The story of the conversion of Edward and Hannah to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints begins near the Malvern Hills in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, England.
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| Malvern Hills trail, July 16, 2013 |
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| St. John, Mathon, Worcester, England, July 15, 2013; Hester Brueton Jenkins, Edward's mother, was buried here in 1831 |
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| Font at St. John's where Edward and his father Thomas Jenkins were christened |
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| St. James the Great. Cradley, Herefordshire, England, July 15, 2013 |
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| St. James the Great, where Thomas Jenkins and Hester Brueton were married in 1805 |
Hannah Eliza Barber Jenkins was born on August 22, 1813 in Bransford, Worcestershire, England (Church of St. John the Baptist; photos)
Her father, Thomas Barber was born in 1778 in Sussex, England (we need to verify this) and her mother, Sarah Hickman, was christened on August 9, 1772 in Holt, Worcestershire, England. (St. Martin's; photos)
The following account of Hannah Barber Jenkins’ life was uploaded by Marta O. Smith to Family Search in the Memories section of Hannah’s page.
Hannah's father died in 1822 when she was nine years old. Following her father's death, her mother married Thomas Hooper. [Note that a Thomas Hooper appears in the baptism records of Wilford Woodruff. We need to determine if this is the same man who married Hannah's mother, Sarah Hickman Barber.]
On the 20th of March [1831] (when she was 17 years old), Hannah gave birth to a son Charles in Leigh, Worcester. The only parent listed on her son's birth records is his mother, Hannah Barber.
On the 14th of June 1838, Hannah married Edward Jenkins at St. James in Colwall, Herefordshire. On the marriage record Hannah is listed as a spinster and her occupation is listed as a servant. Her husband Edward Jenkins is listed as a bachelor and his occupation is listed as a carpenter.
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| St. James in Colwall, Herefordshire, England, July 15, 2013 |
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| St. James in Colwall, where Hannah Barber and Edward Jenkins were married on June 14, 1838 |
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| Homend Street in Ledbury, Herefordshire, where Mary Ann Jenkins was born in 1839 |
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| The Market House, built in 1617, in Ledbury (July 15, 2013) |
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| Baptism records kept by Wilford Woodruff; note entry for Thomas Jinkins on March 10th (lower middle on left) |
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| Plaque at Benbow Farm |
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| Pond at Benbow (Hill) Farm, July 16, 2013 |
Read more about the remarkable story of the United Brethren here:
After joining the church, the members of the United Brethren donated their building to the church, and it was in use by the early members until most had emigrated to join the Saints in Nauvoo. Listen to a wonderful radio program about the Gadfield Elm chapel here.
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| Gadfield Elm Chapel, July 15, 2013 |
March 11, 1840 I preached in the evening at the House of Thomas Jinkins at Moorends Cross. I spent the night at Mr Jinkins. (WWJ 1:424-425)
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| We couldn't find Thomas Jenkins' original Moorend Cross home, but this street sign was near a late 19th century home with "Moorend Cross" written on the front gate, so the original may have been nearby. The signs show how close the towns are. |
April 24, 1840 I spent the day in writing. Elder Young wrote a letter to his wife. I wrote a few words in it to Phebe....I preached at Brother Jinkins & spent the night & was quite ill. (WWJ 1:443)
April 25, 1840 I spent the day & night at Moorends Cross & was quite Ill with a bad Cold. (WWJ 1:443)
April 26, 1840 Notwithstanding I was quite Ill I walked 5 miles to Ashfield....I then returned to Moorends Cross & spent the night with Brother Jinkens. (WWJ 1:444)
April 27, 1840 I arise quite Ill with my cold. I preached at Moorends Cross & Baptized 3 persons & confirmed them one a preacher & spent the night at Brother Jinkins. (WWJ 1:444)
May 13, 1840 I Baptized 1, & walked to Ledbury....I then walked to Standly Hill....I walked to Frooms Hill & Baptized 3, & met in company with Elder Young with the church & had a good meeting. We broke bread with the saints & Ordained one Elder John Cheese & William Parsons, & Joseph Pullen, to the office of a Priest & Thomas Jenkins a Teacher....I spent the night at John Benbows. 12 miles. (WWJ 1:448-449)
May 22, 1840 I went over Marlvern Hill with Br Richard. Had a splended view of the vale beneath. We stoped in the sitting house half way down the hill. Br Richards engraved his name with mine in the building. We went into the valey. Dined with Br Samuel Jones. After dinner we walked up to the Holy well house & drank of the Holy water. So no[..] that comes out of Marlvern Hill, & after visiting several friends east of the hill, we walked on to the top of the hill. Here we could overlook all the hills & surrounding country. We bowed down & offered up our prayers unto God, & walked down the west side of the hill & preached at Marlvern hill & walked to Br Jinkins & spent the night. Distance 8 mi. (WWJ 1:452)
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| View from Malvern Hills, July 16, 2013 |
June 21, 1840 The Preachers & members of the Frooms Hill Circuit of the United Brethren met at the house of Elder John Cheese on Stanly Hill Herefordshire England....
