Life of Harriet Thomas

 
       Harriet Thomas was born in Clifford, Herefordshire, England, on the 22 November 1846.  Clifford was a very small town on the Wye River that is the border of Wales.  Even today the population is only 530 people.
     Harriet had an older brother George who was 3 years old when she was born and then her sister Emma was 3 years younger followed by William 5 years later in 1854 and Richard in 1857.
     Harriet's parents joined the Church in England but moved to Wales in 1851 when Harriet was 5 years old.  Emma, William and Richard were all born in Wales.  They probably moved to Wales to work in the mines as the money seemed better than farming in Clifford, especially if they did not own land.
     In 1866 when Harriet was 20 years old her Father, Mother and Richard immigrated to America leaving the 4 children in Wales until sufficient money could be raised for them to immigrate.
     Harriet took responsibility for the care of her siblings and did what she could to provide for the family.  She was employed in a tailor shop and became a wonderful seamstress.
     Three years later enough money was raised for Harriet, Emma and William to immigrate.  George stayed and married Emily Jenkins the next year and immigrated in about 1877 with his wife and three little children.
     Harriet, age 22 and her sister Emma age 19 and William age 14 sailed from Liverpool, England, 1 June 1869 on the steamship "S.S. Minnesota" with 338 Saints.  They arrived in New York 14 days later and came from New York to Ogden on the first through train.  They were met by their father and he took them to Lehi where they lived.
     Harriet was married a year later to George Glover in the Endowment House on Temple Square.  
     Harriet lived to see her husband, nine of her children (7 boys and 2 girls) pass away, also her mother, father, and all her siblings.  She was the last living member of the Thomas family dying at the age of 89, July 20, 1936.
     In her old age she lost her eye sight which forced her to leave her home and live with her daughter Winnifred in Lehi.  Her other daughter, Rosalind had moved with her family to Idaho.
     Winnifred said she was not a woman who worked a great deal in public, but took pride in her home and was a wonderful mother to her children.  She instilled in them the principles of the Gospel.  She was a wonderful cook and was known for her plain cakes, suet dumplings and currant loaf.
     After losing her eyesight she took a great deal of pleasure in listening to the radio and having visits from her grandchildren.  She always said the Lord had been good to her.  She firmly believed that our backs were made for our burdens, and the Lord never gives us more than He feels we can bear.