m. Janet Wylie Dec. 1848
in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland
Son of John Crowther &
Elizabeth Jones
Janet Wiley -(Scottish) and George Crowther (English)
They then decided they would like to gather with the Saints in far off Utah. Their daughter, Robena, was born January 5, 1850; near the end of summer on the 4th of September 1850 they left Scotland from the Port San Juan. They set out for the United States. They crossed the ocean in a sailboat the North Atlantic (The Apalachicola) and landed in New Orleans that fall (According to passenger list I found on the Internet they arrived 27th January 1851 under Captain Foote). They went up the Mississippi River and joined the Saints at St. Louis, and Missouri. George found good work and good pay, so they decided to stay there till they could go to Utah. While they were in St. Louis, their son, John William was born 6 Nov 1851. They moved to Alton, Illinois, in the early part of 1852, soon after they moved their, their son John William died on 22 Oct 1852 at the age of one. On 25 Feb 1853, their son James was born and he died in 18 Mar 1854 in Alton, Illinois also at the age of one. From the materials we have, the date is indefinite, their daughter, Catherine was born March 11, 1856, at Alton, Illinois.
They had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon, so many of the saints who were anxious to come and had no money contrived a way they made handcarts. Janet and George Crowther brought theirs, paying sixty dollars for it. Because they had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon. About this time, Israel Evens was organizing a Handcart Company of Saints to make the trip to Utah, (see appendix A) after a great deal of thinking and counseling they decided to join this company. They hesitated to make the trip on account of Janet's health. Janet had been sick for a long time, with chills and fevers, finally one morning she said. "George we will go to Utah with Israel Evans and his Handcart Company", George was worrying about this trip and said, "Janet, I am afraid this will be a harder journey than you think. George told her she was too weak to start on the trip, and her reply to this was, "I will die if we stay here and if we go I will get well." Or from other accounts she said, "I will die if I stay here so I might as well die trying," This settled all arguing or hesitancy and they began planning in earnest for the trip.
So after making preparations they began this most noted of trek across this great continent, that of the Mormon handcart companies. Where else on earth could we find people, or any Mothers and Fathers who would think of taking such risks, make of buying a handcart, bundle their babies and belongings into it and fall to the task of pulling themselves and their belongings to a new place, but their faith and courage was strong.
They left the gathering place of Israel Evan's Handcart Company near Alton, Illinois on June 1857, and started the long trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. The road was long, rough, and sandy, up and down hills, through the hot sun. The wind and rainstorms, the Company left some of its members in graves along the road. They left all in the hands of God and obeyed their desire and wish to come. Janet said the first few days, she would sit down and rest, sometimes lie down, but as the days went by she grew stronger and her health began to improve she was very thankful that she had taken the chance to come. She made the trip to Salt Lake City in good Physical condition.
Catherine was fifteen months old and had to be hauled in the cart all the way and Robena, who was only seven years five months old, walked much of the way as she could stand. Through all these months they marched forward and landed in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. They were the last of Israel Evan's Handcart Companies, consisting of 154 people and 31 handcarts. After a three-month trip across the plains, they arrived just ahead of the Johnson Army, which, because of falsehoods and misrepresentations, had been sent by the Government to suppress the supposed to be, unlawful activities of the Mormon's.
On September 15, 1857, Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under martial law and forbade the troops to enter Great Salt Lake Valley. One week after they arrived in Salt Lake City, while living in a little schoolhouse with a couple of other families, they were awakened one night at midnight. President Brigham Young called George to go on guard against the army of Colonel Johnson. There was nothing to do but go, all this was a puzzle to them. He left his wife and babies and went on guard in Echo Canyon. The guard selected several points in front of the army and marched around them. They passed in view with coats on, then with them off, then turned them inside out. And in numerous ways they disguised themselves in order to make it appear that they had many more men then they really had.
There was worse to come, about a week after they had gone, some older men came with teams and wagons and told these women what it was all about, and took these families as far south as Payson (You will have to read about Johnson's Army). While George was away the Church ordered what in Mormon History is known as the "Big Move", as it was called. Janet Crowther and her two little girls packed up their belongings, gathered their flocks, and left Salt Lake City and moved for the valleys to the south. Janet moved to Payson which is about 62 miles and about 21 hours if you are walking. A few men were left in Salt Lake City to kindle the straw that was left in the houses in case the Army did not keep its promise to Brigham Young to march through the city south to the Jordan Narrows.
Once the guard was mustered out they could not find their families. Janet said they first went to Salt Lake where they had left them and no one knew anything about them, they inquired from house to house. It took the husband and their father two weeks of constant searching to find his wife and family. When George found them, he had to sit down and shed a few tears of joy.
They lived in Payson for some time and while there their daughter Elizabeth was born August 15, 1858. As a little girl Catherine went with her parents from one place to another where her parents were called to go, by President Brigham Young, and help colonize. They came to Manti from Payson, stayed here a few days, and then moved to Coal Bed which is now known as Wales, Sanpete Co., in 1860. George worked in the coalmines there and did some farming. George also took an active part in the Community activities. Their daughter Sarah was there while living there on May 22, 1861 and their son George Jr. was born April 13, 1863 in Wales.
