LIFE OF ANNORA COLEMAN BODEN
Annora Coleman Boden was
born at Pontypool, Monmouthshire, South
Wales, on 4 May 1828. She was the daughter of James and Mary Coleman. Her
father died when she was but a small child leaving her mother with a family of
five small children and in poor circumstances. Therefore, Annora
was compelled early in life towork for a living. When
a young girl she worked in a confectionary store where the people made their
own candy. She was encouraged by them to learn the trade, as they told her that
later in life it might be of use to her.
When eighteen years of
age she married James Boden. Through this union eleven children were born:
six girls and give boys. For many years before she and her husband and family emigrated to Utah they lived in Aberdare, Glamorganshire, South Wales.
Annora heard the gospel preached when she was about
20 years of age. She had always been of a serious and religious nature, and
when she first heard the gospel preached it appealed to her as the teachings of
the New Testament which she learned to read while attending Sunday Schools.
She was baptized into the Church in 1848 by
William Howells, father of the late Ann Burt. [See his individual file on this
website.] Her husband soon became interested in the gospel too, and he was also
baptized. Their home was always open to the elders. Her husband took an active
part in the Church for about 20 years before they emigrated
to America.
They emigrated to Utah in
1868 after being on the ocean three weeks, during which journey her life was
despaired of. But through her faith she was restored.
They crossed the plains in ox teams. A baby
boy was born to her while crossing the plains. It lived but twelve days and was
buried on the plains. Her husband became ill with mountain fever the day they
started their journey across the plains, gradually becoming worse until they
reached the Salt Lake Valley on 3 September 1868, just one
day after they arrived at Salt Lake City leaving his wife penniless
with seven small children,the
oldest but sixteen years of age.
She had expected to live in Salt Lake City had
her husband lived, but having two daughters who had emigrated (one four years
before and the other one year before) living at Brigham City, the rest of the
family joined them there.
She made a livelihood for her family by making
candy (Boden Candy) and any other employment she
could get to do while the children were small. When her daughters became old
enough to help her she kept a hotel. She numbered her friends by the score, not
only in Brigham Citybut by all the traveling
public who became acquainted with her. Her memory is still cherished by all who
knew her.
She died peacefully on 24 October 1899 after
several weeks of suffering. Five of her children preceded her in death. At the
time of her death she left six children, 37 grandchildren and 21
great-grandchildren.
It is told that she traded a pig to Brigham
Young for her first sack of sugar to make candy with to support her young
family after she was widowed. This later became the now famous Boden Candy. The recipe for this candy has been secret,
only in the possession of one member of the family at a time. Presently a Mrs.
Richard Cannon in Logan, Utah, a great-great-granddaughter, has the
recipe and makes and sells the candy commercially around Christmas time each years.
Boden
Candy
“Little girl, you’d better learn how to make
this stick candy; it might help you make a living some day.”
This prophetic advice was given to Annora Coleman Boden when she worked in a candy factory in Wales.
She was born 4 May 1828. In her early years
she learned the candy trade and worked as a housekeeper and cook. She married
James Boden at age 19 and they had ten children while
they lived in Wales. They left for the United States to join the
Latter-day Saints in August 1868. Their eleventh child died on the way to Utah and
James died of mountain fever the day after they arrived in Salt Lake City.
She was left without money or a home and seven children.
They moved to Brigham City to be
near the two oldest daughters who had gone ahead of the family. She and the
boys worked at whatever they could find that first winter. She bought sugar
whenever she got her hands on a few dollars and made candy in an iron kettle
over an open fireplace. In the 31 years she lived and worked in Brigham
City she developed a boarding house, the candy business and served the
neighborhood as resident nurse.
When she passed away in 1899 the candy duties
fell to her daughter Ann. Eight years later it passed to her sister Elizabeth Boden Morrison. Her daughter Elizabeth Morrison Eskelsen resumed the family tradition in 1947 after a
ten-year hiatus. The candy recipe was reduced to science through her efforts. her daughters Elizabeth Peters and Karen Cannon have kept
the tradition alive. Karen’s husband has made it since 1971. Occasional Welsh
visitors recognize the candy and call it Humbug Candy.
Kept cool and dry the candy has a shelf life
of up to a year but softens with time as the glassy state reverts to crystalline
sugar.
Mrs. Richard (Karen) Cannon, 366 West 775
North, Logan, Utah 84321 Phone 752-4206.
