Matriarchal line of Marilee Cornum Vannoy

This is my Matriarchal line, which carried the "Jane" name from Jane Jewkes Crowther, 

down to my oldest sister, Sheraldean Jane Cornum Scheibe (known as Sherry).

Each was from the first child in the family, which were all girls.

Sherry had no children and the name "Jane" ended with her.

I was the youngest child of my mother and I have a granddaughter with the name, Jayne.

Marilee Cornum Vannoy 1957-

Voris Jane Miller Cornum 1917-1998

Maggie Jane Hutchins Miller 1896-1984

Nellie Jane Johnson Hutchins 1876-1951

Sarah Jane Crowther Johnson  1856-1919

Jane Jewkes Crowther 1832-1896

her mother

Jane Woodward 1797-1864 (born & died in England)

her mother

Mary Sarah Turley 1755-1823 (born & died in England)

her mother

Ann Moekin  1711-?

(chr, 1711 in St. Thomas, Dudley, Worcestershire, England)

Elizabeth "Betsy" Ann Henderson Brady

Life of "Betsy Brady" Elizabeth Ann Hendrickson,

Compiled by her 3-Great Granddaughter, Marilee Cornum Vannoy;

taken from http://waltonhistory.com and other family stories.  

(As I read the "Work and the Glory" by Gerald Lund, I related my Brady family to the Stead family.  Even though the Stead family was a fictitious family; they represented the lives of those who lived during that time, which my Brady family had joined the church.)

Betsy Brady was born as Elizabeth Ann Hendrickson, on October 23, 1813, in Springfield, Washington County, Kentucky.  I call her "Betsy" as that is the name she used; all the Nauvoo Temple proxy baptisms records her as "Betsy Brady".  Betsy was the first daughter and third child of Simeon Hendrickson and Keziah Paddix (Paddocks).  She had two older brothers, Jordan and Jesse; three younger brothers, Simeon, William, and Marion.  She also had one sister, Keziah, who was five years younger.


Betsy was the first wife of Lindsay Anderson Brady.  They were married October 18, 1831, in Washington County, Kentucky.  How they met and fell in love we do not know.  There first child, Simeon, was born in Washington County, Kentucky.  Here Lindsay purchased a farm on the Green River.  Two more boys, Marion H. and Warren P. were born here.


About five years after the LDS church was organized, two Mormon missionaries, Wilford Woodruff and Warren Parish, were sent into Kentucky to preach the gospel.  As a result of their labors Betsy and her parents became interested in this new message that God, our Eternal Father, had restored His church upon this earth.


Lindsay and his wife were baptized November 15, 1835 by Wilford Woodruff near Damon Creek, Kentucky.  This branch of the church was organized November 2, 1836.  Lindsay had the Aaronic Priesthood conferred upon him September 2, 1836 when Wilford Woodruff ordained him a Deacon at a conference held at Damon Creek Branch.


As a result of Lindsay joining the church his family disowned him and would have nothing more to do with him.  His sister, Charlotte, and her family became interested in the church but her parents persuaded her not to join.


April 25, 1837, Lindsay Anderson Brady and family started for Far West, Missouri to be with the main body of the church. Henry G. Sherwood was their captain. The company consisted of 89 members. They arrived at Livingston Co.,Missouri, where Lindsay purchased a piece of land on the Shoal Creek and began farming. This was to be their home for the summer. They then moved to within six miles of Far West and settled on Log Creek. Their first daughter, Elizabeth, was born here.


In 1840 mob violence in Far West became so bad that the Brady family along with other church members fled Far West and settled in what was destined to become the city of Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois. Under the leadership of Joseph Smith they moved onto swampland on the banks of the Mississippi River. They drained this land, beautified it wand built a city which they named Nauvoo. In a short four year period they transformed a swampland into the largest and most attractive city in Illinois.


The family met with and became well acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith. Lindsay worked many days with the Prophet on the Nauvoo Temple. Lindsay and Elizabeth were at Nauvoo when the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob at Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844 . Following their deaths, Lindsay and Elizabeth viewed their bodies and they lay in state. They were both at the meeting when Brigham Young stood in the form and “spoke in the voice of the Prophet Joseph Smith”. They attended the funeral and mourned deeply with the thousands of other saints over the loss of their great spiritual leader.


Betsy having New England ancestry made her related to several modern day prophets.  I am sure she had no idea that she was a 5th cousin once removed to the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr.; and a 7th cousin once removed to Brigham Young.   She was also a 7th cousin to Vilate Kimball, the wife of Heber C. Kimball.  She was related to other prominent early LDS church leaders.

Nauvoo became the birthplace of three more Brady children, Keziah Frances, Jordan and Tranquilla. Family records show Tranquilla had a twin brother, Joseph, was still born. Lindsay and Elizabeth received their endowments at the NauvooTemple on January 1, 1846. During this period the Brady’s were called upon to bury their eldest son, Simeon.


Anti-Mormon sentiment grew in and around Nauvoo. The killing of the Prophet Joseph Smith seemed to intensify and accelerate the mob violence against the Mormons. The Lindsay Brady family suffered all the persecutions with the rest of the saints at this time. Lindsay was among the men at Nauvoo who gave up their firearms. At one time he was chased into a corn field by a mob where he hid himself in a large shock of corn. The mobsters searched the field for him and even parted the corn stalks where he was hiding. They were so close he could see the whites of their eyes, but he left the field unharmed.


Brigham Young knew as did Joseph Smith that the Mormons could not peacefully co-exist among other religious groups and still maintain and practice their own religious beliefs. To avoid conflict and persecutions they would have to go far away from other existing settlements. They would build a new commonwealth hundreds of miles beyond the last American frontier. This necessitated taking everything with them – farm implements, seed, cattle and clothing.


Mob violence increased and the Mormons hurriedly made preparations to leave. They traded homes, farms and anything they had for wagons, oxen, horses and provisions to take with them. Lindsay traded their brick home ad lot for one log chain and two stove flat irons.


