Not Morgan. 1 TITLE PAGE PIONEER NAME Mary Hirst Wood BIRTH DATE AND PLACE May 1, 1848 Yorkshire England DEATH DATE AND PLACE March 11, 1909 Logan, Utah FATHER John Hirst MOTHER Martha Brook Hirst WHO MARRIED AND DATE George Wood June 21, 1869 YEAR ARRIVED IN UTAH 1868 NAME OF COMPANTaptian Holman's Co. Camp 31 WHO WROTE HISTORY AND DATE Veda Carlson Pixton WHO SUBMITTED HISTORY AND DATE Althea B. Jones ADDRESS 468 N. 700 E. Morgan, Utah 84050 TELEPHONE NO. 829-6786 CAMP NAME Mt. Joy Camp COUNTY NAME Morgan Co. CAMP HISTORIAN Edna Cartor ADDRESS 208 N. 250 E. Morgan, Utah COUNTY HISTORIAN Dena Rich ADDRESS 1266 N. Morgan Valley Dr. Morgan, Utah 84050 SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PAGE NUMBERS: I hereby give this history to the National Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers with the understanding that: 1. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers has the right to edit and publish it. 2. If publication is not indicated, it shall become a part of the archives to perfect the record of the Utah pioneers. 3. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers has the right to reproduce this history for the benefit of its members, and descendants of the pioneer. Signature of author or owner of this history Althea B. Jones Revised 1986 HISTORY OF MARY HIRST WOOD By Veda Carlson Pixton Grandmother Mary Hirst Wood was born on May 1, 1848, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, a daughter of John Hirst and Charlotte Brook Hirst. She was the seventh child of thirteen children born to the couple. When Grandmother Mary was four years old, some Mormon Missionaries visited the family, and they were deeply impressed with the message these Elders brought. The Elders left a copy of the Book of Mohnon for them to read, and after reading it their hearts were touched, and they knew it to be the word of God. Great Grandfather John Hirst was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints on April 3, 1852, by Elder Wright Beaumont, and Great Grandmother Charlotte was baptized on April 11, 1852, by Elder Wright Beaumont. From this time on their home was opened to the Missionaries, and they had many prominent members of the Church as their guests. At first it was a source of embarrassment to the elder daughters, Harriet and Hannah. They were ridiculed by their friends because their parents had joined the Mormon Church, but just a short time later, they too were converted and baptized as members of the Church. (Hannah died at the age of 17.) Great Grandfather John Hirst spent sixteen years traveling throughout England doing missionary work, during which time Great Grandmother Charlotte reared their family and ran their farm. Their one great desire was to come to America and Zion, and they all worked to that end. The children labored in the cotton mills at Yorkshire when they were not attending school, and saved all they earned to help pay their way to America. Finally, in 1868 they sold their farm, and on June 20th, set sail from Liverpool on a small sailing vessel called the "Emerald Isle". They did so with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow, joy at the prospect of going to Zion, and sorrow because three of their married daughters had to remain behind. (One died without seeing her parents again, and two came to Utah later.) The Emerald Isle was an old-fashioned packet of a sailing variety, which incidentally, on its return trip to England, was sunk with its Cargo, during a storm. There were 876 saints who started the voyage, and space was very restricted, with exceptionally crowded quarters. After they set sail it was discovered that the apparatus used for filtering the water was not in working order. Therefore, it was necessary for everyone to drink unfiltered water from the tanks. The condition of the water and the crowded quarters caused the death of 37 people (6 in one day). Great Grandmother Charlotte had a sack of Camomile Flowers which she boiled in the water for her family to drink, and none of them were ill on the ocean. Daughter Nancy gave birth to her first child in mid-ocean. She named her Emerald, after the sailing vessel. It is interesting that the John Hirst family were members of the lest group of L.D.S. emigrants to cross the ocean from England in a sailing vessel. The Emerald Isle left Liverpool on June 20, 1868, and arrived in New York in August four months later. From there they took the train and came as far as Fort Benton, which was 700 miles west of Omaha, to the terminus of the railroad line, where they joined Captain Holman's Company, Camp 31, which was the last company to cross the plains by ox-team. The trip over the plains was uneventful, except that Sarah (one of the younger girls) fell from the front of the wagon, breaking her leg and brusing herself badly. They also had a great deal of sickness, and Great Grandmother Charlotte was reduced to a skeleton, but through her faith and the blessings of God, she was spared, to arrive in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1868. They located on a ranch in Jordan 9 miles northwest of Salt Lake City, belonging to Dr. W. F. Anderson. They lived there for 4 years, and later they moved to Pleasant Green (now known as Magna) where they homesteaded a farm. In less than one year after their arrival, Grandmother Mary was married to George Wood on June 21, 1869. Later the couple received their endowments. The Hirst family and the Wood family had known each other in Yorkshire. George Wood was born on Feb. 1, 1839. He and his family arrived in Utah in 1855. He was established on a farm 3 miles east of Wellsville, where he took Mary as a bride. Their first house was a log cabin with dirt floors and roof. Four of their thirteen children were born there. They then built a frame house with two large rooms downstairs and two upstairs. In a few more years, another addition was built on, giving them a very comfortable house, with kitchen, living room and four bedrooms. Mary Wood was a gentle, refined and quiet woman, 5'4" tall, with dark blue eyes and black curly hair, which she wore parted in the center, with waves down either side, and a roll in the back. She was known