Person:George Boyes (6)

LIFE STORY OF GEORGE BOYES Written by Lavina Leone Andrus Taylor (from the book "Milo Andrus, Junior - The Man and his Family" by the above author) This book was lent to me on the 1st of Jun 2007 by Doris Mousley Gurr, who is a descent of Milo Andrus, Jr. and Elizabeth Boyes.

George Boyes, my grandfather, was born the 28 November 1794 or 1795, in Yorkshire, England. Though we know very little of his childhood, or for that matter of his life, what we do know indicates a youth of severe hardship. Deprived of parental love and care at the age of fourteen years, when his parents, George Boyes and Ann Wilson, were both taken by fever only six weeks apart, he seems to have had very few of the ordinary comforts of life. Though it may seem incredible today, sur­rounded as even the poorest of us are by the com­parative comforts of a beneficent government, the statement has been attributed to him that he did not know what it meant to be warm until he came to this country at the age of eighteen years. From this time, 1812 or possibly 1813, until 1846 we hear nothing of him. He was endowed 12 January 1846 at Nauvoo, and 15 February 1846 his wife Ann Geldard passed away, presumably in Michigan. (this is evidence of the perpuation of the error in her actual death in Nebraska) We may well imagine that the persecu­tion to which the Saints had been subjected contri­buted to her untimely death, she being not yet forty-eight years of age. Left with a young family of three sons and three daughters, (Thomas, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, William, Henry, and Margaret) and in the midst of the trying days just prior to the expulsion from Nauvoo and followed by the hardships of the journey to Utah, well might his faith have been wrecked as happened to so many of his brethren. However, his testimony did not waver, but he received added strength by overcoming trials and hardships. We have this information concerning his children: Thomas, the eldest child, according to an old letter dated 4 July 1859 was living at Visalia, Tulare Co., California. Mary Ann, the second child, remained in Michigan when her father left for Utah. She married George H. Cross. Elizabeth was born 13 April 1831 at Leharp, Michigan. She married Jacob Truman. She died 6 November 1919 at Gunlock, Washington Co., Utah. William was born 23 September 1824, at Conodogua, New York. He came to Utah and chose as wives Phoebe Spier and Betsy Maxwell. He died at South Cottonwood 11 Sept. 1887. The only information we have concerning Henry is that he was married to Susan Wimmer. Margaret was born 12 April 1840 in Michigan, was married to Milo Andrus, Senior 15 February 1857. She died 1 October 1901 and was buried in the Holladay Cemetery. By proxy Ann was sealed to her husband 14 January 1853. Nothing of a personal nature is known to his children concerning his journey across the plains, but we have heard much concerning the experiences of the Pioneers generally. Remembering, too, that he had a motherless family under such trying circumstances aggravated considerably the adverse conditions under which he travelled. On the way to Salt Lake Valley on 16 July 1847 he was married to Elizabeth Taylor Arrow -smith, a daughter of James and Agnes Taylor, and a sister of President John Taylor. They were parents of nine children, four of whom died in infancy, Agnes, Edward, Rachel, and George, Junior. Mary was born 12 May 1850 and married to Charles A. Harper. She died 24 Nov. 1910. Elizabeth was born 26 February 1852 and married Milo Andrus, Junior. She died 14 June 1938. Sarah Leonora was born 28 November 1853 and was married to James Austin Taylor. She died 30 April 1944. Ann was born 28 October 1858 and was married to Don Carlos Walker. She died 16 November 1924. Joseph was born 3 January 1862 and was married to Mariette Martin. He died 5 April 1944. Elizabeth was sealed to her husband 14 Janu­ary 1853 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. She died 31 July 1909 and was buried in the Holladay Cemetery. George and Elizabeth arrived in Salt Lake Valley in October 1847 and were among the first settlers on Spring Creek in Holladay in the spring of 1848. He was a farmer in this locality. Having been deprived of an education, he was greatly handicapped, but he was a hard worker and a sincere Latter-day Saint. He became second counsellor to Ezekiel Lee, who was an early bishop in the Holladay Settlement. He was chosen as second counsellor to Bishop David Brinton 20 March 1859, and when the first counsellor moved away 6 March 1870, he became the first counsellor. Later in the year Bishop Brinton was called on a mission to England and grandfather served tempor­arily as bishop until his return in 1872. His sons-in-law often spoke of his kindness and consideration of others and of his absolute honesty. In his dealings his measures were heaped up and running over. His daily life was lived in accordance with the teachings of the Church. In fact, he was a thorough Latter-day Saint. On 1 August 1874, just a short time before his eightieth birthday, he passed into the Great Beyond, the final and great adventure in a life made rich by experience and worth-while achieve­ment.

This history has several errors in it and can be compared to facts in the family view of this FGR. (Jun 07)

1. ↑ Last name may have been spelled Boyce.
   
