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Jane Pickett
Barker: The "Shipwrecked Pickett family!"
(From an autobiography provided by a descendant, Sandy Watrous of
Sandy, Utah. Thanks, Tom and Sandy!)
(Note: This autobiography answers some of our family questions,
and raises a lot of others. She remembers only one "Louise"
(Louisa). Interestingly, Tolmans also call her
"Louise." She remembers her marrying first, then
moving to Carson City, but may give us a clue on the fate of at least
one Wilford daughter, living in Rupert, Idaho (?). The
connection with Tooele becomes a little clearer here, and the
"shipwrecked" family stigma resulting in very little
willingness to share the story in that generation is mentioned...in
all, a fascinating addition to our tapestry! Roger Porter)
I, Jane Pickett, daughter of George Pickett and Maria Jarvis Pickett
was born November 2, 1848, at Berkshire, Commons, England. My
mother, Maria Jarvis Pickett, was born in Hagbourn, Berkshire, England
in the year 1823. She was baptized into the church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1847 and died three years later in 1850,
in Hagbourn, Berk, England. She left father with three little children
to care for, all under the age of 6 years. A brother, James, born
in 1844, a sister Mary, born in 1846, and I, Jane, was born November 2,
1848. So, you see, we were very young to be deprived of a
mother's care.
My father was baptized and became a member of the church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1846 at Berkshire, Commons, England.
In the early spring of 1856 my father remarried Priscilla Clark, who
lived at Willshore, England. She was born in 1839, baptized in
1862, and died in 1864 (not correct: Roger). My father, George
Pickett, with his older brothers William and Mathew, and their families
all set sail for America in 1856 (Matthew and William in 1862, George
on 30 Nov 1855 on the ship "Emerald Isle"). They
remained together(not accurate) and arrived in St. Louis,
Missouri in the fall of the same year.
On November 28 the first child by this new union was born and named
Louise.
They all remained in St. Louis during the winter of 1856. Father
became very ill with small pox during the winter and died the 2nd of
April, 1857. He was buried there in St. Louis, Missouri.
Uncle William and Aunt Mary Pickett, having no children of their own,
assumed the responsibility of caring for our family from then on.
Our family remained in St. Louis for 2 years or more before
coming to Utah (not accurate). They arrived in Utah in 1861 and
settled in Tooele County, Utah. That same year my sister, Mary,
passed away and the following year, 1862, my brother James died,
leaving me the only child of my mother's family. Of course,
Louise, my half sister and her mother Priscilla and I lived pretty much
together (for a short time: Roger). I was 14 years old at this
time.
Uncle Mathew's family consisted of John Pickett 16, Moroni 14,
Elizabeth 12, later known by Aunt Lizzie Tolman, Rhoda Pickett Marshall
10, a son Hyum who died while still a young man. They now left
St. Louis to be with the rest of the family who were now in Utah.
They arrived in the year 1862 (actually came from England that
year) and settled near Uncle William's family in Tooele, Utah.
Now in 1862, Louise's mother Priscilla Clark Pickett, married again and
went to Carson City, Nevada where they lived for several years.
By this union was born another daughter who is still living at this
time (1951) at Rupert, Idaho. She is past 80 years of age. In
speaking with her now, she calls this, the Pickett Family, the
shipwrecked family and asks why dig up all these questions now, it is
really too sad to talk about. Priscilla was murdered in foul
play of some kind while living in Nevada. Louise was only 12
years old at the time. Whenever she went to visit in Utah she
always stayed with Uncle Williams' family in Tooele, where I lived.
We sisters or half sisters were only together for a short time
in our lives.
When 18 years old, I, like all the other young people of our community,
liked to attend the dancing parties, which was about all the
entertainment we young folks had. At one of these dances I met a
young man to whom I was attracted. I danced with him several
times and he accompanied me home. Seemingly, the attraction was
mutual. After a courtship of several years we were married, in
the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. This attractive
young man was John T. Barker, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Barker, who
emigrated from England in 1869. John, leaving England with a
group of other saints who settled in Utah in the year 1862, later sent
back to England for the rest of his family, which arrived in the U.S.
by the Steamship Colorado.
