From Wales to Presting, England; Nauvoo, Illinois; Highland Grove, Iowa to Salt Lake City and Taylorsville, Utah, as Mormon Pioneers: The story of the Mantle and Watkins family
Thomas Mantle (b. 1733?) and Elinor Phillips (b. 1738) of Llanyre Parish, Wales is where we begin on the line of Mantle ancestors.
They were married in 1764 and had a son, Llewellyn, born 1777 in Radnershire,
South Wales. Llewellyn married Eleanor Rebecca Pugh or(Price) in the Parish of
Llanyre 27 June 1803, they had one child of record, Llewellyn Mantle Jr born 23
Aug 1808 in Llanyre, Radnorshire, South Wales.
In 1822 his parents and he moved to Hereforshire, England and settled near Presting. Llewellyn Jr learned the trade of Wagoner. Living there Llewellyn met Catherine Watkins and they married 2 June 1835 in Byton, Hereforshire, England. Catherine, born 29 Oct 1915 in Combsmoor,Byton,Herefordshire, England, daughter of James and Mary Allen Watkins.
Through the preaching of Elder George Allen, Llewellyn & Catherine were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1842.
Click here to see a picture of Catherine and Llewellyn Mantle
On Oct 29,1842 Llewellyn, Cathereine and a son Thomas embarked from Liverpool England on the sailing ship “Emerald” it had been chartered by Parley P Pratt. There were 250 LDS passengers including Brother Pratt’s Family. Mary, a daughter had died before their immigration. They were on the sea 10 weeks. They landed in New Orleans, LA in early Jan 1843, then went on to St. Louis, MO. On account of ice in the river, they were forced to stay in St. Louis til Apr 1, 1843, when the Maid of Iowa, Captain Don Jones came from Nauvoo and brought the people to Nauvoo. Ill.
The prophet Joseph Smith writes: Apr 12, 1843, "I was present as the saints hauld up to the Nauvoo House landing and discharged about 200 saints. They had been detained by ice on the river. I could not refrain from shedding tears, so many of my friends and acquaintances arriving in one day kept me busy receiving their congratulation and answering questions".
Llewellyn with his family lived in one of the Prophet Joseph Smith houses and worked the farm the Prophet had, to provide for his family. Llewellyn and Catherine saw President Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum many times.
On June 27, 1844 while Llewellyn was plowing the ground, using the prophet’s horses, the team stopped and refused to work. This was very unusual, but no amount of trying would get them to move, he let them stand and returned to the house. Upon arriving at the house he was told that the prophet and Hyrum had been martyred, he then realized why the team stopped and refused to work. The team’s owner had been killed.
Llewellyn helped with the building of the Seventies Hall and the Nauvoo Temple. He held the office of a Seventy in the Melchizedek Priesthood and was a member of the Nauvoo Legion. Llewellyn & Catherine took out their endowments and were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple. Llewellyn & Catherine witnessed and were a part of the Exodus of Nauvoo in 1846. They crossed the frozen river with the oxen and wagon into Iowa.
They traveled to a village called Highland Grove, near Kanesville, IA. Llewellyn lost his eyesight there. They remained in Highland Grove for 5 years until 1851 living in a Log Hut and doing farming. Llewellyn & Catherine were at the assembly of 1000 people in the Kanesville, IA Tabernacle on Dec 27, 1848 when the mantle of prophet fell upon Brigham Young . They bore testimony many times of this event. That Brigham spoke like Joseph and had a heavenly look about him, they knew that this was the Lords way of letting the people know, that Brigham was to be the next prophet.
Llewellyn & Catherine with their four children, Thomas, Llewellyn, Sarah & Eliza in June 1851,joined the ox team of Captain Morris Phelps. With Llewellyn being blind, Catherine drove the oxen and wagon, Thomas and Llewellyn help their father as he used one of Catherine's dishtowels to help lead him on the trail. He tied one end of the towel to the back of the wagon and the other end tied a knot and held to the knot. He walked the entire distance from Highland Grove to Salt Lake City the trip took 3 months.
They encountered many difficulties, bad water and at time no water, some of the cattle and oxen ran away with the buffalo. There was mountain fever and many of the saints died and were buried on the plains. They traveled 15 to 20 miles a day and on Sunday held meetings and rested. Llewellyn & Catherine and family would lead the camp in singing songs.
They reached the Salt Lake Valley in Sept 1851, they settled in Sugar House, also known as Church Pasture. Llewellyn worked the Toll Gate, aka Golden Pass Road at the mouth of Parley’s Canyon with the aid of his children They stayed there until 1856 when they moved to West Jordan, Sale Lake,UT then to English Fort the same year. Although Llewellyn was blind he assisted in the building of the Salt Lake, Manti, Logan and St George Temples, he also did temple work in the Logan Temple.
Llewellyn was always taken to General Conference in the Tabernacle. A seat was always reserved for him; he sat near the front stand about the second bench in the middle row.
Llewellyn died in Taylorsville Nov 25, 1901, Catherine died in Taylorsville Feb 9,1904.
Their children are: Thomas 1836, Mary 1941, Llewellyn 1843, Jospeh 1845,Catherine 1846, Sarah 1848, Eliza 1850, Rebecca 1852, John 1854, Angeline 1858 and Annie 1861.
Annie married John S Jones. They are my great great grandparents. Written by Anita L Smith a 2nd great granddaughter to Annie and John S Jones.
The left picture
is of Llewellyn & Catherine Mantle
and their children that grew to adulthood. Pictured at top is Llewellyn Jacob,
then Sarah Jane, Eliza Melissa, John Willard and Annie Mantle (my great great
grandmother). The right picture is of Llewellyn Jacob & Margaret Davis (2nd
wife) Family. I don’t have names of the children. Llewellyn is second from left
sitting down, Margaret is on the right, sitting down.
Llewellyn
Jacob & and my great great grandmother, Annie Mantle Jones. Llewellyn and
Annie are brother and sister.