Willden Family History

The History of Emma Jane Clews, Pioneer 1852

and

Ellott Willden, Pioneer, 1852

written by Manila May Willden Hardy
Read in Lincoln Camp by Norma Willden Diener, May 19, 1947, Salt Lake County

Emma Jane Clews was born December 21, 1939 in Shelton, Staffordshire, England. She was the daughter of Andrew and Mary Ann Thomas Clews. Emma, together with her parents and two brothers - one her senior named Joseph, the younger named Andrew, left England to join the saints in Utah. The family crossed the ocean independently, so I have not been able to learn just when they left or on what ship they sailed on, there is no record as to when they landed in New Orleans.

They did not have much money when they arrived, with the greater part of their journey ahead of them. So they worked their way up the Mississippi River, the father doing any work he could find. When each job was done they would buy supplies, and passage on some river boat, and continue on their way. At one time, while the father was employed in a coal mine, some boys playing with a gun accidentally discharged it and the discharge struck Emma Jane in the cheek. She carried the scars of it all the rest of her life. But this was not the greatest tragedy to strike the family. On the 26th day of June 1849, her father, mother, and little brother Andrew, died of cholera, and were buried the same day in one grave, in St. Louis.

This left Emma Jane, age nine ½, and her brother Joseph not much older, to continue the journey alone. Just what happened to these children the next two years we know very little. We do know that Emma and Joseph came to Utah in 1851, in company with W.J. Cox who made his home in Beaver. At the time of Emma's death he spoke at her funeral and said she came from St. Louis in the same company he did. Also, in this company was a Robert Watson of Salt Lake City. Emma Jane, was then just 12 years old. During this time Emma became an expert shot with a horse pistol and her brother Joe arranged exhibitions to display her skill. The money she made, together with what Joe could earn, paid their way to Utah. It was told that while crossing the mountains to Utah Emma Jane shot and killed a large black bear!

After arriving in Salt Lake City, Emma Jane worked for and lived with a family named Hunter. She then moved to Cedar City, where on March 15, 1856, at the age of 16 (she wouldn't be 17 until December) she married Ellott Willden. Her brother Joe, who also lived in Cedar City, married a Miss Emma Blanden. Joe and his wife Emma Blanden later moved to San Bernardino, California, where they were pioneers of that city.

Ellott Willden was born September 28, 1833 in Laughton, Yorkshire, England, the son of Charles and Eleanor Turner Willden. In 1845 at the age of 12 he, Ellott, was baptized into the Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Prior to that he had accompanied two ministers from town to town for the purpose of leading the singing.

This was a dark time in England, trade was bad, and the Saints were being persecuted. So on November 10, 1849, the Willden family bid farewell to their native land, and set sail on the Ship Zetland, for the United States. After six weeks of hardship and suffering they landed at New Orleans, on Christmas Eve, 1849. They left New Orleans on the 29th of December 1849 on the steam boat "Ben West." They arrived in St. Louis, January 11, 1850. During the journey Ellott lost a little sister who was buried on an island in the Mississippi River.

It was at this time that Ellott left his family, to come later, and joined a company of the Saints, in which were Lorenzo Snow, and John T. Taylor. Ellott was one of the few of this company who could swim, and because of this, he was able to give valuable service in finding camping places, stream crossings, and feed for the cattle and horses. Ellott arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in September 1852. The rest of the family arrived later in the month of September 1852. They came with the 3rd company, Captain Thomas D. Howell. Four weeks later, the Willden family was sent out to help build what is now known as Cedar City, arriving there October 29, 1852.

On March 15, 1856, Ellott married Emma Jane Clews in Cedar City, and they built a house and a barn. In Cedar City there was born to them two sons, Ellott, born January 7, 1858, and Charles Andrew, born March 17, 1860. During this time Ellott worked three years on Mount Trumbo getting out lumber for the Temple at Saint George.

In the fall of 1860, Ellott and his father were called to make improvements on Cove Creek, the purpose was to make a way station for travelers. But their families did not arrive there until March 1861. (*According to the written diary of Charles William Willden and Feargus O'Connor Willden, and John Willden, the Willden families left Cedar City in 1859 because the iron mines were proved to be poor. Charles and his four sons each took up 10 acres of land in Beaver, giving them 50 acres to farm. This proving to be poor ground, Charles bought 160 acres of land from Matthew McEwen of Beaver. He had decided to try settling the land at Cove Creek, because he had always thought that to be such a beautiful valley. The Willden's built the Cedar post stockade and the large home (without windows or doors) in the Fall of 1860, when they returned to Winter in Beaver. The next spring, March of 1861 the majority of the Willden families, with the materials needed to finish the home at Cove Creek, then moved to Fort Willden.)

On July 27, 1864, George, my father, was born at Fort Willden to Emma Jane and Ellott. At that time the Indians were hostile, and the night George was born, about 2000 Indians were camped in the valley west of the fort. There were only five men and a large boy at the fort at this time, great-grandfather Charles, Grandfather Ellot, great-Uncle Charles, great-Uncle John, and great-Uncle Feargus, (Feargus was the large boy), and three women and several children. (**Feargus would have been 23 ½ at this time! He was not married, so that was possibly the reason for considering him a "large boy!")

Ellott, mindful of the instructions given by Brigham Young, "better to feed the Indians than to fight them," went to the Indian encampment and told them to kill the beef in the pasture, which they did, and after a day or two, disbanded and went on their way. Emma Jane told my father George that all the time she was in labor with him, she could hear these Indians beating their drums, singing, and yelling, and that she expected them at any time to attack the Fort. In 1865, the Willden's moved to Beaver, due to the hostility of the Indians, and the severity of the winters in the Cove Creek valley. In 1867 the LDS church took over the property at Willden's Fort, including the post office and telegrapher's station, and a rock fort was built by Ira Hinckley and many members of the surrounding communities. It is now known as Cove Fort.

