SARAH ANN BAILEY PIONEER OF 1863
AND WILLIAM GEORGE HOLT PIONEER OF 1863
Written by Manilla May Willden Hardy

In the City of Bolton, Lancashire, England, on December the seventh, in the year eighteen hundred and forty (1840) there was born to JOHN and ALICE DAVIES BAILEY, a baby girl who was christened "SARAH ANN", this being followed a few years later by the birth of a baby boy, christened "JOHN".

JOHN BAILEY, the Father of SARAH ANN and JOHN, was a seafaring man, who a short time after the birth of his son JOHN was lost at sea. ALICE DAVIES BAILEY the wife of JOHN BAILEY was left to support these two children.

ALICE DAVIES BAILEY obtained employment at the Textile Mills at Bolton, learning to be a spool winder. As soon as SARAH ANN became old enough, she also entered the Mills, following the same vocation and working beside her Mother. The wagers were very small but SARAH ANN and her Mother were able to keep a home and take care of SARAH ANN'S brother, who was a sickly child, until he died. At times the workers in these Mills went on strike and then the Mother and daughter knew hunger and cold.

About the year 1856 the Mother of SARAH ANN married a man by the name of JOHN TEMPEST and to this union was born a daughter, christened "EMMA". JOHN TEMPEST evidently did not contribute much to the support of this family, or died, as SARAH ANN and her Mother continued to work at the Mills.

The Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints who were doing Missionary work in England at that time converted them to this faith, and they were baptized. They then commenced saving until they had enough money to leave England for the Land of Promise "America".

SARAH ANN was a sweet and beautiful young woman with black hair and brown eyes, being tall and slender. Among her many friends and admirers was one WILLIAM GEORGE HOLT, who later became her husband.

WILLIAM GEORGE HOLT, was born at Ray Green, Lancashire, England, November 26th, 1841, the son of JOHN ROSKELL and SARAH JOLLY HOLT, being by occupation a wheelwright. At 6 or 7 years of age WILLIAM was apprenticed to a carpenter. He was a strong, bright boy, and completed learning his trade at the age of 12. From that time on he was considered a man, working as a carpenter at men's wages. He was taught to read the Bible by his aunt AGNES HOLT, and from that started to educate himself. At 20 years of age he was tall, very strong, had dark brown hair and blue eyes, and a beard that was reddish brown. He had two brothers, JAMES and MORONI, and five sisters, SARAH; ISABELLA; ELIZABETH; MARY AGNES ; and HANNAH.

The conversion of the Holt Family, by the Elders of the L.D.S. Church in England, also caused them to prepare for the journey to the United States and a home in Utah.

WILLIAM GEORGE HOLT, had two sweethearts, whom he cared for so much that he found great difficulty to deciding which of them he should ask to become his bride. One of these was SARAH AN BAILEY, the other MILLICENT STREDDER, but fate aided WILLIAM in his choice, for it was decided that WILLIAM and his sister ISABELLE were to proceed the family (JOHN ROSKELL HOLT family) to the United States, the remainder of the family to follow one year later. SARAH ANN BAILEY, her Mother and half-sister, EMMA TEMPEST, who was at that time about five years of age, leaving for the United States on the same ship as WILLIAM and his sister ISABELLE. The ship on which they were passengers set sail from England for the United States on the 20th of May, 1863. The nearness of SARAH ANN banished all thought of MILLICENT from the mind of WILLIAM and on the 28th of May 1863, they were married.

The crossing from England to the United States consumed a period of eight weeks. The HOLTS, WILLIAM and ISABELLE also the BAILEYS left England under the perpetual emigration fund on the ship Antartica, arriving in New York. The only trip the Antartica made to carry L.D.S. converts. Among the passengers on this ship were listed, ALICE BAILY, MATHEW HOLT and family, ROBERT HOLT and family, WILLIAM GEORGE HOLT, the EDWARDS FAMILY AND ISABELLE HOLT.

WILLIAM, his bride, WILLIAM'S sister, his bride's sister and mother, started immediately for Nauvoo. From there they joined a company of Saints leaving for Utah, arriving in Utah sometime in December 1863. Members of the Company of Saints they traveled with were paid to transport them, their baggage and supplies. They walked much of the way, the half-sister of SARAH ANN being often carried by WILLIAM on his shoulders, his bride walking by his side.

