History of Henry Roberts

HISTORY OF HENRY ROBERTS
Son of Levi and Harriet (Efford) Roberts
by Arvilla Roberts Ford - Granddaughter

Henry Roberts was born 16 June 1836, Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, England, to Levi Roberts, born 10 May 1810, Apperly, Gloucestershire, England, and Harriet Ann Efford born 16 May 1819, Deerhurst, Gloucestershire England.

Levi Roberts, Henry's father was one of the United Brethren who President Wilford Woodruff converted along with 1800 souls during his 8 month preaching in the field of labor which embraced Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire, and formed the conferences of Garway, Godfield, Elm and From's Hill.
Harriet Ann Efford was converted at the same time 1839 - 1840.

When the glad tidings of the restored gospel came to them, their hearts responded to the truth, the spirit of gathering moved upon them and found them headed westward with the body of the young church seeking a haven of rest in the valley of the mountains where they could worship God as they wished and rear their children as God would have them do.
Levi and Harriet Ann Roberts sailed on the ship "Echo", from England in 1840, with their two children, Henry, age four years, and Caroline, two years. They landed at New Orleans in 1840. They traveled by boat up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, Illinois, remaining there until the "Mormons" began their exodus westward.
Two sisters were born in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, Phoebe Ann Roberts was born 22 January 1843, and Marinda Roberts was born 10 April 1845.

While living in Nauvoo, Levi acted as one of the body guards of the prophet, and with his family shared in the suffering and sorrow of that memorable "Mormon exodus" and finally reached Mt. Pisgah. It was here the call came for volunteers for the Mexican War 1 July 1846. Levi joined the Mormon Battalion at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa in Company "E" and crossed the plains and mountains to California, a trek of 2000 miles in all. The longest hardest march in recorded history.

Henry was now ten years old, the oldest of the four children left to help care for the Roberts family, his mother, who was very ill with rheumatism at the time and three younger sisters, still living at Mt. Pisgah.

After Levi's discharge in Fort Moore or Los Angeles, California, he returned to his family at Mt. Pisgah, 1 July 1847. Harriet Ann had regained her health and their family was happily reunited.

One more sister was born, Harriet Ann Roberts, 8 September 1848 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa.
Levi and family remained in Council Bluffs, Iowa until they could make preparations to travel to the Salt Lake valley, which was two years later. They arrived in the valley in the year 1850. Henry was now fourteen years old and a great help to his family.
Levi and family settled on Kays Creek, Kaysville, Davis County, Utah. Here he homesteaded on a section of land, under Government privileges to veterans. Levi was a basket weaver by trade so the willows found along the creek provided good raw material to work with.

The first home was a dug out which served temporarily until a four room log cabin could be built. Henry and his father went into nearby canyons to get logs which they trimmed and fitted together with rawhide where needed. Nails could not be bought at that time. Shoes were impossible to get, so old sacks were wrapped about their feet. Many times when returning with the logs their feet would be bleeding in the snow. Many hard-ships confronted them but they were prayerful, and trusted in their Heavenly Father for the help they needed to guide them.

Henry helped his father clear the land from sagebrush. Willows woven into fences and surrounding their property, lasted long after Levi's death. They surrounded themselves with animals, such as cattle, horses to work with on the farm. Henry loved animals and farming and was very ambitious in doing work that needed to be done.

Henry would take his wagon and team to Nevada to do freighting of what ever goods was needed to be transported. He would bring back seeds and available foods. This he continued for several years.

Henry was an ambitious, gentle, kind and helpful man. The oldest of a family of eight children, the seven younger ones being girls.

Three girls were born in Kaysville, Davis, Utah, Mary Ann Roberts, 13 December 1851, Matilda Roberts, 2 January 1854 and Lucy Ellen Roberts, 1 November 1855.
In 1860 when Henry was twenty-four he was called, with others of his age, to settle a territory dispute for the government between Mexico and California. While in California he panned for gold, and remained in California job working for ten years. In 1870 Henry returned to his father's home in Kaysville. Farmers around traded help with each other. Henry soon met a beautiful young lady, Mary Ellen Wardrop, eighteen years old from Wellsville, Cache County, Utah but who was working for the Bevans family in Layton. A six month courtship was pursued, and finally Mary Ellen and Henry were married 29 September 1870. Mary Ellen cooked for three days to prepare for this event at the Roberts home.