The exodus from Nauvoo started on February 4, 1846. Six hundred people crossed the river on the ice. The first night after leaving Nauvoo, nine children were born and as they journeyed westward, mothers gave birth to offspring under the most trying circumstances – in tents, wagons, rainstorms and snowstorms.


The Mormons were camped on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River. Severe snowstorms kept them huddled in their camp for days. Suffering was intense and deaths from exposure, disease and malnutrition were many. They were poorly prepared for such an exodus. There were many others joining these saints who had little or nothing of the necessities for their own sustenance and the Brady’s divided their rations with them.


The trek across the State of Iowa was terrible. The teams were too thin and weak to pull the heavy loads over the muddy sad snowy roads. At times it was necessary for the young and even the aged to walk to save the teams. The Brady family, along with the Hendrickson family, traveled across the State of Iowa to the banks of the Missouri River, a distance of about 40 miles. This same year, 1846, they camped on the banks of the Missouri River. Their first home was made of sod and logs. They remained here until the spring of 1847, at which time the family moved into the Big Mosquito Creek area. Here Lindsay cleared a large tract of land and planted crops. They lived in the vicinity for about three years, making preparations for their long trip across the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley.


The story of  "The Mighty Missouri" is loved to be heard by the descendants as a real pioneer story.  It was written by, .......... (story will be add later)

June 14, 1850, Lindsay Anderson Brady and his wife, Elizabeth, with their six children left Winter Quarters and headed west. The Simeon Hendrickson family planned to travel with this same company but the night before they were to leave all their oxen and horses were driven off and their wagons hidden so it was impossible for them to travel with their daughter and son-in-law. Jordan, son of Simeon, used this method to keep his parents from coming west with the Mormons. Family records show Susannah Ward Allen made the trip across the plains in the same wagon train as the Brady’s. She was destined to become Lindsay’s second wife.
The Brady family traveled to the valley of the Rocky Mountains with the Captain William Wall Company. As they journeyed westward, Lindsay Anderson, Jr. was born July 11, 1850, on the banks of the Platte River near Julesburg, Nebraska. Their outfit used for crossing the plains consisted of two wagons, two yoke of oxen, two yoke of cows, farm implements and provisions. On their way one of the oxen died so Lindsay hitched one of the milk cows to the wagon.


While on the plains the dreaded disease of cholera broke out. Many of the saints died and were buried along the trail. At times there were not enough well to care for the sick.


Lindsay Anderson Brady and family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley September 19, 1850. It had taken this company 96 days to travel from Winter Quarters, Nebraska to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Betsy was the first woman to live in Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah.  This is were they made their finial home and raised many of their children and grandchildren.  In the Fairview museum there are a lot of artifacts of the Brady family, including a bed of cherry wood made by Lindsay.

This story is not complete and will will completed later.

Story about Lindsay Anderson Brady and Elizabeth Ann Henderson

Pioneer Company Trail Excerpt by daughter Elizabeth Ann Brady Huffaker

PERSONAL HISTORY of Thomas Crowther given by himself

Thomas Crowther  1823-1898

Thomas and Jane Crowther Family - about 1887
back:  Thomas Alma Crowther, Emmaline Malissa Kirby, James Franklin Crowther,
Laura Maria Morgan, William Orson Crowther, and Sarah Jane Johnson
front:  Annie Rozella Mortensen, Thomas Crowther (father), Nellie Mortensen,
Jane Jewkes Crowther (mother), and Vilate May Jensen
bottom left corner:  Mary Ann Crowther Anderson

PERSONAL HISTORY of Thomas Crowther given by himself:

Thomas Crowther

"When I was nine years old my parents sent me to school for about twelve months.  After that my father having a large family, put me to work as soon as I was able.  By this time I was able to read in the Testament without much difficulty.  But I never made a letter or figure at school.  What I know about writing or the value of figures I have picked up myself and that after a hard days work.  At eleven years of age I hired out to an old gentleman by the name of John Bradley at a place called Ditton Friers.  I stayed with him for two years and four months, and worked on his farm.  He was a good man as far as he had light and knowledge: he was a strict Methodist and taught me good moral principles that had a lasting impression on  my mind in after years.  When I left him I hired to a man by the name of Edward Hughes, at a place called Kinsely, near Bridge North.  I stayed with him two years, but did not get that religious training as I did of my former master.  For he was a worldly man.  I continued to hire out until I was twenty-two years of age, and notwithstanding the religious training that I has received in my youth it did not seem to have that impression on my mind as it does on some people; that is I could not reconcile myself in regard to what God required me to do to be saved.

I went from one sect to another but I still felt an aken void.  I seemed to be hunting something that none of the religious sect had got.  About this time I was 22 years of age when I quit farmer's service and went into Staffordshire and worked at blast furnaces, that is manufacturing of iron.  I continued to work at this business the remainder of the time I stayed in England.  When I was about 26 years of age I married a young woman by the name of Sarah Thompson.  About the time that we got married I went and paid a visit to my mother-in-law.  When for the first time my eyes beheld the Book of Mormon.  This was about 1849.  There happened to be a Mormon Elder at her home, by the name of Thomas Shelly, he presented me with a copy of the Book of Mormon which I took home with me and read it through, and truly I thought I had found the pearl of great price.  My father and mother-in-law had already been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints, and had two of their children healed in a miraculous manner.  They were both healed by the power of God, which cased quite a stir in the neighborhood.  Several joined the church there about this time, and as I stated I read the Book of Mormon through and was very much interested in the little light that I had gained through reading that precious record.  It caused me to long for more.  I was not long in hunting up the place where the Latter-day Saints held their meetings, and the first or second time I went to see them, one elder spoke in Tongues and another interpreted the Tongue.  The substance of it was, that branch should grow and prosper and many should be added to the church.  I shall never forget the sensation that came over me at that time, for I was satisfied that these men spoke by the power of God.  I saw that prophecy fulfilled to the very letter.