In 1863 they moved to Mt. Pleasant and from there to Moroni then soon after before they could settle in they were called by President Young to go to Sevier County to help settle that section so they moved to a place called South Bend, afterwards called Monroe in May 1864 they dug holes in the side of foothills, (called dugouts) they lived in dugouts that had been there family home in which they lived with their young family of 5 remaining of the 7 children born at this time. The children were between the ages of 1 to 13 years. They were damp and unhealthy, and nearly the whole colony became ill with Typhoid Fever, some were very seriously ill. Janet and her sister, Barbara went from house to house waiting on the sick. They were very efficient nurses and gave of their time and strength cheerfully without taking a penny. The people called them "ministering angels" none of the colony died, although it was in a very bad form or condition. Their son William John was born in Monroe on 14 May 1865.
While in Monroe George farmed and through most of the Indian troubles, George was a minuteman. Besides driving the pony express, he was called to guard against the Indians at night and when he was not on his regular trips. During this time of colonization and Indian trouble (Blackhawk War) food was very scarce. The principle articles of food during the spring and summer were thistles, mustard greens, sago roots or bulbs and mushrooms. The children gathered most of this, Janet and her children would pick, card and spin the wool and weave it into cloth for their clothing. The longer fibers were selected and twisted into thread to sew the clothing. This was usually the job for Catherine as she was very quick and had nimble fingers. The worn out clothing was cut into stripes and woven into rugs and carpets.
George Crowther, Bishop Olsen and Walter Barney went to Spring City to see Orson Hyde about moving from Monroe. The day they were to return to Monroe, the Indians made an attack on the community, there was great fear for their safety, but it so happened that a Mr. Readhead at Richfield had insisted that they stay at his home overnight. This they did against their wishes as they felt they should get home as quickly as possible. If they had not listened to Mr. Readhead it is quite possible that they would have been killed by the Indians, because the attack was on at the very time they would have been on the road.
Because of this and the Indians killed a couple of men south of the settlement because of this and other Indian troubles, the church leaders asked them to return to the Sanpete settlement about 1864 to about 1867 they went to Manti, where they stayed for two months, at this time, George had a cousin, Thomas Crowther, living in Fountain Green and he wanted George to come and make his home there, and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home, in 1867 they were called away from Monroe on account of the Indian troubles, this was the Black Hawk Indian War. They went to Manti, where they stayed for two months and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home.
Like all other pioneer families they had a few sheep, Janet and the girls washed the wool, picked it carded or corded it in rolls by hand, spun and wove it.
One fall Janet wanted to make some cloth for a suit for George, and she wanted it extra nice so she colored some of the wool red, and then took a portion of black and white; the three colors were mixed in the picking, which made it a dark rich color when woven. George was always proud of this suit. Janet and her daughter Catherine or Katherine, now Mrs. Hans Peter Larsen, made forty yards of jeans one winter. Janet was always busy, either with helping and cheering the sick or those in trouble and with her homework.
October 10, 1868, Thomas James was born at Fountain Green, from this date on, the family engaged in farming and stock rising. They were early pioneers in Utah. It was people like them that made possible the wonderful conditions we have in Utah today.
George and Janet were a very devoted couple, doing all they could to make one another happy. They had nine children, five boys and four girls. When it was George's birthday anniversary, Janet would have all the children home for dinner and in other ways show respect for him. And on the 23rd of December 1891, George gave a celebration for Janet because it was fifty years since she was Baptized into the Church. He celebrated by hiring the dance hall and an orchestra and inviting the whole town to come to the dance. The children say they never saw Mother looked so beautiful and happy as she did on that night. This shows us how much George thought of Janet, the little girl who was far-sighted enough to recognize the truth when she heard it. We often hear of birthday and wedding celebrations, but this shows us the reverence these people had for their religion.
The last few years of George's life were made miserable by the affect of asthma. He died April 16, 1895, at Fountain Green, Utah. A son, George, and her husband preceded her to the grave. When her husband died she was left alone in the old home.
Janet Wiley Crowther lived nine years longer and was very active to the last. When the children would occasionally come to visit with her, she would be busy at her loom, and they would say, "Mother, you do not need to be working like this all the time", She would smile and say, "Better to wear out, than to rust out", And when God called her, she left a piece of carpet in the loom not yet finished. She was active to within a few days of her death, which came December 22, 1904, at her home in Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet was in word and deed a Pioneer, and when we say a Pioneer Mother it stands for all that is praise worthy, honest, benevolent, courageous, and strong of heart and hand. All she asked in return was a clasp of the human hand. She died as she lived. A true Latter-Day-Saint. Thus closed the activities of George Crowther and his beloved wife, Janet Wiley Crowther.
Only those who know pioneer life can appreciate the trials and hardships they went through. In addition there were the extreme dryness of the Utah desert, the Indian troubles, and the falsehoods and misrepresentations, which caused the Church and all its members many worries and heartaches. The solving of these problems of life by those pioneers was an outstanding achievement and the world stands indebted to them. When trials were harder they worked harder and when they became almost unbearable they would sing "Come, Come, Ye Saints, No Toil Or Labor Fear."
In closing this short account, allow me to say: They died as they had lived, true and loyal to their country, they're church and their high standards of life. The examples and memories they left for their children and grandchildren can never be forgotten and will ever be an incentive to a higher and cleaner life. Since writing this sketch the writer made a trip to Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah and on a monument erected to honor the pioneers he was glad to see, among others, the name of George Crowther on the large bronze plate.
