In our previous discussion, Jane Mills Paxton's husband Anthony Clark Paxton had died on the hospital ship Dreadnaught.
The following is taken verbatim from an interview with Lois P. Bell on Nov 11, 1948, as posted on this family history site. I am unsure of the relationship of Ms. Bell to Jane Mills Paxton, and while many of the more insignificant details included have not (or cannot) be corroborated, the larger details are consistent with what we know from other sources, helping these uncorroborated details to pass a "smell test".
Jane Mills was born on the sixth of September in the year 1814, in the city of New Castle-Upon-Tyne, England. Her father was Peter Mills, and her mother was Isabella French.
When Jane was born King George, the third, of the Hanovarian line of Kings was on the throne. From birth until the time she left England at the age of 49, she was a British subject, under three kings and a queen. There were: George, the Third, under whose reign England lost America; George, the Fourth, who reigned until her sixteenth birthday; William the Fourth, who was king from her sixteenth the her twenty third birthday; and Queen Victoria, who was still on the throne when Jane with her little family left England in 1863.
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| The "Black Gate" |
She met and married Anthony Paxton of Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Just as the city of Jane's birth as located on the banks of the river Tyne, so was the city of her husband's birth on the banks of the river Tweed.
Anthony Paxton was a professional sailor and sea captain and was away most of the time on his voyages up and down the coast from Tynemouth Harbor to London. This left Jane alone most of the time to keep the house and raise her family. Sometime prior to the birth of their first child the moved to Northshields, Durham County, a city also built on the river Tyne. Here on March 19, 1839, when Jane was 24 years old, their little girl was born. They christened her Isabella, after Jane's mother, Isabella French. Their second child, Anthony, was born August 20, 1842 in the same city.
They later moved to Southshields, just across the harbor from Northshields. Here in Southshields, Jane Mills Paxton gave birth to a third child on the 29th of May, 1845, a son who was named James Mills.
Two years later, on December 31, 1847, the fourth child was born. This was a girl and they named her Jane. This father and mother were then thirty-three years old.
In the spring of 1848, Anthony Paxton, the husband and father of this little family, bade them goodbye, set sail from the harbor of Tynemouth, up the eastern coast of England to London, on what was to prove his last voyage. He little dreamed he had made his last farewell and would never see them again. He was stricken with brain fever and removed from his own vessel and placed on board the "Dreadnaught", a floating hospital ship, stationed near Greenwich.
After suffering very much for ten days with fever and delirium and despite the knowledge and skill of Dr. John Hoar, who was in attendance on the hospital ship, he passed away May 25, 1848, at the age of 34. His body lies buried at Greenwich, West Kent County, England.
In the meantime Jane and her little family at home 270 miles away, knew nothing of all this. No work had reached them and they were joyously awaiting his return. One day little James had a strange presentment that his Daddy was dead and in his innocent baby way-- he was only three years old-- kept telling his mother: "Papa is dead".
It proved only too true for word finally came to Jane of her husband's death. Her grief was very deep and she could find no comfort. Her baby, Jane, was only five months old, James Mills three, Anthony six, and Isabella nine years. She was forced to work anything she could find to do. She learned nursing, among other things, and became an expert mid-wife.
Two years after her husband's death she moved with her children to Sunderland, and still two years later in 1852 she moved to Middlesboro, Yorkshire, England. Here her son, James, went to work in Balcoe's Iron Works. His father's death deprived the children of the chance for an education and they had to work to help keep the family. James worked hard and was soon promoted to refineries. Anthony, too, was working and this helped the mother very much.
One day two strange young men came to her door asking for food and shelter. They said they were Mormon missionaries, preaching, what the world called a new gospel. They told her a new prophet had arisen in America, namely, Joseph Smith. They told her that out of the ground had come a book containing the history of dead people and the everlasting gospel. (Note: Read a history of the early Mormon missionaries to the British Isles here)
These Mormon missionaries then gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and explained its principles to her. her home became a chapel for the Elders and they were ever welcome there. She finally became convinced of the truth of their teachings and two years after they first came to her door she was baptized in 1854. Her daughter, Isabella, was baptized the same day at the age of 15, and her son James, who was 9 years old, but Anthony did not join the church until he was 19 years old.
During Jane's work as a nurse and wid-wife she met and married Dr. John Ramsey, about the year 1860.
On August 4, 1861 Anthony and his comrad James Ratcliff, were baptized by Elder John Gleason, and they decided at once to come to America and on to Utah. Dr. Ramsey decided to sail with them and prepare a place for Jane and her three other children to come too.
When Isabella was 18 she married Alfred Whatcott of London. A son named Henry was born to them while they lived in Middlesboro (Middlesbrough); also a girl name Elizabeth Hannah, who died when 2 years old; and a girl named Jane. Isabella and her family lived near her mother in Middlesboro.
These two families were now parting with their belongings and preparing to join Dr. Ramsey and Anthony in Utah. Severing relationships with all one holds dear is a very trying experience and Jane's heart was very sorrowful.
By the spring of 1863 their affairs were all settled, and at the time Jane, who was now 16 years old was baptized.
