HISTORY OF MARY ANN OVARD-SMITH
Mary Ann Ovard, was born 12 Apr 1848, in Ashorne, Warwickshire, England to Thomas and Hannah Stowe Ovard. She was the sixth child in a family of 10 children.
Her father, Thomas, was a farmer and the family had barely enough to live on. In 1855, they were converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like all converts, wanted to come to Utah for the Gospel’s sake. Their finances were meager, so the whole family had to work hard to save toward the anticipated trip to America. It seemed like their goal would never be reached. Then a miracle happened. Joseph, Mary Ann’s brother, was running to his work and he stumbled and fell. As he rose to his feet, he saw something that was shiny. To his amazement, it was money! He took the treasure to the family. What joy! The money he found was enough to complete the fund for the family to come to America.
When Mary Ann was nine years old, they sailed from Liverpool for the United States. They came in a sailing vessel and made the trip in thirty days which was a record at that time. Her mother was sick in bed all the way across the ocean.
All went well until the third week when a big storm came up and all were ordered below deck. But Mary Ann was curious to see it all and was washed overboard and would have drowned but for a big black sailor who jumped overboard and saved her life.
They finally landed in the States, and their father got a room for the family to stay in. They didn't have any money and with only a few ship biscuits for food, her father had to go in search of work. As he was a farmer and could do nothing else, it was to the country he had to go. The trip had been very hard on Mary Ann’s mother and so she was in bad shape all day.
The four children watched for their father to come back, but night came and there was no sign of him. They watched all the next day until in the evening. When Sarah saw her mother had fallen asleep, the children wanted to see some of the ships unload their cargo of oranges, coconuts, and many other precious things they had never seen before.
They were so interested in what they saw, that they didn't realize that they had gone so far from their home and mother. They knew she would be worried. It was dark when they started back. They walked and ran, and still could not recognize anything that looked like the place they lived in.
All of a sudden, a man asked them why they were crying. It was the black sailor that had saved Mary Ann’s life. He asked them where they were staying. Mary Ann said they lived across from where he was staying. When he got them back to their mother, he told her all would be all right, and left and returned with a lamp and a basket of food. He lit the lamp and left again but was back in a few minutes with a basket of coal and kindling, and told Sarah to get her “Mammy” some tea, so she could get well, and he said he would see them in the morning.
The third day faded away and still no signs of their father. They were plenty worried but near midnight, he returned. He had landed a job near Lowell and in the morning they were moved to their new location where they were given a small house to live in and a cow for their use.
All were to do their part; the children doing what they were able to do, such as chores, and Sarah doing house work. In the fall, they were sent to school and on the way to school were allowed to pick cranberries. They sold them for 5 cents a quart and later they gathered wild nuts for winter. Every cent was carefully saved to get to Zion.
After three years of hard labor they had obtained a yoke of oxen and a new wagon. At that time, a company was being organized to leave for Utah, so the Ovard family joined the train which was to leave in the early spring. Finally, the long-looked-for trip was started.
Jessie Murphy was the captain of the train with 279 emigrants, 38 wagons, 2 carriages, 255 head of livestock, and a threshing machine belonging to Captain Murphy’s father – the first to come to Utah. They left Florence, Nebraska on June 19, 1860. The company including the Ovard family arrived in Salt Lake City August 30, 1860.
The Ovard family went to Spanish Fork soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, but because they wanted to be closer to Salt Lake City, they settled in American Fork, Utah where they farmed and raised their family.
When Mary Ann was 18 years old, she married William Joseph Smith as his second wife in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. William was 28 years older than her. His first wife was Mary Ann Frier and they had 10 children. Because both of his wives had the same first name, he called his first wife “Mary” and his second wife “Ann”. One of his children by his first marriage was also named Mary Ann and they called her “Polly”.
