Heywood, Leland (1892-1976) Pioneer Heritage

          (Leland is the father of the contributor, Richard N. Heywood)

Leland Heywood's Family in 1941

Leland Heywood’s Pioneer Heritage

Leland Heywood
Birth:  17 Apr 1892, Alpine, Apache, Arizona
Death:  6 Dec 1976, Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona
Father:  : Joseph Neal Heywood (1851-1904)
Mother:  Sarah Francelle Coleman (1860-1937)

  

  Joseph Neal Heywood (1851-1904) –   Leland’s Father

Neal, born 18 Nov 1851 in Nephi, Juab, Utah    

His birth as recorded by his mother, Martha Spence Heywood —

January 1^st 1852; it is more than two months since making any record, in which time my darling boy was born on the 18^th of November, about half-past nine forenoon in the wagon. . . (I) suffered much unnecessary pain and distress from taking a wrong position as, also, from the smallness of the wagon and its openness.  Sister Anna Gifford was all the assistance I had and after my sweet one was born left pretty much to myself, having taken all the care of my babe from the time he was first dressed.[1]   

     He lived with the Joseph Leland Heywood family in SLC after his younger sister’s death in Nephi, 8 Oct 1853.  Later he accompanied his father and mother to Southern Utah where he lived until his migration to Alpine, Apache, Arizona in 1888.  He was a farmer and a school teacher.[2]  The following table lists his places of residence as an adult with highlights

He was Bishop of the Alpine Ward, St. Johns Stake, Arizona, from 1891 to 1896.  He was baptized when eight years old, ordained an Elder July 17, 1875 by Wm. J. Smith, filled a mission to New Zealand in 1888-1891, and was ordained a High Priest and Bishop Sept. 5, 1891 by David K. Udall.[3]

     Tragic Death:  The Thatcher Justice of Peace is Found Dead in His Hay Field With His Neck Broken—[4]

Tuesday morning of last week, the community of our neighbor town, Thatcher, was startled by the news of the sudden death of Mr. J. N. Heywood, the justice of peace of that precinct.

He went to work very early that morning and after awhile returned to his house for breakfast.

He than returned to his hay field:  but after awhile his wife noticed the team moving about over the field without any driver in sight.  Mrs. Heywood went to the field, and found her husband lying on the ground dead, his neck being broken.

An alarm was at once raised, and soon the body was taken to the house, the body having the appearance of having been dead about an hour.

The funeral took place on Wednesday.

Justice Heywood was an earnest upright man, a good citizen, a leading member of the Mormon church, and one who enjoyed the full confidence of Thatcher.

He leaves a wife and several children, some of them being quite young.—Guardian

Neal, died 17 May 1904 in Thatcher, Graham, Arizona at the age of 52 y 5 mo and 29 d.

The Joseph Neal Heywood Family Places of Residence and Major Highlights

Places of Residence		Highlights
Nephi	Utah	Neal, born in a wagon box 18 Nov 1851. Father, Joseph Leland Heywood; mother, Martha Spence
Salt Lake City	Utah	Neal, lived with the Joseph Leland Heywood family in SLC after his younger sister’s death in Nephi, 8 Oct 1853.
Washington	Utah	Neal lived with his mother where they farmed and taught school.
Pinto	Utah	Francelle, born 22 March 1860 in Pinto, Washington, Utah
Spring Valley	Nevada	Neal taught school. Francelle  met her “School Master”, “Mr. Heywood”, became engaged to him at age 14.  They married 12 Jan 1876 shortly before she turned 16; he was 25. Joseph Neal, Jr., born 23 Oct 1876.
Upper Kanab	Utah	Spence Coleman was born 19 Oct 1878.
On the Trail	Utah-Arizona	Migration:  “…move to Arizona autumn of 1880 and ending at Alpine Jan. 5, 1881…”[5]
Alpine	Arizona	Martha Emma, born 21 Feb 1883 and died 24 Dec 1893. Ella, born 1 Sep 1884 Ida Etta, born 15 Apr 1887 and died 24 Dec 1889  [That must have been a bleak Christmas.] Leland, born 17 Apr 1892 [Four hundred years after Columbus discovered America.] Sarepta (Seppy) Francelle, born 3 Apr 1894
New Zealand	New Zealand	Neal, served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
St. Johns	Arizona	Seppy, died 12 Aug 1895 David Evans, born 11 Aug 1896 Sarah Velma, born 31 Aug 1898
Alpine	Arizona	Robert (Bob) Tassie, born 17 Nov 1900 Irving Yeates (Yates), born 11 Nov 1902
Thatcher	Arizona	The family moved to Alpine in 1900. Joseph Neal, Sr., killed in a farming accident 17 May 1904. Francelle became a widow with 6 children 12 years of age or younger.
Mesa	Arizona
Los Angeles	California	Francelle died 9 Feb 1937 at the age of 77.