Mooved by Elder Kington seconded by Elder Richards that....William Jinkings [be appointed] Assistant [to William Dossons] Thomas Jenkins Teacher at Moorend Cross....
The Elders & Officers went into Council....Moved by Elder Richards & seconded by Elder Kington that we procede to establish & organized monthly Councils of the Officers of the frooms Hill Conference to Commence on Friday the 3 day of July next 7 1/2 oclock PM in the several Divisions respectively assigned to the different Elders Viz Standing Clerk....Elder Charles Price [President] Thomas Jenkins [Standing Clerk] = Moorend Cross (WWJ 1:463-466)
Sept. 8, 1840 The North America sailed with 200 souls. Brother Richards and I accompanied the Saints about fifteen or twenty miles; left them in good spirits, and returned to Manchester on the 10th. (Brigham Young History, Pg. 79) (I haven't been able to confirm that any of our Jenkins ancestors were on this ship, although there were some Saints with the surname Jenkins. There are inconsistencies in the accounts which may have arisen because there are two individuals with the same name.)
Thomas Jenkins left England for America on the ship Issac Newton in September 1840 with the first ship load of Saints to sail from England, arriving at New Orleans 21 December 1840, proceeding by boat to Nauvoo. The voyage and hardships were too much for some of them and Thomas Jenkins only a short time in Nauvoo before he passed away in 1841. He did however live long enough to receive his patriarchal blessing from Hyrum Smith 13 Sept 1841. He was buried in Nauvoo. The family lived at Nauvoo where William Jenkins his son was a member of the Nauvoo Legion Band. They were in the meeting when the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon Brigham Young. William Jenkins lived with the saints at Nauvoo for 10 years suffering with them until they left Kanesville 4 July 1850 and arrived in Salt Lake City with the Edward Company 12 October 1850. (Source: Submitted to Ancestry.com on the Edwards-Wright family Tree by Judy Edwards)
Sept. 14, 1840 The Bran Green & Gadfield Elm Conference [was] held at the Gadfield Elm Chapel in worcestershire....moved & Carried that Edward Jinkins....be Ordained Priest....The above named persons were then Ordained under the hands of Elders Woodruff & Kington.
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| Interior view of Gadfield Elm Chapel, July 13, 2013 |
....moved by the President & seconded by Elder Kington that....Edward Jinkins....Be Ordained Teachers which was carried unanimously.
The above named persons were then Ordained under the hands of Elders Woodruff, Kington, Richardson & Kay. (WWJ 1:517, 518)
Soon after joining the church, Edward and Hannah Jenkins began planning to emigrate to Nauvoo, Illinois to be with the main body of the church. When Edward and Hannah departed from England they took their daughter Mary Ann with them but left [Hannah's] son Charles behind them in England where he lived with Hannah's mother and stepfather. [See the 1841 census where Charles Barber is living with Sarah and Thomas Hooper--attached to all three in FamilySearch].
The Edward Jenkins were members of the second company of English Saints to emigrate to America. There were 200 men, women, and children in the company, which was presided over by returning missionary Elder Theodore Turley.
The company sailed from Liverpool on the 8th of September 1840 on the ship North America bound for New York City, New York. [Again, it's not clear if this is accurate.] The voyage was not an easy one. Danger threatened them in one form or another throughout the entire 34-day voyage. The company must have heaved a common sigh of relief when the North America docked in New York Harbor on the 12th of October. The Jenkins family probably arrived in Nauvoo about the time that the Prophet Joseph selected the site of the Nauvoo Temple, which is known to have happened in October 1840. Work on the temple commenced on January 19th, 1841. Edward labored faithfully on the temple until his death, which occurred on the 24th of January 1843. The Jenkins' home in Nauvoo was located on lot 4, block 15, Kimball's 2nd addition.
The Jenkins' 2nd daughter Sarah Emma was born in Nauvoo on the 5th of October 1842.
Edward Jinkins died sometime between 20-27 January 1843 at Nauvoo; 32 years old; cancer. (Wasp*, Nauvoo, 1 February 1843)
[* Nauvoo also had a weekly nonreligious newspaper devoted to agriculture, business, science, art, and community events.]
Following Edward's death, Hannah married John Rowberry, in 1845 in Nauvoo.
Hannah and her second husband John Rowberry received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on the 2nd of January 1846.
I encourage you to read the rest of Hannah’s history in her Memories page at FamilySearch–it’s fascinating! (Post by Mary Lee Scott Call)
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