CARTER, ELLEN MASSER ELLEN MASSER CARTER by Wealtha P. Heiner A short biography of my Grandmother's life-- Ellen Masser Carter was born January 7th, 1836 in Toleend, Tipton Staffordshire England. Her own mother died when she was very young, possibly six or eight years old. Soon afterward her father married again, but the step mother was most unkind and mistreated the motherless girl, so while very young in years she went to work as,servant girl, she called it, for a family by the name of Cheer, they treated her kindly. She lived in England during the reign of Queen Victoria. I have heard her relate many stories about England, how people would gather on the streets to see the Queen pass by in her carriage drawn by beautiful white horses. She paid Queen Victoria was a gracious lovely lady reigned for many years as England's Queen. While grandmother was still in her teens she had a strange dream which impressed her greatly, she couldn't get it out of her mind. Many times in her life she was warned by premonitions or hunches of things that were going to happen. In the dream a young man came to her and said he had a message; would she listen?. She was told in the dream that this young man was her future husband, him she would marry, seeing him so plainly in the dream she recognized him when he passed the window a few days later and knocked upon the door. Introducing himself as a Mormon missionary bearing the message of the Gospel, a plan of life and salvation, to all who would listen and accept the same. She did accept the message of truth and he baptized her in April 1859. A short time after they were married they began to make plans to sail for America and the Saints in Zion. When they left England Charles Turner and wife came on the same ship with them. (Charles Turner is 3 known to us as Bishop Turner). There was always a close friendship between them and their families. While Samuel Carter and wife were not with the original pioneers of 1847, never the less they were pioneers and suffered many hardships. Their first child was born in Scotts Bluff Iowa enroute to Utah. Just a tiny girl less than five lbs. Next day after the birth of baby Ellenor, that was her name, she rode all day in a wagon, sick, sore, tired and home sich for loved ones accross the sea, yet with hope in the future they wended their way to Utah. On their arrival they lived first in Kaysville, Davis County. It was while there the first great trial of her young life came when she was asked to share the love and companionship of her husband with another woman. She was carrying their second child when Grandfather courted and married Sarah Davis Roberts, a young widow with a small daughter. Although polygomy was bitter pill to Ellen same as it was to many more women in the church, who were asked to live this, his love for Ellen was not less because of his marriage to Sarah, far from it, those three loved, worked and pulled together, animosity and bitterness were unknown in the years that came and went. From Kaysville they moved to Round Valley, Morgan County, Grandfather taught school two winters there. In 1867 and 68 the Union Pacific Railroad came through some of the railroad employees boarded at their home, the money received for meals helped to see them through another year or two. In 1874 they moved to Porterville settled on Woods Creek, known to us as East Canyon Creek, the farm had to be cleared of willows and oak brush with only grubbing hoe and ax as tools, (a slow process compared with today). 4 During one or two years the grasshoppers took most of their crops; these were mighty lean yeas for the Carter family, about 19 in all. During those lean years corn bread, shorts and molasses was about all that kept the wolf from the door. Two homes were built exactly alike for Ellen and Sarah with just a passageway between them, what one wife had the other enjoyed the same, the furniture in the homes exactly alike, to go in one home it was the same as being in the other for both women were emaculate house keepers. I remember so well the large flour bins each had, each bin would hold near a ton of flour. When Sarah was confined Ellen cared for her and the new baby and vica verca. One week Grandfather ate and slept in Ellen's house, next week he ate and slept in Sarah's, it mattered not at whose table the children came to eat their meals, some in one home, some in the other, often Sarah's children in Ellen's; Ellens in Sarah's. Grandfather served as Bishop of West Porterville ward for 20 years. In 1893 their son Hyrum Carter, was called to fill a mission in South Carolina under J. Golden Kimball as mission President. Prejudice and persecution were rampant in the South, he was severely whipped by a mob, stripping his clothing from his body all except his garments he was given 22 lashes with a harness tug over his back and loins, he being bent over a log. In a letter home after he recovered from this whipping he said "Mother after the first two lashes I didn't feel the rest of them for God withheld the sting", Sometime later he took malaria fever and died in the mission field. It was 14 days before his body arrived home. His death was a terrible blow to the Carter family, Grandma never got over his death. 5 In 1898 Grandfather died, he was young in years only 65, yet his physical body was worn out with over work not enough to eat in his day of honest toil and sacrifice in caring for his families, his health failed him, he passed away June 21st 1898 his widows were left to comfort each other. Bishop Samuel Carter's funeral was held in Phillips Grove-where Parley Carter's home now stands. Neither East or West Porter-ville had a house large enough to hold services, so it was held out doors. In front of a stand that was made of plank where speakers sat, was a large armchair, it was vacant, on either side of the chair sat his wives and their youngest sons Thomas and Benjamin. The Primary children marched around the casket and viewed his remains. I shall never forget that funeral setting and the empty arm chair. In 1903 dear Grandma came to live in my mother's home, but it was not for long, she longed to go "Home" where husband and loved one's were, that longing was soon realized. My father, Alma Porter died October 27th, 1903 Grandma seven day's later November 4, 1903, at the age of 67 years. Following lines are so typical of her. Her gentle presence filled a home with comfort and delight. It radiated from her soul like soft Celestial light. She realized her noblest call, In toiling for her own A benidiction fell on all within that hallowed home. No greater love hath none than this; For every life she gave, She put her own upon a rack Serenely faced the grave. Her cup of sorrow oft ran o'er Her day's were filled with care 6 But she lived to bless the lives she loved With love and tears and prayers. She was mother of eleven children six sons, and five daughters. God bless her memory, may she forever rest in peace. Lovingly A Grand daughter Wealtha P. Heiner.