Jemima Seamons Daines

As I write my blog today, it is with a smile on my face. I have fallen in love with Jemima because of what I have come to learn about her.

I only learned about her because of a family history assignment for a Primary Sharing Time presentation I was asked to give at church. It was July so, of course, my thoughts turned to the pioneers. For years I had asked my mother for any stories of our ancestors that had joined the church and crossed the plains, and her response was, "There are some stories and journals in a box somewhere."  Well I had inherited all the boxes at my parents passing, so I dug in and found a full treasure trove of my family's histories. I connected with Jemima and her story right away, so I asked my daughter Cecelia to dress-up and be my great-great grandmother and tell the children about Jemima. Cecelia was great, she came in and in an English accent told her (Jemima's) story. The children were mesmerized, as much as I was, when they learned of this simple woman who loved with a mother's love all she met.

Jemima was born 15 December 1839, in All Saints, South Elmham, Suffolk, England, to Henry Seamons and Mary King. She was the fifth child of eight children. Henry was of the farm labor class, poor but hard-working. Due to the circumstances of their financial situation the children were sent out at young ages to help the family make ends meet. Even though times were difficult Jemima had many fond memories of growing up. Her father was an avid gardener and she remembered all the beautiful flowers, as well as, picking currants from out of her second story bedroom window because her father had trained the vines to grow that way.

Formal education was not an option for the Seamons children, Jemima had only attended school for one week, but their mother Mary had been a school teacher so they were taught by her to read and write.

 Jemima was more frail than some of her siblings and was unable to to do the hard field labor but the work that best suited her was caring for others. She was sent out to work in the homes close by to help with the housework. Her true calling came when a neighbor had lost his wife, leaving a 2 week old baby who needed care. Jemima was asked to go help the house keeper care for the younger children and other household chores. She had been blessed with a mother's love for caring so it was not to long before the house keeper turned the entire care of the infant over to her.

About this same time the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were laboring in the South Elmham area, this was the same time Robert Daines and his first wife Mary Ann joined the church, and the Seamons family accepted the gospel. Henry, Jemima's brother, was so enthusiastic about his desire to be baptized, when a place for the baptism to take place could not be found, he dug a pit on his father's lot and hauled water by bucket from a half a mile away to fill the pit.

It was the desire of all the new saints to join the body of the church in Utah, but the family was so poor it was believed a near impossible event to hope for. Four years after joining the church the way was made that they could come to America. Mary's (Jemima's mother) aunt died, leaving her a large sum of money. It turned out to be enough to bring the entire family, along with three sons-in-law to America.

Jemima was faced with a true dilemma, the father of the child she had been caring for came to her and pleaded with her to stay. She loved this little girl but knew her place was with her family and the Saints, so she spent her final night in England with her beloved ward and then sailed for America the 14 February 1856.

When the family arrived in New York they had only a few shillings left, so it was necessary to find work. A Mr. Hollenbeck came from New Jersey looking for a girl to do housework, and thinking it was close by Jemima's mother gave her consent.

As it turned out there was a large group of Saints, in the New Jersey area, all working to save up money to join the Saints in Utah. It was here in New Jersey that Robert Daines hired Jemima to care for his ailing wife Mary Ann. Mary Ann and Jemima became fast friends, so when it became evident to Mary Ann that she would not live long she asked Jemima to accept Robert as her husband if he asked. Mary Ann passed away January 1, 1858.

As I ponder on Jemima and her early life, I wonder at her and her love for people and the gospel. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to leave this little girl, that she had mothered from infancy, and her father begging her to stay. To leave all you know and go to America because of a religion. She was truly a woman of faith and love.

Note: This information comes from recollections of her daughter Lucy and her son William Moroni (my great-grandfather). The timing is a little off because of when she joined the church and began to care for the little girl, the little girl was written to be 2 years old when Jemima left for America, but they had joined the church 4 years earlier. It is my hope to find out the name of the little girl because her name is never mentioned.

The Family

Journaling has always been hard for me to do, but through this project I am gaining a great appreciation for my ancestors and the stories that have been preserved for us, to learn about them and from them. My great-grandfather William Moroni Daines (pictured seated on the far right in the family picture), in 1928 wrote his memories of his parents. He had misgivings because of the length of time that had elapsed, the lack of documentation and his own weaknesses but his recorded knowledge gives us a glimpse into the life of our early pioneer heritage and the first family members to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Robert Daines was born in St. Cross, Suffolk, England on 3 Aug 1829, son of James Sillett and Lydia Daines. Although he was the father of her child, Lydia did not marry James, but instead married Nathaniel Wilkinson in 1831. Nathaniel was a farm hand and labored hard to provide for his family. It was shared in William Moroni Daines journal (Robert' son), that his step-father was very unkind to Robert because he was jealous of the love that Lydia showed her son. Later in life, Nathaniel was able to acknowledged his jealously and asked Robert for his forgiveness, which was readily granted.

