Sarah Finley Merrell

Sarah Finley is the daughter of John and Mary Bosarth Finley born 18 Feb. 1819 in Grayson Co., Kentucky. About the year 1829 she with her parents moved to Lewis Co., Missouri. On Oct 12, 1834 she married Charles Merrell son of Eli Merrell who was born 13 Oct 1811 or 1813.

Soon after her marriage they moved to Des Moines, Iowa. There the following children were born: Francis Marion 18 Feb 1837; Nancy 8 Nov. 1838; Sophia 11 Dec. 1839; While there Mr. and Mrs. Merrell joined the Mormon Church and in 1849 moved opposite Nauvoo, Lee Co., Illinois where the following children were born: Orson 2 Feb. 1842; John Finley 21 Oct. 1843; Sarah 5 Nov.

Early in 1846 they moved West with the main body of the Saints and settled in Council Bluffs, Iowa. There Sarah (infant daughter) died 8 Oct. 1847. Here the following children were born: Joseph 22 Sept 1847; Charles William 27 Nov 1849; Mary Jane 29 Jan 1852.

On July 4, 1852 they started for the Salt Lake Valley and on July 13th 1852, Charles Merrell died, being stricken with cholera. He was buried at 5:00 p.m. that evening with Apostle John Taylor taking charge. The next day they crossed the Elk Horn River and organized. There were about 52 wagons. Allen Weeks was chosen Captain of the company. There was a captain for every 10 wagons. Mrs. Merrell's team wasn't very gentle so Apostle John Taylor sent her a pair of gentle oxen which was a great help to the family as Mrs. Merrell was ill most of the way and Orson 10, John 8 had to manage the two pair of steers and one pair of cows.

They arrived in Salt Lake City 12 Oct. 1852 being met by her son Marion and Mr. Chaffin who took the family to a 2 small room home.   The family soon moved to the North part of the city where they resided until spring when friends arranged for them to move to South Farmington where Mrs. Merrell met and married Samuel B. Hardy in June 1854.  Soon after her marriage she moved to Bountiful where she resided until 1860.  Mr. Hardy was called to help settle Southern Utah and they took their family to Willard, Utah where 3 of her children resided namely Mrs. Homer Call (Nancy), John and Orson.  They provided a home for their mother and the family consisting of William 11, Joseph 13, Mary Jane 8, Matilda 5, Martha 2 and Sarah born 12 days after the family moved to Willard.

Soon after moving to Bountiful, Mrs. Hardy took up nursing.  Her first case was at the birth of Jane Pettingill, now Mrs. William Parsons.  By studying and being set apart by the Priesthood she became very successful as a good Practical Nurse of the sick. She officiated at 900 births.

At Willard she continued her activities until 1885 when she went to Elba Cassia, Idaho to live with her children.  Mrs. Martha Parish and Mrs. Sarah Brewerton.  She died at the home of Martha on 5 Feb. 1901.  She was buried at Willard, Box-Elder, Utah.

Frederick Walter Parish

FREDERICK WALTER PARISH son of John Henry Parish and Sarah Knight was born 4 Feb. 1848 at Eynsbury, Huntington, England. His mother and children joined the church and decided to come to America. Their father didn’t want to come so they came without him. He was baptized 27 March 1861. The family moved to Willard and there he met Nancy Henrietta Call and they were married 27 Dec. 1875 in Salt Lake City Utah in the Endowment House. They moved to Willard, Box-Elder, Utah and while living there four children were born. They then moved to Elba, Cassia, Idaho in 1882 or 1883. Eight more children were born here. They had a farm and Frederick ran a thrashing machine. They raised farm crops and cattle. He was a good farmer and always had a good garden and good orchard. The farm was not very big and they had a hard time making a living for the large family. As soon as the oldest children were old enough they went to work and helped raise the smaller ones.
Frederick was very active in dramatics, being president of the Theatrical Group in Elba. The men made the scenery, building the frames while the women painted the scenery. He gave readings. He was a very public spirited man, always working to build up the community and the ward. He loved celebrations. He held positions in the ward and at one time went to Salt Lake City and the Logan Temple where he and his mother did temple work for some of their ancestors.
He was a great reader and read only good books. Later in life he was not able to read as much as he lost one of his eyes, which caused him much regret.