Children of George and Janet Wiley:
Robena Crowther 1850-1923
John William Crowther 1851-1852
James Crowther 1853-1854
Catherine Person Crowther 1856-1946
Elizabeth Crowther 1858-1937
Sarah Crowther 1861-1925
George Crowther Jr. 1863-1876
William John Crowther 1865-1908
Thomas James Crowther 1868-1920
in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland
Son of John Crowther &
Elizabeth Jones
Janet Wiley -(Scottish) and George Crowther (English)
They then decided they would like to gather with the Saints in far off Utah. Their daughter, Robena, was born January 5, 1850; near the end of summer on the 4th of September 1850 they left Scotland from the Port San Juan. They set out for the United States. They crossed the ocean in a sailboat the North Atlantic (The Apalachicola) and landed in New Orleans that fall (According to passenger list I found on the Internet they arrived 27th January 1851 under Captain Foote). They went up the Mississippi River and joined the Saints at St. Louis, and Missouri. George found good work and good pay, so they decided to stay there till they could go to Utah. While they were in St. Louis, their son, John William was born 6 Nov 1851. They moved to Alton, Illinois, in the early part of 1852, soon after they moved their, their son John William died on 22 Oct 1852 at the age of one. On 25 Feb 1853, their son James was born and he died in 18 Mar 1854 in Alton, Illinois also at the age of one. From the materials we have, the date is indefinite, their daughter, Catherine was born March 11, 1856, at Alton, Illinois.
They had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon, so many of the saints who were anxious to come and had no money contrived a way they made handcarts. Janet and George Crowther brought theirs, paying sixty dollars for it. Because they had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon. About this time, Israel Evens was organizing a Handcart Company of Saints to make the trip to Utah, (see appendix A) after a great deal of thinking and counseling they decided to join this company. They hesitated to make the trip on account of Janet's health. Janet had been sick for a long time, with chills and fevers, finally one morning she said. "George we will go to Utah with Israel Evans and his Handcart Company", George was worrying about this trip and said, "Janet, I am afraid this will be a harder journey than you think. George told her she was too weak to start on the trip, and her reply to this was, "I will die if we stay here and if we go I will get well." Or from other accounts she said, "I will die if I stay here so I might as well die trying," This settled all arguing or hesitancy and they began planning in earnest for the trip.
So after making preparations they began this most noted of trek across this great continent, that of the Mormon handcart companies. Where else on earth could we find people, or any Mothers and Fathers who would think of taking such risks, make of buying a handcart, bundle their babies and belongings into it and fall to the task of pulling themselves and their belongings to a new place, but their faith and courage was strong.
They left the gathering place of Israel Evan's Handcart Company near Alton, Illinois on June 1857, and started the long trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. The road was long, rough, and sandy, up and down hills, through the hot sun. The wind and rainstorms, the Company left some of its members in graves along the road. They left all in the hands of God and obeyed their desire and wish to come. Janet said the first few days, she would sit down and rest, sometimes lie down, but as the days went by she grew stronger and her health began to improve she was very thankful that she had taken the chance to come. She made the trip to Salt Lake City in good Physical condition.
Catherine was fifteen months old and had to be hauled in the cart all the way and Robena, who was only seven years five months old, walked much of the way as she could stand. Through all these months they marched forward and landed in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. They were the last of Israel Evan's Handcart Companies, consisting of 154 people and 31 handcarts. After a three-month trip across the plains, they arrived just ahead of the Johnson Army, which, because of falsehoods and misrepresentations, had been sent by the Government to suppress the supposed to be, unlawful activities of the Mormon's.
On September 15, 1857, Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under martial law and forbade the troops to enter Great Salt Lake Valley. One week after they arrived in Salt Lake City, while living in a little schoolhouse with a couple of other families, they were awakened one night at midnight. President Brigham Young called George to go on guard against the army of Colonel Johnson. There was nothing to do but go, all this was a puzzle to them. He left his wife and babies and went on guard in Echo Canyon. The guard selected several points in front of the army and marched around them. They passed in view with coats on, then with them off, then turned them inside out. And in numerous ways they disguised themselves in order to make it appear that they had many more men then they really had.
There was worse to come, about a week after they had gone, some older men came with teams and wagons and told these women what it was all about, and took these families as far south as Payson (You will have to read about Johnson's Army). While George was away the Church ordered what in Mormon History is known as the "Big Move", as it was called. Janet Crowther and her two little girls packed up their belongings, gathered their flocks, and left Salt Lake City and moved for the valleys to the south. Janet moved to Payson which is about 62 miles and about 21 hours if you are walking. A few men were left in Salt Lake City to kindle the straw that was left in the houses in case the Army did not keep its promise to Brigham Young to march through the city south to the Jordan Narrows.
Once the guard was mustered out they could not find their families. Janet said they first went to Salt Lake where they had left them and no one knew anything about them, they inquired from house to house. It took the husband and their father two weeks of constant searching to find his wife and family. When George found them, he had to sit down and shed a few tears of joy.
They lived in Payson for some time and while there their daughter Elizabeth was born August 15, 1858. As a little girl Catherine went with her parents from one place to another where her parents were called to go, by President Brigham Young, and help colonize. They came to Manti from Payson, stayed here a few days, and then moved to Coal Bed which is now known as Wales, Sanpete Co., in 1860. George worked in the coalmines there and did some farming. George also took an active part in the Community activities. Their daughter Sarah was there while living there on May 22, 1861 and their son George Jr. was born April 13, 1863 in Wales.