Out of need to meet the needs of the growing family, Robert at age 6 to 8 years old was put to work by his step-father’s employers herding the cows and sheep away from their crops to keep them from being trampled. This experience began his training to become dependable and hard-working. As a young man he hired out to farmers in the area for 5 pounds, equal to $25 a year, plus board and lodging. He learned well the methods of farming in Suffolk, which was one of the very rich farming districts of England. He was very particular to do well in any undertaking, this was exemplified by his ability to furrow entirely straight furrows with a hand plow, earning him the praise of both employers and friends. Because of his dependability and character his employers would leave him temporarily in charge when they were absent.

Even though he demonstrated hard-work and leadership there was no time for formal education, coupled with, “The ministers of the Protestant churches and the people generally of father’s (Robert) acquaintances referred to and quoted the scripture which says, ‘That the sins of the fathers would be visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generation,’ but would quote no further. Some would apply these words to him.” Robert struggled with who he knew he was and breaking out of where the world had placed him. At age 19, hoping to improve his lot, he sought to enlist with the Queen’s Guard, but he was rejected because he was a quarter of an inch short of the six foot requirement. The fact that with all his discouragements, his refusal to join a lesser branch of the army shows his ambitions and ideals to be of a high order. At the time he was very disappointed but later in his life he acknowledged the over-ruling hand of providence in his behalf that kept him from such a different life as the army would have provided.

On the 11^th of October 1851, Robert married his first wife Mary Ann Barker, daughter of Stephen Barker and Charlotta Curtis, born 19 Feb 1833, in Suffolk, England. She was a beautiful, dark complexioned, black-haired girl, well respected by all and a favorite among young people.

                                          

During the summer and fall of 1851, Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Say Saints labored for the first time in the neighborhood, and they were among the first to accept their message. When the Elders taught the doctrine of repentance and forgiveness of sin and quoted the scripture, ‘That the sins of the fathers would be visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generation,’ but then finished the verse, ‘of them that hate me, and showing mercy to thousands who keep my commandments.’ It gave him more hope and courage than he had ever had before and led him to further investigation and ultimate acceptance. Robert and Mary Ann were baptized on 17 Dec 1851, by Elder William Smith. Many in the area joined the church, including the Seamons’ family who would come to play a significant role in Robert’s life in just a few years.

Mary Ann bore four children:

·         George born 13 January 1852, died 2 June 1852, age 5 months.

·         Eliza born 2 July 1853, died 27 February 1854, age 7 months.

·         George born 5 November 1854, died 9 September 1855, age 10 months.

·         Ellen born 5 November 1856, died 6 February 1857, age 3 months. She was born in New Jersey after they had immigrated to America.

It was a great trial in his life to lose his children, as well as the persecution of family and friends for him and Mary Ann joining the church. He therefore went to the Elders for comfort and consolation for both himself and his loved companion. Elder Smith gave him a blessing and in the blessing he was promised that if he would be faithful in his duties, especially in the payment of his tithing that the Lord would open up his way in due time to emigrate to Zion and that he would live to have a numerous posterity of sons and daughters to bear his name. While this seemed almost impossible of fulfillment, the current conditions seeming so much against it. They took courage, continued faithful and worked always with that object in view.

It wasn’t until my early adulthood that I had learned the origin of my last name being Daines and that had Lydia married James Sillett that my name would have been different. Even though, illegitimate children were not uncommon for the time in England, it was obvious in my great-grandfathers telling of the story that Robert was judged by the condition of his birth. Learning of Robert and his trials gives me great hope and courage for my life because I know how his ends and the blessing of Elder Smith does come to pass. We are all given difficulties to overcome, but it is what we become as a result that is our reward.

Robert Daines, my great-great grandfather

As I look back at my childhood, some of my fondest memories were Sunday visits to Grandma and Grandpa Daines's home in Brigham City, Utah. We would eat food, play with cousins, and dress-up in Grandma's old clothes and jewelry. But my favorite part was to sit real still and quiet, so the grown-ups didn't notice me, and listen. They would talk about the "good ol' days" growing up in Cache County. I listened happily as they recalled their joys, their trials and tragedies, and the laughter they shared as a family. It was these stories that created my thirst for family history. 
I am currently studying family history at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I have created this blog for the purpose of sharing my research as it unfolds about the Robert Daines family.