Ann Chatterley Macfarlane - Indian Persistence

Several weeks ago I taught a lesson to the young women at church about Heritage. I made a display to go along with the lesson about what my heritage is. My heritage, what has been handed down to me and I hope to pass on to my descendants, is family history. I brought the display home and hung it up in my workroom, right behind the computer, so that I can see it every day.


These are the women who inspire me! - 1st column: Annie Marie Sammon Caman, Sabra Adeline Dennis, Beatrice Ann Betts, Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie. 2nd column: Kathryn Bond Berkowitz, Louise Elizabeth Lusty Penrose, Ruth McQuarrie Penrose, Florence Faye Alkire Love. 3rd column: Lu Penrose Bond, Joella Shewalter Cameron Love, Anna White Durrett Bond, Miriam Elizabeth Griffiths Bond Haddow. 4th column: Ann Chatterley Macfarlane, WIlburta June Love Linenbach, Florence Faye Alkire, Agnes Gray McQuarrie.

Among those women is my great-great-great grandmother, Ann Chatterley Macfarlane. She was an inspiring woman! There are many wonderful stories told of her, and each one impresses me with her dedication and her strength. I hope that I could be as up to the challenge as she was!!

I am going to share one of her stories today. The story of Indian Persistence.


"We have no photographs of Ann as a young girl, but from family comments and descriptions, she must have been attractive. Her hair and eyes were coal black, and didn't ever turn completely gray." - Anna Brooks Taylor

Ann was born in Manchester, England on 3 March 1837 to Joseph and Nancy Morton Chatterley. The family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and sailed to America to join the pioneer trek west to Utah. Joseph was an iron worker and his skills were needed in the Cedar City area.

From a biography by Ann's granddaughter, Ruth M. Penrose:

"When the Chatterley family arrived in Cedar City they found the Indians well established in the mountains and valleys roundabout. Ann, 15, wanted to learn more about them - even their language, which she soon did. The Indians admired her dark hair and eyes. One came to her father, Joseph Chatterley, and offered him 40 horses and 40 blankets for her - Joseph had no idea that the Indian was serious and thought no more of it; however, in about two weeks came this same Indian with 40 blankets and 40 horses and the tribesmen to help him. Joseph explained that white men did not sell their children - and for him to leave and take his tribe, blankets and horses. This caused much trouble - the Indians left in anger declaring to return and get her anyway.

"George A. Smith ordered Ann to remain inside the Fort until the affair quieted down regardless of the time it might take. Ann realized her own responsibility to keep the peace. After about three months and “lookouts” had reported no sign of trouble, Ann said as soon as it was really safe she wanted to learn to milk a cow. (Seems there was a space between the Fort and the enclosure where cattle were kept - this space between was for guards on duty at all times). One evening Ann was allowed to go to the corral with her brother at milking time. She watched how he did it - then he let her “strip” that cow while he went to milk another. She had started, but heard a slight rustling sound, looked up to see an Indian ready to grab her in a buffalo skin. She let out an awful scream and ran for the Fort. All were alerted and she was saved but did not recover from this fright for many a day, if ever. Every grandchild or great-grandchild over age 40 has heard this story - each one retells it - with his or her own degree of interpretation. This is my version. RMP"

The same story with different details is offered by Anna Brooks Taylor:

“The Indians were attracted to this little black-eyes, black hair girl and asked to buy her. Her father laughingly said, “She will cost 50 ponies and some blankets.” In only a few days the old chief appeared with the herd of ponies. When her father tried to explain, the Indian didn’t take kindly to the joke. During the next few weeks, she was guarded constantly. One night, as she carried a large bucket of milk to the fort, she spied a big Indian in the brush. She flew to the safety of the fort, but realizing he was gaining on her, she threw the bucket and the milk at him and fell through the door to safety.”

It is amazing what the pioneers went through as they crossed the plains and settled a new home in unfamiliar territory. It was a very different time!

