This weeks theme over at
No Story Too Small is Tough Woman. I am choosing to write about my great-great-grandmother Lovina Clarissa Dye. She may not have had the most difficult life, but she did have 13 kids, 12 of whom survived to adulthood. And I think raising that many kids takes one tough woman.
Lovina was born in Attleborough, Norfolk, England on 24 February 1865, youngest child of Richard Dye and Sarah Kemp. In 1854 her parents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). When she was 6 years old her family packed up their 6 kids and moved to Utah. Richard came to America in 1870, and saved the money to bring the rest of the family the next year. Lovina, her mother and 5 siblings sailed on the Nevada from Liverpool to New York on 18 October 1871 with 300 other Mormons heading for Utah. They arrived in Salt Lake City on 11 November 1871.
On 17 January 1884, at just 18 years old, Lovina married William Ellison in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. They stayed a few days in Salt Lake with Lovina's cousin Jane Edins, then went to Provo for a reception at the home of William's mother. They lived for a time with Lovina's parents. On 24 January 1884 Brigham Young Academy burned down, the whole city was awakened and bucket brigades were formed, but the buildings were a total loss.
William worked for Provo Woolen Mills, but work was slow, so he went out of town to Salt Lake to work at Deseret Woolen Mills. Lovina had their first child, Sarah, October 24th 1884, William was able to visit for a few days before having to go back to work. Between work at the Deseret Woolen Mills, Provo Woolen Mills and working on the Dye farm, they were able to move out on their own. They rented one room for 2 dollars a month from Sidney Bailey. While at the Bailey's house they had their second child, John.
In March 1887 they rented a house and 2 lots for 3 dollars a month, and could make improvements to the property for part of the rent. They grew a lot of their own food, as well as having a cow, a pig and some chickens. By the end of 1887 they had their third child, Clarissa. In January 1888 they bought a house for 300 dollars, fully paying it off in January 1889.
They stayed in the Provo area the rest of their lives. They had 10 more children, the last two being born after they started having grandkids. Their 7th child, Richard Heber, died of croup at 5 years old, but all the others survived to adulthood.
Lovina died on July 25, 1922 in Provo Utah of carcinoma of the intestines and kidney. She was 57.
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| Lovina and William Ellison and family. Taken after Richard died (shown in painting on the wall), and before the last two kids were born. |
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Parents:
Richard Dye (1822-1905)
Sarah Kemp (1823-1903)
Siblings:
Sarah Ann Dye (1846-1869)
Robert Dye (1848-1866)
William Dye (1850-1932)
Hyrum Dye (1851-1860)
Heber Charles Dye (1853-1880)
Edmund Willard Dye (1855-1925)
Samuel Dye (1858-1915)
John Hyrum Dye (1859-1944)
Rebecca Dye (1862-1863)
Spouse: William Ellison (1863-1921)
Children:
Sarah Ellison (1884-1964)
John William Ellison (1885-1968)
Clarissa Ellison (1887-1967)
Grace Ellison (1889-1956)
Alfred Ray Ellison (1890-1969)
Ida Lovina Ellison (1892-1980) *my great grandmother
Richard Heber Ellison (1895-1900)
Elizabeth Ellison (1897-1969)
Arthur Albert Ellison (1899-1931)
Orena Ellison (1901-1987)
Kate Ellison (1903-1990)
Ralph Edmund Ellison (1907-1982)
Etta Ellison (1908-1993)
