Mom Share Your Life with Me - January 8

Question:  What was your mother's date and place of birth?

Mother didn't write anything on this page but her mother, Elizabeth Sarah Williams was born 22 June 1880 in Lake Shore, Utah, Utah.

Mom Share Your Life with Me - January 6

Question:  What was your mother's full name?

Answer:  Mother wrote that her mother's name was Sarah Elizabeth Williams which is what we kids grew up thinking that was what her name was but in doing family history, I found out that in reality her name is Elizabeth Sarah Williams.

Elizabeth Sarah Williams Proctor

Photo Tree - First Three Generations

I thought it might be helpful to include some pedigree charts so that you could all know exactly where you tie into the people whose life stories you are reading.  

Elizabeth Sarah Williams - Part Two

     When Grandmother attended German Ellsworth's school, he presented her with a book, "Voice of Warning," for being the best pupil in the school.  She was very gifted as an oral reader.  She always had an important part in every school play.  She was a beautiful penman.  She loved to write and would fill her notebook with beautiful writing then carefully erase it all so she could use her notebook over again.

Finally George persuaded her to keep house for him while he ran the farm.  Grandmother and George attended the Brigham Young Academy on an I.O.U.  The next summer Grandmother repaid it by working for President Cluff's second wife at Beaver, Utah.

Grandmother worked at various places.  Finally she went to Eureka, Utah to keep house for Great Grandfather Proctor after the death of his second wife.  It was here she and Grandpa Proctor met, and were married.

Grandmother was very active in the Relief Society.  From March 1911 to March 1915 she was secretary to President Pheobe Isaac.  She was Relief Society Visiting Teacher for many years.

Grandmother was blessed with a talent of doing beautiful hand work.  She was always making beautiful gifts for someone.  During World War I, Mother received a Medal of Honor for doing so much knitting for the Red Cross.  (120 pairs of stockings, 27 sweaters, and countless scarves.) 

She was blessed with a remarkable memory.  She gave many humorous readings in public.  She could read a lengthy selection over a few times and would know it verbatim.

            Eight beautiful children were born to this union: Bessie Vernal, William Thomas, Annie Caroline, George Trevor, Mary Atha, James Franklin, Alan, and Ruth Elizabeth.

           

Grandmother died 3 December 1918 at the age of 38.  Ruth was only 2 ½ weeks old.   She died from puerperal fever sometimes known as childbed fever, a bacterial infection contracted by women during childbirth or miscarriage.  Contributory causes were toxemia of pregnancy, a severe condition characterized by high blood pressure and swelling;  nephritis, an inflammation of the nephrons in the kidneys and  toxic liver.

            Grandmother’s Patriarchal Blessing states: “They posterity will be very numerous; among them will be apostles and prophets, seers and revelators, and many leading women in Zion.”  What a marvelous blessing!  Which one of you will be called to fulfill that part of her blessing?  It sure gives us something to think about!  All of us should live worthy of such a calling anyway whether we are ever called to the positions or not.

            I look forward to meeting this elect lady.

Elizabeth Sarah Williams - Part One

     Aunt Annie Caroline Proctor Jaynes wrote up Grandmother’s life story.  I have added the pictures and changed it somewhat so it would flow how I wanted it to.  I appreciate all the work that she did on our family history.  I miss her and wish so many times that I could just ask her a question about one of the relatives. 

 Elizabeth Sarah Williams was the third child and only daughter of Thomas Trevor Williams and Annie Blackburn Williams.  She was born 22 June 1880 in Lake Shore, Utah, Utah.  She had two older brothers; William Trevor and George Blackburn, and two younger brothers;  John Trevor and Thomas James. 

             Her father died from lead poisoning due to his work in the mines 1 April 1884 at the age of 37.  Grandmother was almost 4 years old when he died.  John Trevor was 2 and Thomas James was born just over 4 months after his death.  This little one died just a few months later on 10 November 1884. 

             After Great Grandfather Williams died, Great Grandmother moved with her small family to Spanish Fork, Utah.

             Grandmother’s brother, John related the following story:  "While living at lst west and 7th north in Spanish Fork, 

What area looks like today

a crowd of children went down to King's farm to play one day.  A pole cat (skunk) barred our way.  Will King said if Elizabeth would go and kick it out of the way he would give her 10 cents. Mother met us in the front yard, stripped us while Aunty Dayton got a tub of hot water and soap.  They buried our clothes to drive away the smell."

            After another mover to 4th N. and 8th East in Spanish Fork, the small family moved back to the farm in Lake Shore, Utah.

As it looks today.

             "On one occasion while living on the farm we use to play in an excavation made by digging out the alfalfa chaff, being nice and dry and warm in there we became tired of playing.  We took French Leave and went down to Bank's to play.  A terrible wind storm came up, (Lake Shore had its share).  We got home just as Mother with a little help from neighbors finished removing the last of the chaff stack with their hands, as she wouldn't allow them to use pitchforks for fear they would injure us as she was positive we were all under the chaff as she had seen us playing there."