Henry and Mary Ellen's first home was a house built by Mr. Bevans on his farm. They continued to work for Mr. Bevans for a while. He soon decided to sell his property and move away, so Henry and Mary Ellen bought the farm. They proved to be a very successful farmer and homemaker. They endured the inconveniences and hardships of their time.

A large family of nine children came to bless their home, first three boys, then four girls, one boy, and one girl. Walton, Anthony, Mark Owen, Vida Margaret, Harriet Ann, Mary Ellen, Phoebe, William Robert and Jane Caroline.
Henry really liked California and was often heard to say he wished he had taken Mary Ellen there to live.

Henry learned the art of grafting apple, plum and peach trees, thus creating new varieties. Each new variety he produced, he named the tree for the person he acquired the twig he grafted with. The Snow apple was one of the early eating apples, white meat with bright red skin, and very delicious. The Carlos apple was a large red and yellow striped cooking apple and very delicious. He had an outdoor peeler for apples, also a cider mill, which he used during the apple season.
Henry was a very good builder of sheds and corals when they were needed for the beef cattle, milk cows, horses, pigs, sheep also chickens. They always made butter to sell.

Henry was a good provider for his family of the necessities and believed in keeping his family busy. He acquired more land in Clearfield and the Sand Ridge, also in Clearfield, when the opportunity presented itself. The girls in the family learned and did outside chores, such as milking cows, feeding the animals and chickens, also gathering fruit that had been planted along the fence line, red and black currants, and pottawatamy plums, used to preserve for winter use. Drying of other fruits was one of the first methods of preservation used.

School to be attended in the winter, fall and spring was located at 5 points in Kaysville. It was too far to walk so the children went by horse and buggy or rode horses, which was their only transportation. Thomas Phillips was the teacher at the time.

Henry was kind and helpful to his aged parents, who suffered greatly from rheumatism, but still lived in the four room log cabin they had built in 1850, their first home. Later a shanty of lumber was added at the north entrance with a roofed walkway to connect both. All the girls had married and moved away. Levi died in 1894 and Harriet died in 1895 thus leaving their home and farm to their son Henry.
After buying land on the Sand Ridge, Henry needed to improve upon it, so he took Mark O. and Walton A. with him to help build it up and establish themselves. Mark later made his home on this property after he was married to Eva Jones from Kaysville, 16 November 1898.

Levi, the oldest son remained with his mother to help her and the other children run the farm. As the older girls reached maturity they were married and began making homes of their own. As the younger children grew older, Mary Ellen, Mother, rented the farm and went to Logan to keep house for Robert and Jane attending the U.A.C. Jane became a school teacher.

Levi and family returned from Canada to live at the old Roberts farm, so Mary Ellen, his mother, came to live with them until her death 8 October 1934.
Henry later made his home on the property his father left him. The children were always welcome to come and go as they would want to. Phoebe never married until later in life so she kept house for him in his later years.

Walton A. left 14 January 1897, along with thirteen other missionaries from the area to serve a mission in the Southern States for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was assigned to labor in West Virginia for a two year period. Henry faithfully supported his son and was very pleased when he returned after fulfilling a successful two years for his church. On 3 March 1899 Walton A. Roberts returned home.

Walton A. was now twenty six years old. He had been writing to a lovely young girl in Layton, Olive Elizabeth Corbridge who was nineteen years old. After one year of courtship they were married in the Salt Lake Temple, 14 March 1900. Phebe, Olive's younger sister had married one year before. Phebe and Horace Layton was planning to go to Canada to make their home if they liked it. Walton and Olive decided to go with them. Henry, father of Walton, helped him make preparations. He gave him a covered wagon, horses, cattle, a dog, provisions, and $1000 to buy land with when he reached Canada.

Henry went to Canada by train to visit with Walton and Olive and help them build a two room home before winter set in. He was there from September to January. The house was ready to move into two weeks before Arvilla was born, 4 December 1900. Grandfather Henry Roberts was a most welcome guest at all times.
Walton and Olive lived ten years farming in Canada, then returned to Kaysville and built a home on some land his father gave him. Walton relieved his father of the farming cares and bought the property from the other heirs.
It was here that I, Arvilla, spent the rest of my growing up years, until I was married in 1925.

Henry's family visited with him often. He loved his grandchildren very much, and always seemed to find a treat for them when they came to see him. All children lived to maturity and raised families of their own. Temple work has been completed for this family.

Henry suffered greatly from rheumatism in his later life and was always well taken care of. He donated generously to the church building fund when needed. He died 20 March 1914 and was buried in the Kaysville - Layton cemetery beside his wife.