On 9 December 1867, Mary Ann Ovard Smith gave birth to her first child. They named her Sarah Eliza Smith. Their first son was born 28 Mar 1870 and they named him “Enoch”. There is an interesting story about the naming of their first son. William and Mary Ann had talked about naming him “John”, however, when William blessed and gave him his name, he named him Enoch. Mary Ann was so surprised, but this son later thanked his father for giving him that name as it wasn't as common as “John Smith” and helped to distinguish him from the many “Smiths” as a business man. Enoch spent much of his childhood with Mary Ann’s parents in American Fork. This is where he learned to love horses.
Mary Ann gave birth to seven more children: Sarah (1873-1873), Alice (1874-1943), Thomas Ovard (1876-1954), William Joseph, Jr. (1879-1959), Henry Joseph Taylor (1882-1951), Logan (1884-1959), and Eugene (1886-1893).
One time when William was home, Mary Ann became very ill and he had to take care of her and their five children and one of them was still nursing at the breast. Her sickness increased with the symptoms of Typhoid fever. This continued for 15 days and all that could be done was to “assist nature and to antidote the poisen in her system”. She was prayed for with the faith of the “best men and women in Israel” as well as the president of the Church, John Taylor. Her child had to be weaned and her husband remained with her for ten weeks day and night. During this time all the family had terrible colds and coughs. It was a difficult time for all. As her husband put it, “God remembered me as he always does and came to my deliverance. Apostle Lorenzo Snow laid his hands upon her head and pronounced great blessings upon her and said angels would tell her what to do”. These things were fulfilled in her behalf.
On October 6, 1890, polygamy was outlawed and the Church said they would no longer honor the practice. This was a very difficult thing for polygamous families. Mary Ann had seven children to raise mostly alone, as William was in exile rather than being taken by the federal authorities and put in prison for polygamy. As a patriarch for the Church, William traveled all over Utah giving patriarchal blessings. This left both wives in dire circumstances.
Mary Ann’s youngest child was only 4 years old. As the children from his first wife were mostly married and out of the home, whenever he could be with family, he went first to help Mary Ann Ovard with the little children and would visit his first wife as much as possible.
Mary Ann Ovard Smith was a wonderful wife, mother and friend to all. Her children sang her praises and helped her throughout her life. Her husband, William Joseph Smith, died in 1897, leaving her with several children still at home. She struggled for many years alone after that.
In her later years, she went to California to live with her daughter Alice Smith Kelch. It was while she was with Alice that she passed away 10 November 1919 in Huntington Park, Riverside, California.
Children of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Sarah Eliza Smith-Nowell
Enoch Smith
Sarah Smith
Alice Smith-Kelch
Thomas Ovard Smith
William Joseph Smith, Jr.
Henry Joseph Taylor Smith
Logan Smith
Eugene Smith
Siblings of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Henry Ovard (1837-1862)
Sarah Elizabeth Ovard (1838-1861)
Esther Stowe Ovard (1842-1924)
Joseph William Ovard (1845-1916)
William Joseph Ovard (1850-1936)
George Thomas Ovard (1852-1897)
Elizabeth Ovard (1854-1874)
Jacob Israel Ovard (1857-1931)
John Alma Ovard (1861-1933)
Mary Ann Ovard, was born 12 Apr 1848, in Ashorne, Warwickshire, England to Thomas and Hannah Stowe Ovard. She was the sixth child in a family of 10 children.
Her father, Thomas, was a farmer and the family had barely enough to live on. In 1855, they were converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like all converts, wanted to come to Utah for the Gospel’s sake. Their finances were meager, so the whole family had to work hard to save toward the anticipated trip to America. It seemed like their goal would never be reached. Then a miracle happened. Joseph, Mary Ann’s brother, was running to his work and he stumbled and fell. As he rose to his feet, he saw something that was shiny. To his amazement, it was money! He took the treasure to the family. What joy! The money he found was enough to complete the fund for the family to come to America.
When Mary Ann was nine years old, they sailed from Liverpool for the United States. They came in a sailing vessel and made the trip in thirty days which was a record at that time. Her mother was sick in bed all the way across the ocean.