In 1863 they moved to Mt. Pleasant and from there to Moroni then soon after before they could settle in they were called by President Young to go to Sevier County to help settle that section so they moved to a place called South Bend, afterwards called Monroe in May 1864 they dug holes in the side of foothills, (called dugouts) they lived in dugouts that had been there family home in which they lived with their young family of 5 remaining of the 7 children born at this time. The children were between the ages of 1 to 13 years. They were damp and unhealthy, and nearly the whole colony became ill with Typhoid Fever, some were very seriously ill. Janet and her sister, Barbara went from house to house waiting on the sick. They were very efficient nurses and gave of their time and strength cheerfully without taking a penny. The people called them "ministering angels" none of the colony died, although it was in a very bad form or condition. Their son William John was born in Monroe on 14 May 1865.
While in Monroe George farmed and through most of the Indian troubles, George was a minuteman. Besides driving the pony express, he was called to guard against the Indians at night and when he was not on his regular trips. During this time of colonization and Indian trouble (Blackhawk War) food was very scarce. The principle articles of food during the spring and summer were thistles, mustard greens, sago roots or bulbs and mushrooms. The children gathered most of this, Janet and her children would pick, card and spin the wool and weave it into cloth for their clothing. The longer fibers were selected and twisted into thread to sew the clothing. This was usually the job for Catherine as she was very quick and had nimble fingers. The worn out clothing was cut into stripes and woven into rugs and carpets.
George Crowther, Bishop Olsen and Walter Barney went to Spring City to see Orson Hyde about moving from Monroe. The day they were to return to Monroe, the Indians made an attack on the community, there was great fear for their safety, but it so happened that a Mr. Readhead at Richfield had insisted that they stay at his home overnight. This they did against their wishes as they felt they should get home as quickly as possible. If they had not listened to Mr. Readhead it is quite possible that they would have been killed by the Indians, because the attack was on at the very time they would have been on the road.
Because of this and the Indians killed a couple of men south of the settlement because of this and other Indian troubles, the church leaders asked them to return to the Sanpete settlement about 1864 to about 1867 they went to Manti, where they stayed for two months, at this time, George had a cousin, Thomas Crowther, living in Fountain Green and he wanted George to come and make his home there, and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home, in 1867 they were called away from Monroe on account of the Indian troubles, this was the Black Hawk Indian War. They went to Manti, where they stayed for two months and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home.
Like all other pioneer families they had a few sheep, Janet and the girls washed the wool, picked it carded or corded it in rolls by hand, spun and wove it.
One fall Janet wanted to make some cloth for a suit for George, and she wanted it extra nice so she colored some of the wool red, and then took a portion of black and white; the three colors were mixed in the picking, which made it a dark rich color when woven. George was always proud of this suit. Janet and her daughter Catherine or Katherine, now Mrs. Hans Peter Larsen, made forty yards of jeans one winter. Janet was always busy, either with helping and cheering the sick or those in trouble and with her homework.
October 10, 1868, Thomas James was born at Fountain Green, from this date on, the family engaged in farming and stock rising. They were early pioneers in Utah. It was people like them that made possible the wonderful conditions we have in Utah today.
George and Janet were a very devoted couple, doing all they could to make one another happy. They had nine children, five boys and four girls. When it was George's birthday anniversary, Janet would have all the children home for dinner and in other ways show respect for him. And on the 23rd of December 1891, George gave a celebration for Janet because it was fifty years since she was Baptized into the Church. He celebrated by hiring the dance hall and an orchestra and inviting the whole town to come to the dance. The children say they never saw Mother looked so beautiful and happy as she did on that night. This shows us how much George thought of Janet, the little girl who was far-sighted enough to recognize the truth when she heard it. We often hear of birthday and wedding celebrations, but this shows us the reverence these people had for their religion.
The last few years of George's life were made miserable by the affect of asthma. He died April 16, 1895, at Fountain Green, Utah. A son, George, and her husband preceded her to the grave. When her husband died she was left alone in the old home.
Janet Wiley Crowther lived nine years longer and was very active to the last. When the children would occasionally come to visit with her, she would be busy at her loom, and they would say, "Mother, you do not need to be working like this all the time", She would smile and say, "Better to wear out, than to rust out", And when God called her, she left a piece of carpet in the loom not yet finished. She was active to within a few days of her death, which came December 22, 1904, at her home in Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet was in word and deed a Pioneer, and when we say a Pioneer Mother it stands for all that is praise worthy, honest, benevolent, courageous, and strong of heart and hand. All she asked in return was a clasp of the human hand. She died as she lived. A true Latter-Day-Saint. Thus closed the activities of George Crowther and his beloved wife, Janet Wiley Crowther.
Only those who know pioneer life can appreciate the trials and hardships they went through. In addition there were the extreme dryness of the Utah desert, the Indian troubles, and the falsehoods and misrepresentations, which caused the Church and all its members many worries and heartaches. The solving of these problems of life by those pioneers was an outstanding achievement and the world stands indebted to them. When trials were harder they worked harder and when they became almost unbearable they would sing "Come, Come, Ye Saints, No Toil Or Labor Fear."
In closing this short account, allow me to say: They died as they had lived, true and loyal to their country, they're church and their high standards of life. The examples and memories they left for their children and grandchildren can never be forgotten and will ever be an incentive to a higher and cleaner life. Since writing this sketch the writer made a trip to Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah and on a monument erected to honor the pioneers he was glad to see, among others, the name of George Crowther on the large bronze plate.
