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Show 1. 2. 3. u. ,6. 7 • SHORT SKETCH OF MY MOTHER, NANCY BOOS Nancy Boss Rawson Birth: 26 March 1829, Davidson Co. , North Carolina. Death: 2 0 August 1888, Farr West , Weber Co. Utah Written by: Samantha Rawson Rose Submitting history: Oles Smith Mor gan Co . Camp Joy submitting history. • SHORT SKETCH OF MY MOTHER, NANCY BOSS By Samantha D. Rawson Rose My mother, Nancy Boss, was bom in Davidson County, North Carolina, 26 March 1829, daughter of Phillip and Obedience Brown Boss. Her father passed away in 1838, leaving grandmother with nine children, six sons and three daughters. She moved with her children to Illinois in 1838 where her family allied themselves with the Mormon Church and gathered at NaU"foo in 1842 at the time of the Prophet Joseph's death. She was employed as a servant girl at the home of Col. Williams , the man who led the mob that killed the Prophet. She prepared the dinner for the mob before they started to the jail. Knowing she was a Mormon girl, Col. Williams refused to let her leave the house. The mob burned her mother's house. Her mother seemed to be a person who could make friends, was loYed and respected by all. Was called Aunt Biddy. One of her non-Mormon friends warned her to get out and leave her home as the mob intended to bum it. That night she took her children and what things they could carry and went down to the swamps to sleep. She said the mosquitoes nearly ate them up. The home was not burned that night but was the next night. Not knowing that Col. Williams was the leader of the mob, she tool emplayment at his home, being glad to get work. He threatened her life if she attempted to try to escape from there. She said the mob carried on like demons and she heard them plan the mortyrdom. The nightbefore they killed the Prophet, they painted their faces black and drank whiskey, acting as though they had gone mad. Her room was upstairs and while sittin~ on the stairs she heard Williams say, "EYery nit makes a louse, let 1 ! kill her." She was very badly frightened, not knowing when they would come up and get her, but they did not come up • 1 ' ( • My Mother Nancy Boss (cont'd) • • The next night after they had murdered the Prophet, they returned to Co. Williams home and seemed very frightened . The;r acted like crazey men. She somehow got word from Captain James Brown t hat he would be waiting for her down in the woods where she mounted his horse and made her escape . She remained with her mother until 1846, when the family left Nauvoo and joined the fleein~ Saints, She married m1 father, Daniel Berr1 Rawson, in November of that year. She was the mother of eight daughters and two sons, and died 20 August 1888 at Farr West, Weber County, haTing labored many years as a kind and affectionate mother, she was a faithful friend to the poor and need:,, read1 to assist in Relief Society work • History given by Oles Smith March 1981. Mt Joy Camp, Morgan Utah 2 |
