Sarah Celestia Major

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel 1847–1868 Brigham Young Company (1848)

Approximate age at departure: 36

Sarah Celestia Coles Major was born October 14, 1811, in Ewelme, Oxfordshire, England, the daughter of Richard Coles and Susanna Townsend Coles. She was the last of their six daughters, including Hannah, born in 1795, Mary, 1802, Eliza, 1804, Martha, 1807 and Eyla in 1810. Sarah married William Warner Major April 2, 1832, in St. George Parish, Hanover Square, Middlesex, England. They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1842. Until his death, Major occupied leadership positions in the church. William and Sarah had eight children, William Warner in 1836, Henry in 1838, Enoch Elsman in 1840, Fannie in 1842, Joseph Smith Major in 1845, Constantia in 1847, Sarah Celestia Major in 1849, and Enoch Helaman in 1850, several of whom did not survive their childhood, based upon the children shown in the following census records for Sarah and William.

In 1850 Sarah, 42, was living in Salt Lake City with her husband, William, 45, and their children, William, 15, Enoch, 12, Joseph, 6. Also in the home was Elizabeth Trimmer, 21, William's plural wife who was from Scotland. William was working as a portrait painter. Sarah and William's son, William, was born in England and Enoch and Joseph were born in Illinois. Sarah's husband William passed away in 1854. While arrangements were being made to transport the casket of William W. Major, another British convert crossed the plains; Joseph Tickle Ellis, arrived in Utah in November of 1854. It must have been quite a surprise to the community when Joseph asked Sarah to marry him sincehe was several years younger than Sarah. They were married on September 5, 1855, in Salt Lake City.

Ellis was the superintendent of carpenters on the Manti Temple for four years. One of his projects was to help design and craft the beautiful spiral staircase in the temple. He procured the rank of Major in the Black Hawk War. In Spring City he served as a postmaster, Justice of the Peace, member of the City council, City Assessor, City Attorney and helped organize a call to go on a mission to Denmark.

Some records show that after Joseph Ellis married Sarah, he took property that Sarah and William had owned and sold it, leaving Sarah to earn her own living. She had learned the millinery business in England so she could help herself, and she made hats for a living to support herself.

William's plural wife, Elizabeth Trimmer Major, married Thomas Irvine sometime before 1856. After several moves, they settled in Santa Barbara, California. Elizabeth never bore offspring, but she lived a long life.

The Joseph T. Ellis family was one of the first to build homes in the new village of Spring City in 1858. The area had previously been known as Little Denmark and Spring Town, but the name was changed to Spring City because of the large spring which watered the area.

In 1860 Sarah and Joseph were living in Spring City, Sanpete, Utah. Joseph was working as a carpenter. Their real estate was valued at $250 and their personal estate at $700. Sarah served as treasurer in the Spring City Relief Society from May 10, 1868, to the time she served as the Primary President, May 31, 1879.

In 1870, Joseph and Sarah were still living in Spring City, Utah, with Joseph's plural wife, Emily, 24, and her children: Caroline, 6, Joseph, 3, and Annie 8 months old. Joseph was working as a farmer. In 1880, Sarah was living next door to Joseph, 57, Emily, 35, and their children, Caroline, 16, Joseph, 13, Hannah, 10, and James, 5, along with Joseph's other plural wife, Sena, 36, and her children, Sarah C., 17, Ralph, 4, William P., 3, Anna, 1, and Sarah's oldest son, William Major, 45, his wife, Ellen, 29, and their son, Horace S., 1 year old. Joseph and William were both working as farmers.

Sarah passed away on January 19, 1888, at the age of 76 while living in Spring City, Sanpete, Utah. She was Endowed December 20, 1845, in the Nauvoo Temple in Hancock County, Illinois, and was sealed to her spouse, William, January 22, 1846 also in the Nauvoo Temple. She was buried in the Spring City Cemetery in Spring City, Sanpete, Utah.

SOURCE: Some of the above information was taken from U.S. Federal Census records and some from the following website:

https://sites.google.com/site/jkmajor/20sarahcoles