He enjoyed children but the grandkids were afraid of him because he spoke crisp and harsh. He was dark and wore a moustache. He loved horses. As he became older he became deaf. After his wife died he still wanted to be alone. He drove a one horse buggy. He ate by himself and really enjoyed being alone. In 1919 his daughter Amber Glenn and her family moved into the house and he lived with them.
He had a bad heart and when Uncle Walter of Rigby Idaho was killed he was not able to go to the funeral.
One day he went to town to get some groceries, mostly consisting of sardines. When he returned home he went outside to get some chips to build a fire. When he went to go into the house he fell off the step under a bush that was right by the door. Orvis Parish, his grandchild was getting in the cows and decided to go visit his grandpa. He found him under this bush. Evidently he died of a heart attack.
The rest of the family was in Rigby attending the funeral of Walter Frederick, a son who was killed by a train. Alta Parish, a granddaughter called the family and they hurried home to prepare for Frederick’s funeral. Frederick had requested he not be taken to a mortuary so after his death they kept bottles filled with ice packed around him. He was a simple man who lived simply. He did not care for show. He was buried in a simple home-made casket in the Elba Cemetery. He died 26 Sept 1927 at Elba, Cassia, Idaho

FREDERICK WALTER PARISH

By Alta Parish Glade, a granddaughter

(Submitted to Family Blog by Suzanne J. Belger (desertmtnmalinois@gmail.com)

Frederick Walter Parish was born at Eyunsbury, Huntington England, the son of John

Henry and Sarah Knight Parish. His father died at an early age, just thirty-six years.
While he was still young, his mother and her three small sons joined the Mormon Church
and came to America. They finally came to Utah, settling in Willard, Box Elder County.

In Willard he met Nancy Henrietta Call, whose family had moved there also.

Four children were born while the family lived there, namely: William, Walter, Mary

and my father, Alonzo Franklin.

About 1882 or 1883, the family moved to Elba, Cassia County, Idaho. My father,

Lon, was only a few months old. Mary had died when only thirteen days old and is buried
in Willard.

The farm was not very large, but they raised cattle and hay and grain.

Twelve children were born to the union. Mary and Elmer died while very young. They

all worked so hard and as soon as the older boys were big enough they went to work any
place they could find work to help support the big family.

Grandfather was a public spirited man, always working to build the community into a

better place, helping in the Ward. He loved celebrations, and was also at the head of the
Elba Dramatic Club for many years.

He held positions in the Ward and at one time went to Willard, where he and his

mother went to the Logan Temple, where he and his mother did work for many of their
family, among them his father and several of the Knights, his mother's family.

As long as I can remember, Grandfather was hard of hearing, so became an avid reader

and had to withdraw from some of his activities. He read the scriptures and good
literature.

Later in life, he lost the sight in one eye and was not able to read as much, which was a

great hardship and handicap to him.

After my Grandmother's death in 1919, his daughter, Amber Glenn and family moved

in the home and took care of him. Later, his son Ellis bought the farm and moved there.
Grandfather died there.

He was a good farmer and raised good gardens and had a good fruit orchard.

My uncle, Walter Parish of Rigby, Idaho, was hit and killed instantly by a train. He

died on 24 September 1927.

Grandfather had developed a bad heart, so could not go to the funeral. My Uncle Ellis,

my parents and all of his children had gone to Rigby to the funeral. I was at home taking
care of my brothers and sisters.

Grandfather had a one-horse buggy and loved to go to the store and get a few goodies

and fix himself a meal. So he went to the store and stopped at our home (which was only
l/4 of a mile east of his home) on his way to the store. I told him to stop when he went
home and I would have a good dinner ready, but he went on by.

Later on my brother Orvis went up in Grandfather's pasture to look at some traps he

had set there, then to bring the milk cows down. He got to the back gate and was
prompted to go back, so did and found Grandfather dead on the back door step, with a
pan of chips which he had to make a fire with.

Every one was gone, so Orvis called me.- He was only fourteen years old, but had

gotten Grandfather to the couch in the front room. I went right up in the old model-T and
he was crying and so frightened. I had to find Grandfathers dentures, clean and put them
in, find and put his glass eye in.

We stopped a neighbor who was coming from the canyon with a load of fire wood.

We found planks and laid Grandfather out. I called the Bishop who then called the Relief
Society President. They came, washed and dressed him and prepared him for burial.

Grandfather's request was that he not be taken to a mortuary and that he be buried in a

-simple home made casket.

I helped sit up with him the first night, as we had to go to Malta and get ice and keep it

packed around him until his burial so the body would not go dark.

My parents got home the following day. He died September 26, 1927, at age seventy-

nine years. He was a very simple man, not wanting show or the limelight.

He was buried at Elba cemetery beside my Grandmother.

