[Toone] • • • I Hannah Webb ~ ._-)(. e. Wife of William Henry Toone Hannah Webb was born in Lidlington, England, November 25, 1845, a daughter of Thomas Webb and Sarah Hunt. Their home was in Lidlington, Cambridgeshire, England, and it was there the family joined the Church. Sarah Webb, her mother, could see there was a danger of her daughter, Hannah, marrying outside the Church, as her older brother had already done, so she sent her with a company of immigrants who left England in the spring of 1863 for Utah. The sole purpose of her coming without any members of her family was to surround her with an environment where she could choose a mate of her own faith. She came across the plains with what is known as the Dixie Company and arrived in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1863. For one year she worked in different homes as a maid to maintain herself. During that time she had many opportunities to be a polygamous wife. In the fall of 1864 she had about made up her mind to marry into the family of Brother Larkin, who established the Larkin Undertaking Company, as one of his wives, but providence ruled otherwise. She stated that this seemed to be a good arrangement until "smart Alec" came along on the scene (referring to William Henry Toone). Father was always lots of fun and full of jokes. Father was coming from one of his trips across the plains to bring immigrants, acting as teamster and other times as night herder, he had just arrived in Salt Lake City and in company with some of the other men he had worked with was walking down the street and saw this little English dark-complexioned girl and said to his companions, "There is my wife." They laughed at him and made many jokes as to how he was going to accomplish this, but on March 4, 1865, they were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City by President Wilford Woodruff and commenced a life of happiness and sorrows and heartaches that lasted for 54 years. William Henry Toone was born 4 March 1842, in Leamington, Warwickshire, England, to John and Emma Prosser Toone. On March 4, 1915, they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. It was the most elaborate affair of a social nature every held in Croydon. Their numerous posterity made it necessary to use the ward-meeting house to accommodate them. The afternoon was reserved for the honored couple and their descendants and in the evening all members of the ward were invited. Eight of the surviving children and their posterity were all present. The writer of this article was on a mission in Great Britain. The day she passed away, surrounded by her children, Father made the statement that he had never known her to be unkind or selfish or speak unkindly of anyone and that they both had been clean and sweet morally all the days of their lives. Twelve children were born of this marriage, they all came during early pioneer years in Utah, when many privations and poverty were endured by most people. They made their home in Croydon, Morgan County, Utah, asked to go there by the leaders of the Church to help settle that area. There was no home so a little log cabin was erected with a dirt floor and dirt roof. The first child was born July 9, 1866 and the last on August 30, 1889. In the 25 years they became the parents of twelve children (Sarah Emma, Jessica Georgiana, Hannah Elizabeth, William Henry, Charles Jabez, Nette, John Wilford, George Ernest, Lydia Maude, Ida May, James Melvin and Lawrence Webb). At the birth of each of her children, there was no doctor in attendance. • • • Mother was always rather frail and not very strong. Father was a sturdy pioneer and could stand the rigors of pioneer life. He made friends with the Indians as they traveled from Wyoming to southern Utah and Arizona in the fall and returned in the spring. Father made friends with Chief Walker who was of the tribe that went on these migratory trips and entertained him in his home, so the Indians would not molest the rest of the community or damage their property or their livers. While Chief Walker was in the home Mother was always frightened, which made the Chief angry and he would pull out his knife as though going to injure her. This never alarmed Father as he knew the Chief would not injure his wife as he and the Chief were great friends, but he would take hold of the Chief and set him down on a chair and take his knife away from him. Father was more than their equal physically and was greatly blessed with the powers of discernment to know the intent and desires of most people. I tell this to indicate the timidity and gentleness of my mother. As the family grew additions had to be made to the home, other rooms were added. It was only after the older children were married that a comfortable home was built. I quote from a patriarchal blessing given by Patriarch John Smith, "Thou shalt be strengthened in body and mind, the blessing of the Lord shall still thy labor and thou shalt have joy in thy daily avocation. Thy name shall be perpetuated upon the earth and handed down in honorable remembrance. Thy fame shall be known far and near for many riper in years shall honor thy judgments and listen to thy counsel." Mother all her life attended Relief Society and for many years was president and also many years active as a counselor. I remember going to those meetings many, many times with her, being her youngest living child. I remember the great number of sisters who came to our home to talk with Mother and receive counsel and advice and to be comforted in mind and spirit pertaining to the difficulties they were enduring in those early days in Utah. It is only fair to say that she listened to everyone even though they talked and gossiped about other people, she would lend a listening ear but never was she known to indulge in saying anything that would in any way reflect on the character of other people. I've known Mother to be so tired and worn out that she would go to bed and a number of people would be sitting around her bed discussing their problems and they would leave seemingly comforted and sustained in their difficulties. One lady in particular, Sister Cotteral, had only one child, and would go to all church meetings which Mother could not attend because of her large family. This woman had a remarkable memory, better than anyone I have ever known, and she would sit by Mother's bed night after night telling almost verbatim what had transpired and what had been said. She was greatly appreciated in our home, although we younger children would make some light remarks about her. Mother's blessing also states she would have the power to hold the adversary at bay. We had one neighbor who at times was an enemy to Mother and would say very unjust things. Mother would go over to see her and invariably this woman would come to our home soon after and apologize for the evil things she had said. Just prior to Mother' s last illness I noticed she was reading Church literature pertaining to the life hereafter, particularly things Apostle James E. Talmage had written and what she could find about the future life in the Book of Mormon, particularly as Alma explains the subject, and in the Doctrine and Covenants. So we discussed these things together and I explained to her all the things I knew pertaining to those who were • • • 3 privileged to obtain eternal life. We had always been particularly close in association since I had returned from England, and as a young boy growing up her favorite refe ren ee to me when we were alone was that I was her Prince. During the above conversation I asked her if she had some impressions that she was going to her eternal reward, she answered in the affirmative and a few days later she was taken ill. This was in June of 1919 and her illness lasted until the latter part of August. Her four living daughters all gave her very careful attention. Nettie and Emma came and stayed at the home. Georgia came frequently and Lizzie who lived close by took care of her part of every night. About a week before she passed away her three sons who were living close by and myself and their wives were all present. She asked that she be raised up so that she could talk with the family. I put my arm around her and sat at her back and she leaned against me and commenced to tell some things of her past life and how happy she was that she had been privileged to raise such a large family and then bore a very convincing testimony to the truthfulness of the Gospel. Everyone present could feel the inspiration that accompanied her words and her conviction of the truthfulness of the Lord's work and exhorted all to always be loyal and faithful to each other and to the principles of the Gospel. The only one who could mourn at the passing of our sweet Mother was Father and he was broken-hearted. I've written these few lines at the request of a number of our family being the only one left of her large family of six sons and six daughters. I am very appreciative of the fact that I remained home with Father and Mother and took care of them until they passed from this mortal sphere. In closing I wish to state that she has been very mindful of me since she has gone to her eternal reward for I have heard her voice speak as natural to me as while she was alive, on two different occasions. I have seen her in the visions of the night to tell me of things that would happen. No son was ever loved more by his Mother than I have been mine. Hannah Webb Toone died on 24 August 1919 and was buried in the Croydon Cemetery, Morgan County, Utah. William Henry Toone died on 25 December 1923 and was buried next to his beloved wife. This history was written by her son J. Melvin Toone with additional information taken from William Henry Toone's history, also written by J. Melvin Toone. Previously printed in "Life Stories" of the Posterity of John Toone and his three wives, Emma Prosser, Hannah Wardell, and Jemima Cook.