Monday, August 17, 2009

Sarah Ellen Wakefield

Sarah Ellen Wakefield was born on 8 July 1854, in Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie, Iowa, to John Fleming Wakefield and Susannah Garlick.

Actually Sarah was born after John Fleming Wakefield died.

The following is from the book, "John Fleming Wakefield His Ancestry and Posterity", by Melvin Wakefield:

"Ellens's father died six months before her birth. She was a baby one year or age on that long trek across the plains with her mohter and brothers and sisters.  She experienced hard times with the family after arriving in Utah and Settling in Springville.

At age seve, Ellen was entered in school and gained a limited education. However, she lived amoung fithful Latter-day Saints and developed a strrong faith and testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  As a small girl, she often card for her neighbors' children.  She also helped her mother and with her weaving.  Yeast cakes were not available from stores for use in making bread in those days.  The family would exchange a little flour, or sugar, with a neighbor who a 'start' of yeast.  Matches for fires were scarece.  If a fire went out it would be necessary to go to a neighbor and borrow some coals, being careful not to drop these in straw or other flammable materials when returning home.

One day, while crossing Hobble Creek on the way to school, Ellen fell into the stream.  A brother Dibble jumped in and brought her out.  She was believed dead but with artifical respiration and no doubt through the faith and prayers of friends and family, she was revived.  Ellen was baptized into the Church of Jesus Crist of Latter-day Saints on 13 June 1868, when she was 14, probably in the same stream in whichshe had nearly drowned a few years earlier. 

About this time, a young man by te name of Orvill Ephraim Bates came to Springville to attend school.  He and Ellen were immediately attracted to each other and on 25 January 1869, they were married in the Old Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah.  Following marriage, the couple settled in Ophir, Tooele, Utah.  Following marriage, the couple settttled in Ophir, Tooele, Utah. Orville served as deputy recorder for a mine at Ophir.

While living in Tooele the couple's first child, Susan Morilla, was born 2 april 1871.   they then moved to Rush Valle, where their second child, Orville Erastus, was born 14 April 1873.

About three months later, Orville's father, Ormas E. Bates died in rush Valley and was buried in the Tooele Cemetery.

In February, 1875, Orville and Ellen, with their young children, moved to Fountain Green and on 28 February 1875, their second daughter and third child, Aretha Maria, was born...

Orvill and Ellen were among those to leave home and loved ones, together with Ellen's brothers Erastus and Joseph, and their wives and make their way to the Arizona Territory.

In wagons heavily laden with seeds, furniture, food and clothing they lumbered over roads little more than wagon ruts.  They reached Brigham City, 4 December 1877, Just four days before the birth of Ellen's fourth child, Ellen Irene, 8 December 1877.
Sarah Ellen Wakefield died on 18 October 1938, in Taylor, Navajo, Arizona.

OTHER LIFE SKETCHES

http://robertwakefieldrrd.blogspot.com/
http://johnflemingwakefield.blogspot.com/