MARGARET ROBERTS MORGAN
Margaret
was born May 17, 1841, at Eglwysbach. Her father joined the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints before she was seven years old. Through her earnest pleadings, her father
allowed her to be baptized while she was yet in her seventh year. On account of having affiliated themselves
with such a despised sect, they were shunned by everyone and her father’s
trade, which was that of a shoemaker, dwindled away until he was unable to
support his family.
At
the tender age of seven years Margaret was obliged to go from home during the
day to care for children as well as other odd jobs, such as her age and
strength would permit. She often said
that for a weeks’ work she received cloth enough to make an apron or some
article of underwear or perhaps some small thing to take home for other members
of the family.
As
she grew older she obtained work with the more well-to-do people who were glad
to have care for their children. She
also hired as a maid. Her honesty was
often tested by those for whom she worked by leaving pieces of money
around. Though she was very poor, she
always picked the money up as she cleaned and returned it to her mistress.
After
becoming a member of the Church she was deeply interested in listening to her
father and other Elders explain the principles of the Gospel. Though young, her mind seemed to light-up by
the Spirit of God so she was able to understand what they taught.
In
the spring of 1861 her father decided to send another member of the family to Zion, Elizabeth having already gone in 1855
with some of the Elders and Saints who were going. Elder Lewis, I think, suggested it to be
Catherine, an older sister. However, she
was rather delicate of health and lacked confidence in her own ability to
travel alone. Margaret had developed a
character for independence, inasmuch as she had worked away from home a good
deal. She felt she could take care of
herself, that “in time she would be a blessing to the entire family”. This prediction was literally fulfilled (as
has been noted in the history of Elizabeth above). Elizabeth told Margaret’s daughter
Hannah “Your mother has always been the prop and backbone of father’s family.”
Margaret
walked across the plains. The following
incident happened on the Great Plains in 1861. It happened while she was on her way with an
emigrant train enroute to the valleys of the
mountains. One day as the train of ox
teams was winding its way along the Mormon trail westward they came to a place
on the bottom of the North platt River, nearing the
mountains where there were a lot of wild native currants just in that condition
of lucious ripeness to be best, and the bushes were
just loaded. Margaret with about six or
seven companions, young people who like herself were walking went into those
bushes and picked and picked and picked currants, ate their fill, and filled
aprons, hats and pockets. Time and the
train went on unnoticed and the train was some distance ahead. After getting currants to their hearts
content the young people went out again on the roadway, now hurriedly, to
follow and catch the train. To their
dismay and horror, standing in the road ahead of them and between them and
their train were two stalwart Indian warriors with arms folded in full war regailia, facing and watching them. What were they to do? They had no weapons—nothing to protect
themselves. They had been counciled and warned never to leave the train under any
circumstances and they had disobeyed.
They threw the fruit away, filled with consternation, prayed for help
and deliverance with all their souls.
They stood wondering what to do.
It seemed an age. Presently the
Indians smiled at them, left the road, and went off through the country afoot
and the young people proceeded in haste to catch the train, thankful for
deliverance and with a firm determination never again to disobey council. They believed that God had brought about
their deliverance and their safe return to camp and they had learned a lesson
in such a way as never to be forgotten by them, and their gratitude ever went
up to God for His mercy to them.
Her
20th birthday occurred during that journey, at which they would sing
and tell stories as they journey along.
Margaret went to live with Brother and Sister Matthews for some time
after arriving in Salt Lake City. They were very kind to her. While living with a family near Ogden, she had her first
experience with red peppers. Having
neither seen nor heard of red peppers and finding some growing in the garden,
she judged from their appearance that they must be good to eat. She tasted one—that bite was sufficient to
satisfy her appetite for red peppers for the rest of her life.
Margaret
lived for some time with Elizabeth on a ranch in Henefer. Few girls
could ride horses so well as she. She
often forded the Weber River to drive cows in for milking.
She
married Evan Samuel Morgan May 1, 1863, and he and Margaret went to
live at Shambip, Rush Valley, Tooele County, Utah. In April 1864 Evan went to Bear Lake Valley to look for a new home. He left Margaret in Shambip. She grew garden-stuff which she sold for a
good price to the soldiers who were camped not far from there. Hugh Evan, her first child, was born one
month before his father returned from Bear Lake.
