Elizabeth Bushnell

Elizabeth Brockbank (Bushnell), daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Mainwaring Brockbank, was born Nov 8, 1838, in Liverpool, England. Her father was employed by the Bath Water Works Cornpany, which supplied the ships from all over the world with water. The family belonged to the Wesley Methodist Church, where Isaac taught a class. Early in 1843, Isaac went to hear Parley P. Pratt, a Mormon Missonary, and joined the Mormon Church, much to the opposition of his wife. Isaac used to take the children with him to attend the Mormon Sunday School. When he decided to go to Utah, Elizabeth tried to get the children to tell him they would not go with him, but they really wanted to go, as they thought it would be wonderful to cross the ocean and live in a new country. She told Isaac she would go with him only if he promised her she coulod return to England if she did not like Utah, and he promised.

They received funds from the Emigrarion Fund to pay for the journey, and sailed from Liverpool Feb 11, 1852, on the ship "the Ellen Marie", and docked at New Orleans where they took a River Boat for Kansas City. Cholera broke out in the camp, and many died and were buried in crude boxes, many were so weak they could hardly move. All of these hardships upset Elizabeth's mother and she dreaded crossing the plains. When they were assigned wagons in the O.A. Snoot Company, she did all she could to care for her four children; Isaac, Elizabeth, Joshua, and Agnes, but to everything else she seemed indifferent. In the latter part of July they passed Ft. Laramie, and soon after that they came to a hill just before they were to stop for their noon meal. Elizabeth and some of the other women out of the wagon to walk up the hill in order that the oxen would not have to pull such heavy loads. There were ripe wild berries and the ladies stopped to pick some, but the wagons kept moving. When they stopped for noon all the ladies were there except Elizabeth, Isaac's wife. Her son Isaac rode back on a horse to hunt for her but found no trace of her. The father and Chris Layton took a light carriage and hunted for her, they went back as far as Ft. Laramie but found no trace of her. The men at Ft. Laramie promised to keep looking if they found her let the folks know, but no trace of her has ever been found. It is supposed that she was captured by some roving Indians.

This left the daughter Elizabeth, not yet fourteen years old, in care of the family. The company arrived in Salt Lake Sept 4, 1852. They stayed in Salt Lake a month and were assigned to go to Palmyra, on the shores of Utah Lake. Just before leaving Isaac the father, married Sarah Brown, Oct. 2, 1852. Sarah had crossed the plains in the same company. They lived in a dugout and had to trade some of their clothes for food. They flaied wheat in order to earn enough wheat for some flour.

Elizabeth the daughter, went to live with a family named Pollock, Mr. Pollock was fairly well to do. Mr. Pollock had been called to help settle Iron County, and talked Elizabeth into marrying him as a second wife and going to Iron County with him. Elizabeth though her step imposed on her and she was so poor she had nothing for herself, so she decided to marry Mr. Pollock. They got as far as Fillmore, and Elizabeth decided she did not want Mr. Pollock as a husband. Brigham Young came to Fillmore so Elizabeth told him her troubles and Brigham gave her a church divorce.

On August 14, 1854, Elizabeth married John Bushnell who had been sent to Fillmore. They had the first post office and a small store. Elizabeth kept the books and cooked for the mail carriers. Her brother Isaac was one of the first mail carriers.

Four children were born to Elizabeth and John while living in Fillmore: John B., Edward B., Isaac B., and Daniel B. In 1862 they traded their property in Fillmore for farm land in Meadow, where they were one of the first six families in Meadow.

Elizabeth was first counselor to Sarah Stott, who was the first president of the primary, and later she became the second president. She served in the Relief Society Presidency, sang in the choir, and served in the church in every way possible. She was an excellent nurse and took care of the sick for years, besides taking care of a large family since four more children were born in Meadow: Howard B., Joshua B., Elizabeth B, and Eliza Jane.

John and his sons had gone into the sheep business and Elizabeth helped them in many ways. John died in 1882, and she carried on the business for fourty years with her boys. They were known as the "Bushnell Brothers", and they were united by that great love which she instilled in every one of her children. Although her troubles were many she declared "The loss of my dear mother steeled me for the troubles that followed."

Elizabeth died in Meadow September 16, 1926, at the home of her daughter Elizabeth Bennett, loved by everyone who ever knew her.

Builders of Early Millard, Pages 104-105

• Census: 1870 - Utah, USA

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• Residence: Liverpool, Lancashire, England - 1838
  • Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 3 2017, 20:22:33 UTC