Direct line ancestry: Ann Chatterley Macfarlane --> Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie --> Ruth McQuarrie Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Family Treasures

There are many wonderful treasures that our family before us has left behind to remind us of our heritage, but what I am showing you today it is what I could fit in a box. : )

Last month was the closing social luncheon of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, a historical society that I am a member of. I was asked to decorate the tables. There are many things that I have the privilege of being caretaker, so, I packed together some of them and I used them as table decorations.

I took photos of each of the displays.






In this centerpiece, the leaf doily belonged to Gma, Lu Penrose Bond (I am not sure if it belonged to anyone before her); the silver candle holder, the curling iron and the wooden recipe box belonged to Gma, Wilburta Love Linenbach (which she got from her mother, Florence Faye Alkire Love), the tube is military citations from g-Gpa Wilbur Love; the plate was painted by Monna Love Drake, Gma Willie's aunt, Wilbur's sister; the pin is the Macfarlane Scottish family crest; the photo is of g-Gma, Elizabeth Griffiths; the compact and the Bible came from the Abbotts (Kevin's mother's side of the family); the photo of the little boy is of David Nerhing, Kevin's dad. I made the pioneer sun bonnet.




In this centerpiece, the silver candle holder, the silver plate, the recipe book, the Art of Cooking and Serving book, the beaded shawl and the golden spoon belonged to Gma, Wilburta Love Linenbach (which she got from her mother), the drafting case was Dad's; and the hat is a scottish tam-o-shanter with the Macfarlane Scottish family crest.




In this centerpiece, the leather recipe box, the flowered bowl and the clippers belonged to Gma, Wilburta Love Linenbach (who got them from her mother), the leaf doily and the Book of Mormon came from Gma, Lu Penrose Bond, and the photo is of g-Gma, Elizabeth Griffiths, and her mother, Beatrice Betts. I made the pioneer sun bonnet.




In this centerpiece, the silver cups and the wooden scrapbook belonged to Gma, Wilburta Love Linenbach; the hymn book came from the Nehring family; the biography is about g-g-g Gpa, John Menzies Macfarlane; and the photos are of Henrietta Ingalls Wallace, g-g- Gma. I made the pioneer sun bonnet.

These are "things" but they represent the amazing lives of our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and more. It is a great gift to be able to preserve them!

Beatrice Ann Betts Griffiths

Beatrice Ann Betts was born in Birmingham, England on 10 January 1865. I have no information about her until she became a mother. When Miriam Elizabeth Griffiths was born in 1892, Beatrice Griffiths, formerly Betts, is listed on the birth certificate, along with Miriam's father, Walter Griffiths.



There are a few photos of Beatrice and her daughter which were taken before they immigrated to America, including one with unknown family members.


Miriam Elizabeth and Beatrice Ann Griffiths


in front: Beatrice and Miriam. Does anyone know who the other people are? There is another photo of the woman on the far right in with photos of Beatrice, so she may be a sister, or her mother, I am not sure.

Beatrice immigrated to the United States through Emerson, Canada on the Canadian Pacific Railway, entering through the port of Noyes, Minnesota on 20 March 1897 and settled in Los Angeles, California.



On her application for naturalization, dated 24 May 1929, she listed her employment as a housekeeper, and described herself physically as white, with a dark complexion, 5 feet tall, 98 pounds, with dark brown hair and blue eyes.


This photo of Beatrice and her daughter, Miriam, was taken 18 August 1930, about a year after she came to America.

An interesting side note is that Beatrice also lists on her naturalization application that she is not married, and that her husband, Walter Griffiths, is deceased. I am not going to speculate on the nature of their relationship, but Walter Griffiths was actually alive and did not pass away until 1959. There is an undated photo of her in which she appears to be unhappy and it seems someone has been cut out. So, I guess I am speculating that perhaps they did not have a happy marriage.


Beatrice Griffiths - 1916

Beatrice died on 11 August 1941 in Los Angeles, California. I have not been successful as of yet finding out which cemetery she is buried in.



Direct line ancestry: Beatrice Ann Betts Griffiths --> Miriam Elizabeth Griffiths Bond --> Richard Griffiths Bond --> Kathryn Bond --> Lora Marshall Nehring