April 1, 1865 Evan and Margaret received
their endowments in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. That same spring Evan returned to Bear Lake Valley, taking what few stock he
had and made preparation for moving Margaret.
In the fall he returned to Rush Valley and left there in October
for their new home. Their team consisted
of two yoke of oxen. During this trip
they were forced to make what was known ad “Dry camp” after leaving the area
now known as Mantua, Box Elder County, Utah. Evan had broken the tongue of his wagon and
he could not fix it before dark. There
were other travelers there also. These
people had several head of cattle and horses for teams. Since there was no water, they milked their
cows and gave the milk to the animals to drink.
Hugh
Evan, being only a baby, cried for a drink, and Margaret seeing the people with
such an abundance of milk thought surely she could get some for her baby. She took a pint cup and went and asked if she
might have a pint of milk. She was
flatly refused and told that they needed it for their horses and cattle.
Margaret
lived to see the day when she enjoyed many of the comforts of life which these
people did not have. It was her
privilege to minister to the wants of some of their grandchildren, who were in
distressing circumstances.
They
reached their destination November 1, 1865. Their home was near the mouth of the
canyon. Margaret often had to entertain
travelers from the lower Valley. Often
she had the leaders of the Church and the Sisters from Salt Lake City. Her home was a haven of rest for hundreds of
people.
She
was in possession of many of the gifts of the Gospel, especially was she
endowed with the gift of discernment and has been able to read the very
thoughts of people and thwart them in their evil designs. Everyone with whom she came in contact made a
confident of her, even strangers. Though
her book learning was limited, she had a rich store of knowledge. She was a careful observer, an attentive
listener and a deep thinker. She had
exceptional ability as a financier. At
one time the Stake Relief Society officers asked her to submit the plan used by
her for raising funds for carrying on their work.
She
was chosen as president of the Relief Society in Liberty, a position which she held
for 32 years. Margaret spent much of her
time ministering to the sick, often being away from home two and three days at
a time. On several occasions children’s
lives have been saved through her untiring efforts and exercise of faith along
with the administrations of the Priesthood.
One remarkable instance of this kind occurred in her brother
John Roberts’ family. Two of Fannie’s
children had already died with membranous croup. Reuben, the third child, was given up to die
by the doctors when Margaret was called in.
Through faith and prayers and her unceasing efforts through one day and
night, his life was spared.
Margaret’s
entire life was one of usefulness and truly did she fulfill the words of the
Savior when He said, “Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of one of these, ye
do it unto me.” She died March 20, 1918, at the home of Caddie Morgan where she was
visiting for a week. She was sick only a
few days and died as she had lived, a faithful Latter-day Saint.
Evan Samuel
Morgan
The
following is a short biography of Margaret’s husband, Evan Samuel Morgan. Evan was the son of William and Sarah Davis
Morgan. He was born November 29, 1833, on a small farm called ‘Ynys
Ymond’, Cadaxton Parish,
Glamorganshire, Wales, which is about seven miles
from the seaport of Swansea. After a few years in school, he commenced
working in a mine at the age of eleven. When about fourteen years of age, he met with an accident which
seriously injured his leg and incapacitated him for five months.
At
sixteen a boy friend gave him some Latter-day Saint’s literature, which Evan
read with great joy as he believed it to be true. Later his brother William, who had previously
joined the Church, gave him a Book of Mormon in English. He read it through and believed it to be the
truth. Shortly after this he attended a
street meeting and heard Elder Evan A. Williams explain some of the new
doctrines. This was the first Gospel
sermon he had ever heard. Evans said:
“It was the sweetest thing I had ever heard.”
He attended several open air meetings after this time and was baptized
into the Church of Jesus Christ October 18, 1851, by Elder James J. Davis and
confirmed on October 23, 1851, by the same Elder. He was ordained a deacon October 27, 1851, by Elder William Lewis; a priest January 1, 1854 by Elder William Lewis. After this he began to preach the Gospel in
his home town. He was ordained an Elder November 6, 1854 by Thomas E. Jeremy; a high priest September 8, 1883 by George Osmond.
