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John Edward and Mary Waslin Metcalf were living in Hull, Yorkshire, England. In 1834 on the 15th of March, a wee baby girl was born, whom they named Jane Ann. She was the first of twelve children, six of whom died in infancy or early childhood while they were living in England.

She was baptized on the 9th day of July 1849, when she was fifteen years of age and was the first member of this family to believe and accept the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was not until October 1849 that her parents were baptized. A brother, John Edward, born June [24th], 1839 at Hull, Yorkshire, England, was baptized in 1850. Another brother, Anthony, was born on the 5th of September 1843, at Belfast, Ireland and was baptized the 5th of September 185[1].

The father, John Edward, was a carpenter by trade, so moved about where and when a job was available. The next child, Mary Elizabeth, was born on the 24th of October 1845, at London, Middlesex, England and James was born on the 12th of January 1847 at the same place. Eliza "Roxie" was born on the 17th of August 1850 at Hull, Yorkshire, England.

This family was imbued with the spirit of gathering and they left England on the 17th of January 1853 on the ship Ellen Maria, bound for the United States of America, New Orleans, and then on to Utah or Zion as it was called at that time.

This company of 332 souls could all have been Latter-Day Saints, for they were under the command of Elder Moses Clawson.

One day while walking on deck, Jane Ann met William Bown, a handsome young man with bright blue eyes and blond curly hair. A romance followed - I am sure it was love at first sight, for they were married on the 30th day of January, she being a bride at just eighteen years of age.

The boat docked at New Orleans on the 6th of March 1853, and then they took passage on a steamboat and sailed up the mighty Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. It took about five weeks to get materials and supplies together for the next lap of their journey by steamboat to Keokuk. They remained here about three weeks to ready wagon, ox teams and other supplies for the next lap of the journey to Council Bluffs. From here they ferried across the Missouri River on flat-bottom boats and left Winter Quarters on the 14th of July, 1853, under command of Elder G.H. Wheelock in the Claudius Spencer Company. This part of their journey was hazardous, feed for oxen was often scarce and sometimes water was quite some distance from the camp grounds; but they were courageous and with a strong faith, undaunted by obstacles and difficulties of the tedious journey, they pushed onward over hills, prairies, valleys ever in danger of being molested by treacherous, roaming Indians; but always trusting in the divine council and leadership of our Father in Heaven they arrived in Salt Lake Valley at 8:00 in the evening of the 11th day of October in 1853.

Her husband worked for President Brigham Young from the 14th of October until the 28th of February 1854 when he went to Springville to work for a Mr. Houtz, being paid $20.00 per month, plus board and room. He liked Springville very much so purchased a home there for $60.00 and moved his wife Jane Ann there the latter part of June.

They were sealed for time and all eternity by Apostle George A. Smith on the 19th of November 1854.

Here their first child, a son whom they named William Bown Jr., was born on the 9th of November 1856.

Their second child, John Edward, was born on the 20th of December 1858. He was not long for this life, passing away on the 16th of September 1859.

Their third child, a son, whom they name Levi, was born on the 30th of June 1860.

William and Jane Ann received their endowments on the 13th of July 1861 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

She accompanied her husband to St. George when he left Springville in the fall of 1862, in answer to a call from the Presidency of the Church.

The climate of St. George was hot and dry and quite a change from the damp humid climate William had been accustomed to as a sailor.

Here the fourth child, Mary Jane, was born on the 11th of January, 1863, followed by the fifth child, a son, whom they gave the name of Hyrum was born the 2nd of February, 1865.

Life in St. George was not easy, but the Bown family was always blessed with the necessities of life - food, shelter, clothing. Their home was often visited by Indians. On one occasion a squaw with a tiny papoose on her back called at their humble home just as Jane Ann had finished molding the butter which she had just freshly churned. This squaw looked so longingly at the butter, saying, "Hungry, heapsy hungry." Mother Bown hesitated to give her a pat of butter, because a plate would have to accompany the butter and there was no means of cooling the butter so it could be wrapped in paper, but the squaw promised, "I bring back plate." So she went happily on her way with a big pat of butter on a very precious plate, which she returned the following afternoon.

