- born 26 June 1820 in Bolton, Lanashire, England
- died 11 August 1850 Kanesville, Pottawatomie, Iowa (Council Bluffs)
- was a weaver and dress maker by profession
- was baptized 12 January 1840
- came to America on the ship Hope in 1842
- was offered a chance to sing professionally
MARY BURTON CHADWICK
Mary was the daughter of William Burton and Jane Shipabotham
(Shipperbottom). She was born 26 June
1820 at Bolton, Lancashire, England. Her grandparents on her father's side were
William and Hannah Burton and on her mother's side they were John Shipperbottom
and Mary Tong. Mary came from a large
family. She had ten brothers and sisters. They were all born at Bolton,
Lancashire, England, namely:
Hannah, born
10 August 1822
Alice, born
3 May 1824, died about 1850
Sarah, born
21 September 1826, married to (1) John Sherratt about 1846: (2) Albert C. Dewey
on 11 February 1856. She died 1 September 1907.
Ellen, born
16 August 1827, married (1) a Mr. Simpson, (2) Abraham Chadwick, 7 July 1873.
They were later divorced.
Ann (Annie)
born 2 February 1829
Eliza, born
13 March 1831
John, born 6
November 1832, married (1) Mary Ann Manning on 7 March 1863, (2) Hannah
Matthews Thompson. He died on 6 July 1911
George, born
25 March 1836
Jane, born 4
January 1838
Joseph, born
13 October 1840, married Elizabeth Katherine Maeser on 7 October 1862. He died 25 January 1877.
As most children did, in that period of time, Mary grew up
under very trying times. The family was taught to work, and work hard. They
were taught to be loving, kind happy and thoughtful. Mary and her brothers and
sisters laughed, loved, played and quarreled as do the children of our day.
Mary loved to sing: at play or at work she could be heard
humming a little ditty or singing. Oft times she would stop her work or play
and lift her voice into the most beautiful song. Her family and friends really
enjoyed it.
At a very early age Mary was taught to weave. She was a very
hard and fast worker and in time, she had charge of four weaving looms. She
also became very proficient as a dressmaker.
In the 1830's, a new religion sprang up, called the Mormon
Religion of Latter-day Saints. Missionaries
from this church were being sent out, especially to England, to tell the people
about this wonderful new religion. The Burton family invited them into their
home and listened to what they had to tell. Before long, Mother Jane and Mary decided
to join this new church. They were both baptized in 1840, Mary being baptized
on 12 January 1840, with the others following later.
Meanwhile a young man by the name of Abraham Chadwick arrived
on the scene. Abraham was the son of
Samuel Chadwick and Esther Consterdine. He
was born 30 March 1821 in Blakely (now Blackley), Lancashire, England.
As a lad he was 'put out to work"'. At age eight years he worked as a printer in a
dye factory. He didn’t particularly like the thoughts of doing that for the
rest of his life so he took a five year apprenticeship with his Uncle John
Elseby, a tailor, walking two miles to work and two miles back home again. After his apprenticeship was finished he
received steady work until he left for America.
Manchester and Bolton are the two largest towns near
Blakely, I wonder if Abraham would travel to them to get material for his work.
Do you think he may have gone to Bolton for some and there met his future wife
Mary Burton?
Abraham was a young man of 19; he had a jovial, happy
disposition. He was medium tall with broad shoulders, lean but not thin. He had
medium high cheek bones, a prominent nose, light brown hair and twinkling blue
eyes -- no wonder Mary '"fell" for him. Another thing that endeared him to her was the
fact that he was so clean in mind and body. He too, had joined the Mormon Church, being
baptized by Elder Jackson on 6 May 1839. His family had disowned him because of
this; they wanted nothing more to do with him.
Abraham and Mary had much in common. He being a tailor and she being a weaver and seamstress. Their “liking” blossomed into
"loving" and on 12 December 1840, he put his shears and needles away,
and she her loom and they traveled the 10 or 11 miles from Bolton to Blakely to
be married. They were a very close and
happy couple and with his family so against him, he felt closer to her than ever.
Abraham was given a Patriarchal Blessing by John Albiston on
13 July 1841 and on 27 September 1841 Mary received hers from the same man. John Albiston was the Patriarch of the Newton
Moor Branch, England. He was born 3 June 1783 at Coogleton, Cheshire, England,
the son of Joseph Albiston and Nancy Foster. He was ordained a Patriarch 6 April1841
at Manchester, England by Brigham Young. He died 2 June 1849 at Ashton-Under
Lyne, England.
The blessing is as follows:
Patriarchal Blessing 27
September 1841
My Beloved Sister, I lay my hands upon Thy head, in the name
of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood committed unto me.
I pronounce upon Thy head, the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and in as
much as Thou has obeyed from Thy heart the command of Jesus in the ordinance of
Baptism. Thou art received into covenant with Thy Redeemer and become a joint
heir with Him in his Kingdom house. Thou hast a claim to all the precious promises
of the Everlasting Gospel; They are Yea and Amen to thy believing soul -- New
life is imparted unto Thee, which shall be in thee a well of water, springing
up unto eternal life.
The Holy Ghost shall lead and direct thee into all-saving
truth and thou shalt know the will of thy Heavenly Father. Wisdom and understanding shall be given thee
and thou shalt know the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. Thou shalt have many
gifts. Great consolation and peace and
be preserved from evil and be raised up in the church and become a mother in
Israel and administer counsel to the simple: comfort the mourner and have a word
of wisdom to those who need it. Thou art
the seed of Abraham. I seal these
blessings upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
The young couple were very happy with their home, work and
church. More and more talk was going on
about America with its new horizons and freedom of worship.
