MARY DEER DAVIS PRICE
Mary
Deer was born 18 March, 1831 at Llanquicke, Glamorganshire, Wales, to David
Deer and Margaret Jones. Her father was a coal miner and a ship builder. She
was the oldest in a family of eight children, five boys and three girls.
When
Mary was eighteen years old she became interested in a new religion brought to
Wales by Mormon missionaries from America. She was baptized 8 December 1849,
the only one of her family to accept the new religion which was very unpopular
at that time. Family and friends became unfriendly toward her, following her
conversion. She went to Swansea, Wales, where she worked as a seamstress and
later to Merthyr Tydfil where she worked in a printing shop for a Mr. John
Davis. While there she helped him with the first translation of the Book of
Mormon into the Welsh language, saving her money to pay her way to come to
America.
Saturday,
4 February 1854, the ship Golconda sailed from Liverpool, England, with
464 Mormon converts. Mary Deer then twenty two years of age, was one of the
passengers along with Mr. Davis, his wife, Elizabeth, and a two-year old
daughter, Julia. They arrived at New Orleans seven weeks later, 18 March 1854.
Sunday,
5 March 1854, another ship, Old England, left Liverpool for America with
45 converts aboard, among them David Woodwell Davis, a young widower. He was
born at Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, Wales. His wife, Elizabeth, had died in July
1852. He had been baptized in 1847. He, too, was going to America because of
his religion. He arrived in New Orleans, 24 April 1854.
When
and where Mary and David met and were married is not known, nor has a record
been found of their marriage.
They
crossed the plains in 1854 or 1855. They were sealed to each other 2 March 1856
in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. David was sealed to Elizabeth Barry
the same day.
Mary
Deer and David Woodwell Davis were the parents of six sons: David Thomas born 4
March 1856, Woodwell born 1857, Samuel Deer born 22 July 1859, Hyrum Eynon and
Joseph (twins) born 16 August 1862, and Septimus Eynon born 29 May 1864 after
his father's death on 20 March 1864. Septimus died 30 July 1864. Woodwell and
Joseph had died in infancy.
She
married George McLaughlin. Two children were born to them, George, and Mary
Ellen who died as a child.
In
1870, she met John Evan Price of Samaria, Idaho. She became his plural wife 26
December 1870 and went with him to Samaria where he made a good home for her
and her boys. She was living in the Second Ward at the time she married John E.
Price. Two children were born to them, Margaret Ann, 9 January 1872, and
Elizabeth Jane, 17 March 1875. Her husband died 25 June 1876. After his death
she used her Davis name again.
She was
the first postmistress at Samaria. She was active in the church, serving as
president of the Young Women's organization and for nineteen years she was
president of the Relief Society. She was always ready and willing to help those
in need.
Mary's
daughter, Margaret Ann Price, married Delbert Potter, and her daughter,
Elizabeth Jane Price, married Isaac B. Evans. She died at their home 12
November 1897, following a short illness. Her father, David Deer, is buried at
Alton, Illinois. He died there 21 July 1868.
- Mary
Evans Keller, granddaughter
