Mary Ann Bowen Creer Funeral Services

 

IN REMEMBRANCE: Funeral Services for Mary Ann Bowen Creer

She was born in Spanish Fork in a home. The home in which she was born was located on the lot where the Rees School now stands. She attended the following schools: the little white school where the Thurber school stands, the Bell school on 5th East and Center, the Dalley School on 4th North and Main, Ideal, Central, BY Academy and University.

For five years she taught school in the public schools; one year in Santaquin and four years in Spanish Fork.

After her marriage, Morris and Mary rented rooms in the Lew Banks home and then in the John Morgan home before living in their own home in Leland where Morris farmed. On April 24, 1914, they moved to idaho where they lived until the autumn of 1945. Mollie built her own new home and moved into it in 1949, next to Brother and Sister David and Hasel Brown.

She carries a beautiful spirit of love, interest and optimism wherever she goes.

''Well I do remember when my mother taught me how to pray. My brother, David, was a young baby. He was very ill. Mother and Aunt Elisabeth were in the bedroom caring for him. He had a convulsion. Mother told me to tell Grandpa Bowen to come and administer to him. I did so, but he told me to go and get Mr. Robert McKell, Aunt Hasel's grandfather, to come and help him, because he had the power of healing. I did so, and he and grandpa administered to David and before they finished he was out of the convulsion and asleep and he too recovered and never had another. This incident made a lasting impression on me and taught me the great value of prayer.”

She talked about how hard she tried to get into college, how difficult it was. She talked about how anxious she was to go but she was afraid that her father wouldn't have the money to send her. She says she got work in Mapleton picking fruit. ''Sometimes one of my brothers would take me on a horse up there on Monday morning. Often the canyon wind was very cold early in the morning. Sometimes I walked home which was about four miles. I earned enough money to buy my clothes and some of my books. Father paid my tuition, for some of my books, the $1.00 rent on the room which was my share. Kate Wilkins and Hannah Christensen and I lived together.''

''The dress I wore when I started college only cost about fifty cents. My mother and Aunt Elizabeth made it from a calico which cost three yards for twenty-five cents. It was trimmed with white lace-''

On her courtship: ''Our happy courtship culminated in a wonderful marriage in the Salt Lake Temple, 6 June 1906. It was the most joyous experience of my life. Our wedding reception was a quiet one, my wonderful parents prepared a delicious turkey dinner for both families and a few intimate friends.''

She went to BYU for 2 years and one summer school. ''I started to teach school in Santaquin at the age of eighteen. I went back and forth on the train. The station operator must have thought I was a little girl, because he only sold me a half fare ticket.'' She had worn her hair in two braids up to this time, but then she rolled them up into what she called a bob, hoping that this might make her look a little older.

 

Elizabeth Roach 1828-1885

George Gary Creer Paternal Great Great Grandmother

Elizabeth Roach was born June 21, 1828 at Llanelly, Carmarthen, South Wales. She was the daughter of John Roach and Elizabeth Evans Roach. She married William Christmas on December 14, 1847 in Llanelly, Carmarthen, South Wales. To this marriage six children were born – two boys and four girls.

In the year 1868 or 1869, Elizabeth Roach Christmas joined the Mormon Church in Llanelly, Wales. Her father, John Roach and brother, Walter, joined the Church a few years before and came to Utah, later coming to Spanish Fork. They were so happy and glad they had made the change. Walter went back to Llanelly, Wales as a missionary and converted Elizabeth and her husband to join the Mormon Church, sell out, and come to America. He explained that America was a big country and a land of opportunity while Wales was such a small country without much chance to grow, and mining was the main industry.

Now Elizabeth and her family were happy they and joined the Church and were very anxious to come to Utah as soon as they could. They owned four homes, were quite well-to-do, comfortably fixed, and her husband had a good job, but Elizabeth wanted to raise her family in Utah and was willing to make the change. They sold everything they owned, except a few things which were the most dear to Elizabeth, and on June 1, 1869, she, with her husband and little family of five children, left their native land which they loved so much, never to return again. It was a very difficult thing to do but they thought it would be worth the sacrifice.

The Christmas family sailed on Guion and Company’s steamship “Minnesota” with 338 other Saints, under the direction of Elias Morris. This ship was very old – almost worn out and they had so much trouble with it. The ocean was very rough. Elizabeth was not a very strong woman and was very ill all the way over. She often told her friends she thought she would never live to see land again. But she did, and when they could all see land almost everyone aboard cried tears of joy for they were so tired and so happy to see land. They were met in New York by some of their Welsh friends who were so happy to see folks from their homeland. They did everything they could to make them happy, and to make them feel they had done the right thing by coming to this great country.

They did not stay long in New York, but came on to Utah with the first company of Saints who came all the way from Missouri River by rail. They arrived in Ogden, Utah on Friday, June 25, 1869. Here at the station was Elizabeth’s brother to meet them. It was a very happy reunion. Walter had a wagon and a team of good horses so they started for Spanish Fork with all their belongings, arriving there on June 29, 1869, and went to live at Walter Roach’s home until they could get a home of their own.

It was a hard change to make – coming to a new country with only a few Welsh people who were very poor. You could not buy food if you had all kinds of money. The Christmas’ had money, but there was nothing to buy. The people were just starting to break up the land and make ditches to get the water on the land. They did not know much about doing this as it was a new undertaking for most of the people. It was hard times for Elizabeth and her family for a few years, but times changed. The children got work for they were all good workers; the father got a job he could do in the Tintic District, and they were soon fixed up comfortably.

Elizabeth was a good, kind wife and mother, and a very good housekeeper. She was a quiet, reserved woman, and everyone who knew her, loved her. She was good to everyone. Her friends said of her that she did not have an enemy for she always saw the good and fine things in people. Elizabeth was very glad she had the chance to come to Utah to raise her family and felt that the Lord had blessed her more than she could tell.

Elizabeth Roach Christmas died from pneumonia on August 26, 1885 at the age of 57 years and was buried in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.