In the next three months there were 44 added to that branch, myself and wife included among them.  We were baptized Oct. 13th, 1850, into the Tipton Branch of the Birmingham Conference, By Elder George Hill, President of that branch.  I was ordained to the office of Priest, December 26, 1851 by Elder John Weston.  Later ordained an Elder by William George, 13 May, 1953.

About this time I met with a bad accident.  I hurt one of my shoulders so bad I could not lift my arm up.  I had faith in the power of God and his ordinances.  I went to meeting at night and took with me some oil and requested the elders to anoint my shoulder with the oil and pray to the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ to heal me, which they did and I was healed from that very moment, and went to my work the next morning to the astonishment of all my fellow workmen.  Although my should was back and blue and discolored for weeks afterward; but not to hurt me in the least.  This was the first time I has the power of God manifest upon my own body.  Previous to my hearing the Gospel I had one of my legs broken which caused me to he helpless for three months.  This was about two months after I was married.  During this time I read and reflected a great deal.  I prayed earnestly for the Lord to guide me in the right path.  I realize that it was through this circumstance that led me to investigate and embrace the Gospel.  Quite a number of years have passed since then.  I am writing from memory at this late date, thinking it would be of interest to my children after I am gone.  What I write is the Truth.

In 1853, three years after joining the Church, myself and wife agreed to save out of my wages ten shillings a week, equal to $2.50, as we had a great desire to gather with the Church in America.  We carried out our plan for six months, then by selling our furniture we had enough to pay our way to Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.  We had one little girl named Mary Ann, three and a half years old.  We lost one little boy who lived twelve weeks, named Francis.  It was the counsel for all Latter-day Saints who could pay their way to Saint Louis, Missouri, to do so, for they could get an out-fit there to cross the plains easier than they could in England.  On November 13th, 1854, we embarked on a ship, the Clara Wheeler, a sailing vessel, bound for New Orleans, Louisiana, with 420 Saints on board.  We were almost wrecked on the Irish channel for a day and night, was towed back into the river Mercy, Liverpool, and had to wait two weeks for favorable winds.  President of the Mission, Franklin D. Richards came to our ship and told us if we would fast and pray, and keep the commandments of God we should have favorable winds and a prosperous journey across the ocean.  This we did and the next day the wind turned in our favor and we started again.  In five weeks we landed in New Orleans safe in fulfillment of Apostle Richards' promise.  That was January 1st, 1855.  I was taken very sick when about two weeks out at sea and continued so till we got to fresh water.  Many doubted my recovery, but I told them I should live to get to the land of Zion.  I recovered fast when we got to fresh water.  Our fare was paid only to New Orleans.  I was weak from my illness, our money reduced to ten shillings.  While contemplating our condition I could see no other way only for us to stop at New Orleans and try and get work and earn money sufficient to take us to Saint Louis, Missouri, as distance of 1200 miles.  While leaning over the side of the vessel, a man came behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and asked me about my circumstances.  When I told him, he reached out and gave me 40 shillings, just the amount required to take us to Saint Louis.  This man was almost an entire stranger, I had seen him on the vessel but do not remember ever speaking to him before.  He gave me the money without my asking him.  he told me I could pay him back when I got able.  Which I did with the first money I got.

A steamboat was charted to take us up the Mississippi River immediately and we landed at Saint Louis, January 10th, 1855.  The next day I met a former acquaintance, one Richard Jewkes who had preceded me from the Tipton Branch.  He came and took me, my wife and child to his abode, five miles distant; a place called the Gravois.  We stayed with him as long as we remained in that part.  I dug coal and made some money.  The 4th of March, 1855, my wife gave birth to a boy baby that was dead when he was born.  Two days after, she died, and was buried at a place called the County Farm.  This was sad indeed, leaving me and the little girl to make our way to Zion.

Early in April we started on our way to cross the plains, a distance of twelve hundred miles.  I trusted in the Lord to open the way.  I met a young man, a carpenter, who was in about the same condition as myself.  We decided to build us a hand cart and try and make our way with one of the Ox team companies.  Just at this time a messenger from a Texas Company who had started across the plains, had gone 75 miles, when the Cholera broke out and several of the men died from its effect.  He was looking for teamsters, volunteers to go and drive the teams.  Myself and six others accepted the proposition to drive four yoke of steers to each wagon loaded with merchandise on consideration we got our board and what little baggage we had and the little girl taken along.  We started out for the company with a team of horses, and in two days reached them.  Edward Stevensen was sent to take charge of the train.  He was a native of Gibralter, a very fine man.  Out of the seven of us that volunteered, not one of us had ever put a yoke on an ox imagine we had a picnic.  But we soon got so we could manage them like old teamsters.

Mary Ann Crowther Anderson

We left Mormon Grove Jun 13th, 1855, and arrived in Salt Lake City, Sept. 13th 1855.  Me and the little girl would sleep under the wagon at night.  In the day time, she would ride in the wagon just ahead of me so I could keep her in sight.  We traveled late one night in order to reach water.  As soon as we stopped for camp, at a place called Laramie, Wyoming, I unyoked my cattle and got them to feed.  I returned and assisted in getting supper, then went as usual for my little girl, but she was missing.  I roused the camp.  No one had seen her since we stopped for camp.  A diligent search was made but of no avail.  I imagined all kinds of scenes of death.  Indians getting her, wandering away to perish, and be eaten by wolves, etc.  I shall never forget the felling that came to me, though now it is 30 years  or more.  I cannot refrain from tears as that experience comes to my mind.  Most of the camp gave up the search in vain.  I could not settle or content myself, but still wandered about, when finally I found her fast asleep in some tall grass a short distance away.  You may imagine my joy in finding her.


