WILLIAM TWIGG –
Biography
William
Twigg was baptized January 22, 1804 Roch Parish, Pembroke, Wales. He was the son of Thomas and
Martha (Wade) Twigg, and grandson of David and Martha
(John) Twigg. William married in this parish on
September 29, 1840 to MARY REED, daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Lloyd) Reed,
baptized May 7, 1814 in Little Newcastle, Pembroke, Wales. A
sad day in their household occurred on June 15, 1847, when their daughter,
Martha, died at the age of six days. A day of happiness was with them when they
were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and baptized
by Elder William Vaughn in the winter of 1849; in fact it was so cold that they
had to break the ice atop the water before the baptism could be performed.
William
played an active role in the Church, as evidenced by the journal of traveling
elder Daniel Williams, which states under the date of October 1, 1851,
concerning a general council meeting at Havordfordwest,
Pembroke, Wales: “After addressing the council at some length shewing the importance of regularly attending the council
meetings, Elder William Bowen, William Twigg, and
Thomas Rees appeared by order of last council to shew
the cause of their absence from that council. They shewed reasons which satisfied the council and were free to
officiate in their offices.” Another mention in the journal may be
referring to William since he was residing in Rickeston
Mill. Under the date of February 5, 1852, Williams recorded: “Started for Marloes by Rickeston Mill; Elder Twigg came to me to Marloes that
night; we both preached to a small congregation in the home of Elder Hughes,
and returned that night to Rickeston
Mill.”
William
let his house be used as a meeting place for church meetings as evidenced by
the journal of David Williams, which states under the date of July 24,
1852: “Rickeston Mill Council Meeting held at
the house of Wm Twigg Rickeston
Mill. Elder David Williams, traveling Elder, came in to council and Pres.
William Thomas asked him to give some instructions. Elder D. Williams then
stood up and said, ‘The time is but short, the time is not far hence, that the
judgments of God will be poured out without mixture; then it is our duty to be
up and doing and preach the gospel that our fellow man may be truly warned of
the approaching calamity. And in so doing, we shall have the spirit of God to showeth us that we may have faith
to travel to Zion.
For the time will come that the Saints will have to travel to Zion
amidst plagues and pestilence; and inasmuch as we will obey counsel and keep
the commandments of God, we are the people that will be enabled to go through
all to the land
of Zion.’”
William
worked in the flourmills and due to his continual inhaling of the fine flour
dust he died from congestion of the lungs on January 15, 1854 in Rickeston Mill, Pembroke. Mary, with her six children, and
her sister and brother-in-law John and Martha (Reed) Twigg,
decided to sail to America
with the desire of going to Salt Lake
City, Utah. They went
to Liverpool, England and set sail on November
24, 1854 on the Clara Wheeler. These two families were among the 422
passengers heading for their eventual Utah
destination. [For a history of Mary and her journey to America see her
biography.]
