A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MARGARET MARTIN (COMPILED BY
HER DAUGHTER, CELIA PACKER) Celia passed away on 24 May 1939 in Logan, Cache, Utah.
My mother, Margaret Martin was born 22 December 1833 near Dowlais, Glamorganshire, Wales. She was baptized into the Mormon church in 1845 and was married to Joseph Thomas Perkins 25
December 1852.
Her first child (a boy) was born 9 Jun 1854. She and her husband immigrated to Utah in 1855, leaving Wales in March. They were five weeks on the ocean. From Liverpool,
England to Philadelphia she was sick and confined to her
bed the entire voyage. The name of their
ship was “Chimborazo”.
Leaving Philadelphia
they traveled by coach and boat to Mormon Grove where they rested for a few
weeks and prepared to go west.
They left Mormon Grove 31 July 1855 in Charles Harper’s
Company. Two days before leaving Mormon
Grove a lady took sick and died leaving a little baby girl. My mother was asked by the baby’s father to
take the baby. This she did.
The company traveled until they came to the Big Blue River.
They were nine days getting across the river. The baby had been sick for several days. The night after the company got across the
river the baby died and was buried in the morning. The company then went on their way leaving the
little lone grave unmarked. This was
always a deep sorrow to my mother.
After reaching the Platte River
and crossing, they received a message from a company of soldiers under the
command of General Horney to hurry on so as to get past the soldiers as they
were expecting a fight with the Indians at any moment. After passing the soldiers a few miles, they
made camp. That night my mother, being
worried about the Indians, got up in her sleep and went out in the dark in her
night clothes. My father, waking and
missing her, aroused the camp. The men
went in all directions in search of her.
They found her a short distance from the Indian camp. From this time until they reached Salt Lake
my mother never undressed.
The company of pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City 31 October
1855 and were met by some friends with whom they stayed overnight. The next day they traveled on foot to Bountiful and the day following to Ogden
City and then walked on to North Ogden. There
they stayed until the summer of 1857.
One winter morning while they were living in North Ogden the bishop came to my mother’s house and
asked if she had a shawl she would sell to him.
She had a large double shawl which she got out for him to see. The bishop offered her a two-year old heifer
and $2 worth of butter for one half of the shawl. He also offered to give a yearling steer for
a black silk handkerchief one yard square that belonged to my father. They declined to make this trade saying the
snow was so deep and they had no feed for the animals. The bishop said he would furnish feed for the
cattle until the grass grew so the deal was closed.
In the fall of 1856 my mother went gleaning wheat. She gleaned on her hands and knees until she
got enough wheat to fill a two bushel seamless sack with flour. The wheat was threshed with a flail each
night, and cleaned. My mother got one
mixing of bread out of this flour and then lent the rest of it to her
neighbors. This same fall on the 22nd
of September 1856, mother gave birth to twins, a boy and girl. This boy, Joseph Mathew Perkins, while out
hunting was shot accidentally and killed.
He was then 16 years old.
My father was called to go and meet Johnston’s Army. This was in 1857. While he was away, mother had the whole care
of her three children.
Mother was an ardent worker in the church and especially in
Relief Society. Though she had a large
family of her own, she was called to visit among the sick, to make clothing for
the dead and dress and prepare them for burial.
She was also a midwife.
Father owned a flock of sheep. Mother took care of the wool and sent it to
the mill to have it made into rolls.
This she spun and dyed and finally made into clothing for her
family. She was a very fine tailoress and cut and made men’s clothing. This she sewed by hand.
Mother made all her own soap and also soap to sell. One fall she made and sold enough soap and
sauerkraut to buy the first stove they owned after coming to Utah.
Father took mother to Sale
Lake in a heavy wagon to
get the stove; it cost $120.00.
The soap and sauerkraut was sold to soldiers that were
stationed at Soda Springs, Idaho.
The soldiers would come to Franklin
to get all their supplies.
My mother lived in my home for eight years. Then when I was unable to take care of her,
my sister took her for the last few months of her life.
She lived to be 82 years old and died a member in full
faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Copied and submitted by Mavanee
Mitchell (Steele) second great grandniece of Margaret Martin and the second
great granddaughter of Mary Martin (Margaret’s sister).