All went well until the third week when a big storm came up and all were ordered below deck. But Mary Ann was curious to see it all and was washed overboard and would have drowned but for a big black sailor who jumped overboard and saved her life.
They finally landed in the States, and their father got a room for the family to stay in. They didn't have any money and with only a few ship biscuits for food, her father had to go in search of work. As he was a farmer and could do nothing else, it was to the country he had to go. The trip had been very hard on Mary Ann’s mother and so she was in bad shape all day.
The four children watched for their father to come back, but night came and there was no sign of him. They watched all the next day until in the evening. When Sarah saw her mother had fallen asleep, the children wanted to see some of the ships unload their cargo of oranges, coconuts, and many other precious things they had never seen before.
They were so interested in what they saw, that they didn't realize that they had gone so far from their home and mother. They knew she would be worried. It was dark when they started back. They walked and ran, and still could not recognize anything that looked like the place they lived in.
All of a sudden, a man asked them why they were crying. It was the black sailor that had saved Mary Ann’s life. He asked them where they were staying. Mary Ann said they lived across from where he was staying. When he got them back to their mother, he told her all would be all right, and left and returned with a lamp and a basket of food. He lit the lamp and left again but was back in a few minutes with a basket of coal and kindling, and told Sarah to get her “Mammy” some tea, so she could get well, and he said he would see them in the morning.
The third day faded away and still no signs of their father. They were plenty worried but near midnight, he returned. He had landed a job near Lowell and in the morning they were moved to their new location where they were given a small house to live in and a cow for their use.
All were to do their part; the children doing what they were able to do, such as chores, and Sarah doing house work. In the fall, they were sent to school and on the way to school were allowed to pick cranberries. They sold them for 5 cents a quart and later they gathered wild nuts for winter. Every cent was carefully saved to get to Zion.
After three years of hard labor they had obtained a yoke of oxen and a new wagon. At that time, a company was being organized to leave for Utah, so the Ovard family joined the train which was to leave in the early spring. Finally, the long-looked-for trip was started.
Jessie Murphy was the captain of the train with 279 emigrants, 38 wagons, 2 carriages, 255 head of livestock, and a threshing machine belonging to Captain Murphy’s father – the first to come to Utah. They left Florence, Nebraska on June 19, 1860. The company including the Ovard family arrived in Salt Lake City August 30, 1860.
The Ovard family went to Spanish Fork soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, but because they wanted to be closer to Salt Lake City, they settled in American Fork, Utah where they farmed and raised their family.
When Mary Ann was 18 years old, she married William Joseph Smith as his second wife in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. William was 28 years older than her. His first wife was Mary Ann Frier and they had 10 children. Because both of his wives had the same first name, he called his first wife “Mary” and his second wife “Ann”. One of his children by his first marriage was also named Mary Ann and they called her “Polly”.
On 9 December 1867, Mary Ann Ovard Smith gave birth to her first child. They named her Sarah Eliza Smith. Their first son was born 28 Mar 1870 and they named him “Enoch”. There is an interesting story about the naming of their first son. William and Mary Ann had talked about naming him “John”, however, when William blessed and gave him his name, he named him Enoch. Mary Ann was so surprised, but this son later thanked his father for giving him that name as it wasn't as common as “John Smith” and helped to distinguish him from the many “Smiths” as a business man. Enoch spent much of his childhood with Mary Ann’s parents in American Fork. This is where he learned to love horses.
Mary Ann gave birth to seven more children: Sarah (1873-1873), Alice (1874-1943), Thomas Ovard (1876-1954), William Joseph, Jr. (1879-1959), Henry Joseph Taylor (1882-1951), Logan (1884-1959), and Eugene (1886-1893).
One time when William was home, Mary Ann became very ill and he had to take care of her and their five children and one of them was still nursing at the breast. Her sickness increased with the symptoms of Typhoid fever. This continued for 15 days and all that could be done was to “assist nature and to antidote the poisen in her system”. She was prayed for with the faith of the “best men and women in Israel” as well as the president of the Church, John Taylor. Her child had to be weaned and her husband remained with her for ten weeks day and night. During this time all the family had terrible colds and coughs. It was a difficult time for all. As her husband put it, “God remembered me as he always does and came to my deliverance. Apostle Lorenzo Snow laid his hands upon her head and pronounced great blessings upon her and said angels would tell her what to do”. These things were fulfilled in her behalf.
