HISTORY OF MY GRANDMOTHER, MARGARET (REESE) WILLIAMS
Margaret
Reese Williams was the daughter of David C. Reese and Mary (Thomas) Reese. She
was born March 2nd,
1845 at Myrther, Tidville,
South Wales. She grew
up through many hardships, being the eldest of seven children. She never had a
day’s schooling as she started to work at the age of six years. She did heavy
manual work at the coal mines.
When
sixteen years old she was converted to the L.D.S.
Church and started to save money to
come to Utah.
That was her greatest desire and she went with the bare necessities to
save. At the age of nineteen she had
enough saved to pay her way. In May 1864 a company of saints from the British Isles were sailing, so she came with them. They
set sail May 10th,
1864. The trip on water took six weeks. She was never sick at any
time although many lost their lives on that trip.
After
arriving at Winter Quarters, she started across the plains in the Company
presided over by George G. Bywater and Thomas E. Jerremy. She walked, carrying one of her friend’s two
children all the way except when met by Indians.
At one time
on the plains the leaders saw a band of Indians coming. The leader prayed that
the Company would be spared. After the prayer he said: If you will follow my
instruction no one will be hurt. He then told all the women and children to get
in the wagons and cover over, and all the men to have their guns ready but not
to say a word but to look straight ahead. When the Indians got near them they
lined up on each side of the trail with long spears in their hands. For three
miles they marched with the Indians on each side. Every once in a while Indians
would stab the oxen and the blood would squirt out, but no one was hurt. But
three miles further them came to a terrible scene. A
company of people going to California
were massacred. Their wagons were burned and every one in the company were murdered. My grandmother helped bury thirty-nine people
in one long grave. Those same Indians had done this terrible thing, so my
grandmother was surely protected. She had many trying experiences.
Many times
when fording a river she was tied back of a wagon so the current would not take
her down the stream. After arriving the Salt
Lake City, my Grandmother and Mrs. Griffith, whose
children she had helped pack, started on to Beaver, Utah where she met my
Grandfather David Williams. Their courtship was very interesting as he lived in
one end of the county and she lived in the other. When they would see each
other they would each walk seventeen miles and meet in the center of the
county. As my Grandmother only had one pair of shoes, she would pack them and
walk barefoot until just before they met, then she would put them on. My
Grandfather did not know this until after they were married. To pay their
marriage fee my Grandmother gave a round cheese and Grandfather gave part of a
wagon.
She was the
mother of thirteen children, seven daughters and six sons. Grandfather was
twenty-two years older then Grandmother. He died when he was seventy-nine years
old.
Five of
their sons were Bishops and the other being in the Bishopric, when he was
called to England
on a mission, where he died. All her sons but one filled
honorable missions. The youngest is now President of the Stake in which he lives.
Grandmother lived at Greenville,
Utah, all her married life where
they farmed and raised sheep.
Although
she never went to school, she learned to read and write and could figure
quicker in her head than most people could on paper.
She was
President of the Relief Society for many years, and was spoken of as one of the
best housekeepers and cooks in the country, although until she was married she
had never worked in the house.
She died at
the age of seventy-nine, January
5th, 1917. Her old home still stands. One of her
grandsons lives there.
Signed:
Hazel Hemenway Goodwin, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Sent by the Sacajawea Camp of Bonneville County (1964)
From the DUP Museum, Salt Lake City,
Utah
