Mary Ann Young West Biography

Little Mary Ann Young West didn’t live long.  The three and a half years she lived were long enough to allow Heavenly Father to ‘manifest His works through her.’  

Mary Ann was born 11 May 1860 in Islington, London, England, the 5^th child of Charles Henry John West and his wife Eliza Dangerfield West.  Her parents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints almost exactly 10 years earlier, about the time of their marriage.  Ever since they joined, Charles and Eliza wanted to gather to Zion to be with the main body of Latter-day Saints.  They toiled and saved to emigrate to Zion.  But as Charles once lamented, the children came faster than they could save the necessary funds to gather with the saints.  

At the recommendation of a missionary serving there, Charles and Eliza decided to send two of their daughters to Utah with other saints emigrating.  They chose Caroline (10) and Ann Lydia (6) to go.  They left in the spring of 1861 with the King family, who had no children of their own.  Their separation nearly broke all of their hearts.  

The girls made it safely to Salt Lake City and resided with Bishop William Miller in Provo while the West family accelerated their efforts to join them.  Finally in 1863, Charles, Eliza, their four children Thomas (10), Jabez (5), Mary Ann (3) and Eliza Alice (1) left for Zion.  Returning the favor, they brought with them two others—Samuel Bezzant and Mary Powell. 

As Eliza paid the final emigration money to the agent Bro. Staines, he made a promise to Eliza.  He knew of the sacrifices the family had made to emigrate, and of their two daughter’s previous departure to Zion.  He declared, “All of your family will arrive safely in Zion and not one of you will die on the way.”  This statement reassured the family.

Departing on the ship ‘Amazon’ from Liverpool on 1 June 1863, the family hunkered down for a  long trip.  Not only did they anticipate joining the main body of saints in Zion, but they would also be reunited with their young daughters Caroline and Ann, now aged 12 and 9.  

Mary Ann would have been too young to remember much of the rough voyage across the sea.  They encountered rough winds most of the trip.  It sickened her mother Eliza so severely that her father Charles ended up preparing all of the meals until they landed in New York harbor.  But she probably enjoyed the time to play with her siblings.

From the boat in New York, the family transferred to the railroad and steamboat to Florence, Nebraska.  Here the family gathered up their wagon and provisions set aside for their trip overland with the other pioneers in the company.  The 10 week trip was marked with new experiences for the young family, many involving the different climate and culture on the plains.  Eliza had to learn how to cook with different flour than she was accustomed.  Wood was scarce along the wagon trail.  Eliza and her daughters would gather up dried buffalo chips in their skirts for use in cooking dinner each night.  

Young Mary Ann was probably spared this chore, as she struggled with illness since disembarking from the ship.  She probably rode in the wagon while the others walked.  Charles wrote of an answer to prayer in her behalf. 

“Our little daughter Mary Ann Young West was sick more or less while crossing the plains.  Her appetite failing her, I thought I would go to the riverside, being near one, and get a fish.  I knew it would do her good.  The river being very low and leaving small puddles of water, I would try and chase the fish by my hands into shallow water, and so catch one.  I did not succeed in getting any.  I then and there prayed to God that I might get some if it was only one.  I was about to leave to catch up with the wagon train when a man came along with a string of fish and offered me one.  My prayer being answered, I went along rejoicing.”

The family did a lot of rejoicing along the trail, as they had made up their minds to be cheerful no matter what.  Charles said, “We had made up our minds to enjoy the trip without grumbling and found it the best way, we had a few grumblers in the camp.  We had to wade up to our breasts some rivers we had to go through, if the current was very strong we would hold hands.  I would sometimes have a child in one arm and holding on to another.  If we got wet we would let our clothes dry on so we would not take cold.  We would average in traveling 20-30 miles each day.  Sometimes we had to travel by night in order to get to good camping ground.”