   From "Vision Of Britain" at http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk - "MUSCOATES, a township in Kirkdale parish, N. R. Yorkshire; on a branch of the river Wye, 5½ miles E S Eof Helmsley. Acres, 947. Pop., 64. Houses, 10."
2. ↑ Died and buried in part of Salt Lake known as Big Cottonwood, now known as Holladay.
3. ↑ LIFE STORY OF GEORGE BOYES
   Written by Lavina Leone Andrus Taylor
   (from the book Milo Andrus, Jr. - The Man and his Family, 1971)
   
   George Boyes, my grandfather, was born the 28 November 1794 or 1795, in Yorkshire, England. Though we know very little of his childhood, or for that matter of his life, what we do know indicates a youth of severe hardship. Deprived of parental love and care at the age of fourteen years, when his parents, George Boyes and Ann Wilson, were both taken by fever only six weeks apart, he seems to have had very few of the ordinary comforts of life. Though it may seem incredible today, sur­rounded as even the poorest of us are by the comparative comforts of a beneficent government, the statement has been attributed to him that he did not know what it meant to be warm until he came to this country at the age of eighteen years.
   
   From this time, 1812 or possibly 1813, until 1846 we hear nothing of him. He was endowed 12 January 1846 at Nauvoo, and 15 February 1846 his wife Ann Geldard passed away, presumably in Michigan (she actually died while they were wintering along the Niobrara River in northern Nebraska. This is while the rest of the saints were in Winter Quarters). We may well imagine that the persecu­tion to which the Saints had been subjected contri­buted to her untimely death, she being not yet forty-eight years of age.
   
   Left with a young family of three sons and three daughters, (Thomas, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, William, Henry, and Margaret) and in the midst of the trying days just prior to the expulsion from Nauvoo and followed by the hardships of the journey to Utah, well might his faith have been wrecked as happened to so many of his brethren. However, his testimony did not waver, but he received added strength by overcoming trials and hardships.
   
   We have this information concerning his children:
   Thomas, the eldest child, according to an old letter dated 4 July 1859 was living at Visalia, Tulare Co., California.
   Mary Ann, the second child, remained in Michigan when her father left for Utah. She married George H. Cross.
   Elizabeth was born 13 April 1831 at Leharp, Michigan. She married Jacob (Mica) Truman. She died 6 November 1919 at Gunlock, Washington Co., Utah (and is buried in Hamblin, which is at the north end of Mountain Meadows).
   William was born 23 September 1824, at Conodogua (Canandaigua), New York. He came to Utah and chose as wives Phoebe Spier and Betsy Maxwell. He died at South Cottonwood 11 Sept. 1887.
   Henry - the only information we have concerning Henry is that he was married to Susan (Lavina) Wimmer.
   
   Margaret was born 12 April 1840 in Michigan, was married to Milo Andrus, Senior, 15 February 1857. She died 1 October 1901 and was buried in the Holladay Cemetery. By proxy Ann was sealed to her husband 14 January 1853.
   
   Nothing of a personal nature is known to his children concerning his journey across the plains, but we have heard much concerning the experiences of the pioneers generally. Remembering, too, that he had a motherless family under such trying circumstances aggravated considerably the adverse conditions under which he travelled. On the way to Salt Lake Valley on 16 July 1847 he was married to Elizabeth Taylor Arrowsmith, a daughter of James and Agnes Taylor, and a sister of President John Taylor.
   
   They were parents of nine children, four of whom died in infancy, Agnes, Edward, Rachel, and George, Junior.
   Mary was born 12 May 1850 and married to Charles A. Harper. She died 24 Nov. 1910.
   Elizabeth was born 26 February 1852 and rnarried Milo Andrus, Junior. She died 14 June 1938.
   Sarah Leonora was born 28 November 1853 and was married to James Austin Taylor. She died 30 April 1944.
   Ann was born 28 October 1858 and was married to Don Carlos Walker. She died 16 Novem­ber 1924.
   Joseph was born 3 January 1862 and was married to Mariette Martin. He died 5 April 1944.
   Elizabeth was sealed to her husband 14 Janu­ary 1853 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. She died 31 July 1909 and was buried in the Holladay Cemetery.
   
   George and Elizabeth arrived in Salt Lake Valley in October 1847 and were among the first settlers on Spring Creek in Holladay in the spring of 1848. He was a farmer in this locality.
   
   Having been deprived of an education, he was greatly handicapped, but he was a hard worker and a sincere Latter-day Saint. He became second counsellor to Ezekiel Lee, who was an early bishop in the Holladay Settlement. He was chosen as second counsellor to Bishop David Brinton 20 March 1859, and when the first counsellor moved away 6 March 1870, he became the first counsellor. Later in the year Bishop Brinton was called on a mission to England and grandfather served tempor­arily as bishop until his return in 1872.
   
   His sons-in-law often spoke of his kindness and consideration of others and of his absolute honesty. In his dealings his measures were heaped up and running over. His daily life was lived in accordance with the teachings of the Church. In fact, he was a thorough Latter-day Saint.
   
   On 1 August 1874, just a short time before his eightieth birthday, he passed into the Great Beyond, the final and great adventure in a life made rich by experience and worth-while achieve­ment.