Eliizabeth Angelique Richards Rowe ~ Index
Elizabeth Angelique Richards Rowe was born 22 July 1835, Tosoronto Township, Ontario, Canada. Seven years after the month of her birth, she left Canada with her parents and arrived at Nauvoo, Illinois, 30 September 1842. Expelled from Nauvoo with her family and other Saints, 27 July 1846, she crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa, then a sparsely settled country, inhabited mostly by Indians. In the autumn of 1846, she with her family, came to Winter Quarters (now Florence, Nebraska) at that time part of the Indian Territory. Spring of 1848, the United States Government requested these settlers to move off from these Indian lands. With her father's family, she crossed back over the Missouri River into Iowa, and settled at Honey Creek, Pottawatomie County. From here she frequently walked with her father twelve miles to market at Kanesville. She and her sister Mary once picked enough wild strawberries to buy a calico dress; not liking the color, she let Mary have the calico dress. Latter part of April, 1851, in company with grandfather and grandmother Hill and aunt Elizabeth Swapp's family, she started for the west in Captain Day's company of fifty wagons and Captain Wadsworth's company of ten wagons. Grandfather Hill's team consisted of two yokes of oxen and one wagon; and young Samuel H. Hill was his teamster. The Swapp family's team was made up of two yokes of oxen and one yoke of cows. As her aunt Elizabeth Swapp was expected to be confined on the journey, Elizabeth Richards was sent along by her mother to help care for the mother and baby. While going up Loop Fork the little lad Samuel attempted to get on the wagon tongue to ride; missing his step, he fell under the wheel, which passed over and broke his leg. Elizabeth caught hold and pulled him out before the hind wheel reached him. Elizabeth Swapp gave birth to the baby in Nebraska and called him Archibald. After enduring many hardships and privations, they arrived in Great Salt Lake City about 9 September 1851.
Shortly after her arrival, Elizabeth did housework for one Dayton family in the first ward; then for uncle Archie's family. During two years she did similar work for Barnabus Adams and went to school with his daughter, Asenath, the mother of Maude Adams, the noted Utah actress. Elizabeth married Manning Rowe, 27 July 1854, who was born at Muncie, Indiana and died on 23 February 1904, at Mendon, Utah and was buried there. They lived in the first ward, Great Salt Lake City, where her oldest child, Mary Ellen, was born 28 May 1855, who later married John Graham. In the fall of 1856, the family moved to Santaquin, Utah, where her son David M. Rowe, was born 1 May 1858, who married Emma Johnson. He died 3 March 1913, at Mendon, Utah and was buried there. 19 April 1860, they moved to Mendon, Utah where she has lived nearly ever since, given birth to and reared the following named children: William Albert, born 8 December 1869, died 6 May 1865, at Mendon, Utah and buried there. John Franklin, born 11 June 1861; Died 3 May 1865, at Mendon, Utah and buried there. Hannah Agnes, born 4 October 1868, who married William A. Pettie. He died 3 May 1921, at Provo, Utah and was buried at Roy, Utah. Elizabeth Rachel, born 2 January 1871 who married Harlow F. Bassett. Margaret Ruth born 30 July 1875 who married Heber Lund.
Elizabeth R. Rowe was of a retiring nature, a good housewife, indulgent mother and devoted wife. She endured many hardships in her younger days; and sustained uncomplainingly many trials and tribulations during her later life. Two of her little sons, William Albert and John Franklin, were scaled about 1 May 1865 and both died within a few days. Shortly thereafter her husband was taken sick, and she cared for and waited upon him for about thirty-nine years, and till the time of his death. She has the distinction of owning and using the first cook stove ever brought to Mendon. It was a Charter Oak, and used in her home for about sixty years. With memory somewhat impaired and body more or less enfeebled, she is otherwise enjoying moderate health on 22 July 1926, her 91st birthday.
Elizabeth A. Richards Rowe
Elizabeth was the wife of Manning Rowe. She was the daughter of John Kenny Richards and Agnes Hill. In the spring of 1851, the Richards had gathered enough supplies to see them through the long journey and sixteen year old Elizabeth traveling with her Uncle William Swapp in the group of fifty led by Captain Wadsworth. While on route one of the drivers broke his leg and sixteen year old Elizabeth had to replace him.
She managed the rough plains and the company reached Salt Lake Valley in October of 1851, her parents would travel a month later. The Richards made their home in Great Salt Lake City. Three years after their arrival into the valley, Elizabeth met and was married to Manning Rowe. The couple moved to Santaquin, Utah and lived there for two years. Manning was called to guard in Echo Canyon pass. (Utah War)
Elizabeth was of a retiring nature, a good house wife and mother. Her greatest grief came when her two sons, William and John were scaled by boiling molasses and died within three days of each other. Elizabeth cared for her sick husband Manning, for many years and lived a widow's life for twenty-three years.