On October 6, 1890, polygamy was outlawed and the Church said they would no longer honor the practice. This was a very difficult thing for polygamous families. Mary Ann had seven children to raise mostly alone, as William was in exile rather than being taken by the federal authorities and put in prison for polygamy. As a patriarch for the Church, William traveled all over Utah giving patriarchal blessings. This left both wives in dire circumstances.
Mary Ann’s youngest child was only 4 years old. As the children from his first wife were mostly married and out of the home, whenever he could be with family, he went first to help Mary Ann Ovard with the little children and would visit his first wife as much as possible.
Mary Ann Ovard Smith was a wonderful wife, mother and friend to all. Her children sang her praises and helped her throughout her life. Her husband, William Joseph Smith, died in 1897, leaving her with several children still at home. She struggled for many years alone after that.
In her later years, she went to California to live with her daughter Alice Smith Kelch. It was while she was with Alice that she passed away 10 November 1919 in Huntington Park, Riverside, California.
Children of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Sarah Eliza Smith-Nowell
Enoch Smith
Sarah Smith
Alice Smith-Kelch
Thomas Ovard Smith
William Joseph Smith, Jr.
Henry Joseph Taylor Smith
Logan Smith
Eugene Smith
Siblings of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Henry Ovard (1837-1862)
Sarah Elizabeth Ovard (1838-1861)
Esther Stowe Ovard (1842-1924)
Joseph William Ovard (1845-1916)
William Joseph Ovard (1850-1936)
George Thomas Ovard (1852-1897)
Elizabeth Ovard (1854-1874)
Jacob Israel Ovard (1857-1931)
John Alma Ovard (1861-1933)
HISTORY OF MARY ANN OVARD-SMITH
Mary Ann Ovard, was born 12 Apr 1848, in Ashorne, Warwickshire, England to Thomas and Hannah Stowe Ovard. She was the sixth child in a family of 10 children.
Her father, Thomas, was a farmer and the family had barely enough to live on. In 1855, they were converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like all converts, wanted to come to Utah for the Gospel’s sake. Their finances were meager, so the whole family had to work hard to save toward the anticipated trip to America. It seemed like their goal would never be reached. Then a miracle happened. Joseph, Mary Ann’s brother, was running to his work and he stumbled and fell. As he rose to his feet, he saw something that was shiny. To his amazement, it was money! He took the treasure to the family. What joy! The money he found was enough to complete the fund for the family to come to America.
When Mary Ann was nine years old, they sailed from Liverpool for the United States. They came in a sailing vessel and made the trip in thirty days which was a record at that time. Her mother was sick in bed all the way across the ocean.
All went well until the third week when a big storm came up and all were ordered below deck. But Mary Ann was curious to see it all and was washed overboard and would have drowned but for a big black sailor who jumped overboard and saved her life.
They finally landed in the States, and their father got a room for the family to stay in. They didn't have any money and with only a few ship biscuits for food, her father had to go in search of work. As he was a farmer and could do nothing else, it was to the country he had to go. The trip had been very hard on Mary Ann’s mother and so she was in bad shape all day.
The four children watched for their father to come back, but night came and there was no sign of him. They watched all the next day until in the evening. When Sarah saw her mother had fallen asleep, the children wanted to see some of the ships unload their cargo of oranges, coconuts, and many other precious things they had never seen before.
They were so interested in what they saw, that they didn't realize that they had gone so far from their home and mother. They knew she would be worried. It was dark when they started back. They walked and ran, and still could not recognize anything that looked like the place they lived in.