    Sarah Francelle Coleman Heywood (1860-1937) [6] - Leland’s Mother

Francelle, born 22 March 1860 in Pinto, Washington, Utah

     Childhood and youth were somewhat lonely with only a few friends.  She participated in “horseback riding and helping with the milking, cooking and washing dishes.”[7]

     Francelle met her “School Master”, “Mr. Heywood,” in Spring Valley, Lincoln, Nevada, became engaged to him at age 14 and married 12 Jan 1876 when she was 15 y 9 m 21 d; he was 25.  She addressed him as “Mr. Heywood” throughout her life.

      As an adult she faced “fear of Indians on the war path; heavy rains that caused the sod roofed houses to leak long after the rains had ceased (and) much heavy work to do, that only a man should do, but no other help could be provided, as every family . . . had more than enough work to do and it was necessary for the women to help in order to survive.”[8]

     She worked with her husband in “training their children to maintain high ideals, to strive for the best education possible and to teach them doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to teach them the importance of earnestly living God’s commandment, developing spiritual values in life, and understanding the goodness of God and His love for all His children. . .”[9]

     She became a widow at age 44 when her husband was killed in a farming accident.  She had 6 children who were 12 and less, including a 2 and ½ year old son.  Fortunately, there were older children to help with the family and its needs!  Still, they were poor and her hardship continued.

     She met the demands of pioneer life.  She worked hard to qualify as a teacher; she “taught school for 26 years.”[10]

     “Francelle was never idle even after she had reared a family, helped with grandchildren and had retired from many years of teaching.  When not doing necessary household chores, she was always knitting, crocheting, netting, sewing, reading or writing. . . . She always kept her high ideals, gave encouragement to others, and was a friend to everyone.”[11]

(See also The Joseph Neal Heywood Family Places of Residence and Major Highlights table.)

Francelle, died 9 Feb 1937 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California at the age of 76 y 11 m and 7 d.

   Joseph Leland Heywood (1815-1905)[12] [13] - Leland’s Paternal Grandfather

Joseph, born 1 Aug 1815 in Grafton, Worchester, Massachusetts      

     Joseph Leland Heywood was born in Grafton, Worchester, Massachusetts, 1 Aug 1815. After meeting the Prophet Joseph Smith in December, 1842, and accepting the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was baptized by Elder Orson Hyde, the Prophet, Joseph Smith, helping to cut the ice in preparation for the baptism. He was Trustee in Trust for the Church in Nauvoo at the time of the Mormon exodus. He left Nauvoo in the spring of 1848 and arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley on 19 October 1848.  He was the first U.S. Marshal in Utah.  He helped obtain territorial government for Utah.  He was one of a committee chosen to draft the constitution.  He served as a Commissioner to establish Territorial Boundary and was named surveyor of highways.  He was the Postmaster of the Territory West of the Missouri River.         He was the first bishop of the Seventeenth Ward of the Salt Lake Stake, serving for six years.  He was the founder of Nephi, Juab, Utah, assisting Jesse W. Fox in laying-out of the city.  He was called to settle in Southern Utah.  He fulfilled various church callings while there including that of High Priest Group Leader and Patriarch.    He was the husband of four plural wives.  He had 17 children.

Joseph, died 12 January 1840 in Panguitch, Garfield, Utah at the age of 95 y 2 mo 25 d.

   Martha Spence (1812-1873)[14] – Leland’s Paternal Grandmother

Martha, born 1 8 Mar 1812  in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Martha and children "Nealy" and Sarepta

