Pressing Matters of a Sound Mind: Generations Project: The Thomas' and Clark's

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Generations Project: The Thomas' and Clark's

Eliza Jane Thomas (the grandmother of Ella Colton, who married Joseph Palmer, Jr.) was born June 6, 1828 at Michelstone, South Wales, the sixth child of a family of 14. Eliza was baptized the 22 November 1837.

All of her siblings and parents, except 2 brothers Llewellyn and William, eventually came to the United States. At 21, Eliza was the first of the family to emigrate. She came as a servant girl to the family of a Thomas and Sarah Jeremy, thereby earning her passage over, and being in their care for the trip.

Eliza Thomas

They left Waterloo Dock, in Liverpool, England on Monday, Feb. 26, 1849 about 2 p.m. As the ship pulled out those on deck sang, "The Saints Farewell" a popular Welsh LDS hymn, wondering when they should meet and see their families and loved ones again. On board the Buena Vista, on which they sailed, there were 249 Welsh Saints under the direction of the great Welsh missionary, Dan Jones. Many of the Saints were very seasick and Captain Dan Jones, and several others administered to their wants by making gruel, etc. for them. The sickness lasted only a few days.They had fine weather and fair wind nearly every day. They reported that the middle of March was like June. After being on board seven weeks and day, they landed in New Orleans April 18, 1849. They traveled up the Mississippi River to St. Louis where in 48 hours, 62 of their company died of cholera. They went from there to Council Bluffs, Iowa where they stayed six weeks to prepare for the trip across the plains to Utah by ox teams. Eliza traveled in the George A. Smith/Dan Jones Company. This company combined with the Ezra T. Benson company, as they traveled close together.

William Clark

Despite considerable trouble with the Indians on the Platte River, romance abounded on the plains. Eliza met William Hiram Clark, who was also from Wales, while crossing and they were married out on the plains, the 14 Sept. 1849 by Issac Clarke, near Deer Creek on the Platte River. William was born in 1831 in Cardigan, Wales, and was baptized the 20th November 1847. He was 15 years Eliza's senior. William had crossed on the Hartley ,the Buena Vista's twin ship, his first wife Frances having died while on the Mississippi River in May 1849, most likely from the cholera outbreak. They arrived in Utah in October, 1849.

William Howells Thomas

Eliza's parents, William Howell Thomas and Ann Williams Thomas, along with seven more of their children, (Thomas, Charlotte, Maria, Catherine, Janet, Henry, and Fred) came to Utah in the fall of 1853 with the Joseph W. Young company. Father William Thomas was 62.

Before the Thomas' and the Clark's came to Idaho they lived in Brigham City, Utah, being among the very early settlers in the area. While in Brigham City, William Clark, who was a tinsmith by trade, established a tin shop on North Main St. and mended his neighbors meager supply of tin ware. The pewter which was used in mending was purchased in the form of spoons, plates, cups, etc. Both families then moved to Malad, ID in about 1863. William and Eliza eventually had nine children including Louisa (my great-great grandmother) who was born in 1866 in Atchinson, Kan. where they lived for a time (sometime between 1860-1867), then moved back to Malad. During this time, Eliza acted as a nurse and mid-wife for many years until her health failed. She ushered into the world hundreds of babies including five of her daughter Louisa's nine children.

Daughter, Louise Clark Colton

She also vaccinated her own family and perhaps others for smallpox. Louisa attended people with that disease and never contracted it, having had only the one vaccination, although crudely done.

Eliza was a widow for nine or ten years and died in Malad March 4, 1899. At that time seven of her nine children survived her.