Sarah Ann Layne
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Sally Ann's parents were David Layne and Lucinda Bybee. They belonged to the Campbellite church. When she was three years old, her parents moved to Sugar Ridge, Indiana. Called Sugar Ridge, because of the sugar made from maple trees there. She was rather smal in stature with blue eyes, brown hair, and a cheerful disposition. Often she was permitted to stay at grandfather Lee Allen Bybee's place which she felt was quite a favor.
If she went to school at all it must have been or just a short time for she never speaks of having attended, etc. When she was 11 years old, her father died leaving the family quite helpless; as her younger sister was born after his death, one year later her mother sold the farm to pay off the mortgage. She then joined the Latter-Day Saint church and gathered with the Saint in Illinois. It shows her mother had a lot of faith to do all this with her family of little ones. Sally Ann, with her brother Robert, were baptized in the fall of 1844. Here she became acquainted with a young man, Horace Burr Owens. They were married by President Brigham Young in his office. Her husband was often called upon to help protect the saints from violence. Mother says nothing of where she stayed while father was on guard. We do know that they were filled with the beautiful spirit of the gospel. We did have papers to the effect that they turned all they owned over to the Church. Her husband was a stone mason by trade and he worked a good deal on the Kirkland Temple and also the Nauvoo Temple. In December 1845, they did their first work in the Nauvoo Temple and had their endowments. They started with the first exodus of the saints on February 21, 1846. She remembers this well because it was her birthday. They crossed the Mississippi on the ice and camped the first night in a house. The next day they went on to Sugar Creek, where they waited for the rest of the company. After many hardships traveling through the rain and mud, they finally arrived at Mt. Pisga or winter quarters as it was later called. Here she took sick with the chills and fever and was sick for a long time; her life was despaired of. Her first child, a little girl was born on the 30th of August, 1846, it was a premature baby and died the same day. A log hut covered with bark had been put up for her protection. Finally she recovered but all of the others were gone, so they had to return to Missouri to work for means to go to the Salt Lake Valley. The oldest son was born in Clay Co, Missouri in 1848, her husband being sent away at the time. Soon after his return, they started for Council Bluffs, being anxious to get there for the April Conference. They stayed there for a time with the Saints, they went back to Missouri where they had to stay for five years, moving about from time to time as her husband could get work. Her second son was born August 11 in the hottest weather ever experienced there. In the spring of 1852, they went to N. Pigeon Creek where a company was organized to cross the plains. They started on June 13, 1852. On the journey across the plains, some of the company died of Cholera, others lost their cattle. My husband let them work our cows, one of the cows giving milk all the way. Mother would put her milk in the churn in the morning and when they stopped there was usually a nice chunk of butter in the churn made by the movement of the wagon while traveling. Her youngest son was sick most of the way, at times very bad. This made it hard for her as she was in delicate health herself. When they arrived in Salt Lake City, he was nearly well. They then went on to Provo. They had been three months making the journey. I think her home was most of the time in a wagon be, but she could make comfy and cheery wherever she was. The next spring they went into Fillmore and were among the first to settle there. They lived in a fort as the Indians were very troublesome. In the Spring of 1856, her husband was called to work on the Temple in Salt Lake City. Her husband moved his family to Cottonwood Canyon. All in all they had come for the Gospel's sake and they were not the kind to shirk. But they put their trust in God and their trust was not in vain. When I, Medora, was ten years old, mother had a little baby girl. From the lack of proper attention, she got the milk-leg. Father was at the temple and we were not able to keep a hired girl, so the responsibility fell on me to care for mother, the babe, and the home. What a time we had. Father sent us milkweed by mail and we carried out instructions from Dr. Guns book and finally she recovered. Imagine a child of ten doing all this. Sometimes a dear Aunt would come in for a day and take charge. Mother was a councilor in the Relief Society and also a teacher. About 1883 they went to Woodruff, Arizona where some of their children were living. She was the president of the primary there for many years. She always bore a faithful testimony of the gospel. Her husband died in Woodruff, June 1897. Several of their children having preceded him. As her other children were married, she spent most of her time alone in the old home at Woodruff. In 1905, she went to Old Mexico to live or be with two of her daughters in Colonia Morelos. She was taken sick and died in Col. Morelos, January 12, 1909. During her illness she was patient and kind as always and very grateful for all favors. Her blessing said that angels would frequently visit her home and on going into her home one could readily feel the sweet influence. She was truly one of the beautiful mothers in Zion, making her home as sweet as possible. One rejoiced to be with her. written by Medora O.G. Trueblood
copied by Alice Jo Ellsworth: 1997 |