All of a sudden, a man asked them why they were crying. It was the black sailor that had saved Mary Ann’s life. He asked them where they were staying. Mary Ann said they lived across from where he was staying. When he got them back to their mother, he told her all would be all right, and left and returned with a lamp and a basket of food. He lit the lamp and left again but was back in a few minutes with a basket of coal and kindling, and told Sarah to get her “Mammy” some tea, so she could get well, and he said he would see them in the morning.
The third day faded away and still no signs of their father. They were plenty worried but near midnight, he returned. He had landed a job near Lowell and in the morning they were moved to their new location where they were given a small house to live in and a cow for their use.
All were to do their part; the children doing what they were able to do, such as chores, and Sarah doing house work. In the fall, they were sent to school and on the way to school were allowed to pick cranberries. They sold them for 5 cents a quart and later they gathered wild nuts for winter. Every cent was carefully saved to get to Zion.
After three years of hard labor they had obtained a yoke of oxen and a new wagon. At that time, a company was being organized to leave for Utah, so the Ovard family joined the train which was to leave in the early spring. Finally, the long-looked-for trip was started.
Jessie Murphy was the captain of the train with 279 emigrants, 38 wagons, 2 carriages, 255 head of livestock, and a threshing machine belonging to Captain Murphy’s father – the first to come to Utah. They left Florence, Nebraska on June 19, 1860. The company including the Ovard family arrived in Salt Lake City August 30, 1860.
The Ovard family went to Spanish Fork soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, but because they wanted to be closer to Salt Lake City, they settled in American Fork, Utah where they farmed and raised their family.
When Mary Ann was 18 years old, she married William Joseph Smith as his second wife in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. William was 28 years older than her. His first wife was Mary Ann Frier and they had 10 children. Because both of his wives had the same first name, he called his first wife “Mary” and his second wife “Ann”. One of his children by his first marriage was also named Mary Ann and they called her “Polly”.
On 9 December 1867, Mary Ann Ovard Smith gave birth to her first child. They named her Sarah Eliza Smith. Their first son was born 28 Mar 1870 and they named him “Enoch”. There is an interesting story about the naming of their first son. William and Mary Ann had talked about naming him “John”, however, when William blessed and gave him his name, he named him Enoch. Mary Ann was so surprised, but this son later thanked his father for giving him that name as it wasn't as common as “John Smith” and helped to distinguish him from the many “Smiths” as a business man. Enoch spent much of his childhood with Mary Ann’s parents in American Fork. This is where he learned to love horses.
Mary Ann gave birth to seven more children: Sarah (1873-1873), Alice (1874-1943), Thomas Ovard (1876-1954), William Joseph, Jr. (1879-1959), Henry Joseph Taylor (1882-1951), Logan (1884-1959), and Eugene (1886-1893).
One time when William was home, Mary Ann became very ill and he had to take care of her and their five children and one of them was still nursing at the breast. Her sickness increased with the symptoms of Typhoid fever. This continued for 15 days and all that could be done was to “assist nature and to antidote the poisen in her system”. She was prayed for with the faith of the “best men and women in Israel” as well as the president of the Church, John Taylor. Her child had to be weaned and her husband remained with her for ten weeks day and night. During this time all the family had terrible colds and coughs. It was a difficult time for all. As her husband put it, “God remembered me as he always does and came to my deliverance. Apostle Lorenzo Snow laid his hands upon her head and pronounced great blessings upon her and said angels would tell her what to do”. These things were fulfilled in her behalf.
On October 6, 1890, polygamy was outlawed and the Church said they would no longer honor the practice. This was a very difficult thing for polygamous families. Mary Ann had seven children to raise mostly alone, as William was in exile rather than being taken by the federal authorities and put in prison for polygamy. As a patriarch for the Church, William traveled all over Utah giving patriarchal blessings. This left both wives in dire circumstances.
Mary Ann’s youngest child was only 4 years old. As the children from his first wife were mostly married and out of the home, whenever he could be with family, he went first to help Mary Ann Ovard with the little children and would visit his first wife as much as possible.