On another occasion she returned just as Mother Bown had taken two luscious custard pies from the oven. Oh how she greedily eyed the pies, making signs that she wanted one! Again she was permitted to leave with a pie, promising to return the precious pie tin. True to her promise, she returned the pie tin and made known her appreciation for the pie.

Indians came begging often saying, "Hungry, heapsy hungry. Me want flour." They would ask for meat, also. Mother Bown always shared what she had with them.

One day an Indian mother with a papoose on her back and a small girl shyly holding onto her skirt and looking so thin and tired, Mother Bown's heart was touched and she went in, opening the lid of the flour bin to note that it was almost empty. She had thought that there was just enough flour for gruel for the family, but kind hearted as always she scraped the bin and divided with her visitor. Next morning when she raised the lid to scrape the remaining flour to make gruel, she was surprised and very humbled to see what looked like a small amount of flour had been dumped into the bin, making a small mound of flour.

Her flour bin never ever became entirely empty. Her friends and neighbors solved the phenomena by saying, because she always shared what she had with others less fortunate and never turned a hungry person from her door without first administering to their needs, she was greatly blessed and her food and supplies were multiplied or increased until they never ran out.

In the spring of 1865 the Bown family came to Fayette for a visit with Mother Bown's family who had moved there in the spring of 1864 from St. George in answer to a call from the church leaders to construct and operate a grist mill. At this time there was no grist mill south of Springville.

The Bown family made the journey in covered wagon and Father Bown's health improved while here, so upon receiving a release from this call he never returned to St. George, but his wife and nine-year old son, William Jr. and her brother Anthony, returned to sell the home and belongings, such as they could not bring with them in the wagon. They returned with the household furniture, the little "Spinning Wheel" and the "Brass Kettles" to make a home here. At first they lived with the Metcalf family.

In 1884 he built a home on North Main Street of adobes he made himself. This fine home was a product of their own handiwork and they lived comfortably.

One day an Indian came when Jane Ann was out in the garden. It was watermelon season and they had some in the garden. He asked her for the largest melon and she said "no," but he picked it and followed her to the house. When she turned and saw him carrying it, she slapped his face, but he took it with him when he left.

Several times the families were advised to move to Fort Hog-Wallow for protection from the hostile Indians. Such a move took place in the summers of 1866 and 1867.

The community was organized as a branch of the church in 1862 with Branch Young as president under the Gunnison Ward bishopric. He was succeeded in 1864 by John Edward Metcalf, father of Jane Ann.

When the Sanpete Stake of Zion was organized July 4th, 1877, the Fayette Branch became a Bishop's Ward with John Bartholomew as Bishop.

The Relief Society was first organized on the 12th of September 1875 with Jane Ann Bown as president, Jane Cooper, first councilor and Polly Bartholomew second councilor, a position which Jane Ann filled until the time of her death on the 11th of December 1894.

On the 3rd of October 1891, the Primary was reorganized with Jane Ann Bown president, which office she also held until her death.

One day an Indian woman came to her home asking for bread, which she always kept in her boiler. The Indian went to the boiler and said, "Bread." When Jane Ann raised the lid from the boiler the squaw laughed, saying "Bread, always bread." She was given some bread.

On another occasion a squaw who came to the home remarked "Pretty skirt" (referring to the skirt Jane Ann was wearing). So she went to the bedroom and brought a skirt which she gave to the woman. Some time later she saw her wearing it.

Indians came often, sometimes in large groups. Occasionally they were given flour that had been given as "fast offerings." This flour was in the custody of William Bown, the Ward clerk.

Five more children were added to this family: James, born the 11th of July, 1867 in Gunnison, or Hog Wallow and the following were born at Warm Creek or Fayette, Sanpete County, Utah. Lafayette, on the 25th day of September, 1869; Francis Nelson on the 28th of February, 1872; Charles on the 15th of November, 1873; and Isabel, born on the 5th of August, 1877 and died on the 14th day of April 1879. Her sister, Mary Jane died on the 5th day of September 1874, leaving their parents with just a family of boys to raise.

