• • • HARRIET NASH WELCH Harriet Nash Welch was the daughter of Charles Nash and Mary Davy. She was born April, 17, 1831 at Horsted Karnes, Sussex, England. She was the oldest of thirteen children and early had to work away from home to help support the family, and she had a wonderful training as a home-keeper and cook in the families of the rich, though she had but little schooling. It is a singular thing, but the Charles Nash family was never all under the sam~ roof or at home at one time in all their lives. She was baptized into the Church on the first day of October, 1853 by Elder James Pitman and confirmed a member of the Church October 2, 1853 by the man that baptized her. She accepted the gospel while working at Brighton, a beautiful resort of the seashore. Her future husband Thomas Robert Green Welch, was working in Brighton in a large dry goods establishment and the two were brought together through the meetings of the Latter-Day Saints. He was four years her junior having been born July 10, 1835 at Shepton Mallet Sommersetshire, England. He was baptized by Elder William H. Kimball in Brighton on September 20, 1854 and was confirmed September 24, of the same year by Elder Samuel Francis. About six weeks after joining the Church Mother became very much exercised over a testimony for herself of the divinity of the work. She had attended her meetings regularly and had heard the brethren and sisters testify that they knew the Gospel was true and that it was indeed the work of the Lord. She believe this with all her heart and in reading the Bible it seemed like a new book since her baptism and Confirmation. There was still something lacking to give her that peace of mind that she so much desired. he took the Apostle James' advice and decided to ask the Lord that she might know of a surety for herself of the truthfulness of the Gospel she had accepted. She was still working in the service in a gentleman's family and she and another young lady occupied the same room, though each had her own bed. One evening she called on the Lord in mighty prayer and told Him that if this was His work to give her a testimony for herself that she might be able to rise and bear it to any and all that she knew the Gospel was true. After retiring she lay meditating upon the joy that filled her heart since her conversion, when suddenly the room was filled with a most glorious light and she was told of the truth of the work of the Lord. The other young woman also saw the light and cried out, "Oh, Harriet the house is on fire" . Mother told her that the house was not on fire, but that she had just received a manifestation from the Lord of the truthfulness of the Gospel. That testimony always remained with her to the end of her days . • After joining the Church the Gospel was so plain to her that she went home to tell her people of the glorious tidings she had received and when she told them her story her father turned her out of doors, for he did not want any thing to do with Mormonism. On August 27, 1855 she was married to Thomas. R.G. Welch, and they began to save means to emigrate to Zion for they felt that with the Saints their future home should be made. On July 25, 1856 a son was born, Thomas F. Welch. On Saturday March 28, 1857 father and mother sailed from Liverpool, England on the ship George Washington for Boston, U.S.A. There were eight-hundred and seventeen Latter-Day-Saints on board, under direction of James P. Park, bound for Utah. The date of the landing of the ship in Boston and how long it took to get to the place of outfitting is not known, but I remember them saying that they fitted out at Florence, Nebraska. They came in Captain Jesse, B. Martin's Company arriving in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. The army was following them across the plains and Mother had to walk all the way and waded every stream except the Platte River which the company crossed on a ferry boat. She carried her one year old baby on her back the entire distance. After arriving in the valley the move was on and she went South as far as Lehi while father was sent into • Echo Canyon to help keep the soldiers back. • How long she remained in Lehi I do not know but a daughter was born October 20, 1858. She found a good staunch friend in the person of Bishop Israel Evans who was kind and considerate of those who were poor and in need. They returned to Salt Lake City in 1860 and on April 4, they received their endowments and were sealed by President Brigham Young. Mother remained in the City until November of that year when father (who had been in Weber Valley during the cropping season working for Jessie C.Little) returned to Salt Lake City and took her to this valley as it was beginning to be settled. They lived in a log shack belonging to Jessie C. Little during the winter of 60-61 and had nothing but boiled wheat to eat. The log hut was covered with willows and straw and a coating of dirt, during the late winter and spring as well as every time it rained the house was worse than out doors because the water was dirty instead of being clean like the melting snows and rains, the storms continued so much longer in the house. When her third son was born November 11, 1862, they had to use umbrella to keep the water out of the bed as the house leaked so badly. After living in Littleton a year or two, the family moved up and built a log cabin on the comer where the road turns northward from Morgan to Milton known as Welch's comer where they lived until about 1866. One of the greatest trials of her pioneer life was • • • cooking over a fire place and oh how she longed and prayed for a stove on which to cook on. She used to tell of a dream she had in the days of poverty in which she saw a stove that could be bought for fifteen cents, but she did not have the fifteen cents with which to make the purchase. She was the mother of nine children, seven boys and two girls. On girl and one boy dying in infancy and one boy died with diphtheria when eighteen years old. When the Primary Association was organized in Morgan Stake in 1878 she was chosen as Stake President. She held that position until the time of her death fifteen years later. At this same time she acted for twelve years as President of the ward primary. On one occasion the children were singing the little song, "Open the Door to the Children" and she received the inspiration then and there to have the children gather means to emigrate some poor children from the old country, which was accomplished and she furnished some of them a home till they grew to man and womanhood. Her home was always filled with some poor orphan child or children as well as her own. She was sick for many years before she died and suffered a great deal, but through it all she put her trust in the Lord. Her husband made a trip to England before her death gathering considerable genealogy and the work for her kindred was begun by her in the temples of the Lord . No person was more beloved by children than woman and when she died September 25, 1894 she was literally buried in a grove of flowers that children and grown folks brought from all over Morgan Stake, tokens of the love and respect in which she was held by all who knew her . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .................. ... . ..... .. .... .b y Isabelle W. Butters ............. .