by Thomas Yates, son

Elizabeth Francis was born in South Moulton, Devonshire, England, Oct. 8, 1833. Her father John Francis was an army officer, who was away from home much of the time, therefore the mother and children looked forward to his visits as happy family reunions. The father taught the children to read and enjoy the Bible but they did not join any church, as the father claimed that none of the churches taught the doctrines as they were in the Bible and he admonished the family to seek for a religion which agreed with the Bible.

When Elizabeth was eleven years old her father died, Oct. 11, 1844, and when she was fifteen she married William Williams, the administrator of her father's estate, a man much older than Elizabeth. When Elizabeth was sixteen she gave birth to her first child, Susan Francis, born October 20, 1849, at South Moulton.

One evening Elizabeth and some of her lady friends heard there was to be a meeting, a new religion from America. Elizabeth and her friends attended out of curiosity, but when the young Mormon Elder proved every word he said from the Bible, Elizabeth remembered what her father had told her years before. On Dec. 3, 1857 she was baptized into the Mormon Church. By this time Elizabeth had given birth to three other children: Sarah Ellen Oct. 23, 1852; Evangaline Marie, August 10, 1854; Jesse Elizabeth 1856. When the husband found out that Elizabeth had been baptized he was furious. He told her she would either have to give up her religion or leave home alone, as the children belonged to him. She told her mother she had joined the Mormons and her mother told her never to darken her door again. The English law gave her no rights whatever, and Elizabeth had no place to turn. She could not give up her religion as she was convinced that it was the religion her father had told her to seek. The missionaries told her to go to the home of one of the missionaries, Thomas Yates. She went there to stay and found employment in a factory. She spent most of her earnings trying to find her children but the husband had moved and hidden the children from her.

Elizabeth saved her money and after six years joined a company of Mormons coming to Utah. Thomas Yates who has just completed his mission was in the same company. They landed in New York and traveled by train to St. Joseph, Missouri. On July 22, 1863, Elizabeth and Thomas Yates were married, and their honeymoon was crossing the plains.

They lived in Lehi the first winter, then moved to Round Valley (Scipio), Millard County, and lived in the fort to protect them from the Indians. When they arrived there were just six other families who lived in the Fort.

Elizabeth was an excellent seamstress, she also could braid straw and make hats. She always managed to have clean clothes for herself, her husband and children in which to attend church. The first three sheep she and Thomas ever owned were purchased with money received from the sale of some yards and yards of black velvet ribbon taken from one of the silk dresses Elizabeth brought with her from England. They later had a herd of sheep.

In 1869 Thomas became the manager of the Scipio Co-op Store, which he managed for 31 years, Elizabeth worked in the store, did all of her work besides. She went to Salt Lake and selected goods for the store. Many people stayed at the Yates home, and Elizabeth took care of all of them. She was an excellent nurse, and mid wife, going to every home that needed her help.

In 1877 when Scipio was organized into a Ward, Elizabeth became the first Relief Society President. Three years later she became Stake President of the Relief Society, and held that position for twenty-five years. She and Thomas did much Temple work in their later years.

All of the time she was working, she was wondering and worrying about the four little girls she left in England. Finally a missionary, George Teasdale, told her of a Mormon convert, Susan Francis Williams. Elizabeth got her address, wrote her and finally sent her money and she came to Scipio and lived with her mother. Through Susan Francis, Elizabeth learned that baby Elizabeth died shortly after Elizabeth went away, and Evangaline Marie died at the age of twelve. Mr. Williams had come to Michigan with the last girl, Sarah Ellen, for he was determined that Elizabeth would never find her. Through an ad in a paper, Susan found her sister and Elizabeth had the two girls with her the rest of her life. Elizabeth and Thomas had all four of these girls sealed to them with their own children.

Elizabeth led a busy but happy life. She was thoughtful and kind to everyone. Thomas died in Feb. 1903, and Elizabeth built a srnall home near her daughter Louisa Y. Robison in Salt Lake. She died Dec. 31, 1910, her funeral was the largest ever held in Scipio. She is buried beside her husband in the Scipio cemetery.

The children of Elizabeth Francis and Thomas Yates were: Hannah Elizabeth (Lizzie) married Henry Thompson and had eight children. At first they lived in Scipio, later moved to Plain City, Weber County where most of their posterity live. Sarah Louisa (Louie) married Joseph Lyman Robison, (son of Jos. V. and Martha Robison) They first lived in Fillmore, but later moved to Provo and from Provo to Salt Lake City. Louisa held many Church positions, among them was General President of the Relief Society for the Latter Day Saints church. Louisa and her husband had six children, two lived in Los Angeles, two in San Francisco, one in Boston and one in Pocatello, Ida. Thomas Jarvis, the only son, married Lydia Horne, who had two daughters, both married and live in Salt Lake City; Lydia died in 1903 and in 1904 Thomas married Lily Annette Fairbanks; they were blessed with eight children, five of them lived to be married and live in and around Salt Lake City. Two of the children born to Elizabeth and Thomas died in infancy.

Source: Builders of Early Millard