Evan still continued to work in the coal mines.
In
August 1854 he answered a call for volunteers to travel and preach the
Gospel. He was appointed to labor in
Carmarthenshire and shortly after was appointed as President, a position he
held until February 4, 1855, when he was released to
return to his home in Glamorganshire.
When
he returned home he found it very difficult to obtain work unless he renounce his religion.
This he would not do. He
therefore had to seek employment some miles from home. For two years he continued to preach the Gospel
and was called to preside over different branches and also to preside over a
conference.
March 22, 1857, he left Swansea for Liverpool, on his way to America. He arrived at this destination March 23 at 6
p.m. March 28th he boarded the sailing
vessel, George Washington, and started for America. The sea was quite rough and Evan suffered
some seasickness, but was able to assist in caring for others. He reached Boston on Monday, April 20th,
with just enough money to buy one meal. A stranger in a strange land. But the Lord prepared the way before
him. A sister loaned him $5 to pay his
railroad fare from Boston to Iowa. This he paid back shortly after arriving in
the Valley. Sister Ann Roberts, who was
rather sickly and who had paid her hand-cart fare in Liverpool, became discouraged about
crossing the plains and allowed him to go in her place.
May
21st he started on his journey across the Plains, pulling a handcart
all the way to Salt Lake and arriving there the 11th
of September. He endured the hardship
incident to crossing the Plains but said that on the whole he enjoyed the
journey. On his arrival in Salt Lake City, he was met by his brother William’s wife, who took him with her to Shambip, Tooele County. Here he found employment digging potatoes,
hauling firewood for which he received very small wages. At the time of the entrance of Johnson’s
Army, he took care of Brother Bates’ cattle at the point of the mountain. When the soldiers moved to Camp Floyd, he worked there for some
time and received good wages.
In
the spring of 1851 he was sent to Florence to meet the emigrants. He returned to Salt Lake in September. October 3,
1861,
he was married to Mary Parry, who was born in 1840 in Denbighshire, Wales. A baby came to bless their home on January 30, 1863 and was named John parry. His wife died February 7, and the baby died
February 23. Both were buried in Tooele.
May 1, 1863, he married Margaret
Roberts. On September
12, 1864, she gave birth to a boy, Hugh Evan.
In April 1864 he went to Bear Lake to seek a new home. He settled on North Creek, now called Liberty. He took up 30 acres of land, cultivating
about five acres. His provisions were
very low and he lived on carrots and bran.
He returned to Tooele in October and remained over the winter.
In
the fall of 1865 Evan took his family and their few belongings to their new
home in Bear Lake. During the summer of 1866, the Indians were
so hostile all of the settlers were advised to move to Paris. All were leaving but Evan and his family,
owing to the fact that Margaret was too ill with what is now known as
pneumonia. A Sister Clark and husband
decided to remain with them and trust the Lord to protect them and they were
unmolested. The frost was early and took
the grain before it ripened, causing much suffering. There was no market for their produce so Evan
took it to Cache Valley and even to Ogden, where he got a good price
for it. But things they had to buy were
also high in price.
He
was always an active Church worker. He
served as 2nd Counselor to Levi Hammon,
who was appointed by Apostle Charles C. Rich to preside over the Liberty
Branch. He later served as Counselor to
Bishop Edwin N. Austin. In 1870 he was
called to be Superintendent of the first Sunday School
in Liberty. He also
presided over the Mutual for some time.
In 1876 he was called by Apostle Charles C. Rich to locate the best
canyon as an outlet for the construction of a road to the lower Valley. He selected Emigration Canyon and although his advice was
not followed, engineers who have later been inspecting the condition have
reported it one of the best grades of canyon road.
On September 8, 1883, he was ordained a High priest by George Osmund and set apart as a member of the High Council. This position he held until he was released
in 1889, to go on a mission to Wales. While there his father, who was blind, died
and he had the satisfaction of seeing him properly buried. He died May 1913 at the age of 78 years and
six months, from general debility and kidney trouble. He was a faithful Latter-day Saint, never
doubting that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet, or the authenticity of the Book
of Mormon. Though his education gained
in school was limited, he made use of his spare moments in home study and
acquired a rich fund of knowledge.
