Pioneers

William and Eliza Jex - My Great-great grandparents
William and Eliza and their 11 Children
Family Photo Taken When William Was 94 Years Old (William is on the second row in the middle)

Last night we went to the LDS Conference Center to see a pioneer program. The tabernacle choir sang, and pioneer experiences were narrated along with the music.

When I came home, I started looking at several family history books which I have not been interested in at all previous to this time.

I guess because I am getting old, these people's histories seem more compelling to me. William and Eliza Jex are my great-great grandparents. They raised 11 children in Spanish Fork in the 1800's. Originally from England, the couple immigrated to the United States and then joined a pioneer trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

Eliza says of her experiences on the ship coming to the United States: "Our trip across the water was a very rough and stormy voyage. We had little to eat. We had an awful time before we finally reached New Orleans, being put on half rations and having much sickness and many deaths on our way. It was a long, tiresome journey as we were two months and one week on the water."

Ten weeks on the ocean!!!! Eleven children!!!! Eliza was a resilient woman and seems to have kept a very optimistic state of mind throughout her life. I would not have made it--I know I couldn't have withstood all that.

Eliza lived to be 93 years old. She died while fixing a birthday dinner for her husband. William lived to be 98. At the time of his passing, he had over 400 decendants.

There really is reason to celebrate our ancestors who braved all kinds of challenges to make the trip to Utah; once here, they continued to live in harsh circumstances as they raised their children and tried to make a living.