Daughter of John Harper and Rachel Waterhouse

Married William Goodwin Noble, 13 Dec 1830, Irchester, Northampton, England

Children - Jane Ann Noble, Rachel Noble, Waterhouse Harper Noble, Eliza Priscilla Noble, Henrietta Noble, Lavinia Noble, William Aquilla Noble, Louisa Rocksnow Noble, Zilpha Noble, Leonora Tryphena Noble, Laura Matilda Noble

History. In the early part of the 19th century, there lived at Irchester, Northampton, England a worthy couple, William G. Noble and his wife, Mary Ann Harper Noble. They were the parents of ten children, eight girls, and two boys.

In the spring of 1840, they heard the Gospel as taught by the Elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The father was soon converted and became an eloquent advocate of the Gospel truths. Persecution soon followed their conversion which necessitated their moving from place to place in order that the father might get work and also give him a better opportunity to teach the truths of the Gospel. They first moved to Wellingborough, then to Northampton, then to Bradford in Yorkshire, and then to Birmingham. William presided over several conferences.

Three daughters were beautiful singers and they always attended the meetings, although they had to walk two miles, and at one place eight miles after working in the factory all day. Brother and Sister Noble always kept an open house for the Elders and President Lorenzo Snow, often staying two weeks at one time.

They left England on May 3, 1860, for America on a sailing vessel. The eldest sister wanted to come with them and got on the ship but was taken off by her husband. They were six weeks on the water. When they arrived in New York William and Mary Ann and younger children stayed there for some time. Two daughters, Lavenia and Henrietta, and one son, William Aquilla, went on to Florence, Nebraska, where the Saints were then gathering to prepare to cross the plains in the handcart company, but Bishop Edwin Wooley had several wagons loaded with goods that he was taking to Salt Lake for his store and desired the two sisters to go with them and cook for his teamsters, the brother betting the opportunity of driving a team for Joseph W. Young.

The two sisters cooked for sixteen men and did the washing for eight of them. In the evening all met for supper and for prayers before retiring for the night. Henrietta and her sister would sing for them nearly every evening. They were eleven weeks crossing the plains, making bridges, and improving the roads as they traveled along.

They arrived in Salt Lake City, on October 3, 1860, where they stayed until after the conferences.