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My grandmother Amelia Reece Webster was born in Crumlin South Wales October 6, 1856, a daughter of Henry Thomas and Elizabeth Powell Reece. Her father was an educated man and something of a Dandy who loved to dabble in the gentlemanly pursuits of fox hunting and riding to the hounds.
The story is told of him coming home, rather reluctantly, one day to tell his wife that he had lost everything they had and were now penniless, and she, surprisingly enough told him "It was the best thing that had ever happened to them." Because of the sentiment against the L. D. S. church which they had joined Henry could not find, better work so went into the coal mines.
Not having money for passage to Zion, but having a son in law, Richard Palmer, here in America who could sign for them, they were able to borrow from the "Perpetual Emigration fund, "78 pounds 13 (about $422.67 our money) which brought them, Henry Thomas, Elizabeth the mother and children, Mary, Joseph, Hyrum and Amelia, who was my grandmother, to Utah. Three daughters, Martha, Johanna and Elisabeth were already here and one daughter Sarah stayed in the old country.
They crossed the plains by train to Ogden Utah, near which the train was wrecked and Joseph was killed and the mother lost one eye.
Amelia worked at odd jobs in her early teens and at 18 years of age she married David Williams, whose invalid wife she had eared for, for a year or two before she died. Amelia had two sons by this marriage. David Henry, who died in infancy, and John Reece, who grew to manhood and then without then passed away. Her husband David was killed when his team ran away on the mountain road. John was 1 1/2 years old at this time.
On the 25th of July 1878 she married Francis Webster as a second wife. Francis was my grandfather and from this marriage she had five children, David W., Sarah, Agnes, Frances and Joseph R.
My grandmother was an industrious cheerful and hard working woman devoted to her church and her family. Her daughters tell me they always had family prayers and no matter how poor their circumstances, she always paid her tithing.
She especially loved old people and children and they loved her and came often to her home. Bro. William R. Palmer told me, you could go to her door almost any afternoon and find her serving a cup of tea and teacakes or pancakes to friends. Mother says she remembers when they lived on Main Street hearing old people call in her door on their way down town to ask: if the "Kittle" was on. Many town gatherings were held at her home. The young folks, then, who are still with us now, Tell me of going to her house after a dance for her delicious "Tea Cakes" homemade cheese and mustard pickles.
She did many jobs to support her family. She was an excellent seamstress and darner and did mending on suits and special clothes. I think the older ones of our family can remember wearing sox and long stockings she had knit. I well remember the red knit petticoat I got each winter. I called it my "skin a rabbit". She was a midwife.
Many times they had only bread and milk gravy to eat for the children, and bread and tea for the mother but it was always served on a clean table cloth. Grandmother said the clean cloth made it special. She died at the age of 58 here in Cedar City.
At this time (1955) she has
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Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp. 79-80. Minor changes made.
| Home | Francis Webster | Ann Elizabeth (Betsy) Webster | Amelia Webster | William Webster |
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