History of Ann Parry

Again, special thanks to the "Sunflower Lady" for getting me this article. Wonderful info on ELP's second wife!

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History of Ann Parry

Ann Parry, daughter of Thomas and Ann Roberts Parry, was born 27th April 1835 at St. George, Denbigshire, North Wales, where she spent her girlhood days.  She was one of a large family.  She had brown eyes and hair and a beautiful complexion.  She was not quite average in height.

She joined the Church of Jesus Christ in her native land, leaving Liverpool in April in 1856 for Utah the home of the Saints.  Sailed in the steamer Carling to New York.  Then by train to Iowa City.  They crossed the Plains, a distance of 1300 miles with the third company of Hand-Cart Emigrants, Edward Bunker, Captain.

She walked all the way across the Plains, waded the rivers and helped to pull a Handcart.  She came with her brother Edward Parry and his wife Ellen Roberts Parry.

At one river the men were carrying the women and girls across, but she and her cousin, Winnifred Parry, with their arms around each other’s waists, started to wade.  She could see her brother on the opposite bank of the river, acting as though some thing was wrong, when one of the men came and met them; they were drifting down stream, but did not realize it.  And her brother, having hurt his arm was unable to come to the rescue.

She was married to Edward Lloyd Parry on 19th February 1857 in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah.

She and her husband and his wife Elizabeth were at the celebration on the 24th July 1857 in Big Cottonwood Canyon, when the news came that an army was on their way to Utah to invade their homes.  We cannot realize how they must have felt at this information.  In the fall, 10th November 1857 her husband was called to go to Echo Canyon to prepare to meet Johnston’s Army, and was placed as Captain of ten and remained there three weeks, when he returned home.  In the spring of 1858 he went out again for three weeks, and after remaining home three weeks they were counseled to go south that the troops were coming in.  They got ready to burn their property if the word was given.  They went as far south as Springville in the beginning of May 1858, where they lived in their wagon and a willow shed.  Her first child, a girl Elizabeth Ann was born on the 4th March 1858, so was only two months old at that time.  They returned to Salt Lake City about the 4th July 1858.  Her second child Edward Thomas was born 10th October 1859.

In April 1862 her husband was called to go to St. George, Utah to settle there.  She left her little daughter Elizabeth Ann with her husband’s first wife Elizabeth, who had no children, she with her husband and small son Edward Thomas and foster son George Brooks left Salt Lake City with one yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows for St. George, traveling all the way alone, meeting Indians every little while. 
   
They endeavored to reach a settlement each night, but one night they were unable to do so.  When Brother Parry then unyoked and oxen and cows, they became very restless and George said, “Father they smell Indians.”  They tied the cattle to each wheel of the wagon.  The husband cleaned and loaded his gun.  They all got in the wagon and tied down the cover and the husband sat with his gun in his hand or between his knees all night.  The cattle pulled at their chains and little dog barked and ran back and forth.  Twice he thought he would make a hole in the cover and look out, but a voice said, “Don’t Edward.”  He thought it was Ann speaking to him.  When daylight came he asked her, but she said that she did not speak, as she was to frightened to do so.  They yoked up their cattle as soon as they could and started off again they met quite a number of Indians.

In telling of their experiences of the night before, they were told that if they had looked out of the cover the Indians would have known just where to have send their arrows.

They arrived at St. George the 5th June 1862 and her third child Mary Ellen was born 18th June 1862.  Being the first white girl born in St. George, they were living in a wagon box and willow shed at the time.  Six other children were born to them at St. George, John Lloyd, 6th October 1864, Artimesha, 25th December 1866, Minnie, 12th March 1869, Harriet, 1st November 1870, Bernard, 8th July 1873, Emma, 7th February 1876.  On 15th February Artimesha died and on 3rd March Minnie died.

In the spring when in St. George, Indians came round on their usual visits, one of them came to the home and asked for the black eyed papoose and when told that she was dead [he] went out and sat on the wood pile and mourned all day.  The child have been wont [going] to visit with the Indians, and especially this one when he was chopping wood.  It seemed that he thought a great deal of her.

In April 1877 her husband was called to go to Manti, by President Brigham Young, to take charge of all the stonework of the Manti Temple.  He arrived on the 24th April 1877, taking with him his wife Elizabeth, who had gone from Salt Lake City to St. George, and oldest daughter Elizabeth Ann.

In the fall he sent two young men with teams and wagons to St. George to bring Ann and the rest of the family to Manti.  They left a comfortable home and two city lots well cultivated with fruits and flowers, in St. George.

On the 11th August 1880 her husband’s first wife died.  This was a great sorrow to Ann for they had loved each other dearly, and had always lived together except the one and a half years before Elizabeth went to join them in St. George.  They were more like mother and daughter than anything else.  The children all called her mother and their own mother “Ma.”

Two boys were born to them at Manti, Hugh Evans, named for the first wife’s father; he was born 5th May 1881 and George 27th July 1883.

She died on the 6th August 1886, after a short illness, taking sick on 3rd August 1886.  Four of her children were married at this time and five were at home ranging in age from fifteen years to three years of age.  The two little boys died in November 1889.

Of her seven children who grew to manhood and womanhood, her three sons filled missions after their marriages, two in Great Britain, one in Arkansas and one daughter in Colorado.  Two grandsons and two great-grandsons, one great granddaughter and her two sons-in-law have filled missions.

Her children and many more of her descendants are and have been taking part in the Church activities.  In fact they seem to have inherited the splendid qualities of their splendid ancestry, who have enviable characters and faith.

At this time 6th December 1937 she has 152 descendants.

She of course had many trial and tribulations, but met them with all the courage that a true wife and mother could.  She was industrious, never idle, always at home, especially after she moved to Manti, going out but very little, not making many acquaintances.

This sketch was written by the Misses Harriet and Emma Parry on 6th December 1937 and typed by Alice K. Hatch, Historian D.U.P., Manti Camp.

My husband’s mother, Emeline Cox Jewkes, who is the granddaughter of Ann Parry gave this sketch to me, Dora Deane Peterson Jewkes.  Her mother was named Mary Ellen Parry and her father was Sylvester Hulet Cox.  Dated this 24th day of May in the year 1955.

Retyped by Karen Maria Jewkes Barker, Great-great-great granddaughter of Ann and Edward Lloyd Parry, June 2000.  (Some punctuation was corrected.)

Minor corrections made and pictures added August 2001 by Tammy Rae Cox Thomson, a third great granddaughter of Ann Parry.