The young couple finally decided to leave England for
America. Mary's father and mother, brothers and sisters decided to come too. I
do not know when they came but on 5 February 1842, the Ship "Hope"
sailed from an English port. On deck, the young Chadwick couple, with hope in their
hearts, two receipts for their boat fares and an empty purse, watched as their
beloved country of England grew smaller and smaller as the ship went farther
and farther out to sea. They were at last on their way to America and the body
of the Saints.
Abraham and Mary were among the company of 270 people who
were under the direction of Elder Burnham and Amos Fielding. Some of the days at sea were rough while
others were very pleasant. During one
particularly severe, storm Abraham stayed on deck to watch it. As the ship rolled back and forth, large
cannon broke loose and barely missed crushing him to death. Many prayers were offered up for the ship's
safe journey.
When the couple left England, they brought some material
with them and Abraham resumed his trade as a tailor, while on board ship. With
the money he received for making 3 suits, he was able to buy his fare from New
Orleans to Saint Louis and have some to spare.
The ship "Hope" was on the voyage 56 days, eight full
weeks. They arrived in New Orleans on 2 April1842. How good it felt to set foot
on dry land once again.
They rested for a few days and on the 10 April, they boarded
the steamboat, Louisiana, to travel up the Mississippi River to Saint Louis.
They traveled for nine days before reaching their destination.
Upon arriving in St. Louis, Abraham and Mary began looking
for a home, which they soon found, then Abraham set upon the task of finding a
job. Tailors were in great demand in this new world and it took Abraham just
one day to find a job.
Now their hopes and dreams had been realized - a new home
and a new job in a new world. To make their happiness more complete, the next
year, 27 April 1843, a little baby girl came to their home. She was named Mary
Jane. Mary after her mother and Jane after her grandmother.
Next came little Abraham, born 30 March 1845 and named after
his father and on 8 May 1847 little Ann (Annie) came to bless their home.
While in St. Louis, Mary was extremely happy, singing about
her work and at church. At one time she was offered a large sum of money if she
would sing in a sectarian church. She declined with a firm "Thank You".
Her heart was still set on joining up with the main group of Mormons further
west.
The Chadwick home in St. Louis was always open to the
traveling Mormon Elders. It was used as the major headquarters.
Orson Hyde stayed there upon his return from dedicating the
land of Palestine for the return of the Jews.
Abraham and Mary both
loved their church. Abraham teaching and
Mary doing the duties that the women of that time did.
In 1848, some of the Saints left St. Louis to go to
Kanesville (Council Bluffs). Abraham
and Mary packed their belongings,
gathered close their little family and set out with them. Arriving there, in Zion, on 4 September 1848.
Here they bought a piece of property from Orson Hyde for
eleven dollars. This became the home for Abe, Mary and the children.
On 16 October 1849, another baby girl came to bless this
family. She was named Sarah.
What a comfortable and restful feeling to be home with the
body of the Saints, a loving husband and a wonderful family. However this
happiness and security was short-lived.
In 1849, Cholera was brought from England to St. Louis by
some of the Saints and from St. Louis to Kanesville. It was a dreaded disease
and so many times fatal. Many people
were sick and dying, Abraham and Mary did what they could to help.
Mary was helping to take care of a woman who had the disease
and contracted it herself. The woman got
well but on 11 August 1850, toward evening Abraham stood by the bedside of his loving
wife of ten years, and watched the strong lungs and throat, that once brought
an offer to sing professionally, suck frantically for air that came too slow
for the congested lungs. The once clear eyes became fast in the "wracking”
death that cholera can bring. Mary died
quickly, leaving a void that could never be filled. She was buried in
Kanesville (Council Bluffs). Pottawattamie
County, Iowa.
Abraham was left a grieving husband with four small children
to take care of. He managed to take care of the children, with the help of kind
neighbors and friends, and to keep up his tailoring trade.
On 15 December 1850, he married (2) Mary Foxall (Foxhall)
and was sealed to her the same day at Kanesville. After their marriage and sealing, Mary Foxall
stood proxy for Mary Burton, while she and Abraham were sealed, with Orson Hyde
conducting.
Shortly after the marriage the family decided to emigrate on
to Utah. Abraham sold his property, some, where the permanent city of Council
Bluffs was built and some was sold for the court house grounds.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah Abraham took another
wife in plural marriage. She was Mary Wheeler
whom he married 22 May 1853. Now Mary Burton's children had two mothers.
Mary Foxall died 11 March 1857, leaving Mary Wheeler to
raise all of the children.
Little Sarah, the youngest, born 16 October 1849 at
Kanesville died when she was just 15 years old on 27 April 1864. The other
three grew to adulthood and married wisely;
Mary Jane, born 29 April 1843 married ( 1) Marcellus Marion Monroe
Martin on 22 December 1857. They were later divorced then she married (2)
Andrew Rose, 28 December 1860. She died 17 June 1925.
Abraham born 30 March 1845 married (1) Mary Marinda Garner,
13 December 1866; (2) Olive Ann Cazier, 21 November 1870; (3) Anna
Siebenmaller, 6 December 1899. He died 28 October 1929.
Ann (Annie) born 8 May 1847 married Robert Montgomery Jr. 23
March 1864. She died 6 February 1926.
On 12 April 1898. Mary
Jane did her mother's endowment work in the Salt Lake Temple.
Such was the life of Mary Burton Chadwick. She was a kind, loving, brave and courageous
woman but was taken from this life, her husband, and her children much too soon.
Some have sealing date of wife to husband as 23 February 18
52, also different birth dates on two of the children.
The above information came from histories of Mary Burton by
Isabel C. Christoffersonand Norrine Montgomery and from Abraham Chadwick's
biographies.
Written by Jeanette Shaw Greenwell 1977
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