Family:James Barnes and Mary Thompson (1)

THE STORY OF MARY THOMPSON WEST BARNES And Her Marriage To James Barnes

Composed by Nellie Holt

Mary Thompson was born July 28, 1820, at Laughton, Cheshire, England. Her parents were James and Elizabeth Thompson. Her mother's maiden name was Pilkington.

Lord Staten was Elizabeth Pilkingtons uncle. She lost her right to the title "Lady" when she married James Thompson who was a "commoner" or just a plain English citizen.

As told by Grandmother Barnes to her children and grandchildren, Staten Island belonged to her Great Uncle, Lord Staten, for who it was named. In all of the family records one finds the name Staten as a first or second name on some of the children: such as, Staten Barnes, Staten Moss and William Staten Holt.

There are few records of Mary Thompson's early life. She was married to James West, and was baptized into the Mormon Church in 1845. It is supposed that they were both baptized at that time. They decided, as did many of the early converts, to come to America. His intention was to start a business in Trenton, New Jersey. They had all plans made and were at the dock with their luggage, ready to sail.

At the last moment she could not bear to part with her family, and stayed behind. This must have been in late 1849 or 1850. It is supposed that they must have exchanged letters, but it was so long a time when a letter was mailed until and answer could be received.

She always regretted the fact that she did not go with him and made up her mind to go to America and find him, as she had not heard from him in a long time. You will note on the copy of her passport, she with two other ladies sailed from Liverpool, December 14, 1850

The original plan was that the ship would dock at Philadelphia, and then go on to New Orleans. Due to heavy storms at sea, it was thrown off its course and landed in New Orleans instead.

She made her way by riverboat up the Mississippi to Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here she learned of a group of Mormons who were organizing a wagon train to go to Salt Lake.

Knowing that the Mormons were migrating to Salt Lake from all over the world, she thought it possible that James West had decided to go there, too. So she joined this group and headed for the City of Zion. It was rugged travelling at best, and many hardships were encountered. There were both wagons drawn by oxen, and handcarts pushed and pulled by the pioneers. Grandmother Barnes, in later years, told her family that it took six weeks to cross the ocean and six months to cross the plains.

As the going got rougher, and the oxen weaker, the men of the party would discard what seemed the best to part with at the time in order to lighten the load.

One noon as they had stopped for lunch the men again went through the trunks and boxes leaving behind what they felt must be thrown away. That evening after they had stopped for the night, and the dinner was over, Mary West went through her trunk and luggage. She had brought nice clothes with her, and some of them were gone. But that did not disturb her as much as finding that one of her prize possessions was missing. She had always been a lover of rocks, and had brought one with her. It had been dug out of a well, and had petrified forms of early life in it.

That evening when all was quiet she slipped out of the camp, and made her way back over the trail that had been made until she came to where they had stopped at noon. She went through the pile of discarded articles until she found her rock. Placing it in her bosom, she returned over the lonely, grass covered plain, reaching camp just about the time they were preparing for that days journey. For Mary West to do this took much courage for wild animals and Indians were always near. She carried the rock with her (it was quite heavy) each day until the end of the journey.

The rock was in her daughter, Elizabeth Barnes Holt's family; then it was in Sadie Holt Robison's possession until she gave it to her son, James Robison, who has it now.

After reaching Salt Lake City, Mary West tried to find some one among the many going and coming into the new city who might have heard of or seen her James West, but she was never successful.

She took her place in this busy, hardworking community--a lone little lady thousands of miles from her native England.

One evening May 15, 1852, at a prayer meeting at a friends home, Mrs. Crothers, she met a man named, James Barnes. He was 36 at the time and she was 31.

He had lost his wife, Charlotte, in February and three children, William, Charlotte Maria, and Charles. Charles was a baby of three months. One can imagine the problems he was having trying to care for his children and to work.

The next day after he met Mary West he wrote her a letter telling her of his situation, and asking her to let him get acquainted with her. Only the beginning and the end of this letter was left when it was given to us, Vern and Nellie Holt, by Vern's mother's brother, Hyrum in 1921. A copy of it is included with this record.

They realized their mutual need for a home, and so they were married on May 23, 1852, and Charlotte Maria died in July of that year. William remained with his father and new stepmother. Charles was raised by relatives of his mother, Charlotte Cartwright Barnes.

As written earlier, Grandfather Barnes worked on the building of the temple for many years. He built an adobe home at 244 West Second North Street, where they lived and raised William and their children, Hyrum, Elizabeth, Richard, Lorenzo, Ruth Ann and John. After James Barnes death, Grandmother, Mary West continued to live there.

When Sadie Holt was about 15 or 16 she lived with Grandmother and went to school. Around 1899, Elizabeth and William Holt moved into the house with Grandmother using one part as their home and Grandmother having a smaller apartment.

In 1903 the Holt family moved to Payette, Idaho, and Grandmother continued to live in her own home for several years. Her last years were spent in Payette with the Holt family. She died there on October 3, 1911, at the age of 91, and was buried in Salt Lake City.

Composed by Nellie Holt Wife of Vern Holt Vern Holt being the son of Elizabeth Catherine Barnes & William Holt; Elizabeth Catherine Barnes being the daughter of James Barnes &Mary Thompson West

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