The Minor Family of Somerset

REFN: 171L-PP
The Life History of Sarah Ann Gold Denney, My Grandmother Who Cr
ossed the Plains in 1868
Written by Sarah Berrett North, Grand-daughter November 1959.
In the town of Birmingham, Warwickshire,England lived Joseph Gol
dand Sarah Ann Thompson Gold. He earned his living as a stable
-man and doingodd jobs arount the comunity. They had eight chi
ldren, Cyrus Henry, Sarah Ann, Henry Joseph Hyrum, Frank, Elizab
eth, and two infant sons who died in infancy.
My grandmother Sarah Ann was born 11 April, 1854, she was onl
y 6 yearsold when her mother died, Uncle Cyrus was 12 years old
, the family was divided and Uncle Joseph and Aunt Elizabeth too
k Cyrus and Sarah Ann to raise. She was very strick with them a
nd always found something to do to keep them busy. They never h
ad soap to clean with in those Days, so the floors was cleaned w
ith sand and this was one of the jobs they had to do. Another j
ob was to keep the Brass triming on the Fire place polished an
d shiny and that was amust. I remember grandmother telling u
s she would have to do it over and over until it was really spar
kling. They were privelage to go outside on SaturDay to clean t
he yard. They considered this a holiDay to get out-side. It wa
s fun for them.
When Sarah Ann was 10 years old she had Typhoid Fever, she had t
o learn to walk again, this j ob was left up to her brother Cyru
s to doand he was real faithful in doing this job which took lo
ts of time and patients.
Sarah Ann was baptized into the Church of Latter-Day Saints Ma
y 1862 atthe age of 8 years old and so was her brother Cyrus, h
e being older began tosave money to come to Utah. He worked a
s a leather cutter. It was long hours and hard work for a youn
g boy, but he finaly got the required amount and they were on th
eir way. Their father went to the boat to see them off and sai
d he would see them in America in a few years but they never sa
w him or heard of him again.
Sarah Ann came across the ocean on the Steamship Minnesota, In t
he Moses Thatcher Company, 30 June 1868, she was 14 years old
. Crossedthe plains with Captain Rawlins Mule team Company. A
rriving in Ogden 20, August 1868 (It took them nearly 2 months t
o cross the plains.) Sometimes shewould be so tired she woul
d ride the reach of the wagons, it also saved her one and only p
air of shoes. She has told us how she and 4 other girls in th
e company had of having to gather Buffalo chips in their apron
s in order to have kindling to build fires for meal times. Beca
use no other containers wereavailable their aprons were used.
When Sarah Ann was 16 years old she workedfor Mr. and Mrs. Rawl
ins for 3 weeks. The Rawlins were cooKing for the railroad me
n at the time when the East and the West Railroad met at Corrin
e Utah and the Golden Spike was driven to connect the two railro
ads. Sarah Ann wheeled 3 wheelbarrows of dirt on the rail roa
d just to say she helped to buildthe railroad.
When this job was done she went back to Salt Lake City to a cous
in Mary Ann Butler who lived in the 16th Ward. From here she hi
red out toany one who needed help.
It was a SunDay School party at Lindsey Gardens (West of Salt La
ke Cemetery) that she first met Charles Denney, ist May 1871 (Th
is is a little note taken from grand-father's diary about meetin
g my grand-mother.)
When I arrived at Lindsays Garden for the SunDay School part
y I noticed the games were in progress, and at once a golden hai
red damsel caught myeye. There were several boys and girls i
n this circle I knew who were playing Copenhagn, so I asked i
f I could join the game. This golden haired girl came around th
e ring and as the game goes she touch my hand and I had to catc
h her before she got back to her place. I lost no time I asur
e you, I caughther and kissed her, that was her penalty that sh
e had to pay. I accompaniedher home that night and had a dat
e the next ni