Ellen Crofts

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel 1847–1868 Henry W. Miller Company (1862)

Approximate age at departure: 24

Find a Grave

Birth: Dec. 14, 1837 Worsley Lancashire, England

Death: Jan. 16, 1921 Firth Bingham County Idaho, USA

Father: Samuel Rothwell

Mother: Mary Fletcher

Spouse: John Crofts, md 1 Jan 1854.

Ellen Rothwell, the daughter of Samuel Rothwell and Mary Fletcher. She was born Dec. l4, 1837 in the town of Worsley in the Eccles Parish. On the first day of January, 1854, in the Eccles Church was celebrated the marriage rites of John Crofts and Ellen Rothwell. Soon after their marriage, a couple of Mormon missionaries visited their home. They were very interested and were soon baptized. On April 21, 1855 their first little son was born. They named him Edward. He was born in Pendlebury, near Manchester. In about one year they left their native land, their parents families and friends, with tears in their eyes and a wave of the hand, they braved the seas in vessel frail. They were six weeks sailing on the blue sea. Little Edward took his first little steps while on the ship. Their first home in America was made in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and that is where Emma Jane was born. They then moved to Westmoreland County, then to Madison County, Illinois. There they stayed until 1862, where little Joseph was born. Johnny was born Feb. 2, 1862 and on June 2, 1862, they accompanied a Mormon company which crossed the plains with oxen teams to Salt Lake City, Utah. They arrived on Oct.19, 1862.The next spring Grandpa farmed a piece of land in Morgan County and from there they went to Summit County, then to Porterville, Utah. In 1878 they moved to Orderville, Utah.

In 1879 Grandpa married a second wife, Hannah Smith. They had two sweet little baby girls named Rose Hannah, born Jan, 1880, and Margaret Ann, born Mar.17, 1882.

Then in Jan. 1880, Grandpa married a third wife, Esther Elizabeth Smith McConnell, and they had two children, Catherine Aurelia, born Jan. 9, 1882 and Robert Smith, born Sept.16, 1883. The mother passed away when Robert was two weeks of age on Sept.30. Grandpa and Grandma raised them. They also raised two other grandchildren, Harvey E., born Apr. 9, 1897 and Lillie M. born Oct. 2, 1899. They had them sealed to them which gave them nineteen children.

Grandpa and Grandma had l5 children altogether, they are as follows:

• Edward: Born April 21, l855 in England.
• Emma Jane: Born May 28, l857 in Conemaugh, Pennsylvania.
• Joseph William: Born Sept.16, l859 in Ray Co. Missouri.
• John: Born Feb. 2, 1862 in Madison Co. Illinois.
• Samuel: Born June 23, 1864 in Porterville, Utah. He died unmarried on the first of April 1880 in Orderville.
• Ephriam: Born Nov. 2, 1866 in Porterville, Utah.
• James Henry: Born Oct.12, 1869 in Portervifle, Utah.
• Hiram Thomas: Born Jan.28, 1871 in Porterville, Utah.
• Charles Walter: Born Apr. 8, 1873 in Porterville, Utah.
• Parley Alonzo: Born May 8, l875 in Portervifle, Utah.
• Richard: Born Feb.22, 1878 in Porterville, Utah.
• Albert Almer: Born July 10, 1879 in Orderville, Utah.
• Alfred Elmer: Born July 10, 1879 in Orderville, Utah.
• Sarah Mary Ellen: Born Aug.12, 1880 in Orderville, Utah.
• Wilford Woodruff: Born Sept.18, 1882 in Orderville, Utah.

Now we see that Grandpa and Grandma kept the first great commandment. They suffered many hardships and poverty but through it they were patient and kind to everyone. They were talented singers and took part in all the Church activities. Grandma's parents, Samuel Rothwell and Mary Fletcher, and family came to America but stayed in Pennsylvania. In 1872 Grandma's sister, Emma, died in childbirth, leaving five little children and her husband, Henry Syddall. Her Mother, Mary Fletcher, passed away in 1873. Then Henry Syddall brought the children to Utah. In 1880, her Father, Samuel Rothwell, died in Salt Lake City. The grandparents of Grandma, Thomas Rothwell and Ann Johnson, were natives of Pendlebury, England for more than a century. Grandpa and Grandma bore faith promoting testimonies of the goodness of the lord to them. Grandpa died Aug.11, 1911 in Basalt, Idaho and Grandma died Jan. 16, 1921 in Basalt, Idaho.

Family links:

Spouse:

*John Crofts (1832 - 1911)

Children:

*Emma Jane Crofts Criddle (1857 - 1905)*

• John Crofts (1862 - 1934)*
• Charles Walter Crofts (1873 - 1944)*

Burial: Basalt Cemetery Basalt Bingham County Idaho, USA

Maintained by: Dan Fowler Originally Created by: Bobbi Dunn Record added: May 15, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 52419824