Sarah Brockbank

LIFE OF SARAH BROWN BROCKBANK By Mary Brockbank Creer

In a small village in Harefield, Middlesex, England, my grandmother, Sarah Brown, was born. Her parents had eleven children; all born there except one brother, Nathaniel, who was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex County. Her family were religious people, most of them belonging to the Methodist Church.

At a very early age in her life the Latter-day Saint Missionaries came to the Brown home and brought to them a message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Sarah was the only one touched by the spirit of this new doctrine. She investigated this new religion, read her Bible, and after a clear vision of this newly revealed religion, she became thoroughly converted to the truth of it. She was soon baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.

She was anxious to come to Zion and join with the Saints of God. She left her home, her parents, brothers, sisters and friends to go to a new land where the Saints were gathering. She was the only one of her family converted to the gospel at that time. Later, a brother, Joseph, joined the church and came to Utah. Sometime after, a niece of hers, Flora Brown, heard the gospel message. She married Edward Moneke and they lived at Grand Rapids, Michigan. They were both members of the Church. It was from this relative that I received information about the Brown family.

Little did Sarah know or realize the trials and sacrifices she was to endure in this new adventure. Her faith was unwavering and her love for the truth was bright in her heart. She was anxious to make her new life with the members of the Church. When she left her home to cross the wide expanse of ocean, which lasted many weeks, it is quite a coincidence that on this voyage was a convert of the Church from northern England, who some day was to become her husband. Isaac Brockbank was this convert. During this trek across the plains he lost his wife, leaving him with four motherless children. Those children were Isaac, Joshua, Elizabeth and Agnes. Grandfather Isaac married my grandmother, Sarah, in Salt Lake City in 1852.

They were sent by Brigham Young to Spanish Fork to start a new settlement and a new life. This new life was not an easy one. It meant struggling to make a home, to get food to sustain life, to get clothing for warmth, to build a fort for protection from the Indians. We, in this prosperous age with every convenience, cannot adequately realize the very difficult task required to sustain life. It took faith, courage and hard work to procure just the bare needs. Grandmother cared for the motherless children as best she could until they were of age and married. She had five children of her own. One died in infancy and one died when 12 years old. Three lived — Samuel, Joseph and Martha Ann. These three children lived at Spanish Fork all their lives, married and raised their children there.

Grandfather died before I was born. I can just remember my grandmother. All I know are incidents told me by my father and mother. I do remember going across the street to see Grandmother. She always wanted to serve me something to eat. She made me some Mormon tea, which was hot water, milk and sugar, and a cookie. She was a great lover of the Bible. I can see her now in her rocking chair, reading her Bible.

I can remember my mother telling me this incident. When Grandmother came to Utah and learned more about our religion and its glorious promises for the future, she became very interested in her family who were left in England. She told Mother that at one time her brother, Thomas, had borrowed $20.00 from her. He neglected to pay her the money, but Grandmother always remembered this debt. Learning that temple work could be done for others, she prayed that her brother would send her the $20.00 he owed her so she could do temple work for her family. Her prayers were answered and her brother sent her the money, which she and father used for temple work for the Brown family in 1878.

Grandmother was industrious, honest and faithful. She was a noble character. She endured without complaint the trials and hardships that beset her path. She loved the gospel and was true and obedient to the doctrines, which she knew to be true.

An Historical and Genealogical Record of Isaac Brockbank, Sr., Volume I, Published 1959, Pages 32-33

• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 31 2021, 14:06:35 UTC