RACHEL DAVIS POWELL
Rachel
Davis Powell, daughter of Mary Williams and James Davis, was born at Alltween,
Glamorganshire, Wales, October 20, 1851. She was one of a family of five
daughters and two sons, Eliza Davis (Morris), Ann Davis (Powell), John Davis,
Rachel Davis (Powell), William Davis, Jane Davis (Hyde) and Margaret Davis
(Jones).
The LDS
missionaries contacted the Davis family and after many visits the entire family
was baptized and became very strong and faithful members of the Church.
They were
very happy in their new-found religion and lived as closely as possible to
every precept of the Gospel. The family was raised with full respect for the
Sabbath. All of the household tasks such as preparing the food for Sunday,
clothes cleaned and pressed, shoes polished, etc., were performed on Saturday
leaving nothing to do on Sunday except to light the fires. There was no work or
play permitted for any member of the family on the Sabbath.
At the
time of Rachel's childhood there were many enemies of the LDS Church. On one
occasion some of these enemies captured Rachel's father and tied him up in a
rock quarry, trying to make him deny that he believed in the Gospel, this he
refused to do even in the face of death. They set fire to a fuse leading to a keg
of powder, intending to do away with him, but the fuse would not burn. Afraid
of being discovered in their cowardly plot the men let him go after some time
had passed. As soon as he had walked away and was out of danger the quarry was
blown up and the men were never heard of again. This was a very strong
testimony for Rachel and her family. They knew they had joined the true Church
and rejoiced in their choice.
Shortly
after the family had joined the Church, Rachel and her sisters began to make
plans to come to America and eventually to Utah to join the Saints.
In
1868, Rachel, Eliza, and Ann were joined by their brother John on the trip to
America, which was made on the steamship Minnesota. John Parry was
captain of the company of Saints on the ship. After reaching America, the
duties of Captain for the trek across the plains were assumed by Chester
Loveland. Rachel walked across the plains as did many of the other
stronghearted and faithful women of that time.
Soon
after Rachel arrived in Salt Lake she was employed in the home of C. R. Savage,
who was a photographer. She did housework for the Savage family and made her
home with them for many years. They were very good to her and were her best
friends during her life in Salt Lake City.
Shortly
after Rachel and her sisters and brother left for America, her mother died,
this of course was a sorrow to all. Rachel was happy to learn her father with
sisters Jane and Margaret were soon to join her in Utah. William, Rachel's
other brother, was serving in the British Army at the time and did not come to
Utah until 1907.
After
arriving in Utah, Rachel's father and brother John worked as masons on the Salt
Lake Temple. This meant very much to Mr. Davis to think that he, after his long
wait, should be blessed with this wonderful opportunity to help in building
this Temple to God, and it strengthened his faith and testimony even more in
the gospel.
Rachel
married James McGuire and was blessed with three children: Minnie, born October
10, 1872; Mary, born February 3, 1874;
and William James who was born March 22, 1876. Mr. McGuire was killed in a snow
slide in Bingham Canyon in 1876.
A few
months after the death of Mr. McGuire
Rachel was attending a house party; here she met Hyrum Powell. After a few
months of close friendship they were married in Salt Lake City in October 1877. Hyrum and Rachel lived in Salt
Lake City for a few months and then it was decided to move to Samaria, Idaho.
Rachel often told of the long tiring trip which was made in a covered wagon
through deep mud and almost impassable roads. The trip took them days and was
an exhausting one for the three small children. When the family reached Samaria
they made a very lovely home in spite of all the hardships endured in early
pioneer life. Rachel and Hyrum returned to Salt Lake later and were endowed in
the Endowment House there, January 2, 1879.
Rachel
and Hyrum had six children: Hyrum Davis Powell, Daniel Davis Powell, Margaret
Jane Powell (Hill), Rachel Powell (Williams), John Davis Powell, and Eliza
Powell who died the day she was born. The other five children all grew to
manhood and womanhood and had families of their own.
Rachel
who was the mother of nine children was not too strong, possibly due to the
hardships endured crossing the plains. At one time she was very sick, the
doctor had given her up. At that time the Malad Stake was to hold conference.
The Stake President heard of Rachel's illness and postponed conference. At that
time I was old enough to recall the occasion and many of mother's friends were
at the home paying respects to the family and waiting for the end. Mother,
however, rallied and recovered from that illness.
All
during her life Rachel was very active in the church. She worked in the Relief
Society very actively and faithfully, always doing more than her share as a
visiting teacher.
During
these early days, members of the ward had to provide their own entertainment
and many dances and shows were put on by the members. Suppers were given for
the old folks one day and for the young folks the next day. Rachel and Hyrum
always took an active part in all the entertainment in the ward enjoying the
dances very much.
As
Rachel was an excellent cook she was always asked to help with the
refreshments, her specialty being fruitcake. Rachel's home was always open to
her friends and on many occasions luncheons and dinners were given for them.
When the Relief Society teachers called they never left without some
refreshments, usually a cup of tea, some cheese and a Welsh cake, called Teisen
Thin, made on a griddle on the stove.
When
Rachel and Hyrum moved to Samaria there was some trouble with a few hostile
Indians. At one time when the Indians came to beg for food, she gave them what
she could spare and a big Buck Indian took her hand to thank her and after they
had gone she discovered he had taken her wedding ring from her finger. The
Indians also told her what a pretty squaw she was and indeed she was; she had
beautiful blue eyes and long black hair that touched the floor when she sat
down, a very striking woman indeed.
Rachel's
daughters, Mary and Minnie, were married and lived in Murray, Utah. Rachel
would, whenever her health permitted, go to Utah for April Conference and stay
with her daughters. Rachel died July 10, 1900 in Samaria at the age of
forty-eight.
-
Margaret Jane Powell Hill, daughter