We had to keep diligent watch all the way across the plains.  At Sweet Water a false alarm of an Indian raid gave us quite a scare.  But in all our journey we were wonderfully blessed.  At this place my wife that is dead visited me, put her arms round my neck, told me of many things I have seen come to pass since that time.  She looked so beautiful.  When I asked her of how it was in the sphere where she moved, she signified she was not at liberty to tell.  I knew she was dead, and where she was buried.  At this point I was aroused by the false alarm.

On arriving at Salt Lake City, I walked immediately to Pleasant Grove, 40 miles south, and visited my wife's parents, who had emigrated three years previous.  I stayed there and worked until the October conference, which I attended.  After that I went with Elder John Weston, former president of the
branch that I came from in England.

I left Mary Ann with her grandparents and went with this John Weston to Cedar City, Utah.  He had been requested to find two men who understood the manufacturing of iron.  Another man by the name of Thomas Gower went with us, where we found a mountain of iron ore, at which place we worked for two or three years.  But the company trying to develop this industry did not have money enough to carry on the work.  For that reason it failed.

On the 25th of November, 1855, I met a young widow by the name of Jane Jewkes, a former acquaintance in the Tipton branch.  I offered my hand in marriage to her and was accepted.  We were married by the President of the Stake, Isaac C. Haight.  My wife had emigrated the same year.  We had fairly good clothes, but nothing toward housekeeping - no money - in a country where even the necessities of life were scarce.  The grasshoppers had destroyed the crops, and food was not in the country.  The Lord's hand was manifest in our behalf.  During the famine, mushrooms grew just outside the city. People would go every morning and gather them and with a spoonful of flour to thicken them or make gravy.  We relished them and they sustained life until another harvest.  Another item of food was the homey dew that grew upon the willow.  People would gather the willows, wash them in tubs, then boil the water and make it into a syrup, which was very delicious.  They gathered barrels of it.  This was at a time when sugar or molasses could not be gotten in the country.  I have never seen it since like it came at that time.

I will now mention a manifestation I had in answer to prayer.  In the spring of 1857, a man by the name of Whittier told me I could use his oxen to plow my lot if I would bring them from the range telling me where I would find them.  I started out early the next morning in search of them, and woke fast until noon without success.  I began to get faint and weary, when I turned to one side into a cedar grove.  There I knelt down and asked the Lord in sincerity to make known to me where the cattle were.  I had not been on my knees more than two minutes when a voice said to me - they are up in Coal canyon.  This was not said in a loud voice, but in a pleasant whisper that filled my heart with a certainty that they were there.  I arose and went with a light heart about one and a half miles distant.  There I found the cattle lying down, chewing their cuds.
I mention this circumstance to show that the Lord does hear and answer prayers when we are humble and sincere.  Since then I have witnessed a similar manifestation a number of times.  In the winter of 1858 I decided I would move away from Cedar City and go to Beaver, where I could take up land.  That was a new place and plenty of land and water, a distance 52 miles north.  In the fall of 1858, I went to Beaver, took up a lot and went to work building me a house, preparatory to moving my family.  I got my house under way when I was impressed to go home- but for what reason I did not know.  It was sadly against my will, for I wanted to complete my house.  I had a presentment that I was needed at home.  We had no means of communication - mail only once a month, so there was no way of sending or receiving a message.  Next morning about nine o'clock I started for home, with a yoke of cattle and a wagon.  I traveled 30 miles that day and camped at a place called Paragonah or Red Creek.  I turned my cattle out and got my supper and went to ved but could not sleep.  Something seemed to urge me to get up and go on, but I reasoned with myself like this: the cattle are tired and I cannot possible go on tonight.  But the impression grew stronger, so I got up, got my cattle hitched to the wagon and started, traveling all night, arriving home at eight o'clock a.m.  I had traveled 52 miles in 23 hours.

I found my wife very sick.  The neighbors did not think she could live.  At the time when the impression came to me to get up and go on the evening before, they thought she was dead.  When I found her in this condition, I understood why I was so impressed to go home.  I mention this to show that we have guardian Angels, and that they do oft times manifest things that we should do, and also warning us against many dangers, if we would give heed to the whisperings of the still, small voice."

By 1887 seven of their children had moved to Colorado, so they came to the valley to visit and spend the Christmas holidays with them.  In 1890 Thomas and his wife, Jane, moved to Sanford, Colorado, where he built a brick home and they were very comfortable and contented.

In 1896 Thomas was ordained Stake Patriarch by Heber J. Grant and John Henry Smith.  Three months later his wife died; that fall he moved into the home of his son, W. O. Crowther, where he lived until his death in 1898.

Additional Crowther History:  About the year 1850 a number of Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went to England.  Those that went to Shropshire made many converts.  Among them were three brothers and a cousin, Thomas, Francis, Richard and George Crowther.  All four emigrated to the US of America.  The sole purpose for making their home with the Saints of God, called Mormons.  Francis came in 1852 and died on the plains on his way to Utah.  Thomas came in 1855, Richard in 1864 and George in 1857. These two brothers and cousin chose Fountain Green, Utah, as the place to make their home, where they lived and reared their families, for thirty years.  Then Thomas moved to the San Luis Valley, Colorado where he and his family helped to make settlements.  Richard moved his families to Southern Utah and later moved to Logan, Utah, with one family where he died.  George remained at Fountain Green until his death.


"The Mormons 100 Years in the San Luis Valley of Colorado" pages 175-176

       Most of the Crowthers in the San Luis Valley are descendants of Thomas Crowther, born March 12, 1823, in Easthope, Shropshire, England.  Thomas went to a formal school for only 12 months at the age of 9.  After this he studied and learned on his own, and was proud to be able to study the Testament.

       After he quit school to go to work he worked for over 2 years for John Bradley, a strict Methodist, who sent Thomas to church regularly.  After that he did not get any religious training from anyone he worked for.  However he seemed to have a hunger that no religion would satisfy.