      Martha immigrated to the United States at age 21.  She worked as a millinerRochester, New York.  She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, being baptized 15 Aug 1848.  She immediately made plans to join the Saints on their trek west.  She crossed the plains with the Edward Hunter Company in 1850.  Her benefactor in making this possible was Joseph Leland Heywood.  While on the trek, she nursed his nephew, Frank Heywood[15], who had tuberculosis.  When she arrived in Salt Lake City, she was apparently assigned to stay at the Heywood home.  This seemed a bit disappointing as she did not have particularly warm feelings toward Joseph Leland Heywood.  This seemed to have changed, however, when the prospect of become his wife was proposed.  They were married and sealed on 16 Jan 1851 by Brigham Young in the President’s Office.  She worked as a milliner, teaching others in the family the skills she had learned as a child and young adult.  She accompanied her husband to help settle Nephi, Juab, Utah.  While there, she lived in a wagon box where she gave birth to her two children, 18 Nov 1851) and Sarepta (b. 8 Oct 1853).  Matha was one of the first teachers in Nephi.  Martha kept a journal which has been published.[16]  It is considered a premier pioneer journal.  In it she records her experiences in crossing the plains.  She gives the touching account of death of her daughter, Sarepta, on 19 Mar 1856.  Following Sarepta’s death, she moved back to Salt Lake City where she lived with Joseph Leland Heywood family until he was called to settle in Southern Utah.  She accompanied him to Southern Utah.  She was living with her son, Joseph Neal Heywood, Sr., in Washington, Washington, Utah at the time of her death.  She was an obscure pioneer, but because of her journal, she is often noted and quoted by church historians.

Joseph Neal Heywood ( b.

Martha, died 5 Feb 1873 in Washington, Washington, Utah at the age of 60 y 10 mo 28 d.

  

   Prime Thornton Coleman, Sr.  (1831-1905) – Leland’s Maternal Grandfather

Prime, born 22 Sep 1831 in Thorncot, Bedford, England.

The following life sketch appeared in History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Thatcher, Arizona[17]

Prime Thornton Coleman, the third child of Prime Coleman and Sarah Thornton was born February 22, 1831, in Worden[18] (sic), Bedfordshire, England, coming to the United States when he was about 13 years of age.

He went through the mobbing incidents in the early rise of the Church, coming to Utah with the companies which crossed the plains, settling in Lehi, Utah, in about 1851. 

On November 10, 1856, he married Emma Beck Evans, after which event they were called as missionary settlers to the Santa Clara on the Muddy in Southern Utah. [He moved to Harmony in “Dixie” in 1854.[19]]  After arriving at their destination, the real battle of life began.  The climate was hot, the soil unproductive, and extremely difficult to till.  The Indians, while friendly, were given to coveting their possessions.

He later moved his family over into Kanab and settled a ranch about 1878.  In November of 1880, they started for Arizona with a company of 14 persons, 5 wagons, and livestock.  The trip was most trying because of cold weather, the scarcity of feed, fuel, and water at times.  They crossed the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry, then traveled over what was known as “Lee’s Back Bone,” where the road was almost impassable—passing through Holbrook, Concho, Springerville, Nutrioso, and then to Alpine.  After weathering all kinds of reverses, financially and otherwise, they moved to Springerville and purchased a farm and lived there for several years, before coming to the Gila Valley about 1899.

Here he was ordained a Patriarch on November 25, 1902 [at the age of 71], at Thatcher, Arizona, by Hyrum Mack Smith.  He died on August 19, 1905.

Prime, died 19 Aug 1905 in Thatcher, Graham, Arizona at the age of 73 y 10 m 28 d.

   Emma Beck Evans (Coleman) (1840-1913) – Leland’s Maternal Grandmother

Emma, born 12 January 1840 in Illinois

The following sketch appeared in Who’s Who in Arizona Volume I. 1913[20]

Emma Beck Evans
(Coleman)

Mrs. Emma B. Coleman, member of the Arizona Central Equal SuffrageIllinois, January 12, 1840, but is one of the earliest pioneers of Arizona, and might well be christened the Mother of Suffrage in Apache and Graham Counties.  In the spring of 1888 when the first International Council of Women was held in Washington, D. C., the call for freedom was wafted across the arid plains and rustled in the tall pines that sheltered her Alpine home, away in the mountains of Arizona.  That call found an echo in her heart, and she responded, the first woman in Arizona to become a member of the National Woman Suffrage Association.  She has since been very active for the cause, and with good results, in Arizona.  Mrs. Coleman was a delegate from Graham County to the Constitutional Convention held in Phoenix in 1911, and in connection with delegates from other counties worked very hard to have a Suffrage plank incorporated in the Constitution, but without avail.  She has been a consistent and earnest worker for the cause of Equal Suffrage all her life, and though many times defeated, she has never, at any time lost hope that they will soon be realized throughout the nation.  Mrs. Coleman has been a home-maker above all, and agrees that the right of suffrage shall not cause to deteriorate in the slightest degree either a woman’s femininity or her efficiency as a home maker and mother.
Committee, was born in

On  July 5, 1912, “enough signatures were gathered to put suffrage on the November ballot.  It passed in every county of the sate.  Arizona became one of nine states that ensured the women’s vote, eight years before the implementation of the 19th Amendment.”[21]

Emma, died 12 January 1840 in Thatcher, Graham, Arizona at the age of 73 y 4 mo 30 d.