Children of George and Janet Wiley:
Robena Crowther 1850-1923
John William Crowther 1851-1852
James Crowther 1853-1854
Catherine Person Crowther 1856-1946
Elizabeth Crowther 1858-1937
Sarah Crowther 1861-1925
George Crowther Jr. 1863-1876
William John Crowther 1865-1908
Thomas James Crowther 1868-1920
m. Janet Wylie Dec. 1848
in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland
Son of John Crowther &
Elizabeth Jones
Janet Wiley -(Scottish) and George Crowther (English)
They then decided they would like to gather with the Saints in far off Utah. Their daughter, Robena, was born January 5, 1850; near the end of summer on the 4th of September 1850 they left Scotland from the Port San Juan. They set out for the United States. They crossed the ocean in a sailboat the North Atlantic (The Apalachicola) and landed in New Orleans that fall (According to passenger list I found on the Internet they arrived 27th January 1851 under Captain Foote). They went up the Mississippi River and joined the Saints at St. Louis, and Missouri. George found good work and good pay, so they decided to stay there till they could go to Utah. While they were in St. Louis, their son, John William was born 6 Nov 1851. They moved to Alton, Illinois, in the early part of 1852, soon after they moved their, their son John William died on 22 Oct 1852 at the age of one. On 25 Feb 1853, their son James was born and he died in 18 Mar 1854 in Alton, Illinois also at the age of one. From the materials we have, the date is indefinite, their daughter, Catherine was born March 11, 1856, at Alton, Illinois.
They had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon, so many of the saints who were anxious to come and had no money contrived a way they made handcarts. Janet and George Crowther brought theirs, paying sixty dollars for it. Because they had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon. About this time, Israel Evens was organizing a Handcart Company of Saints to make the trip to Utah, (see appendix A) after a great deal of thinking and counseling they decided to join this company. They hesitated to make the trip on account of Janet's health. Janet had been sick for a long time, with chills and fevers, finally one morning she said. "George we will go to Utah with Israel Evans and his Handcart Company", George was worrying about this trip and said, "Janet, I am afraid this will be a harder journey than you think. George told her she was too weak to start on the trip, and her reply to this was, "I will die if we stay here and if we go I will get well." Or from other accounts she said, "I will die if I stay here so I might as well die trying," This settled all arguing or hesitancy and they began planning in earnest for the trip.
So after making preparations they began this most noted of trek across this great continent, that of the Mormon handcart companies. Where else on earth could we find people, or any Mothers and Fathers who would think of taking such risks, make of buying a handcart, bundle their babies and belongings into it and fall to the task of pulling themselves and their belongings to a new place, but their faith and courage was strong.
They left the gathering place of Israel Evan's Handcart Company near Alton, Illinois on June 1857, and started the long trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. The road was long, rough, and sandy, up and down hills, through the hot sun. The wind and rainstorms, the Company left some of its members in graves along the road. They left all in the hands of God and obeyed their desire and wish to come. Janet said the first few days, she would sit down and rest, sometimes lie down, but as the days went by she grew stronger and her health began to improve she was very thankful that she had taken the chance to come. She made the trip to Salt Lake City in good Physical condition.
Catherine was fifteen months old and had to be hauled in the cart all the way and Robena, who was only seven years five months old, walked much of the way as she could stand. Through all these months they marched forward and landed in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. They were the last of Israel Evan's Handcart Companies, consisting of 154 people and 31 handcarts. After a three-month trip across the plains, they arrived just ahead of the Johnson Army, which, because of falsehoods and misrepresentations, had been sent by the Government to suppress the supposed to be, unlawful activities of the Mormon's.
On September 15, 1857, Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under martial law and forbade the troops to enter Great Salt Lake Valley. One week after they arrived in Salt Lake City, while living in a little schoolhouse with a couple of other families, they were awakened one night at midnight. President Brigham Young called George to go on guard against the army of Colonel Johnson. There was nothing to do but go, all this was a puzzle to them. He left his wife and babies and went on guard in Echo Canyon. The guard selected several points in front of the army and marched around them. They passed in view with coats on, then with them off, then turned them inside out. And in numerous ways they disguised themselves in order to make it appear that they had many more men then they really had.
There was worse to come, about a week after they had gone, some older men came with teams and wagons and told these women what it was all about, and took these families as far south as Payson (You will have to read about Johnson's Army). While George was away the Church ordered what in Mormon History is known as the "Big Move", as it was called. Janet Crowther and her two little girls packed up their belongings, gathered their flocks, and left Salt Lake City and moved for the valleys to the south. Janet moved to Payson which is about 62 miles and about 21 hours if you are walking. A few men were left in Salt Lake City to kindle the straw that was left in the houses in case the Army did not keep its promise to Brigham Young to march through the city south to the Jordan Narrows.
Once the guard was mustered out they could not find their families. Janet said they first went to Salt Lake where they had left them and no one knew anything about them, they inquired from house to house. It took the husband and their father two weeks of constant searching to find his wife and family. When George found them, he had to sit down and shed a few tears of joy.
They lived in Payson for some time and while there their daughter Elizabeth was born August 15, 1858. As a little girl Catherine went with her parents from one place to another where her parents were called to go, by President Brigham Young, and help colonize. They came to Manti from Payson, stayed here a few days, and then moved to Coal Bed which is now known as Wales, Sanpete Co., in 1860. George worked in the coalmines there and did some farming. George also took an active part in the Community activities. Their daughter Sarah was there while living there on May 22, 1861 and their son George Jr. was born April 13, 1863 in Wales.
