Born: March 25, 1798
Place: Saint Johns, Worcester, England
Died: March 13, 1879 (81) or March 12, 1875
Place: Beaver, Utah
Arrived in Valley: 1850 A.O. Smoot Co.
Father: James Simkins
Mother: Mary Cann
#1 Spouse: Rachel Hawthorne
Date: September 9, 1821 (23)
Place: Halesowen, Worcestershire, England
#2 Spouse: Elizabeth Freenam Johnson
Date: September 22
Place: St Louis, Missouri
Relation to me: Great Great Great Great Grandpa
In the family of Charles Simpkins, there were nine children, eight boys and one girl, Eliza Charlotte, who died in infancy. Both Charles and Rachel joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were baptized, and planned to immigrate to America.
Charles was by trade a pattern maker. Rachel began to make preparations for the long sea voyage. There was much to do in breaking up the home; clothes for so many boys to be made, many things to be disposed of. In the meantime, the father of such a large family had much to plan for as they were poor people and had to save every penny they could for the voyage.
Preparations were about completed and all were happy at the thought of the journey and the wonderful change they were about to make. The mother was one day busily engaged in packing a large, low steamer trunk when she was suddenly taken seriously ill. The father thought it was perhaps a stroke, but in a few hours she passed away, leaving a stricken father and eight boys, three of whom were small.
All thoughts of the voyage were forgotten until the dazed family could recover. The money that was saved for the voyage was used to lay the loved one away. The father tried to save money for the voyage, but without the mother to plan and save, the father realized they could not all go to America at the same time. So a council was held among the family. It was decided that the father and the small boys were to go first and the older boys were to stay in England until the father could send enough money for them.
In the meantime, the older ones procured work and so the family was separated for a time. Finally, after careful planning and work, the family was reunited in America. They crossed the plains just as they could, working their way through, the father keeping the young boys with him. Later he married a very worthy woman, who had lost her husband on the sea voyage. She was indeed a very worthy mother to the family of boys. The father, Charles Simpkins died on March 13, 1875 at Beaver City, Utah at the age of 77 years. He was buried in the Beaver City Cemetery.
Links:
- http://allenhackworth.com/Merrill/simpkinspic.htm
- Conquerors of the West: Stalwart Mormon Pioneers
By Florence C. Youngberg
Page 2339