   Prime Coleman[22]  (1803-1844) – Leland’s Maternal Great Grandfather

Prime, born 20 Jan 1803 in Arlssey, Bedford, England[23].

Prime Coleman was born 20 Jan. 1803 at Arlsey, Bedford, England, the seventeenth child of George and Elsabeth Sarah Prime.  His surname, Prime, is from both his mother’s surname and his paternal Grandmother’s surname.  Prime’s siblings included three sets of twins, one set of triplets and eight single births. 

Prime and his wife, Sarah Thornton, and their older children joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841.  They immigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1843.  They had lived in Old Warden and Thorncote Parishes in Bedford. 

In England, Prime grew to manhood in Arsley and surrounding country.  He and his wife, Sarah, owned and lived on a large, well equipped farm at Thorncote, Bedsford, England.  The house was large and splendidly furnished.  They had hired help.  

They accepted the gospel in 1841/42.  On 1 Jan 1843 their emigration began.  They were enrolled on the ship, Swanton, departing from Liverpool on 16 Jan 1843 with 212 aboard and arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana after 7 weeks and 3 days. They then sailed up the Mississippi to Nauvoo on the Amaranth.  They arrived on 12 Apr 1843, the entire journey taking 3 months and 12 days.

In Nauvoo, they lived on the farm of Hyrum Smith.  Their youngest daughter, Martha J., was born in Nauvoo, 15 Sep 1843.  They suffered privation and hardships not known before.  Slightly more than a year after their arrival in Nauvoo, typhoid fever broke out.  Fifteen year old daughter, Sarah Jane, died of typhoid in May of 1844.  Prime died of typhoid on 11 June 1844, 16 days before Joseph Smith’s martyrdom.

He left his wife, Sarah, almost destitute with seven children to rear.

Prime, died 11 June 1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois at the age of 44 y 4 mo 22 d.

    Sarah Thornton (Coleman) (1806-1892)[24] – Leland’s Maternal Great Grandmother

Sarah, born 11 Jun 1806 in Little Paxton, Huntington, England

Find A Grave  

   Sarah Thornton Coleman, daughter of William Thornton and Elizabeth Christian, was born June 11, 1806 at Little Paxton, Huntington, England.

     She and her older sister, June, were left motherless at the age of 10 and 11. Their father placed the girls in a boarding school and afterward married again.  She remained at this school about ten years when she met, and after a courtship of six weeks, married Prime Coleman. 

They made their home in Thorncote, Bedsford, England where seven children were born to them: George, Sarah, Prime Thornton, Ann, Elizabeth, William, and Rebecca.

Sarah was more inclined toward religion than was her husband, and often said that while she attended church, he enjoyed more to rest at home reading and smoking his cigar.

When the Elders found them, the Coleman family was not long in making their decision to join the Church.  So with their four children who were over eight years of age, they were baptized in 1841 and 42.  They determined to join the Saints in America, leaving their home 1 Jan 1843, setting sail from Liverpool 16 Jan 1843, arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana after seven weeks and three days on the ocean, traveling up the Mississippi on the ship, Amaranth, to St. Louis, and landing in Nauvoo, Illinois on 12 April 1843, three months and twelve days after leaving their home in England.

     In Nauvoo, they suffered privation and hardships not known before by this prosperous family.  Sarah gave birth to her eighth child, Martha Jane, four months after their arrival.

After a little over a year of their new life of sacrifice and hardship, typhoid fever broke out in Nauvoo claiming the life the oldest daughter, Sarah age 15, and then the life of Prime who was buried in an old dry well along with others.

This left Sister Coleman with seven children to rear, lacking the comfort of "the olden days” in England, and almost destitute of the necessities of life.

About two weeks after these sad deaths in the Coleman family, the Prophet and Patriarch were martyred on 27 Jun 1844.

Now a widow, Sarah moved with here family into the Eleventh Ward where David Evans was bishop.  She and her family shared the persecutions and trials of the exodus from Nauvoo and crossing of the plains with the David Evans Company arriving in the Salt Lake Valley September of 1850.

     In February 1851 President Brigham Young sent David Evans south to preside over the little colony already located on Dry Creek.  Sarah Thornton Coleman and her seven children, three sons and four daughters, came with the Evans family and remained to help build up what is now Lehi, Utah.  

     She later married David Evans and was sealed to her first husband, Prime Coleman, David Evans acting as proxy.  