    Grandmother’s mother succumbed to pneumonia and died 14 February 1891, leaving three orphan children; George, age 13; Elizabeth, age 11; and John, age 9.  She was only 36 years old. 

Elizabeth Sarah Williams was baptized 4 August 1892 by Joseph Bellows, at Lake Shore, Utah, Utah.

After their mother’s death, Grandma and John went to live with Joseph and Alice Bellows.  George lived at various places and some times at Bellows.  After three years grandmother and John went to live with Mr. and Mrs. William Fergerson.  They were happy in their new home.  The Proctor children always called them Uncle Bill and Aunt Carl. (Her name was Caroline.  It was after her that Annie Caroline received her name as Annie Caroline Proctor.  Annie was her Grandmother's name.)

Franklin DH Proctor - Part Three

A young lady by the name Elizabeth Sarah Williams, my Grandmother, went to Great Grandpa Proctor’s home to work and keep house for him and his young children after the death of their mother.  Grandpa met her on one of his trips home.  It was love at first sight and they were married the following 2 May 1900 at Eureka, Juab, Utah.  He was 18 and she was 19.

Grandpa and Grandma returned to Colorado where Daddy was working at Camp Bird at Uray for a short time.

They soon returned to Eureka.  A tiny baby daughter came to gladden their home 26 December 1900.  The tiny baby daughter was named Bessie Vernell Proctor.

  On 22 April 1903 a son, William Thomas was born.

They left Eureka, Utah, as the lead was too much for Grandpa. 

Franklin DH, Elizabeth Sarah, Bessie and Bill Proctor

They made their home in Leland, Utah.  On 15 February 1905, Annie Caroline (Carol) joined the happy home.

They built the brick home on top of the hill, (later sold to Burts) here George Trevor Proctor was born 14 June 1907.

  They sold their little home and built the brick home across the road from Ephie and Carrie Peterson. (Later they sold this home to Earl Davis.) 

On February 1909 Grandpa was baptized at Spanish Fork, Utah, by Uncle John Williams (Grandma Proctor’s brother).  Grandpa and Bessie were baptized the same day.

On 22 October 1910, Mary Atha Proctor was born.

  They sold their home to Earl Davis and bought the Bill Lewis home.  James Franklin Proctor was born here 23 May 1913.

Grandpa and Grandma sold their home, ranch, cows, and all possessions and moved to a lovely home in Groveland, Idaho, a few miles from Blackfoot.  Grandpa’s brother, George, and his family moved to Idaho and settled in Wapello.

A bad year followed their move.  There wasn't a market for any of the crops.  It would cost more to market the crops than to leave them in the ground.  Grandpa was terribly discouraged.  He sold everything at a sacrifice.  He put his family and a few personal belongings in a covered wagon and in November 1914, he headed the team of horses back toward Utah.  It was a cold trip back home.  Grandpa and the boys slept on the ground and Grandma and the girls slept in the wagon.

One cold morning this side of Pocatello, Idaho, Grandpa froze his ears.  A man on a horse stopped at their camp fire to warm himself.  Icicles 5 to 6 inches long were hanging from the horses nostrils.  The entire front of the horse was covered with hoarfrost.  Annie Caroline walked from Inkom to McCammon, Idaho, a distance of 12 miles, to keep warm.

They had a hard time crossing the Malad Divide.  The roads were steep and very slippery.  Bessie, Bill, George and Annie walked beside the wagon.  When the horses would slip and fall to their knees, they would put rocks back of the wheels to keep the wagon from slipping backwards.

They  drove down Washington Avenue in Ogden, Utah, on Thanksgiving Day.  Everyone was dressed up for the occasion.  They wished the chickens wouldn't cackle.  They were riding in a cage which was hanging on the back of the wagon.  (They really were thankful for the chickens.  They kept us in eggs while we were on our trek.)  They arrived in Salt Lake City late Thanksgiving night and stayed at the home of Grandma Proctor’s oldest brother, Uncle George and Aunt Etta's home.  The next day they continued their trip on to Spanish Fork.

Once again the family settled in Spanish Fork, Utah.  They rented a home in the first ward for a short time.  The bought the Brimhall home just west out of the city limits on the Sugar Factory Road.

Alan Proctor was born 26 September 1916.  He gladdened their home for one short day.  He died 27 September 1916.

Grandma always wanted to move back to Leland, back to the friends she loved so dearly.  In 1917 they moved back to Leland and rented the Bowen home.  Ruth Elizabeth Proctor was born 16 November 1918.

  It was a broken hearted home the following 3 December 1918 when their dearly beloved Mother was called to the Great Beyond.  Annie remembers Grandpa putting his arms around them and drawing them near to him.  Under his kind and protecting care they knew he would be a Mother-Father to them.  (This he truly was.)  Their wonderful Mother had completed her mission here on earth.  Grandpa and his seven children must carry on.