       As a grown man he worked at blast furnaces manufacturing iron.  When 26, he married Sarah Thomason; it was in the parents' home that he first saw the Book of Mormon and heard the Mormon Elders.  He knew at once that he had found the Pearl of Great Price.  He and his wife were baptized October 13, 1850.  A few months later he had a serious accident, hurting his shoulder so severely he couldn't even lift his arm.  He called on the Elders to anoint and bless him, and was able to return to work the next morning to the astonishment of his fellow workmen.

       In 1853, he and his wife started saving to go to Zion.  They were able to save what amounted to $2.50 a week..  In 6 months, by selling their furniture and everything they had, they were able to pay their way to New Orleans.  At this time they had one little girl, Mary Ann,, 3 1/2 years old, but had lost little Francis, who only lived 12 weeks.  They boarded ship November 13, 1854, and landed in New Orleans 5 weeks later, having been delayed by storms.  They stayed there to earn money to go on to St. Louis.  While there, his wife gave birth to a little boy who was born dead.  Two days later she also died, leaving Thomas and Mary Ann to continue their journey to Zion alone.

       Thomas hired out as a driver for a wagon on a wagon train.  Seven men were hired to fill vacancies, none of whom had ever put a yoke on an ox before, and the oxen were all wild Texas cattle.  They had quite a picnic, but very soon learned to manage.

Thomas tells the following story in his own words:
"Me and the little girl would sleep under the wagon at night, in the daytime she would ride in the wagon just ahead of me so I could keep her in sight.  We traveled late one night in order to reach water.  As soon as we stopped for camp at a place called Laramie, Wyoming.  I unyoked my cattle and got them to feed.  I returned and assisted in getting supper, then went as usual for my little girl, but she was missing.  I roused the camp.  No one had seen her since we stopped for camp.  A diligent search was made but of no avail.  I imagined all kinds of scenes of death:  Indians getting her, wandering away to perish, and being eaten by wolves, etc.  I shall never forget the feeling that came to me, though now it is thirty years or more.  I cannot refrain from tears as that experience comes to my mind.  Most of the camp gave up the search in vain.  I could not settle or content myself, but still wandered about, when finally I found her fast asleep in some tall grass a short distance away.  You can imagine my joy in finding her."
They had many interesting experiences, both hard and faith promoting, but finally arrived in Salt Lake City.  A few months later Thomas met and married Jane Jewkes, a widow with one little boy.  They lived in Beaver, the Ephraim, but finally settled in Fountain Green, and there had a large family.
       By 1887 seven of their children had moved to Colorado, so they came to the valley to visit and spend the Christmas holidays with them.  In 1890 Thomas and his wife moved to Sanford, Colorado, where he built a brick home and they were very comfortable and contented.
       In 1896 Thomas was ordained Stake Patriarch by Heber J. Grant and John Henry Smith.  Three months later his wife died; that fall he moved into the home of his son, W. O. Crowther, where he lived until his death in 1898.


"Utah, Our Pioneer Heritage"
Our Pioneer Heritage Volume 4 Zion Sings The Fountain Green Choir A Tribute Thomas Crowther and Jane Jewkes, sister of Samuel Jewkes the first choir leader, were married in Utah in 1855.  In 1860, they were living in a dug-out near Ephraim and here Jane gave birth to a son, James Franklin.  The family moved to Fountain Green in 1861, where both parents were associated with the choir until they left the town in 1890. Not only did the parents sing, but they reared a family of musically talented children to swell the number of the choir.  Thomas Crowther was English and never lost his accent, dropping the h's to the end.  To him, after the dug-out, Fountain Green was "Eaven."  In time, he became the famous seconder of motions. Harmon Curtis, a local rhymester, wrote: "T for Tom Crowther; he got the good notion; He's always on hand to second the motion." Mr. Crowther was in ill health for a number of years but made his presence felt in spite of the fact.  Jane Jewkes Crowther had a remarkably beautiful voice.

Jane Jewkes Crowther

Thomas Crowther

Jens Christensen Cornum 1828-1906

HISTORY: JENS CHRISTENSEN CORNUM (1828-1906)

Compiled and typed by Marilee Cornum Vannoy, 22 March 1995.

Jens Christensen Kornum, was born May 3, 1828, in Vester Bronderslev, Hjorring County, Denmark.  The County of Hjorring is in the North end of Denmark, which lied between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.  His parents, Kristen or Jensen and Else Marie Poulsen, were both from Hjorring County.  In Denmark the place of birth is usually given as the Parish's name, which is Vester Bronderslev.  Jens was probably born at Vester Kornum, and then christened at Vester Bronderslev, which name he was given Jens Christensen.

Jens grew up on a farm, named Vester Kornum, there is even a house there that it named Kornum.  Jens was the fifth generation of his father's line, to live at Vester Kornum.  His great great grandfather, Markvor Jensen, born 1673, of Tolstrup Parish, Hjorring, Denmark, married Johanne Kristensdatter, in 1701.  All there children were christened in the Tolstrup Parish, but it is record their fourth child, Kristen Markvorsen, was born at Vester Kornum.

Jens was the fifth of six children, he was the first born son, and had a baby brother, Poul, born two years after him.  He had lost all of his sisters by the time he was 15 years old.  He had twin sister just 4 1/2 years older, one was stillborn, and the other, Ane died when she was 15 years old, Jens was 11 at the time.  Then his sister Mariane who was only 1/2 years older than him, died when he was 11 also, she had just turned 13.  His oldest sister Matte Kirstine, was eight years older than him, she married and she died at the age of 24.

When Jens was 26 years old he lost his mother, Else Marie, she died in 1855, at 65 years old.  Just before his 30th birthday he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He was Baptized the 4th of March, 1858.  At the age of 34, Jens left his home of Vester Kornum, to join the rest of the Saints in Utah.  He left for America from Hamburg on the 15th of April 1862, on the ship "Franklin".  He left behind his father, Kristen, who later died in 1865, at the age of 70, and his brother Poul, neither ever joined the Church.

