arah Ann Price Godfrey, the
daughter of Jeremiah Price and Jane Morgan Price, was born at Rhymney,
Monmothshire, South Wales on February 7th,
1842.
During my childhood I spent
considerable time with my Grandmother, Margaret Llewellyn Morgan, at
Merthyr-Tydvil, five miles from my parents home, and in walking these five
miles I had to pass a cemetery or the large iron works, and was very much
afraid to pass either one.
My parents belonged to the Methodist Church. After becoming Mormons the
family would all walk five miles to attend church.
Mrs. Price was not
thoroughly converted to the idea of leaving a good home and plenty to go to Zion, so Mr. Price sent two of the family onto Zion, hoping to have them all in Zion in a few years. These two were Josiah
Price, age 21 and Sarah Ann, age 10.
Leaving Rhymney they walked the five miles to Merthyr, then by train to Swansea, and from Swansea
to Liverpool by boat.
We sailed from Liverpool on
the ship Jersey on January 25th, 1853 and were on the water for six
weeks and one day, landing at New
Orleans. My eleventh birthday was spent on the Atlantic Ocean.
From New
Orleans we sailed up the Mississippi river
to Keokuk, where we were stationed for nine weeks. I do not know why we
remained there but we children spent our time killing rattlesnakes, swinging on
grape vines and playing along the river bank.
My Aunt lived near Keokuk,
but I had no opportunity to see her. I was named after her. Sarah Jefferies.
From Keokuk they came across the plains in Joseph Young’s company traveling
with ox teams, but the younger members of the company walked most of the time.
Many interesting incidents
and many dangerous ones were experienced while on the journey. Joseph Young’s
wife died at Green River. On the plains one
day the children and women were in the wagons, I was walking, when an Indian
came up and held my hand and was walking along with me when Joseph Young saw
us. He ordered me into the wagon but the Indian would not let me go so they had
to stop right there and feed the Indians before they would allow us to go on.
It was on the Platt river
that I had a narrow escape. Myself and other children were playing on a small
raft, taking turns of pulling each other along the shore. It was my turn on the
raft when the children were called to camp. The girls dropped the rope and ran,
letting the raft start drifting with the current of the river, and the men had
a very hard time to get it to shore again.
The company arrived in Salt Lake City on October
10th, 1853. It took us nine months and 15 days since leaving Liverpool.
From the time I got to Salt Lake
until I was married I worked for different families. First I went with my
brother Josiah to a family by the name of Whipple. From there to Algers, who
made quite a sacrifice to take me and keep me that winter. Mrs. Winegar took me
next. Isaac Hunter came after me and I stayed with them for some time. Then my
brother, Josiah, came after me and we went to Blanchards, two miles north of Farmington, walking all
the way. While we were walking, Josiah read to me the first letter I had had
from home. We went to Jimmie Taylor’s mother who kept me for a while. From
there I went to Mrs. Goodale’s who was very good to me and provided well for my
needs, dressed me well and sent me to school.
I was influenced by others
to go back to Taylors
to live. The Taylor
family moved to Weber county and I spent the hard winter with them — three
families living in one room. It was while I was with them that my parents and
family came to Utah
in 1855.
I walked down from North Ogden and waded Mill Creek. There was some snow on
the ground. I returned to North Ogden and
lived with John and Sarah Ann Mowers for some time. That was the year my folks
subsisted on sego roots.
I worked at some places
after that. For Adeline Bowels, Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Middleton, and then went to
live with my folks.
Joseph Godfrey was a widower
and came after my older sister to work for him. She being engaged to another
man, he asked for me. I was allowed three weeks to make up my mind and worked
for the family one month, then Joseph Godfrey and myself were married on March
7th, 1857. I was 15 years old.
On the same day he married
his first wife’s sister, Mrs. Mary Reeves Coleman, (her husband had died, and
Joseph Godfrey promised Mr. Colman he would take care of her and family). Mrs.
Coleman became his 2nd wife and I was the third. Thus, practicing
polygamy. Being married in Brigham Young’s office in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young.
I was in the move south,
going as far as Summit Creek below Payson.
I became the mother of nine
children. My husband was gone so much of the time taking care of the sick and
helping everyone in need, that it was left to me to be alone a great deal with
the children.
My husband’s other wife
died, leaving me to raise her children too. When my oldest child was 21 years
old and my youngest one month, my husband died, leaving me a widow at the age
of 38 years. We had a hard time to make a living, but my oldest son John built
us the home that is still standing across the road from the church.
During the time while my
children were growing, I took part in the church activities, being a Sunday
School teacher, and later Counselor to Sister Wallace in the Primary.
Five years were spent in
homesteading in the state of Montana, where we
went through many hardships then came back to North Ogden
to live.
From the time that the
youngest child, Josephine, was married, I have lived with the children in Idaho, Utah, and Canada. I have
made many trips to Canada
and back on the train all alone.
Mrs. Godfrey passed away
November 5th, 1928 at the home of a daughter in Preston,
one week after having given the above history to her daughter.
At the time of her death her
posterity numbered 9 children, 70 grandchildren, 117 great grandchildren and 4
great great grandchildren.
She has done a lot of good
in helping the sick and those in need, but did not say anything about it in her
history. She was always willing to help whenever and wherever needed.
The following bit of
information came from Mrs. Elizabeth Williams who came over on the same ship.
Sarah’s folks being with the Welch Saints and Mrs. Williams family were with
the English Saints.
Sarah Ann’s parents
crossed the ocean on the ship “Chimaborazo”
on April 17th, 1855 for America
in a company of 431 Saints under the direction of Edward Stevenson arriving in Philadelphia on May 21st,
1855.
By Sarah Ann Price Godfrey
Filled by Thersa Chadwick
Louder, Granddaughter
Camp 29, North
Ogden
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