Utah Pioneer Woman is Dead
Perils and Hardships Fill Life Story of Mrs. Rowe. Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe aged 91 died Sunday in Blackfoot, Idaho. She is survived by a sister, Mrs. George W. Baker of Long Beach, and a brother, D.B. Richards of Salt Lake. Three daughters also survive: Mrs. Agnes Pettit of Blackfoot, Mrs. Rachel Bassett of Weston, Idaho and Mrs. Ruth Lund of Ogden. Funeral services will be held at one o'clock Tuesday in the Mendon ward, Cache Valley. Interment will be made there.
Mrs. Rowe was born in Ontario, Canada, July 22nd, 1835, a daughter of John and Agnes Hill Richards. In 1840 her parents became Latter-day Saints. The following year she left Canada with her parents and started for Nauvoo, Illinois. At Detroit a railroad was being built, the first she had ever seen. Wooden rails (ties) were laid later to be covered with iron. Chicago, Illinois at the time was only a trading post.
Mob Dangers
They arrived in Nauvoo in the early spring and built a home on Young Street, where they lived during their stay in Nauvoo, Mrs. Rowe was baptized on her eighth birthday in the Mississippi River by William Smith, a brother of Joseph Smith the prophet. It was in Nauvoo that the Latter-day Saints suffered severely. Mobs composed of anti-Mormons, threatened them continually, whippings and flogging were common and not a few of the Saints were shot. Mrs. Rowe was a witness to the talking of Joseph Smith to Carthage jail where he was killed. She and her father were riding on horses home from the fields. The mob taking Joseph Smith and his brother, passed by them. Her father wanted her to take the horses and return home alone, while he followed with the other Mormons to Carthage. She was frightened by the sight however and refused. The Mormons were driven out of Nauvoo in 1846. They crossed the Mississippi River and soon after started for Winter Quarters. They started out with horse teams but were soon forced to trade them for ox teams. They were in Winter Quarters for over a year due to the fact that scurvy broke out in the company and once five-hundred lives were taken. They then crossed the Missouri River to a place called Honey Creek. It was so called because of the abundance of honey found there, It was a beautiful place with an extravagant growth of wild flowers and fruits.
Here they built temporary homes and also make an effort to hold school at the various homes. It was here that Mrs. Rowe received her schooling. They were in Honey Creek until they got the teams and supplies necessary for the long journey to Utah. They started from Honey Creek in the spring of 1851, traveling in companies. The company that included Mrs. Rowe was composed of fifty people and was lead by Captain Wadswortrh. Mrs. Rowe left with her uncle William Swapp, her parents following a month later. The river was so high at that time they were forced to travel three-hundred miles out of their way before crossing. Many of the company in their attempts to cross, lost both supplies and teams. The driver of one of the wagons suffered a broken leg and Mrs. Rowe was chosen to replace him. Although little more than a child, she managed the clumsy ox team over the rough plains, She reached Great Salt Lake City in October, 1851, her parents arriving in November.
Works in Fields
They made their home in Great Salt Lake City and in July, 1854, she was married to Manning Rowe. Mr. and Mrs. Rowe moved to Santaquin where they made their home for two years. It was during this stay in Santaquin that Johnston's Army threatened Salt Lake and Mr. Rowe was called to assist in guarding the pass in Echo Canyon, They were forced to leave before the crops were in and Mrs. Rowe with her baby in arms went to the fields and harvested the crops without help, excepting in hauling them to the house. The following spring they concluded to move and started by ox team, going a distance of one-hundred thirty miles, arriving in Mendon, Cache Valley. As the valley was at that time practically unsettled, they lived in their wagon until they could clear a space and then haul logs to build a home. They very slowly acquired a few sheep and chickens and settled down to farming. The farm products were taken to Salt Lake Citybto be traded for other necessities. The journey was wearisome, the oxen sometimes having to be coaxed along with ears of corn. Mrs. Rowe carded wool and spun yarn for all of their clothes and blankets for many years. Mrs. Rowe was a resident of Mendon for sixty-three years and was the mother of seven children, She also had forty grandchildren, sixty-four great-grandchildren and ten great-great-grandchildren. Mr. Rowe died in 1904. ~Ogden Standard Examiner, January 3rd, 1927.
Notes…
Manning Rowe with his wife Elizabeth Richards Rowe and young family came to Mendon in April, 1860. Mendon was still living fort style along both sides of Center Street at this time. When the settlers were able to move out onto their proper city lots in 1864-1865, the Rowe's selected Lot 2 of Block 2. My grandfather Joseph C. Sorensen purchased Lot 3 of Block 2 in 1917 when he built the house I live in today at 76 South 100 West, Mendon, Utah. Elizabeth R. Rowe and family was our good neighbor, just to the south.
The old Manning Rowe cabin was still standing in the backyard of their lot when I was a kid. Denver Copen and his wife Hazel Muir Copen were living on this lot at that time. I suppose it was Denver who moved the log house back there and used it for storage. Denver and Hazel lived in it prior to building their new home just to the south of it, in the early 1930's. It seemed quite large to my young eyes at the time.
Chicken coops were attached to either side of the old log cabin and as long as it had use, it was just left there, a part of early Mendon history from 1864-1865. Greg and Karen Muir had the coops and log cabin razed when they built their new home in the back half of the lot. It was a nice big fire, but kind of sad just the same.