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- History of Mary Thorne Mallett Henriod
DIED: Age 83
PIONEER: Crossed the plains in 1853 in Captain Cyrus Wheelock’s Company of 60 wagons and walked every step of the way. Arrived in Salt Like City 6 October 1853, conference day.
Mary was the 7th of 11 children (two sets of twins in this family), born 11 June 1828 in Barnstaple, Devonshire, England. Her father owned a Ironmonger & builders business (selling iron works such as hammers, nails, seeds building materials, etc.). They lived on Joy St. at first, and then on High St. which is a main street, (information taken from Barnstaple Business Directory, 1823-24 & 1830 copy in poss. of Cheri P. Theurer) business on street level, residence above. High St. was listed as their residence when twin girls Emily and Ann died at 2 months old, 13 March 1836, (taken from Cemetery Records of Barnstaple). Her Uncle John Mallett was a jeweler and Clockmaker in Barnstaple, (information taken from List of Makers in Alphabetical Order, Page 260). Her father Henry may also have helped his brother John in the Jewelry business according to (history by Helen Adamson Miller-GGdau). Her mother died when she was 17. She was raised in the Church of England and worshipped at Vica of St. Peters Parish Church with Holy Trinity (built 1318 AD) with its twisted spire. (Par Reg. rec. for birthdates, by corr Rec. D.T.M. Tibbetts). She was educated, had high morals, and could speak the French language.
Mormon Elders taught Mary the gospel and she and her sister Catherine were converted, she was 21. Mary was a milliner by trade, and she had a copper business card made with her name, trade and town engraved on it, now in poss. of Cheri P. Theurer. Her business was in Jersey, England. In a book 'Pioneer Missionary' by Curtis Edwin Bolton and compiled by Cleo H. Evans, Call No. M270.1, B639e, Curtis Bolton has some journal entries and he describes the Island of Jersey as a very small island about 37 miles in circumference, a bold rocky shore and the sea around it studded with rock in every direction forming an exceeding dangerous navigation. The soil for the most part is richer than that of France or England. The climate temperate, no severe freezing weather. Geraniums winter in the open garden (page 100). He met Mary and Catherine there and speaks of them several times in his journal. He mentions 120 Mormons meeting on one occasion. He describes Mary and her sister as two lovely daughters of God with minds deep on the things of eternity and truly divine deportment. He mentions her singing in a meeting.
Mary's father was bitterly opposed to her joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and when she decided to go to Utah to be with the Saints her father told her if she left he would never write to her, he never did. Curtis Bolton describes the event of her leaving briefly in his journal (page 128-129).
Mary was one of seven women that Pres. John Taylor placed in the care of Eugene A. Henriod for their safe journey from Liverpool, England to America on the ship Elvira Owen which sailed for America on February 15, 1853 with 345 saints aboard. Small pox broke out on the ship shortly after leaving Liverpool. They had five weeks of tempestuous weather and one week of absolute calm. They arrived in New Orleans on March 31, 1853 and went by steamer up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa, the official stopping place for the Saints going to Salt Lake. They were detained 6 weeks waiting for teams and wagons for the trek. She crossed the plains in 1853 in Captain Cyrus H. Wheelock’s Company with Isaac Haight and Jacob Gates, returning missionaries. There were 50 wagons for provisions and those that needed help but Mary walked every step of the way. Briefly, they had the same experience with the Indians as all travelers crossing the plains. She arrived in Salt take City on 6 October 1853, Conference day, glad to find And obtain rest.
On 11 Dec 1853 she was given a Patriarchal blessing by John Smith, in which she was promised power to heal the sick, cast out devils ad even to raise the dead if it be necessary. She was a natural born nurse and many times she realized the power to heal the sick as she had been promised,
Mary married Eugene A. Henriod, 5 November 1864, in the Endowment House, married by President Brigham Young, he also wrote 25 Sep 1857 (writings of E.A. Henriod, EH Slgs to spouse & Bible of E.A. Henriod have 5 Nov. 1864). She and her husband lived in Salt Like City until 1855 when President Brigham Young advised them to locate in American Fork in time to fight the grasshoppers and eat sego and other roots and open up the area. Her husband was called on a mission to France in 1860, leaving her with 3 small children and another on the way. She was blessed with 8 children, one died at birth, one died at 7 months old.
Mary kept a photo album with pictures of almost All of her brothers and sisters, she wrote the names and birthdates of all of them on a front page in that book. Some of the history is taken from Eugene A. Henriod’s writings, on file located in the Historical Office, Holograph 4pp. 26.7 cm. HDC (Ms d 2050 bx 4 fd 7 #6, and a history by Helen Adamson Miller-Great Grand-daughter.
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1828 - 1911 (82 years)
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