In 1863 they moved to Mt. Pleasant and from there to Moroni then soon after before they could settle in they were called by President Young to go to Sevier County to help settle that section so they moved to a place called South Bend, afterwards called Monroe in May 1864 they dug holes in the side of foothills, (called dugouts) they lived in dugouts that had been there family home in which they lived with their young family of 5 remaining of the 7 children born at this time. The children were between the ages of 1 to 13 years. They were damp and unhealthy, and nearly the whole colony became ill with Typhoid Fever, some were very seriously ill. Janet and her sister, Barbara went from house to house waiting on the sick. They were very efficient nurses and gave of their time and strength cheerfully without taking a penny. The people called them "ministering angels" none of the colony died, although it was in a very bad form or condition. Their son William John was born in Monroe on 14 May 1865.
While in Monroe George farmed and through most of the Indian troubles, George was a minuteman. Besides driving the pony express, he was called to guard against the Indians at night and when he was not on his regular trips. During this time of colonization and Indian trouble (Blackhawk War) food was very scarce. The principle articles of food during the spring and summer were thistles, mustard greens, sago roots or bulbs and mushrooms. The children gathered most of this, Janet and her children would pick, card and spin the wool and weave it into cloth for their clothing. The longer fibers were selected and twisted into thread to sew the clothing. This was usually the job for Catherine as she was very quick and had nimble fingers. The worn out clothing was cut into stripes and woven into rugs and carpets.
George Crowther, Bishop Olsen and Walter Barney went to Spring City to see Orson Hyde about moving from Monroe. The day they were to return to Monroe, the Indians made an attack on the community, there was great fear for their safety, but it so happened that a Mr. Readhead at Richfield had insisted that they stay at his home overnight. This they did against their wishes as they felt they should get home as quickly as possible. If they had not listened to Mr. Readhead it is quite possible that they would have been killed by the Indians, because the attack was on at the very time they would have been on the road.
Because of this and the Indians killed a couple of men south of the settlement because of this and other Indian troubles, the church leaders asked them to return to the Sanpete settlement about 1864 to about 1867 they went to Manti, where they stayed for two months, at this time, George had a cousin, Thomas Crowther, living in Fountain Green and he wanted George to come and make his home there, and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home, in 1867 they were called away from Monroe on account of the Indian troubles, this was the Black Hawk Indian War. They went to Manti, where they stayed for two months and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home.
Like all other pioneer families they had a few sheep, Janet and the girls washed the wool, picked it carded or corded it in rolls by hand, spun and wove it.
One fall Janet wanted to make some cloth for a suit for George, and she wanted it extra nice so she colored some of the wool red, and then took a portion of black and white; the three colors were mixed in the picking, which made it a dark rich color when woven. George was always proud of this suit. Janet and her daughter Catherine or Katherine, now Mrs. Hans Peter Larsen, made forty yards of jeans one winter. Janet was always busy, either with helping and cheering the sick or those in trouble and with her homework.
October 10, 1868, Thomas James was born at Fountain Green, from this date on, the family engaged in farming and stock rising. They were early pioneers in Utah. It was people like them that made possible the wonderful conditions we have in Utah today.
George and Janet were a very devoted couple, doing all they could to make one another happy. They had nine children, five boys and four girls. When it was George's birthday anniversary, Janet would have all the children home for dinner and in other ways show respect for him. And on the 23rd of December 1891, George gave a celebration for Janet because it was fifty years since she was Baptized into the Church. He celebrated by hiring the dance hall and an orchestra and inviting the whole town to come to the dance. The children say they never saw Mother looked so beautiful and happy as she did on that night. This shows us how much George thought of Janet, the little girl who was far-sighted enough to recognize the truth when she heard it. We often hear of birthday and wedding celebrations, but this shows us the reverence these people had for their religion.
The last few years of George's life were made miserable by the affect of asthma. He died April 16, 1895, at Fountain Green, Utah. A son, George, and her husband preceded her to the grave. When her husband died she was left alone in the old home.
Janet Wiley Crowther lived nine years longer and was very active to the last. When the children would occasionally come to visit with her, she would be busy at her loom, and they would say, "Mother, you do not need to be working like this all the time", She would smile and say, "Better to wear out, than to rust out", And when God called her, she left a piece of carpet in the loom not yet finished. She was active to within a few days of her death, which came December 22, 1904, at her home in Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet was in word and deed a Pioneer, and when we say a Pioneer Mother it stands for all that is praise worthy, honest, benevolent, courageous, and strong of heart and hand. All she asked in return was a clasp of the human hand. She died as she lived. A true Latter-Day-Saint. Thus closed the activities of George Crowther and his beloved wife, Janet Wiley Crowther.
Only those who know pioneer life can appreciate the trials and hardships they went through. In addition there were the extreme dryness of the Utah desert, the Indian troubles, and the falsehoods and misrepresentations, which caused the Church and all its members many worries and heartaches. The solving of these problems of life by those pioneers was an outstanding achievement and the world stands indebted to them. When trials were harder they worked harder and when they became almost unbearable they would sing "Come, Come, Ye Saints, No Toil Or Labor Fear."
In closing this short account, allow me to say: They died as they had lived, true and loyal to their country, they're church and their high standards of life. The examples and memories they left for their children and grandchildren can never be forgotten and will ever be an incentive to a higher and cleaner life. Since writing this sketch the writer made a trip to Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah and on a monument erected to honor the pioneers he was glad to see, among others, the name of George Crowther on the large bronze plate.