In Beaver the following children were born to Emma Jane and Ellot, Emma Jane, Caroline, John, Thomas, and Mary Ann, making nine children in all. Charles Andrew died as a small child, Thomas died in Beaver as a young man. Ellott Jr. married Sarah Memmott, Clarence married Abbie Montague, George married Minnie Agnes Holt, Emma Jane married John Brunson, Caroline married first Charles Keel then Jim Valentine, John married Ellen Hooten, Mary Ann married Thomas Ward.

In Beaver, Ellott engaged in farming and freighting, between Beaver and Salt Lake City. He was a peacemaker with the Indians, he had very little trouble with them. He learned their language very fluently, and rendered valuable service as an interpreter for the Indians.

Ellott was a great musician. He had an exceptionally good ear for music. He was very appreciative of good music, and the finer things of life. He bought the first Organ and violin ever owned in Beaver. His violin went with him on his long freighting trips, and he entertained with it wherever he stayed. He bought the instruments and was a member of the first Brass band, was also a member of the choir and orchestra for many years. He had a great sense of humor, and was the life of all the organizations to which he belonged. He had a remarkable personality and made friends wherever he went, but he never gave an old friend up for a new one.

Ellot, together with William Holt built and owned the first theatre and furniture store in Beaver, these buildings were on Main Street. Ellott had a small general store at the side of the theater. William Holt, had a carpenter shop in the rear of the furniture store. Ellott was a repairer of musical instruments and spent many hours doing this work in the back of his store. One night all of these buildings caught fire and burned to the ground. This was a great loss to both Ellott and William for their savings and their businesses were ashes.

In 1888 Ellott was appointed a member of the "Deep Harbor Convention." This convention was called for the purpose of finding a suitable place to build a harbor on the Texas coast. Ellott was honored by this convention being elected a vice president of the organization. He made personal friends of many Senators and Congressman, also with Governor Adams of Colorado. This convention recommended to Congress that a harbor be built at Galveston, Texas. This was done, and was found to be a great commercial benefit to the South-West. Ellott always looked upon this as his greatest Civic Achievement.

In 1855 Ellott helped blaze a trail to San Pedro Harbor: I have a copy of a letter addressed to Ellot. It reads:
San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake R.R. Co.
Office of President
49 Wall St. New York City, N.Y.
William A. Clark, President

Mr. Ellott Willden
Dear Sir:

As one of the survivors of that brave and hardy band of men who fifty years ago blazed the trail from Salt Lake City to San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and San Pedro Harbor, and in recognition of your energy, fortitude, and bravery displayed at that time, it is my pleasure to extend to you an invitation to join with the other survivors of that historic and far reaching event, in an excursion over the line of railroad of this company, so closely following the trail over which you and your associates struggled and endured the hardships and privations incident to that perilous undertaking and which marked the dawn of progress for the great empire of Southern California.

This excursion will leave Salt Lake City on October 9th, 1905, with assurance of highest respect and esteem.
I am
Yours very Respectfully
W.A. Clark

On the 25th of May 1890, his beloved wife Emma Jane died. She was 51 years of age. The funeral services, by her request, were held in her home. One of the speakers being Elder W. J. Cox, one of the men, with whom she crossed the plains.

In 1892, Ellott married again, a Miss Christiana Brown. To this union a son and two daughters were born. William, Nellie, and Violet.

Ellot lived to be 87 years old. The last time I saw him he had walked from Beaver to Salt Lake City, stopping on the way to attend a Black Hawk Indian War Encampment. He did not have to walk, but in his later life that is the way he liked best to travel. He was then 85 years old, hale and hearty, his hair and beard as white as snow, still jovial, we asked him, "grandfather when you can't make a town at night, when you are hiking around the country, what do you do?" "Oh," he said laughingly, "I just pick out a likely farm house, knock at the door and when the lady comes, I say, Lady will you please give me a drink of water, I am so hungry, and I can't find a place to sleep tonight, and they most always invite me in.

Ellott Willden died in his sleep at 1:30 a.m., October 1, 1920. It was said of him, those that knew him best, loved him most. At the time of his death he was survived by nine of his 12 children, 43 grand children, and 25 great grandchildren. He was buried in the Beaver Cemetery. His second wife, Christiana, also survived him.Emma Jane Clews died in Beaver City, Beaver County, Utah, Sunday, May 25, 1890 of paralysis. Emma Jane Clews, wife of Ellott Willden, was the daughter of Andrew and Mary Ann Thomas Clews and was born at Shelton, Staffordshire, England, on the 21 December, 1839. Emigrated to Utah in 1851 in Company of W. J. Cox of Beaver, and Robert Watson of Salt Lake City. In 1849, he father, mother, and brother were all buried on the same day having died of cholera at St. Louis, Missouri, leaving Emma and her brother Joseph, who now resides in San Bernardino, California, alone in the world. Three years after her arrival in Utah, Emma went to Cedar City. During this time she became to wife of Ellott Willden, the marriage taking place at Cedar City, 15 March 1856. She then came with her husband to Beaver where she resided until her death. She has born nine children, eight of whom survive her. Her children are Ellott, Charles Andrew, Clarence, George, Jane, Caroline, Jon Henry, Thomas, and Mary Ann. She had been a noble woman, a fond wife and a true saint. Funeral services were held at the family residence. Speakers were Elders W.J. Cox, James Low and William Fotheringham.