On arrival at Salt Lake City, WILLIAM obtained a small home for his bride. At that time there was a great deal of building and a great demand for carpenters, so that he was able to go to work immediately. His sister, ISABELLE found a home with a family where she worked for her sustanence. SARAH ANN'S mother buying a home and obtaining work to support herself and small daughter, EMMA.

SARAH ANN was very busy, for she was expecting, and preparing for a child that was due to arrive that spring. On April 25th 1864, a baby girl was born to SARAH ANN and WILLIAM but SARAH ANN was not permitted to enjoy the happiness that had come into their lives, for the following day she died, and was buried in the City cemetery at Salt lake City.

The loss of SARAH ANN was a very hard blow to WILLIAM and his baby girl, whom he christened "MINNIE AGNES". Due to the fact that SARAH ANN'S mother was working and she was unable to take care of the little one, and WILLIAM'S mother had not as yet left England to come to Salt Lake City, WILLIAM obtained a wet nurse for the baby until such time as was necessary.

When cow's milk was given to the baby, WILLIAM paid $1.00 a pound for sugar with which to sweeten the milk, this being the price of sugar at that time. WILLIAM wrote to his mother telling her that she could have his little girl on her arrival and he looked forward to her coming, as he yearned for her comfort, but he was never to know a Mother's sympathy, or little MINNIE AGNES to know the love of her Grandmother HOLT, for SARAH JOLLY HOLT, her son JAMES and daughter MARY AGNES died while crossing the Plains, all of them being buried at some point in it's great expanse. The coffin of SARAH JOLLY HOLT was a willow basket made by some of the members of the Company of Saints that accompanied them of this journey.

Greatly in need of love and sympathy for the great losses he had sustained, and a pressing need for someone to care for his little girl, WILLIAM'S thoughts returned to England, and to his former Sweetheart, MILLICENT STREDDER. He wrote to her, proposing marriage, which was accepted by her. He then sent her the money for her journey and she came to Salt Lake City. On her arrival she was married to WILLIAM in the Endowment House.

WILLIAM worked on the Salt Lake Tabernacle and Temple. WILLIAM and his wife then moved from Salt lake City to Greenville, Utah, where WILLIAM continued his carpenter work, also dong some farming. When the Indians caused trouble, WILLIAM took his turn at guarding the little settlement. WILLIAM and his family later moved from Greenville to Beaver, Utah. While in Greenville, seven children were born to them. At Beaver City, WILLIAM built a home in the town, also buying a farm. He joined the Order of Enoch, known as the United Order, and was faithful as long as this order existed.

WILLIAM practiced his trade, building many of the homes and buildings, also making coffins for those who passed away. He was a great lover of horses and had some very fine animals. In the Fall and early winters, WILLIAM freighted, making trips to Chaunti, now known as New House where he would load up with bullion, mined at that point hauling it to Juab, which was the closest railroad point at that time, using mules to do this freighting. At Juab he would load up with merchandise for Beaver or other small towns. He had many an varied experiences during these trips, often being snowed in at some point. On one occasion he was snowed in for a period of two weeks in what is known a Wildcat Canyon, his food supply becoming exhausted, also the fodder for his mules, he had just about given up hope when a party, which had been sent out from Beaver to locate him come to his rescue. On another occasion he, together with some others, was hauling bullion from the mines at Chaunti, when the reach of one of the broke, pinning a man by the name of HENRY BLACKNER, under the loaded wagon. WILLIAM lifted the loaded wagon unaided, while another man pulled Mr. BLACKNER from under the wagon. Mr. BLACKNER being badly injured, but the lifting of the heave load also resulted in an injury to WILLIAM from which he never fully recovered.

WILLIAM together with ELLOTT WILLDEN built and owned the first theatre and furniture store in Beaver, these building being built on the Main Street, WILLIAM having a carpenter shop in the rear of the furniture store, ELLOTT WILLDEN having a small general store at the side of the Theatre. These building caught fire and all of them burned to the ground, this being a great loss to WILLIAM and his partner ELLOTT WILLDEN, for in a few hours the hard work of years and the savings of a lifetime were turned to ashes.

Shortly after this WILLIAM sold his property at Beaver moving with his family, with the exception of his first daughter, MINNIE AGNES, who was at that time married to GEORGE WILLDEN, to Santa Ana, California, later moving from Santa Ana to Corona, California, where he died, March 12th 1891, his body being taken to Santa Ana, California, for burial.

END OF DOCUMENT

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