Children of George and Janet Wiley:
Robena Crowther 1850-1923
John William Crowther 1851-1852
James Crowther 1853-1854
Catherine Person Crowther 1856-1946
Elizabeth Crowther 1858-1937
Sarah Crowther 1861-1925
George Crowther Jr. 1863-1876
William John Crowther 1865-1908
Thomas James Crowther 1868-1920
in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland
Son of John Crowther &
Elizabeth Jones
Janet Wiley -(Scottish) and George Crowther (English)
They then decided they would like to gather with the Saints in far off Utah. Their daughter, Robena, was born January 5, 1850; near the end of summer on the 4th of September 1850 they left Scotland from the Port San Juan. They set out for the United States. They crossed the ocean in a sailboat the North Atlantic (The Apalachicola) and landed in New Orleans that fall (According to passenger list I found on the Internet they arrived 27th January 1851 under Captain Foote). They went up the Mississippi River and joined the Saints at St. Louis, and Missouri. George found good work and good pay, so they decided to stay there till they could go to Utah. While they were in St. Louis, their son, John William was born 6 Nov 1851. They moved to Alton, Illinois, in the early part of 1852, soon after they moved their, their son John William died on 22 Oct 1852 at the age of one. On 25 Feb 1853, their son James was born and he died in 18 Mar 1854 in Alton, Illinois also at the age of one. From the materials we have, the date is indefinite, their daughter, Catherine was born March 11, 1856, at Alton, Illinois.
They had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon, so many of the saints who were anxious to come and had no money contrived a way they made handcarts. Janet and George Crowther brought theirs, paying sixty dollars for it. Because they had not been able to save enough to buy a team and wagon. About this time, Israel Evens was organizing a Handcart Company of Saints to make the trip to Utah, (see appendix A) after a great deal of thinking and counseling they decided to join this company. They hesitated to make the trip on account of Janet's health. Janet had been sick for a long time, with chills and fevers, finally one morning she said. "George we will go to Utah with Israel Evans and his Handcart Company", George was worrying about this trip and said, "Janet, I am afraid this will be a harder journey than you think. George told her she was too weak to start on the trip, and her reply to this was, "I will die if we stay here and if we go I will get well." Or from other accounts she said, "I will die if I stay here so I might as well die trying," This settled all arguing or hesitancy and they began planning in earnest for the trip.
So after making preparations they began this most noted of trek across this great continent, that of the Mormon handcart companies. Where else on earth could we find people, or any Mothers and Fathers who would think of taking such risks, make of buying a handcart, bundle their babies and belongings into it and fall to the task of pulling themselves and their belongings to a new place, but their faith and courage was strong.
They left the gathering place of Israel Evan's Handcart Company near Alton, Illinois on June 1857, and started the long trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. The road was long, rough, and sandy, up and down hills, through the hot sun. The wind and rainstorms, the Company left some of its members in graves along the road. They left all in the hands of God and obeyed their desire and wish to come. Janet said the first few days, she would sit down and rest, sometimes lie down, but as the days went by she grew stronger and her health began to improve she was very thankful that she had taken the chance to come. She made the trip to Salt Lake City in good Physical condition.
Catherine was fifteen months old and had to be hauled in the cart all the way and Robena, who was only seven years five months old, walked much of the way as she could stand. Through all these months they marched forward and landed in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. They were the last of Israel Evan's Handcart Companies, consisting of 154 people and 31 handcarts. After a three-month trip across the plains, they arrived just ahead of the Johnson Army, which, because of falsehoods and misrepresentations, had been sent by the Government to suppress the supposed to be, unlawful activities of the Mormon's.
On September 15, 1857, Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under martial law and forbade the troops to enter Great Salt Lake Valley. One week after they arrived in Salt Lake City, while living in a little schoolhouse with a couple of other families, they were awakened one night at midnight. President Brigham Young called George to go on guard against the army of Colonel Johnson. There was nothing to do but go, all this was a puzzle to them. He left his wife and babies and went on guard in Echo Canyon. The guard selected several points in front of the army and marched around them. They passed in view with coats on, then with them off, then turned them inside out. And in numerous ways they disguised themselves in order to make it appear that they had many more men then they really had.
There was worse to come, about a week after they had gone, some older men came with teams and wagons and told these women what it was all about, and took these families as far south as Payson (You will have to read about Johnson's Army). While George was away the Church ordered what in Mormon History is known as the "Big Move", as it was called. Janet Crowther and her two little girls packed up their belongings, gathered their flocks, and left Salt Lake City and moved for the valleys to the south. Janet moved to Payson which is about 62 miles and about 21 hours if you are walking. A few men were left in Salt Lake City to kindle the straw that was left in the houses in case the Army did not keep its promise to Brigham Young to march through the city south to the Jordan Narrows.
Once the guard was mustered out they could not find their families. Janet said they first went to Salt Lake where they had left them and no one knew anything about them, they inquired from house to house. It took the husband and their father two weeks of constant searching to find his wife and family. When George found them, he had to sit down and shed a few tears of joy.
They lived in Payson for some time and while there their daughter Elizabeth was born August 15, 1858. As a little girl Catherine went with her parents from one place to another where her parents were called to go, by President Brigham Young, and help colonize. They came to Manti from Payson, stayed here a few days, and then moved to Coal Bed which is now known as Wales, Sanpete Co., in 1860. George worked in the coalmines there and did some farming. George also took an active part in the Community activities. Their daughter Sarah was there while living there on May 22, 1861 and their son George Jr. was born April 13, 1863 in Wales.