Little did Jens know when leaving Hamburg, was also leaving his future wife, Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen, and her mother Ane Thomasen Laursen.  Who were also new members of the Church.  They left behind there home in Fourholt, Albaek, Hjorring County, and Ane Thomine's father, Peder Laursen, and two sisters Mette Marie and Maren, her other sisters LaursSine and Ane Kirstine had previously went to America.  Mette Marie followed in 1867, with her husband and small daughter.

Earlier in Denmark a child's surname was his father's given name with "sen" added to the sons, or "datter" added to the daughter's name.  Therefore, Ane Thomine Magrethe Pedersdatter, was her name when christened.  But in 1850 Denmark passed a law of taking a fixed surname, which was the same as the father's surname.  So by the time Ane Thomine sailed for America, in 1862, she went by the name of Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen.

Also Jens Christensen, his Danish name, took the name of Kornum when leaving on the ship, the "Franklin".  We are not sure why he did this, but there were many Christensen's, that being a common name.  Jens was from Vester Kornum, and made Kornum his fixed surname, being Jens Christensen Kornum.  When arriving in America, he Americanized the spelling to Cornum.  The following log is of the "Franklin" Company that departed from Hamburg, on 15 April 1862.  Source is FHL film #025696, Indexed Emigration Register of Scandinavian Mission #80:

"The number of Saints emigrating from Scandinavia in 1862 was greater than in any previous or subsequent year.  No less than 1,556 souls, in four different companies sailed from Hamburg on four chartered vessels destined for Utah.  On Tuesday, April 15th, the ship "Franklin" sailed from Hamburg with 413 emigrating Saints, nearly all from the Aalborg and Vendsyssel Conferences.  They were in charge of Chr. A. Madsen, an Elder returning home.  He chose Jens C. A. Weibye and Lauritz Larsen as his Counselors.  On board ship the company was organized into eight districts with Jens Christensen Kornum as one of the presidents.  Elder Jens C.A. Weibye gives the following account of the voyage across the Atlantic:  We went on board the "Franklin" in the evening of Tuesday (Apr 8th) and I was appointed to locate the emigrants in their bunks below deck.  These bunks, 160 in number, were so wide that three persons easily could have room in one of them side by side.  After getting our baggage in order, we received our rations of provisions.  These consisted of beef, pork, peas, beans, potatoes, pearl barley, rice, prunes, syrup, vinegar, pepper, coffee, tea, sugar, butter, rye bread, sea biscuits, water, flour, salted herring, salt and oil (for the lamps).  We lighted 11 lanterns every night, 6 of which belonged to the ship and 5 to the emigrants.  We hired an extra cook in Hamburg for 90 rigsdaler, and besides him two of our brethren served as assistant cooks.  We thus had our dinners nicely cooked in about the following routine, viz, Sunday we had sweet soup, Monday pea soup; Tuesday and Wednesday, rice; Thursday, pea soup; Friday, barley mush, and Saturday herring and potatoes.

Some of the emigrants carried the measles with them from home, and the disease soon spread to all parts of the ship, so that no less than 40 persons, mostly children, were attacked at once.  Many of the emigrants were also suffering with diarrhea, which caused very much weakness of body.  We lost the appetite for sea biscuits, but learned to soak them in water or tea from 8 to 12 hours, which softened them so that they could become more palatable.  The sick were served twice a day with porridge made from barley, rice or sago, and almost every day pancakes could be had by the hundreds for the sick who could not eat the "hard tack" (sea biscuits).  Wheat bread was also baked for some of the old people.  We held a council meeting every night, and the sanitary conditions of the ship's apartments were attended with great care.  Three times a week the ship was thoroughly fumigated by burning tar.  A spirit of peace prevailed and very few difficulties occurred.  The captain and crew were good-natured and obliging, and so were the cooks, who even served the sick when they were not on duty.

Thursday, 19 May 1862, in the forenoon, the "Franklin" arrived at New York.  The emigrants were not allowed to go ashore, because of some cases of measles yet existing among them.  Finally the sick were taken to the hospital, and after two more nights and a day, they were allowed to go ashore.  They left New York 31 May at 9:00 p.m. by rail.  The company arrived at Florence Neb., on Monday, June 9th, at 10:00 p.m.  Among the 48 persons who died in the "Franklin" company during the voyage on the sea, was Brother Jens Anderson from Veddum, Denmark, who with his own means had assisted 60 or 70 poor Saints to emigrate.  He died on the North Sea on the 25th of April.  On the way from New York to Florence, two children died. Eleven person (4 adults and 7 children) died while staying at Florence and a young girl died on the Plains, making in all 62 in the "Franklin" company who died between Hamburg and Salt Lake City.  On Tuesday, June 10th, the emigrants pitched their tents a short distance north of Florence, and the necessary purchases of oxen, wagons, cows, etc. were attended to.

The Saints left Florence, Neb. with the Lewis Brunson Company on 17 June 1862.  There were 212 persons and 48 wagons.  To begin with, we traveled only a few miles each day, which was a good thing for us, who were unaccustomed to drive oxen.  We generally had good camp grounds and only occasionally we had to camp where we could not obtain water.  As a rule there was an abundance of grass for the oxen, and at times also sufficient fuel to be fond, but a great part of the way the sisters had to content themselves with cooking over fires made from sunflower stems and "buffalo chip".  Nearly all able-bodied men and woman had to walk most of the way; some of the women rode in the wagons only across the larger rivers, while they would wade across the smaller streams like the men.  Sometimes the women and children were carried across the streams by the men when it was feared the oxen could not pull the wagons with their heavy loads.  We did exactly what our leaders told us to do, and consequently everything went well with us, for we could not read in books how and what to do, either on the voyage across the ocean or on the journey across the Plains....  The company, consisting of 211 persons, arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 29 August 1862.