The family reached Salt Lake on 4 October 1863, staying first with distant relatives living in the Tenth Ward of Salt Lake City.  The family was thrilled to attend their first General Conference taking place.  But they were more exited to reunite with their daughters Caroline and Ann Eliza, still living with Bishop William Miller in Provo.  Within a few days, they reached their daughters and rejoiced.  After staying with the Millers for a few days, they rented a room nearby and settled in.

As promised, no one in their family had lost their lives in the journey.  But Mary Ann wasn’t well.  Her condition worsened and she died a few weeks later on 22 October 1863 in Provo, Utah.   The family had gone to bed early to save the few candles the family possessed.  During the night, she awoke and tried to get out of bed.  Charles encouraged her to go back to sleep.  Reluctantly, she settled down to sleep again.  But first, she called each family member by name and bid them a goodnight.  She died in her father’s arms in the night.

The distraught family found no comfort among their new neighbors in Provo.  Neighbors stayed away from the new family, assuming that the illness that killed Mary Ann was communicable.  No service was held to remember or honor her, and if any had, no one would have attended.  Bishop Miller lent his buggy and horse to carry her rough coffin to the Provo cemetery.  Gloom filled each member of the tired pioneer family.  But again God had His eye on this family.

Charles wrote, “We had done the best we could and did not feel like murmuring.  Yet the loss of our daughter sent a gloom that seemed more than we could bear—What had we done, we reflected, that our child should be taken from us?  What sin had we committed?”  The sad family pondered these things deeply when a remarkable experience occurred.  Charles recalled,

“A tall gentleman came in without knocking.  He sat down on the only chair we had and commenced comforting us in our trouble and blessed us.  He was with us about one half to three quarters of an hour.  During the time we both felt a heavenly influence, and all our troubles ceased and we felt happy.  When he left he stepped backwards toward the door, opened it and went out.  I followed him directly after but could see nothing of him.  He was very grey and his beard came down to his chest.”

The next day, while thanking Bishop Miller for sending this kind man to their home, Charles was surprised to hear that Bishop Miller had no knowledge of him.  Bishop Miller declared, “Brother West, we have no such teacher as you describe.  You have been blessed with the visitation of one of the Nephites that was to remain on earth.”

Whether it was one of the Three Nephites, an Angel, or a divinely prompted Latter-day Saint neighbor, Heavenly Father sent someone to comfort and bless the grieving family.  

Little Pioneer Mary Ann Young West may not have contributed much in the few years she lived.  But her illness prompted the faithful family to seek divine help in her behalf.  And her death plunged her family into the depths of grief, alone in a new country to suffer such sadness to need divine comfort.  These entreaties resulted in the miracles showing the power and love of God for Mary Ann and her loving family.  

Works Cited

"A Short Biography of Charles Henry John West." 1 Feb 2013. Saints, Witches and Murderers. 1 Feb 2013. <http://johnsonfamilyhistorystories.blogspot.com/>.

Lewis, Hazel West. "Charles Henry John West, A Man of Faith and Integrity." 1 Feb 2013. Saints, Witches and Murderers. 1 Feb 2013. <http://johnsonfamilyhistorystories.blogspot.com/>.

Olsen, Kevin V. The Story of the West Family. n.d. http:free-web-design-promotion/west10090/thewestfamily.doc. 12 Dec 2012. <http:free-web-design-promotion/west10090/thewestfamily.doc>.

West, Charles Henry John. "A Letter from CHJ West to Thomas Charles West, July 12, 1893." 1 Feb 2013. Saints, Witches and Murderers. 1 Feb 2013. <http://johnsonfamilyhistorystories.blogspot.com/>.

—. "Charles Henry John West-- journal." 5 June 2010. Our Book of Remembrance. 1 Feb 2013. <http://mikeandrhondafamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2010/06/charles-henry-john-west-journal.html>.

Wheelwright, Shauna. They Came Before Us. 3 Feb 2011. 1 Feb 2013. <http://theycamebeforeme.blogspot.com/search/label/Charles%20Henry%20John%20West>.