Anniversaries the week of February 15th…

This week is a rather “busy” week for birthdays – along with a couple anniversaries.

Today, February 15, we have the 289th birthday of Mercy Richards (6th great grandma, Crandall side) who was born in 1726 in Plymouth, MA. It’s also Samuel Broad’s (1767 in England; 5th great grandpa, Crandall side) and Olive Kellogg’s (1776 in Connecticut; 6th great grandma, Wilhelm side) birthdays. Today also marks the 266th wedding anniversary of Thomas Trott and Joan Burston (married in 1749; 5th great grandparents, Crandall side).

16 February – in 1772, Elizabeth James (5th great grandma, WIlhelm side) was born.

Also on February 16, Elizabeth Downs was born in 1802. She’s my 4th great grandma on the Wilhelm side. Elizabeth’s mother had a vision in 1818 that the restored gospel was not yet on the earth. In this vision she saw that Elizabeth would join the church and that her children and grandchildren would do a great work. Elizabeth married Nathaniel Holman in 1822. In 1836, missionaries came to Cambridge, MA where she and Nathaniel lived. Elizabeth joined the church, but kept her baptism secret from her husband for a time. When she finally told him, he was bitterly opposed and tried to get her to leave the church. She didn’t and eventually he left her – dying in Louisiana shortly after leaving the family. To provide for her family, Elizabeth took on work as a nurse and a seamstress. She and her two daughters traveled to St. Louis, Missouri with plans to join one of the pioneer companies traveling west. Elizabeth died at the age of 48 in St. Louis, but her two daughters did travel to Zion.

17 February – John B Straight was born in 1765. He’s my 4th great grandpa, Wilhelm side. My fourth great grandparents on the Crandall side, Elias Trott and Sarah Slocombe, celebrate their 224th wedding anniversary.

In 1853, Alfred Douglas Young and Jane Watson Sanford were married. They are my fourth great grandparents on the Wilhelm side.

Jane and Alfred. Jane is the niece of Brigham Young. Jane married Samuel Howe in Connecticut and they came out west to Utah. Samuel didn’t like the West and so he decided to move back East, deserting his family. Jane brought her three kids and came to live in the Lion House at Brigham Young’s request. In 1853, Jane became the third wife to Alfred Young. She and Alfred had 4 children. Jane developed inflammatory rheumatism that was so bad that somebody had to stay with her at all times. On top of her illness, her two oldest sons from her first marriage were killed by Indians and they never knew where their bodies were buried. This bothered Jane so much she grew even sicker and died soon thereafter. Alfred’s other wives helped to care for Jane’s children.

18 February – John Mason was born in 1751 and Joseph Stickney was born in 1795. Both are my 5th great grandpas on the Crandall side.

19 February – Hanna Lovely was born in 1704, making this her 311th birthday. She’s my 6th great grandma and the grandma of Elias Trott whose wedding anniversary we celebrate this week. In 1768, Letitia Marsh was born. She’s the wife of Samuel Broad – and thus another 5th great grandparent on the Crandall side.

On 21 February 1731, William Slocomb (the father of Sarah Slocombe) was born – making him yet another 5th great grandparent on the Crandall side whose birthday/anniversary we celebrate this week.