Sarah was called as president of the first Relief Society organized in Lehi in the fall of 1868.  She served in that position many years. She was blessed with the gift of tongues and used that gift many times.

     Sarah Thornton Coleman lived an exemplary life, passing on at the ripe age of 86 with full faith in the Gospel for which she had sacrificed so much.

Sarah, died 1 Mar 1892 in Lehi, Utah, Utah at the age of 85 y 8 mo 19 d.

"Time Only" Marriage  David Evans  18 Oct 1852

David Evans is married to Sarah Thornton Coleman, widow of Prime Coleman and daughter of William and Elizabeth Thornton, for time only at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Sarah was also sealed at this time to Prime Coleman, her first husband, for eternity with David acting as proxy.  (Source unknown)

---

[1] Ancestry.com. Utah, Our Pioneer Heritage [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1998. Original data: International Society, Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  Records 3735-3744 of 53248

[2] Miscellaneous Family Records in possession of Richard N. Heywood, 628 East Alameda Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282, 480-967-7183, hrndr@cox.net.  

[3] Ancestry.com. Jenson, Andrew. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, UT: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901. 

[4] The Copper Era (A newspaper published at Clifton, Arizona), 26 May, 1904, vol.6. no.8. p.1.  Miscellaneous Family Records in possession of Richard N. Heywood, 628 East Alameda Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282, 480-967-7183, hrndr@cox.net. 

[5] Reminiscences by J. N. Heywood, Unpublished Copy, Miscellaneous Family Records in possession of Richard N. Heywood, 628 East Alameda Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282, 480-967-7183, hrndr@cox.net.  

[6] Miscellaneous Family Records in possession of Richard N. Heywood, 628 East Alameda Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282, 480-967-7183, hrndr@cox.net.

[7] Pioneer Women of Arizona, Roberta Flake Clayton.  Repository:  Mesa Regional Family History Center, 41 So. Hobson, Mesa Arizona.  Call Number:  979.1 D3.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid

[12] Conquerors of the West, Volume II, Edited by Florence C. Youngberg and Compiled by National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers [via www.google.com]

[13] Biography Files of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City, Utah [via www.ancestry.com

[14] Miscellaneous Family Records in possession of Richard N. Heywood, 628 East Alameda Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282, 480-967-7183.  These records include a copy of Not by Bread Alone and additional unpublished documents.

[15] Frank died a few weeks after arriving in Salt Lake City.

[16] Not of Bread Alone, edited by Juanita Brooks.

[17] The 25th Stake of Zion, 1883-1983 : St. Joseph Stake, February 25, 1883--Thatcher Arizona Stake, February 1, 1974 History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Thatcher, Arizona, both on a stake level and a history of each ward and branch (not all in Thatcher). Repository:  Mesa Regional Family History Center.  979.154 K2 (Includes brief biographical sketches of stake presidents, other stake officers, bishops of wards, missionary couples, etc.)

[18] Ancestral File gives Prime Thornton Coleman’s place of birth as being Thorncot, Bedford, England and his father, Prime Coleman’s (1802), as being Old Warden, Bedford, England..

[19] Pioneer Indexes, Washington County Utah, 1852-1870, Compiled by Wesley W. Craig and Roberta Blake Barnum, http://www.lofthouse.com/USA/Utah/washington/pioneers/male-c.html  (Found via Google)

[20] Who’s Who in Arizona Volume I. 1913, Compiled and Published by Jo Connors.  Repository:  Mesa Regional Family History Center, 41 S. Hobson Street, Mesa, AZ 85204.  480-964-1200.Call Number 979.1 D3c.

[21] A Historical Overview of Women’s Suffrage Movement in US and Arizona by Sumeet Aggarwal. http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/mcbride/ws200/sumeet.htm)

[22] Arthur D. Coleman, Coleman Pioneers of Utah (J. Grant Stevenson, Provo, Utah), Family History Library, 35 N. West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150, USA, www.familysearch.org, 929.273 C677.  “A biographical, genealogical and historical account of seventeen Utah pioneers who were descendants of George Coleman 1765 or Arsley, England.”

[23] Prime’s birthplace is given variously.  It is believed to have probably been in “Arlessy” because the extracted records on the  International Genealogical Index gives Arlessy as the place of his Christening: www.familysearch.org, Batch Number:  C0355, Film Number:  0826449: Parish registers, 1538-1958  Church of England. Parish Church of Arlesey (Bedfordshire).

[24] This sketch is based primarily on the biography for Sarah Thornton found on the David Evans Web Site, http://www.davidevans.org/library/book/thornton.aspAlpine