Maria Louisa Roberts

This is a short account of my genealogy and all I know of it. I, Maria Louisa Roberts Newell, was born November 11, 1829, at Montequma Pike County State of Ill. I am the daughter of Horrace and Harriet McEvers Roberts, grand daughter of Ephraim and Huldah Clark Roberts on my fathers side and of Charles and Tamma Knapp McEvers on my mother. Great Grand daughter of Charles McEvers and Maria Luisa. Howard McEvers great grand father Charles McEvers was a soldier of the America Revolutionary war. and drew a pension from teh Government for his services as long as he lived. Of my Father's people I know very little except he had several brothers. William Clark, Jerymiah Morris and Livi. Moriis being a twin brother to my father. I do not know ifany of them are alice at this writing, and two sisters Lois and Huldah. My Mother had several brothers some that dies quite young. those I remember were Ruben, Nelsen, Charles and Henry, and one sister Salena. At the time of the persecution and driving of the Latter Day Saints from teh state of Missuori many of them passed by my father's house in teh town of Ripley Ill. he gave them food and shelter, become accquainted with their principles, and then following summer he and Mother and myself were baptized by Elder Eden Smith. We were then set upon by mobs, our house was stoned our windows broken our home and other property was taken from us and we were compelled to lease it. In February 1838 I think we went to Nauvoo taking every thing in one wagon and on the load was father and mother, even children and teh driver. We arrived at Nauvoo all right and teh Prophet Joseph Smith advised father to build a pottery and make crockery for the poor saints but what with, was the question on teh Lord could answer, However there was no such word written on escutcheon* he went to work at it and ere long had it in running order, many times he was detailed for guardsman and other public work for the defense of the city and people. I knew the prophet and his family quite well, his adopted daughter Julia attended the same school that I, and we were quite friendly. I well remember the days of trouble and persecution the saints were call to endure the Martyrdom of Josepf and Hyrum Smith. I saw their bodies in their coffins, saw some of their wounds. Indeed they were dark and trying time. We were among those that had to leave our homes in Nauvoo and go into strange lands among stranger's and seek a home and subsistence upon the extreme borders of civilization with nothing to recommend us to the charities of the frontiersman or the savage Indian except the goodspirit or influence we carried with us, although a young girl had many sore and grievous trils to endure and even now at sixty two year's of age my heart aches and throbs with sorrow at the recollection of the trials that I endure in those days. I came with my father to Council Bluff's and there became acquainted with Elliott Alfred Newell. He wanted me as his, although he knew of my former marriage with a man who had deserted me and gone away with a woman not his wife and left me to make my own living as best i might. I went and talked with Orson Hyde one of the twelve Apostles that was left in charge of affair at the bluff. I took my father and mother with me and laid my case and circumstances befor him, adn by his council was married, He perfored them marriage. I was married to Elliott Alfred Newell on the 4th day of May 1851. My first child was a girl born April 2nd at Potawania Co. Iowa, she has had four daughter's by her husband Oliver G Haws, Their names Myrtle Ruby Edna and Zora and her name is Luella Isola Newell Haws. my second child a son was bor July 7th 1853 at Provo Utah and was Elliott Alfred, he married Malinda Loveridge. Have had seven children. Ella Eugene Arthur Martha Earl Grace and died at birth. My third son Arthur Pemborke Newell born at Provo Oct. 12th 1854, married Caroline Haws. he had one daughter Estella and two son's Arthur and Guy. My fourth son born at Provo Myron Clark born Sept. 26 1856. married Alice Smoot by whom he had ten children Myron Clark Clyde Flora Emma Ann Morris Alice Mary Helen and Afton. My 5th child a son Cealey Orris born at Provo April 26th 1859 married Zessa Wood, and soon after separated and is married again, but has no children. My 6th son Charles Ephram born at Provo Feb. 1860, died when 5 years old. My 7th child a girl Ida Olive. born at Provo Oct. 23 1862 died at 2 year's of age. My 8th child a son Frank Ernest, born at Provo June 21st, 1864 and married Rebecca Hardy. Had one son Frank Elmer. My nineth child a girl Maria Lousia, married Jospeh Sessions, has five children, Ethel, Joseph Elmer, Mary Louisa, Gerlad and Marilla. My 10th child Lucy Edith, married Sidney Harding, she had two children, Evera and Ray. My 11th child George Henry died at birth November 8th 1872. I with my husband and first child came to Utah in the summer of 1872. We traveled with cattle teams, some oxen and some cows. My husband was afflected on the with two fellons on his fingers which made it very hard for me having to yoke and unyoke the cattle, and drive them a great part of the way, but we got through alright. It took us from the 6th day of June until the 7th day of October to get there. The next summer the Indians became troublesome and killed many of our men as well as women and children. Thy were hostile for several year. When my first son was seven month old we had to leave our house in the night and move into the center of town for safety. The next day my husband was called to go south with a company under George A Smith to keep the settlement and Fort up. He was gone about a month, at another time I had a young babe eleven days old when he was called to go with a company out into the mountains to keep the army of soldier from coming into the valleys/ They were coming with a vowed intention of killing off the Mormons, and Brigham Young determined with the help of God to keep them back andseveral thousand men from coming into the valleys, all that winter, in the spring the army got short of provisions and feed for stock, and sent a delegation to confer with our leading men and it was arranged that they might come in after certain time. The Brigham Young issued a proclamation that all the people were to move south of Salt Lake and when the army arrived in the city did not find as much as a dog to welcome them. They passed on through Salt Lake City and county and made their camp on the Joron river. Very soon it became known that they would buy almost every thing in the way of blankets and clothing of all kinds. We were glad to exchange our produce for other things. Our women had to work very hard spinning and making nearly all our clothing and helping the men in the field and watching and caring of things at home, while our men went upon missions for the church or were engaged in warfare with the Indians and assisting others to guard and protect their families from being murdered and their homes burned and their stock driven off to be killed and eaten by Indians. There are many things that will interest and instruct you about triless and privation of the Saints in the past. Now I wish this short account to be read to all my decendants and kept for their benefit and instructions. I wish this to be received by my oldest female decendant that is in full fellowship in teh church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, if she want to have it and not it is to go to the next in kin. that means my oldest daughter's childrn should have the preference if they desire it, she has a lovely daughter Ruby. If she be alive and full fellowship in the church, she will then be as old as I am now, and I think she would do right with this. I have a family that I love very much. I have done the best I knew how under the circumstances to revere and educate them. But we have been very poor, had to work very hard and i have been very sick and in bad health much of the time, concequently my heavenly Father has heard my prayer many times when I have cried unto him in my distress and many trials and affliction. I verily do know this is his church and people that he will give a satisfactory testimony to all that do his will and desire, such testimony I wish that all my descendants might embrace the gospel and live according to the teaching and revation given through Joseph Smith unto his people and to all the world. There is much I would like to write about but time will tell all things I hope, there is none of my descendants that will never had the trials and temptations that I have had, but my heart has always been for the truth and whatever failings. I have had and whatever failing wrongs on sins. I have committed it has never been because I desired to do wrong and may God forgive me and bless my posterity forever is prayer.