OCR Text |
Show Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together Elizabeth Gower Clark Elizabeth Gower was born in Little Baddow, Essex, England, February 20, 1819, the daughter of William Gower and Elizabeth Nunn Gower. The Gower family is a very old and distinguished family in English history. They came down through the royal lines of the country at that time and the genealogy has been traced back to about the sixth century. Their coat of arms is in the family record book at the present time. Elizabeth Gower was a very fine looking woman; tall and stately, with a queenly bearing and was reared in a home of wealth, refinement and culture. She was the second daughter in a large family. Her mother was a very refined and beautiful woman, with means enough to travel to India to purchase fine and beautiful things for her children and grandchildren. Elizabeth married Daniel Clark about 1839. They lived in the old home of his childhood, which home he had inherited from his father's estate at Colchester, England, about fifty miles northeast of London. There were comfortably located. He had a good trade and their children were coming along at regular intervals, all strong and healthy. In such pleasant surroundings, little did they dream of the trials they would meet later in life. In their veins flowed the blood of Ephraim. The chosen of God, and they were able to hold out faithful to it all. When the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was opened up in England, Daniel Clark and Elizabeth, his wife, were among the early converts. They were baptized in 1848. After they joined the Church, their children were not allowed to attend school anymore, which was a great trial to the parents for they loved education. However, they were able to teach their children many things at home. Persecution was so great they had to steal out in the darkness of the night to baptize their children or anyone else. About this time British soldiers were stationed at Colchester and the town was expected to give them food and shelter, that being the custom of the country at that time. The soldiers had no respect for life or property, and helped themselves to anything they wanted. They became so troublesome, it was unsafe to remain there, so the Clark family left their home by night and moved to Barking, Essex, England, a suburb near London. Nearly all their belongings were left behind to be confiscated by the soldiers in the government. In Barking they lived in a home owned by Elizabeth's father, William Gower. The parents thought they could send their children to school at Barking, but they were disappointed. No "Mormons" were allowed to attend school. They bore this trial, however, the same as they did all other forms of persecution. About the year 1851 some elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints came to London and made their headquarters at Barking in the Clark home. Soon a branch of the Church was organized with Daniel Clark as presiding elder. From that time on the Clark home was the home of the elders. Elders would come and go from their home, Charles W. Penrose among others. We can imagine what a busy life they had here making a home for the elders, mothering the saints of the branch and taking care of her large family. Three of her younger children were born here and one or two deaths occurred here, but I'm sure there was a heap-o-Iiving in that house which made it a real home. All of the work of conducting the branch was done from there. The children long remembered the many beautiful Bible stories told them by the elders. In fact the younger ones took their first Sunday School lessons on Brother Penrose's knee. They lived in this home about fourteen years. Daniel Clark was a good singer and conducted the choir in the branch. Elizabeth also had a good voice which she was delighted to use for the blessing of the Saints. Her daughters grew to womanhood here and used their talents for the building up of the branch. Elders would come and go and the family was able to hear a good deal about the conditions in Utah. They like all other good Saints at that time had a great desire to immigrate to Zion, but having been bereft of all their property it took them some time to save means enough to take them so far, The father was a shoemaker of no mean ability, having been apprenticed to a good workman for a number of years. He had a good trade making fine footwear for the society people of the community. As the children grew up, they went out to work to help out with the expense of the family. It was finally decided to send the three older daughters to Utah with a company of Saints. They were Sarah, Elizabeth, and Rebecca. They went three years before the family and worked and sent money to help the family to immigrate. The parents and younger children labored on in the branch and saved all they could for the trip. I'm sure much joy was felt in the labor of building up the branch and preparing for the journey, for the whole branch was preparing to leave in a body. The family 43 |