many people must have come from England to USA having being converted by missionaries over here. Fascinating stories and how lovely to be able to trace your ancestors like that.14 children is what you call a large family!
The lady from Thorne sounds like quite a strong character to travel all that way. Expectations of getting all your children to adulthood couldn't have been very high in those days as there were so many hazards along the way. You tell some fascinating tales after your meetings:)
What was he stoned to death for, his beliefs? So many children died young in those days, so sad.
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