I was born Feb. 4th, 1848, in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, the daughter of John William and Ann Walton Townsend, who were woodturners by trade. They made all kinds of toys as well as furniture from wood.

Food and nearly every other necessity of life was high and hard to obtain, as it was war time and every able bodied man was in the service. At the time of my birth there was neigh candle, bread, water nor soap in the house.

I only had one half days schooling and then I had to take my baby brother with me, as my mother had to help father earn a living and I, only a small child, had to care for the other children.

My people were not members of any church and when I was eight years old we all joined the church and were baptized. It was at the time of the Reformation in England.

My grandparents, uncle and aunt joined the Saints in Utah five years before we came. We left our home in England March 9th, and set sail March 10th, 1860, in a sailing vessel. The sea was stormy and very rough. One morning before any of my folks were up I went for water to make tea and the boat lurched and I nearly went through one of the holes used to run water off the deck that the waves washed over. We were on the water 7 weeks and landed in Castle Garden, New York. We only rested here one day and traveled 5 days down the river to St. Joe, continuing our way to Winter Quarters.

We traveled in Daniel Robinson's Company, leaving; some time in May continuing on our way across the plains.

We were not molested nor bothered much with the Indians, but gave them some provisions and were friendly whenever they came.

On crossing one of the rivers I found a turtle which I carried with me for days, but one day it got away from me.

I traveled barefoot when my shoes wore out that I had when we left England. I either went barefoot or picked up moccasins that the Indians had lost or thrown away, altho they were sometimes too large. We made our fires with buffalo chips which we gathered during the day. Whenever we would come to a settlers cabin I would take my baby brother in my arms and go in to get a drink of water, hoping all the time I might get a drink of milk or a piece of bread.

Although I was only a girl of twelve years and small for my age, I either pulled the handcart or carried the baby all the way across the plains. I rode in the handcart one half day when I was ill.

My grandparents and others met our company in Emigration Canyon with provisions and every one was rejoicing at our safe arrival. They brought butter and bread which certainly was a real luxury for us. We landed in Salt Lake, August 27th, 1860.

Times were hard for us after arriving as we were unable to harvest a crop before winter and everything was very high.

Butter $1.00 per lb
Flour 25.00 per cwt
Sugar 1.25 per lb
Tea 6.00 per lb
Thin unbleached Muslin 1.25 per yd
Calico .75 per yd
Small bun. matches .25 per bun
Thread .25 per spool

We used to go to the canyons and get bark from the trees and take to the soap factory in exchange for soap. Out of a wagon load of bark we would receive 3 or 4 bars of soap. I also went to the canyons for wood and have worked hard all my life. When only a girl of 16 I worked wherever I could get a home to work in for my board and room. In the winter my shoes consisted of soles cut from wood with an old pair of tops from an old pair of shoes nailed on. I had one pair of shoes a year, when they wore out I went barefoot. Many a time in the winter I've had to get out of bed, which was on the floor, and put on frozen shoes and go out in the freezing weather to see what was the matter with the cattle when they made a disturbance.

I was married to Henry Lovesy Feb. l3th 1867, of which union 5 daughters were born, only two lived to reach maturity. I had to work to support my children as I was a polygamist wife. I have gleaned wheat where Liberty Park is, and also have gathered watercress where the City and County Building in Salt Lake City is.

My parents, brother and sisters left the Church and joined the Josephite Church and disowned me because I was staunch to the faith for which I had crossed the plains.

Not having an education I was never able to read or write but I always had faith in the Lord and knew He would answer my prayers. With my faith in Him He has surely answered my prayers, as in the last ten or twelve years I can read almost anything. One day I was sitting by my table wondering what I could do and wishing that I might be able to read, when suddenly a voice seemed to say to me, "Why don't you get your Doctrine and Covenants?" The voice seemed so real that I went to the door to see who had spoken. Finding no one there I returned to sit by the table. A second time the experience was repeated and I went immediately and got the book. As I ran my finger along the lines, the words seemed to come easy for me. I have since read that book through also the Book of Mormon and other books.

After the death of my father, my sisters having also died, my mother was alone and without a home, so she came to me for help. Coming home from town one morning she was waiting for me, I took her in and gave her a home which was approximately 9 years. She rejoined the church and was very happy. She lived until she was 88 years old.

I am now along in years but feel young. Will be 80 years old on my birthday, Feb. 4th, 1928, but everyone tells me I am young looking for my age.

(Signed) Emma

Footnote The preceding history was written by Granddaughter, Virginia Schwaggler

After my grandmother's first husband died she married a man by the name of Charles Pearce. No children were born to this marriage.

Grandmother died Dec. 2nd, 1932 in Farmington, Utah, at the age of 84. She was at the home of her daughter, Annie Bourne. She is buried in the Farmington City Cemetery.

(Barbara Bourne Phillips) August 1965. Being the oldest great-grandchild on my side of the family, I would like to add a few things that I can remember in my childhood and my relation with Great Grandmother. As a small girl, I remember visiting her in Salt Lake where she lived in a little adobe house on Denver Street which still stands at this writing, but has been since remodeled. I usually went in the company of my Grandmother and Grandfather Bourne. Being small, I only remember certain things about her. Such as the house having an upstairs upon which I played sometimes. There was always a flower garden and vegetable garden. My Grand mother's older and only Sister, Rachel, lived with her for a number of years in their later life. I remember a China Cabinet in the living room with beautiful dishes in it and the pink wintergreen candies I always used to get from a crystal candy dish.

My great grandmother, (Emma) fell and broke her hip, and the last few years of her life were spent with my Grandparents at Farmington, Utah. Aunt Rachel then moved to Farmington also and lived with her daughter, Virginia, until her death.

Being Grandma Emma was always industrious and wanted to earn her way, she never let the hip slow her down too much. Although she had to walk with crutches the rest of her life, she would take care of a good sized garden each summer. My Grandfather Bourne would plow and help plant the garden, after which she would weed and water and help pick the vegetables. She would move herself along with the crutches and a special little hoe that Grandfather had fixed for her.

I remember people always saying how devout she was and what an honest tithe payer she was. Until she died with pneumonia, she would walk back and forth to the old via-duct near Lagoon each day, winter and summer, except if the weather would not permit.

She died at my grandmother (Annie Lovsey Bourne's) home in North Farmington on Dec 2, 1932 at age 84.