In 1863 they moved to Mt. Pleasant and from there to Moroni then soon after before they could settle in they were called by President Young to go to Sevier County to help settle that section so they moved to a place called South Bend, afterwards called Monroe in May 1864 they dug holes in the side of foothills, (called dugouts) they lived in dugouts that had been there family home in which they lived with their young family of 5 remaining of the 7 children born at this time. The children were between the ages of 1 to 13 years. They were damp and unhealthy, and nearly the whole colony became ill with Typhoid Fever, some were very seriously ill. Janet and her sister, Barbara went from house to house waiting on the sick. They were very efficient nurses and gave of their time and strength cheerfully without taking a penny. The people called them "ministering angels" none of the colony died, although it was in a very bad form or condition. Their son William John was born in Monroe on 14 May 1865.
While in Monroe George farmed and through most of the Indian troubles, George was a minuteman. Besides driving the pony express, he was called to guard against the Indians at night and when he was not on his regular trips. During this time of colonization and Indian trouble (Blackhawk War) food was very scarce. The principle articles of food during the spring and summer were thistles, mustard greens, sago roots or bulbs and mushrooms. The children gathered most of this, Janet and her children would pick, card and spin the wool and weave it into cloth for their clothing. The longer fibers were selected and twisted into thread to sew the clothing. This was usually the job for Catherine as she was very quick and had nimble fingers. The worn out clothing was cut into stripes and woven into rugs and carpets.
George Crowther, Bishop Olsen and Walter Barney went to Spring City to see Orson Hyde about moving from Monroe. The day they were to return to Monroe, the Indians made an attack on the community, there was great fear for their safety, but it so happened that a Mr. Readhead at Richfield had insisted that they stay at his home overnight. This they did against their wishes as they felt they should get home as quickly as possible. If they had not listened to Mr. Readhead it is quite possible that they would have been killed by the Indians, because the attack was on at the very time they would have been on the road.
Because of this and the Indians killed a couple of men south of the settlement because of this and other Indian troubles, the church leaders asked them to return to the Sanpete settlement about 1864 to about 1867 they went to Manti, where they stayed for two months, at this time, George had a cousin, Thomas Crowther, living in Fountain Green and he wanted George to come and make his home there, and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home, in 1867 they were called away from Monroe on account of the Indian troubles, this was the Black Hawk Indian War. They went to Manti, where they stayed for two months and then to Fountain Green where they made a permanent home.
Like all other pioneer families they had a few sheep, Janet and the girls washed the wool, picked it carded or corded it in rolls by hand, spun and wove it.
One fall Janet wanted to make some cloth for a suit for George, and she wanted it extra nice so she colored some of the wool red, and then took a portion of black and white; the three colors were mixed in the picking, which made it a dark rich color when woven. George was always proud of this suit. Janet and her daughter Catherine or Katherine, now Mrs. Hans Peter Larsen, made forty yards of jeans one winter. Janet was always busy, either with helping and cheering the sick or those in trouble and with her homework.
October 10, 1868, Thomas James was born at Fountain Green, from this date on, the family engaged in farming and stock rising. They were early pioneers in Utah. It was people like them that made possible the wonderful conditions we have in Utah today.
George and Janet were a very devoted couple, doing all they could to make one another happy. They had nine children, five boys and four girls. When it was George's birthday anniversary, Janet would have all the children home for dinner and in other ways show respect for him. And on the 23rd of December 1891, George gave a celebration for Janet because it was fifty years since she was Baptized into the Church. He celebrated by hiring the dance hall and an orchestra and inviting the whole town to come to the dance. The children say they never saw Mother looked so beautiful and happy as she did on that night. This shows us how much George thought of Janet, the little girl who was far-sighted enough to recognize the truth when she heard it. We often hear of birthday and wedding celebrations, but this shows us the reverence these people had for their religion.
The last few years of George's life were made miserable by the affect of asthma. He died April 16, 1895, at Fountain Green, Utah. A son, George, and her husband preceded her to the grave. When her husband died she was left alone in the old home.
Janet Wiley Crowther lived nine years longer and was very active to the last. When the children would occasionally come to visit with her, she would be busy at her loom, and they would say, "Mother, you do not need to be working like this all the time", She would smile and say, "Better to wear out, than to rust out", And when God called her, she left a piece of carpet in the loom not yet finished. She was active to within a few days of her death, which came December 22, 1904, at her home in Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet was in word and deed a Pioneer, and when we say a Pioneer Mother it stands for all that is praise worthy, honest, benevolent, courageous, and strong of heart and hand. All she asked in return was a clasp of the human hand. She died as she lived. A true Latter-Day-Saint. Thus closed the activities of George Crowther and his beloved wife, Janet Wiley Crowther.
Only those who know pioneer life can appreciate the trials and hardships they went through. In addition there were the extreme dryness of the Utah desert, the Indian troubles, and the falsehoods and misrepresentations, which caused the Church and all its members many worries and heartaches. The solving of these problems of life by those pioneers was an outstanding achievement and the world stands indebted to them. When trials were harder they worked harder and when they became almost unbearable they would sing "Come, Come, Ye Saints, No Toil Or Labor Fear."
In closing this short account, allow me to say: They died as they had lived, true and loyal to their country, they're church and their high standards of life. The examples and memories they left for their children and grandchildren can never be forgotten and will ever be an incentive to a higher and cleaner life. Since writing this sketch the writer made a trip to Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah and on a monument erected to honor the pioneers he was glad to see, among others, the name of George Crowther on the large bronze plate.
Children of George and Janet Wiley:
Robena Crowther 1850-1923
John William Crowther 1851-1852
James Crowther 1853-1854
Catherine Person Crowther 1856-1946
Elizabeth Crowther 1858-1937
Sarah Crowther 1861-1925
George Crowther Jr. 1863-1876
William John Crowther 1865-1908
Thomas James Crowther 1868-1920
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
