ELIZABETH ANN BUMFORD
Elizabeth Ann Bumford
was
born 16 January 1799 in the parish of Bettws
Cedewain,
Montgomeryshire, Wales. She was the daughter of Edward Bumford and
Margaret
Davies. Elizabeth was the oldest daughter in the family. She had
an older brother, John, three younger brothers, David, Edward and
Lewis, and a younger sister, Mary.
The parish of Bettws
Cedewain
lies in a sheltered valley on the banks of the Bechan river. It is
about
five miles from Newtown. The name “Bettws ” comes from the Welsh,
meaning
prayer house. The village is ancient. The site was probably used by
Roman
soldiers. An ancient church was founded here by St. Beuno in the 6th
century. It is an agricultural community. The population in the 19th
century was 579 people.
Elizabeth’s brothers
were
also all born in the parish of Bettws Cedewain. The parish record also
lists the township for the two younger brothers’ births. Edward and
Lewis
were both born in Dolvorwin township, Bettws parish. This is the site
of
the ruins of Dolforwyn Castle. Dolforwyn Castle was built by Llywelyn
the
Last in 1273. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd built the castle as a snub to the
authority
of the English crown. The castle fell to Edward I just four years
later,
and was little used thereafter. It was in ruins by the 1390s. The ruins
of the castle remain today.
When Elizabeth was 18
years
old when she married James Meyrick on 3 August 1817 in Bettws.
Parish register for Bettws Cedewain, Montgomeryshire, Wales
showing the marriage of James Meyrick and Elizabeth Bumford
After their marriage,
James
and Elizabeth moved from place to place, as James sought work. Their
first
child, Maryann, was born in Neen Sollars, Shropshire, England in 1820.
The next child, James, was born in Milson, Shropshire, England in 1822.
John was born in Eastham, Worcestershire, England in 1828 and died one
year later. The next child was also named John, and was born in
Talgarth,
Brecon, Wales in 1831. Another daughter, Susannah was born next in
Warwick,
Warwickshire, England in 1834. George William was born in Leamington,
Warwick,
England in 1838. Finally, Frederick was born in Worcester,
Worcestershire,
England in 1839. He died two months later.
Elizabeth’s
son, John, kept a diary which describes some of the family’s later
moves:
“My father’s work called him away to another place called Boarson. We
stayed
there two years, then we moved again. So his work, it did not last long
in one place, for it was draining the land and making pools and coach
roads
and such like, for the Lords of the land. Then we moved to Trembury
(Tenbury,
Worcestershire), but did not stay there long.” The family next moved to
Ludlow, Shropshire, England.
It
was in Ludlow that a great change came into Elizabeth’s life. The
family
met Mormon elders preaching the gospel. Elizabeth was the first in the
family to believe and to accept the gospel. She was the first one
baptized,
in August 1849 at Ludlow in the River Teme. She was baptized by Elder
Edward
W. Jones. Her husband, James, was baptized next. In the next month the
children Maryann, John, Thomas and George were baptized. The family
began
to save their money to be “gathered to Zion.”
Four
years later, in 1853, they were able to send their son John ahead to
Utah.
They gave him the eight pounds necessary, and sent him with Elder
William
Finch. In that same year their daughter, Maryann, died. She was the
widow
of James Frederick Wishaw, who died in 1847. Maryann died of dysentery,
leaving three children: Pamelo, age 12, Susannah, age 9, and James, age
7. Elizabeth took on the responsibility of raising her grandchildren.
Two
years later the family prepared to leave England, and cross the ocean
to
America. On April 22, 1855 they boarded the ship “Sanders Curling”.
Elizabeth
was 56 years old. James and Elizabeth, their son George, and the three
grandchildren crossed together on the one month journey. They arrived
in
New York, and traveled to Kansas, where they joined the Milo Andrus
company
and crossed the plains to Salt Lake. Their son, John, describes their
arrival:
“Father MacArthur brought the Deseret News to me and said my folk’s
names
were in it, and they were in Salt Lake City. I started for them right
off,
riding a wild horse, and found them at Brother and Sister Meredith’s.
Father
very sick and has been most of the time while crossing the plains.
Pemlow
has been very sick of the mountain fever. Most of the hair has come out
of her head.” Elizabeth must have been busy caring for her sick husband
and granddaughter.
1860 census, Pleasant Grove, Utah County, Utah
The family settled in Pleasant Grove. Times were hard, with grasshoppers destroying crops, and scarce food . They settled into John’s house. In 1860 they moved to Mt. Pleasant. John and George helped them build a house in the fort.
1870 census, Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah
James
died in 1871, leaving Elizabeth a widow at the age of 72.
1880 census, Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah
Elizabeth
is found living alone in the 1880 census in Mt. Pleasant:
E.
Meyrick, age 89, born in Wales, keeping house
Census place: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah
She
passed away twelve years after James, at age 84, on January 10, 1883 in
Mt. Pleasant.
If you have additional information about this
family,
please contact me at alice@boydhouse.com.