EDWARD JENKINS was born on September 9, 1810 Mathon, Worcester, England. ELIZA BARBER was born August 22, 1813, also in Mathon. They were married on June 14, 1838 in Colewall City, Herefordshire, England. Their first child, MARY ANN JENKINS (our ancestor), was born on Jan. 10, 1839 in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. (1,2)
EDWARD AND ELIZA were baptized in Oct. 1840. They were among the 600 converts of the United Brethren Church, who were taught by Wilford Woodruff. (2) There is a detailed account of this group of converts in a fascinating Ensign article, published in Jan. 1987.
Following is a quote from the article about the converts from the United Brethren, which no doubt applies to EDWARD AND ELIZA as well:
“Influenced by John Bunyon’s Pilgrim’s Progress, the early Puritan work which stressed deep personal piety and the need for the true Christian to view this life as a pilgrimage back to God’s presence, this group [the United Brethren] was open to the new revelation Elder Woodruff brought. Their habit of daily prayer and their stress on family life also assured his message a warm and honest reception....In 1875, Elder Woodruff looked back on his work among the United Brethren and recalled, ‘They as a people were prepared for the word of the Lord, and I wanted to catch them in the gospel net.’ He took great delight in his later years in proclaiming that very few of the converts from this area had left the Church. But he took no credit to himself for their conversion. ‘I brought eighteen hundred into the Church in that mission, and I will say that the power of God rested upon me and upon the people. There was a spirit to convince and a people whose hearts were open and ready to receive the gospel.’”
EDWARD AND ELIZA JENKINS came to America and settled in Nauvoo. Tragically, EDWARD died of cancer on January 24, 1842, age 32. On October 5, 1842, ELIZA gave birth to their second child, Sara Emma Jenkins. (1,2)
In 1845, ELIZA married JOHN ROWBERRY in Nauvoo. (1,2) JOHN was born in 1823 in Bishops Frome, Heffordshire, England. He was baptized a member of the Church in 1840 by Wilford Woodruff. (3) Eliza was 32 and John 22 when they married. Since all three heard Wilford Woodruff preach, and the towns where they lived are only 15 miles apart, one wonders whether ELIZA AND EDWARD may have known JOHN in England.
JOHN AND ELIZA came to Utah in the Ezra T. Benson Company, arriving sometime between Oct. 25-29, 1849. (4) Listed with them in the company roster are John Edward Rowberry (1 yr.) and Joseph Rowberry (3 yrs.), Sarah Emma Jenkins (6 yrs.), and MARY ANN JENKINS (10 yrs.). (4)
“John Rowberry, wife, and five children” are listed among the first five families who settled in Tooele on a marker placed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) in Settler’s Park in Tooele. (5) We will visit this marker on Oct. 8th. (Click on this link, then click on Markers to see the inscription on the marker.)
My husband’s direct ancestor, JOSIAH HOWE CALL, is also listed on the marker!
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| DUP marker commemorating the first five families to settle in Tooele. |
JOHN ROWBERRY was the presiding elder and bishop in Tooele for many years. He was the first mayor of Tooele City and a member of the territorial legislature to which he was elected Aug. 7, 1851. (3) He became postmaster when a mail route was established in 1852. (8)
JOHN AND ELIZA had three additional children: Olive Jane, born in 1849, Permelia, born in 1850, and Eliza, born Feb. 29, 1852.
Sadly, ELIZA died on Oct. 3, 1852, at age 39. JOHN married Mary Ann Gollaher on Jan. 31, 1853. (1)
Here’s the family history mystery that I believe is now solved: The Scott brothers and their wives will likely remember the figurine below that Mary had in her possession:
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| Figurine handed down from mother to daughter or granddaughter since Eliza Barber Jenkins came to America. |
I remember Grandma Mary telling me that the figurine was always passed down to the oldest daughter in the family. She said it had been brought across the plains with the pioneers by one of their ancestors. Mary had only sons, but I was the oldest granddaughter, so she said I would inherit it someday. When Mary moved to Atlanta, she gave the figurine to Richard and Jeanene for safe-keeping. Shortly before my mother passed away, I asked her if she knew where the figurine came from and she replied that Mary didn’t seem to know. But a couple of days ago I figured it out (likely with help from the other side).
I believe the figurine belonged to ELIZA BARBER JENKINS ROWBERRY!
Here’s why: (You can follow this on “Mary’s Pedigree” at the top of the blog. The birth order details are from our family genealogy database.)
Mary Ann Jenkins is the oldest daughter of Eliza Barber Jenkins.
Eliza Primrose Shields is the oldest daughter of Mary Ann Jenkins.
Margaret Shields Smith is the oldest daughter of Eliza Primrose Shields. (Interestingly, Magaret had seven older brothers and was the last child born to Eliza Primrose!)
Mary Whittle is the oldest daughter of Margaret Shields Smith.
Now I have an even greater appreciation for this tangible reminder of the sacrifices of our ancestors as they left homes and family to follow a prophet's call, came across the plains to Utah, settled in the wilderness, and stayed faithful to their sacred covenants.
SOURCES:
(1) www.new.familysearch.org and family genealogy database.
(2) History of Tooele County, compiled by the Tooele County Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Bicentennial Edition, 1961. Salt Lake City, Utah: Publishers Press, 1975, pp. 574-575 (“Mary Ann Jenkins”).
(3) History of Tooele County, pp.566-567 (“John Rowberry”).
(4) Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868, entry for “E.T. Benson Company.”
URL: http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysearchresults/1,15792,4017-1-65,00.html.
(5) DUP Marker #1, featured on the Tooele County Daughters of Utah Pioneers web site at http://www.duptooeleco.org. Click on “Markers” on the left-hand side.
(6) History of Tooele County, p. 20.
(7) Excerpt from Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 18, p.164.
(8) History of Tooele County, p. 26.
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