Jens Christensen Cornum and wife
Ane Thomine Magrethe (Pederdatter) Laursen

       While in Florence Nebraska, Jens and Ane Thomine were married, on 17 Jun 1862.  So as the came across the Plains, they were husband and wife.  Along with them on this journey was mother, Ane Thomasen.  They finally arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a long journey of 136 days since sailing from Hamburg.  On the 1880 Census of Denmark, Peder Laursen was listed as living with his daughter, Maren, and her husband, Niels Christian Christensen in Brunvang, Voer, Hjorring, Denmark.  He was listed as 85 years old, a Widower, and a Lutheran.

Jens and Ane Thomine and mother Ane, went to Pleasant Grove, Utah, where her sisters, Ane Kirstine Reynolds and LaursSine Heiselt's families were already living.  Jens was a carpenter, he and Ane Thomine made their home in Pleasant Grove, from 1862 until after 1877.  They had six children, why living there, Ane Tomine "Annie T." born in 1863, Jens Christensen "Chris" born in 1865, Paul Heber born in 1868, Elsie Marie born 1871, Peter Elijah born in 1873, and Mary born in 1877.

Jens and Ane Thomine and their children all moved to Sanford, Colorado.  Sometime Ane's sisters LaursSine and family also moved to Sanford.  But her mother Ane, and other sisters, Ane Kirstine, Mette Marie, and Maren all stayed in Utah.  While living in Sanford, Annie T. died at the age of 27 years, she had never married.  Each of the other five children all married in Sanford and raised their families there.  Hilda Jefferson, the daughter of Peter Elijah, could remember her mother telling how Granddad Jens Cornum would love to come over to see Hilda.  He would set and rock his little granddaughter by the hours.

Cornum Brothers
Chris, Pete, and Heber (sitting)

Jens loved his family very much, and upon leaving Denmark, he brought with him a history of his family lineage.  It was written on parchment paper, and rolled up as a scroll.  Written on it is his family bible, in the form of a family tree.  It starts with Jens, 4 greats grandfather, Markvor... and wife, Sidsel..., it continues to list their descendants of seven generations.  Jens' father, Kristen and his brothers and sisters, are the last of Jens direct line, listed on the paper.  Although Jens has written his own name and information on it, as Kristen's son.  The original paper is in the possession of Sally Mortensen, a great granddaughter of Jens, of Sanford, Colorado.  Marilee Vannoy has a xerox copy of it and of all of Jens' personal kept records.

Jens did genealogy, and a lot of Temple work for his family.  After his wife Ane Thomine died in April of 1890.  He spent a lot of time with his daughter Elsie Marie Cornum Mickelsen, traveling to Manti, Utah, to do Temple work.  He kept a Temple Journal of his work and he and Elsie are listed as most of the proxies for them.  He did most of this work in 1890-1892.  Sally Mortensen also has the original book of his Temple Journal, which lists his mother's side of the family also.

Jens resided in Sanford, Colorado, until his death, November 25, 1906, at the age of 78 years.  He was buried by his wife Ane Thomine, and daughter Annie T. in the Sanford Cemetery, Conejos County, Colorado.  All six of the their children are buried there in the Sanford Cemetery.  He has left a great descendancy which he can be very proud of.  As we are so proud of him, to set the example of excepting the Gospel and joining the Church, and leaving his beloved homeland of Vester Kornum, which we are proud to carry the name of now.

The following are the 6 Children of Jens C. Cornum

Annie Tomine Cornum, 1863-1891

Jens Christian "Chris" Cornum, 1865-1948

Paul Heber Cornum, 1868-1928 (known as Heber)

Ellis Marie "Elsie" Cornum Mickelsen, 1871-1936

Peter Elijah Cornum, 1873-1942

Mary Cornum Poulson,  1877-1950

Closeup of Mary Cornum

Brief Story of Duwayne Cornum

Voris Jane Miller and Dorrel Duwayne Cornum in the fall of 1936, in Sanford, Colorado,
before they were married December 24, 1936

Brief History of Duwayne Cornum   

Dorrel Duwayne Cornum - baby
born March 24, 1915 in Sanford, Colorado

Dorrel Duwayne Cornum was born March 24, 1915, in Sanford, Colorado, at the home of Aunt Naomi Valentine. The little log house still stands on the southwest corner, of 1st North and 1st West St. He was the son of Heber Dorrel Cornum and Lizzie Pearl "Reed" Cornum. He is the oldest of a family of nine children: Gwendolyn Emerson, Bonnie Coombs, Shirley Fugate, Frank Cornum, Monte Cornum, Judy Parrish, Rex Cornum (Died in infancy), and Kurt Cornum.

D. Duwayne Cornum - Senior Picture in Springville, Utah, in 1934.

Duwayne grew up in Sanford and the area near there. He lived on a farm with of Sanford for several years. He received 11 years of his schooling in Sanford and his Senior year in Springville, Utah, where he stayed with his Aunt Mary and Uncle Ralph Reed. He graduated from the Springville High School in 1933.


He was always a hard worker, helping with the sheep and pigs and working in the fields. Milking by hand several cows while he was living on the farm. He lived on a ranch between Manassa and Sanford, where Ivan Thomas now lives, for most of his childhood.  When he was about 14, the family moved into Sanford, where Bob Cummings now lives.  He was very active in sports, playing baseball, basketball and track. He was a very fast runner. He also spent any spare time, and occasionally had to miss school to make spare time, ice skating. He could skate backwards faster than most, could skate foreword.


He and his family moved to Glendale, Arizona, in 1934, during the depression. He and his Father raised lettuce and had a crop failure. He being the oldest had to find jobs to help support the family . His memory of living in Arizona are not pleasant, he said they nearly starved to death down there. So they returned to Sanford the next year. They moved in with his Aunt Alice Reed. He and his Father built extra room onto her home, and Lizzie became the assistant Post Master. Alice was the Post Master for forty-two years, and the Post Office was on the east end of her home.