Levi's first wife, Sarah Matilda Dack, passed away on the 31st of December, 1883 leaving a tiny new baby girl and two older daughters, Ada Dell, born 30th June 1879 and Saray Jane, born the 1st of January 1882. Ada Dell and Sarah Jane went to live with their grandparents, William and Jane Ann Bown and the new baby was taken to the other grandmother, Sildona Maxam Dack. Grandmother Bown often told the little girls that they had come to replace the two daughters they had lost.

The Bown family had a good home. The floors were carpeted with homemade carpet, which she and her sister Eliza, who owned a loom, had woven. She kept a bowl of artificial flowers on the table, which were beautiful and she made them with fine wire and hair; knit lace for pillow cases; beautiful embroidery work; using beautiful colors she worked a beautiful picture - "Home Sweet Home" which hung in the living room; she helped line the caskets which her husband made and very artistically used gold or silver round-head tacks; ribbon and gathered lace; used a strip of paste-board to measure so the gathers were even.

No mattresses were available for beds but they made ticks to fit the beds and filled some with clean straw or goose feathers. The son, Hyrum, was the "hunter" who brought in the ducks, one hundred at a time. The feathers were plucked and used in the feather ticks and pillows and the ducks were frozen, carefully wrapped and stored in the cellar or buried in the wheat in the bin, along with other meats. They always raised sheep for mutton; this meat was always stored in the wheat in the bin, and the fat was rendered and used in making tallow candles; also a beef was always added to the bin to be used through the year or cold weather. Pork was cured, then smoked in her sister Eliza's smokehouse, using oak wood. They used a draw knife to cut the meat.

Produce was traded for Dixie molasses which was made at Nephi. They grew sweet apples which was made into "Sweet pickles" also preserves were made of blue plums, pottawattome plums; ground cherries which grew wild were gathered when ripe (a golden yellow) and were cleaned and rinsed with warm soda water, then cooked into preserves, using lemon juice for a little tartness.

A loaf of bread was always kept in a certain drawer for children to "piece" on when hungry. There was a sharp knife handy and butter and preserves to put on a slice of bread. Grandmother knew children who worked or played hard where hungry between meals. She and her sister Eliza worked together when taking care of fruit, vegetables, meats and other things, doing much of their sewing together. They were next door neighbors and enjoyed each other very much and Eliza's daughter Roxie made many of the dresses for Ada Dell and Sarah Jane.

Along with her many responsibilities she always sand in the choir. Her son, Lafayette and his wife Clara were living with them when their first child, Marquious was born on the 21st of March 1892 and Grandmother took care of them. They were living in Gunnison in a house where Clyde Rosenvall's Garage now stand when their second son, Jesse Clinton, was born on the 30th of November 1894. Lafayette came here and took Grandmother to their home in Gunnison to tend his wife and new son. It rained on them on their trip to Gunnison as they had no shelter. Grandmother got wet - she kept the wet clothes on while there as she had not taken extra clothes with her and when they were returning, rain fell on them again and she got wet again. She went to bed that night with a cold and pneumonia. Her sister Eliza was there to care for her, making poltices of mustard and bran to loosen up the congestion of the cold, also the Elders were called in to administer to her, but nothing seemed to help and she passed away on the 11th of December 1894. She was not a tall woman. Her hair was brown, parted in the middle and combed down, her eyes were a brown; her last years she put on some weight. I recall my father saying Grandmother was heavy.

Her grand-daughters, Ada Dell age 15 and Sarah Jane, nearly 12 years old, stayed on after her death and kept house for Grandfather and their uncles.

Grandmother was a fond wife and mother and had taught her granddaughters well and prepared them for life. She was always faithful and was loved by all who knew her. I think she must have been a perfectionist as she did everything well. I wish that I might have known her.

Contributed by jvwh@earthlink.net

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