Nancy Henrietta Call

NANCY HENRIETTA CALL daughter of Homer Call and Nancy Merrill was born 4 Dec. 1857 at Willard, Box-Elder, Utah. She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ in 1866. On 27 Dec. 1874 she married Frederick Walter Parish in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. They made their home in Willard Utah where four children were born. William Charles was born 17 Oct. 1876. Walter Frederick was born 2 Nov. 1878. Mary was born 11 Feb. 1881 and Alonzo Franklin was born 16 April 1882. They moved to Elba, Cassia, Idaho where they purchased a farm.
Seven children were born in Elba. Homer John, 17 August 1884; Oel Oscar 7 April 1887; Sarah Amber 11 August 1889; Elmer 28 Jan 1892; Chester Leo 25 Nov. 1893; Ellis Robert 21 August 1897; Inez Caraline 23 July 1900 and Elva Nancy 6 Nov 1903. Because of no doctors back then Nancy did have the best of medical care and had been torn during childbirth. When they moved to Elba, Nancy planed two orchards and raised a beautiful garden. They had plenty of fruit. She always said, “If it wasn’t for me we wouldn’t have any fruit.”
Nancy was a tall slender person. In fact, she was just a little bit taller than her husband. She reasoned things out when disciplining her children. She was a good mother and very active in the church, working mostly in Relief Society. She was very particular about paying their tithes. They were a God fearing couple and very good Latter-Day Saints. She worked hard, and sewed the clothes for her family. For activities they had to make their own entertainment and mostly went on picnics, dances and plays.
Later she became sick with cancer in her female organs. She went to Ogden to the doctors and she was baked in an oven. This was used as a remedy for cancer then. Although she suffered very much she never was cross or complained. She would always send something home with her grandchildren, even if it was one egg that they could take to the store and trade for candy. She loved children, had infinite patience and kindness for all. When she was too ill to be dressed and she had time to take the children on the bed, she sang to them, dressed dolls, made doll houses out of boxes and wall paper catalogs. Everyone loved her dearly and she was an inspiration to most of her grandchildren. She wrote poems and axioms. She was a very spiritual woman, read when she could and had a cheerful disposition and a great sense of humor.
When her youngest daughter was 16 years old she died of cancer after being sick for more than 13 years. Her death was a blessed relief to her. She died 13 Jan 1919 in Elba and was buried there.

Aunt Alta Parish (my father’s oldest sister) gave me this information.
Elva Nancy lived in Burley. I was asked to tie the bow on her veil before closing the casket at her funeral as I as the only family member who held a Temple Recommend. by Brenda Bailey

NANCY HENRIETTA CALL PARISH

By Alta Parish Glade, a granddaughter

Submitted to the Family Blog by Suzanne J Belger (desertmtnmalinois@gmail.com)

Born: 4 December 1857, at Willard, Box Elder County, Utah

Died: 9 January 1919, at Elba, Cassia County, Idaho

Nancy Henrietta Call was born at Willard, Box Elder County, Utah, a daughter of

Homer and Nancy Merrell Call. Her father was a farmer and owned the first grist mill in

Box Elder County. She was the oldest of twelve children. She spent her childhood in

Willard, Utah.

In December 1875 she married Frederick Walter Parish and spent seven years (in

Willard), having four children while living there. They buried one daughter there, Mary,

thirteen days old.

The farm they settled on in Elba, Cassia County, was not very prosperous, but they

were thrifty and with the help of the older children, they were able to make a living.

My Grandmother was a good worker, sewing for her large family, as they had eight

more children over the years, after moving to Elba. A small son and two grown sons

preceded her in death.

She had to knit most of the stockings that the family wore, and when my father,

Alonzo, went to the Academy in Oakley, she made his suit. My father helped her with her

knitting.

She worked in the church what she could, and was very faithful in paying her tithes

and Grandfather was the same way. They were a very hardworking, God fearing couple

and were good Latter Day Saints.

In the latter part of her life, my Grandmother did not have very good health and after

the birth of her youngest daughter she suffered from palsy and became a semi-invalid. She

did not have a doctor attend the birth of any of her children, consequently, she suffered

damage and it was never repaired. She went to Ogden, Utah and had surgery, but was

never well.

She suffered much, but was still not cross and irritable or complained of her lot. My

mother, Ida, helped what she could. I remember going up to visit and she would always

find a bit of something to send home with her grandchildren, if it was only an egg, which

we could take to the store and trade for candy or gum. I spent many hours there, as my

two aunts and an uncle were not much older. Elva was only one year older.

Grandmother loved children, had infinite patience and kindness for all of us, and when

she wasn't able to be out of bed, we would get on the bed with her. She sang to us,

taught songs and poems to us. She dressed dolls, made doll houses out of cardboard

boxes and wall paper catalogs. We all loved her dearly, and she has ever been an

inspiration to me. I well remember many of her poems, songs and axioms.

I remember her father, my great-grandfather, coming from Rigby, Idaho to visit. He

had a long white beard and a big watch chain and a pocket watch. I sat on his lap. I was

four years of age.

Grandmother contracted the "flu" in the bad epidemic of 1919 and died 18 January

1919. She had been ill a long time, suffering intensely from uterine cancer. She had been

close to death in November 1918, seeing her mother and loved ones and calling for them.

They had been dead for many years. Death for her was a blessed release.

She was a very spiritual person, reading scripture when she found the time. She had a

sense of humor and was cheerful. Many children inherited her keen sense of humor and

keen wit, including my father, (Lon).