Duwayne married Voris Miller, December 24, 1936. He worked with his Dad , a few years drilling wells. They lived their first three years in the "Swen Peterson" apartments, then moved to Alamosa where Duwayne ran a Standard Oil Truck delivering gas. Wages her in the Valley were low, so they moved to California where more money could be made.


So Duwayne and Voris and their two children, Sherry and Tennis, moved to Los Angeles.  He worked for Standard Oil there, they were there when Pearl Harbor was bombed, December 7, 1941. It only took them six months to get all the City Life they needed. After several nights of black-outs and search lights in the sky expecting Japanese planes, they left Los Angeles.


Duwayne got a job with Construction work in Hobbs, New Mexico, building airports for Skousen and Hise Construction Company. He also worked in Carlsbad on an airport.


In the fall of 1942 they returned to Sanford and built their own Gas Station, Hardware Store, and Garage combined. They also bought the garage, which is now the Post Office and home of Fern Nielson. He ran this business for 20 years. They had bought Voris's parents home, and this is where they live today, there in Sanford. During this time they had five more children: Lorene, Hal, Myrna, Debbie, and Marilee, this making seven children in all. While Duwayne was busy with the Station, he also served as Mayor for 16 years. At this time he was noted for being the youngest Mayor in Colorado.


In 1956, he was having trouble with his knees and feet from working on cement so long. So he decided to go back to road construction work in New Mexico, again for "Skousen and Hise". He and Verdan Mortensen worked on many roads and dams all over the state for over 20 years. The family remained in Sanford except for the summer months when they lived with him in the trailer house. Every fall Voris would move back with the children to get them back into school. It was not possible for the family to stay with their Father all year, as he would have to move one to three times during the school year. But they looked forward to the weekend when he could come home.


Duwayne and Verdan were considered top notch heavy equipment operators. Duwayne was the foreman of most of the jobs, he was an expert blade man. He retired from construction work in 1976, when they had just finished building the Trinidad Dam.
He had heart surgery in Denver in February, 1975, which he recovered from in a few months. Other than a couple of heart attacks which were prior to his surgery, he has had very good health. Although he had another heart attack in March 1990, just two weeks before his 75th birthday. He was very lucky to live in the day of modern medicine, which saved his life and give him a clean bill of health, for a couple more years. In the spring of 1993 he had to have his hearth ballooned, but at least it was not open heart surgery again.


After his retirement, he dug and cleaned wells and installed pumps. And since 1982, he has been care-taker for the Sanford Cemetery. He has planted all the cemetery in lawn grass, and has made many improvements. It is now a very beautiful place, due to his efforts.


Duwayne has always been a strong, honest, hard working man. He has been active in the Church, holding many position. It has been since his later years that the Church has become so important to him. He and Voris filled a mission in 1984-1985, in the Pittsburgh Mission. There they served in West Virginia in the Wheeling Branch. They enjoyed their mission very much. While on their mission Voris had a heart attack, but they were able to remain there until it was finished. One month after coming home she had heart surgery. 
So now they even have more in common, although this was not something they wanted to share. Duwayne for the last several years and now is doing extraction in the Church. He spends many hours reading old Spanish films and extracting the names off them. He has proven you can teach an old dog new tricks.


Duwayne and Voris celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, December 24, 1986. At this time they had a prosperity of 40 children and grandchildren. As of his 80th birthday, they have a prosperity of 61 children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, with 2 more great grandchildren on the way. Duwayne loves his family very much, and they have a lot of good times together. He loves to get them together for picnics and at Christmas time, and every Sunday night at his house for popcorn. They younger grandchildren call him "Papa" and he has enjoyed spoiling them, he is especially proud to be the Great Granddad to Erica's new little twin boys. He has always had lots of friends and enjoys being with people. He has really enjoyed life having so many of his family and friends living near him.


This story was dedicate to Duwayne on his 80th Birthday, Happy Birthday Dad!


Compiled by Marilee, 24 March 1995.

Closeup of the above picture in Butte, Montana

Duwayne Cornum, age 2, in Butte, Montana,
visiting his Aunt Hettie Bates, in 1917.

Duwayne playing with the kittens
at his Aunt Naomi Reed Valentine's
in Sanford, Colorado, this was his birthplace.

Duwayne Cornum - grade school

Duwayne Cornum and Voris Jane Miller Cornum
newly-weds in Sanford, Colorado, 1936.

Duwayne Cornum about 17 yrs.

This is Duwayne's little blue jeep pulling a float in the 24th of July parade, there are many fond memories of this little blue jeep.  Main Street in Sanford, Colorado.

Duwayne and Tennis Cornum oiling the wheels on the wagon at the Cornum's Hardware and Station
in Sanford, Colorado - about 1946.

Cornum Hardware & Service Station in Sanford, Colorado
This is Duwayne Cornum with Dow Kennedy, a sales rep.

Francis Whitney, Edker & Cecil  Wilson, Lab Garcia, Duwayne Cornum, Guy Cunningham, Lindy Cunningham,
and Kenneth Jones - standing.

Hal & Duwayne Cornum in about 1952.

Duwayne Cornum and Harvey Jones on the Mt. Taylor job,
near Cubero, New Mexico, in 1969.

Voris Jane and Dorrel Duwayne Cornum, 1978.

Road job in Deming, New Mexico, in 1970.

Duwayne Cornum watering at the cemetery, 1997.
He served on the Sanford Cemetery Board from 1980-2004; part of this time he served as caretaker.
During this time the cemetery took on a new clean appearance.  He leveled and planted the whole cemetery into lawn grass, trimmed the willow trees and planted the Russian Olive trees.

Duwayne Cornum with his great granddaughter, Rylie, 2004