Mary Ann Ovard Smith was a wonderful wife, mother and friend to all. Her children sang her praises and helped her throughout her life. Her husband, William Joseph Smith, died in 1897, leaving her with several children still at home. She struggled for many years alone after that.
In her later years, she went to California to live with her daughter Alice Smith Kelch. It was while she was with Alice that she passed away 10 November 1919 in Huntington Park, Riverside, California.
Children of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Sarah Eliza Smith-Nowell
Enoch Smith
Sarah Smith
Alice Smith-Kelch
Thomas Ovard Smith
William Joseph Smith, Jr.
Henry Joseph Taylor Smith
Logan Smith
Eugene Smith
Siblings of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Henry Ovard (1837-1862)
Sarah Elizabeth Ovard (1838-1861)
Esther Stowe Ovard (1842-1924)
Joseph William Ovard (1845-1916)
William Joseph Ovard (1850-1936)
George Thomas Ovard (1852-1897)
Elizabeth Ovard (1854-1874)
Jacob Israel Ovard (1857-1931)
John Alma Ovard (1861-1933)
Mary Ann Ovard, was born 12 Apr 1848, in Ashorne, Warwickshire, England to Thomas and Hannah Stowe Ovard. She was the sixth child in a family of 10 children.
Her father, Thomas, was a farmer and the family had barely enough to live on. In 1855, they were converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like all converts, wanted to come to Utah for the Gospel’s sake. Their finances were meager, so the whole family had to work hard to save toward the anticipated trip to America. It seemed like their goal would never be reached. Then a miracle happened. Joseph, Mary Ann’s brother, was running to his work and he stumbled and fell. As he rose to his feet, he saw something that was shiny. To his amazement, it was money! He took the treasure to the family. What joy! The money he found was enough to complete the fund for the family to come to America.
When Mary Ann was nine years old, they sailed from Liverpool for the United States. They came in a sailing vessel and made the trip in thirty days which was a record at that time. Her mother was sick in bed all the way across the ocean.
All went well until the third week when a big storm came up and all were ordered below deck. But Mary Ann was curious to see it all and was washed overboard and would have drowned but for a big black sailor who jumped overboard and saved her life.
They finally landed in the States, and their father got a room for the family to stay in. They didn't have any money and with only a few ship biscuits for food, her father had to go in search of work. As he was a farmer and could do nothing else, it was to the country he had to go. The trip had been very hard on Mary Ann’s mother and so she was in bad shape all day.
The four children watched for their father to come back, but night came and there was no sign of him. They watched all the next day until in the evening. When Sarah saw her mother had fallen asleep, the children wanted to see some of the ships unload their cargo of oranges, coconuts, and many other precious things they had never seen before.
They were so interested in what they saw, that they didn't realize that they had gone so far from their home and mother. They knew she would be worried. It was dark when they started back. They walked and ran, and still could not recognize anything that looked like the place they lived in.
All of a sudden, a man asked them why they were crying. It was the black sailor that had saved Mary Ann’s life. He asked them where they were staying. Mary Ann said they lived across from where he was staying. When he got them back to their mother, he told her all would be all right, and left and returned with a lamp and a basket of food. He lit the lamp and left again but was back in a few minutes with a basket of coal and kindling, and told Sarah to get her “Mammy” some tea, so she could get well, and he said he would see them in the morning.
The third day faded away and still no signs of their father. They were plenty worried but near midnight, he returned. He had landed a job near Lowell and in the morning they were moved to their new location where they were given a small house to live in and a cow for their use.
All were to do their part; the children doing what they were able to do, such as chores, and Sarah doing house work. In the fall, they were sent to school and on the way to school were allowed to pick cranberries. They sold them for 5 cents a quart and later they gathered wild nuts for winter. Every cent was carefully saved to get to Zion.
After three years of hard labor they had obtained a yoke of oxen and a new wagon. At that time, a company was being organized to leave for Utah, so the Ovard family joined the train which was to leave in the early spring. Finally, the long-looked-for trip was started.
