BIRTHDATE: 17 Apr 1806

Cazenovia, Madison. New York

DEATH: 27 Aug 1880

Provo, Utah Co., Utah

PARENTS: Oliver K. Whitcomb

Olive Whitlock

PIONEER: 23 Sep 1848

Lorenzo Snow Wagon Train

SPOUSE: Gilberth Haws

MARRIED: Jun 1822

DEATH SP: Mar 1877

Provo, Utah Co., Utah

CHILDREN:

Caroline, 7 Jan 1825

Matilda, 31 Oct 1826

Lucinda, 20 Oct 1828

Eliza, 29 Mar 1830

Francis Marion, 8 Dec 1831

Amos Whitcomb. 10 Jul 1833

William Wallace. 18 Feb 1835

Alben, 15 Feb 1837

Caleb Willman, 7 Oct 1838

George Washington, 12 Mar 1841

Emma Smith, 6 Aug 1843

Mary Olive, 28 Jun 1845

John Madison, 24 Mar 1847

Gilberth Oliver 8 Oct 1849

Hannah Whitcomb was born in New York in 1806. Her family were early pioneers, moving to Illinois where they met the Haws family. They were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1842.

Hannah had married Gilberth Haws, June 2, 1822. Their family consisted of fourteen children; they all traveled to Utah arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, September 23, 1848.

This family lived near Nauvoo during the Saints time there. In 1845, the Elders brought the message that the families should be prepared to go West with the Saints because of the persecutions against them in Nauvoo since the death of Joseph and Hyrum. In May 1847, they went to Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, and remained there for awhile, then the preparations were made for their departure by May, 1848.

The following is taken from Hannah's writings: "We had to wash our clothes in cold water and make fires of buffalo chips. We would all assemble in the center of the corrals, formed by the circle of wagons, and sing and pray. Everyone seemed thankful and a good time was had by all."

Upon their arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, they met the challenge of caring for the large family in a little adobe house in the Old Fort, a one-room 12' by 12' square, with a fireplace and two port-holes about l0" square on each side of the chimney. The roof was made of willow rushes and dirt with a dirt floor.

In 1849, the Haws family was called to go to Utah Valley to help build Fort Utah near the Provo River. Several of Hannah's sons were called on missions, some leaving wives and children behind for her to help care for.

The family worked together to survive. The women and children helped with the planting, irrigating, weeding and harvesting of their crops. Hannah learned to sew on a sewing machine and made many articles of clothing for her family and the families of her sons and daughters.

When the church's enemies struck against the Church regarding polygamy, some of Hannah's sons had to move to Mexico.

Gilberth Haws passed away in 1877, in Provo. Hannah Whitcomb Haws passed away on August 21, 1880, also in Provo.