for her beauty. Grandmother had her own horse and surrey, which she drove to Church and to town. She was always well-dressed, even though she had only one good outfit at a time. She was adored and respected by her husband and children, was a good home-maker and kept her house spotlessly clean. She was kind to the poor and considerate of the sick. She taught her daughters to knit and sew, and to make quilts and rugs, and how to cook and be good homemakers. She was a faithful and active member of the church. They made one trip to Pleasant Green to visit Grandmother's family, and took all the children with them. The trip took them one week to get there and one week to return home, and they stayed two weeks in Pleasant Green. The roads through the canyon were so steep and bad that Grandmother had to drive while Grandfather had to weight down the wagon. Their family consisted of five boys and eight girls. Three of the children died, Martha Rebecca who was born on May, 1882, and lived only eight hours, Charlotte Anne, who died April 18,1598, at the age of 17, and their youngest son, William Brook, who died on Jan, 18, 1802, at the age of 12, from Diptheria. His death was a great tragedy to them and they felt they could stay on the farm no longer. Grandfather sold the farm and bought a home in Logan located on the southeast corner of 5th North and 5th East, where he retired. They lived there for 8 years until Grandmother Mary died of a heart condition on March 11, 1909, at the age of 61. SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GEO. WOOD AND MARY HIRST Mary Alice born April 8, 1870 married Frank Cantwell George Hirst " Oct. 1, 1871 " Sarah Wyatt John Hirst " Jan. 11, 1873 Henry Hirst " Oct. 2, 1874 " Eliz. Hendry Joseph Hirst " May 2, 1876 Sarah Wallace Margaret Gunnell Ida Meyers Sarah Ellen " Oct. 10, 1878 " Swen Olof Carlson Charlotte Anne " Sept. 17, 1879 died Aug. 18, 1898 Ida " Nov. 3, 1883 married Jos. Gunnerson, Geo. Thornley Ella " April 28, 1885 " Wm. McNiel, Robt. McFarland Margaret " Aug. 19, 1888 " Geo. Brasted Olive " July 1, 1889 " Winfield Steere William Brook " Dec. 1, 1889 died Jan. 18, 1902 Martha Rebecca " May 3, 1882 died 8 hours old Rexburg, Idaho, Sept. 1, 1908 A Patriarchal Blessing given under the hand of Andrew A. Anderson upon the head of Mary H. Wood, daughter of John Hirst and Charlotte Brook Hirst, born in Sluthwait, Yorkshire, England, May 1, 1848: "Mary, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood which I hold, I lay my hands upon your head, to confer upon you a father's and a patriarchal blessing. Dear Sister, the Lord loveth thee for the integrity of your heart. The Lord shows you when this earth was formed to come forth upon this earth to fill a noble and a great mission, for thou art of the chosen seed, the seed of Joseph, which was sold into Egypt through the lineage of Ephriam. The Lord through his wisdom brought you into the fold of Christ, even Into the Church of Jestis Christ of Latter Day Saints. Your days will yet be many upon the earth, and thou wilt be a blessing to your family and kindred. Thou wilt, with your husband, in due time of the Lord, will be called up and annointed a Queen unto your husband, to rule and reign in the House of Israel, forever. Your posterity will become numerous and mighty in the Holy Priesthood. Their counsels and their wisdom will be sought for among the Stake of Zion. A great work awaiteth thee, for thou wilt labor in the Temples of our God for your ancestors that are dead, for they are looking unto you and your posterity for their redemption, for great and mighty is the work that is awaiting you and your posterity. The Lord in his mercy has bestowed upon you light and wisdom to rear your family in the fear of the Lord, and great faith will be given unto you, and through the absence of the Elders of the Church you will have faith to heal the sick of your household, live many ways upon the earth until your work here is fully completed, and your sons and your posterity will carry on this great work of redemption of the dead of your kindred. Dear Sister, I seal you up into eternal life, to come forth in the morning of first resurrection to inherit all the blessings of the Redeemer's Kingdom, even an inheritance in the City of our God, where a cloud will hover over by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Dear Sister, let not your faith fail you, keep your covenants with God sacred, and all the blessings which have been sealed up on your head through your faithfulness unto God. I seal them all upon your head by virtue of the Holy Priesthood, which I hold, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen." COPY OF LETTER WRITTEN TO MARY HIRST WOOD FROM HER SISTER MARTHA TAYLOR: Dear Sister: I now tell you my secret well, I have gone to the Chapel and I have not been satisfied with their preaching, so I thought I would ask the Lord in the name of Jesus about it, well He sent the man with the book and He told me it was the truth, but I could not take it, I did not want to be a Mormon. The second time he came I told him I could not do it, he wanted me to be baptized, well, I went to bed, I could not sleep, about three or four in the morning I was placed on a rock mighty and strong, I was not asleep, I was awake, there came a voice to me: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Lord, I send thee by my servant the true and everlasting gospel book unto me, look at my head, my hands, my feet, my side, all this I suffered for thee, wilt thou not own me, wilt thou not obey if thou reject this Gospel, woe be unto thee, Christ Himself was before me on the cross pleading with me, come and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool, yea, though they be red like crimson, they shall be whiter than snow. What could I do, I said, I come, Oh Lamb of God, I come, I yield. He says if thou build on this rock Jesus Christ, nothing shall harm thee, though earth and hell oppose, thou shalt not be moved, for I am the Lord, mighty In battle. Now, then I have told you just as it was. I don't know what the man will say to me, I shall tell him. Mrs. Martha Taylor, West Vale, Queen Street, Halifax Yorkshire, England