Jessie Murphy was the captain of the train with 279 emigrants, 38 wagons, 2 carriages, 255 head of livestock, and a threshing machine belonging to Captain Murphy’s father – the first to come to Utah. They left Florence, Nebraska on June 19, 1860. The company including the Ovard family arrived in Salt Lake City August 30, 1860.
The Ovard family went to Spanish Fork soon after arriving in Salt Lake City, but because they wanted to be closer to Salt Lake City, they settled in American Fork, Utah where they farmed and raised their family.
When Mary Ann was 18 years old, she married William Joseph Smith as his second wife in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. William was 28 years older than her. His first wife was Mary Ann Frier and they had 10 children. Because both of his wives had the same first name, he called his first wife “Mary” and his second wife “Ann”. One of his children by his first marriage was also named Mary Ann and they called her “Polly”.
On 9 December 1867, Mary Ann Ovard Smith gave birth to her first child. They named her Sarah Eliza Smith. Their first son was born 28 Mar 1870 and they named him “Enoch”. There is an interesting story about the naming of their first son. William and Mary Ann had talked about naming him “John”, however, when William blessed and gave him his name, he named him Enoch. Mary Ann was so surprised, but this son later thanked his father for giving him that name as it wasn't as common as “John Smith” and helped to distinguish him from the many “Smiths” as a business man. Enoch spent much of his childhood with Mary Ann’s parents in American Fork. This is where he learned to love horses.
Mary Ann gave birth to seven more children: Sarah (1873-1873), Alice (1874-1943), Thomas Ovard (1876-1954), William Joseph, Jr. (1879-1959), Henry Joseph Taylor (1882-1951), Logan (1884-1959), and Eugene (1886-1893).
One time when William was home, Mary Ann became very ill and he had to take care of her and their five children and one of them was still nursing at the breast. Her sickness increased with the symptoms of Typhoid fever. This continued for 15 days and all that could be done was to “assist nature and to antidote the poisen in her system”. She was prayed for with the faith of the “best men and women in Israel” as well as the president of the Church, John Taylor. Her child had to be weaned and her husband remained with her for ten weeks day and night. During this time all the family had terrible colds and coughs. It was a difficult time for all. As her husband put it, “God remembered me as he always does and came to my deliverance. Apostle Lorenzo Snow laid his hands upon her head and pronounced great blessings upon her and said angels would tell her what to do”. These things were fulfilled in her behalf.
On October 6, 1890, polygamy was outlawed and the Church said they would no longer honor the practice. This was a very difficult thing for polygamous families. Mary Ann had seven children to raise mostly alone, as William was in exile rather than being taken by the federal authorities and put in prison for polygamy. As a patriarch for the Church, William traveled all over Utah giving patriarchal blessings. This left both wives in dire circumstances.
Mary Ann’s youngest child was only 4 years old. As the children from his first wife were mostly married and out of the home, whenever he could be with family, he went first to help Mary Ann Ovard with the little children and would visit his first wife as much as possible.
Mary Ann Ovard Smith was a wonderful wife, mother and friend to all. Her children sang her praises and helped her throughout her life. Her husband, William Joseph Smith, died in 1897, leaving her with several children still at home. She struggled for many years alone after that.
In her later years, she went to California to live with her daughter Alice Smith Kelch. It was while she was with Alice that she passed away 10 November 1919 in Huntington Park, Riverside, California.
Children of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Sarah Eliza Smith-Nowell
Enoch Smith
Sarah Smith
Alice Smith-Kelch
Thomas Ovard Smith
William Joseph Smith, Jr.
Henry Joseph Taylor Smith
Logan Smith
Eugene Smith
Siblings of Mary Ann Ovard-Smith:
Henry Ovard (1837-1862)
Sarah Elizabeth Ovard (1838-1861)
Esther Stowe Ovard (1842-1924)
Joseph William Ovard (1845-1916)
William Joseph Ovard (1850-1936)
George Thomas Ovard (1852-1897)
Elizabeth Ovard (1854-1874)
Jacob Israel Ovard (1857-1931)
John Alma Ovard (1861-1933)
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