The day for their journey to begin arrived on Thursday, 30th of April, 1863. This group consisted of Jane and her two youngest children, James Mills 18, and Jane 16; the married daughter Isabella and her husband Alfred Whatcott, and their two children, Henry and Jane; and a family friends from New Castle-Upon-Tyne named John Black. They traveled from Middlesboro to Liverpool by train. At Liverpool they took passage on a sailing vessel, The John J. Boyd. (click for an interesting read on the LDS passages on the John J. Boyd.) There was great company of immigrant saints on this vessel, 766 in all. They were under the direction of William W. Cluff. The weather was beautiful during the crossing but all Jane's little group were seasick except James Mills. They passed an iceberg floating 500 feet above the water in one place. A stowaway was found on board and he was put to work helping the sailors.
They were 32 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean and arrived in New York on June 1st, 1863. From there they traveled by train, 12 days to Florence, Nebraska, arriving there June 12.
For the next eight weeks they were all very busy getting their outfits together so they could join the next train of immigrants leaving for Great Salt Lake. The wagon train was expected at any time. When it finally arrived, Anthony, the oldest son had come with it as a teamster to meet his mother. There was great rejoicing as he had been gone almost two years. The stepfather, Dr. John Ramsey, remained in Slat Lake to meet then when they arrived there.
On August 6th there was great activity and excitement. Under the direction of Captain Daniel D. McArthurs, the long train of 75 wagons pulled out of Florence, Nebraska, (also known in Mormon history as Winter Quarters) on it's way across the plains.
Usually they made from 15 to 20 miles a day, most of them walking. They camped when night overtook them, using buffalo chips for wood for the camp fires. They sang songs and danced around the camp fires at night and took turns guarding the cattle against possible Indian raids. Jane had bought a cow in Florence, Nebraska, and James drover her all the way and carried a rifle. They shared together the privations, sorrows, and troubles that befell all immigrant trains.
When the train arrived at Forrest Canyon some miles from the Salt Lake Valley, Isabella Whatcott gave birth to her fourth child, named Anthony, with Jane acting as mid-wife and nurse. The wagons then moved on and they arrived in Slat Lake late the same day, October 3, 1863, where they were met by Dr. John Ramsey.
Isabella was one of the noble pioneer women who underwent the hardships of the long journey and suffered childbirth in an immigrant wagon.
After they had rested in Salt Lake a few days, Brigham Young assigned them the task of going on south to help in settling Parowan, a distance of 240 miles farther, so there would be a doctor and nurse in that settlement.
Although it was getting well into late fall, they journed on for two more weeks and finally arrived in Parowan. While here, Anthony married Susan Clark. Jane went to work for Amasa Lyman and later married John Black who had journeyed to Parowan with them. From Parowan they were sent to Panguitch and just got settled there when the Black Hawk Indian War broke out and all were forced to moved their cabins together in a form of a fort. Militray rules were made and John Lowdeer was made Captain. He in turn made James a Lieutenant.
Dr. Ramsey, Jaems Mills, Alfred Whatcott, and John Balck all fought in the Black Hawk War at Panguitch.
On May 11, 1863, Isabella's husband, Alfred Whatcott, tried to cross the Sevier River on horseback at high water and was drowned. His body was found by Joseph H. Joseph and was buried in Panguitch. The widowed girl and her three children were thus left to the care of the rest of the family and on October 16, 1865, five months after her husband was drowned, she gave birth to a fourth child, Alfred, and once more Jane was the nurse.
The white settlers were then driven from Panguitch by the Indians and Jane's family went to Toquerville. Her youngest son Jame Mills Paxton, then took all his belongings and moved to Kanosh. Soon after this all of his family and John Black, who married Jane's daughter Jane moved to Beaver.
Finally in 1867, all of them moved to Kanosh where the son James, lived. During the later part of September, 1869, this whole family traveled in wagons to Salt Lake City and went through the old Endowment House. Those married there for eternity were Anthony Paxton and his wife, Susan Clark; Jane and her husband, John Black; James Mills and Elizabeth Brown. Isabella Whatcott was sealed to her husband, and Jane and Dr. Ransey were re-married for time only.
Jane was a faithful worker in the church and a loyal pioneer nurse. During the 26 years she lived in Utah she brought a great many babies into the world in the various settlements in which she lived. Thirty- eight of them were her own grandchildren.
In 1887 her second husband, Dr. John Ramsey, passed away in Kanosh, Utah.
In October 1889, Jane, after all the hardships and trails she had endured, suffered a new sorrow. That of seeing her son James Mills taken away by United States marshalls and put in the Utah Penitentiary for polygamy. He had married a second wife, Adelaid Tippett, twelve years before in the St. George Temple. It was the last farewell for Jane and her youngest son for they never saw each other again. Five months later on February 20th, 1890 she died at Kanosh, Utah and was buried beside her husband. Three of her children, Isabella, Anthony, and Jane were at her bedside when she died, but James had been put in the "pen".
Jane Mills Paxton Ramsey was a dear, kind, prayerful woman, loyal to her duties to the Church and faithful always to the Gospel she had accepted in her native England. She was loved by all and affectionately known as "Grandma Ramsey" wherever she went. Fifteen missions have been filled by her descendants.
On October 17, 1938, she was sealed by proxy to her first husband; Anthony Paxton; and her four children, who had all gone to meet her in the spirit world, were also sealed to them.
They who lived in such close companionship in this world shall not be separated throughout all eternity, in the world to which they have gone.
(Someone named Pamela has a great website listing the descendants of Jane Mills Paxton, along with images of burial stones, and scans of birth & death certificates.)
Thank you for posting this. We stumbled upon this site while doing an ancestor report for our daughter's 4th grade class. My husband is a descendent of Jane through Isabella and Alfred Whatcott. We appreciate your time in preparing this.
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