Biographical Summary:

"...Ann Midgley, was the daughter of Thomas Midgley and Ellen Hinchcliffe. According to family records the surname Midgley had its origin in the small town of Midgley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, where the family had been in possession of property for over 300 years. Thomas was born in Almondbury, Yorkshire, 2 April 1798 and married Ellen Hinchcliffe there 30 September 1821. Ann was the third of their eleven children all born in Almondbury.

All members of the Thomas Midgley family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1845 and 1846 and were anxious to go to Zion. Thomas and his two sons Joshua and Jonathan went first, found work and a home for the rest of the family in the Salt Lake Valley. With help from the Perpetual Immigration Fund Ellen and the five remaining children, ranging in age from 11 to 29 years, sailed from Liverpool on the "Samuel Curling" in April 1855 and a month later landed in New York. From there they went by rail to Pittsburgh, then down the Ohio River to Cairo, up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and from there to Mormon Grove in Kansas, the outfitting place for the Saints traveling West.

On the trip across the plains, Ellen Hinchcliffe Midgley, a small woman 53 years of age, and a midwife, became ill with lung fever and cholera and died on September 4, 1855. The children buried her near the Platte River and because of the danger from Indians moved on toward the Salt Lake Valley to meet their father and two brothers with the sad news of their mother's death. Ann who was the oldest took responsibility for the family.

On November 9, 1856, after being in the Salt Lake Valley for nearly a year, Ann married Henry Grow, a prominent Elder in the Church as his fourth plural wife. Henry was born October 1, 1817, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a millwright and bridge builder. After being converted to the Church he and his first wife, Mary Moyer, moved to Nauvoo where he worked on the Temple. In April 1846 the persecution of the Saints became so severe in Nauvoo that most of the Saints prepared to go West. One night Henry heard a voice say "Get up and get out of here in the morning." He arose the next morning, hitched a yoke of Cattle to his wagon, put in utensils, bedding and a tent, leaving everything in the house, and with his wife and their three children got in the wagon. When they had moved about 50 yards the mob fired a 12-pound ball through his house.

After many hardships, the family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Henry's birthday October 1, 1851. Because of his knowledge and experience in Pennsylvania he was able to find work and built many buildings and bridges in the Valley, among them, the Z.C.M.I. building, the Deseret Paper Mill, and suspension bridges over the Weber and Provo rivers.

SOURCE: Find A Grave Memorial# 47196562; www.findagrave.com