After being married in the Salt Lake Endowment House in 1870 we were
chosen by the Authorities of the Church to go with a group of other
Saints to help colonize the Bear Lake Country. We settled in a
place called St. Charles, Idaho. There we made our home and
reared our large famioy of 11 children. At this same time,
Apostle Charles C. Rich came from Salt Lake with another company of
Saints and settled in Paris, Idaho.
(Following is a list of her children):
June 10, 1871, our first daughter was born, whom we named Jane Maria.
We were just beginning to build our home, clearing sagebrush and
preparing the land for future crops.
The 22nd of November our second child was born, a son, whom we named
John Thompson. In 1874 our second son was born. He was
named George Hyrum. August 30, 1876, another son was born and we
named him Amos Eli. Oct 31, 1878, our home was blessed with
another son, he was named Joseph Ephriam. A child coming to our
home about every two years, made it necessary for us to enlarge our
home and finish off our upstairs room for another son was born the 8th
of August, 1880. We named him Ether Elias, this now being our
5th son. The 16th of December, 1882, 2 years later, another
daughter was born to enlarge our family. We named her Mary Elizabeth.
We now had 5 sons and 2 daughters.
The 10th of May, 1885, another daughter came along. We called her Annie
Pearl. When she was very young, about 6 weeks old, my husband
met with a very serious accident which nearly took his life and left
him badly crippled for several years. With my little family
growing up I found it very difficult to carry on without the help of
relatives and very good friends. They came to my
assistance and lightened my burdens very much. In December 26,
1887, another daughter was born, we named her Nancy Alice.
December 7, 1889, 2 years later, was born another daughter, we named
Sarah Ethel. She was not permitted to remain with us for very long. The
next Christmas Day, December 25, 1890, she passed away, making it a
very sad Christmas for our family.
August 26, 1892, another daughter was born, whom we named Clara LZina.
This being our 11th and last child. At this time our boys
were old enough to take on responsibility of the farm and help care for
the family.
Our oldest daughter Jane Maria was married to Hezekiah Duffin in 1889
and made her home in Paris, Idaho. She was the mother of four
children. The oldest was a girl named Edna Maria, born July 26,
1890. Then a son named Eugene Hezekiah, born Dec. 23, 1892.
Then another daughter, Margaret Irene, born Dec. 13, 1894 and
another son Arthur Thomas born September 1, 1896, all being born at
Paris, Idaho. Jane Maria died 17th of June 1899, Paris, Idaho.
Our oldest son, John Thompson, was married September 18, 1902 to Esther
Eleoner Henderson.
George Hyrum was married to Charlotte Ann Wilks, November 28, 1904 at
Paris, Idaho. They moved to Aften. Wyoming to make their home.
June 22 1911, Amos decided to get married to Cora Fannie Early of
Laktown, Utah.
Joseph Ephriam married Rosetta Almeda Harmon of Fairview Wyoming in the
fall of 1904.
Elias also married a sister of Ephriam's wife, Effie May Harmon in
1918. They made their home in Smithfield, Utah.
Mary was married to Charles Henry Sorenson Oct. 1, 1901 and Pearl to
Marion Merkley, Nov 28, 1904 at Paris, Idaho.
Alice was married to Jasper L. Henderson, a brother to John's wife,
Esther Eleoner Henderson.
Zina (Direct ancestor to Clara LZina Barker Pugmire) was married to
Justin G. Pugmire, Oct. 16, 1912, also at Paris, Idaho.
I am very grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints and I am also grateful for the opportunity I have had
of coming to this goodly land and meeting my husband, who after we were
married did everything possible to help make our home a happy one.
I am also thankful for our fine family. They have been
such a joy and comfort to us.
Jane Pickett Barker
Jane Pickett's endowment date is prior to her baptism date in the
existing family record. Until further research can be performed, the
dates will remain as they are.
Extensive biographical information about her family can be found in the
notes for her husband John Thompson Barker.
Jane is listed as traveling in 1855 on the Emerald Isle, Ship roster on
microfilms 175515 25691.
A copy of her grave marker is in the possession of Sandra Gale Watrous,
Salt Lake City, Utah. (Actually, Sandy, Utah..RP)
A typed copy of the autobiography of Jane Pickett Barker was found in
the Book of Remembrance belonging to Clara LZina Barker Pugmire, in the
possession of June Fontella Pugmire Gale, West Jordan, Utah. A
copy of the autobiography is in the Research Binder of Thomas Ray and
Sandra Gale Watrous, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2000.
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