A Biography of Ann Kirkman
Howarth
Written by one of her children in the Book
How Beautiful, Upon the Mountains
Heber Biographies
Book Donated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Ann Kirkman born Oct 8, 1950
at Dorcy Leaver, England. Her parents James and Mary Haslem Kirkman, lived at
Leaver Bridge Ferris, Dorcy Leaver which consisted of eight houses in a row.
She worked at Grey’s weaving mills, beginning at the age of seven, when she
decided to come to Zion, she very capably handled four looms at a time.
The
Kirkman home life portrayed Mormonism perfectly, because of the peace, joy and love that abounded there. Songs of Zion
were sung and music was played which
contributed to the harmonious atmosphere
and helped them to enjoy the spirit of the gospel. This family was the only one in the village belonging to the Church,
and they must have been ridiculed in the usual way.
She
was baptized on September 20, 1861 by her father then on September 29, 1861 she
was confirmed by Joseph Booth. Ann was the first member of the family to leave
her native land to come to Zion, her father having died seven months before she
left home. He was president of the Bolton
Branch, Manchester Conference for years before his death and was very
sorry that he was unable to convince everybody to see and understand the gospel
as he did.
Mother was a member of the Sunday school choir of thiis branch, taking part in all the activities of the branch. Leaving her mother, Mary, five sisters and two brothers for
the gospel, she immigrated to Utah on September 2, 1874 on steam ship
Wyoming, from Liverpool, England, with Captain C J Beddoe heading for New York.
In Charge of the immigrants was John C Graham, they were two weeks crossing the ocean. The company of immigrants landed in
New York, September 14, 1874. On the 15th the company proceeded by train
westward and arrived in Salt Lake City, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1874. Her mother
did not want her to come to Zion, as so many stories about polygamy had
been circulated giving the impression that all the missionaries wanted them to come for was to marry them.
When she first told her mother she wanted to emigrate, her mother told her she
would cut her throat before she would permit
it, and mother was quite frightened and couldn't sleep for many nights
for fear her mother would carry out her threats.
When she knew that
mother was determined, she decided it was best to let her come, and consequently went to the dock with
her and gave mother a shilling, which she kept until the day of her death. As
the boat sailed out to sea they waved their handkerchiefs at each other until
they were out of sight. After the death of her mother, which occurred in 1880, four sistters and a brother came to this
country, and they all now have died with the exception of two sisters. One sister never left England, and she told
mother if she came to Utah she would not write the scratch of a pen, and she
kept her word. Later she left the Church and joined the Church of England for
her husband's sake and died in April 1924.
Mother's
Uncle Robert Kirkman immigrated to Zion in
September 1856, bringing his family,
and their five month old baby boy died, as did he
also, and they were buried on the plains in the same grave on November 11,
1856. When mother was crossing the plains she had a funny feeling, which she
was unable to describe and when she saw her aunt, Mary Kirkman, she related the
incident to her, giving her the location, and her aunt said it was the place
where Uncle Robert was buried. This particular foreknowledge was given to
mother as a spiritual gift and she
often had a feeling of things not being
exactly as they should. In every case the feeling was over her at the
time something did happen or would happen. After arriving in Utah, mother
went to Springville and lived with her Aunt Mary Kirkman. Later she went to
Provo and worked in the woolen mills, where she taught Reed Smoot to weave, and
when the yarn was tangled he came and took mother by the arm, saying:
"Come on, Ann, and show me what to do." And this source of service
was a great joy, to help all with their weaving.
When
the missionaries were in their home in England, she used to have their shoes
polished and ready every Sunday morning, and President Abraham C. Hatch had the
privilege while on his mission to stay there.
Mother
never was inside a school room and
could not write nor read, because of working in the mills so young. She was
frail and sickly from the time she was a small child till she was married, but
she learned a great deal from father, who read to her, and she was mentally
quick. He taught her to bake bread, as she never had done any cooking or
housework, but when she died, at the age of 76, she was a wonderful cook and
her housekeeping was tops. Her pies would melt in your mouth, and I have heard
neighbors say they used to enjoy going to mother's house because she was so
clean one could almost eat off the floor.
While
mother was in Provo she stayed at the home
of John Booth and it was through him that father and mother were
married, as father and Brother Booth were steady correspondents. Father went to
Provo in an ox team to get mother and they continued
on to Salt Lake City, where they were married in the Endowment House on
October 4, 1875. To this union eight children were born, four girls and four
boys. She reared these children until they were all grown men and women. Father died on May 25, 1904, and her eldest
son, James Albert, who was 28 years of age died June 3, 1905. James left a wife
and a child, and a second child was born in August and mother gave them a home
and the best care possible.
The
death of father and son was a great blow to mother, but through it all she
never complained, for her faith in the gospel assured her that she had been
greatly blessed by leaving all that was dear and near to her to come and
embrace the truth. She was a Relief Society teacher and visited the homes, she
gathered wheat, made quilts and paid her offerings. She used to take her little
babies to the field and shock grain, glean
wheat, pick ground cherries, and do all those pioneer duties that women
had to do.
She
was a hard worker and never failed to do her duty to her husband or her family.
Her work was housecleaning, washing, ironing
and anything to make an honest living.
Providing for the family fell on her shoulders after
father became so
old he was unable to
help, and we must remember that he was 20 years 
older than mother. She was a
widow for 23 years.
The
picture at left was taken in 1910, she was visited by her four sisters, Alice, Sarah, Ann, Betty and Sophia.It was
the first time they had all been together in 36 years. This proved to be a very happy reunion, as they all went
to the Salt Lake Temple and did work for their father and mother, and then they
were all sealed to them.
Mother
lived on the same corner for 32 years and the old log house was torn down in
1906 and a new frame house erected in its
place. She moved into this new house the day before Thanksgiving. She
had previously sold five acres of hay land in the north field to Andrew Lindsay, whhich furnished the finance with
which to build. She was very comfortable in it and was happy to have her children near, so they could come
often and visit with her. When bidding someone farewell she would never say
goodbye, as that to her meant forever, and so it was "So long." The poor
and needy had her help always, and though her trials were many, she
never failed to raise her voice and thank her
Heavenly Father for His mercy and blessings to her family. The last 10
years of her life she was miserable with
rheumatism, which kept her from doing the things she would have liked
to have done. One time she was burning
the trash and the wind carried the sparks to the pig pen, which was badly damaged, but she was able to save the pigs. In 1926 they had another fire that
destroyed the straw stack, car shed and some pigeons, and they were very fortunate in extinguishing it without further damage.
She
passed away on April 29, 1927, at the age of 76, and has five living children, 37 grandchildren, and 34 great-grandchildren,
who honor her memory and are thankful that she died strong in the faith.